Buscar:act!

The eponymous debut disc from German-Swedish supergroup 4
Wheel Drive went straight to the top spot as Best-Selling Jazz Album
In Germany For 2019. And the media didn’t hold back with their
praise either: “Four first-league jazz musicians with pure joy of playing
and a love of good pop music,” said ZDF’s ‘heute-journal’ about this
spirited and enjoyable group that combines trombonist / singer Nils
Landgren, pianist Michael Wollny, bassist / cellist Lars Danielsson
and drummer Wolfgang Haffner.
 For ‘4 Wheel Drive II’, it is evident that things have shifted up a gear
right from the start, with the rocky, pulsating opening track, ‘Chapter
II’, straight from Wollny’s compositional workbench. Landgren likes to
let his trombone roar like a sports car engine. In similarly dynamic
vein are pieces like Danielsson’s final track of the album, ‘The
Wheelers’, which, thanks to Haffner’s nimble brushwork, makes you
think you’re on a high speed train.
 Compared to the first album, there has been another change, an
increase in the proportion of original compositions written by all of the
participants, as Lars Danielsson, who has contributed a sensitive,
poppy ballad to the new album, ‘Just Another Hour’, remarks.
“Interpretations of worldwide hit songs were a factor behind the huge
success of the debut album, but the ratio to original compositions
here is getting closer to 50:50. That said, the fuel powering 4 Wheel
Drive has remained the same: this band is all about creating music
from deep within, and with like-minded people whom you can
absolutely and implicitly trust to be in the driving seat.”
 “It just flows,” enthuses drummer Haffner, “we’re a group of close
friends with nothing we need to prove, we can just go for it. I've had
so many magic moments with this band, it really is incredible!”
 On the new album, listeners are treated to several new moments of
pure magic, continuing 4 Wheel drive’s illustrious story. For example,
their new instrumental version of the Simon & Garfunkel classic,
‘Sound of Silence’, has something mysteriously Nordic about it. Or
their newly-cast version of the surprisingly infrequently covered
Genesis ballad, ‘Hold On My Heart’, putting it into a jazz context. The
courage to approach pop tunes that have become so ingrained in
many people’s minds from a completely different perspective pays off
in full. Within 4 Wheel Drive are four originals at work, each of whom
can be recognised from the very first note they play or sing.

- Ltd. LP: (Goldglitzernde, gestanzte Gatefold-Hülle mit austauschbarem Albumartwork / 8 doppelseitige Einleger mit 16 Original-Kunstdrucken aus der Joy as an Act of Resistance-Ausstellung / Gepresst auf schwarzem 180g-Vinyl / Inklusive digitaler Download-Karte)

Repress!

gold glitter embossed sleeve with 18 different artwork variation inserts.

There are only a few figures in music whose work influences and
shapes a genre as a whole. This is undoubtedly true of the Swede
Esbjörn Svensson. With his trio e.s.t., the pianist and composer
wowed audiences beyond age and genre affiliations. And his
influence on jazz as a whole reverberates to this day and already
within the second and third generation of musicians worldwide.
‘HOME.S.’ is Esbjörn Svensson’s only solo album and the sheer
existence of such a recording and its completely unexpected
discovery over a decade after its creation are nothing less than a
sensation: Since the early 1990s, Svensson focused almost his entire
creative energy and recording activities on his work with e.s.t.. Thus,
these new recordings are not only the first, but practically the only
ones that show Svensson in a setting other than that of the trio:
Intimate, concentrated and completely one with himself. The
recordings for ‘HOME.S.’ were made only a few weeks before
Esbjörn Svensson’s sudden death on June 14, 2008. Svensson
recorded the music in his Swedish home.
For almost ten years afterwards, the album rested untouched in his
wife Eva Svensson’s personal archive. Here, she tells the story
behind the discovery of the album and the music: “After Esbjörn’s
passing, I made sure all the contents of his computer were saved to
backup hard drives. And then I basically left them untouched for the
next ten years. At the point where I eventually felt ready to look into
the material, I soon realised that there was something I wanted to
look into.
“I took the hard drive and went to Gothenburg to meet with Åke
Linton, the sound engineer who had worked on all e.s.t. albums as
well as on their live shows. He was also the one who had helped me
to save the material from Esbjörn’s computer in the first place. So he
probably already knew that there was something hidden in there. But
nobody had listened to it.
“We went to his studio. And we pressed the start button. Then there
was a total silence and we couldn't speak for the entire time the music
was playing. After it finished, at first we were not able to say anything,
because we were both so touched and surprised that it was all there,
and that it was so beautiful. The tracks seemed to follow one another
like pearls on a string. After we just had sat there for a while we
agreed: This is really good. Musically, but also from a sound
perspective.”

The Esbjörn Svensson Trio, e.s.t. for short, are still
celebrated today as one of the most important and
influential European jazz bands of the last 20
years.
 In 1999, the three Swedes achieved their
international breakthrough with ‘From Gagarin’s
Point Of View’. A star rose in the musical sky and a
unique world career followed. But sometimes stars
shine for much longer than one thinks. On ‘e.s.t.
Live 95’ there are recordings that prove that this
was also true for the Esbjörn Svensson Trio.
 The band, founded in 1993, found their very
specific sound early on but it was not initially
noticed outside its home country. In 1995, when
the trio’s namesake still wore long hair and a
headband, these recordings were made at various
locations in Sweden. And whoever hears how the
trio played back then is left breathless.
 Much of what distinguishes e.s.t. was already
strongly pronounced here: the coherence and
powerful grip of the playing; the catchy themes that
immediately jump out at the listener and yet do not
become clichéd; the fusion of the music of role
models like Thelonious Monk and Keith Jarrett into
a style of their own, always infected by the forward
thrust of rock. Magical moments were saved for
eternity by these recordings.
 Now this e.s.t. early work is available on double
vinyl.

No Other Voice And Artist Influenced And Basically Created The Female Fronted Symphonic Metal Genre As Much As Tarja. A Pioneer In Goth And Symphonic Metal, The Classically Trained Finn Rose To Fame With The Band Nightwish, Whose Face And Voice She Had Been For 9 Years. Tarja, Whose Vocal Range Goes As Far As Three Octaves, Started Her Solo Career After Stepping Out Of Nightwish In 2004.
Releasing Several Very Successful Solo Albums, Awarded Gold And Platinum In Various Countries, Such As Germany, Poland, Czech Republic Or Finland, Tarja Turunen Has Been Touring The World With Her New Band. The Most Successful Finnish Solo Artist Is One Of The Most Versatile And Passionate Musicians Originating From But Not Limited To The Heavy Music Scene: Her Pure Classical Work 'ave Maria - En Plein Air' Charted In The Classical Charts In Germany And Has Led To Sold Out Classical Concerts All Over Europe. Adored By Many Fans As Their 'goddess', The Finnish Soprano Has The Skill To Carry Her Fans Away Just By Her Presence - Probably More Than Any Other Female Artist In This Genre. When Classic Meets Rock And Heavy Metal, It Inevitably Leads To Tarja

Filmed during Tarja's world tour 'The Shadow Shows', during which the influential heavy rock singer circled the world 7 ½ times with over 300.000 km travelled and played over 200 shows in 40 countries in front of 1 million people, 'Act II' consists of the singer's very intimate 75 minute set filmed and recorded live at the Metropolis Studio in London, UK and the breathtaking live performance of one of her shows in Milan, Italy, and previously unreleased interviews and photo galleries. The theatrical rock adventure 'Act II' combines two incredible, yet slightly different live performances on video: The first chapter, 'Metropolis Alive', has been filmed two months prior to the release of Tarja's 2016 success 'The Shadow Self'. 20 winners from all over Europe were lucky to witness Tarja's intimate, yet rocking 75 minute set at renowned Metropolis Studios in London, UK where the singer performed songs from her then unreleased album - for the first time in front of an audience. 'Act II's' second chapter has been recorded on November 29th, 2016 at the magnificent Teatro della Luna Allago in Milan, Italy and includes numerous hits from all four Tarja albums such as 'Innocence', 'Die Alive', 'Until My Last Breath' as well as an incredible cover of Muse's classic 'Supremacy'. That night's set list also enchants the soprano's
long-time fans with a medley consisting of the distinctive Nightwish evergreens 'Ever Dream', 'Slaying The Dreamer' and 'The Riddler'. All topped off with a remarkable acoustic set which presents Tarja classics in a brand new way. Even though the shows deliberately differ in look, sound, approach to the music and adrenalin, both have one thing in common: from the very first to the very last tune, the state of the art production displays Tarja's energetic performance and her graceful, charming presence.
'Act II' is going to be released as 2CD digipak, 3LP Gatefold (180g, black), DVD, Blu-ray, Limited Mediabook 2CD+2BD (incl. two full live shows filmed at Hellfest in France and Woodstock Festival in Poland as bonus) and Digital.
'ACT I', Tarja's first ever live release, charted Top 10 all over Europe as well as almost all over the world, with a sensational #5 in Germany's General Charts. The video version even remained for over two months at the peak of the Finnish music video charts.

2 unformated Hard beautyfull tunes : A side brings a terror Speedbreakcore Deathmetal track, dropping into a strange Oriental Bass-music Hard jungle sound... Music changes from something to something different … magnific sound ! B side brings a superb classic Arvo Part style in a meltdown with a downtempo fat Hardbreak sound.

