Daniel García: The Hero's Journey CD / Vinyl (LP, 180g) / digital Daniel García piano, synths, vocals, clapsSpain’s leading newspaper El País calls Daniel García Diego “one of the most exciting figures to have emerged from the world of contemporary jazz in the past decade.” Whereas the pianist is never an attention-seeker for its own sake – it simply doesn’t form part of his way of being – there are things which he does stunningly better than anybody else: his knowledge, respect and love for both jazz and flamenco go astonishingly deep, and he combines these two very different heritages fluently, effectively, indeed dazzlingly in his own music.That uniqueness makes him a pivotal, even an ambassadorial figure for Spanish jazz. He is indeed part of the story of why the scene has raised its profile in recent years. His three albums for ACT – until now recorded in his long-standing and joyously continuing trio with Madrid-based Cuban musicians Reinier el Negrón Elizarde and Michael Olivera – have all attracted superlatives: Travesuras (2019) was “something quite spectacular” (Jazz Journal, UK), Vía de la Plata was “important...essential” (Paris Move) and Wonderland (2025) was “brilliant and thrilling” (Latin Jazz Network). During late 2024, discussions started with ACT about what his fourth album project for the label might be. “When Andreas Brandis and Michael Gottfried came to me with the idea of a solo album, I really liked it.” The pianist promptly set to work composing, but it was not long before fate took a hand: in early 2025, Daniel García’s father was very unexpectedly diagnosed with incurable cancer, and continued to weaken, especially in his final months, before passing away in December 2025. So, virtually all of the composition and planning, and also the recording sessions – two afternoons and long evenings in June 2025 spent completely alone at the piano with his pre-recorded sounds at Camaleón Studios in Madrid – were happening at a time in which García and his family were living with grief, suffering in anticipation of the inevitable. Against that backdrop, it is unsurprising that The Hero’s Journey is imbued with astonishing depth of feeling throughout. And yet it isn’t a dark album in any way. As García explains: “For a long time I have been attracted by the hero figure – I’m not thinking at all about some invincible movie superhero, but rather the idea of a person constantly facing new challenges who needs to overcome them.” The pianist has been fascinated by the concept of archetypes and the ‘monomyth’ developed by Joseph Campbell in the book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Campbell’s theory of a universal narrative arc effectively served as the blueprint for the Star Wars saga. “What I like about it is that this way of looking at the world tells that, at our core, we as humans are not different from each other.”That idea of dealing with challenges that come along, one by one, determines the structure of an album which is designed to be listened to as one continuous experience, and which will be performed live in concert from late 2026. “What I did was to put music with a different character to all of those stages. It’s about what I feel at each different stage, a reflection of my own journey.” That approach also suits the pianist well because he is such a musical omnivore: “I find it difficult to categorise my music. It’s like trying to put the sea in a box—it just overflows! I love classical music, I love Middle Eastern music, I love rock, I love singer-songwriters! Inspiration can come from anywhere!”In its 13 sections, The Hero’s Journey is one unified story which takes the listener through a wide range of experiences and moods. All of the tracks have a sub-text, examples of which are: the opener, Life in a Crystal Bottle, is about a simple, ordinary, innocent world in which nothing remarkable has yet happened. The fourth track, Meeting the Mentor, is an affectionate portrait of a gentle father figure, with delicate inner voicings indicating a safe place, and the enjoyment to be had at the piano. The tenth, toccata-like track, The Ordeal, is the only one in the set to be completely through-composed. It is about the inner strength, motivation and mobilisation that comes from having a strong internal engine. And the final track, The Resurrection, is about having come full circle...and being ready to face more new and unexpected challenges. There is a theme of self-reliance in the way in which the album has been made: all of the sounds which the listener hears have been fashioned by Daniel García Diego himself. “Everything is me,” he smiles. “It’s made in a way that I am going to be able to perform it live. That has been part of the purpose since the start.” Alongside the piano there are samples of pre-recorded clapping and also singing...and processed samples of the sounds of a looped and pre-recorded violin...or electronically generated samples from a Moog synthesizer. They are all very sparingly used, with the piano as main protagonist. Crossing the Threshold has particularly atmospheric use of these sounds, which García has used to portray the idea of finding oneself in a totally unfamiliar and alien world. The Hero’s Journey may have been created against a sombre backdrop, but it stands as a deeply optimistic statement about the nature of human resilience. CreditsComposed and produced by Daniel GarcíaRecorded at Camaleon Music Studio inMadrid, Spain, on 17 - 18 June 2025Mixed and mastered by Shayan FathiPhoto by Rob Lewis

Signed test pressing of the album by Daniel García, only one signed copy is available!Album: The Hero’s JourneyRelease: 26.06.2026A rare collector's item: A test pressing is the very first sample disc of an album and is used for quality control before the final pressing. It does not always match the sound of the later release exactly, which makes each copy a distinctive collectible with its own history. Every test pressing is a limited edition: ideal for collectors and for anyone who appreciates jazz vinyl, rarities and exclusive editions. Your ACT test pressing package includes:  1 Bio-Vinyl test pressing in its original white sleeve. A beautifully designed card, featuring hand-written key details about the release such as artist names, album title, production year, number of test pressings. Album booklet in PDF format. This sheet provides an in-depth look at the album and includes: The cover artwork, a thoughtfully written text about the album, tracklist, full credits for production and performance,  instrumentation details. Test Pressing Authentication Certificate. This certificate confirms the authenticity of this test pressing, which was produced as part of the quality control process before the final vinyl pressing. Test pressings are made in limited quantities to ensure the highest audio fidelity and manufacturing standards. Each test pressing is carefully inspected and approved by our team before production proceeds. This document serves as verification of its authenticity and uniqueness. For official validation, this certificate bears the company stamp.Please note: A test pressing is a preliminary version of the vinyl record used to evaluate the quality of the pressing before full production. The audio quality may not be identical to the final version and may include some imperfections inherent to the test process. It holds historical significance as part of the production process.

past is present | Emile Parisien & Vincent Peirani: Belle ÉpoqueA curated ACT Music vinyl series in which the past becomes the present. Timeless recordings that don't just live on, they continue to speak in the now.First time on vinyl release Limited to 1,000 copies, each hand-numberedRemastered for vinylHigh-quality 180g pressing, black vinyl, lacquer cutLiner notes written exclusively for this edition Includes a collector's obi-strip on premium art paper Individually designed labels and inner sleeve, inspired by the original artworkA designed inner sleeve as a narrative cornerstone of the album, printed on coated art paper past is present is ACT's curated deep dive into the label's rich catalogue, bringing outstanding recordings back into focus on premium vinyl. These are albums whose relevance has not faded – they still speak with clarity and emotional force today. Selected as part of ACT's musical heritage, each title appears either for the first time on vinyl or in a newly remastered edition, reaching the highest possible fidelity while honouring the original artistic vision. Every release is conceived as a limited, hand-numbered collector's edition, made for listeners who value both the sound and the object. The original cover artwork is preserved and elevated through refined production: a bespoke collector’s obi strip, newly commissioned liner notes, custom-designed labels and an individually designed inner sleeve – each part of a cohesive series identity and a premium vinyl experience. Belle Époque by Vincent Peirani and Emile Parisien marks the beginning of one of the most compelling partnerships in contemporary European jazz. When the two entered the studio in 2013, their duo was still in its early days, yet the chemistry between them was already unmistakable. What followed was not only a remarkable recording, but the starting point of a journey that would take them to stages around the world.Inspired by the legacy of soprano saxophone pioneer Sidney Bechet, Belle Époque bridges eras and influences with striking elegance. The album moves fluidly between early jazz, French chanson, original compositions and modern improvisation, carried by Peirani's richly expressive accordion and Parisien's lyrical, soaring soprano. Together they reimagine this repertoire with both reverence and bold individuality, turning each piece into something vividly their own. At its heart, Belle Époque is a celebration of musical dialogue – two voices listening, responding and shaping a shared narrative in real time. The result is music of warmth, sophistication and depth, capturing the moment a singular duo found its voice. A defining recording, now rediscovered as part of past is present.

Limited test pressings of the ACT album by Michael Wollny & Emile Parisien.Album: Freiheit Release: 29.05.2026A rare collector's item: A test pressing is the very first sample disc of an album and is used for quality control before the final pressing. It does not always match the sound of the later release exactly, which makes each copy a distinctive collectible with its own history. Every test pressing is a limited edition: ideal for collectors and for anyone who appreciates jazz vinyl, rarities and exclusive editions. Your ACT test pressing package includes:  1 Bio-Vinyl test pressing in its original white sleeve. A beautifully designed card, featuring hand-written key details about the release such as artist names, album title, production year, number of test pressings. Album booklet in PDF format. This sheet provides an in-depth look at the album and includes: The cover artwork, a thoughtfully written text about the album, tracklist, full credits for production and performance,  instrumentation details. Test Pressing Authentication Certificate. This certificate confirms the authenticity of this test pressing, which was produced as part of the quality control process before the final vinyl pressing. Test pressings are made in limited quantities to ensure the highest audio fidelity and manufacturing standards. Each test pressing is carefully inspected and approved by our team before production proceeds. This document serves as verification of its authenticity and uniqueness. For official validation, this certificate bears the company stamp.Please note: A test pressing is a preliminary version of the vinyl record used to evaluate the quality of the pressing before full production. The audio quality may not be identical to the final version and may include some imperfections inherent to the test process. It holds historical significance as part of the production process.

