Cloudland

Możdżer - Daniellson - Fresco - BeamoCD / Double vinyl / digitalLeszek MożdżerFazioli piano (A = 440 Hz equal temperament)Steinway piano (A = 432 Hz equal temperament)Östlind & Almquist piano (A = 440 Hz decaphonic tuning) Lars Danielsson Double bass, cello & viola da gamba Zohar Fresco Frame drums, percussion & vocalsIn July 2004, when Leszek Możdżer, Lars Danielsson, and Zohar Fresco performed together for the first time in Warsaw, few could have predicted that this trio would evolve into one of jazz’s most enduring and celebrated ensembles. Now, 20 years later, they return with “Beamo” - an album that not only reaffirms their mastery but also opens a bold new chapter in their musical story.At the heart of “Beamo” is an extraordinary experiment in tonality. Leszek Możdżer redefines the conventions established by 17th- and 18th-century masters like Bach and Rameau, breaking free from the equal temperament system, which divides the octave into 12 equal intervals. While this system has dominated music for centuries, Możdżer challenges its limitations, describing it as “a painful pixelation of music, reduced to twelve obligatory tones.” For “Beamo”, Możdżer employs three grand pianos with unique tunings: one at the modern standard of A = 440 Hz, one at A = 432 Hz, and a third in a decaphonic tuning, dividing the octave into 10 equal intervals. This approach doesn’t abandon tonality but reshapes it, creating a tonal instability that is both intriguing and profoundly beautiful.Lars Danielsson masterfully navigates this new soundscape, weaving these distinct tonalities together with the deep, resonant voice of his double bass. His improvisational brilliance is further showcased when he plays the viola da gamba on tracks like “Decaphonesca”, adapting its frets to align with the decaphonic tuning. Meanwhile, Zohar Fresco provides a rhythmic foundation of extraordinary depth and complexity, his percussion work glistening with intricate details that form a world of their own.According to Leszek Możdżer the album title is “a game, a code and it’s up to the listener to decode its’ hidden message... It could be a reference to the Latin word „amo” representing the qualities of love, or a “beam” - symbolizing a ray of light. It’s a riddle, a multidimensional manifesto - and the shortest poem possible.” Each track on “Beamo” is a unique narrative. In “Kurtu”, deliberate detuning creates a sense of emotional tension, while “Ambio Bluette” explores dual tonalities through the interplay of Możdżer’s left and right hands. "Catusella" pays homage to Danielsson’s iconic composition "Asta" on the trio's debut album "The Time", blending two differently tuned pianos in a seamless dialogue.Despite its experimental nature, “Beamo” remains rooted in the trio’s signature style - marked by European lyricism, classical sound quality, and the interplay of virtuosic solos. Yet, there’s an added dimension, an echo of Early Music’s rich and imperfect tones, reminiscent of clavichords and spinets. This synthesis of historical resonance and modern innovation is unparalleled in contemporary jazz. “Beamo” dazzles, surprises, and inspires, offering listeners a sound that feels both mysterious and familiar. It’s more than an album - it’s a transformative musical experience that reimagines what jazz can be.Credits: Recorded from 18-22.09.2023 at Monochrom Studio (Poland) by Piotr Taraszkiewicz, assisted by Ignacy Gruszecki (Mono-chrom Studio) Additional cello parts recorded on 12.12. 2023 at Tia Dia Studios, Mölnlycke (Sweden) by Piotr Taraszkiewicz Brim On & Jacob's Ladder were performed in A = 432 Hz equal temperament tuning Decaphonesca was performed in decaphonic tuning Enjoy the Silence was performed in 440 Hz tuningAll other pieces were performed with the simultaneous use of two or three mixed tunings (440 Hz, 432 Hz and decaphonic tuning) Cover Art by Michał Wit Kowalski 

Lars Danielsson - Palmer Edititon II: TrioCD / Vinyl / digital Lars Danielsson double bass & cello Verneri Pohjola trumpet John Parricelli guitar Commitment, consistency and a strong forward-thinking spirit. These are the core values which connect ACT, one of Europe’s leading labels "in the spirit of jazz", with Château Palmer, one of the most mythical Grands Crus from Bordeaux’s Left Bank. The partnership between them combines their worlds of music, wine and cutting-edge art. The art form with which winemaking shares by far the most attributes must be jazz. Like Château Palmer, jazz has deep roots, and walks a flirtatious line between rigour and innovation. At its heart, jazz implies respecting a tradition while constantly enriching it. Is winemaking an art or a craft? Aesthetes and academics have been debating this question for several millennia. Like art, don’t we recognize a transcendent wine precisely by its power to transport us to the most unexpected places? To move us to exaltation, evoking sensations, images and aromas wholly unconnected with grapes: truffle, violets, silk, velvet, satin… For ten years between 2010 and 2019, the wines of Château Palmer have not only been tasted but also heard. Vintages have been unveiled live from the estate’s barrel room through the notes of great jazzmen of our time: Michel Portal, Yaron Herman, Dan Tepfer & Thomas Enhco, Émile Parisien or the legendary Archie Shepp and his Quartet, to name a few. Each occasion has further reinforced the intuitive rightness of the idea that jazz and the wines of Château Palmer do indeed share a common essence: in the freedom of harmonies, the energy of contrasts and the vitality of rhythm. Edition Palmer, the collaboration between ACT & Château Palmer, kicked off in 2023 with a major release: DUO was an intimate musical conversation between Joachim Kühn and Michael Wollny, two of the unquestioned greats of European jazz piano. The recording received international acclaim: ‘Der Tagesspiegel’, one of Germany's most respected daily newspapers, wrote: "The duo of Michael Wollny and Joachim Kühn is an alchemical miracle. They share a spirit of improvisation that combines introspection and expression, anticipation and perspiration." The leading French publication "Jazz Magazine" praised "a deep connection of extreme sensitivity." Whereas the music for the first Edition Palmer was recorded live at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, the second release has been made at Château Palmer itself. A 'salon' in the château itself was the exclusive recording venue for a line-up of top flight, world class musicians. TRIO features the renowned bassist, cellist and composer Lars Danielsson, together with two greats of jazz from the north: Finnish trumpeter Verneri Pohjola and British guitarist John Parricelli. The listener will savour the genius loci, the tranquillity and intimacy of the recording location. This album not only brings the original idea of the collaboration between ACT & Château Palmer to life in a palpably exciting and entirely apposite way, it has also vividly captured the magic which arises when unique artists come together in a uniquely beautiful and special setting.Credits: Produced by Andreas Brandis In cooperation with Chateau Palmer The Art in Music: Cover art by Mark Harrington

Wollny - Haffner - Landgren - Danielsson - 4 Wheel Drive IICD / Vinyl / digital Nils Landgren trombone & vocals Michael Wollny piano Lars Danielsson bass & cello Wolfgang Haffner drums Four is a winner: that was the unanimous opinion of critics and audiences alike on the first album from German-Swedish supergroup 4 Wheel Drive. The eponymous debut disc from this band of bandleaders went straight to the top spot as best-selling jazz album in Germany for2019. And the media didn’t hold back with their praise either: "Four first-league jazz musicians with pure joy of playing and a love of good pop music", said ZDF's “heute-journal” about this spirited and enjoyable group, which combines trombonist/singer Nils Landgren, pianist Michael Wollny, bassist/cellist Lars Danielsson and drummer Wolfgang Haffner. AllAboutJazz, a leading American jazz website, asked whether this album might be worth adding to a listener's collection, and answered the question succinctly:"4 sure".The same is manifestly true of the quartet's second studio album (there was also a live concert recording "4 Wheel Drive Live" in between, released in October 2019). In "4 Wheel Drive II", it is evident that things have shifted up a gear right from the start, with the rocky, pulsating opening track "Chapter II", straight from Wollny's compositional workbench. Landgren likes to let his trombone roar like a sports car engine. In similarly dynamic vein are pieces like Danielsson's final track of the album "The Wheelers", which, thanks to Haffner's nimble brushwork, makes you think you're on a high-speed train, or indeed Wollny's powerfully swinging "Spring Dance". Compared to the first album, there has been another change, an increase in the proportion of original compositions written by all of the participants, as Lars Danielsson, who has contributed a sensitive, poppy ballad to the new album "Just Another Hour", remarks. Interpretations of worldwide hit songs were a factor behind the huge success of the debut album, but the ratio to original compositions here is getting closer to 50:50. That said, the fuel powering 4 Wheel Drive has remained the same: this band is all about creating music from deep within, and with like-minded people whom you can absolutely and implicitly trust to be in the driving seat. "It just flows," enthuses drummer Haffner, "we're a group of close friends with nothing we need to prove, we can just go for it. I've had so many magic moments with this band, it really is incredible!"4 Wheel Drive was officially born at the end of 2017, at a special winter concert of the Jazz Baltica Festival, and Nils Landgren has described its entire history as having been blessed by "mutual respect and mutual love.". In the new album "4 Wheel Drive II", listeners are treated to several new moments of pure magic, continuing 4 Wheel drive’s illustrious story. For example, their new instrumental version of the Simon & Garfunkel classic "Sound of Silence", has something mysteriously Nordic about it. Or their newly-cast version of the surprisingly infrequently covered Genesis ballad "Hold On My Heart" putting it into a jazz context. If there's anyone who can sing a Phil Collins number without it being embarrassing, it's Nils Landgren. That idea also applies to Elton John's "Your Song" or Paul Simon's "Still Crazy After All These Years". The courage to approach pop tunes that have become so ingrained in many people's minds from a completely different perspective pays off in full. Because within 4 Wheel Drive are four originals at work, each of whom can be recognised from the very first note they play or sing.Michael Wollny doesn't see the playing of popular hits as a burden in any way, but rather as a freeing-up. "Songs that are so well-known give you the opportunity to be completely open to the moment," says the pianist. "In this band, the song selection allows us great freedom. It's like our concerts, where anything can happen. Drummer Haffner agrees: "There's nothing wrong with interpreting a great song in your own way. If you do it with deep conviction, you are always going to connect with people." Credits: Produced by Andreas Brandis with the artists Recorded by Joar Hallgren and Michael Dahlvid at Nilento Studio, Gothenburg, April 17 - 19, 2023 Additional recording by Lars Nilsson at Nilento Studio, June 2, 2023 Mixed and mastered by Arne Schumann The Art in Music: Cover art by Peter Krüll