"Ein außergewöhnliches Talent" (Jamie Cullum), "aktuell der Name in aller Munde" (BBC 3), "eine Kraft, mit der man rechnen muss" (Jazzwise). Mit gerade einmal 21 Jahren ist die Saxofonistin Emma Rawicz aktuell „talk of the town“ der britischen Jazz-Szene, die aktuell zu den interessantesten der Welt gehört. Ihr ACT-Debüt ‘Chroma‘ ist nicht nur ein extrem vielschichtiges, im wahrsten Sinne farbenfrohes
Album, sondern auch ein Statement und Ausrufezeichen in Richtung der internationalen Jazz-Szene.

Yard Act veröffentlichen ihre brandneue Single ”The Trench Coat Museum”. Co-produziert von GorillazMitglied Remi Kabaka Jr., ist die Single die erste eigene Musik seit der Veröffentlichung ihres mit dem Mercury Prize ausgezeichneten Debütalbums „The Overload“ im Januar 2022.

Das Album zählt als bestverkauftes Album auf Vinyl des ersten Quartals 2022, The Sunday Times kürte es zum Album der Woche und Rolling Stone UK ernannte die britische Indie-Rock-Band zudem zur besten Band bei den Rolling Stone UK Awards.

Einige Singles wurden von Radiosendern wie BBC 6 Music als „Tune Of The Week“ ausgezeichnet, darunter „Payday“, „Pour Another“ und „100% Endurance“. Letztere wurde in einer speziellen Version mit PopIkone Elton John veröffentlicht. Das zugehörige Musikvideo wurde bei den letztjährigen UK Music Video Awards in den Kategorien Best Alternative Video und Best Performance in a Video nominiert.

2022 wurde Yard Act außerdem mit dem „Grulke Prize for Developing non-US Act“ ausgezeichnet.

Die Single wird als 12‘‘ Vinyl erhältlich sein.

Preservation Act 2 is the 1974 follow-up to The Kinks’ 1973 Preservation Act 1 RCA album, and their thirteenth studio LP.

The album is a finely produced concept of story, theatre, instrumentals, announcements, guest singers and songs.
A further installement of Ray Davies’ musical drama, with the character sketches, wry observations and ballads seen on Preservation Act 1.

Full of The Kinks’ distinctive and unique charm, featuring gems such as ‘Money Talks’, ‘He’s Evil’, ‘Mirror Of Love’ and ‘Artificial Man’.

This is a 2LP black heavyweight 180g vinyl in gatefold sleeve, with original artwork faithfully reproduced. The first repress, apart from a limited edition 2008 US pressing, since the original release in 1974.

Preservation Act 1 is a concept album and the 12th studio LP by The Kinks, originally released on RCA on 16 November 1973.

Preservation is the bands most ambitious project - a rock opera that uses the charming, small-town nostalgia of Village Green as a template to draw the entirety of society and how it works.

Epic opener ‘Morning Song’ sets the scene and mood for the record, followed by a classic sounding Dave Davies’ riff, ‘Daylight’, which echoes themes and sounds tones of one their most recognisable and highly acclaimed albums, ‘The Village Green Preservation Society’.

Standout tracks are the endearingly lazy ‘Sitting in the Midday Sun’ and the beautiful ‘Sweet Lady Genevieve’ – both strong contenders for overlooked Ray Davies masterpieces.

A critically acclaimed album, reviewed by Rolling Stone at the time as "A highly listenable, enjoyable album".

This release is a faithful reproduction of the original 1973 album, on heavyweight 180g vinyl. A must-have for any Kinks fan and its first vinyl re-press, apart from a limited edition 2008 US edition, since the original 1973 LP release.

Who did Aretha Franklin not want to miss out on when she recorded
her most inspiring albums in the early Seventies? Who gave Steely
Dan the beat? Who did Isaac Hayes, Donny Hathaway, BB King,
‘Sweet’ Lou Donaldson and Joe Cocker give the chair behind the
drums? No drummer has seen the inside of a studio as often as
Bernard ‘Pretty’ Purdie.
 Not for nothing do colleagues attribute the ‘funkiest soul beat on the
scene’ to the drummer, and consequently, Purdie has never relied on
the genre of jazz alone, but rather curiously looked beyond the
borders. Sessions with The Rolling Stones, James Brown, Jimi
Hendrix or Tom Jones are no problem for him, whose precise and
sensitive playing is synonymous with drive and groove. This is
probably one of the reasons why his rhythms are still sampled by
many DJs today.
 Released on CD back in 1996 and 1997 (and now out of print), the
two ‘Soul to Jazz’ recordings have a cult factor today and sound as
fresh as they did back then. Now both albums are released together
for the first time as a 3LP set.
 These recordings are peppered with lots of prominent star guests
from jazz and soul, from Eddie Harris, Michael Brecker and Nils
Landgren to Hank Crawford, Stanley Turrentine and Cornell Dupree.
 Purdie’s ‘Soul to Jazz’ project takes two different approaches: The
first part focuses on the renowned WDR Big Band led by Gil
Goldstein. Soul classics such as Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition’,
‘When a Man Loves a Woman’, Eddie Harris’s ‘Freedom Jazz Dance’
and Lee Morgan’s famous groove tune, ‘Sidewinder’, are interpreted
in large scale sound. One discovery of these recordings amidst all the
renowned guest soloists is the New York-born singer, Martin Moss.
 The great success of this first album, released under ‘Soul to Jazz’,
led to ‘Soul to Jazz II’, a more intimate record, but one that picks up
where the first recording left off, by exploring similar themes. Again,
Purdie has called together a notable band of kindred spirits, including
saxophonists Hank Crawford (BB King, Ike and Tina Turner, Ray
Charles), Stanley Turrentine (Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott) and Vincent
Herring, as well as guitarist Cornell Dupree (King Curtis) to pianists
Benny Green and Junior Mance.
 Bernard Purdie’s ‘Soul to Jazz’ is a timeless classic and a blueprint of
the soul jazz genre in all its facets. Above all, it is a portrait of one of
the most influential and best drummers in the world, who made jazz
groove with his inimitable funky soul beat

100 Jahre Ligeti: Duo-Improvisationen inspiriert von György Ligetis Streichquartett Nr. 1 „Métamorphoses nocturnes“Am 28. Mai 2023 wäre der Komponist György Ligeti 100 Jahre alt geworden. Auch wenn ihn Filmregisseur Stanley Kubrick durch die Verwendung seiner Musik in dem Soundtrack für „2001: Odyssee im Weltraum“ bekannt gemacht hat, ist der Kosmopolit der Neuen Musik kein Publikumsfavorit geworden. Umso mehr Eindruck hat Ligeti bei den Musikern selbst hinterlassen. Mit seiner lebenslangen Suche nach neuen Wegen, von der Klangflächen-Musik über Mikropolyphonie bis zur Mikrotonalität hat er auch Jazzmusiker beeinflusst. Wenn sich ihm nun der herausragende französische Sopransaxofonist Emile Parisien und der Italiener Roberto Negro, den viele wegen seiner eigenen Projekte wie der Zusammenarbeit mit den Ceccaldi-Brüdern für einen der akt...

REPRESS !!!!

Ybrid reaches her golden gae... Hopefully people will love this superb maxi. A pure hardstyle mystic experience. Dark as an old Cold Rush pcp, with the loud sound and the hysterical incantations... A KILLER !

At the dawn of the summer of 2023, here is the telluric reading of four Bérurier Noir tracks (plus one unreleased track, signed by the duo NSA), engraved in a vinyl groove. The lyrics have been rethought, accompanied by a wild baritone sax to the rhythm of the original box (Electro-Harmonix DRM-16).

A dark and luminous vision of today's world, this vinyl maxi 45 is a cry!

Ghana gilt seit vielen Jahrhunderten als Land der Geschichtenerzähler. Diese große Tradition muss aber nicht unbedingt mit Worten oder der Stimme fortgeführt werden. Peter Somuah spinnt das Storytelling mit seinem Instrument: Als junger Trompeter begibt er sich zwischen dem Highlife seiner Heimat, seinem Idol Miles Davis und der kosmopolitischen Musiksprache seines neuen Zuhauses Holland auf eine faszinierende Suche nach Identität. Diese Reise ist sein „Letter To The Universe“.Als Somuah mit seiner Band im Juli 2022 beim North Sea Festival umjubelt von der Bühne geht, ist dem Publikum klar: Hier ist ein außergewöhnlicher neuer Künstler am Start. Es ist sein erster großer Festival-Auftritt, bislang hatte er nur in Clubs gespielt.

With ‘Wille’, their second album, the Vincent Meissner
Trio show that young, complex, crisp piano trio jazz
does not have to come from the USA, England or
Scandinavia, like many famous current
representatives.

Totally contemporary music with heart and brain,
whether in the form of original compositions or reconstructions of Whitney Houston, Louis Cole or The
Beatles.

What the Vincent Meissner Trio are able to do above
all is to convince with its fundamental honesty and
authenticity. Yes, the trio is being proactive in
determining how it wants to present its art, and also its
members as individuals. “It’s nice to have people
listening to us,” says Vincent Meissner, with the live
experiences of the last few months very much in mind.
He understands his pieces as a framework to be filled,
as a space to be walked through as a group together.
It is all about conveying impressions of the present
beyond words, about evoking emotional experiences
which go beyond the tangible moment in a way that is
completely natural. ‘Wille’ is an important step forward
for the Vincent Meissner Trio, and it will already make
listeners want more. This band are well on their way

Maceo Plex's Lone Romantic label signs up new school techno innovators Any Act for the powerful Deti Techno EP.