Michael Wollny & Emile Parisien: FreiheitACT Shop Exclusive!CD / Vinyl (LP, 180g)  Emile Parisien soprano saxophoneMichael Wollny pianoOn their new duo album, Michael Wollny and Emile Parisien invite listeners into a conversation shaped by trust, intuition and complete artistic freedom. Recorded in concert as part of the Bodenseefestival 2025, the album captures two singular musical voices meeting in a space where nothing is controlled, nothing is predetermined, and every gesture becomes a response to the moment.“Here, you are invited to witness one of our many conversations with Michael Wollny, in complete freedom and spontaneity. I feel the rare privilege of sharing this space with such an exceptional musician – someone with a profound sense of listening, where everything becomes possible. It is an honor to have met him and to be able to express myself in this way by his side, especially in the world we live in today. Thank you, Michael, for this passion and for your remarkable musical intelligence.” (Emile Parisien) “In this duo we neither control nor plan. We listen to what the music reveals, allowing it to lead us to places we could never have anticipated. It is a deep pleasure and an honor to experience these precious moments on stage with my friend, the one and only Emile Parisien, who magically opens all doors of perception and possibility. Thank you for being on this journey together, and sharing our mutual intuition of musical freedom – the ability to really play.” (Michael Wollny) Between Wollny’s profound sensitivity at the piano and Parisien’s fearless imagination on saxophone, the music unfolds as a shared act of discovery. Their dialogue is guided by deep listening: melodies appear, doors open, and unexpected paths emerge with striking clarity. What results is a rare encounter between two artists who allow the music itself to lead, revealing the beauty of spontaneity, friendship and mutual trust. CreditsRecorded on 26 May 2025 at Gnadenkirche Allensbach, presented by Bodensee Festival Recording & Sound Direction: Martin Pilger Recording Engineers: Yue Liu, Martin Pilger Mastered by Klaus ScheuermannPhotography: Jörg Steinmetz Cover art © Katja Strunz, Courtesy Contemporary Fine Arts Design by Siggi Loch A production of Südwestrundfunk, 2025 The concert was recorded at 26. JAZZ am SEE Allensbach in the Ev. Gnadenkirche, as part of the Bodensee Festival 2025, with Michael Wollny appearing as Artist in Residence.

SHALOSH: What We Are Made OfCD / Vinyl (LP, 180g) / digital Gadi Stern pianoDavid Michaeli double bassMatan Assayag drums“From the very start of SHALOSH, we have always said that we would never commit to any one genre but keep our music as open as possible,” drummer Matan Assayag says. “It’s the best way to bring ourselves fully to each song and the only way to stay truly authentic.” In more than a decade since its founding, the trio has made its signature this freewheeling, energetic and deeply-felt blend of jazz improvisation with everything from rock to Arabic music, western classical composition and pop melodics. Theirs is a journeying and infectiously engaging sound that has won fans from across the globe. What We Are Made Of, the band’s fourth album for ACT, impressively brings together all the influences that shape SHALOSH’s unmistakable overall sound.” Featuring a dazzlingly imaginative takes on ‘90s Europop anthem Barbie Girl, Oasis’ Don’t Look Back in Anger, Natalie Imbruglia’s early-noughties hit ballad Torn, Muses’ heavily rocking Hysteria and their own intricate, original compositions, the record is the group’s most open to date. It also marks the first time they have collaborated with a producer, ACT’s director, Andreas Brandis.“We’re a piano trio in a world of piano trios and with six albums already under our belt we wanted to make sure we kept pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone,” pianist Gadi Stern says. “That resulted in bringing outside compositions into the group that we could reimagine. It also meant enlisting Andreas, who we have known and valued for years, as our first producer. He really encouraged our approach and the result was immensely creative.” Workshopping their ideas across a week of intense rehearsals with Brandis in Berlin, the group honed their cover versions and originals into the nine final tracks on the album.“When I approach a cover I always look for something lacking in the performance that the composition has,” Stern says. “With Barbie Girl, it’s a brilliantly cynical song with great lyrics, it’s minor and has a melancholic melodic element to it but the performance is ‘90s Europop. I broke down all the elements to see how we could put it back together and make it more faithful to the essence of the song. While on Don’t Look Back in Anger I was on a walk during a trip to Tashkent in Uzbekistan and the groove for it just popped into my head. I recorded it on my phone and the whole idea only took 15 minutes.” Other tracks took longer to gestate, like the trio’s modernist jazz version of Torn. “We had previously recorded it for an album in 2018 but it didn’t make the cut because it was 12 minutes long and so messy,” bassist David Michaeli says. “We played it to Andreas during the Berlin sessions and he was great at telling us what to delete and what to keep and suddenly it made sense.” The trio’s originals, meanwhile, take shape in the achingly beautiful downtempo melodics of Ella Plays, which was inspired by Stern’s daughter Ella and the poetry of Khalil Gibran, the dark, swirling groove and vamping piano phrases of Point of Gravity and the meditative harmonics of Circle.“The band is ultimately a safe space for the three of us to freely express ourselves and share our opinions and ideas,” Mahan Assayag says. “We accept each other and all of our songs are a collective effort, which is what you hear in the finished music – the variety of influence and experience that makes us who we are. It’s why we called the album What We Are Made Of.“ SHALOSH celebrate freedom, the beauty of contrasts, the value of truly listening to one another, and the deeply human process of creative searching and finding — qualities that seem especially important right now.”„CreditsRecorded September 10–11, 2025Recorded by Klaus ScheuermannMixed and mastered by Klaus ScheuermannProduced by Andreas BrandisCover art by Ross Bleckner, used by kind permission of the artistDesign by Siggi Loch

Limited test pressings of the ACT debut album by SHALOSH. Album: What We Are Made OfRelease: 27.03.2026A rare collector's item: A test pressing is the very first sample disc of an album and is used for quality control before the final pressing. It does not always match the sound of the later release exactly, which makes each copy a distinctive collectible with its own history. Every test pressing is a limited edition: ideal for collectors and for anyone who appreciates jazz vinyl, rarities and exclusive editions. Your ACT test pressing package includes:  1 Bio-Vinyl test pressing in its original white sleeve. A beautifully designed card, featuring hand-written key details about the release such as artist names, album title, production year, number of test pressings. Album booklet in PDF format. This sheet provides an in-depth look at the album and includes: The cover artwork, a thoughtfully written text about the album, tracklist, full credits for production and performance,  instrumentation details. Test Pressing Authentication Certificate. This certificate confirms the authenticity of this test pressing, which was produced as part of the quality control process before the final vinyl pressing. Test pressings are made in limited quantities to ensure the highest audio fidelity and manufacturing standards. Each test pressing is carefully inspected and approved by our team before production proceeds. This document serves as verification of its authenticity and uniqueness. For official validation, this certificate bears the company stamp.Please note: A test pressing is a preliminary version of the vinyl record used to evaluate the quality of the pressing before full production. The audio quality may not be identical to the final version and may include some imperfections inherent to the test process. It holds historical significance as part of the production process.

Michael Wollny - Nachtfahrten Now available for the first time as a limited blue vinyl edition!CD / Vinyl / digital Michael Wollny piano Christian Weber bass Eric Schaefer drums This release owes its original inspiration to a book published in 2013 entitled “Nachtmeerfahrten” (Sea Journeys by Night), which takes the reader over to the dark side of romanticism, to a world of fantasy, of eerie shadows, and things that go bump in the night. Producer Siggi Loch edited the “Meer”/ sea part out of the title, which therefore became “Nachtfahrten” (Night Journeys), which suits this pianist, who is a creature of the nocturnal realm. He feels very much at home in a world of grey cats and blurred outlines, where the contrasting emotions of the moment can leave all rational expectations behind; this is a backdrop which is alive with possibility, but also with trepidation. Michael Wollny, who was described by FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG as a “complete piano master“ and by DIE WELT as „the most exciting German jazz pianist of our time,” has been taking the communicative games of action, inter-action and reaction in his trio in all kinds of interesting directions and new levels over the past ten years. To give just one example, he and drummer Eric Schaefer have fine-tuned the way they create intense energy, making their ways of working together more and more intuitive. Last year, however marked a watershed, as Wollny achieved considerable public success with the album “Weltentraum,” without sacrificing one iota of the virtues of his playing. All his refinement is still there, as is the stylistic breadth of his playing. Wollny draws on a deep well of inspiration, from Coldplay to Schubert or Messiaen. Jazz greats such as Monk and Bill Evans are also right under his fingers. He clearly respects and values the jazz canon with its singable melodies and its song forms, but he isn't confined to that; he is also capable of laying down a hypnotic groove. It is an irresistible combination, and has for the first time enabled him to engage with a large audience. His popular success with “ Weltentraum” has also brought awards in its wake, notably three ECHO Jazz prizes. Nevertheless, Wollny is too big a musical talent either to get comfortable or to rest on his laurels. He has ventured into new musical territory in this new album. In fact, the means to do it came to him in one fell swoop, without him being fully aware of the implications at the time. His method is reductive. “Taking something away,” as he explains it now, “has a tendency to create unease.” With that realisation, everything seemed to align and take shape. Wollny worked with Eric Schaefer to identify fragments, ideas and motifs. He combined old sounds with new, his own material with borrowings from film, literature, painting, philosophy, aesthetics. All the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, with the help of producer Siggi Loch. Everything that has been included here carries with it a sense of musical inevitability. For example the first track “Questions in a World of Blue” an adaptation of the Twin Peaks music by Angelo Badalamenti, makes it abundantly clear that the listener can expect the answers to the questions which this album asks are going to be anything but predictable. Wollny sets the scene with a few “poisoned” major chords. They allow uncertainty to glisten through them. Meanwhile Schraeger charms a few delicate brush sounds out of his drum kit, and bassist Christian Weber's supple bass playing completes the picture and sets it into relief. This is a way of playing which we have not heard from Wollny before. It is music of steady state rather than of development. These are sounds that hover, which spread like ripples. Improvisation, as it is known from the jazz tradition, with its logical processes for developing solos, has been put aside in favour of something else. The shaping of melody, the conventional conversations within a piano trio are replaced by sounds which develop layer by layer. Wollny here is casting light onto “Neon Nocturnes,” he is developing sound pictures with a strong character of their own, finding natural resonances in darkness. He is not just asking questions that remain open, he is ensuring that they lead to new and ever more interesting questions. Wollny takes the listener to recognizably fictitious locations. Each one becomes the pretext for a new “Nachtfahrt” (Night Journey): Twin Peaks, the Bates Hotel from Hitchcock's Psycho, the valley of the castles from Edgar Allan Poe's early story “Metzengerstein”. Making this disconnect from reality is a subtle way to prepare the listener for the discontinuities. What drives Wollny here is a conscious desire to create complex ambivalence, as he juxtaposes what appear on the surface to be quite simple motifs. This is a process which Wollny has discovered and developed for this album. A possible source of inspiration here is the music of Chris Beier, with whom Michael Wollny studied at the conservatoire in Würzburg. At that time Beier was starting to suffer from focal dystonia, a severe condition which takes away muscle memory. Beier was obliged to write out and to prepare his music bar by bar. His playing became perceptibly hestitant and fragmentary, but at the same time translucent, pared down and incredibly intense. “I found the way he played had a devastating effect on me,” remembered Wollny. This method of intense paring-down runs right through “Nachtfahrten” from the first note to the last.

