Come Closer - Celebrating Randy Newman

past is present | Julia Hülsmann Trio & Roger CiceroA 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.Milestone albums on vinyl for the first timeLimited 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 inspired by the original artworkA designed inner sleeve as a narrative cornerstone of the album printed on 180 gsm uncoated sulfate board 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. Good Morning Midnight (2006) closes Julia Hülsmann's ACT trilogy exploring poetry and jazz – after E. E. Cummings and Randy Newman, this time dedicated to Emily Dickinson, largely unknown in her lifetime and today regarded as one of America's most important poets. For the then little-known pianist, the series marked her step into wider public awareness and the beginning of a highly acclaimed international career. For vocalist Roger Cicero it was an important step into the limelight – soon after, he became a genuine pop star in Germany, before his one-of-a-kind story ended abruptly in 2016, at just 45. The contrasts could hardly be greater: urban-influenced jazz on one side, on the other the words of a poet who spent her life in seclusion in rural Massachusetts. Yet jazz works here less as a style than as a vocabulary, linking seemingly distant worlds. Carried by Hülsmann's trio with Marc Muellbauer and Heinrich Köbberling, coloured by subtle electronics, bandoneon and brass, Cicero finds a tone between curiosity and doubt, exuberance and introspection – “I've never sung anything like this before.” A wide arc between poetry and jazz, between the 19th and the 21st centuries – and a reminder that new music can be found not only in the present, but also in the past.

Various Artists - Fantastische FrauenCD / digital Julia Hülsmann & Rebekka Bakken, Anna Gréta, Solveig Slettahjell, Céline Bonacina, Ida Sand, Cæcilie Norby, Viktoria Tolstoy, Johanna Summer, Rigmor Gustafsson, Terri Lyne Carrington, Rita Marcotulli, Nesrine, Youn Sun Nah, Janne Mark, Kadri Voorand, Laila Biali Music is feminine. And it always has been, whether in Italian, German and French. Viva la musica. Die Musik. La musique. And in jazz? During the 20th century female musicians lives were lived in the shadows. Lil Hardin, for example, wrote compositions like “Struttin‘ With Some Barbecue”, and yet while her husband Louis Armstrong was becoming famous, she was hardly noticed at all. She was, as she described it later, “standing at the bottom of the ladder holding it and watching him climb.” Since then, however, things have moved on. Progress may be slow, but things are definitely changing. In jazz, today the female element has gone way beyond just the “girl singer with a band”. It is not only quite normal for a woman to be playing electric guitar, bass, drums or trumpet, we now have musicians such as Terri Lyne Carrington serving as important role models. “Fantastische Frauen” presents a selection of the strong female voices who have either forged their careers in partnership with ACT, or at least been with the label for part of their journey. Some came to the label at the beginning of their careers; others were already more established: Berlin-based pianist/composer Julia Hülsmann released three albums for ACT in the early 2000s, showing a refined sensitivity for language and a flawless instinct for setting poetry to music. “Same Girl” is her arrangement of the Randy Newman song, with Norwegian singer Rebekka Bakken as a kindred spirit on the album “Scattering Poems”.  Scandinavian singers have always been a major presence on ACT, including some stalwarts who have been with the label for several years: Viktoria Tolstoy, from Sweden, has eight albums to her name on ACT, of which “Shining On You” was the first. It features compositions by probably the most important Swedish jazz musician of the last 20 years, pianist Esbjörn Svensson. Icelandic pianist/singer Anna Gréta is a new member of the ACT family. “Nightjar in the Northern Sky” is simple, direct and con-cise. Solveig Slettahjell (Norway), Ida Sand (Sweden, both singer and pianist), Cæcilie Norby (Denmark) and Rigmor Gustafsson (Sweden) are important and well-established figures on the scene, and are all much more than “mere” singers: they have been writing and arranging their own music for many years, and also penning the lyrics and leading their own bands.  Janne Mark from Denmark occupies a very special place: she has found her own fascinating path between folk music, church hymns and jazz. Kadri Voorand from Estonia is also much more than just a singer. Alongside her mind-boggling vocal skills and her clever use of effects devices, the fact of quite how good a pianist she is – and also lyricist and composer – runs the risk of being overlooked. “I’m Not in Love” is both charming and unsett-ling, with just the right mixture of each. Youn Sun Nah, from South Korea, brought her love of French chanson and jazz to Europe, and has made some terrific recordings: “Momento Magico” with guitarist Ulf Wakenius stuns with its virtuosity, leaving the listener breathless. Nesrine creates magical worlds of sound with no boundaries: Cello and voice with Arabic roots and Mediterranean soul. Canadian vocalist/pianist Laila Biali combines everything which is good about singer-songwriting. Céline Bonacina takes on an unusual role; there are still not many well-known female baritone saxophonists, and even fewer who lead their own interesting bands. This Frenchwoman absolutely does her own thing... ...something which can also be said about pianist Johanna Summer. She chose Robert Schumann’s “Kinderszenen” (scenes from childhood) and “Album für die Jugend” (album for the young) as the starting point for free improvisations. Her album has had a major impact.  For Italian pianist Rita Marcotulli, the power of melody is the driving force – her album with the accordionist Luciano Biondini has a dreamlike quality. Today US-American Terri Lyne Carrington is one of the leading figures on the drum set and has played with all of the greats of jazz. She shared the stage with Wayne Shorter, composer of the classic “Witch Hunt” when she was still in her twenties. “Fantastische Frauen” is a very apt title for this album because music is female and so, increasingly, is jazz. The fact that this is now recognised and appreciated has been a major step forward. At some point in the future it will only ever be about the music, irrespective of whether it has been created or performed by male, female or diverse artists. And that will be the next big step forward.Credits: Curated by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

The new ACT sampler, "Visions of Jazz," offers 15 compelling reasons to connect jazz with more than just sounds.

"Hoch willkommenes Neuland in Sachen Vokal-Jazz" (HAMBURGER MORGENPOST)

"Audiophile Highlight" in STEREO: "An extraordinary record."

Anna Lauvergnac and Julia Hülsmann offer an intense reinterpretation of Randy Newman, recorded in 2003 in Berlin.

"A fantastic record" - STEREO

Experience the gentle masterpiece by Julia Hülsmann, Rebekka Bakken, and more. Awarded the German Jazz Award, recorded in Berlin.