Bill Frisell "Disfarmer - musical portraits from Herber Springs" live at NDR 2011

Bill Frisell (git)
Greg Leisz (pedal steel git, dobro)
Viktor Krauss (b)
Carrie Rodriguez (viol, git)

recorded live at Rolf-Liebermann- Studio, NDR, Hamburg, March 18, 2011

1. Disfarmer Theme (Frisell)
2. Lonely Man (Frisell)
3. Lost, night (Frisel)
4. Farmer (Frisell)
5. Focus (Frisell)
6. Peter Miller's Discovery (Frisell)
7. That's alright Mama (Arthur Crudup)
8. Exposed (Frisell)
9. The Wizard (Frisell)
10. Think (Frisell)
11. I am not a farmer (Frisell)
12. Arkansas (Part 2) (Frisell)
13. I'm so lonesome I could cry (Hank Williams)

Bill Frisell launched an 11-city European tour featuring the music of his last Nonesuch album, Disfarmer, with this concert in Hamburg, Germany. Joining him on tour are steel-guitar player Greg Leisz, bassist Viktor Krauss, and violinist Carrie Rodriquez. In the multimedia piece, inspired by the life, work, and subjects of eccentric photographer Mike Disfarmer, projected images of Disfarmer's portraits illuminate Frisell's musical perspectives on this fascinating character.

The late Michael Disfarmer was an odd, curmudgeonly character in the rural community of Heber Springs, Arkansas, who, despite his anti-social character, chose to record the stark images of his fellow townspeople, during the 1940s and '50s, in cheap black-and-white photographic portraits. Decades after the photographer’s passing, a cache of work made by this solitary and oft-reviled man was rediscovered, and he has come to be regarded as an important outsider artist. Among the many drawn to his plain yet deeply evocative pictures was Chuck Helm, Director of the Performing Arts at the Wexner Center in Columbus, Ohio, who introduced guitarist and composer Bill Frisell to Disfarmer’s oeuvre on the hunch that Frisell might be inspired by it.

John Scofield Trio live at Stadttheater Neuburg an der Donau 2010

John Scofield, guitar
Steve Swallow, bass
Bill Stewart, drums

recorded live at Stadttheater Neuburg an der Donau, November 12, 2010

1. "How deep" (John Scofield)
2. "Green tea" (John Scofield)
3. "Everything I love" (Cole Porter)
4. "Just a girl I used to know" (George Jones)
5. "Pretty out" (John Scofield)
6. "Chicken dog" (John Scofield)
7. "Someone to watch over me" (George Gershwin)
8. "The low road" (John Scofield)
9. "Lawns" (Carla Bley)

I introduced the last great trio recordings "This meets that" and "Enroute" earlier on this blog. The latest album featuring Sco was released by Vince Mendoza and the Metropole Orchestra. The collaboration heard on 54 had its origins back in the 90's when Vince Mendoza asked John Scofield to play on his first album. John has since been featured on two of Vince s records and his guitar sound and improvisational skills work well within Vince s concept. When Mendoza assumed directorship of The Metropole Orchestra, he and Scofield decided to collaborate again with a primary focus on Mendoza s arrangements of Scofield compositions as performed with The Metropole Orchestra.

Charles Lloyd New Quartet live at Kulturetage Oldenburg 2010/ 2000

Charles Lloyd, tenor sax, flute
Jason Moran, piano
Reuben Rogers, bass
Eric Harland, drums
recorded live at Kulturetage Oldenburg, November 28, 2010

1. Introduction
2. I Fall In Love Too Easily (M.: Jule Styne, T.: Sammy Cahn)
3. Dream Weaver: I. Meditation, II. Dervish Dance (Charles Lloyd)
4. Caroline No (Brian Wilson, Tony Asher)
5. Third Floor Richard (Charles Lloyd)
6. The Water Is Wide (Trad.)
7. Lift Every Voice And Sing (M.: J. Rosamond Johnson, T.: James Welson Johnson)
8. Come Sunday (Duke Ellington)
9. Tagi (Charles Lloyd)

Charles Lloyd has always led exceptional bands, and this is one of the finest. Following on from the live album “Rabo de Nube” which won both the Readers and Critics Polls of Jazz Times, he released his latest studio album "Mirror" featuring the quartet with Jason Moran, Reuben Rogers and Eric Harland. Familiar material is reappraised and transformed in this session recorded in California in December 2009.