Vincent Peirani - Living Being IVCD / Vinyl / limited red transparent Vinyl / digital Vincent Peirani accordion, accordina Emile Parisien soprano saxophone  Julien Herne bass Tony Paeleman piano, keyboards, Fender Rhodes Yoann Serra drums Yesterday, 2011: Vincent, Yoann, Tony, Julien... and one more. A group of pals, each one having left Nice independently and ended up in Paris. They adopt Émile, also from Southern France, but from further west. Today: natural affinities, a leader who calls the shots, and they use jazz to embrace a wide musical spectrum, from Baroque music to teen pop, from traditions of the Balkans to sounds of Africa. Tomorrow: with their flair for narrative, for creating a scenario, and their mastery of dynamics, every concert is and will be a celebration of excellence.    Listening to “Living Being IV: Time Reflections”, we are immediately struck by the range of dynamics, the intimacy and extroversion at play in every detail, the rich textures, and the arrangements that allow for riveting moments of surprise. It’s worth remembering that, from the outset with Living Being, Vincent Peirani brought to the fore the concept of chamber music: a small number of performers, with each one playing a unique part, but with the emphasis on the collective rather than the individual.From the start, with Le Cabinet des énigmes, the melodic intelligibility is impressive. A sort of children’s song sublimated by the art of superimposing transparencies. Everything is played out in a myriad of details that create a perpetual motion. Further on, in Better Days, the motif heard – it came to Vincent Peirani while improvising during one of the COVID-19 lockdowns – conveys the fragility of a slow waltz emerging from the darkness to provide a glimpse of a radiant future. Three of the tracks, Clessidra, Inner Pulse and Bremain Suite, are much longer than any of the pieces on Living Being’s previous albums. The narrative and the distribution of the parts made this inevitable. We can feel here the trust that has been built up over the years, so natural, and without the slightest tension. With different colours, they all tell the same story.This album represents perhaps Vincent Peirani’s most faithful self-portrait to date. It has as its centrepiece Time Reflections, a suite in three movements, Clessidra, Better Days and Inner Pulse, each of which is also a suite (in 3, 3, and 4 parts, respectively). This nested construction is totally in keeping with Vincent’s true nature: he is an architect, constantly mindful of even the smallest details. Back to the future for Phantom Resonanz. An unlikely encounter between the sixteenth-century polyphony of the Franco-Flemish composer Cipriano de Rore and the contemporary approach of German pianist Michael Wollny. The result is disarming in its simplicity, and all the more convincing since the accordion plays a pivotal role. In both L.L. and Bremain Suite, variations in tempo play a major role. L.L., a tribute to Lionel Loueke, presents a Cubist portrait of the Beninese guitarist. The first half of the piece focuses on his tenderness and sensitivity, the second on his dazzling rhythms. With Bremain Suite Vincent Peirani returns to his love for putting his own spin on pop and rock songs written and recorded by other artists. After hesitating between Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie, Portishead’s Glory Box and The Beatles’ I Want You (She’s So Heavy), he decided in the end to bring all three together, shaking up their tempos and bringing out a family resemblance already spotted as a teenager. Note Émile Parisien’s bravura piece on I Want You.Vincent Peirani’s spreads his antennae so far and wide that his four companions have to be prepared for anything when he comes up with new pieces for the repertoire. A dub with an irresistible beat, such as Physical Attraction, inspired by voguing. And Nach e Vlado, reflecting a soft spot for the traditional melodies of the Balkans, especially Macedonia. In both cases, tradition is propelled into a form of expression that is infused with a fantastic appetite for every type of music.Living Being? Five living beings, together forming one vibrant entity.    Credits: All tracks composed by Vincent Peirani except #8 – medley from Under Pressure, Glory Box & I Want You Under Pressure composed by Freddie Mercury, David Bowie Glory Box composed by Isaac Lee Hayes, Geoff Barrow, Adrian Utley, Beth Gibbons I Want You composed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney L.L is dedicated to Lionel Loueke Phantom Resonanz is dedicated to Céline Foucaut Recorded by Boris Darley at Studio des Bruères, France Produced by Amélie Salembier & Vincent Peirani / Yes les Guy’zz Mixed by Nic Hard Mastered by Dave McNair Artwork by Jérôme Witz Band photo by Elisa Ramirez Cover photo by Frank Siemers With the support of SCPP, CNM

David Helbock - Faces of NightCD / Vinyl / digital David Helbock pianoJulia Hofer electric bass, fretless bass, celloGuests:Lorenz Raab flugelhornMahan Mirarab guitarVeronika Harcsa vocals Pianist David Helbock and bassist/cellist Julia Hofer have things in common: a playful curiosity combined with the urge to try out new things and to have fun. Both of these Austrians are also perfectionists...and natural communicators...and that’s why their musical combination works so well. “I was looking for a new duo partner,” says David Helbock, "because although I am completely passionate about my ‘Austrian Syndicate’ project, it's a really tricky thing to put together, a large band...lots of keyboards. Together with ACT CEO and producer Andreas Brandis, the idea of an acoustic duo reduced to its emotional essence was finally born - a format in which musical communication works more directly than in any other line-up. And I quickly came across Julia Hofer. What particularly attracted me to her was her versatility - and the wealth of possibilities that this opens up. I was immediately fascinated by her energy from the very first rehearsal. You can tell she enjoys the music from the very first note she plays and that motivated me enormously and is also very infectious." Julia Hofer’s career as an artist has reversed the normal order of things. Musicians usually learn their craft, tour everywhere, maybe become well-known, and only then do they settle down and start teaching. Hofer was already making a series of teaching videos for the online music retailer Thomann while studying for her master's degree at the Popakademie Mannheim – her first degree had been in Vienna. The videos had an impact and received millions of views. She now has teaching posts in Klagenfurt and Vienna, as well as being part of the team at the Vereinigte Bühnen in Vienna.Julia Hofer is a go-to bassist on the Austrian scene. From a musical family and classically trained as a cellist, what stands out above all is her stylistic versatility. Alongside poetic cello playing which can melt the heart, there is a wonderful ease and energy to her groove playing on the bass as well. She covers the whole gamut of pop, funk, and fusion, with repertoire all the way from Earth, Wind & Fire to Jamiroquai and the Yellowjackets. And her method of familiarizing herself with music has never been led by the convenience of sheet music: she listens meticulously, makes her own transcriptions. Her process gets her closer to the originals while simultaneously enabling her to make them truly her own. No wonder David Helbock is so enthusiastic about his new duo partner. After all, the pianist and composer from Vorarlbeberg in the West of Austria has a relationship with the piano which can often turn cheerfully acrobatic. Through his trio Random Control, Helbock’s profile became established as a genuine boundary-breaker with virtuosity – and humour too. Albums such as “Playing John Williams” (2019) and “Austrian Syndicate” (2023) anchor him not just as a pianist in a chamber music setting, they also demonstrate the jazz-rock power he brings to neo-fusion. David Helbock is one of the most versatile musicians in the Austrian music world. And he loves duos, notably “Playground” (2022) with singer Camille Bertault, which has taken them on triumphant tours of the European club and festival circuit.In “Faces Of Night” with Julia Hofer, we find Helbock taking on an even wider stylistic range. The album's repertoire includes songs by Prince as well as Thelonious Monk's “Round Midnight,” a cello-hued version of George Gurdjieff's “Woman's Dance,” a soul-funk interpretation of Eddie Harris’ “Freedom Jazz Dance,” and a surprising adaptation of motifs from Robert Schumann's A minor Piano Concerto. "We tried out working with effects and electronics at the beginning, but found that we were using them less and less. Now it's an almost entirely acoustic album, except for the electric bass. And we’ve really rehearsed and tried out lots of different things. It’s been a delightful process.” A few guests have joined the duo, including soulful and lyrical trumpeter Lorenz Raab, with whom David Helbock has been playing for two decades, and singer Veronika Harcsa, also a long-time acquaintance, who scats on “Freedom Jazz Dance” and brings something totally unexpected to Monk: lyrics in Hungarian. “I've also been wanting to do something with Mahan Mirarab for a long time. He plays a double-necked guitar, one of which is fretless, and that fits very well with Gurdjeff,” says David Helbock about the second contributor to “Faces Of Night,” – this is a new collaboration. And so, we find on ‘Faces Of Night’ a team, completed by producer Andreas Brandis, which is notable for its energy, its live-wire intercommunication and its sense of unfettered adventure – all of which came together in the studio. At the epicentre, Julia Hofer plays with astonishing openness and precision, with the inspired David Helbock as her ideal counterweight. The guests – Harcsa, Mirarab, Raab – expand the foundation and take the music beyond this constellation with new colors. “In the end, it all fits well with the title ‘Faces Of Night.’ For me, the night is a border zone where opposites are possible and complement each other.” These faces of the night open the gates for a new duo whose entrance into the music world comes in the form a debut album positively brimming with enthusiasm and energy.Credits: Produced by Andreas Brandis & David Helbock  Recorded on May 20th and 21st at Wavegarden Studio, Mitterretzbach, AustriaRecorded and mixed by Werner AngererMastered by Klaus ScheuermannPhoto by Severin Koller at Reaktor, ViennaCover art (detail) by Tanka Fonta The Meditative Movements; The Dawn Incantations III (2024) Acrylic on canvas,160 cm x 120 cmDesign by Siggi Loch  

