Christian Muthspiel Yodel Group live at Jazzclub Unterfahrt Munich 2011

Christian Muthspiel - Trombone, Piano, Electronics
Gerald Preinfalk - Saxophones, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet
Matthieu Michel - Trumpet, Flügelhorn
Franck Tortiller - Vibraphone
Robert Riegler - E-Bass
Bobby Previte - Drums

recorded live at Jazzclub Unterfahrt München, November 8, 2011

1. Der Zirbitzkogler
2. Auf der Strah/ Der Schöffauer Luila
3. Der Lahnjodler/ Der Hirschauer/ Der Roller
4. Der Königsberger
5. Der Kollerschläger/ Ein schöner Verkehrter
6. Der Präbichler/ Der Langenwanger
7. Der Scheibm Dudler

"huljo": A second CD by the Yodel Group follows their recent first CD "may" (MRE 031-2). The Yodel Group was originally formed two years ago as a commissioned project for the 30th Saalfelden Jazz Festival. Since then, it has taken on life in the long-term as a band making regular tours. By virtue of these live performances it has evolved musically to such an extent that I thought the logical next step would be for me to compose a whole new program for the Yodel Group.
"On the one hand, I wanted to work more with the possibilities offered by this unique ensemble, which by now has been "road-tested" and which has developed a unity through its live performances. I wanted to write a set of new pieces that are tailor-made for this group, and that are musically enriched by their experience of playing together. On the other hand, there were still a good number of yodels that I couldn't include in my compositions for "may" and which have been waiting since then to be translated from the age-old folk music idiom into the language of jazz. Also, the reaction of the public and media to the first program encouraged me to write a second program for us to record and perform live in upcoming tours.
Seemingly simple yet highly refined, alpine yodeling is an archaic form of singing or calling - of Jauchzen and Juchzen, concepts unique to this Alpine region, which can roughly be translated as a joyful kind of shouting.  Since my earliest days, it was a central part of my musical upbringing and naturally ran as a recurrent theme in the soundtrack of my childhood. My father collected yodels and preserved them by recording them and writing them down. We yodelled in the mountains with family and friends.
In the course of my explorations into the yodelling traditions of the Austrian alpine region, I became aware of fundamental parallels between yodelling and blues and jazz. It is easier to translate the one into the other than you might think, in both the formal as in the melodic- harmonic context. So it quickly became clear that jazz musicians coming from places that had nothing alpine about them - namely New York and Paris - could also work with this material, naturally and organically, and use it as the basis for new improvisation.
It is my intention to take this traditional folk music form, that I have known well since my earliest childhood, and to stretch it in all conceivable directions; to translate it, to give it new musical arenas - in this case jazz - while conserving the original yodelling as the unmistakable source and driving force.  Far from being a mere polemic or deconstructive exercise in making "Alpine Blues", this is a creative way to give new life to old material, to use it as the basis for new interpretation, for new music." - Christian Muthspiel, translation by Karin Kaminker