Charles Lloyd, tenor sax
John Abercrombie, guitar
Darek "Oles" Oleszkiewicz, bass
Tony Austin, drums

recorded live at PFL, Oldenburg, May 18, 2000

1. Prayer (Charles Lloyd)
2. God Give Me Strength (Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach)
3. Voice In The Night (Charles Lloyd)

This part of a concert recorded 10 years earlier than the concert above serves as a kind of encore, featuring here another rendition of the Charles Lloyd Quartet with guitar legend John Abercrombie.

Jerker Kluge´s Deep Jazz live at Munich Broadcast 2010

Florian Riedl (Flute/Alto Saxophone)
Till Martin (Tenor Saxophone)
Ulrich Wangenheim (Bass Clarinet)
Kathrin Pechlof (Harp)
Julia Fehenberger (Vocals)
Andrea Hermenau (Piano/Vocals)
Jerker Kluge (Bass)
Diony Varias (Percussion)
Matthias Gmelin (Drums)

recorded live at Studio II, Bavarian Broadcast Munich, December 15, 2010

1. Mystik Sky (Jerker Kluge)
2. Coincidence of Circumstance (Jerker Kluge)
3. East and West (Jerker Kluge)
4. Spirits up above (Roland Kirk)
5. Autumn Sun (Jerker Kluge)
6. Movement (Jerker Kluge)

Following in the footsteps of the classic Impulse and Blue Note recordings, DEEP JAZZ is presenting Spiritual and Modal Jazz of the highest intensity! There's a swinging, soulful groove to the whole thing, full of inspired tones and rich colours. Beautifully executed musicality and fine-woven compositions are brought together in the six tunes on this mini album - a wealth of righteous grooves that could just as well have been recorded in the late sixties!
If you dig the work of Pharoah Sanders, John and Alice Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson and other giants on Impulse and Blue Note Records, then check out this young German group, that take the well-absorbed heritage and run with those roots in bold new directions! You can find spirit, swing, and a whole lot more - a mighty collection of music!
The recording took place in one session at the musician-owned studio at Hermann-Lingg-Strasse in Munich in January 2008. Without any rehearsal the jazzmen managed to create a very powerful vibe throughout all the tunes and also displayed their sensitive approach to the compositions, that they played for the first time!
The compositions, with the exception of Naima by John Coltrane, are all written by the musicians themselves, showing their ability to take the heritage and tradition of the past and create something new out of it. Heaven & Earth is a journey through the flow of life, the eternal circle that is repeating endlessly and starting all over again after each decline. Singer Julia is taking the listener far away with this serene voyage to the soul.

Vince Mendoza & WDR Big Band feat. Grupo de Chano Dominguez: Flamenco Jazz - live in Cologne 2011

WDR Big Band Köln
Vince Mendoza, conductor, arrangements
Chano Domínguez, piano
Blas Córdoba, vocals
Israel Suárez, cajon, percussion
Daniel Navarro, dance