Matthieu & Camille Saglio - Al AlbaCD / digital Camille Saglio voice, shakers Matthieu Saglio cello, palmas, vocals on #8, 10, 14 Gabriel Saglio bass clarinet on #9 "Al Alba" – ‘at dawn’ in Spanish – brings together through music two people whose connection with each other is close and lifelong: brothers Matthieu and Camille Saglio. Cellist Matthieu studied classical music in Rennes in Brittany and then settled in the Spanish city of Valencia. He is driven by a passion to explore different sound cultures, combining them with influences from jazz and world music. Vocalist Camille started to take a serious and passionate interest in music at the age of twelve, beguiled by his older brother’s enthusiasm for the cello. The instrument Camille would decide to adopt as his means of expression was his own singing voice. This is the brothers' first album together, and it has a spiritual dimension to it. It is about transitions and boundaries, about being in states of flux and how that affects music and people. There is a hint of the Celtic-Breton, especially in a leaning towards minor-key melancholy. Flamenco is also present, giving a taut rhythmic framework, but also connecting to the dreams and arabesques of the Mediterranean sound world. And Mathieu Saglio's rigorous classical training allows him great facility and breadth of choice when it comes to composition, as well as a particularly refined sound. Matthieu Saglio’s ways of working have led him to major successes, notably the creation of multi-layered, cross-border music in the flamenco crossover ensemble "Jerez-Texas” and the trio "NES" with the singer/cellist/ACT artist Nesrine, and also through the projects in his own name, both as leader and at the centre of a web of collaboration - on the ACT albums "El camino de los vientos" (2020) and "Voices" (2023).Camille Saglio, likewise, is a traveller between different worlds. The band Sôdi with flute and percussion, which he founded in Toulouse in 2003, explored world music and forged connections with the music of West Africa and the Orient. Camille became part of the Manafina project, learned to play guitar, n'goni and oud and also to express himself in various languages from Bambara and Arabic to Turkish. He wrote short stories and stage plays, produced his own shows such as "Dis-leur que j'ai vécu" (tell them I’ve lived - 2010) and worked with actors and dancers from Vincent Loiseau to Didier Bardoux and Hervé Maigret.He now sings in an imaginary language, which he creates live, evolving in his own universe. Able to carry the listener up and away into high counter-tenor register, he improvises with a voice trumpet sound, but he can also spring surprises too, by switching to a song in English, Bambara, French or Spanish. Camille Saglio has a style which is uniquely his.In this way, both brothers developed independently into poets of their genre. And finally, after years of separate experiences, they have now converged musically. "Al Alba" is a programme of songs which are as gentle as they are powerful. Matthieu Saglio uses his cello as a source of inspiration and opens up all kinds of spaces for his brother's voice. Sometimes he changes role and becomes a singer himself with bowed lines. The closeness to his brother's feelings is palpable in Camille’s singing. There is an interweaving of energy lines, which is also accommodated by the repertoire. Camille Saglio sings Arabic poetry ("Tariq") as well as a well-known political song ("Strange Fruit"), an independent classic by Noir Désir ("Le vent nous portera" – the wind will carry us), Spanish or free melodic lines and ornaments. For one piece, third brother Gabriel Saglio also joins in on bass clarinet. Recorded on an island in the River Loire, this album takes inspiration from the spirit of the river, its flow and the ever-fleeting, ever-changing nature of its moods and emotions.‘Al Alba’ is music in a state of flux, the sound of brothers whose cultural perspectives have real breadth. It is music from deep within. Totally personal, yet at the same time completely universal.Credits:Produced by Camille and Matthieu SaglioMusic and lyrics by Camille and Matthieu Saglio, except #2 (Lhasa de Sela), #7 (Lewis Allan), and #11 (Bertrand Can-tat, Serge Teyssot-Gay, Jean-Paul Roy, Denis Barthe)Recorded on June 24 and mixed on August 24 at Studio de l'Île, Chalonnes-sur-Loire, France by Alban CointeCello bases recorded on April 24 at La Seta Azul Estudis, Benicàssim, Spain, by Juan Carlos TomásMastered on September 24 at Blockhaus DY 10, Nantes, France, by Florian Tatard“Strange Fruit” © Edward B. Marks Music Company, all Rights administered by Warner Chappell Music France“Con Toda Palabra” © Éditorial Avenue“Le Vent Nous Portera” © ND Musique, Universal Music Publishing FranceCover art by Federico Herrero, “Chorus”, 2021, with kind permission of the artist

Michael Wollny Trio - Living Ghosts (Live)CD / Double vinyl / digitalMichael Wollny pianoTim Lefebvre double bassEric Schaefer drums‘The Michael Wollny Trio is a reminder that this is the 21st century – and not the 1960s,’ wrote the UK’s Jazzwise magazine as a reflection on the evolution of the jazz piano trio. And yet, in many respects, Wollny’s new album ‘Living Ghosts’ flies in the face of the Zeitgeist: rather than short single tracks, we find four long ‘sets’. It represents the antithesis to a culture based on channel-hopping or of breaking everything down into bite-size fragments. This music flows across any demarcation lines of category, it demands the full attention of listeners, and also rewards them with complete fulfilment to the senses. As ever, Michael Wollny proves that he is the exception to any rule.For pianist Michael Wollny, his trio with bassist Tim Lefebvre and drummer Eric Schaefer is the constant in a musical cosmos which is otherwise undergoing constant change. The three players are united by a musical vocabulary which is more or less inexhaustible, an outstanding sensitivity in their interplay and the ability to create new music of tremendous tension and dynamism in the moment. Since the release of their last studio album, “Ghosts” (2020, co-conceived and co-produced with Andreas Brandis, the Michael Wollny Trio has performed the material from the album at a wide range of venues, from clubs to classical concert halls and major open-air festivals. Sometimes the trio has performed completely acoustically, sometimes working with a combination of electronic and acoustic sounds. Michael Wollny says, ‘concerts have become beautiful séances where the ghosts of the trio’s songbook visit us at their will. On some evenings they appear briefly and vanish after just a few bars. On others, single motifs inside a theme don’t just stretch out, they also weave new stories.’The repertoire of ‘Living Ghosts’ consists not only of pieces by ‘Ghosts’, but spans the Wollny/ Schaefer/Lefebvre trio’s decade of collaboration, going back to the release of ‘Weltentraum’ in 2014. That album was a game-changer for Wollny, it was the final step which took him into bigger venues – it’s also one of those jazz albums often to be found in the record collections or playlists of people who don’t tend to listen to much jazz. The trio's repertoire has continued to evolve through the years because of the regular schedule of live performances that they maintain. Time and again, Wollny, Schaerer and Lefebvre will allow new spaces to open up in the pieces, as they search together for new, previously unheard music. There are often subtle nuances which give the music a completely new direction in mid-flow. The original compositions, therefore, often serve as just a starting point for these new, and collectively formed musical explorations.It follows that the running order of the album ‘Living Ghosts’ is not divided into a conventional series of individual tracks. What we have are four long chapters, and within these substantial narrative arcs are formed out of fragments from compositions which are re-told in different ways. Michael Wollny says: As the pieces gradually shed their ties to specific arrangements, questions such as which key, what mood, and even whether to make a setlist, have been consigned to the past. New repertoire mingles freely with old; at any moment, different doors, connections and reinterpretations can open up. When we begin our concerts now, we never know which fragments of which pieces will emerge or the order in which they might unfold.’The album ‘Living Ghosts’ is the recording of a concert from April 2024 at the ‘Illipse’ in Illingen, Germany. The recording shows three distinctive characters forming a unit in which both empathy and in-the-moment responsiveness are to the fore. Their music is so much more than the sum of its parts, impressively diverse as the individual components are: Michael Wollny has long been considered one of the most important European pianists of his generation, notably for the way he crosses genres. He is someone who ‘can turn any kind of music into an experience that takes your breath away’ (Süddeutsche Zeitung). In his playing, influences from jazz, classical, indie pop, new and early music merge into a distinctive personal style. Wollny has been working with drummer Eric Schaefer for more than 20 years. No one plays the drums like Schaefer: from the softest whisper to the most powerful blast, beyond the instrument's conventions, with an almost childlike playfulness and at the same time the deepest penetration of all possible styles from new music to heavy rock. Wollny and Schaefer are united by a deep familiarity that has grown from thousands of encounters, and at the same time by their ability to surprise and challenge each other again and again. The trio is anchored by American bassist Tim Lefebvre, an icon of the instrument who has played with artists as different as David Bowie, the Tedeschi-Trucks Band, Donny McCaslin and Wayne Krantz.Together, Wollny, Schaefer and Lefebvre have created music that has an exuberant dynamism about it, and in which there is a boundless sense of variety, and episodes of irresistible urgency. ‘Living Ghosts’ is like a fast-flowing river; the only way to experience it is to feel its intensity, to revel in its twists and turns, be carried along and to experience its sudden and unexpected depths.Credits:Recorded live on April 19, 2024, at Illipse, Illingen (Germany) by Saarländischer Rundfunk The recording is used with the kind permission of Saarländischer Rundfunk Mixed and mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Cover art by Sean Scully “Midday Blue 3” © 2020, courtesy of the artist