Since their self-released protest EP ‘Civil Act’, Yaroslavl-based collective Any Act have put out music that is physically, socially and politically powerful. That debut from the TRAM Planet Records associates was an evocative offering that paired dynamic guitar riffs with samples of a policeman's voice and acid-laced basslines. They now continue their mission to unite and strengthen young music communities in their native Russia, as well as around the world, with this new standout release.

The bristling title track opens up with a killer electro-techno groove. Distorted synth stabs and dark vocal samples make for an intense and edgy atmosphere that will fire up any club. 'Jug A Jug' is another visceral track with razor-sharp synths ripping up the groove as busted bass blasts down low. Add in angular riffs and booming kicks and you have an explosive techno rave-up.

The excellent 'Bayla' is another no-frills, lo-fi, high-impact banger with thumping drums and brain-frying synth textures that are all coated in grit and grime. 'Till I Die' shows a different side with its sleazy feel and ghetto bass. A freaky female vocal and pixelated melodies bring late-night rave vibes before closer 'Chin Chin De' takes off on rugged electro drum programming. It's an explosive cut with raw attitude and unbound energy that places you at the heart of a strobe-lit warehouse.

This is a direct and potent EP from the hotly tipped Any Act.

Snarky Puppy founder, multi-instrumentalist and
Grammy winner Michael League and crossover
piano icon Bill Laurance take us to an imaginary
place full of beauty, peace and energy.
‘Where You Wish You Were’ is the name of their
first duo album, released on ACT. The album’s
protagonists surprise, almost as an antithesis to
the stadium act Snarky Puppy, with an intimate,
atmospheric, melody-driven dialogue.
Spanish resident and North Africa enthusiast
Michael League draws colourful musical
landscapes on oud, bass and guitar. And Bill
Laurance, otherwise also known to us especially
for dense walls of sound on keyboards and
synthesizers, transfers their sound palette to the
acoustic world of the piano. Musical escapism,
world jazz 2.0 and an invitation to a place where
we wish to be.

 With ‘Resonanzen’ (Resonances), Johanna
Summer has extended her extraordinary art and
deepened the way she re-tells the music of
classical composers through improvisation.
 The album spans a wide range, starting with Bach,
Schubert, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Grieg and
Ravel and ending with Mompou, Ligeti and
Scriabin.
 Johanna Summer’s deep insights into the two
worlds of composition and improvisation are the
result of the particular path along which she has
developed as a musician. In her childhood and
youth, she solely studied classical music. Jazz and
improvisation came relatively late, but when they
did, it was with a powerful focus.
 Her classical grounding remained in place, and yet
there were many things that she needed to relearn for ‘Resonanzen’. As she says: “It was very
important that I should master the original pieces
first. That was particularly demanding for
‘Resonanzen’, because each of these very
contrasting compositions makes very different
demands on me as a player. At the same time,
improvisation is also an art which you have to keep
practising and developing, so that the music can
attain its own natural flow. To do justice to both of
these sides, and to find a balance between them,
these really are lifelong tasks for me.”

 ‘Silent World’ is perhaps the most personal album
of drummer, composer and bandleader Wolfgang
Haffner yet.
 A master of clarity, focus, and reduction,
accompanied by Dominic Miller, Nils Landgren, Till
Brönner, Bill Evans, Rhani Krija, and many more.
 ‘Silent World’ is about the essentials of being
human, a message which Haffner signals clearly
with concise track titles such as ‘The Peace
Inside’, ‘Hope’ or ‘Belief’. Sometimes we’re in the
world of hymns, sometimes of dreams, but there is
always a melody to be grasped and a pulse to be
felt, and those points of reference give a basis for
the listener to focus and to enjoy the music
thoroughly.

Sealed Records re-issue the 1985 Alternative’s album If They Treat You Like Shit - Act Like Manure originally released on Corpus Christi Records. Recorded at Southern Studios and Co-produced by Pete Wright from Crass and featuring Annie Anxiety and Pete Wright on backing vocals. The album is full of provocative protest songs with intelligent lyrics, effective use of samples, melodic tunes and dual female / male vocals. It’s urgent, passionate and memorable. A must own release from that classic mid 80’s UK anarcho punk era. Remastered from the original tapes. CD version includes 5 extra songs - Unreleased track What Revolution? plus four radically different versions / mixes of album tracks recorded in the same session which will be in a separate 7" later in 2023.

Composed of rhyme-vets Pawz One and Evolve are Random Act Of Violence! The duo's self-titled release is chock-full of grimy bars over bangin' beats for the head-nodders.

Lead single "Sixteen Shots" is a boom-bap bar-brawl set to a crackin' instrumental (produced by EQ) with DJ Eyeball adds cuts to and featuring additional lyrical firepower from none other than Copywrite.

Another track from the project is "Vaultures". Speaking on that track Pawz revealed "the concept of that one was inspired by seeing a lot of these types in the game. The hook was inspired by Mobb Deep, these half-way-crooks bunched up to make each other feel tough and validate themselves."

Hailing from Los Angeles Pawz One has been repping the real and releasing music for the past decade. Most recently he teamed up with 90's West Coast vet Mykill Miers for the aptly named "Double Homicide" album and has also appeared on tracks with such notables as Ruste Juxx, Sadat X, Percee P, Shabaam Sahdeeq and DJ Rhettmatic.

Based out of Donna, Texas, Evolve has released over twenty albums through his Boom Bap Masterpiece Records label. He has collaborated on tracks with such notables as Chino XL, Fatlip (of the Pharcyde), Esoteric, Mickey Factz, Blueprint and many more. Touring the country over the past decade he has also shared stages with the likes of Raekwon, Murs, R.A. The Rugged Man, Masta Ace and Immortal Technique among others.

Die Band - bestehend aus den Mitgliedern Derek Day (Gesang), Dane Pieper (Gitarre), Griffin Tucker (Gitarre), Franco Gravante (Bass) und Chuck McKissock (Schlagzeug) - wurde 2018 gegründet, nachdem sie sich durch ihre Liebe und Leidenschaft zur Musik virtuell verbunden hatten. Jetzt sind sie in Los Angeles und haben sich auf einer Mission vereint, um der nächste große generationsbestimmende Act zu sein, der sich von klassischen Rock-Acts der 70er Jahre und Alt-Rock-Gruppen der 90er Jahre inspirieren lässt. Ihre Musik erinnert an die Markenzeichen früherer Generationen - hymnische Rhythmen, schreddernde Gitarren, erhebender Gesang - aber sie bahnt sich ihren Weg in die Zukunft mit cleveren Arrangements, scharfsinniger Musikalität und gekonntem Songwriting. Die Band hat sich in der Branche bereits einen Namen gemacht und war mit Weltklasse-Produzenten wie Bob Rock, Michael Beinhorn und Joe Chiccarrelli im Studio, die bereits Hits für Bands wie The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Soundgarden und The White Stripes geschrieben haben.Le groupe - composé des membres Derek Day (Chant), Dane Pieper (Guitare), Griffin Tucker (Guitare), Franco Gravante (Basse), et Chuck McKissock (Batterie) - s'est initialement formé en 2018 après s'être connectés et liés virtuellement par leur amour et leur passion de la musique. Maintenant à Los Angeles, ils se sont unis pour une mission : être le prochain grand acte de définition de la génération, en s'inspirant des actes de rock classique des années 70 et des groupes de rock alternatif des années 90. Leur musique fait écho aux caractéristiques des générations précédentes - rythmes hymniques, guitares déchiquetées, voix envoûtantes - mais se fraye un chemin vers le futur grâce à des arrangements astucieux, une musicalité aiguisée et des compositions efficaces.

Die Band - bestehend aus den Mitgliedern Derek Day (Gesang), Dane Pieper (Gitarre), Griffin Tucker (Gitarre), Franco Gravante (Bass) und Chuck McKissock (Schlagzeug) - wurde 2018 gegründet, nachdem sie sich durch ihre Liebe und Leidenschaft zur Musik virtuell verbunden hatten. Jetzt sind sie in Los Angeles und haben sich auf einer Mission vereint, um der nächste große generationsbestimmende Act zu sein, der sich von klassischen Rock-Acts der 70er Jahre und Alt-Rock-Gruppen der 90er Jahre inspirieren lässt. Ihre Musik erinnert an die Markenzeichen früherer Generationen - hymnische Rhythmen, schreddernde Gitarren, erhebender Gesang - aber sie bahnt sich ihren Weg in die Zukunft mit cleveren Arrangements, scharfsinniger Musikalität und gekonntem Songwriting. Die Band hat sich in der Branche bereits einen Namen gemacht und war mit Weltklasse-Produzenten wie Bob Rock, Michael Beinhorn und Joe Chiccarrelli im Studio, die bereits Hits für Bands wie The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Soundgarden und The White Stripes geschrieben haben.Le groupe - composé des membres Derek Day (Chant), Dane Pieper (Guitare), Griffin Tucker (Guitare), Franco Gravante (Basse), et Chuck McKissock (Batterie) - s'est initialement formé en 2018 après s'être connectés et liés virtuellement par leur amour et leur passion de la musique. Maintenant à Los Angeles, ils se sont unis pour une mission : être le prochain grand acte de définition de la génération, en s'inspirant des actes de rock classique des années 70 et des groupes de rock alternatif des années 90. Leur musique fait écho aux caractéristiques des générations précédentes - rythmes hymniques, guitares déchiquetées, voix envoûtantes - mais se fraye un chemin vers le futur grâce à des arrangements astucieux, une musicalité aiguisée et des compositions efficaces.