recorded live at Philharmonie, Köln, February 5, 2011

1. Martinete
Soloist: Blas Córdoba, voc
2. Mentidero
Soloists: Karolina Strassmayer, as; Ludwig Nuss, tb; Chano Dominguez, p
3. Soleando
Soloists: Daniel Navarro, dance; Karolina Strassmayer, fl; Chano Dominguez, p; Paul Heller, ts
4. Plaza De Mina
Soloists: Blas Córdoba, voc; Chano Dominguez, p
5. Introduction by Chano Dominguez
6. Tango Para Frederico Mompou
Soloists: Grupo de Chano Dominguez
7. Tunante
Soloists: Johan Hörlen, as; Marshall Gilkes, tb; John Marshall, tp; Hans Dekker, dr
8. Parque Genovés
Soloists: Paul Shigihara, gt; Paul Heller, ss; John Marshall, tp
9. Mantreria
Soloists: Grupo de Chano Dominguez
10. Introduction by Vince Mendoza
11. Otoño (Vince Mendoza)
Soloist: Paul Heller, ts
12. Havanera De La Almada
Soloists: John Goldsby, b; Johan Hörlen, as
13. Introduction of the band by Lucas Schmid
14. Rumbetango
Soloists: Daniel Navarro, dance; Chano Dominguez, p; John Marshall, tp; Marshall Gilkes, tb
15. El Aguacero
Soloist: Johan Hörlen, ss
16. Mas Que Swing
Soloists: Chano Dominguez, p; Paul Shigihara, gt; John Marshall, tp; Paul Heller, ts; Israel Suárez, perc; Daniel Navarro, dance

Chano Domínguez is one of the most celebrated jazz musicians "recruited" by flamenco. Although Chano had already learned flamenco –the first instrument he learned to play, by ear, was the guitar- he also ventured into rock with his keyboard. Before he descended fully onto the flamenco scene with his “Chano Domínguez Trío”, he had already worked with renowned artists such as Pepe de Lucía, Potito and Juan Manuel Cañizares. Chano Domínguez has achieved an unusual integration between rhythms and languages of jazz and flamenco. He plays tangos, tanguillos, alegrías, compás de bulerías, fandangos and soleás on his piano with a traditional jazz structure. Nowadays Chano Domínguez is one of the most demanded musicians on the entire Spanish music scene, in any musical genres. He has worked with an extensive range of artists including Enrique Morente, Estrella Morente, Martirio, Marta Valdés, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Ana Belén, Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent, Paco de Lucía, Joe Lovano, Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette and Wynton Marsalis with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Last year Chano Domínguez published an album for the collection “Jazz en España”(Jazz in Spain), for Radio Televisión Española (public Spanish television) and nowadays he is on tour presenting his last work for “Verve”, a brand new repertoire for a new band called “New Flamenco Sound”, which is receiving great remarks. 

Bill Evans & WDR Big Band Köln: New Stuff live at Stadtgarten Köln 2011

Bill Evans – ts, ss
Etienne Mbappe – b
Wolfgang Haffner – dr
Michael Abene - ld, arr
WDR Big Band Köln
recorded live February 16 and 17, 2011, Stadtgarten Köln

1. Bop Stop
Soloists: Bill Evans, ts; Andy Haderer, tp
2. Island Green
Soloists: Marshall Gilkes, tb; Wolfgang Haffner, dr; Bill Evans, ss
3. Cascade Waterfalls
Soloists: Bill Evans, ss
4. Workin’ The Line
Soloists: Frank Chastenier, p; Bill Evans, ts
5. The Silk Road
Soloists: Etienne Mbappe, b
6. The East End
Soloists: Bill Evans, ts; Johan Hörlen, as; Etienne Mbappe, b
7. Big Little Man
Soloists: Bill Evans, ss; Ludwig Nuss, tb
8. On The Fly
Soloists: Bill Evans, ss; John Marshall, tp; Frank Chastenier, fender rhodes
9. Introduction of the Band
10. TJ Follies
Soloists: Bill Evans, ts; Karolina Strassmayer, fl; Wolfgang Haffner, dr
11. Whalebone Stamp
Soloists: Bill Evans, Paul Heller, ts; Frank Chastenier, org

After the success of their first collaboration "Van´s Joint", saxophonist Bill Evans,  arranger Michael Abene and the WDR Big Band rejoined for another project, consequently called "New Stuff". Again a great combination of catchy Evans originals with complex but very much listenable Abene arrangemnts, played by a very tight and creative Big Band propelled by the great rhythm section of Etienne M´Bappe and Wolfgang Haffner.