Danielsson - Dell - Landgren - Salzau Music On The WaterCD / Vinyl / digital Lars Danielsson bass Christopher Dell vibraphone, speech Nils Landgren trombone What makes the installation “Music on the Water“ by Ilya Kabakov & Vladimir Tarasov, situated on the palace pond in Salzau so unique, is the way it captures the essence of music.It was exactly ten years ago, that the two artists created their idea of a visual “field of sound” in Salzau, and the pier in the pond that seems so raw and artless, has held a strange kind of magical attraction ever since. In the book about “Music on the Water”, Kabakov himself has said that “notes, sounds create a field of energy, a special ambience.” Music is experienced as something that happens in a space. “The notes arrange themselves in this ambience, and each of us wanders through a space on its energy map.”What can the visitor expect? The construction itself seems unfinished; time itself seems to have stopped. A scaffolding has been put up, walls are missing, a stone thrown would find no windows. The distinction between inside and outside has been rendered meaningless. The place provides no cover. Steel wires span the beams that hold no roof, and from them hang various everyday objects such as knives and forks as well as some metal sound rods. The wind breathes through the pier and draws quiet sounds from the objects touching each other. In all these years I have rarely experienced a summer festival in which this place didn’t attract visitors, enticing them to stay. It has a melancholy atmosphere; it draws us away from “the inevitability of everyday stress“ (Thomas Deecke in “Music on the Water“).But not until the festival year 2005 did the JazzBaltica artists discover the installation as a place for their music. The initiative had come from Siggi Loch, who had been a regular visitor to the installation. And he knew about the magical atmosphere of the early morning hours at “Music on the Water“. It was exactly at 6 o’clock on the morning of Monday the 4th of July 2005, and after the festival and the session at the palace, that Lars Danielsson, Christopher Dell and Nils Landgren carried their instruments past the tents of the campers and set themselves up, just as the sun was rising. At first only a few guests were present as they sounded the first hesitant, restrained notes – soft like the morning dew. They were accompanied by birdsong, protesting swans on the pond and the sound of the morning wind in the web of knives and forks above the three musicians. Rarely has music found its way back to its source in this way. It was an extraordinary example of musical silence. Kabakov und Tarasov would have enjoyed this space filled with sound playing a tangible leading role in their installation. JazzBaltica itself has never ended more aptly than on this early morning in the Salzau palace gardens.Credits: Recorded live and open air at the JazzBaltica Festival at 5:00 a.m. on July 4, 2005 by Cees Snellink Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Produced by Siegfried Loch

Lars Danielsson - SymphonizedCD / Vinyl / digital Lars Danielsson double bass, cello John Parricelli guitars Magnus Öström drums & percussion Grégory Privat piano Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra conducted by Peter Nordahl Carolina Grinne english horn, oboe Guests: Arve Henriksen trumpet (on Nikita‘s Dream and Yes to You) Paolo Fresu trumpet (on Africa and Scherzo) Swedish bassist/cellist Lars Danielsson is a master improviser, who completely engages listeners by taking them on journeys of both pleasure and wonder, with themes which are always expressive and song-like. He is far too classy and refined a musician to indulge in superficial virtuosic display. Danielsson's well-honed, naturally lyrical improvisational lines remain at the service of the flow of the music, something particularly noticeable when he steps forward and takes on the role of soloist. These core traits are also there in his extensive and much-praised work as arranger, composer and bandleader. With the group he leads, "Liberetto", he has not only found a catchy name for the ideal band to realise his intentions, but also a formula for his approach: the word he has constructed contains "libretto", a pointer towards the composed, quasi-classical nature of his writing, and also a link to opera and lyricism, whereas the Latin word "liber" refers to the freedom of improvisation, a core principle in jazz.And his unique talent is being increasingly recognized: the most recent Liberetto album from 2021, as Downbeat’s Brian Morton noted, “confirms Danielsson’s stature as a leader/composer”. Classical music and jazz are the two determining poles of Danielsson's musical career. He says – with a smile – that "the question whether I am a jazz musician would be answered with a ‘yes’ from the musicians in the orchestra...but if I were to ask Wynton Marsalis, it would probably be a ‘no’". Danielsson feels comfortable in the space between classical music and jazz. His first music teacher was a church organist, and the folklore of his native Sweden has also been ever-present in his musical identity. As a young cellist, he played a lot in orchestras. His familiarity with Bach and sacred hymns soon broadened into a love of rock 'n' roll, but that faded away in the mid-seventies with the rise of New Wave, and when he began to listen to jazz. Lars Danielsson was always concerned with defining his own place as a European musician out of this mixture of influences. Although he also played jazz standards in the beginning, he kept on searching: "A lot of different experiences have found their way into my music."With his double album "Symphonized", Lars Danielsson is now fulfilling a dream. Some of the musicians of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra were his contemporaries at the conservatoire. In 2008, he recorded his own music with this orchestra for the first time. In 2017 the orchestra’s cor anglais (English horn) player Björn Bohlin was allowed to pick a composer to write for the orchestra, and he commissioned Danielsson: 2018 they played the "Concerto for English Horn and Contrabass" live for the first time, then in 2019 the recording took place, this time with Carolina Grinne as soloist on English horn and oboe. Two years later, the opportunity arose to record extra material at the same location. The idea of a "best-of" project with a difference, with pieces from Liberetto in orchestral form, was born. A full orchestra with 79 members and guest soloists was involved, with Peter Nordahl as conductor for both recordings. Nordahl has made a speciality of projects which combine classical and popular music. The classical-jazz connection is of course, fraught with danger, something of which Lars Danielsson is very aware. This awareness is precisely what makes the "Symphonized" recordings so effective, because he writes for orchestral musicians in the way they are used to, it doesn't cross his mind to ask them to play jazz. "I hope to know my way around their instruments well enough to be able to write for them in a way that sounds the best possible." A cinematic wide-screen music has emerged, with echoes of Claus Ogermann, Nino Rota or Ennio Morricone, perhaps. And from there it is not too far to thoughts of Maurice Ravel, to whom Claude Debussy once said: "Pleasure is the law." This pleasure is palpable on the recordings. Supple, with timbres and textures in balance, and full of melodic variety, events unfold in a way which creates enjoyment. Lars Danielsson sees a challenge in using the orchestra in a way that leaves organic space for solo instruments. Melody, flow and emotion are central elements of his art. "My music should sound as beautiful as possible," he says, "but it must also be interesting for the performers who are playing it. They should have fun with my compositions. Writing melodies and then hearing them interpreted by the musicians of an orchestra is total magic. On 'Sacred Mind', for example, I didn't play. I just sat in the hall and enjoyed the stunning sound of the orchestra." Credits: all music composed and arranged by Lars Danielsson Recorded by Nilento Studio at Gothenburg Concert Hall