Jazzrausch Bigband has more or less invented a new art form,
techno jazz, and has become well-known for performances of it. But
the band also has another, different story to tell. It has invented its
own tradition of hitting the road and touring at the end of each year
with a programme consisting of Christmas music, and has been doing
this ever since the band first emerged eight years ago. Bandleader
and founder Roman Sladek explains: “Whereas our regular projects -
the most recent album, ‘Emergenz’, is a good example - are all about
working through a specific theme and finding new ways to reinvent
ourselves, our Christmas thing is something we do for one reason
alone: to have fun. It was our very first programme, we still love it, and
we’re still nurturing, developing and growing it. Being able to devote
one month a year entirely to the big band tradition is something we’re
all really passionate about.”
Some bands might have been tempted just to throw together an
album of Christmas chestnuts any old how, but the Jazzrausch way of
doing things is not like that at all. Unlike any other album by the band,
for the first time we hear purely instrumental music. Furthermore,
Kuhn has taken ten classic Christmas songs - each one of them
rarely heard in jazz, and tunes which can often come across as a bit
staid in their original settings - from ‘Tochter Zion, freue dich# to
‘Adeste fideles’ or ‘Ihr Kinderlein, kommet’. The title track, ‘Alle Jahre
wieder!’ (based on the 1830s carol to music by Silcher which is very
familiar to children and adults in the German-speaking world) appears
here in completely new orchestral garb.
Sometimes the listener will recognise the kind of swing typical of
Glenn Miller. At other moments it is the incomparable big band
elegance of, say, Artie Shaw. ‘Es wird scho glei dumpa’ (an Austrian
carol) is given the full extra high pressure Tijuana brass treatment.
‘Maria durch ein’ Dornwald ging’ gets the touch of the Thad Jones /
Mel Lewis Orchestra after a Henry Mancini-like intro, and ‘Ich steh’ an
deiner Krippe hier’ recalls more of the great swing heritage.
Once again Jazzrausch Bigband has succeeded in a way that only
very few in the jazz field can, notwithstanding the openness of the
genre: they have brought young and old together, tradition and
revolution, the familiar and the new. Which is why it feels so
completely natural and right that they should continue to do this
‘again every year’, as the album title tells them: ‘Alle Jahre wieder’.

When they released their first single, ‘Give It To Me’, in the summer of 2021, Classless Act were immediately praised for their ability to sound both fresh and timeless. Loudwire instantly added the song to their ‘Weekly Wire’ Spotify playlist, identifying it as one of the top new releases of the summer. Other iconic outlets such as SPIN Magazine were also early to show support. It was a fitting public introduction to a band who embody what it means to be modern rock stars. The band initially formed in 2018 after connecting and bonding virtually by their love and passion of music. Now in Los Angeles, they are united on a mission to be the next great generation-defining act, drawing inspiration from classic rock acts of the ‘70s and alt-rock groups from the ‘90s. Their music echoes the hallmarks of previous generations - anthemic rhythms, shredding guitars, soaring vocals - but punches its way into the future with clever arrangements, sharp musicianship and proficient songwriting. Already making a big noise within the industry, the band have recently been in the studio with world-class producers such as Bob Rock, Michael Beinhorn and Joe Chiccarrelli, who have helped craft hits for the likes of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Soundgarden and The White Stripes. Their debut album coincides with the band hitting the road in North America alongside Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard and others on their 2022 Summer Stadium Tour.

When they released their first single, ‘Give It To Me’, in the summer of 2021, Classless Act were immediately praised for their ability to sound both fresh and timeless. Loudwire instantly added the song to their ‘Weekly Wire’ Spotify playlist, identifying it as one of the top new releases of the summer. Other iconic outlets such as SPIN Magazine were also early to show support. It was a fitting public introduction to a band who embody what it means to be modern rock stars. The band initially formed in 2018 after connecting and bonding virtually by their love and passion of music. Now in Los Angeles, they are united on a mission to be the next great generation-defining act, drawing inspiration from classic rock acts of the ‘70s and alt-rock groups from the ‘90s. Their music echoes the hallmarks of previous generations - anthemic rhythms, shredding guitars, soaring vocals - but punches its way into the future with clever arrangements, sharp musicianship and proficient songwriting. Already making a big noise within the industry, the band have recently been in the studio with world-class producers such as Bob Rock, Michael Beinhorn and Joe Chiccarrelli, who have helped craft hits for the likes of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Soundgarden and The White Stripes. Their debut album coincides with the band hitting the road in North America alongside Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard and others on their 2022 Summer Stadium Tour.

There are only a few figures in music whose work influences and
shapes a genre as a whole. This is undoubtedly true of the Swede
Esbjörn Svensson. With his trio e.s.t., the pianist and composer
wowed audiences beyond age and genre affiliations. And his
influence on jazz as a whole reverberates to this day and already
within the second and third generation of musicians worldwide.
‘HOME.S.’ is Esbjörn Svensson’s only solo album and the sheer
existence of such a recording and its completely unexpected
discovery over a decade after its creation are nothing less than a
sensation: Since the early 1990s, Svensson focused almost his entire
creative energy and recording activities on his work with e.s.t.. Thus,
these new recordings are not only the first, but practically the only
ones that show Svensson in a setting other than that of the trio:
Intimate, concentrated and completely one with himself. The
recordings for ‘HOME.S.’ were made only a few weeks before
Esbjörn Svensson’s sudden death on June 14, 2008. Svensson
recorded the music in his Swedish home.
For almost ten years afterwards, the album rested untouched in his
wife Eva Svensson’s personal archive. Here, she tells the story
behind the discovery of the album and the music: “After Esbjörn’s
passing, I made sure all the contents of his computer were saved to
backup hard drives. And then I basically left them untouched for the
next ten years. At the point where I eventually felt ready to look into
the material, I soon realised that there was something I wanted to
look into.
“I took the hard drive and went to Gothenburg to meet with Åke
Linton, the sound engineer who had worked on all e.s.t. albums as
well as on their live shows. He was also the one who had helped me
to save the material from Esbjörn’s computer in the first place. So he
probably already knew that there was something hidden in there. But
nobody had listened to it.
“We went to his studio. And we pressed the start button. Then there
was a total silence and we couldn't speak for the entire time the music
was playing. After it finished, at first we were not able to say anything,
because we were both so touched and surprised that it was all there,
and that it was so beautiful. The tracks seemed to follow one another
like pearls on a string. After we just had sat there for a while we
agreed: This is really good. Musically, but also from a sound
perspective.”

Die Veröffentlichung von HOME.S., dem einzigen existierenden, bisher unveröffentlichten Soloalbum des Pianisten
Esbjörn Svensson, ist nichts weniger als eine Sensation. Die
Aufnahmen wurden in Svenssons schwedischem Haus
gemacht - nur wenige Wochen vor seinem tragischen Tod
am 14. Juni 2008, wonach sie fast zehn Jahre lang unentdeckt auf einer Festplatte im persönlichen Archiv seiner
Frau Eva Svensson ruhten. HOME.S. besteht aus neun
Klaviersongs, die aus einer Kombination von niedergeschriebenen Fragmenten und Svenssons einzigartigem, melodischem Improvisationsstil bestehen. Von Herzen kommend,
gefühlvoll und zutiefst persönlich. Eine "über die Grenze
geschmuƽelte Botschaft, getragen von Liebe, Raum, Zeit
und nie endender kreativer Kraft." (Eva Svensson) Es gibt in
jeder Musik Figuren, die mit ihren Werken ein Genre als
Ganzes beeinfl ussen. Im Jazz trifft dies zweifellos auf
Esbjörn Svensson zu.

Nils Landgren war und ist das Rückgrat der ACT-Familie. 40
Alben als Leader und weitere 20 als Produzent und Solist
sind bisher auf dem Label erschienen. All diese Rollen und
damit verbundenen Qualitäten kommen auf ‘3 Generations‘
parallel zum Tragen: Zusammen mit ACT-Gründer und
Produzent Siƽi Loch bringt Landgren, anlässlich des
30-jährigen Label-Jubiläums, drei Generationen von ACTKünstler*innen in verschiedenen Besetzungen zusammen.
Im Jahre 1994, nur zwei Jahre nach Label-Gründung, begegneten sich Siƽi Loch und Nils Landgren erstmals. Kurz
darauf wurde Landgren exklusiver ACT-Künstler. Über sein
Netzwerk kamen in der Folge Künstler*innen wie Esbjörn
Svensson, Viktoria Tolstoy, Rigmor Gustafsson, Ida Sand
oder Wolfgang Haffner zum Label. Auf '3 Generations' sind
Joachim Kühn, Michael Wollny, Iiro Rantala, Lars Danielsson, Viktoria Tolstoy, Wolfgang Haffner, Julian & Roman
Wasserfuhr, David Helbock, Jan Lundgren, Marius Neset,
Vincent Peirani, Emile Parisien u.v.m. zu hören.