Woody Herman and his Thundering Herd live at Berliner Jazztage 1973

Woody Herman (cl)

Bill Byrne, Tony Klatka, William Stapleton, David Stahl, Craig Andrews (tp)
James Polh, Steven Bacher, Harold Garrett (tb)
Gary Anderson (ts), Frank Tiberi (ts, fl), Gregory Herbert (fs, fl), Jan Konopasek (bs)
Andrew Laverne (p), Charles Jackson (b), Ronald Davis (dr)

recorded live at Philharmonie Berlin, November 3, 1973

1. Adam's Apple
2. Four Brothers
3. Giant Steps
4. NN

As one of only four surviving jazz-oriented bandleaders from the swing era (along with Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Stan Kenton) who was still touring the world with a big band, Woody Herman welcomed such new talent in the 1970s as Greg Herbert, Andy Laverne, Joe Beck, Alan Broadbent, and Frank Tiberi. He also recorded with Chick Corea, had a reunion with Flip Phillips, and celebrated his 40th anniversary as a leader with a notable 1976 Carnegie Hall concert.
Woody Herman returned to emphasizing straight-ahead jazz by the late '70s. By then, he was being hounded by the IRS due to an incompetent manager from the 1960s not paying thousands of dollars of taxes out of the sidemen's salaries. Herman, who might very well have taken it easy, was forced to keep on touring and working constantly into his old age.

Rainer Tempel & NDR Bigband: Serious Fun - live at Studio 1, Hamburg 2010

Photo © Immo Klink

„serious fun“ independent popular jazz music
NDR Big Band
conducted by Rainer Tempel
Jim Black, drums

recorded live at NDR Studio 1, 2010

1. The Seamstress
2. The Shape Of Current
3. Two Hour Weekend
4. Neighbours
5. The What
6. 20 Minuten

As composer and pianist Rainer Tempel reguarlarily re-invents himself, it's no wonder he returned to big band for his new compositions, being a contrast to his latest small group works with Tempelektrisch. Tempel meanwhile must be rated as one of the most interesting and unique musician of the German jazz scene.
Clever compositions, musically logic and yet natural is Tempels writing. Every note seems to be thought over, leading to a convincing maturity in composing and arranging. Tempel always searches for progress in the music itself, and has been moving on this path for quite some years now. The collaboration with the NDR Big Band will be released on the album"Serious Fun" on Jazz'n'Arts Records.

NDR Big Band plays Roger Hanschel: Eigenheiten

NDR Big Band
Steffen Schorn, cond
Roger Hanschel, as

1. Eigenheiten I
Soloists: Ingmar Heller, b; Christof Lauer, ss; Reiner Winterschladen, tp; Stefan Lottermann, tb; Ronny Graupe, gt2. Warming Up
Soloists: Christof Lauer, ts; Ingolf Burkhardt, tp; Dan Gottshall, tb; Boris Netsvetaev, p; Roger Hanschel, as
3. Jandor
Soloists: Gabriel Coburger, ts, Roger Hanschel, as; Ronny Graupe, gt
4. Interlude
Soloist: Roger Hanschel, as
5. Extrembiose
Soloists: Klaus Heidenreich, tb; Peter Bolte, Roger Hanschel, as; Boris Netsvetaev, p
6. Inner Vibes of Love
Soloist: Roger Hanschel, as

Saxophonists Roger Hanschel and Steffen Schorn share a long musical relationship since 1981, when they founded the saxophone quartet "Die Kölner Saxophon Mafia", so Steffen Schorn, known as a prolific arranger and composer, was a natural choice for this project, transferring Hanschel´s complex compositions to the big band format.