Vincent Peirani - Jokers (Live at Bimhuis)CD / digital Vincent Peirani accordion, accordina Frederico Casagrande guitar Ziv Ravitz drums Vincent Peirani, a pivotal figure in contemporary jazz, takes on the role of the Joker. Deriving inspiration from the jester — an archetype since medieval times — Peirani has put together a group of “wild cards”: Ziv Ravitz on drums and Federico Casagrande on guitar, musicians with a total readiness to throw themselves into any musical challenge. Not only do Jokers transcend genres as they blend jazz, rock and improvisation with disconcerting ease, each of them can also shapeshift as the music requires from a dazzling soloist into an ideally supportive ensemble player. “Live at Bimhuis” is more than just an album; it’s a plunge in Peirani’s world of playfulness and derring-do. Every track is an adventure, a game of perspectives in which the accordion, often thought of as an instrument on the fringes, is revealed as a many-levelled threat. Peirani's music is both joyful and mischievous. He may give a sly smile to the spirit of the Joker, but he also delivers musical reflection of real depth.Recorded in the intimacy and buzziness of Amsterdam’s iconic Bimhuis, the album captures the very essence of great improvised music. It is as if every note that resounds gives cause to celebrate — the wonderful creativity and artistic freedom of this extraordinary trio.Credits: Produced by Amélie Salembier & Vincent Peirani/ Yes les Guy´zz Recorded live at Bimhuis, Amsterdam, on October 13th 2023 Cover Art by Alice Thibault Design by Siggi Loch

Adam Bałdych - PortraitsCD / digital Adam Bałdych violin, renaissance violin Sebastian Zawadzki piano, upright piano Marek Konarski tenor saxophone Andrzej Święs double bass Dawid Fortuna drums There is an urgency and an intensity about Polish violinist/composer Adam Bałdych; both traits run deep in his work. A total commitment to what he does is clear from the music that he makes and the emotions he conveys. But in “Portraits” such imperatives have been strengthened: the music carries astonishing pathos and weightiness of expression, as are natural for an artist reflecting on these troubled times. Bałdych explains: ‘When I was working on the pieces, reports from people who survived the Second World War were a source of inspiration for me. The topic feels very important to me in view of the growing conflicts in Europe and the world. I read eyewitness accounts from that time and I wanted to take a stand against what thousands have to suffer again today. A call for peace in the world. A variety of very emotional pieces has been created, which attempt to portray people and living conditions and the times in which we live. It is about worries, but also about the indescribable beauty of the world which I try to capture in my sounds and in the music’. There is a spiritual side to this music too. “Portraits” combines lament, prayer, jubilation and exuberance. After all, for an artist to want to contribute to the discussion is only human - even if as an instrumental musician he doesn’t have words at his disposal. And yet speechless is not a word you could ever use to describe Adam Bałdych, quite the opposite. His music opens up a realm of experience that extends beyond the boundaries of the spoken word. He is a virtuoso, educated in Katowice and at Berklee College, with many awards to his name, and also the experience of having played in venues all over the world. And yet he is also a team player who knows how important it is to let ideas take form, to come to life by first affecting those around him: ‘When I brought the music to the band rehearsal, we first spent a lot of time working out the instrumentation and arrangements. It was a bit like classical music, we listened to the registers of the instruments and looked for the appropriate space for them to really speak at their most powerful. The process was a meticulous, almost surgical. Although we are all improvisers, and each of us wanted to put as much of our individual voice into the music as possible, we also wanted to plan precisely the execution with great precision, as the best way to maintain that freedom and not lose any of our personalities. It was a very inspiring process.’ This creative tension between the inward- and the outward-facing, between personality and community is at the heart of this programme of 15 pieces. Adam Bałdych's violins lead the music, both his normal instrument and his splendidly sonorous Renaissance violin (a unique replica by an Austrian luthier), which opens up lower registers with its woody tones. There is a vigorous and lively energy in his longstanding Polish quintet: ‘We have a very honest relationship with each other, based on an understanding of the culture and tradition we grew up in. And we understand each other intuitively, giving each other the space to develop narratives. It's like a polyphonic composition, made up of many voices, each one letting one fellow player into the foreground, with the others then acting as a counterpoint. Each of us is an independent personality, we respect each other and at the same time we all respect the music as a whole, and develop it together.’ “Portraits” has emerged into life as a force field. There is a reason why “Portraits” is not just thought-provoking but also uplifting. And that is because the Adam Bałdych Quintet has an incredibly powerful story to tell. Even without the use of words.Credits: Music produced by Adam Bałdych & Mateusz Banasiuk Music composed by Adam Bałdych, except “Prelude” – composed by Sebastian Zawadzki Recorded between October 15th – 17th, 2023, at Boogie Town Studio, Poland Sound engineer, mixing and mastering: Mateusz Banasiuk

Daniel García - WonderlandCD / Vinyl / digital Daniel García piano, vocals on #10 Reinier “El Negrón” double bass Michael Olivera drums, vocals on #6 special guests Gilad Hekselman guitar on #3 Lau Noah vocals on #7 Verónica Ferreiro vocals on #11 Something very special indeed is happening in the Spanish jazz scene. For a long time, its lively centres of Madrid, Barcelona and Seville tended to stay somewhat detached from the international jazz world. But in recent years a whole generation of Spanish jazz musicians has been rising to international renown: it is more than a cohort, it is starting to feel like a movement. And one key figure in it is pianist Daníel Garcia, born in Salamanca in 1983. With his trio he has made a name for himself as one of the most important representatives of jazz in his home country – playing over 300 concerts throughout Europe and as far away as Japan. The band's line-up demonstrates another important aspect of the Spanish scene: many musicians from Cuba found a second home there due to the common language - and brought their outstanding musical training and influences with them. This is certainly the case for bassist Reinier "El Negron" and drummer Michael Olivera, who form the rhythm section of the Daniel García Trio. Together, they are a tight unit with an instinctive feel, and who after seven years together are completely played-in. "Wonderland" is the Daniel García Trio's third album on ACT. And whereas the previous albums "Travesuras" (2019) and "Vía de la Plata" (2021) were still characterised by clear influences from flamenco and traditional Spanish music, García has now cast his net wider. There are flamenco borrowings on "Wonderland", but they are more subtle and sit alongside a whole range of inspirations from modern jazz, classical music, pop, together with influences from the Caribbean and the Middle East. At the same time, "Wonderland" is also about the inner search: Daníel Garcia quotes Swiss psychologist Carl Jung in the liner notes: "Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” García invites his listeners to explore their own feelings and thoughts - in “this secret haven where our deepest illusions and most fervent hopes reside, guiding us through the labyrinth of life.” In the twelve songs on the album, Daniel García traverses many different places in the soul, and creates a coherent narrative from them. We enter the emotional landscape with the powerful "Gates to the Lands of Wonders". This is followed by the title track, in which the Israeli guitarist Gilad Hekselman, a guest on the album, plays a cheerful melody in unison with the bandleader. "I love his sound and his compositions," says García. "Such a creative force! I like guitarists who speak through their instrument in such a human way". García has dedicated the gentle "Mi Bolita" to his new-born nephew; it represents the importance of family in the pianist's life, while the playfully energetic "Witness the Smile" shows García leaning into empathy and generosity, its catchy melody showing the pianist's Cuban influences - and, of course, those of his bandmates Reinier "El Negron" and Michael Olivera. "They are my brothers," enthuses García. "If I could choose two musicians from anyone in the world, I would still choose these two! Together, we are one unit." "I find it hard to put my music in any one category," says García. "It feels like trying to put the sea in a box - it just overflows! I love classical music, I love Middle Eastern music, I love rock, I love singer/songwriters! Inspiration can come from anywhere. The intro to 'The Gathering', for example, was inspired by a melody I heard on the streets of Salamanca." Two remarkable voices round off the album, the A Coruña- born and Madrid-based singer Verónica Ferreiro and the Catalan singer Lau Noah, who is based in New York. In "You and Me" she sings: "Take my hands/Now, come and dance/Time to forget the wounds/All the scars, the pain". An invitation to forget the pain in dance - and for Daniel a way to make the world a better place, if only for a moment. He says "There are so many tragedies happening around us. There is little we can do except believe in ourselves and be good to others." The power of music to improve the world may sound utopian. But Daníel Garcia, a soft-spoken man, warm-hearted and always smiling, will make you believe it. Take the opportunity to go with him as he travels through his "wonderland". The journey is fulfilling, worthwhile and memorable.Credits: Produced and composed by Daniel García except #11, traditional Cover art (Detail) by Alice Baber (1928 - 1982) Courtesy Berry Campbell Gallery, New York