Das Debütalbum der drei Frauen und zwei Männer von
"Dearest Sister" steht für ein aktuelles Phänomen: junge
Musiker*innen mit weitem Horizont und einer fundierten,
jazzgeprägten Ausbildung, die ihr Können nicht dazu nutzen,
Jazz im herkömmlichen Sinne zu spielen, sondern Musik, die
sich mit den Einfl üssen und Themen der eigenen Generation auseinandersetzt. Es ist eine Musik, die sich ständig
weiterentwickelt und neu entdeckt. Diese Band ist sich
dessen bewusst, was sie bringen kann, und das ist etwas
Neues, Besonderes und sehr Wahres.

It is no exaggeration to say that Norwegian tenor
saxophonist Marius Neset plays in his own league.
In addition, he is one of the most fascinating and
versatile composers in jazz and far beyond -
which, among other things, currently takes him as
far as London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Downbeat states, “Marius Neset is not the future,
but the present of European jazz.”
‘Happy’ features Neset with a new, top-class
quintet. The album is divided into two parts - in the
first half, playful, intricate, energetic songs
dominate. And in the second part, Neset and band
take the listeners into a calmer suite. What all
pieces have in common is that you can hear the
musicians’ pure joy of playing in every note.
LP on 180g virgin vinyl with digital download code.

Mit einer Nonchalance, die fast unheimlich selbstverständlich daherkommt, bringt jeder Song auf A Modern Act die menschliche Natur auf den Punkt. Oder eher gesagt die Naturen, Plural, da jeder Song einer bestimmten "modernen" Person, Situation oder Beziehung gewidmet ist. Ultra-spezifisch und zugleich universell, das ist die Schönheit dieses Flickenteppichs aus unverhohlenen Beobachtungen.
Die ehrlichen und schnörkellosen Klavierballaden des ersten und letzten Songs legen sich wie eine zurückhaltende Klammer um die schrilleren Geschichten, die dazwischen erzählt werden. Das heitere und dunkle Long Blonde Hair weckt offensichtlich Erinnerungen an Stars mit wasserstoffblonden Haaren, die wir alle kennen und liebevoll verachten. Indoor Miners lässt uns genüsslich langsam in unseren eigenen Abstieg taumeln. Die verführerische Kombination aus Indie-Folk und Bombast, verpackt in sich wiederholenden Arrangements, lässt Hollywood Diamonds genau nach dem klingen, was es ist: Die scharfe Kritik eines Außenseiters an einer ausbeuterischen Industrie. Typisch für Collberg überlässt er es der eigenen Fantasie, die Leerstellen zu füllen, aber das Gerüst steht.
A Modern Act ist eine Sammlung autobiografischer Vignetten und Kurzgeschichten, die verspielt in persönlichen Befangenheiten schwelgen. In einem Anflug von kreativen Bewusstsein hat Collberg seine eigene kleine Gesellschaft erschaffen. Nicht immer schmeichelhaft widmet er sich dem, was glitzert, und dem, was düster ist. Anders als bei seinen früheren Werken standen diesmal alle Texte, bevor er die Musik komponierte. A Modern Act entstand im Januar 2021 und wurde in den folgenden Monaten zusammen mit Miccel Mohr (History of Sugar, Soho Rezanejad) in Kopenhagen, Dänemark aufgenommen und produziert, wobei Daily Tolliver (Molly Burch) an der Gitarre für den Titelsong "A Modern Act" mitwirkte.

Mit 11 Tracks aus ihrem Debüt-Album “The Overload“ bringen die Anchor Award Gewinner YARD ACT
ihren mit Zynismus gespickten, unnachahmlichen Humor und ihr musikalisches Geschick vollends zum Ausdruck.
Angeführt von James Smith (Gesang) und Ryan Needham (Bass) hat die mittlerweile vierköpfige britische
Post-Punk-Groove-Band, die durch Sam Shjipstone (Gitarre) und Jay Russell (Schlagzeug) komplettiert
wird, einen Sound entwickelt, der unweigerlich auf ihren Geburtsort Leeds, West Yorkshire verweist und
doch Beobachtungen aus allen Bereichen des modernen britischen Lebens miteinander verbindet. Durchdrungen ist ihre Musik von scharfem, satirischem Spoken-Word-Humor.

Toronto-based musician and producer David Psutka aka ACT! (fka Egyptrixx / Anamai / Ceramic TL) will release his latest project ‘Strange Bounty / About Life’ for his own Halocline Trance imprint.

‘Strange Bounty / About Life’ is Psutka’s debut album proper as ACT! following the release of the “sonic mixtape” ‘Universalist’ in 2018 and the augmented reality soundtrack ‘Grey Matter AR’ in 2021; a series of Snapchat filters created by artist Karen Vanderborght and soundtracked by ACT! which explored the poetic and existential potential of AR and social media.

The new album represents a refinement of aesthetic and compositional ideas that exist across Psutka’s various projects and collaborations. It is a bold blend of new psychedelia braided with ecstatic groove. It’s a collage of physical sound, composition and freeform electronics that is simultaneously original, bold, and balmy whilst retaining a certain timeless familiarity and the obvious, indelible hallmarks of Psutka’s creative vision.

“‘Strange Bounty / About Life’ is in some ways my most refined record. The previous period of solo material was quite experimental and spontaneous, whereas this was written slowly and with more intentionality, and as a result, feels very clarified. Robin Dann of Bernice, and Alanna Stuart of Bonjay both contributed lovely vocal work to the record and it was written and performed primarily on guitar. I think it is fair to call this an 'experimental guitar record'.” David Psutka (ACT!)

On opener ‘Oblivion Shuffle’ synths trickle and squelch beneath vintage arcade bleeps, an off-kilter rhythm and mournful vocals. The palette of faintly dystopian electronics, unnerving ambience and scorched, wonky rhythmic pulses reoccur across the album on tracks like ‘Separation Code Is Togetherness Meta’, ’50 Million Motives For Making’, ‘Peace Javelin Heaven Bound’ and ‘Street Racer’.

Elsewhere on the record the guitar is more obviously prominent, and its presence allows the thematic subtleties of ACT’s music to flourish. It becomes clear after numerous listens that there is a push and pull at play across the whole project; one of optimism vs existentialism, of anxiety vs hope - a consistent theme of Psutka’s back catalogue. The track titles themselves even begin to reveal juxtaposition contained within and a deeper inspection of the lyrics reveals more.

‘Lotto’ and ‘Rebuild Your Body’ and title track, ‘Strange Bounty / About Life’ all feature slick classic soul hooks, silky vocals and smooth Balearic guitar licks over the idiosyncratic beats and distinctive electronic instrumentation. A perfect melding of the two seemingly disparate stylistic directions on the album. A real testament to the refinement promised by Psutka on this project.

In addition to ACT!, Psutka has released music with numerous projects including Anamai, Egyptrixx and Ceramic TL, he has collaborated widely with artists such as Junior Boys, Ipek Gorgun, and Kuedo as well as Jessy Lanza (2016) and an official remix for Massive Attack’s ‘Hymn of the Big Wheel (2012). The contributions on this album, from Robin Dann and Alanna Stuart, reflect the deeply collaborative nature of the Halocline Trance label and the Toronto creative scene more broadly.

Many of Psutka’s releases have received critical acclaim from media outlets such as Pitchfork, Exclaim, The Quietus and Resident Advisor. As a live performer, he has toured extensively including performing at Sonar Festival, Roskilde, Mutek, MOMA PS1 Warm-UP and CTM Festival. He’s also presented sound installations at various institutions such as Galeria Civica Commune di Modena, and Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).

In 2015, Psutka launched Halocline Trance as a home for his various sound projects, events and collaborations. Now a creative collective and label, it has grown to include a diverse array of artists including Casey MQ, Xuan Ye, Myst Milano, Colin Fisher and others. The label is described as “genre-agnostic” and conceptually open, supporting work across a wide spectrum of creative fields including soundtrack recording, AR design and traditional artist albums. Their impeccable roster also includes, theorist/improviser Eldritch Priest, and AR/VR artist Karen Vanderborght. In recent years, Halocline Trance has established itself as a platform that facilitates many of Canada’s most exciting creative music projects. Many of the releases have received critical acclaim from outlets including Pitchfork, Exclaim, Bandcamp and Resident Advisor.