Roger´s latest album features something completely different: Roger Hanschel Solo "Karmic Episode".

 

Peter Herbolzheimer Rhythm Combination & Brass live at Berliner Jazztage 1973

Benny Bailey, Ron Simmons, Ack van Rooyen, Palle Mikkelborg (tp)
Jiggs Wigham, Ake Persson, Rudi Fuesers (tb); Peter Herbolzheimer (btb)
Herb Geller (as, ss, fl)
Dieter Reith (org); Horst Mühlbradt (elp); Philip Catherine (g)
Lucas Lindholm (b); Kenny Clare (dr)
Special guest: Jon Faddis (tp) on tracks 3 and 4
recorded live at Philharmonie Berlin, November 3, 1973

1. Frog Dance (Peter Herbolzheimer)
2. Timbales Calientes (Horst Mühlbradt)
3. Sunflower Chant (Peter Herbolzheimer)
4. Nica's Dream (Horace Silver)

n 1969 Herbolzheimer formed his Rhythm Combination and Brass (RC&B) for which he wrote most of the arrangements. This big band was unique in that it had an international lineup of eight brass, but originally only one saxophone, with Herb Geller in that chair. The list of brass players included Allan Botschinsky, Art Farmer, Dusko Goykovich, Palle Mikkelborg, Ack van Rooyen (Netherlands) and Jiggs Whigham. The rhythm section consisted of two keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and percussion and included renowned musicians such as Dieter Reith, Philip Catherine, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Bo Stief, Alex Riel, Grady Tate, and Nippy Noya. For special events the group was augmented as necessary, but the basic combination remained as such for several years. In the late 1970s the band toured successfully with a "jazz gala" program featuring guest stars such as Esther Phillips, Stan Getz, Nat Adderley, Gerry Mulligan, Toots Thielemans, Clark Terry, and Albert Mangelsdorff. In later years the RC&B played many concert tours, television shows and jazz festivals. It was later replaced by a regular sized big band, which featured many noted international artists such as Dianne Reeves and Chaka Khan, that was still active until Peter's passing.
In 1972 Herbolzheimer wrote music for the Edelhagen Band's opening of the Olympic Games in Munich. In 1974 Herbolzheimer's Rhythm Combination & Brass entered an annual television competition held in the Belgian seaside resort Knokke, winning the coveted Golden Swan Award. He also won the International Jazz Composers Competition 1974 in Monaco. Herbolzheimer's arrangements are a distinctive amalgam of swing, Latin and rhythmic rock music. In 1973 RC&B released "Wide Open" on MPS.

Earl Hines Orchestra live at Berliner Jazztage 1974

Ray Copeland, Waymond Reed, Francis Williams (tp)
Ake Persson, Alfred C. Cobbs, John Bernard Gordon (tb)
Sonny Stitt, Charles McPherson, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Budd Johnson, Cecil Payne (reeds)
Bobby Tucker (p); Earl May (b); Mickey Roker (dr); Earl Hines (p, voc)
Guests: Jay McShann (p); Red Rodney (tp); Billy Eckstine (voc); Candido (perc)

recorded live at Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Berliner Jazztage, November 2, 1974,

1. Hootie Blues
2. Sepian Bounce
3. Jumpin' the Blues
4. NN
5. Medley: Sweet Lorraine/ The Girl from Ipanema/ Carioca/ Bluesette
6. Now's the time
7. St. Louis Blues
8. Jelly Jelly
9. To be or not   
10. Theme repeat
11. Cubanismo
12. Theme repeat