Iiro Rantala - Tough StuffCD / Vinyl / digital Iiro Rantala piano Conor Chaplin acoustic bass Anton Eger drums Mathias Heise harmonica (guest on Liberty City) Saturday 11 November 2006 was a particularly emotional evening. After almost 20 years together and thousands of concerts all over the world, the Finnish band Trio Töykeät with pianist Iiro Rantala at the helm gave their very last performance. But endings are also new beginnings, and even though it cannot have been easy to disband what was probably the most influential – and was certainly the most humorous – piano trio in Finnish jazz, the decision to bring Trio Töykeät to an end did give Rantala the op- portunity to try out a wide variety of different line-ups in both jazz and classical music, with occasional excursions into rock and pop. It was, notably, Rantala's ACT debut album Lost Heroes in 2011 which kickstarted his second international career. This was follo- wed by further solo and duo albums, spectacular piano summits with Michael Wollny and Leszek Możdżer, among others, as well as orchestral recordings with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and members of the Berliner Philharmoniker. More re-cently, Rantala has written a complete Christmas oratorio for the choir Cantores Minores and an opera Die Zaubermelodika for the Komische Oper in Berlin. He has also made several musical pro- grammes for Finnish television and delivers a fortnightly podcast in English, Algoyrtmi, about European jazz. But Rantala has never let go of the idea of playing in a trio again, and now, almost 20 years after the end of Trio Töykeät, the time has come for a new group, the Iiro Rantala HEL Trio. Rantala says: "I'm very happy that I was able to try so many different things out after Trio Töykeät. But just before the pandemic, I had a few gigs with bassist Dan Berglund and drummer Anton Eger, and ever since then I've been dreaming of finally having a regular trio again. However, Dan Berglund was far too busy, and so Anton Eger suggested the UK bassist Conor Chaplin, with whom he had already played for a long time in Marius Neset's band. It's always good when the working relationship between bassist and drummer is already established. The band worked perfectly from the outset, everyone had a lot of fun on and off stage. Anton and Conor are on the road a lot, so I'm very happy that this has worked out for us together." The Iiro Rantala HEL Trio is named after the code for Helsinki airport, from where Rantala's musical ventures tend to start. It sounds both new and familiar. And if there is a hint of nostalgia in the air, it is not coming from the bandleader: "Here's a little story," says Rantala."Anton Eger and Marius Neset, as children, had both heard Trio Töykeät at the Molde Festival. It was one of their first jazz concerts and they became real fans. When we started the HEL Trio, Anton, who knows an enormous amount of repertoire, really wanted to play the Töykeät pieces ‘Gadd A Tee’ and ‘Met By Chance’. My thought was that after nearly two de- cades, it was fine. We changed them a bit, one is now called ‘Tee Four Three’, the other ‘Cabaret Perdu’." ‘Liberty City’, a little- played but much-appreciated track by Jaco Pastorius, reflects Rantala's love of American funk and soul. The piece sits naturally alongside original compositions such as ‘Stockholm Syndrome’, in which Rantala plays with the typical melancholy of Scandinavian jazz...but does it in a way – his way – which manages to be both tongue-in-cheek and deeply felt. The Iiro Rantala HEL Trio is capable of incredible contrasts, and therein lies its appeal. As a pianist, Rantala can take the breath away both with his lightness of touch and the grace of his melodic lines. But then he can transform himself into other, very different characters: there is one who inspires laughter with his rummaging in the piano, another whose pathos, openness and honesty touch every heart. He has a baroque demeanour, his playing is full of relish, so that it only takes a few notes and he already has the audience on his side. At the same time, Anton Eger, with his irresistibly delicate playing fuelled by a wide variety of styles, and Conor Chaplin, with his weighty yet agile grooves on the bass, brings astonishing clarity and sense of form to the music. The HEL Trio should not be mistaken for a nostalgic back-to-the-roots project: "For me, music should always be going forwards," says Rantala. Iiro Rantala's restless, almost hyperactive approach, his urge to try things out and surprise his audience time and again, and his ability to play a wide variety of genres and styles authenti- cally while always sounding like himself make him an exceptional figure among European pianists. Iiro Rantala’s musical journey has been full of twists and turns. Iiro Rantala HEL Trio's album Tough Stuff is another milestone on that journey. And an important one.

Grégoire Maret - EnnioCD / digital Grégoire Maret chromatic harmonica Romain Collin steinway piano & keyboards Marcus Gilmore drums Burniss Earl Travis II bass Marvin Sewell guitar Alexandra Sopp flute Special guests: Cassandra Wilson vocals Gregory Porter vocals How do you follow up a successful album like “Americana”? Released in April 2020, it not only received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, it has also registered streaming statistics approaching ten million. It brought together harmonica player Grégoire Maret and pianist Romain Collin, performing in a trio with Bill Frisell in which the three found happy common ground in their “shared love of jazz, song and pure melody” (Jazziz), and offered listeners a "gorgeous meditation on the American Dream." (Bill Milkowski).“Americana” and Maret and Collin's subsequent work together helped to cement a friendship between these two fine New York-based musicians with Francophone origins (Geneva and Antibes respectively). As Collin says: “There is something about the way we work together that feels very fluid and natural.” Maret and Collin established quickly that watching films featuring the music of Ennio Morricone had been an important part of family life for both of them, and a strong part of what had initially drawn them towards music. “Those movies, and the way they incorporated the music really stayed in my mind.” remembers Maret. And when the great man died in July 2020 at the age of 91, it affected them both deeply. Maret, for example, was to regret that a plan to include him in some of Morricone’s later concerts had sadly never come to fruition. But above all, the musicians felt a deep affinity for Morricone’s music: “We are both naturally drawn to the European sensitivities, the romantic language,” says Collin. Collin remembers experiencing a certain caution as they started to think about following this thread running so deeply through both their musical pasts, and making an album: “If we’re going to do it, it has to really add something,” he remembers thinking. So they both started to research Morricone’s oeuvre intensively and to immerse themselves in it. “We really wanted to find out what he was really like as a person and a musician,” Maret remembers. This led to them contacting Morricone’s official biographer Alessandro De Rosa. They had several conversations with him during the pandemic. De Rosa has written an illuminating sleeve note in praise of the album. “We wanted as many sounds and colours as we could possibly get, because this is such a part of Ennio Morricone’s music,” says Maret. The sheer range of Morricone’s work comes across vividly in “Ennio”.The unmistakably personal is certainly there: a track where strong emotions from the musicians’ childhoods come through vividly is“Chi Mai” from the film the film “Le Professionel”. Both recall watching the film as children. So, logically, it is performed as a duet for harmonica and piano, but a careful listen reveals another sound in the bass: the subliminal resonances of Collin playing an antique pedal harmonium.“Once Upon a Time in the West” - a film score which, unusually, was composed before the filming - and the other Sergio Leone “Spaghetti Westerns” are also there. And perhaps the least surprising thing about “Ennio” is quite how well the Italian’s music suits Maret’s “big-hearted sound” (Ottawa Citizen): Maret has been advised by countless people, and for longer than he can remember...that it would. And yet a careful listen to this collection reveals unexpected treats and gifts which never seem to stop. Surprises, for example, come from the stellar array of guest musicians. Maret says he felt truly blessed to hear from Cassandra Wilson that she liked the idea of writing new English words for Mina’s “Se Telefonando” a ‘labour of love’ – Maret has been in her band for a decade. And he was just as thrilled when Gregory Porter agreed to do the song as a duet with her. And the other instrumentalists bring magic too: drummer Marcus Gilmore “can do just about anything and he is an amazing person,” says Maret. Guitarist Marvin Sewell and bassist Burniss Earl Travis II are also Maret's colleagues from Cassandra Wilson's band and they make all kinds of intriguing sounds. And Collin has tricks up his sleeve as well: for example, he complements Maret’s sound on “Man with a Harmonica” with the eerieness of 1970s/80s rarities: a MoogCordovox White Elephant and a foot-operated analog synth, a Taurus. Alessandro De Rosa’s sleeve note for “Ennio” sums up the album very well: it “takes the listener through the complexity of Morricone’s multifaceted oeuvre and vividly portrays the emotional impact it has had on them. It is a journey that re-imagines and narrates this immensely significant contemporary composer in a way which is both new and authentic.”

Adam Bałdych & Leszek Możdżer - CD / Vinyl / digital Adam Bałdych violin, renaissance violin Leszek Możdżer piano Passacaglia is a multi-colored musical dialogue between two unique characters who are leading figures in European jazz and contemporary music, Adam Bałdych and Leszek Możdżer. The repertoire ranges from free improvisations over works co-written by the musicians themselves to their very personal interpretations of themes by Erik Satie, Josquin des Prez and others.The album features a highly unusual combination of instruments: a Renaissance violin, two grand pianos - one tuned to 442 Hz and the other 432 Hz - and a prepared upright piano. This setup allows an infinitely varied palette of musical expression, which defies styles, genres and even tonal and harmonic convention. The world that Bałdych and Możdżer create is one of well-balanced beauty, expressed in the noble form of chamber music, but it is also one of turbulent and intensely emotional improvisation. Like all great art, it draws you in and leaves you intrigued at the same time – and also makes you want to come back and explore it all over again.Credits: Produced by the artists

Emile Parisien - Let Them CookCD / Vinyl / digital Emile Parisien soprano saxophone & effects Julien Touéry piano Ivan Gélugne double bass Julien Loutelier drums & electronics When accidents happen, they are normally over in seconds, sometimes minutes; this one has been going on for 20 years. It is two decades since the members of Emile Parisien’s quartet played a jam session together. At the end, they looked at each other in disbelief. They had not just been hit by a collective musical thunderbolt, they also knew they had just brought...well...something...into being. The common ground between them was jazz, but each had all kinds of seeds to sow in it, from classical music and contemporary sounds to rock, electronica and chanson. Saxofonist Emile Parisien, Pianist Julien Touéry, Bassist Ivan Gélugne and drummer Julien Loutelier rip up labels, break down barriers, upset codes, and yet they know exactly where they are headed. There is a shared obsession with narrative. “The central axis of the quartet has always been storytelling,” Parisien emphasizes.“Let Them Cook” is like a breath of fresh air, and with a band sound now firmly and unmistakably of 2024 rather than 2004. There was a particular turning point: at a concert in Sweden near the end of their “Double Screening” album tour, they had taken a chance and tried out a move from an entirely acoustic sound to incorporate some electronics.It worked, so they stayed with it: they found that these electronic punctuations never polluted the band’s DNA, but rather stimulated it. The electronic apparatus was clearly additive to the stories of these compositions, the way it all fitted together was astounding.Which brings us back to the ever-present question: how do you get away from the classic jazz quartet of sax, piano, bass and drums? “We’re always trying to find the answer! There’s no point in redoing what the John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter groups did, because in many ways you’ll never reach their level.” “There’s a certain road in life most people walk on,” Wayne Shorter once said, “because it’s familiar, and they can jostle to get in front. I prefer to take a different road that’s less crowded, with many forks, where you get a wider view of life. I call it ‘the road less travelled’. That’s where I want to be.” In the year which marks its 20th anniversary, Emile Parisien’s quartet has never been more in tune with the thinking of one of its main influences.Credits:Produced by the artists

Michael Wollny & Joachim Kühn - DUOCD / Vinyl / digital Michael Wollny piano Joachim Kühn  piano Joachim Kühn (b. 1944) and Michael Wollny (b. 1978) are two of the leading lights of the European jazz piano. The playing of each of them is unmistakable, their approaches to making music are completely individual, and in a whole multitude of ways. As outstanding virtuosos, they are both capable of finding stylistic pathways to connect the most diverse areas of contemporary music. They both have alert and enormously creative minds, together with a protean capacity to listen and respond with the right thing at the right moment, something which is going to surprise each other. Together, Kühn and Wollny cover a wide range of original compositions and a version of Ornette Coleman's "Somewhere". At the end, they come together for a joint requiem for Joachim's brother Rolf.These two improvising pianists have wordless ways of communicating and intuitive ways of finding consensus, whether they are dealing with very basic things or huge amounts of detail. They work on their combined music like two sculptors chiselling on the same sculpture. Sometimes everything is quite clear, sometimes it is impossible to distinguish who is in the foreground and who is in the background, who is playing on the left and who is on the right. This album is released in co-operation with Château Palmer. Credits: Produced by the artists

Shalosh - Tales of UtopiaCD / Vinyl / digital Gadi Stern piano and keys David Michaeli double bass Matan Assayag drums Once again the groove is catchy, the way of shaping melodies utterly distinctive; these aspects define the sound of Shalosh. And once again, the trio is incredibly tight – after all, the band’s name does mean “three” in Hebrew. "Heavy jazz!", declared German Rolling Stone magazine; The critic from the british Times found them "full of promise". At Deutschlandfunk, there was talk of "jazz in the fast lane", once again reaching "young jazz fans all over Europe". The French magazine Paris Move writes excitedly the band is “indispensable”. The three musicians, each contribute their musical predilections - jazz, classical music, grunge, rock, techno or folk - into the common organism, in which all these elements are rendered into an exciting mixture. And through their inspirational concerts around the globe, there has been constant further refinement. They take audiences with them by challenging them: this is music which aims to appeal to the heart, engage the intellect and get straight through to the dancing feet.Things could have just gone on as they were, but much has changed since 2020's “Broken Balance”. "It's a different world now," says Gadi Stern, "and you can hear that on the new album. Back then everything was fine, there was more or less nothing missing. But now there's a sense of the end of the world all around us." So, on "Tales of Utopia”, Shalosh have taken their music, their way of telling stories through sound, and placed them in a bigger context. Drawing elements from the Old Testament and the Odyssey, they combine Christian and Greek mythology in a way which is individual...rhapsodic. The connecting of world cultures gives a common thread to the album:A young hero is travelling into the unknown. But what is unknown to him is not just the external world, but also the inner self. Every journey also leads to increased self-awareness, and that makes him stronger. "Tales of Utopia" is about how utopian thinking is based on the preoccupation with one's own self, on concentration and meditation. Keeping that focus well honed functions as the antidote to information overkill.Shalosh envisage their music as a place of refuge. In a crisis-ridden world, their aim is to give strength, comfort and inspiration. and provide support against pandemics, tanks and slogans. Using an episodic structure derived from epic theatre, they present an image of arriving in the big city and being deluged with new impressions. The hero has to find his way through a market alive with strange smells, colours and movement. Then, dramatically, he leaves the metropolis at sunset. We witness a boat being rolled by the waves of the ocean, and also three sisters on an island who take care of the hero, their voices intertwining. The king's dreams come unstuck in all the turbulence, he also receives some poor advice. But all then comes to a happy ending in a Moroccan-inspired wedding song, as a band of friends all gather in one room for a party with handclapping and singing. We are propelled through this timeless story by the wonderful Shalosh sound. It is as if the band has found just the right places to insert all of these stories into a vast painting. The chronology of events has been brilliantly adapted to make the musical flow feel natural. The recording process has also been reimagined. Without headphones or amps, the three recorded their song-like stories in physical proximity to each other, as if playing live. It sounded rougher and more direct, because the room had an acoustic which was so alive. What was important was what the lyrics would trigger musically. "Inside the room we could escape the troubles of the world," recalls drummer Matan Assayag. "For three or four hours we focused on the music and formulated our utopia. That way we could block out the external pressures. That's the meaning behind the title. Our previous album reflected the world outside, this one is about inner harmony." "Tales of Utopia" documents a search for poise and peacefulness. Gadi and Matan have recently become fathers. This positive energy has flowed in. "Art makes the world better" is the way they describe their intentions. "We want to bring beauty into the world and create a feeling that people can be happy in themselves. They have to relearn that, and also place themselves in relation to the constant flood of information so that more and more doesn't actually mean less and less. Our children were the best teachers in this because they are fascinated by small things. That's how you can overcome the destructive." There is more going on here than mere everyday pragmatism. This is exciting music, a panoply of colours and timbres. It invites the listener to be enchanted and to focus on its sheer beauty. It also has deep humanity: rather than striving for perfection, it bristles with energy and vitality. Credits: Music composed, arranged and produced by Shalosh Cover art "Blokeret dør, 2000" by Tal R

David Helbock - Austrian SyndicateCD / Vinyl / digital David Helbock rhodes, synthesizers & effects Peter Madsen piano Raphael Preuschl bass & bass ukulele Herbert Pirker drums Claudio Spieler percussion Guests: Alex Acuña percussion Lakecia Benjamin saxophone Maria João voice Fred Wesley trombone Dhafer Youssef voice Austrian Syndicate…the phrase immediately brings to mind the best-known and most influential of all Austrians in jazz, Joe Zawinul. And yet David Helbock’s project is much more than just a homage to his compatriot. It is a return to the roots of fusion jazz and how things developed from then on. It is also a new direction stylistically for Helbock, who has harnessed a panoply of inspiration with a refreshing openness to new sounds from far and wide. As Helbock himself puts it: "This is close to my heart." Helbock has been able to enlist the best rhythm section in Austria for the Syndicate: Raphael Preuschl on bass and bass ukulele, drummer Herbert Pirker and percussionist Claudio Spieler. The quintet also has an American in it, one for whom becoming Austrian was a matter of choice: pianist Peter Madsen. This Austrian supergroup is also a place where Helbock’s stellar international guests shine brightly: Maria João, Fred Wesley, Dhafer Youssef, Alex Acuña and Lakecia Benjamin. Very much in the spirit of Zawinul who pioneered the use of electronic keyboard instruments and was a giant of fusion jazz, David Helbock is heard here for the first time only on keyboards, leaving all the piano duties to Peter Madsen. "Practically everything I know about music and jazz I learned from him," says Helbock about his former teacher and mentor, and – these days – close friend. A true piano hero, but one little known outside specialist circles, Madsen toured the world with Stan Getz from 1987 onwards, and has since played with many other greats of jazz: musicians who made their names in earlier eras such as Benny Golson, and Stanley Turrentine to major figures from modern jazz like Chris Potter, Joe Lovano or Kenny Garrett, or free jazz heroes like Dewey Redman and Don Cherry. And there are stars of funk too: Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker. In 2001, Madsen moved from New York to Austria, where he met the then 16-year-old Helbock and took him under his wing. Which is why Madsen, in addition to his piano role, is also co-leader of the band, and we also hear his considerable acumen as composer. Raphael Preuschl and Herbert Pirker are also long-time companions of David Helbock and have been the most sought-after bass-drums team in Vienna for over 20 years. Preuschl has also found a particularly individual voice on an unusual instrument, the bass ukulele. Pirker is just as versatile. He plays drums, for example, in Austria's sensational band Shake Stew. Percussionist Claudio Spieler studied with Afghan master drummer Hakim Ludin in his youth, and now performs at major venues with German singer-songwriter Konstantin Wecker and celebrated Austrian multi-percussionist Martin Grubinger. There are fabulous guests too. All are global stars, giving the album both international glamour and the colourful exoticism: the great voice of Maria João from Portugal, Peruvian percussionist Alex Acuña (a member of Weather Report alongside Zawinul in the late 1970s), Tunisian singer and oud virtuoso Dhafer Youssef, who is having huge success with his album "Streets of Minarets" and is playing to sold-out houses; funk mastermind and James Brown acolyte Fred Wesley and saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, one of the brightest sparks in the American jazz sky right now.This band has a way of communicating energy, surprise, variety and – perhaps above all – fun. Helbock has a way of finding all kinds of outlandish sounds from his synthesisers and keyboard pads, and uses them to kick up sudden thunderstorms. But we also hear subtle jazz improvisation, irrepressible interplay, funk and Latin rhythms and no shortage of Afro-Caribbean flair. It’s all there right from the opener: "Money in the Pocket". Other tracks draw their inspiration from all kinds of intriguing places: dark mysteries from Vienna, Indian Konnakol chanting, King Crimson, acid jazz. Helbock has conjured up all kinds of different moods and vibes. The ending of the album requires something truly special and Helbock does not disappoint. Mozart's "Komm, lieber Mai", an innocent little song which later became a German folk melody, has been dressed up for a party with Cuban rhythms. Maria João is not just playful here, she even invites us briefly away from the party and into a trippy dream sequence. Like the rest of the album, such invitations are instantly and infinitely persuasive. David Helbock's "Austrian Syndicate" welcomes the world into boundless fusion jazz with irresistible grooves. “Austrian Syndicate” might prove to be one of the feelgood – no, make that feel...GREAT! - albums of the year. Credits: Recording Details: Produced by David Helbock