Tape

Die Band - bestehend aus den Mitgliedern Derek Day (Gesang), Dane Pieper (Gitarre), Griffin Tucker (Gitarre), Franco Gravante (Bass) und Chuck McKissock (Schlagzeug) - wurde 2018 gegründet, nachdem sie sich durch ihre Liebe und Leidenschaft zur Musik virtuell verbunden hatten. Jetzt sind sie in Los Angeles und haben sich auf einer Mission vereint, um der nächste große generationsbestimmende Act zu sein, der sich von klassischen Rock-Acts der 70er Jahre und Alt-Rock-Gruppen der 90er Jahre inspirieren lässt. Ihre Musik erinnert an die Markenzeichen früherer Generationen - hymnische Rhythmen, schreddernde Gitarren, erhebender Gesang - aber sie bahnt sich ihren Weg in die Zukunft mit cleveren Arrangements, scharfsinniger Musikalität und gekonntem Songwriting. Die Band hat sich in der Branche bereits einen Namen gemacht und war mit Weltklasse-Produzenten wie Bob Rock, Michael Beinhorn und Joe Chiccarrelli im Studio, die bereits Hits für Bands wie The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Soundgarden und The White Stripes geschrieben haben.Le groupe - composé des membres Derek Day (Chant), Dane Pieper (Guitare), Griffin Tucker (Guitare), Franco Gravante (Basse), et Chuck McKissock (Batterie) - s'est initialement formé en 2018 après s'être connectés et liés virtuellement par leur amour et leur passion de la musique. Maintenant à Los Angeles, ils se sont unis pour une mission : être le prochain grand acte de définition de la génération, en s'inspirant des actes de rock classique des années 70 et des groupes de rock alternatif des années 90. Leur musique fait écho aux caractéristiques des générations précédentes - rythmes hymniques, guitares déchiquetées, voix envoûtantes - mais se fraye un chemin vers le futur grâce à des arrangements astucieux, une musicalité aiguisée et des compositions efficaces.

When they released their first single, ‘Give It To Me’, in the summer of 2021, Classless Act were immediately praised for their ability to sound both fresh and timeless. Loudwire instantly added the song to their ‘Weekly Wire’ Spotify playlist, identifying it as one of the top new releases of the summer. Other iconic outlets such as SPIN Magazine were also early to show support. It was a fitting public introduction to a band who embody what it means to be modern rock stars. The band initially formed in 2018 after connecting and bonding virtually by their love and passion of music. Now in Los Angeles, they are united on a mission to be the next great generation-defining act, drawing inspiration from classic rock acts of the ‘70s and alt-rock groups from the ‘90s. Their music echoes the hallmarks of previous generations - anthemic rhythms, shredding guitars, soaring vocals - but punches its way into the future with clever arrangements, sharp musicianship and proficient songwriting. Already making a big noise within the industry, the band have recently been in the studio with world-class producers such as Bob Rock, Michael Beinhorn and Joe Chiccarrelli, who have helped craft hits for the likes of The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Soundgarden and The White Stripes. Their debut album coincides with the band hitting the road in North America alongside Mötley Crüe, Def Leppard and others on their 2022 Summer Stadium Tour.

Jazzrausch Bigband stands for a truly unique concept: jazz meets techno meets big band.

After the powerful, song-like album ‘techné’ from 2021, which featured a cast of prominent musical guests, new release ‘Emergenz’ focuses on the core line-up of the band. And a more subtle, yet broader approach, which incorporates elements of minimal music, drum & bass, literature and stronger jazz influences without giving up the
trademark of the band; pulsating grooves and powerful horn arrangements.

When comparing ‘Emergenz’ with earlier albums, what is most striking is how the band’s expressive palette has become even more differentiated and refined. The moments when the energy levels are
at their highest are still dominated by techno jazz, which is only to be expected, but, in between, the regular four-on-the-floor pulse of the bass drum is increasingly suspended, so there are sections
where the forward momentum comes from intricate interlocked horn parts, or just voices.

Can it really be just be over a year since Yard Act
exploded into the national consciousness with their
debut EP ‘Dark Days’, released via their own Zen
FC imprint? Yard Act have gone on to be one of
2022’s defining artists with the release of their
debut album ‘The Overload’, and their rise has
been as entertaining as it has been meteoric. And
as well as touring the world and smashing sales
records, they’ve still found time to continue Zen
FC, releasing acclaimed 7”s from Baba Ali and
Benefits.
 Being the budding record industry moguls that they
are, they couldn’t bear to see the ‘Dark Days’ EP
languishing out of print. So they commandeered a
Danish pressing plant and rudely shoved their way
to the front of the queue, picked a new colour
(silver in honour of ‘The Overload’ finishing second
in the Album Charts) and rushed through a repress
in time for the summer. And while they were at it,
they sorted out a run on the format of the future –
the noble cassette.
 So there you have it: while you’re thinking about
putting ‘The Overload’ at the top of your albums of
2022, you can enjoy the EP of 2021 all over again.

Camille Bertault and David Helbock are two of the most jawdroppingly talented members of the cohort of European jazz
musicians currently in their mid-Thirties. Their journeys in improvised
music are always adventurous, playful and exciting.
 She is the rising star of French vocal jazz. He, Austrian-born, is one
of the most fascinating pianists on the scene. Their personalities
appear to be polar opposites, yet Bertault’s livewire humour and
Helbock’s calm self-assuredness only appear different on the surface.
When it comes to the musical choices they make, they are
emphatically on the same page. Each is astonishingly versatile, with
an innate sense of dramaturgy. This voice / piano duo reaches
unbelievable levels of inventiveness here on ‘Playground’.
 “We both love Egberto Gismonti and Hermeto Pascoal, Björk and
Monk,” Helbock explains. “We also wanted a classical piece.” The
duo found the initial repertoire to explore and to spread their musical
wings with relative ease. Bertault’s vocal artistry is hers and hers
alone. Her voice is a magnificent instrument to carry a melody,
whether at breakneck speed and with devastating precision or at
pindrop volume. Helbock’s creativity, as he exploits all the sound
possibilities of the grand piano, is completely ‘sui generis’ as well. He
dampens the piano strings, he plays directly on them, he uses the
piano case as a percussion instrument, he makes use of electronics.
And ‘Playground’ is the first time he has worked with loops.
 His accompaniment therefore has an almost orchestral scale and
depth, a jewel case for this scintillating and very special voice. The
pair have written seven new numbers for the album: we hear the
whimsical blues of ‘Lonely Supamen’, the mysterious ‘Fabelwesen’,
the chanson-esque ‘Aide-moi’ and the ethereal-melancholic ‘Bizarre’.
 ‘Playground’ is a kaleidoscope of sounds and emotions which
invigorates, excites - and will always surprise. The craft and
technique may be breath taking, but neither musician ever forgets the
essential: “It’s not about showing strength or virtuosity, but about
expressing the truth of the moment,” says Camille Bertault. And that
is what she and David Helbock have delivered with each and every
track.

 Once again, accordionist Vincent Peirani
reshuffles the cards. As a good jazz musician, he
likes to venture into unexplored territories. As a
good music fan and a very good musician in
general, he is curious, enthusiastic, and eager to
make new discoveries and find new things to listen
to or play. ‘Jokers’, his first album in trio, goes
even further, and elsewhere.
 Vincent chose to turn to the jazz trio for the first
time, a formula with such a long history that it is
almost sacred, and certainly intimidating. But
typically, he used that framework only to escape
from it. His two accomplices, Federico Casagrande
on guitar and Ziv Ravitz on drums and keyboards,
both have a wealth of experience and skills, an
interest in rock and electronic music, and a taste
for musical hybridity.
 Now available on vinyl with digital download code.

Iiro Rantala plays the piano with “emotional magnetism and musical intelligence.”

He has a “virtuosic prowess as an improviser capable of enormous idiomatic and emotional range.” This praise from the American magazine Downbeat’s review of the Finnish pianist’s third studio-recorded solo album for ACT, ‘My Finnish Calendar’ (2019), sums up the astonishing variety which people who know his playing well might almost start to take for granted.

The citation for the 2016 JTI Jazz Prize in Trier also does well to define the way audiences take him to their heart: “Rantala can sweep listeners off their feet, he can be clown and magician, charmer and virtuoso, maverick and humorist.”

This is the emotional and stylistic versatility which Ranta-la brings to the live solo recital. It is a form he is drawn to strongly; there can be very few pianists who have explored the art of solo playing quite as intensively and consistently as Rantala. A typical recital will contain, among other things, pieces from his previous solo albums for ACT - ‘Lost Heroes’, ‘My Working Class Hero’ and ‘My Finnish Calendar’. As he explains, “I like the form of the solo recital because of the freedom and responsibility I have. Freedom comes from the fact of being alone on stage and responsibility from the fact that I can’t really rely on anything, except myself.”

‘Potsdam’, recorded live in concert at Nikolaisaal in Potsdam on 27 November 2021 is, however, the first time that one of Rantala’s many live solo recitals has been released as an album by ACT. It is a very fine exposition indeed of the contrast and the continuity of which he is capable, not just in the shape of the recital as a whole, but also within individual tunes. After a beautiful and welcoming ‘Twentytwentyone’, Rantala launches into ‘Time for Rag’, which sounds like the accompaniment for a madcap Buster Keaton film. The central section of John Lennon’s ‘Woman’ is quite clearly inspired by the driving R&B style of Richard Tee, a pianist whom Rantala particularly admires, but this leads masterfully into an ending which is at first wistful and calm, but then troubled by the Finn leaning into the piano and creating a dark and discomforting mood by plucking a low string.

There is a beautiful inevitability about the final two tunes on the album. The exuberance and brashness which inflect Bernstein’s ‘Candide’ overture right from the first fanfare are irresistible. Rantala follows this, by way of complete contrast, with ‘Somewhere’ from ‘West Side Story’. Potsdam was recorded the day after the passing of Stephen Sondheim. Rantala explains how deeply this affected
him: “Sondheim was magical. As a writer and composer. ‘West Side Story’ is one of the greatest achievements of mankind. And he was so young, when he wrote all those lines: ‘Say it loud and there’s music playing. Say it soft and it’s almost like praying, Maria’.

