BIX - A Tribute to Bix Beiderbecke

Various Artists - Christmas in the Spirit of JazzCD / digitalJust as there are a multitude of different ways to celebrate Christmas, there is also a vast and appetising array of Christmas music. And whereas Nils Landgren's "Christmas With My Friends" series has been an integral part of the run-up to the holiday season for the past 15 years, it is far from being all that ACT has to offer: a host of other artists from the label have created their own distinctive Christmas sounds. These range from the quiet contemplations of pianist Bugge Wesseltoft or the hymn-inspired "Nordic Christmas" from saxophonist Tore Brunborg, to music from Cana-dian singer Laila Biali or “a touch of class” (The Observer) from Echoes of Swing... and even the coruscating and youth-ful energy of the Jazzrausch Bigband. All these and many more are to be found on "Christmas in the Spirit of Jazz". This is the ACT Christmas soundtrack for 2021. Tracks from all eight of the "Christmas With My Friends" albums are the thread running through this Christmas com-pilation. Nils Landgren sets the celebrations in motion with "Coming' Home for Christmas", the album opener. In the course of the album’s eighteen tracks, we hear a roster of other soloists: Jessica Pilnäs, Johan Norberg and Jonas Knut-son bring seasonal joy to Leroy Anderson’s swinging classic "Sleigh Ride"; Sharon Dyall with her blues-infused voice jingles us through the lively "Just Another Christmas Song"; Ida Sand and Jeanette Köhn sing John Rutter’s "Angel's Carol" in a gently-paced duet. As German magazine Stern has remarked of "Christmas With My Friends”, this is music which "sparkles like the starry sky of a Nordic winter night". We cross the border from Sweden into Norway for another Christmas classic: Bugge Wesseltoft recorded one of the best-selling Christmas albums in Norway with his piano solo CD "It's Snowing On My Piano": the plaintive sounds of Wes-seltoft playing "In Dulce Jubilo" have an irresistible simplicity and directness. And then on to Denmark for Janne Mark: she sings about "Vinter", a delightful hymn which brings light and warmth to Scandinavia's season of darkness. Christmas with the Jazzrausch Bigband is lively and sassy. Sometimes loud, sometimes quiet, the stylish sound of this big band has been superbly caught: "Fröhliche Weihnacht überall" (Merry Christmas everywhere) takes us a long way from the quieter and more contemplative vibe to be heard elsewhere on "Christmas in the Spirit of Jazz". Echoes of Swing with Rebecca Kilgore treat us to a superb "Winter Wonderland": it’s swinging and American - but with a knowing, five-four smile.A song which was not originally written with Christmas in mind, but which has nonetheless found its way into the canon is "A Child is Born" by Thad Jones: Laila Biali's version of it is released here on CD for the first time. Another which has also become a Christmas evergreen is Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". Polish violinist Adam Bałdych interprets it here. And with "Happy Xmas, War is Over" from 1971, we hear Iiro Rantala paying homage to John Lennon. His solo piano interpretation is virtuosic yet has depth, and the song’s message of peace could not be more topical or important than it is today. Caecilie Norby and Lars Danielsson have made a new recording of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" especially for "Christmas in the Spirit of Jazz". We hear just the duo of voice and bass, the mood carefree yet festive. "Christmas Song" is heard in a calmly uplifting version from Viktoria Tolstoy, with Ida Sand, Ulf Wakenius and Nils Landgren. And finally Mr. Redhorn brings "Christmas in the Spirit of Jazz" to an atmospheric conclusion on solo trombone: "Der Mond ist aufgegangen" (the moon is risen) is from his recently released solo album "Nature Boy". Landgren’s trombone sound echoes weightlessly through space and time: the final mood is one of contemplation and peace.