Once called "the first modern jazz pianist," Earl Hines differed from the stride pianists of the 1920s by breaking up the stride rhythms with unusual accents from his left hand. While his right hand often played octaves so as to ring clearly over ensembles, Hines had the trickiest left hand in the business, often suspending time recklessly but without ever losing the beat. One of the all-time great pianists, Hines was a major influence on Teddy Wilson, Jess Stacy, Joe Sullivan, Nat King Cole, and even to an extent on Art Tatum. He was also an underrated composer responsible for "Rosetta," "My Monday Date," and "You Can Depend on Me," among others.
A brilliant ensemble player as well as soloist, Earl Hines would lead big bands for the next 20 years. Among the key players in his band through the 1930s would be trumpeter/vocalist Walter Fuller, Ray Nance on trumpet and violin (prior to joining Duke Ellington), trombonist Trummy Young, tenor saxophonist Budd Johnson, Omer Simeon and Darnell Howard on reeds, and arranger Jimmy Mundy. In 1940, Billy Eckstine became the band's popular singer, and in 1943 (unfortunately during the musicians' recording strike), Hines welcomed such modernists as Charlie Parker (on tenor), trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, and singer Sarah Vaughan in what was the first bebop orchestra. By the time the strike ended, Eckstine, Parker, Gillespie, and Vaughan were gone, but tenor Wardell Gray was still around to star with the group during 1945-1946.
In 1948, the economic situation forced Hines to break up his orchestra. He joined the Louis Armstrong All-Stars, but three years of playing second fiddle to his old friend were difficult to take.
Hines did record on a few occasions, but was largely forgotten in the jazz world by the early '60s. Then, in 1964, jazz writer Stanley Dance arranged for him to play three concerts at New York's Little Theater, both solo and in a quartet with Budd Johnson. The New York critics were amazed by Hines' continuing creativity and vitality, and he had a major comeback that lasted through the rest of his career. Hines traveled the world with his quartet, recorded dozens of albums, and remained famous and renowned up until his death at the age of 79.

HR Big Band feat. Yellowjackets live at Stadttheater Rüsselsheim 2011

Bob Mintzer, tenor sax, conductor
Russell Ferrante, piano
Jimmy Haslip, bass
Will Kennedy, drums
HR Big Band
recorded live at Stadttheater Rüsselsheim, February 25, 2011

1. Introduction
2. Tenacity (Mintzer)
3. Dewey (Ferrante/ Haslip, arr. Vince Mendoza)
4. Introduction to Like Elvin (Mintzer)
5. Like Elvin
6. Azure Moon (Ferrante/ Haslip, arr. Vince Mendoza)
7. My Soliloquy (Mintzer)
8. Downtown (Ferrante/ Haslip, arr. Vince Mendoza)
9. Aha! (Mintzer)
10. Even Song (Ferrante/ Haslip, arr. Vince Mendoza)
11. Why Is It? (Mintzer)
12. Geraldine (Ferrante/ Haslip, arr. Vince Mendoza)
13. Revelation (Ferrante/ Haslip, arr. Vince Mendoza)
14. Runferyerlife (Mintzer)

Comprised of saxophonist Bob Mintzer, keyboardist Russell Ferrante, bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Will Kennedy (who was a member of the group from 1986-1998 and returned this year) the Yellowjackets celebrate their 30th anniversary as a "musical organization" (to quote Bob Mintzer) with the release of their 21st album "Timeline" on Mack Avenue.

For this special project with the formidable HR Big Band (Frankfurt Radio Big Band) they chose some new tunes from this album plus some classic Yellowjackets signature tunes.

zeitkratzer vs. Terje Rypdal & Palle Mikkelborg: Beyond - live at Jazzfest Berlin 2010

Reinhold Friedl musical director, piano
Burkhard Schlothauer violin
Anton Lukoszevieze cello
Uli Phillipp bass
Maurice de Martin percussion
Marc Weiser electronics
Frank Gratkowski clarinet, saxophone
Hild Sofie Tafjord French horn
Hilary Jeffery trombone
Terje Rypdal guitar
Palle Mikkelborg leader, trumpet
recorded live at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Main Stage, November 5, 2010