Lars Danielsson - PasodobleCD / Vinyl / digital Lars Danielsson cello, bass Leszek Mozdzer piano, celesta, harmonium Swedish composer, arranger, bassist and cellist Lars Danielsson has to date released three albums on ACT as a leader and plays as a sideman on numerous other ACT releases. He was also producer on the current album of singer Viktoria Tolstoy Pictures of Me. Lars Danielsson is a musician of astonishing versatility. While he was studying classical cello at Gothenburg Conservatory he was listening mostly to rock: Jimi Hendrix, Cream and Santana. Then he happened to see an Oscar Peterson concert on TV with Danish bassist Nils-Henning Ørsted Pedersen This was the beginning of his conversion, from now on the bass was to take first place in his life. His latest work, Pasodoble, is an exciting new duo album, with Leszek Możdżer, an artist who is widely regarded as the most successful and versatile pianist of his home country Poland. Możdżer was already featured with a composition on the ACT-compilation Romantic Freedom (ACT 9749-2), which served as an introduction to the series “Piano Works”. They first met four years ago at a concert in Warsaw. It was musical love at first sight. In the meantime, they have released two successful albums in Poland, “The Time” and “Between Us and the Light” both with Israeli percussionist Zohar Fresco, and have toured together with Danielsson’s latest project Mélange Bleu (ACT 9604-2). Recording a duo album together was only a question of time. In the resulting well-balanced and ageless work, the intimate quality of the two player’s interaction is spellbinding. “Leszek is the perfect piano player for me. It feels like we are from 'the same planet' musically. We started to plan this recording after playing some duo tunes on tour. Siegfried Loch then came up with the idea to make a duo-album. There was a strong connection with just the piano and bass. This way of playing feels like a dream to me. With Leszek, I can go in any direction that the music needs to be taken. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.” (Lars Danielsson) Leszek Możdżer is an exceptional musician and composer, who has won numerous awards in his home country. He has been playing piano since he was five years old, but he only discovered jazz aged 18, when he began connecting jazz and classical music. He was much lauded for his improvisations on themes by Frédéric Chopin. When he is not on tour or in the studio, he collaborates with the two well-known film-music composers Zbigniew Preisner, long-time partner of director Krysztof Kieslowski (“Three Colours”-trilogy), and the Oscar-award-winning Jan Kaczmarek (“Finding Neverland”). He has also worked with acclaimed international jazz musicians, including Pat Metheny, Archie Shepp, Tomasz Stańko, Joe Lovano. And what does Leszek have in common with Pink Floyd? He plays on two tracks of Floyd vocalist/guitarist David Gilmour’s new album “On an island” … „Since the very first gig I felt that Lars is the bassist I want to play with. I don’t need to think about music when he is around. I just feel it. Believe it or not, I was a little nervous before we went into the studio as a duet. I felt that we would need to have some kind of concept, create some magical, charismatic aura, which would save us from being tedious or too sophisticated. Lars just smiled and said: 'We will play music, that’s all'. This experience gave me such a sense of self-confidence and inspiration that the same night I composed two pieces in my hotel room. They are both on the album. When I perform with Lars, I play much better than usually. I hope this cooperation is going to last.” (Leszek Możdżer) The two musicians share a lot of common ground. Their mutual admiration becomes very evident on this, their first duo album. Those who were expecting to hear the occasional standard on the album are in for a surprise. Bass and piano have generated so many ideas that all but one of the tracks – the traditional folksong “Eja Mitt Hjärta”, that Danielsson arranged especially for this album – are original compositions by Lars or Leszek. This proves to be a musical liaison that promises a long and fruitful future.Credits: Produced by Lars Danielsson and Leszek Mozdzer

Nils Landgren - 3 GenerationsCD / Vinyl / digital Nils Landgren with Joachim Kühn, Michael Wollny, Iiro Rantala, Lars Danielsson, Cæcilie Norby, Viktoria Tolstoy, Wolfgang Haffner, Ulf Wakenius, Jan Lundgren, Ida Sand, Youn Sun Nah, Vincent Peirani, Emile Parisien, David Helbock, Marius Neset, Nesrine, Julian & Roman Wasserfuhr, Anna Gréta, Johanna Summer, Jakob Manz, and many more We are Family – Celebrating 30 ACT Years Nils Landgren has been and remains the absolute linchpin of the ACT family. To date, the Swede has made forty albums on the label as leader, plus another twenty as producer or soloist. Michael Wollny, whose many many projects with Landgren give him a special connection, sums up a key ele-ment in his success: “With Nils everything becomes easy.” There is indeed a particular ease about Mr. Red Horn’s way of being; it is infectious and runs through everything he does. Which is all the more remarkable when one considers the sheer number of roles he takes on: trombonist, singer, band-leader, producer, festival director, professor, curator, talent scout and mentor.All of Landgren’s multiple roles and traits come to the fore on “3 Generations”. Working alongside producer and ACT founder Siggi Loch, Nils Landgren brings together three gene-rations of ACT artists’ in various line-ups to mark the label’s 30th anniversary. Landgren and Loch have a friendship and habits of working well together which go back almost as long as the existence of ACT itself. The two met for the first time at the 1994 Jazz Baltica Festival, just two years after the label was founded. Landgren became an exclusive ACT artist shortly thereafter. Since that time, it has been through Landgren’s network that artists such as Esbjörn Svensson, Rigmor Gustafsson, Viktoria Tolstoy, Ida Sand, Wolfgang Haffner and many more have joined the label. Nils Landgren continues in his trusted role as ACT’s leading connector and integrator. Finding and nurturing young talent has always been one of ACT’s strong suits. It was true for Nils Landgren, then later for Michael Wollny who joined the label in 2005 and is today one of the most significant pianists in Europe. With artists such as Johanna Summer and Jakob Manz - both born many years after ACT was founded - the label looks to the future with its younger generation of musicians bringing new ener-gy and impetus to the world of jazz.The Times (UK) has written: “Since 1992, ACT has been building its own European union of musicians, fostering a freedom of movement between nationalities and genres, and has given us an authentic impression of what the continent is about.” “3 Generations” demonstrates quite how true that assertion is. Around forty artists from the ACT Family make this anniversary album a celebration of the breadth, openness and inclusive power of jazz. The core of the album consists of recordings made at a summer 2022 studio session lasting several days. In reality, it is only Nils Landgren and Siggi Loch who could have brought this pano-rama of musical Europe into being. The influences here range from jazz, popular song and folk to classical and contempo-rary music, and much more. Thirty tracks from three generations of musicians marking thirty years of ACT, with Nils Landgren as driving force. Not just a retrospective, but above all an insight into the present and future of the discovery label “in the Spirit of Jazz”.Credits: Recorded by Thomas Schöttl at Jazzanova Studio, Berlin on June 7 - 9, 2022, assisted by José Victor Torell – except as otherwise indicated Mixed and mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Produced by Siggi Loch and Nils Landgren The Art in Music: Cover Art by Yinka Shonibare CBE: Detail from Creatures of the Mappa Mundi, Mandragora, 2018

Nils Landgren - Sentimental JourneyCD / Vinyl / digital Nils Landgren vocals and trombone Anders Widmark piano Lars Danielsson bass Wolfgang Haffner drumsNils Landgren Sings Ballads Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Natalie Cole - these are the stars that have caused a worldwide furore with their full-blown movement back to the "standards". It comes as no surprise that the interpretation of the well-known ballads that make up a large portion of "The Great American Songbook" has always been considered one of the highest disciplines in jazz. At first glance Nils Landgren might seem a bit out of place in the midst of this illustrious group of women. Landgren - isn't that the guy with the fiery red trombone who continually brings the concert halls to the boiling point? Yah - that's him. But God knows the Swedish jazz trombonist has more to offer than rock-hard, groovy funk. When it comes to ballads, Nils Landgren is an old hand. And Nils could sing practically from when he could talk. Nils remembers with amusement that, "In school we had to sing a psalm every day, which definitely didn't arouse my enthusiasm for singing." It was a convincing performance in the best James Brown manner that got the 18-year old Landgren his first recording contract. Since then Nils Landgren has never completely stopped singing, regardless of all the success of his formidable band Funk Unit.  To the great surprise of those who know the music industry, Landgren's 1992 "Ballads" album (ACT 9268-2), which was brought onto the market without a lot of publicity, evolved into a real word-of-mouth hit. Almost 20,000 copies were sold - that speaks for itself - such a turnover is a more than respectful success in the jazz world. And so "Mr. Redhorn" once again gives way to his sensitive side and undertakes a trip to the land of emotions. "Sentimental Journey" - could there be a more appropriate title for an album from someone who is almost always speeding from one gig to the next, but who would like to shift down a gear? Nils declared that, "After all the hectic tours in this last period, it was simply the right time to do this album. I've always liked quiet songs that tell a story. It doesn't make much difference to me whether I tell that story with words or with my instrument." And there is a whole list of such stories: "In a Sentimental Mood", breathed in the characteristic style of the greatest jazz musician of them all, Duke Ellington. Kurt Weill's "Speak Low", referring to the intimate moment of trusting togetherness. "Nature Boy", "My Foolish Heart", and the title song, "Sentimental Journey"; these are songs that belong to the standard repertoire of virtually every vocal interpreter in jazz. But Nils Landgren has also covered pop artists such as Sting, and it is clear that he has no reservations about tackling such country greats as Allison Krauss: "Fragile" and "Ghost in this House" are seamlessly added to the phalanx of song classics as if they had always belonged there. A lot of heart went into the making of "Sentimental Journey"; it is a project that is worked down to the smallest detail. What is more boring than a record on which every piece sounds pretty much the same? That's not the case here. Every song has its own individual arrangement and stands alone in its beauty. Landgren is no friend of simple solutions - he's not content with getting his ideas ready-made. Instead of using the usual string ensemble for an adequate background, he opted for the original FleshQuartet out of his Swedish homeland. Landgren intoned, "It's damned hard to translate the ideas you have perpetually running around in your head into sounds, but I never thought it was possible that they could sound better in reality than the way I had painted them in my fantasy. I'll always be indebted to the Fleshquartet for their contribution to this recording." Certainly not a bad choice. The Swedish pianist Anders Widmark is one of the most versatile of his profession. A while ago he made a recording of "Carmen" which caused quite a stir. Bassist Lars Danielsson is one of the most sought-after players on the European jazz scene, as is indicated by the many albums he has recorded, both as bandleader and accomplished accompanist. And drummer Wolfgang Haffner's biography could hardly be more colourful: alongside his work with his own formations, he is one of the most sought-after session drummers on the international scene. Besides this, the "special guests" include singers Rigmor Gustafsson and Viktoria Tolstoy, along with Nils' labelmate and friend, pianist Esbjörn Svensson. On the title song "Sentimental Journey" we also hear Nils Landgren with two of his students, trombonists Karin and Mimmi Hammar.  46-year-old Nils Landgren has travelled a long way before he could begin his "Sentimental Journey". He has been involved with more than 500 recording sessions (including ABBA), jazz workshops with some of the world's most renowned big bands, successful international tours with the Funk Unit, artistic director of the 2001 Berlin Jazz Festival - the list could go on and on. One thing that makes "Sentimental Journey" so convincing is that it resists the hectic hustle and bustle that can overwhelm the music. Nils says adamantly that, "This is my baby, at least for a while." And what a beautiful, sweet, sentimental baby it is.Credits: Produced by Siegfried Loch and Nils Landgren