Echoes of Swing - Winter Days at Schloss ElmauCD / digital Echoes of Swing: Bernd Lhotzky piano &musical director Colin T. Dawson trumpet Chris Hopkins alto saxophone Oliver Mewes drums Rebecca Kilgore vocals Henning Gailing bass Rolf Marx guitar (on 4, 8, 9 & 10) For over 20 years, Echoes of Swing have been an essential go-to band for lovers of classic jazz. They show quite how many sides there are to it, and do so in a way that is always consummately fresh. The quartet of Bernd Lhotzky (piano), Colin T. Dawson (trumpet), Chris Hopkins (alto saxophone) and Oliver Mewes (drums) breathe new life into the canon of the Jazz Age with their skill as players, their fine arrangements – and with a lot of hu-mour. The band play their own compositions too. And each of their albums is built around a theme: after "Blue Pepper", "Dancing", "Travelin'" and the "Tribute to Bix Beiderbecke", their new album "Winter Days at Schloss Elmau" is a winter walk, but with a swing to it. The new album continues in the line of superb re-cordings that ACT has made in the large concert hall at Schloss Elmau. Indeed, where would one find more inspiration for a winter album than in this unique location with its breathtaking views of the Bavarian Alps? Whereas previous Echoes of Swing recordings have predominantly featured instrumental tracks, "Winter Days at Schloss Elmau" marks a new departure for the band: it is a vocal album defined by the presence of the grande dame of classic jazz singing, the American vocalist Rebecca Kilgore. "There is simply no alternative to Rebecca,” enthuses Bernd Lhotzky. “So many musical and human qualities come together in her, you really have to hear her to believe it." Lhotzky has previously worked with Kilgore in a duo and calls her "the ideal you’d always hoped somebody would invent" and a "singing enchantress". So all it takes is a few bars of her singing on the opener "Winter Moon", transformed into an atmospheric nocturne by Chris Hopkins, to realise that Rebecca Kilgore has that perfect sense of swing and time that cannot be taught, combined with subtle elegance and a warm timbre, and is able to convey lyrics so naturally in music. There are two additional musicians working with the group: on four tracks jazz, guitarist Rolf Marx brings new colours to Echoes of Swing’s music. Henning Gailing is a specialist in classic swing bass, a distinctly rare craft nowadays. Echoes of Swing have done a lot of live dates with him, and his rare skills and his sound rein-force and underpin the foundation of the ensemble. And off we go on an extended sleigh ride. One could say it lasts from Advent over Christmas and through into the new year. We travel through all kinds of very different regions, from "Winter Wonderland", classically covered in snow (unusually in 5/4 time here, with hand drums and an Ellingtonian horn section), via frosty cities in the northern hemisphere ("I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm") and on down to South America, where December is very different, for example in "Looks Like December", a rare composition by Antonio Carlos Jobim; in the alto saxophone passages one can clearly hear Chris Hopkins' admiration for Stan Getz. "Winter Days" has managed completely to avoid those worn-out and overplayed Christmas standards. On the other hand, there are playful pieces that toy with the winter clichés, or subvert them. For example, there is Burt Bacharach's "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle", appearing here as a bossa nova. And there are also three contrasting poems set to music by Bernd Lhotzky: there’s "Stopping By Woods" by Robert Frost which is almost like a pop tune, an icy and gloomy "The Night Is Darkening Round Me" by Emily Brontë, and a classical, notated setting of William Shakespeare's "Sonnet 97" which ventures into the domain of art song. Interestingly, it is played just by the trio of guest musicians, but they are anything but drop-ins; they put their complete heart and soul into it. Rebecca Kilgore has written the title track "Winter Days" together with Lhotzky – the tropical sounds in it give a sense of contrast. She also chose "Snowbound" with its subtle wordplay. This song is by pianist/composer Dave Frishberg who has been a friend of Kilgore’s for a long time. Taken together, here are thirteen musical winter greetings which are consistently delightful. They chime particularly sweetly with the ethos of the season. Echoes of Swing are respectful of tradition but have a verve and an energy which make it completely new. This band's taste is impeccable, their ingenuity is inexhaustible, and their musicality is outstanding. This may be music inspired by a specific season and by a long-gone era of jazz, yet it is precious and timeless.Credits: Recorded by Stefan Gienger at Schloss Elmau, December 13 - 15, 2018 Mixed and mastered by Stefan Gienger at Mastermix Studios, Munich Produced by Echoes of Swing

Echoes Of Swing - Travelin´CD / Vinyl / digital Colin T. Dawson trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn & vocals Chris Hopkins alto saxophone Bernd Lhotzky piano & celesta Oliver Mewes drums Most jazz musicians are also travellers. Their places of work are the clubs and festivals of the world, so they are always on the go. Echoes of Swing, however, has another dimension: This quartet is also on a journey through time, going back to classic jazz from the 20’s to the 50’s, bringing it into the present day and shaping it for the future. This “tour de force” has been going on for 20 years. A reason then to celebrate, which is perhaps best done by re-tracing the journey, reviving memories of things experienced, and looking at all that travelling involves. We’re off on a thrilling round-the-world musical journey from the moment Chris Hopkins’ “Orient Express” rolls in. The wagons are full of sounds which range from blues to Arabic music, and as we move along the track, we’re noticing all kinds of shifting harmonies and tempo changes. Right from the point of departure there is a buzz about what might happen next: a pirate ship in a storm in 12/8 time with Bernd Lhotzky's “Das Wrack Der Guten Hoffnung”, then it’s off to the South Seas, where Chris Hopkin's “Fiji Hula Bula” creates a relaxed vacationing mood, and then to Sidney Bechet's “Southern Sunset”, which in this Echoes version transports us to restless, sultry nights; then a fast-paced swinging excursion to Colin Dawson's English homeland follows in “Gan Hyem”, with Coleman Hawkins’ “Disorder At The Border” as a classic bebop blues to make us forget the Brexit woes. Sometimes we’re on the racetrack in a vintage car (“En Auto”) in Bernd Lhotzky’s homage to early ragtime-linked novelty piano japes, at other times it can be classic and dramatic, as in “Cabin In The Sky”. And what better way to illustrate flying than with the Italian hit “Volare”, when Bernd Lhotzky transforms the tune into a carefree glide floating on the wings of Harlem Stride, very reminiscent of the John Kirby sextet. The whole panoply of impressions that one has on a voyage is translated into music in “Travelin‘”. Numerous original compositions and complex arrangements, with pieces originally for solo or orchestra are adapted for the quartet, testifying a profound knowledge of the history of music, and there is not a single bar which fails to deliver exquisite taste. Sophisticated, yes and intellectually thoughtful, but the imperative of old school jazz to entertain is never forgotten. Like all their previous albums, “Travelin'” is full of fine humour, whether it's amusing musical quotations, the subtle ironic undertone in Colin Dawson's vocals, or wacky titles like “On A Slow Goat Through China” - Chris Hopkins’ allusion to the Frank Loesser standard. For “Travelin‘”, the words which the great Dick Hyman, the last living giant of classic jazz piano, once said about the Echoes of Swing are as true as they ever were: “Each of their pieces is a gem! Collectively they present an approach to jazz like no other quartet, while individually each player is a master.” : “Each of their pieces is a gem! Collectively they present an approach to jazz like no other quartet, while individually each player is a master.” So, it’s all aboard and indeed the best proof yet that travelling does indeed expand one’s horizons. After twenty years on the road, this ensemble has wagon-loads of style, elegance, finesse, improvisation and humour - and has honed all of these to perfection. . After twenty years on the road, this ensemble has wagon-loads of style, elegance, finesse, improvisation and humour - and has honed all of these to perfection.Credits: Arrangements: Colin T. Dawson: 03, 10, 13, 14 Chris Hopkins: 01, 04, 06, 07, 08, 11 Bernd Lhotzky: 02, 05, 09, 12, 15 Produced by Echoes of Swing Productions Recorded by Erich Pintar at Tonstudio Weinberg der Landesmusikdirektion, Kefermarkt (AT), September 5 - 7, 2017 Mixed and mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Cover art by Robert Gober, Untitled Shoe, 1990 Red casting wax (8x7x19 cm), © Robert Gober, Courtesy Matthew Marks Gallery

Echoes Of Swing - BIX - A Tribute to Bix BeiderbeckeCD / digitalVibrant hero worship: A tribute to a often forgotten genius: Bix Beiderbecke shaped the jazz of the 1920s and later stars like Chet Baker. "Bix" takes a new perspective on his music.Credits: CD 1:A TRIBUTE TO BIX BEIDERBECKE Curated and produced by Siggi Loch Recorded by Stefan Gienger at Mastermixstudio Unterföhring (Munich), August 1 - 3, 2016 Mixed and mastered by Klaus Scheuermann, August 8 - 11, 2016 Mulo Francel appears courtesy of GLM Music CD 2: BIX BEIDERBECKE ORIGINAL MUSIC Bix Beiderbecke & His Gang Frank Trumbauer & His Orchestra 10 historical mono recordings