Dark Hardcore privacy !

A musical journey with Emile Parisien is an adventure, something way out of the
ordinary. The soprano saxophonist’s sound is instantly recognisable - as is the way
with the greats - and you know that you are in the best possible company to set off
for a destination shrouded in uncertainty.
 For the past twenty years, the one-time child prodigy of Marciac has found ways to
astonish, to shake up and to enchant listeners with colourful and productive
experiments. His driving force is a passion which seems physically to take hold of
him as he plays.
 Anyone who has seen his development as a performer knows what he’s about; there
is an element of the dance but also the tension of a coiled spring. And among the
musicians who seek him out are not only the very best of his own generation but also
the jazz masters, such is his reputation both as a leader and as an inspirational
partner.
 As a musician he is one of a kind, with a power to be evocative and to bring
convincing shape to the unpredictable. His musical language can express sudden
frenzy, keeping the listener completely on tenterhooks, but there are also outbursts of
tenderness and a palpable emotional honesty.
 ‘Louise’ takes its title from Louise Bourgeois and more specifically her sculpture of a
spider, ‘Maman’. Her monumental work has motherhood as its theme, also conveyed
through the metaphor of weaving, an underlying thread that runs through Emile
Parisien’s creation.
 He has assembled a group of musicians who bridge the two sides of the Atlantic. The
saxophonist has set out to combine the essence of jazz with his own purposes; so,
what shines through here are both his kaleidoscopic imagination and his appetite for
breaking down barriers. Three American musicians are in the group, all of them
friends whom he has got to know over time.
 Their eagerness to engage in fruitful conversations with a trio consisting of Parisien
himself and two of his closest colleagues from France is miraculous. All kinds of
nuances and a confluence of influences are to be heard here. We find variations of
pace from skittering syncopations to the softly majestic.
 Textures are meticulously calibrated, with a broad palette of instrumental colours
both in the original compositions and in a burning cover of Joe Zawinul’s
‘Madagascar’. This collective endeavour leaves plenty of room for individual
inventiveness, yet there is a happy balance between the different personalities as
well. Emile Parisien, always hyperalert, knows when to step back and to leave the
initiative to his partners, but will then re-enter authoritatively and be the catalyst who
completely re-energise them.
 ‘Louise’ is just magnificent in its twists and turns, and in the way it celebrates the
sheer joy of the groove. ACT have taken a path towards intoxicating freedom with a
team of artists in complete balance both individually and collectively. Through its
subtle amalgamation of diffidence and affirmation, this pellucid music tells us the
truth about life.

“For me music is not a calculation, when I play I follow my intuition.
The creative impulse always comes from within me. Me and my
piano, they’re at the centre of my musical world.” - Joel Lyssarides
 For Joel Lyssarides, jazz is above all a language, a tool for
uniquely personal expression. He composed the pieces for ‘Stay
Now’ in a remote house in the forest, a good half-hour outside
Stockholm. And by preference at night, in silence, darkness and
deep concentration.
 The atmosphere of this place is audibly reflected in the music,
which is strongly influenced by space, sound and mood -
reinforced by the highly concentrated, differentiated, subtle
interplay of pianist Lyssarides with bassist Niklas Fernqvist and
drummer Rasmus Blixt.
 What these three young musicians have in common is their
capacity for great sensitivity and expressiveness. Their music is
based on a vocabulary that draws equally from European classical
music, jazz from both sides of the Atlantic and great songwriting,
with all its depth and accessibility.
 And yet this has nothing to do with crossover. Everything flows
and swings, nothing seems deliberate or contrived, one can hear a
natural understanding for the infinite possibilities of every note.
 This trio has the self-confidence to put the entirety of their efforts
into enhancing the expressiveness of the music. And it is in the
most intimate, quiet, focused and concentrated moments that the
most spectacular things happen.
 The album title ‘Stay Now’, therefore, is above all an
acknowledgement of quite how precious the here and now is.
These are the moments when we start to understand the true
value of present and past encounters. As we listen, we can let the
moment linger… and allow ourselves to sink blissfully and
unforgettably into it.

The Esbjörn Svensson Trio, e.s.t. for short, are still
celebrated today as one of the most important and
influential European jazz bands of the last 20
years.
 In 1999, the three Swedes achieved their
international breakthrough with ‘From Gagarin’s
Point Of View’. A star rose in the musical sky and a
unique world career followed. But sometimes stars
shine for much longer than one thinks. On ‘e.s.t.
Live 95’ there are recordings that prove that this
was also true for the Esbjörn Svensson Trio.
 The band, founded in 1993, found their very
specific sound early on but it was not initially
noticed outside its home country. In 1995, when
the trio’s namesake still wore long hair and a
headband, these recordings were made at various
locations in Sweden. And whoever hears how the
trio played back then is left breathless.
 Much of what distinguishes e.s.t. was already
strongly pronounced here: the coherence and
powerful grip of the playing; the catchy themes that
immediately jump out at the listener and yet do not
become clichéd; the fusion of the music of role
models like Thelonious Monk and Keith Jarrett into
a style of their own, always infected by the forward
thrust of rock. Magical moments were saved for
eternity by these recordings.
 Now this e.s.t. early work is available on double
vinyl.

 Nils Landgren was born in 1956 and grew up with the music of his
father, a jazz cornetist, and the church music of his grandfather, a
pastor. He never lost his strong affinity for his own musical heritage.
 Esbjörn Svensson, born in 1964, didn’t want to play folk music at first.
At home with the music of Chopin, Ellington, or disco-pop groups
such as The Sweet, the pianist had first found his place in the
competitive music scene in Sweden. His trio was a success and in his
homeland, he was voted Jazz Musician Of The Year in 1995 and
1996. The first sprinkling of jobs became a steady flow. Svensson
proved himself in the bands of his friend Nils Landgren. The music
was about funk and soul, occasionally pop and, in the main, classic
jazz. But not folklore.
 It was through the influence of Landgren and Svensson’s former
teacher Bengt-Arne Wallin, who recorded the landmark album ‘Old
Folklore In Swedish Modern’ back in 1962, that Svensson and
Landgren were inspired to make a duo album centred around folk
songs. In August 1997, both went into the studio and, with only
trombone and piano, recorded ‘Swedish Folk Modern’. Their
improvised treatments of the classic songs of the folk culture not only
impressed the public; it brought praise from the press. Svensson and
Landgren had created more than just a few impressions in duo.
Discarding any sort of large conceptual superstructure, they had
continued what Jan Johansson’s Jazz på Svenska and Bengt-Arne
Wallin had begun in the early Sixties and what has since become a
major force within the inner workings of European jazz.
 The time after ‘Swedish Folk Modern’ was hectic and exciting. Nils
Landgren’s Funk Unit advanced to the position of a celebrated festival
act. Svensson’s own trio, E.S.T., expanded beyond Scandinavia’s
borders, where the band’s fortunes skyrocketed. Inundated with jobs,
the musicians finally found the time to once again get together, in
December 1999 in Oslo’s Rainbow Studio. It would be a meeting full
of exceptional jazz energy. Even more than the first time, they would
rely on the force of reduction. Moods would be suggested, left open.
Melodies worked out in simple clarity. Delicate variations
supplemented and amplified both the original and traditional motifs of
the central musical im- pressions. ‘Layers Of Light’ is an affair of the
hearts of two artists who went back to their roots. That makes their
music truthful, direct and authentic in a wondrous way.

 In November, the new ABBA album, ‘Voyage’, will
be released, after 40 years. Just in time for the
music comeback of the year, and as a tribute to the
Swedish supergroup, a classic is now being
released on vinyl for the first time: ‘Funky ABBA’ by
the Nils Landgren Funk Unit from 2004.
 Fans and music magazines count the cover
numbers by Mr. Redhorn and his cult band among
the best in the world, and even today they are
played on the radio and in clubs by DJs. Landgren,
who once played trombone himself on the ABBA
hit ‘Voulez-Vous’, personally asked ABBA
mastermind Benny Andersson for his blessing for
the album: “ABBA was never funky. But if you can
do it, then do it!” replied Andersson. Andersson
was so enthusiastic about the project that he was
also present at the legendary Polar Studio during
the recording sessions and did not miss the
opportunity to record a bonus track for the album
himself as a duo with Viktoria Tolstoy.
 The result was celebrated, and ‘Funky ABBA’
became the best-selling Funk Unit album of all
time. “It's hard to believe: ABBA grooves, and
how!” claimed STEREO in their review after the
CD’s release.
 For this vinyl edition, the album has been
remastered.
 180g vinyl with digital download code.

 A fascinating thing about jazz is what can arise through force of
circumstance rather than the result of planning. The drummer
scheduled to appear in a trio with Jan Lundgren at the Ystad
Sweden Jazz Festival had to cancel because of the pandemic,
which forced Lundgren to rethink the gig. The pianist - who is
also artistic director of the festival - quickly realised that things
could also work without a drummer. Serendipitously, the name
of Emile Parisien came to his mind... and a new trio was born.
The three musicians had never played together in this
configuration before; so, after a single day of rehearsals, the
band took to the festival’s main stage on 1 August 2020.
 Jan Lundgren is one of those pioneers who gave European jazz
its distinct identity and freed it from American jazz. The Ystadbased pianist combines virtuosity, an acute sense of tonal
colour, awareness of form from European classical music and
his own folk music tradition. For him, to make music where
many different genres coalesce is both inevitable and natural.
 Lars Danielsson’s bass playing is unmistakably melodic and
lyrical. He is one of just a handful of bassists who stand out
both as creative composers and as distinguished band leaders.
Technical brilliance, outstanding musical imagination and an
almost telepathic understanding of his fellow musicians - his
presence is ideal in this trio.
 Soprano saxophonist Emile Parisien found his way into this
band practically out of nowhere. The vivacious Frenchman lives
jazz with body and soul and his honesty and authenticity ring
true in every note he plays. Parisien is a visionary of jazz,
aware of its legacy but always looking forward in an innovative
way.
 This unique performance leaves the listener begging for more.
Having started this new venture so auspiciously, Jan, Lars and
Emile are surely going to want to aim even higher.
 Recorded live in concert by Mattias Dalin (Eurosound AB) at
Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival, August 1, 2020. Mixed by Bo
Savik, Jan Lundgren and Lars Danielsson at Tia Dia Studios,
Mölnlycke, Sweden. Mastered by Bo Savik.

 ‘Paint It Blue’ is dedicated to the man who, for many still today embodies
the central figure at the genre’s source: Julian Edwin ‘Cannonball’
Adderley (1928 - 1975). Maybe he didn’t invent Funk. Together with his
co-musicians in his 60s quintet, Cannonball’s alto sax style, his attitude,
humour great musicality, and his love for his audience allowed him to
become a synonym for funk.
 Nils Landgren, born in 1956, grew up between the music of his father, a
Jazz cornet-player, and the music of his grandfather, a pastor on the
island Gotland. He first heard Cannonball Adderley on ‘Kind Of Blue’. In
this Miles Davis Sextet of the late 1950s, they were all together: “Miles,
the master of beauty. Coltrane, the master of sound. And Cannonball
Adderley, the master of funk,” Nils Landgren writes in the liner notes to
‘Paint It Blue’. From that point on, he procured everything of
Cannonball’s that he could lay his hands on. “Without the soul of
Cannonball it would have been impossible to form my group Funk Unit
many years later,” he writes.
 Landgren edited Cannonball’s live concert announcements into his own
arrangements, so that the time jump between the original and the
nouveau arrangement appears non-existent. An effective device that
literally brings this revered musician into the fold of Nils Landgren’s Funk
Unit.
 Whoever speaks of Cannonball Adderley, must also speak equally of his
brother Nat Adderley. It was an obvious thought to invite the most
important brothers in Jazz after the Adderleys to guest on ‘Paint It Blue’;
with the high energy Funk-Jazzrock of the late 70s, the Brecker brothers
have proven worthy heirs to the Adderleys. Both of them solo on
Landgren’s track ‘You Dig’.
 The equally noble and forcible groove is delivered by the sideman to
countless Soul greats, Bernard Purdie. Bernard’s own stylistically related
production with the Brecker Brothers, Nils Landgren, amongst others is
now strongly in the public consciousness on ‘Soul To Jazz’. Much like
Cannonball Adderley, Airto Moreira owes important impulses to his time
with Miles Davis.
 ‘Paint It Blue’ is possibly Nils Landgren’s most lavish record to date and
with some certainty also his best. Landgren’s playing is cool and smooth,
with warmth, temperament and thought. Here his sound combines
organically with everything he surrounds himself with. The album sounds
as if the recordings for it were a pure joy for all participants. Nils
Landgren has the prerequisite for serious fun, the gift of intelligent
serenity.

When hearing Anna Gréta at the piano, you become witness to an
astonishingly mature artist, with absolutely profound technique, a
complex understanding of style and harmony and an impressively
wide range of musical expression, who has made an extraordinarily
good name for herself in just a few years on the Scandinavian scene.
Over a period of two years, partly influenced by isolation, the twelve
compositions of ‘Nightjar in the Northern Sky’ emerged, for Anna
Gréta not only as a pianist but also as a singer.
 The album title ‘Nightjar in the Northern Sky’ sets the tone for the
world of the album: A metaphor for the Scandinavian expanse,
tranquility and the close connection between people and nature, a
theme that runs through the songs in many pictures. “Nature is just an
enormous force in life. It is so much bigger than most of the other
things that otherwise seem so significant to us. And it is, in its infinite
facets, perhaps the greatest inspiration for my music. A place where
the noise falls silent and you can feel and hear yourself again,” before
adding: “Recently I have been developing a passion for bird-watching
- something that I reflect on in the title track. When you observe
nature carefully you can experience or see something unique. Sort of
like searching for love. The nightjar is a bird that is rarely seen flying
across the sky in Sweden and has been observed in Iceland less than
five times. I feel that everyone is looking for something unique in their
lives. And that nature can offer that to the ones open to see it.”
 With each of the tracks on the album she creates little, self-contained
worlds that fit into a bigger picture. Light-footed, relaxed, reduced,
concentrated. An art that required a great deal of work and attention
to detail. Together with pop-experienced producer Albert
Finnbogason, Anna Gréta chose the perfect, hand-picked line-up and
sound for each of her extraordinarily refined - harmoniously and
rhythmically - compositions.
 Although always in a coherent framework, Anna took elements from a
very diverse range of musical styles, alternating between jazz
elements and influences from pop music to excerpts from classical
and folk. All these elements create a remarkably multi-layered album,
which at the same time tells a coherent, bigger story.
 CD in 4-page digipack with 12-page booklet.
 180g vinyl with digital download code

“40 years ago my international career started for real when I got
a call from the musical mastermind Thad Jones, asking me to
join his new big band project Ball of Fire in Milan, Italy.
“Guess if I said yes!
“Since then I have walked winding musical paths and I still do.
“As the pandemic started to spread, I got stranded at home in
Skillinge Sweden from 13 March 2020.
“Many many months later, I can present something I’ve never
done before, a solo performance. Only me, myself and my
trombone in a beautiful-sounding church not far away from
where I live with my wife Beatrice, Ingelstorp Kyrka.
“I do not really know exactly when the idea got stuck in my head
but I guess around Christmas 2020. Having spent a strange but
personally wonderful year being at home, I suggested a solo
recording to my wife, and she thought it was a great idea.
“I called the priest in the church, named Maria, and she
immediately said ‘Yes, go for it. I will see to it that the church is
heated and ready for you.’
“The first time was almost a shock. Such a beautiful sound,
making the tone of my trombone just fly through time and
space. Beatrice and I looked at each other in silence, knowing
that this can become something special.
“I picked a wide range of songs and hymns for these occasions
and it felt very special to be able to record it in a wonderful room
with only one person in the audience, the one I love the most.
“All the songs have a special meaning to me, whether they are
songs I sang in church as a child or just picked them up on the
way. One is even written by one of my ancestors, Israel
Kolmodin.
“They present a side of me that is always there, but not always
to be seen. I hope you like it.
“Love, Nils.” - Nils Landgren

Birgit Minichmayr captures the imagination and holds centre-stage on
‘As An Unperfect Actor: Nine Sonnets by William Shakespeare’. This
won’t come as a surprise to people in the German-speaking world,
where the Austrian actor is well-known from countless appearances on
TV and a substantial filmography. Perhaps equally unsurprising is the
deep experience she can bring to Shakespeare: as an ensemble
member of the Burgtheater company in Vienna, she has repeatedly lived
out the searingly dramatic lives of the Bard’s characters, notably the
daemonic anger of Lady Macbeth, the sadness of Ophelia and even the
uncomfortable truths of the Fool in King Lear.
What might be more of a surprise, however, is the exhilarating musicality
she shows on this, her first complete album as a vocalist. One could
have predicted the crystal clarity, meaning and intent in her words - the
desolation in her voice in “the very birds are mute... the leaves look pale”
in Sonnet 97, for example. And yet there is more, much more, not least
Minichmayr’s uncannily instinct to find artful and felicitous ways to shape
musical phrases.
Composer/ pianist Bernd Lhotzky has provided a wonderful array of
musical contexts. As Minichmayr says: “He got so deep into the meaning
of each sonnet, his music made it different every time. And we talked a
lot about the colour, the meaning of each poem.” The opening track, ‘My
Mistress’ Eyes (Sonnet 130)’ is a masterfully deft piece of gender-fluid
irony. In the poem, a man is describing possibly the ugliest woman he
has ever seen - while also declaring that she is the one he loves.
Lhotzky gives us an acerbic version in that most male-led of dances, the
tango, complete with bandoneon, in which the words are sung by... a
woman. Minichmayr then gives a masterclass in how to end a song as
she hits, holds and nails the words “false compare” with triumphant
fearlessness.
Throughout the course of the album, we are magically transported to
new musical and emotional places. As Minichmayr says: “Through
singing, through just doing it, I was able to find deep love, or deep
sadness. I was really touched by it.”
One of the secrets to this album’s success is Lhotzky’s wish to find
melodies which have a certain ease and straightforwardness about
them. He says that he approaches all music - whether he is listening to it
or writing it - with one simple and direct question: “What story is this
telling me?” Lhotzky is known for his work in the field of early jazz, but
the range here is far broader, with allusions to such examples of fine
songwriting as Brassens, Robert Plant and James Taylor.
LP pressed on 140g black vinyl.