Jan Lundgren - Into the NightCD / Vinyl / digital Jan Lundgren piano Emile Parisien soprano saxophone Lars Danielsson bass The trio format has always been something of an ideal for Jan Lundgren. That particular buzz when communication between the musicians in a trio is direct, immediate and ever-present...when the trio keeps a constant sense of forward motion and development...when the players collectively remain open to the inspiration of every millisecond. These are the virtues which Lundgren sees as the recipe for the kind of openness, freedom, subtlety and excellence of a trio at its best. Lundgren has had a trio in the classic piano/bass/drums format ever since 1995. In addition, since 2007, he has also broken the mould with the "Mare Nostrum" project, a congenial alliance with Sardinian trumpeter Paolo Fresu and French accordionist Richard Galliano. Critics hailed it at the time as the "first European supergroup". And Mare Nostrum has brought him even closer to his ideal. But, there again, Jan Lundgren is nothing if not driven and determined, and is probably at his most fulfilled when setting himself new challenges...  "I have always been on the look-out for strong voices in the European jazz scene, musicians who have a similar sense of adventure to mine and who can move in any direction," explains the 55-year-old. And he also happens to have a good platform to make that happen, in the form of the Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival. Lundgren founded the festival in 2010 and has been Director of it ever since. (Ystad, incidentally, is the small town on the south coast of Sweden which has been made world-famous by Henning Mankell's Wallander TV thrillers). The "Ystad Concert '' from 2015 with bassist Mattias Svensson and the Bonfiglioli Weber String Quartet, a tribute to the Swedish jazz pioneer Jan Johansson, is a case in point. As Lundgren expresses it: "There's always something new waiting for me in Ystad, something I've never tried before..." And thus it was that fate took a hand at the 2020 festival – as it so often does in jazz. Jan Lundgren had programmed a performance by his own piano trio. But when the drummer had to cancel due to Corona travel restrictions, French saxophone luminary Emile Parisien stepped into the breach at very short notice and a completely unconventional trio was born, one of those unexpected challenges which Lundgren particularly relishes. The day before the concert, Lundgren, Parisien and his Swedish compatriot Lars Danielsson met for the very first time. After a short rehearsal, all three of them had a strong feeling that luck was on their side. Jan Lundgren even uses euphoric expressions to describe it: “a trinity, divine provi-dence!" And later, in the intimate setting of a small concert hall, where each and every listener is inevitably part of the process of creating the music, the magic of the new trio could really unfold. "Jazz is always about good melody, concise rhythm and strong composition," explains Lundgren. "Everyone brings their own personal imprint, starting as we do from such completely different musical backgrounds. And that's what makes it so exciting and thrilling. We enjoy immersing ourselves in each other's worlds – and creating new worlds in the process."Lundgren, Parisien and Danielsson choose catchy tunes as the startingpoint for their excursions together; there is an appealingly childlike sense of wonder, joy and discovery as these improvisations unfold. The opener "Glädjens Blomsters" (Flowers of Joy) is an old Swedish folk song; Emile Parisien's dark soprano sax gives it a feeling of melancholy that is truly touching. Lars Da-nielsson's hymn to his daughter "Asta" seems to take us to an echo-ey corridor full of harmonic vibrations. And then come a series of surprises, starting with the bassist introducing Parisien's "Preambule" with an emphatic introduction, and then the heart-warming "I Do", which Lundgren once wrote to accompany a stage play, and which the musicians find deft ways to illuminate. The pianist introduces "Schubertauster" in virtuoso romantic style – the tune is a homage to Franz Schubert composed by French accordionist Vincent Peirani. Jan Lundgren owns a dog, a cute little Yorkshire Terrier/Chihuahua mongrel, and "A Dog called Jazze" has puppy-like liveliness and enthusiasm. The title track "Into The Night" is har-monically colourful and seems like it could be the soundtrack for Sweden’s traditional ‘Midsommar’ celebrations. Finally, Lars Danielsson has written a personal declaration of love for "Ystad", this little gem of a jazz festival, and the three musicians shower it with love, devotion and empathy. The Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival was held again in 2021, from 4 to 7 August. And once again, Jan Lundgren, Emile Pari-sien and Lars Danielsson will be getting together as a trio to offer the festival audience their exuberant musicianship, their wealth of experience and their simple enjoyment of being back together in this new group. The prospect, Lundgren says, makes him extremely contented: “I'm just so happy about the way this has turned out, and the fact that we can pick up again where we left off after this long pandemic break. I have the feeling luck is on my side for a second time!" Credits:Recorded live in concert at Ystad Sweden Jazz Festival by Mattias Dalin (Eurosound AB), August 1, 2020 Mixed by Bo Savik, Jan Lundgren and Lars Danielsson at Tia Dia Studios, Mölnlycke, Sweden Mastered by Bo Savik Produced by Jan Lundgren & Lars Danielsson Executive Producer: Siggi Loch Cover art by Raimer Jochims, Chilandar II (1993-94)

Various Artists - Magic Moments 14 "In The Spirit Of Jazz"CD / digital"More than any other art form, music touches people directly," is ACT founder Siggi Loch's credo. For nearly 30 years, the core of what the label does has been to find and to promote the artists who can inspire the mind, reach the heart and touch the soul, and who do so in ways that have a lasting impact. Perhaps this has never been more important than now in the time of the pandemic, when culture has been silenced, when people have felt emotionally isolated and – far too often – the only “reality” has been virtual. With sixteen tracks from the current ACT release schedule, "Magic Moments 14" gathers together all of the power of "Music in the Spirit of Jazz", this world language beyond words which is understandable to everyone. It not only brings people together, it also moves and inspires them. ACT’s main mission is in the absolute foreground on this album: to be a discovery label. ACT’s main focus has always been on European jazz, to document this art form growing and developing, to show it reflecting on its own musical traditions, linking them back to jazz’s American roots and thereby opening up new paths. So, in that spirit, "Magic Moments 14" begins with a "Canzon del fuego fatuo" from the remarkable young Spanish pianist Daniel Garcia. Here is a fascinating new voice from Spanish jazz, taking up the music of his homeland in a refreshingly new way. We also mark here the ACT debut of mesmerising Austrian actor Birgit Minichmayr. Here is a voice and a personality with charismatic presence, delivering a Shakespeare Sonnet in the grand manner, together with Quadro Nuevo’s versatile world music team and the early jazz specialist Bernd Lhotzky. Other examples of new shining stars in the European musical firmament are the French-Algerian cellist and singer Nesrine and Austrian pianist David Helbock’s new trio. This focus on new and recent arrivals at the label does not mean neglecting the artists who have been with ACT since the beginning and who have made it the leading label for Swedish jazz: trombonist Nils Landgren contributes a new humdinger from his Funk Unit, a band which has been giving soul jazz a European face for over twenty-five years. Bassist/composer Lars Danielsson again celebrates the combination of classical music, jazz and Nordic sound with "Cloudland" from his new Liberetto album. Ida Sand conti-nues the tradition of Scandinavian singers who enrich the world's songbook with their pop "in the spirit of jazz". And for the final track, Jan Lundgren and Lars Danielsson, toge-ther with Emile Parisien, the French musician who has single-handedly redefined the soprano saxophone, show us Euro-pean art music with a Swedish accent at its most communicative and inspired. Last but not least, ACT was one of the first important labels to promote contemporary German jazz. There are more German artists on "Magic Moments 14" than ever before, demonstrating this important strand: violinist Florian Willeitner from Passau; guitarist Philipp Schiepek who has made a meteoric rise in the South German scene; the feisty attitude of KUU! led by singer Jelena Kuljic – like Minichmayr also primarily known for her acting and stagecraft; the Jazzrausch Bigband, whose techno jazz is attracting attention worldwide; and two rising stars who are currently harvesting all of the major awards, Johanna Summer and Vincent Meissner.Summer and Meissner - like Garcia, Lundgren and Helbock - also stand for the special place ACT has always found for the best pianists in Europe. Thus it is two German pianists of major international significance who complete the offering on "Magic Moments 14": 77-year-old Joachim Kühn is still utterly driven and a major force; his heir apparent Michael Wollny can also be heard here in his new all-star quartet with Emile Parisien, Tim Lefebvre and Christian Lillinger. The drummer was a multiple award-winner at the new German Jazz Prize, including one for KUU!. "Magic Moments 14" is a quintessence of the many directions which genre-crossing, innovative jazz is currently taking. These difficult times need remedies that are both energising and emotionally affecting: here are musicians who unfailingly show us the value and importance of trust and dialogue.Credits: Compilation by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Lars Danielsson - CloudlandCD / Vinyl / digitalGood things are worth waiting for. At the end of 2019, Lars Danielsson had just recorded a few tracks for a new Liberetto album—then the pandemic hit... When a brief window opened between lockdowns across Europe in September 2020, Danielsson seized the opportunity and brought his bandmates back to his studio near Gothenburg to finish what they had started.If you appreciate the charm and accessibility of Danielsson’s Liberetto concept—his coined term already fuses musical freedom with playful ease—you’ll love Cloudland, the fourth Liberetto album. All expectations are met, starting with the “elegant lyricism” and the “spot-on groove” found once again in abundance, as Canadian writer John Kelman (All About Jazz) already noted back in 2011 with the first Liberetto album. “I think of my compositions as songs,” says Danielsson, who never forgets the importance of melody. After all, he still vividly remembers that his very first music teacher was an organist with a fondness for hymns.But Cloudland also showcases Danielsson’s full range of tonal colors and expressive possibilities. New ones are added to the familiar palette. Right at the start of “Imagine Joao,” for instance—a duet with John Parricelli—he presents the melody with the elegance and eloquence of a consummate lyrical bassist, just as we’ve come to expect from him. In the final sixty seconds of “Villstad,” however, we hear heroic, rock-like sounds that most listeners will likely attribute to an electric guitar. But appearances can be deceiving when it comes to tone alchemist and sound wizard Lars Danielsson: here, he’s playing an electronically distorted cello.Also new is the five-string hybrid bass-cello, which Danielsson uses here for the first time—bowed (“con arco”) in the opening track “Vildmark” (which means “wilderness”), and plucked in “Tango Magnifique.” “It’s a replica of an 18th-century instrument,” Danielsson explains, “and not only does it look beautiful, it has a wonderful sound. It really sings!” Cloudland brings more innovations: since being part of Trilok Gurtu’s band in the 1990s, Danielsson has been exploring odd meters. Here, he continues that exploration without sacrificing the appeal or emotional impact of the music—true to his philosophy: “If it sounds natural, it doesn’t matter what meter it’s in.” That’s especially true of the title track, which is in 17/8 time but still has an irresistible pulse, flow, and even airy elegance—enhanced by the unmistakable presence of trumpeter Arve Henriksen as the lead voice.Speaking of collaborators: Cloudland also marks the Liberetto debut of Syrian-born clarinetist/composer Kinan Azmeh—an immensely versatile musician whose work ranges from Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble to commissions by the New York Philharmonic. In the quiet, introspective “Intermezzo,” we hear both his warm, focused tone on the clarinet and his poetic phrasing. So this album is also a celebration of the countless talents the members of Liberetto bring to Danielsson’s music. They’ve known and cherished it for over a decade—and on Cloudland, you can clearly feel the joy of playing it together again. Take “River of Little,” for instance: pianist Grégory Privat follows the theme with outstanding precision while simultaneously offering us a magical glimpse into the world of improvisational freedom and fantasy. We hear the breadth of guitarist John Parricelli—from the nylon-string delicacy of “Tango Magnifique” to the Casbah-like electric riffs of “Desert of Catanga.” Arve Henriksen’s contribution to the title track will linger in listeners’ minds. And drummer Magnus Öström’s sensitive command of timbre and texture in the quiet “Nikita’s Dream” is breathtaking.So Cloudland richly rewards the listener’s patience—not least through its many especially varied and beautifully crafted endings. Take, for example, the perfect tranquility of the rallentando—the slowing of tempo—that closes the title track. Or the mysterious final bars of “Sacred Mind.” Or the sharp, crisp ending of “Desert of Catanga.” Just three examples of the thoughtful, meticulous work by the co-producers who functioned as a harmonious creative team throughout the album’s production: Cæcilie Norby, Magnus Öström, and Danielsson himself.