Beyond I: Tantra (Palle Mikkelborg)
Atlas I (Terje Rypdal)
Beyond II (Palle Mikkelborg)
Atlas II (Terje Rypdal)
Beyond III (Palle Mikkelborg)
Atlas III (Terje Rypdal)

This group’s name says it all. Berlin-based zeitkratzer (“time-scraper”) ensemble, grouped around composer, pianist and musical director Reinhold Friedl chips away at the norms of time. The ensemble’s top-class line-up interprets the notion of “contemporary music” in its very own way, it “shakes off the chains of notation” by first and foremost emphasising the aspect of “contemporariness”.
In joint projects with Lou Reed, Jim O’Rourke or Merzbow, the group’s underlying concept of a European soloists’ ensemble displayed surprising intersections of different contemporary conceptions of organising sound. Their ensemble thereby benefits from the diverse experiences its members have with improvisation, electronics, Minimalist music, Rock, Pop, Noise and folklore, the voyage always heading further into the past as well as into the future.
With Norwegian guitarist Terje Rypdal and Danish trumpet player Palle Mikkelborg zeitkratzer has invited two heavyweights of Nordic jazz who in their intensive application of different timbres on their part for five decades have been blurring the outlines of musical categories.
Co-production with the NEWJazz Meeting of SWR

Little Red Suitcase live at Jazzfest Berlin 2010

Elena Setién, vocals, violin
Johanna Borchert, piano, keyboards, vocals

recorded live at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Side Stage, November 5, 2010

1. Well Don't Care
2. Come and Be My Baby
3. If You Dream of me
4. La Vie Est Belle A Paris
5. Today I Woke Up
6. Impro
7. Organic Hen
8. Corriendo
9. Swimming with the Dolphins
10. Paco's Song
11. In A Butternutshell
12. Rainy Holidays
13. Spanish Your Song
14. What A Wonderful World

Their songs are wry, eccentric and nevertheless beautiful. The Danish-German duo Little Red Suitcase is, as it were, the European equivalent to the American group CocoRosie. With seductive sugariness they lure their listeners in order catch them, not to release them ever again. Their musical “doll house” is crawling with strange figures and objects. With charm and seemingly minimal effort the two young ladies accommodate different principles of cabaret, pop-performance and improvisation. Their pieces are ephemeral; their entire musical luggage fits into the little red suitcase referred to in their band name. Violinist/vocalist Elena Setién has already worked with Django Bates and Simon Toldam. Berlin-born Johanna Borchert is most notably known from the quartet Schneeweiß & Rosenrot. Their joint project Little Red Suitcase is a ravishing retreat to the original impulses of innocent singing, expressed on the basis of standards or original compositions.

Paavo live at Jazzfest Berlin 2010

Sofia Jernberg, voice
Cecilia Persson, piano
Per ‘Texas’ Johansson, reeds
Alberto Pinton, reeds
Marcelo Gabard Pazos, reeds
Emil Strandberg, trumpet
Clas Lassbo, bass
Gustav Nahlin, drums

recorded live at Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Side Stage, November 4, 2010

1. Canter
2. Carved out
3. Passage
4. Sandpaper
5. Krock
6. Climb Above The Trees
7. ambush

Vocal jazz “made in Sweden” has long since become an international trademark. Singer Sofia Jernberg single-mindedly pursues her own ways between jazz-poetry and the abstraction of contemporary classical music, employing her voice in a mostly instrumental manner.
Jointly founded in 2004 with pianist Cecilia Persson, the music of this duo is constantly altered and advanced. No musical state is designed to last for long, yet rather stark disruptions are shunned in favour of soft transitions or minimalist displacements. On the border between precise notation and free improvisation, the band imperceptibly oscillates from warm to cold, from close to distanced, from static to dynamic. The music is absolutely transparent – one can virtually see through it in all its refractions. Besides the enchantment of Sofia Jernberg’s crystal-clear voice it is this internal friction that makes this multifariously iridescent happening so fascinating and alluring.