Echoes Of Swing - DancingCD / digital Colin T. Dawson trumpet & vocals Chris Hopkins alto saxophone Bernd Lhotzky piano & celesta Oliver Mewes drums Early jazz was first and foremost dance music, a fact which is all too easily forgotten these days. As each new dance craze arrived on the scene – from Charleston and Ragtime, through Foxtrot and Lindy-hop, and then on to Jive – the development of jazz music moved along with it. Only later, beginning with ‘Swing’ and ‘Bebop’ was jazz finally established as music for the concert hall. The quartet ‘Echoes of Swing’ have put a clear marker down with their latest album ‘Dancing’. This band has been at the crossroads of such currents and developments for many years now. The pianist Bernd Lhotzky, alto saxophone player Chris Hopkins (aside the ‘Echoes’, like Lhotzky, a world class ‘stride’ pianist), the trumpet player (and vocalist) Colin Dawson and drummer Oliver Mewes are however, certainly anything else than a ‘dance band’, and although they have their roots in classic jazz, they have nothing in common with ‘retro’ trends or ‘neo-swing’. With their zeal for the unrivalled exhaustless – and unexhausted harmonic and melodic wealth of material, they bring the music itself to a merry dance. The album ‘Dancing’ is more an anthology which takes a wry look at the theme of dance in jazz, occasionally heading off at a tangent, and making some very surprising connections. This is a waltz through the history of jazz. As demonstrated by other ACT colleagues such as Joachim Kühn or liro Rantala, it begins at the very beginning with Johann Sebastian Bach. A Gavotte from the English suite No. 6, a baroque dance, is transformed into a melodic platform for an effervescent drum feature. A journey through Scott Joplin’s ‘Ragtime Dance’, James P. Johnson’s ‘Charleston’, Cole Porter’s ‘Dream Dancing’, or Sidney Bechet’s ‘Premier Bal’ to Pixinguinha’s Brasilian Choro ‘Diplomata’, Bernd Lhotzky’s Cuban Bolero ‘Salir a la Luz’ or the exotic Ellington-like timbre of ‘Ballet Of The Dunes’ from Chris Hopkins. This is dance in jazz, but not as we know it. For a start, a third of the tracks are original compositions (more than on any other ‘Echoes Of Swing’ album) from Lhotzky, Hopkins and Dawson. As a group, the four maestros have taken the other selections and have created something discretely and entirely original. Nothing here is re-enacted. Chris Hopkins’ work on the Rodgers/Hart standard ‘Dancing On The Ceiling’ has, by using clever rhythmical displacements and audacious interwoven voicings, rendered it an almost completely new tune. ‘More than ever, this album is a cooperative team effort’ explains Lhotzky, we see ourselves not so much as four soloists, but more importantly an ensemble. A Team that has been performing continually for nearly 20 years, no wonder then that ‘Echoes Of Swing’ have found their own distinctive sound which has made this exceptional band the sensation at countless concerts and festivals, including the USA, the home of jazz. Recently they have been bestowed with many tributes, from the ‘German critics award’ to the French ‘Prix de l'Académie du Jazz’. What the musical signature of ‘Echoes Of Swing’ consists of, can be heard on ‘Dancing’ more explicitly than ever: Highly intelligent arrangements to solos and ensemble work presented from a formation which is indeed unique in jazz: Piano, Drums and two horns. And while the four master soloists play, each one of them a rare specialist in the art of earlier jazz styles, the music is brought up to the present day, now possessing a new ‘hipness’. Flawless musicianship, a comprehensive knowledge of music history, good taste and judgement, and a sly sense of humour. For music cognoscenti, there are a myriad of subtle sleights of hand and hidden gags to enjoy. The Gavotte from Bach’s sixth English Suite has been framed with the B-A-C-H motif; the Charleston has been 'straightened out' into a modern jazz waltz; and the whirling wildness of the ‘Carioca’ is put through some challenging changes in tempo, which reminds one of the celebrated film scene with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The couple briefly collide but quickly pick up the original tempo and dance on, slightly the worse for wear. Each of the tracks of ‘Dancing’ communicates simultaneously and directly with the brain, the emotions, and down to your feet. There is quite simply a very wide range of delights for the listener to enjoy and find their favourites, be it in ‘Echoes’ moving interpretation of Sidney Bechet’s shimmering but melancholy melody ‘Premier Bal’, or Dawson’s swinging ‘Sandancer’, the title being a word-play and tribute to the sandy beaches of his home town in north-east England. You can almost hear the dancers swishing about on the sand covered floor. Or perhaps in Lhotzky’s debonair and elegant tribute to Willie ‘the lion’ Smith, the larger-than-life pianist and componist, who reportedly was also a fabulous dancer. Indeed, listening to 'Dancing', a quick spin around the room (if so inclined) doesn't have to be ruled out. Take the dusted-down, minimalist-style on ‘Moonlight Serenade’. It's not hard to imagine a solitary couple lured out onto a moonlit terrace…. Credits: Produced by Echoes of Swing Productions Recorded by Erich Pintar at Tonstudio Weinberg, Kefermarkt (AT), May 26 - 28, 2015. Mixed and mastered by Wolfgang Schiefermair Arrangements: Colin T. Dawson: 04, 05, 08, 09 & 10 / Chris Hopkins: 01, 03, 07, 11, 12, 13, 15 & 16 / Bernd Lhotzky: 02, 04, 06, 10 & 14

"Good Time Jazz" by Echoes of Swing: Innovative interpretations of 1920s/30s American jazz, blending nostalgia and modern creativity with joy and swing.