Various Artists - Fahrt ins Blaue III - dreamin in the spirit of jazzCD / digital Esbjörn Svensson E.S.T. Symphony Youn Sun Nah, Ulf Wakenius & Lars Danielsson Wolfgang Haffner Quartet feat. Dusko Goykovich Nils Landgren Quartet Paolo Fresu, Richard Galliano &Jan Lundgren Julian & Roman Wasserfuhr, Tim Lefebvre & Nate Wood Viktoria Tolstoy Cæcilie Norby & Lars Danielsson Matthieu Saglio &Vincent Peirani Ulf Wakenius Norah Jones, Joel Harrison & David Binney Jan Lundgren Quartet Michael Wollny & Vincent Peirani Natalia Mateo Jens Thomas & Christof Lauer Daydreams and soothing stories...in the Spirit of Jazz "There's a place for us, somewhere a place for us. Peace and quiet and open air wait for us. Somewhere…". These words from the classic song from Leonard Bernstein's “West Side Story” set the tone for "Fahrt ins Blaue III - dreamin' in the Spirit of Jazz": this is uplifting music, to take the mind and the soul to a place of safety. The kind of quiet interlude in a day which is always restorative. Switch off and then switch back on – better focused. We find calm, intimacy, thoughtfulness here; the sixteen tracks in this compilation have a sense of flow, while also allowing the listener to wander off into all kinds of musical dream worlds....From the very first spacious piano tones of Esbjörn Svensson’s "Ajar", one feels time standing blissfully still. This little gem, and the "e.s.t. Prelude" which follows it, is our entry point into the dreamy universe which will open itself up to us over the next 67 minutes. Youn Sun Nah's bittersweet "Lento", based on the music of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin, gently emerges, seamlessly followed by Dusko Goykovich’s wonderfully warm and sad muted trumpet as he contemplates the falling of "Autumn Leaves" with Wolfgang Haffner's "Kind of Cool" ensemble. Then we hear singer/trombonist Nils Landgren, gentle almost to the point of weightlessness in "Somewhere". There is poetry and the originality in Paolo Fresu, Richard Galliano and Jan Lundg-ren’s Mare Nostrum Trio: we hear Swedish pianist Lundg-ren’s earwormish ballad “Aurore”. Lundgren also appears with his own quartet, with some hushed lyrical magic from Finnish saxophonist Jukka Perko in "No.9". On "Fahrt ins Blaue III", Michael Wollny and Vincent Peirani show their astonishing kinship of spirit and their serendipitous ability to move together in their duetting on "The Kiss". Accordionist Peirani is also to be heard with Ricardo Esteve’s heart-rendingly lovely flamenco guitar and cellist Matthieu Saglio on the poignantly sad but uplifting and warmly Mediterranean "Bolero triste". We then hear the Wasserfuhr brothers transport us to New York's Brooklyn Bridge with a sweeping view of the shimmering Manhattan skyline at dusk with their relaxed grooving jazz ballad "Carlo". For peace and inspiration, there’s a man and his guitar: Ulf Wakenius plays Keith Jarrett's "My Song". That is followed by the duo of Caecilie Norby and Lars Danielsson enchanting us with an intimate version of Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah”. Two more singers take us to the world of cinema: Natalia Mateo sings Wojciech Młynarski's gorgeous lyrics to Krzysztof Komeda’s “Lullaby” from "Rosemary's Baby", starting in her native Polish, and drifting into utterly beautiful wordlessness; and Viktoria Tolstoy offers that most pensive and gentle of breakup songs, "Why Should I Care". from the Clint Eastwood film "True Crime", with some stupendous guitar work from Krister Jonsson. And then there is an appearance by inimitable Norah Jones alongside guitarist Joel Harrison and saxophonist David Binney. She recorded a languid version of the country song "Tennessee Waltz" on ACT, on the album "Free Country", from the same era as her 27 million-seller "Come Away With Me". Pianist Jens Thomas and saxophonist Christof Lauer give us the quiet poise of “Green Dance”. This epilogue sums up the aesthetic of "Fahrt ins Blaue III": dreamlike music of beauty, tranquillity and calm – that it is well worth spending some time with. Credits:Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Various Artists - Romantic Freedom - Blue in GreenCD / digitalACT is a label with a clear sense of its own identity, values and mission, and these virtues find strong expression in this new compilation. ACT has been a major force since 1992 in bringing to the fore Euro-pean jazz which transcends the old genre boundaries, and has played a major part in helping this music to become far better known in its many and varied forms. This is in fact the second compilation album from the label to bear the motto “Romantic Freedom”. Back in 2006, fourteen years after the label was founded, the first album with this title focused on performances by solo pianists, a particularly strong area for ACT. Now, another fourteen years on, "Romantic Freedom - Blue in Green" brings the story and the message up to date - and does so in several fascinating ways.The ACT family continues to grow with the addition of fascinating artists from all over Europe, so it is fitting that David Helbock, a pianist who has only recently risen to prominence beyond his native Austria, and whose association with ACT started in 2016, should be given the honour of starting the album with his Random Control Trio in a moodily, atmospheric version of the modal Miles Davis/Bill Evans ballad “Blue in Green”. Another pianist who has only recently made his album is Carsten Dahl from Denmark. Dahl's “Sailing with no Wind” has calm, balance and great beauty. And for contrast there is the catchy, rock-inspired immediacy of the Stockholm-based Jacob Karl-zon Trio in “Bubbles”. The nurturing of fruitful dialogue across national borders and styles of music is a real strength at ACT, and is a key feature of "Romantic Freedom - Blue in Green". As Chris Pearson of The Times of London reflected in early 2020: “Since 1992 Act, the German label, has been building its own European union of musicians, fostering a freedom of movement between nationalities and genres.” It is worth noting that, whereas almost half of the pianists on the 2006 album were from North America, all the musicians apart from three on the new album were born in Europe. A band which epitomizes civilized conversation across borders, indeed has it at its very core is Mare Nostrum, the trio of Sardinian trumpeter Paolo Fresu, French accordionist Richard Galliano und Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren. They play Michel Legrand’s “The Windmills of Your Mind” . Fresu’s appealing and warm flugelhorn sound is to also be heard irresistibly on Komeda’s “Sleep Safe and Warm” (also known as “Rosemary’s Lullaby”) in duo with Lars Danielsson. We also hear the very different heritages of Polish violinist Adam Bałdych and French/Israeli pianist Yaron Herman as the pair create and then release tension in “Riverendings”, the first of two tracks on this album featuring a violin.Musicians from Europe walk, quite literally, in the footsteps of the great classical composers. The young German pianist Johanna Summer, the youngest musician on this album and rapidly becoming a star of the label was born in Saxony very near Zwickau, the birthplace of Robert Schumann’s. She is heard here in her affecting “instant com-posing” version of Schumann’s “Of Foreign Lands And People” from “Scenes of Childhood”. David Helbock lived for some years in Vienna, and in “Beethoven #7, 2nd Movement”, we hear the Austrian in a delicate and thoughtful version on prepared piano. Norwegians pia-nist Bugge Wesseltoft and violinist Henning Kragerrud have a deep feeling for the melodic beauty of their compatriot Grieg’s “Våren” (Last Spring). ACT is home for pianists with a central role in European jazz in recent decades, such as Michael Wollny, Joachim Kühn, Leszek Możdżer. All three (and also Bugge Wesseltoft) were represented on the 2006 and the listener can reflect on the journey they have travelled over the decades with a label that above all help to ensure that their reputati-ons can build beyond their home countries. Michael Wollny’s “Little Person”, a cover of Jon Brion’s song from the film “Synecdoche, New York.” is quietly reflective with a gentle pulse and a deliciously open ending. We also hear Wollny on prepared piano accompanying another core member of the ACT artist family, Nils Landgren on both vocals and trombone), in Sting’s “Fragile”. We have the decisively carefree and rocky side of Joachim Kühn’s New Trio in “Sleep on it”. On this compilation we go back to the beginning and hear the very first track from “Pasodoble” Leszek_Możdżer’s 2007 debut on ACT: “Praying” in a duo with Lars Danielsson. Another massively influential figure in European jazz, and until his untimely death in 2008 a core member of the ACT label family was the late Esbjörn Svensson. He was also on the 2006 album. We hear an e.s.t. track which has become a classic, “Believe Beleft Below”, and also a homage to the Swedish visionary from another pianist who has revealed many sides of his character and his story on the ACT label, the Finn Iiro Rantala, who plays his heartfelt tribute “Tears For Esbjörn”. If we now know what European jazz is, that is at least in part because ACT has shaped an important part of its story. "Romantic Freedom - Blue in Green" shows how appealing, how approachable and how universal European jazz at its best can be. Credits: Curated by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Ulf Wakenius - Taste of HoneyCD / Vinyl / digital Ulf Wakenius guitars Lars Danielsson bass & cello Magnus Öström drums Another Beatles album?! When Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius initially proposed the idea of recording a homage to Paul McCartney, Siggi Loch was highly sceptical. After all, it is not as if there is a shortage of versions of The Beatles' ageless tunes. However, it soon not only became clear that Wakenius was really fired up for this project, but also that he had assembled the dream team to do it: Lars Danielsson and Magnus Öström were already on board, and that above all was what succeeded in winning Siggi Loch over. He was nonetheless keen for the choice of tracks to reflect some lesserknown aspects of McCartney, a thought which took him straight back into his own memories: he had witnessed the very early stages of The Beatles’ existence at close quarters. In 1962 he had been to several of their performances at the Star Club in Hamburg, the venue which launched the group internationally. The high point of their Hamburg gigs would invariably be McCartney singing "A Taste of Honey", a Broadway song by Bobby Scott. This number, Loch felt, could not be left out of a tribute to Paul McCartney; it eventually became the album’s title track. Another priority was to include lesser-known songs from the "Wings" period. In the end, the careful selection process has resulted in twelve tracks which traverse a broad spectrum of McCartney's work, both chronologically and stylistically. Each of the three musicans has his own strong stylistic identity, and they have combined their individual talents to construct a new and unique monument to their idol. What Ulf Wakenius brings is the sum total of a vast and varied experience in music. It began with an early passion for rock, then continued with mainstream jazz in collaboration with bassist Nils-Henning Ǿrsted Pedersen and through ten years as a member of Oscar Peter-son’s Quartet, and then as the accompanist for outstanding pop-jazz singers such as Youn Sun Nah, plus projects of his own in which he has redefined the musical and expressive possibilities the guitar. Through his homages to Keith Jarrett and Esbjörn Svensson, Wakenius has also already proved not only that he has a very special sense of empathy, but also a capacity to shape things creatively. Nils-Henning Ǿrsted Pedersen provides the common link between Wakenius and Lars Danielsson, two of Europe's leading jazz musicians who have often worked together. Like Wakenius, Danielsson has constantly expanded his creative and expressive range in the course of his 40-year career, whether working with a whole host of pre-eminent artists such as Trilok Gurtu and Charles Lloyd, or working with his own all-star quar-tet, or in his joint projects with Polish pianist Leszek Moźdźer or Danish vocalist Cæcilie Norby. In recent years Magnus Öström has established beyond doubt that he will not be known for eternity just as having been the drummer of one of the great bands of our time, e.s.t. He has, for example, shown that he can open up new avenues into prog rock, he can thrive in completely unconventional bands like Gentle Giant, and be successful with his own projects, not least because of his mastery with the brushes and a highly individual and instinctive genius for incorporating silence into his playing. The album "A Taste of Honey" has many fine examples not just of how wide the range of interpretations of well-known songs can be, but also how deeply these musicians have assimilated the essence of the original recordings. In "Maybe I’m Amazed", the particularly springy groove that Öström contributes is well worth listening out for. This version is a real tour de force. In "Blackbird", one of the Beatles' most catchy melodies, Wakenius' "singing" guitar outshines many a vocal version, and some fine work from the rhythm players teases out a sense of swing from the piece that is both unexpected and unprecedented. In "My Funny Valentine", the three conspire to edit out the word "funny"; instead they give it a yearning depth – and listen out for a particularly emotive bass solo from Danielsson. "You Never Give Me Money" has been wonderfully pared-down and is transformed into a melancholic ballad, while "Besame Mucho" seems to set up the contrast between heart-rending romanticism in the melody and plucked guitar licks with a deep thrum coming from the bass. Paul McCartney used to bring the Beatles' appearances at the Cavern Club to a close with this classic latin tune by Consuelo Velasquez; that was something Loch saw when he went to Liverpool him-self and actually heard them there, back in the day. So, for him, this piece was an indispensable part of the McCartney homage. In the final furioso, Wakenius transforms "Eleanor Rigby", perhaps the Beatles tune most often played by jazz musicians, into a fast and furious adventure in the style of his own popular tune "Momento Magico". Whether as a member of the Beatles or with Wings, Paul McCartney once made the songs of his predecessors very much his own. Now, in the same way, Wakenius, Danielsson and Öström have taken songs from his astonishing canon and brought them into their own musical universe. So all that remains now is for listeners to bring their own thoughts, feelings and memories, and thereby give this wonderful Swedish homage to the Sir Paul McCartney a life of its own. Forever.Credits: Produced by Siggi Loch Recorded by Lars Nilsson at Nilento Studio, Gothenburg, September 12 & 13, 2019 Assistant engineer: Michael Dahlvid Mixed and mastered by Lars Nilsson Cover art by Jerry Zeniuk