Esbjörn Svensson - HOME.SCD / Vinyl / Colored Vinyl / digitalEsbjörn Svensson pianoThere 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's personal archive. In this interview, she tells the story behind the discovery of the album and the music: How exactly did you find this 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. At first Åke wasn't sure if Esbjörn had recorded everything at home and just by himself. So he called different studios in Stockholm that he knew Esbjörn was in contact with and asked them whether he had been there, recording anything. But no, he hadn't been anywhere. I know he had bought some very nice microphones and in the course of touring had learned from Åke how to use them. So it became clear that this music had to have been played and recorded in the basement of our house. So there was nobody with him? He was all alone doing that? He was all alone. In retrospect I have been thinking about it because the few people who know that this exists were asking me if I knew about it. What I did know was that Esbjörn was constantly working, as he always did. He was in the basement, and I could hear him play. But to me, this didn’t raise any questions. Is he doing something? Yes, of course he's doing something. That's what he always did. Rehearsing, practicing, composing. But for me it wasn’t clear that something new was happening. I did know that he was longing to have time to compose and play in different kinds of constellations, but I had no idea that it might be piano solo. Just weeks after making these solo recordings, Esbjörn died. Everything suddenly took on another perspective. There was no way for me to focus on music. All I could do at that time was to make sure all the material he was working on was kept safe.When did you hear the music for the first time? I think it was in 2017 or 18, maybe. This was really the first time? Yes, the first time. After almost ten years. And you kept everything safe and untouched until then? Technically, yes… Well, I don’t know about safety, because it was in the cupboard. *laughs* But safe enough to be released now anyway. Life changed so dramatically after Esbjörn’s passing. For me and for us, it was not just Esbjörn, the musician, it was my husband and the children's father who was gone. That was what we had to deal with and find a way to live without. What made you choose that the time was right to share this with the public? It was really not about choosing the right time. At the time when I heard the music, I simply understood that it was important for me that it happened. To be able to hear it and to have it physically in my hands. And when I realized this, I also wanted to share it with more people. By making an album and having it released, but also, just as importantly, by creating some spaces for myself and for others, to meet and to listen together and to hear the voice of Esbjörn.Do you know where the repertoire of the record comes from? Has any of this been previously written or do you think it’s fully improvised? I think individual tracks and compositions were prepared. At least I am sure there were some kind of sketches. I don't think Esbjörn was just sitting down improvising from start to end. It was not how I remember that he worked. There is actually a lot of sheet music around and I am sure some of it is connected with this recording, but I wasn’t able to go through all of it. Yet. You decided to have the tracks to be named after the letters of the Greek alphabet, and one reason to do so is Esbjörn’s passion for astronomy. Something that also inspired one of e.s.t.’s most popular pieces “From Gagarin’s Point of View”. There is this feeling of being far away from everything, in zero-g with a totally different perspective. And at the same time at great risk. Yes, I could imagine that Gagarin’s adventure and his urge to go to new places must have been so much more thrilling to him than his fear of death. To take that leap out into the universe and taking as opposed to just staying home. I don't think that was an option. In a musical way, Esbjörn was just like that. This is probably why the stars and space were such a big deal for him and what fascinated him about astronomy. At the same time I remember that he said that he in some way regretted that he learned more about it because then some amount of the mystery was gone. He was always keen to look into things that he didn't know that much about. And then in a way try to find out how they work and how they’re connected to other things. In life and in music. He heard something, but he didn't know how to connect it. And then he, and also Dan and Magnus of e.s.t. would explore things together, without any outside guidance. From their childhood days they would just meet at Esbjörn’s house, play around, explore and to find things out. Esbjörn knew the Greek alphabet by heart and also all of the Greek Zodiac signs. So along with this being a metaphor for the desire to explore and discover new spaces, by naming the pieces on the album just by Greek letters, we are not explaining something that we don't want to explain, and we leave space for the listeners to find their own associations with the music. Any closing thoughts? When the solo piano recordings were found at our home it felt like “getting a message smuggled over the border. This music is like having Esbjörn’s voice in the room. It couldn't be anybody else that played. Never. It is his voice. And he still has something to say. And I'm having the chance to let people hear that. My feeling is that we’re doing this together. …Thank you Esbjörn. This is beautiful. Credits: Music composed, recorded, mixed and produced by Esbjörn Svensson in spring 2008 Executive Producer: Eva Svensson Mastered by Åke Linton, Eva Svensson and Classe Persson at CRP Recording AB

Esbjörn Svensson Trio e.s.t. - e.s.t. Live 95CD / Vinyl / digital Esbjörn Svensson piano Dan Berglund bass Magnus Öström drums They have been lauded as the "New sound in the Old World", and as "high voltage out of Sweden"; the group has been called "possibly the best jazz trio in the world". The Esbjörn Svensson Trio's - known as EST - rise to the heights has been almost frightening. After their first major success in Sweden, their international breakthrough came in 1999 during the ACT World Jazz Night at the Montreux Jazz Festival. In the following years EST was a sensation throughout Europe, and they are now on the path to continuing their success story in the USA. It's no wonder that, especially when playing "live", EST lets loose an almost unbelievable energy - and this energy appears to grow from tour to tour - a rising star that shines ever brighter. Stars sometimes shine much longer than one would think. And here are recordings that demonstrate this is true for EST. The band, which was first formed in 1993, quickly found their very special sound. However, at first, no one outside EST's homeland was aware of them. Six years ago, in 1995, when Esbjörn Svensson still had long hair, and wore a headband, a record titled "Mr. And Mrs. Handkerchief", which consisted of live air shots from various towns in Sweden, was released. A year later, EST recorded the album "Esbjörn Svensson Trio Plays Monk" (recently re-released as ACT.). It reached the undreamed of sales of 10,000 CD's nationwide. Those who have heard how the trio played back then can attest that it was breathtaking music (for a quick listen: track 5).Much of what characterizes EST's play today was already well-defined in 1995: the unity and riveting strength of the inter-play, the compelling themes - themes that immediately jump out at the listener, and yet are never burdened with cliches. Then there are the musical influences of the likes of Thelonious Monk and Kieth Jarrett, which are fused into a unique style that is again and again infected by the forward-thrust of rock. Magic moments are preserved for posterity in these live takes. In tracks three and seven, Svensson plays on an upright piano that doesn't even come close to the brilliance and clarity of a concert grand - and yet, these recordings are pearls. The trio had by this time mastered the ability to react spontaneously to the inspiration of the moment.Absolutely no difference from today? On their latest tours EST sounded tighter, less raw, with the impetuosity of wilder times more under control. Comparison with the masterpiece "Dodge the Dodo" from the 1999 Montreux concert (bonus CD) shows that the trio's development has not been by leaps and bounds, but has been a continual process. Esbjörn Svensson himself has stated most clearly how much the music from past periods influences the band; "Obviously we develop all the time, both as individuals and as a group. But development isn't only about blind process. So instead of just going forward, in places we've chosen to refer back to our earlier sound, to what we had on our first two albums." That's already reason enough to pay new attention to "EST LIVE '95". Roland Spiegel, translated by Marty Cook Credits: Recorded by Åke Linton in March 1995, except # 11 recorded by Manu Guiot at Montreux Jazz Festival July 16, 1999, # 5 by Per Åke Hermansson, Radio Dalama and # 6 by Verner Kjersgaag, DR Östjüllands Radio Mixed by Åke Linton at Bohus Studio Produced by e.s.t.