Various Artists - Magic Moments 13CD / digitalBest Jazzinfotainment: 16 tracks, 75 minutes of music in the Spirit of Jazz, including Nils Landgren & Jan Lundgren, Wolfgang Haffner,Ulf Wakenius, Solveig Slettahjell, Grégoire Maret, Vincent Peirani & Emile Parisien, Kadri Voorand, Viktoria Tolstoy, Jazzrausch Bigband.Credits: Compilation by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Wolfgang Haffner - Kind of TangoCD / Vinyl / digital Wolfgang Haffner drums Lars Danielsson bass & cello Christopher Dell vibraphone Simon Oslender piano Vincent Peirani accordion Ulf Wakenius guitar Alma Naidu vocals Sebastian Studnitzky trumpet Bill Evans saxophone (07 & 09) Lars Nilsson flugelhorn (03) “This isn’t about reproducing an original, it’s much more like a translation. When I absorb and adapt influences and when I write, I follow my own path – and that allows me to be myself. It’s a process from which something new and contemporary can emerge.” This is how Wolfgang Haffner describes the artistic approach in his “Kind of...” album trilogy, all of which have the unmistakable Haffner sound running right through them. After a first adventure in cool jazz, and then a search for musical traditions in Spain, his new destination is Buenos Aires: “From the moment Siggi Loch suggested tango as my third point of departure, I didn’t need any more convincing. Rhythm is the essence of tango, plus catchy melodies which can then be developed – and there’s so much emotion in it too.” “Kind of Tango” is indeed a kaleidoscope of shifting emotions. Haffner’s conception of tango has drama and propulsion in it, but also melancholy and longing, with room for frenetic outbursts too. All this is unified by his inimitable groove and feel that commentators have called “an absolute dream”, “magical” and “profoundly relaxed”. Alongside trusted co-protagonists Christopher Dell and Lars Danielsson, he has two guests with him who defy all the clichés associated with tango: guitarist Ulf Wakenius cut his teeth musically in Oscar Peterson’s band, and his Swedish heritage always shines through in his playing. Vincent Peirani is one of the leading innovators on the accordion, and he finds new ways to define the instrument’s role in the tango. Young pianist Simon Oslender is making a first appearance with the band. Jazz and tango find a natural yet constantly shifting equilibrium – to be heard particularly effectively on “Close Your Eyes And Listen” by Astor Piazzolla. In addition to compositions by Haffner himself and by his band members, pieces by the celebrated Argentinian bandoneon player and composer are the focal point of the album. Piazzolla’s innovations with the tango, such as bringing jazz into it, date from around 1955. Haffner and the tango seem perfectly matched to each other. Tango is no longer a fixed style nowadays, it is above all an attitude to playing and an attitude to life. Wolfgang Haffner’s approach to tango is both authentic and new. It is his and his alone. And it is irresistible.Credits: Cover art (detail) by Gert & Uwe Tobias

Haffner - Wollny - Landgren - Danielsson - 4 Wheel Drive LiveCD / Vinyl / digital Nils Landgren trombone & vocals Michael Wollny piano Lars Danielsson bass & cello Wolfgang Haffner drums "Four top-league jazz musicians who just enjoy playing and who love good pop music," was how ZDF Heute Journal (German national TV news) introduced a feature about 4 Wheel Drive. “A jazz Olympics four," wrote the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. The group’s studio album spent four months at the top of the official German jazz charts, and now a new live album is being released. Nils Landgren, Michael Wollny, Wolfgang Haffner and Lars Danielsson – any one of these four with his own band could have filled a concert hall such as the Prinzregententheater in Munich, the Alte Oper in Frankfurt or the Philharmonie in Berlin as part of an ACT JazzNights tour organized by Karsten Jahnke. So the combination of the four into a supergroup raised the kind of eager expectations that such encounters do not always fulfil, because great live performance is anything but a theoretical strategy game. Essentially, nothing is proven until it has actually happened in practice. And the extent to which this group really did come into its own in the concert hall can now be heard on "4 Wheel Drive Live", a recording of the last concert of the group’s eleven tour dates, on 19 April 2019, in front of a packed house at the Theaterhaus in Stuttgart. Thomas Staiber of the Stuttgarter Zeitung was there and wrote: "In Stuttgart the supergroup exceeded all expectations. It was because the four were able to function so solidly with one another and to react with such instinctive understanding, that each of them had all the freedom he needed to stretch out fully as an improviser. [...] This musical four-cylinder engine with its four-wheel drive negotiated the rugged terrain of jazz and was equally at home in enjoyable pop music. They did both sensationally, and unleashed storms of genuine enthusiasm." "The band just got better and better as it toured," says producer Siggi Loch, explaining the background to the release of this live CD as a follow-up to the original studio album. The original compositions plus cover versions of songs by Sting and Phil Collins took on a whole new identity on stage. As Oliver Hochkeppel from the Süddeutsche Zeitung stated enthusiastically after the Munich concert: "In the live context, the songs from their album gave these top-calibre jazz musicians just the right blank canvas to paint stunning pictures. […] And to witness how each musician picks up ideas from the others in a split second and creates new ones is to reach an understanding of why music is the most beautiful of all languages. Come to a concert like this feeling tired, and you will be enlivened by episodes when ferocity and sheer pace and power take over. And the special flair of these four is really evident in the rests, in the thoughts that are quietly interspersed, in filigree pianissimo tones and the gentlest of contact with the instruments." When all of this coalesces, one experiences one of those very special concert evenings. And thanks to the live recording now issued as "4 Wheel Drive Live" this fleeting and precious moment will not be forgotten.Credits: Recorded live in concert at Theaterhaus Jazztage Stuttgart by Adrian von Ripka, April 19, 2019 Mixed and mastered by Adrian von Ripka at Bauer Studios Ludwigsburg, Germany Produced by the artists Executive Producer: Siggi Loch

Various Artists - Magic Moments 12CD / digitalOne World Of Music. The ACT label has jazz at its core, and an openness to all kinds of musical directions: pop, rock, the music of singer-songwriters and traditional folkloric forms such as flamenco and tango. These very different genres nonetheless never fail to find new and magical ways to work together. The twelfth Magic Moments compilation presents exciting music "in the Spirit of Jazz". All kinds of pleasure await the listener during its 71 minutes. And what can one expect to hear in this world so far away from a single predetermined style? There are surprises, obviously. Plus several chances to reconnect with established and familiar stars. And discoveries of some genuinely exciting newcomers. The opening track is from Iiro Rantala on solo piano. His portrait of the month of "August" is from "My Finnish Calendar", an album which sets to music the course of an entire year in his home country from a very personal point of view. Argentinian tango is a prime example of a musical tradition which is not just lively but is also constantly developing. The Javier Girotto Trio proves the point in "Deus Xango" from "Tango Nuevo Revisited", a contemporary reimagining of the Piazzolla/Mulligan classic album from 1975. "Four top-league jazz musicians who just enjoy playing". That description by the TV programme ZDF today Journal) defines exactly what "4WD" is all about. The four bandleaders involved are Nils Landgren, Mi-chael Wollny, Lars Danielsson and Wolfgang Haffner). Each of them is in equal control and they all set the direction of the group. "Flamenco and jazz are brothers," says Spanish piano newcomer Daniel García. In his energetic trio with special guest Jorge Pardo, he shows just how true that statement is with the fiery "Travesuras". French accordionist Vincent Peirani and his wife Serena Fisseau then create a familiar musical refuge: "What A Wonderful World" is a paean to silence. A duo of newcomers to the label, Grégoire Maret and Edmar Castaneda create new and exciting sound worlds. In "Harp vs. Harp" harmonica meets harp. This is indeed a special and rare pairing; "Blueserinho" absolutely needs to be heard. With his "Italian Songbook" trumpeter Luca Aquino has recorded a homage to the music of his homeland. Here is "Scalinatella" by film composer Giuseppe Cioffi in an affecting version for trio with the Italian piano star Danilo Rea and accordionist Natalino Marchetti. Singer Cæcilie Norby unites musicians from several generations and countries on "Sisters in Jazz". Her composition "Naked In The Dark" demonstrates that jazz is far from being only about men. "Klinken" comes from the debut album "Stax" by the 25-year-old drummer Max Stadtfeld, a release in the Young German Jazz series. Stadtfeld and his comrades-in-arms have no truck with intellectuality, they move in the rhythm-oriented mainstream and yet point beyond it. With freshness and astonishing maturity this quartet thrills and excites. For over 10 years the successful trio Mare Nostrum with Paolo Fresu, Richard Galliano and Jan Lundgren has been the epitome of the sound of Europe. All three musi-cians have a quite fabulous sense of the lyrical and poetic which is again very much to the fore in their third album; Magic Moments 12 has the Swedish "Ronneby". As the magazine Galore writes of German jazz icon Joachim Kühn. “He interprets Ornette Coleman's music in his very own way: lyrically, gently and introvertedly, but full of surprising details." Kühn relives the unique story of his work alongside one of the legends of jazz here with "Lost Thoughts", a piece never recorded before. On 6 February 2019, jazz baroness Pannonica (Nica) de Koenigswarter (1913-1988) received a posthumous tribute for her tireless commitment to jazz in a concert at the Philharmonie in Berlin. The focus was on pieces by musicians whom Pannonica had supported over so many years with money, accommodation, advice and friendship, and who often dedicated compositions to her in gratitude, "Little Butterly" by Thelonious Monk for example. The New York singer Charenée Wade is in the limelight here, accompanied by Iiro Rantala, Dan Berglund and Anton Eger, with the American saxophone titan Ernie Watts. "An Israeli power trio. Heavy Jazz," Rolling Stone wrote of Shalosh. And when you hear the frenzied "After The War" it is obvious why: rock and indie jazz combine to form a mix which is full of tension and excitement. Violinist Adam Baldych is a supremely talented virtuoso. Stereo Magazine has described him as "one of the most technically brilliant interpreters of improvised music". "Longing" from his album "Sacrum Profanum" is a searingly sad ballad, sensitively interpreted in a duo with pianist Krzysztof Dys. On "Painted Music" the pianist Carsten Dahl gives his own highly personal take on classics of the jazz repertoire. The traditional Danish folk song "Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag" (I went out on a summer’s day) is the sound of summer. At the end of “Magic Moments 12”, Nguyên Lê's piece "Hippocampus" reminds us of "One World Of Music", the theme of the compilation. The French guitarist of Vietnamese ancestry is a musical wayfarer between cultures who combines the freedom of jazz with influences from rock and world music.Credits: Compilation by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Landgren - Wollny - Danielsson - Haffner - 4 Wheel DriveCD / Vinyl / digital Nils Landgren trombone & vocals Michael Wollny piano Lars Danielsson bass & cello Wolfgang Haffner drums It scarcely feels necessary to mention the preeminent status of all four of these artists, because that is evident from hearing the music. When Nils Landgren brings such feeling to his own melody “Le chat sur le toit”, or when Michael Wollny dazzles with the blues-infused piano solo in “Lady Madonna”; when “Polygon” opens with a bass intro from Lars Danielsson, or when Wolfgang Haffner sets up the power groove to propel “4WD”, then it’s clear what’s happening: four leading figures in European jazz who know each other well and who have appreciated each other’s work for many years have now got together. True, their paths have crossed many times before, and in all kinds of configurations. The formidable duo of Landgren and Wollny comes to mind, for example, as does Haffner’s long-term role as an anchor in the Funk Unit, or Danielsson's vivid bass presence in Haffner's trio…but here for the very first time are the four friends as a quartet. They decided to record an album together at the Nilento Studio in Gothenburg: “4 Wheel Drive”. The title of the album reflects the equal role which each of the four musicians has had in setting the direction for the quartet. They take to the road together, both as superb soloists and as team players. In addition to one original composition from each of them, Landgren, Wollny, Danielsson and Haffner also decided that they would focus on four living creative forces from the recent history of music and interpret their tunes, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Phil Collins and Sting. "These tunes are timeless classics in their own right, but there was another idea behind the choices of the songs we’ve covered. They have strong associations with the instruments in our quartet," explains Wollny. So McCartney stands for bass, and for vocals. Singer Billy Joel is also a talented pianist, and Phil Collins first started off his career as the drummer in Genesis. The choices were also dictated by highly personal connections. Danielsson considers the Beatles musician as his favourite bass-player; McCartney is up there with Johann Sebastian Bach as the musician he reveres the most. Sting is an inescapable presence in Nils Landgren's repertoire, especially the trombonist’s interpretations of "Fragile". And finally Haffner, just like Phil Collins, feels completely at home as a drummer in both pop and jazz. The 4 Wheel Drive musicians have also used the classic songs they have chosen as starting-points for their own excursions; so McCartney’s “Maybe I’m Amazed” becomes a subtly-lit jazz ballad. Freed from everything extraneous, and transformed by Wollny’s prepared piano, Billy Joel’s “She’s Always A Woman” is a mysterious and enraptured love song. The musicians interpret Genesis’ song “That’s All” as a collage of instrumental sound. And for Sting’s song about letting go, “If You Love Somebody Set Them Free”, they find a fitting musical parallel: the freedom of jazz leads naturally to Landgren’s powerful trombone improvisation. The album is bookended with music from the fast lane: it opens with Wollny’s fast-paced showpiece “Polygon”, and closes with Danielsson’s “4WD”; he had Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” in mind when he wrote this title track. 4 Wheel Drive as an ensemble is like a high-performance four-cylinder engine with all the gears meshing perfectly. And the fuel: jazz.Credits: Recorded October (9 - 11, 2018) , mixed and mastered by Lars Nilsson at Nilento studio, Gothenburg, Sweden Produced by Siggi Loch The Art in Music: Cover art by Peter Krüll

Lars Danielsson - SummerwindLars Danielsson bass & cello Paolo Fresu trumpet & flugelhorn  Some people talk a lot, whereas others keep hold of what is important, and only need a few words to get to their point. The same is true in music. Lars Danielsson and Paolo Fresu, who have now teamed up, are two musicians who choose the notes they play with extreme care. “Summerwind”, their first joint studio project, brings the Swedish master bassist/cellist’s gorgeous sound on both instruments and his fine sense for simple and haunting melodies into a partnership with the bright, airy tones of one of Europe's most lyrical trumpeters whose way of “playing it cool” has such distinctive expressiveness. Together, Danielsson and Fresu don’t just create atmosphere and colour; there is also feeling here – and real depth. Both the music and the interplay between these players are, one might say, ‘such stuff as dreams are made on.’ The duo context offers extensive space for the players to let their musical ideas develop. Yet the decisive element for both of these musicians is not that they should play a lot, but that the focus should remain on what they play. Fewer notes are far more effective than many, and that is how the poetry develops from both instrumentalists as they create a mood that is almost meditative. “It's about doing the right thing at the right time,” says Lars Danielsson. “That's the challenge of playing in a duo. You can't hide behind other instruments in this configuration.” Danielsson speaks from a long experience of having worked in this format, notably with the Polish pianist Leszek Możdżer (on the album “Pasodoble”) or with the singer Cæcilie Norby (on the album “Just The Two Of Us”). Paolo Fresu is also a master at making every moment count. His work as part of the international Mare Nostrum Trio with French accordionist Richard Galliano and Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren bears impressive testament to this. (Note: only two weeks after the recording with Danielsson, Fresu came back to Nilento Studio just south of Gothenburg with this trio to record the third Mare Nostrum album, which will be released in Spring 2019).  “I love Paolo's playing, it's spiritual and his sound is unique. He makes me improvise in a new way,” Danielsson says of his duo partner, with whom he was working for the first time in a studio on “Summerwind”.  Producer Siggi Loch had the idea of bringing these two musicians into the studio together. He has a knack for identifying musical soulmates, and this collaboration proves it again: the pair built up an almost telepathic relationship during the recording. That feeling is palpable, for example, in the piece “Dardusó”, which was created spontaneously in the studio, and in which all of Danielsson’s and Fresu’s combined trust is given over to the wisdom of the moment. In addition to pieces composed especially for this duo by both musicians, “Summerwind” features interpretations of especially selected and well-known originals, from a Bach cantata to a Swedish folk song to film music by Krzysztof Komeda. In “Summerwind”, enchanting melodies flow with an instinctive and natural grace and elegance. They develop in long arcs which bring a sense of profundity and contemplation. In a world in constant danger of overheating, Danielsson's and Fresu’s music is a fresh and soothing breeze. Credits:Recorded at Nilento Studio, Gothenburg, May 14-15, 2018  Recorded, mixed and mastered by Lars Nilsson  Produced by Siggi Loch  Cover art by Olav Christopher Jenssen: Journal July 30th. 2011 / ACT Art Collection 

Magic Moments 1167 minutes of pure listening pleasure: The eleventh edition of the popular Magic Moments offers a comprehensive insight into our latest ACT releases with newcomers, ACT stars and real insider tips at a special price. Among others with Michael Wollny, David Helbock, Vincent Peirani, Iiro Rantala, Joachim Kühn New Trio, Ida Sand, Lars Danielsson & Paolo Fresu and many more.Credits:Compilation by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Manufacturer 

Various Artists - Hendrix in the Spirit of JazzCD / digital Various Artists “When I die, I want people to play my music, go wild and freak out and do anything they want to do.” Jimi Hendrix’s wish has been posthumously fulfilled. Although he had such misfortune in life, and died in 1970 at a mere 27 years of age, his immortal music has continued to be played ever since his death - very much in the spirit of that quote. Countless musicians in rock, pop and jazz have been influenced by Hendrix, and many have overtly based their own music on his. Among the ACT family of artists, several have been inspired by his music, and have found their own individual ways to play it. In November of this year this icon of the 1968 protest movement, this pioneer of rock would have been 75. A good reason, then, for ACT musicians to gather together for a retrospective called “Hendrix in the Spirit of Jazz”, to let the unique spirit of this genius of the electric guitar soar again.Pride of place here goes to Nguyên Lê. 25 years ago, he was the first artist to have an exclusive contract with ACT, in its first year of existence. As a self-taught guitarist, the Vietnamese-French musician is stylistically close to Hendrix, and the American has discernably influenced Lê’s instantly recognizable world music, which innovatively blends elements from Europe, Asia and America. Indeed, one of Lê’s very greatest successes was the 2002 CD “Purple – Celebrating Jimi Hendrix”. His versions of “1983…(A Merman I Should Turn To Be)” and “If 6 Was 9” form the centre of “Hendrix in the Spirit of Jazz”. Lê is immaculate in the way he lives up to the challenge of the title, taking all the freedom and danger of Hendrix’s rock music, and using the subtle craft of the jazz improviser to enhance it. Alongside Lê, Terri Lyne Carrington is a pivotal figure in this recording. Hendrix's themes are sometimes furiously rocky, sometimes soulful or atmospherically dream-like, and she not only propels them from the drums, she uses her voice to express his lyrics, which she also expands with thoughts of her own. And the other ACT stars on this album demonstrate what a kaleidoscope of colours, a diversity of styles and and lively cosmos Hendrix's pieces can become: whether it is Bugge Wesseltoft transforming “Angel” into a tender solo piano ballad, or his Finnish pianist colleague Iiro Rantala in a trio with Lars Danielsson on bass and Peter Erskine on drums on “Little Wing”. Or it can be the unique Youn Sun Nah’s “Drifting”, intoning an irresistible call of longing, or her soulful Swedish sister-in-jazz Ida Sand, wonderfully expressive in “Manic Depression”. From the NDR Bigband rocking out on “Voodoo Chile” to the ACT Family Band - Cæcilie Norby, Céline Bonacina, Wolfgang Haffner, Lars Danielsson with Nguyên Lê again – performing the most famous Hendrix anthem “Purple Haze” in front of an ecstatic audience celebrating the 20th birthday of ACT.“Hendrix in the Spirit of Jazz” is an anthology which shows that Hendrix’s music is as alive as it ever was – maybe even more so. And what it does - musically at least - is to encourage listeners to ‘go wild and freak out and do anything they want to do’.Credits: Music composed by Jimi Hendrix Compiled by Marco Ostrowski Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Various Artists - Magig Moments 10 "In The Spirit of Jazz"CD / digitalThe anniversary sampler Magic Moments 10 gives an insight into the current album releases from the ACT catalogue. 14 tracks, over 1 hour of the best jazz infotainment "in the spirit of jazz".Credits: Compilation by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann