Youn Sun Nah

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

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

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 - Fahrt ins Blaue II - groovin´in the spirit of jazzCD / Vinyl / digitalVarious ArtistsTurn up the volume! While the first “Fahrt ins Blaue” (journey into the blue/unknown) album from ACT in 2016 offered classy songs for chilling, a great place just to hang out and relax, the new album “FiB II - groovin' in the spirit of jazz” leads us straight out onto the dance floor. From the moment it opens up, with funky jazz, gritty blues and bucketloads of soul, this compilation sets the tone for a night of partying. It’s after sunset. The DJ is starting to nudge the volume a little higher. The WDR Big Band and its unbelievably tight horn section sets this journey on its way. First there’s a classic from Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, “Moanin”. Then Torsten Goods ‘jumps that train’ and takes things on with a U2 cover, “When Love Comes To Town”. Its disco bass-lines and Wolfgang Haffner's in-the-pocket groove make it the perfect antidote to any lingering stiffness or formality, with Swedish singer Ida Sand stepping into the role which B. B. King had on the original. She’ll be singing a duet later with Raul Midón: “He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother”. Viktoria Tolstoy takes us back to the easy vibe of Herbie Hancock's disco/pop phase with her take on “Paradise” from the 1982 album “Lite Me Up!” And then there are Joe Sample and Nils Landgren, and they’re really going for it. The US legend - who died in 2014 - on Fender Rhodes and Mr. Redhorn, don’t actually have a Hollywood connection between them; but what they do connect with is heavy grooves. No frills, no fuss, they take “Don't Take My Love To Hollywood” and completely nail it. An ACT classic from 1997 follows on seamlessly: “Joshua", from Bernard Purdy's “Soul To Jazz" is pure gospel funk. Magnus Lindgren's “Penny Blue” was created 20 years later. This, the newest track on "FiB II" is the finest soul-jazz, made in Stockholm. And then it's time for southern soul, the genuine article: Mighty Sam McClain, who died in 2015, brings huge platefuls of Louisiana feeling to the table. Youn Sun Nah springs a surprise on us by showing her danceable side in the Paul Simon cover “She Moves On” with US guitarist Marc Ribot. Then there’s a short pause for breath: Solveig Slettahjell's “Holy Joe” adds a soft bluesy note and Muriel Zoe sings Steely Dan's “Rikki Don't Lose That Number”, laid-back country-style. That’s followed by Nils Landgren rocking out with the complete Funk Unit. Randy Brecker on flugelhorn, supported by the WDR Big Band, blows a storm on Lee Morgan's soul-jazz hit “The Sidewinder”. That rousing finale seems to signal the end of the DJ set, but since they’re all still baying loudly for an encore… Pete York’s fat organ-funk provides it. And that really is everybody’s very last dance. “Fahrt ins Blaue II.” Fourteen tracks for grooving and boogying. You feel good, you dance the night away and you certainly don’t hold back. It’s music which gives those dancing feet energy they never knew they had. Let the summer begin.Credits: Compiled by Marco Ostrowski Cover art by Rupprecht Geiger Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

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

Youn Sun Nah - She Moves OnCD / Vinyl / digital Youn Sun Nah Vocals, Kalimba Jamie Saft Piano, Hammond Organ, Fender Rhodes & Wurlitzer Electric Pianos Brad Jones Acoustic Bass Dan Rieser Drums Marc Ribot Electric & Acoustic Guitars on 02, 04, 05, 07, 11 Special Guests on 03: Maxim Moston Violin, String Arrangement Antoine Silverman Violin Hiroko Taguchi Viola Anja Wood Violoncello Korean singer Youn Sun Nah is one of the most brilliantly successful artists of our time in jazz and the music related to it. In her native country she is a major star. Her love of chanson took her to France, the country where her meteoric rise and her huge success all across Europe took wing. In “She Moves On” this chameleonic and delightful artist has reinvented herself once again. In South Korea Youn Sun Nah is a national celebrity. She first made her name in a musical, with a role in the Korean version of the successful German show “Line 1” – and that led to the blossoming of her solo career. She was several-times winner at the Korean Music Awards, she was invited to sing at the G20 Summit Meeting in Seoul, and also represented her country in 2014 at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. She was Unesco Goodwill Ambassador for Korea on International Jazz Day. She discovered French chanson early in life and that eventually led her to move to France, which has become like a second home country to her, and was also the springboard for her massive success in Europe. Her last two albums, “Same Girl” and “Lento”, have amassed combined sales of 150,000. Her achievements have also received substantial recognition in France: a “Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres” and awards at the “Académie du Jazz”. In just under five years she performed about 500 concerts all across Europe. “Same Girl” from 2010 was the album which brought about her breakthrough into Germany; she won the ECHO Award for best jazz singer and two Jazz GOLD Awards. It was only after that she had moved to Europe, and through collaborations with jazz musicians such as Ulf Wakenius and Vincent Peirani, that she immersed herself in the world of jazz and American song; songs by Nat King Cole, Tom Waits and Randy Newman became part of her repertoire. On the new album “She Moves On”, Youn Sun Nah now has concentrated her attention on jazz and folk music from North America. In order to be completely, authentically within this musical world, she recorded the album in New York, with a new band consisting of some of the most interesting and multi-faceted characters in the city. The most important of these new partners-in-crime is the producer, pianist and keyboard player Jamie Saft. He has until now mainly been known for his work with experimenters and avant-garde figures such as John Zorn, Mark Ribot, Cuong Vu and Chris Speed, but here he reveals that he is also a highly sensitive accompanist, capable of the most subtle variation. As producer he has created a warm sound for the album, redolent of the greats of the past but at the same time thoroughly contemporary. The collection presented on “She Moves On” offers compositions by some of the greats – but never their best known or most obvious songs – plus a few traditional melodies. Among the discoveries here are Joni Mitchell’s “The Dawntreader” and “She Moves On” by Paul Simon. Simon’s lyrics to this song – describing Carrie Fisher – are quite wordy, but Youn Sun Nah handles them with an irresistibly light touch. There is a surprisingly joyous version of Lou Reed’s “Teach the Gifted Children”. Nobody can sing ballads as touchingly as Youn Sun Nah, and she draws the listener in emotionally with songs such as “No Other Name” and “Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair”. Her three originals “Traveller”, “Evening Star” and “Too Late” are a completely organic fit with the folk/jazz vibe of the album. Just as the choice of Jamie Saft has produced felicitous results and taken the album to a very different place from what might have been expected, the other musicians in the group also prove to be inspired choices: guitarist Marc Ribot is on five tracks, with the unmistakable sound and musical personality that he has also brought in the past to the work of artists such as Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and Laurie Anderson. Drummer Dan Rieser brought his tasteful, pared-back sound to the phenomenally successful 2002 album from Norah Jones, “Come Away With Me”. He and the bassist on the album, Brad Jones, are musically on home territory just about anywhere from avant-garde to pop, and in their playing both of them give frequent and fascinating flashes of their broad stylistic palette. Untouched by fads and fashions, Youn Sun Nah’s voice is instantly recognizable, charismatically urgent and infinitely adaptable. Whether in songs from musicals, chanson, world music, folk or jazz, Youn Sun Nah’s ability to affect the souls of listeners directly, and her ability to tell compelling stories have made her an international phenomenon. She’s still the same girl – moving on.Credits: Produced by Jamie Saft Executive Producer / JJ In (Hub Music Inc.)

Youn Sun Nah - VoyageCD / Vinyl / digital Youn Sun Nah vocals Ulf Wakenius guitar Lars Danielsson acoustic bass, cello, melodica Xavier Desandre-Navarre percussion Mathias Eick trumpet In our time and age, a jazz singer from Korea may still seem like an exotic concept. But anyone who knows how much effort Asian countries invest in education and promotion also knows about the growing circle of jazz fans in the region. So with notable exceptions it’s astounding that there aren’t more artists from Korea or Japan whose names are on everyone’s lips. However, Youn Sun Nah could change all that, and as the first Korean artist exclusively under contract with ACT, anyone listening to her debut album Voyage (ACT 9019-2) will understand why. Born in 1969 in Seoul, Youn Sun Nah comes from a family of musicians - her father is a conductor and her mother a classical singer. She made her debut in the field of music at the age of 23 but it was not until she turned 26 that she decided to make music her profession. This marked the beginning of a stylistic turning point for her: “I’d studied French literature and adored the French chanson, so I decided to go to France,” she says. “But after a while, I got the impression that you have to be French in order to sing chansons, so I concentrated on jazz.” During her studies at the CIM in Paris (the oldest jazz school in Europe) and at the Boulanger Conservatory, Sun Nah had already formed her own quintet in an international setting together with some fellow students. They quickly gained a reputation and were invited to festivals all over France, before going on to record five well received albums in just six years. Youn Sun Nah rose like a comet in her home country. At the first annual Korean Music Awards in 2004, she was voted “Best Artist” in the Crossover category and a year later for “Best Up-and-Coming” young artist in Korea. The same year she also won the renowned “Grand Prix” at the Jazz à Juan Concours in France. Her next step in 2007 would point the way forward. Youn Sun Nah recorded a pop album in Korea entitled Memory Lane. The CD was a bestseller in her home country and she also got the Danish pianist Niels Lan Doky to co-produce. He subsequently brought her to festivals in Denmark where she met the Swedish guitar virtuoso and ACT recording artist Ulf Wakenius. They got along so well that they decided to perform together in Korea and record a CD. Youn Sun Nah tells us, “Originally, it was going to be a duo CD with just the two of us, but Ulf was so busy that we needed a producer. Ulf suggested Lars Danielsson, whom I’d admired for a long time”. One thing led to another. Danielsson not only produced, but also played bass and brought in Norwegian trumpet player Mathias Eick. Eventually the French percussionist Xavier Desandre-Navarre from Lan Doky’s band joined the group. The exquisite quartet displays a distinctly Nordic element on Voyage and was also a great inspiration for Youn Sun Nah. She recalls: “With the band in Paris, somehow it was always about experimenting. We were all quite new to the business when we started working. With Ulf, Lars, Mathias and Xavier, however, I felt relaxed and secure from the first moment on. You don’t need to prove anything to them and that’s why you are even more daring“. Her companions returned the compliment on the spot. “Her wonderful voice is full of feeling and emotion”, says Mathias Eick. Lars Danielsson praised, “her outstanding timing, which is something you don’t find very often with singers”. Xavier Desandre-Navarre summarises: “The tonal range of her voice is fantastic and she is very precise. Her voice has a great capacity and it’s crystal clear. She’s like sunshine.” It’s anything but an ordinary jazz voice; whether she’s scatting, singing classical or rapping, Youn Sun Nah combines mystical and artistic elements of Korean singing with the imagination and purity of the French chanson, together with the energy and freedom of jazz. Youn Sun Nah has personal memories that connect her with the American traditional Shenandoah: “This is a song from my childhood. My father conducted the Korean National Choir for four voices and had it in his repertoire, so it’s been with me for many years”. Voyage is a journey into the past and at the same time a promise for the future. It’s an impressive signature of one of the most exceptional singers of our time.Credits:Recorded, mixed and mastered by Lars Nilsson, digital 24 bit supermapping, at Nilento Studios, Gothenburg, Sweden, June 2 - 4, 2008 Produced by Lars Danielsson Executive Producer: Jae Jin In (HUB MUSIC.Inc.)

Various Artists - Magic Moments 8 "Sing Hallelujah"CD / digitalThe eighth edition of the popular series Magic Moments is a 71-minute musical joyride through the current ACT release schedule, and features not just the stars of the label but also its newcomers and discoveries. The ACT label's proprietor and producer-in-chief Siggi Loch has put together a programme of sixteen tracks, under the title “Sing Hallelujah.” Encompassing jazz, soul, gospel and Afro-American roots music, it is yet another example of the Munich-based label defining itself by the will to be different, and by steering well clear of predictable and well-trodden paths. This is music “in the spirit of jazz,” which slips effortlessly between genres. It is fresh and up-to-date, and refuses to be a slave to any pre-ordained style. Magic Moments 8, “Sing Hallelujah” places the vocal artists of ACT in the spotlight. The collection opens with soul-blues legend Mighty Sam McClain, who died very recently. He is heard here with Knut Reiersrud, the Norwegian guitarist. Reiersrud himself is also heard later on another track with singer Solveig Slettahjell and the trio In The Country. They perform “Borrowed Time” from the album "Trail of Souls,” a CD which marries the American gospel and spiritual traditions with a Norwegian sound aesthetic. The title track “Sing Hallelujah,” a song by Mike Settle, is sung by Torsten Goods. He is surrounded by an all-star band of Roberto Di Gioa, Tim Lefebvre and Wolfgang Haffner, and delivers the song with his characteristic cool and nonchalance. Ida Sand has one track "Hey Hey, My My,” in which she honours Neil Young. The voice of Natalia Mateo "has a story all of its own to tell,” in the words of Die Zeit. Mateo gives “I Put a Spell on You,” - sung in the fifties by American blues singer Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and later a huge hit for Nina Simone – a treatment which is bound to take people by surprise. Norwegian singer-songwriter Randi Tytingvåg shows her genuine class on “Steady Going,” a song with its roots in American folk and country music. Drummer Wolfgang Haffner in “Piano Man” brings vocals to his “Kind of Cool” group with the powerful soul singer Max Mutzke. The final tracks of Magic Moments 8 are all instrumentals, but they could not be more varied and contrasted. Bassist Dieter Ilg with his regular trio interpret Beethoven; Iiro Rantala plays John Lennon's “Imagine” alone at the piano; saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, a 3-time Downbeat winner in 2015, honours the great Charlie Parker with “Bird Calls. The old cowhand shout of Yippee Ki Yay….in Berlin? Kalle Kallema the Finnish guitarist now makes his home in the German capital and his trio's take on the western classic “Ghost Riders In the Sky,” by Stan Jones and the Death Valley Rangers really does bring High Noon to the mean streets of Kreuzberg. Pianist Frank Woeste, born in Hannover, is a new face on the ACT Label. He has been a major and consistent success in France where he now lives, and where he frequently performs with Ibrahim Maalouf and Youn Sun Nah. Here the singer brings her unique and inimitable voice to “Star Gazer.” “If music be the food of love, play on,” begins Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night. Add the words “... and of life,” and what results is an artistic credo, the philosophy which underlies all that the ACT label does. Siggi Loch and his team have been producing nourishing music for the past 23 years with an unstinting passion and an instinct for quality. This is music which goes straight the hearts and minds of people whose ears are open to the unexpected, and who love good music. “Magic Moments 8” is 100% true to that vision.Credits: Compilation by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Various Artists - Magic Moments 7 - Sounds of SurpriseCD / digitalMagic Moments: 16 tracks, over 50 contributors, 70 minutes of top-tier jazz infotainment from the current ACT lineup. Continuity. Trust and vision. Sustainability and unity. Discovering and nurturing talent. Supporting the next generation. These are key components and central pillars of the ACT philosophy, guiding our work for over 22 years: This year, we celebrate 20 years of successful partnership with Nils Landgren. We congratulate rising stars like Vincent Peirani and Emile Parisien, each awarded "Artist of the Year" in France at the Victoires du Jazz. We are delighted by Michael Wollny’s remarkable development into Germany’s leading jazz musician, emerging from our Young German Jazz series — a program that continues to serve as a breeding ground for promising artists such as vocalist Tobias Christl. The fact that even established jazz greats like Manu Katché — whom we warmly welcome as a new member of the ACT family — are now taking notice of our work is a great honor. Nevertheless, we remain true to our mission: above all, to discover the stars of tomorrow.Credits: Compilation by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Youn Sun Nah - Same GirlCD / Vinyl / digital Youn Sun Nah vocals, kalimba, music box, kazoo Ulf Wakenius guitars Lars Danielsson acoustic bass, cello Xavier Desandre-Navarre percussion Special guest on track 11: Roland Brival narration At Youn Sun Nah’s 2009 debut in Munich’s Unterfahrt jazz club, the audience went against the usual customs and arose for a standing ovation during the interval, not even waiting for the concert to finish. Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung called her the “discovery of the season” and wrote, “there has not been something so brilliant, interesting and virtuosic in jazz singing for a long time.” She won the Audience Prize in the BMW Welt Jazz Awards as well as the hearts of Germany’s jazz fans on her extensive JazzToday tour. Rarely has a singer taken Germany so by storm as the Korean artist Youn Sun Nah has with her ACT debut “Voyage”. “Voyage“ made it into the French top ten of the jazz charts (France is her second home) and won the coveted “CHOC” as CD of the month (Jazzman) as well as the “Korean Music Award” (Best Jazz album 2009). What the Koreans and the French have already known for a long time can now also be witnessed here, as it can worldwide. In Youn Sun Nah, someone with star quality has stepped onto the music scene, someone who is able to forge bridges in a truly unique way. The bridge between Asia and Europe for example, or between jazz, chanson and pop; between the highest technical precision and extreme musical freedom, between minimalism and exuberance and the bridge between the familiar and the unfamiliar. With her new album “Same Girl” Youn Sun Nah is still on a musical voyage, exploring and experimenting with different musical styles and genres. Again the song material is very diverse, but she is still the same girl the audience has come to know and love, surprising the listener with songs that have been interpreted in highly individual and distinctive ways, and which break free from the usual stylistic constraints. “I didn’t want to be confined to a particular repertoire but reflect all possible moments of my life,” she explains. “That’s why I think the album is atmospherically much more diverse than “Voyage” and, in certain respects, it has more depth and reflects even more aspects of my personality.” “My Favorite Things” opens the album. Written by Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers, it represents the “Great American songbook” in a previously unheard way, as Youn Sun Nah performs the song, exactly like Randy Newman’s “Same Girl”, accompanied only by herself on the kalimba, like an Asiatic meditation monologue. Nah’s own composition “Pancake”, which she thought of whilst waiting to perform and feeling hungry and which was composed as a vehicle for her musicians, sounds like a humorous version or perhaps even a rhythmic antithesis of “Favorite Things”. A Korean folk song (“Kangwondo Arirang”) and an energy driven composition by Ulf Wakenius (“Breakfast In Baghdad”) also serve to demonstrate her almost unlimited possibilities of vocal expression, which range from precise onomatopoeic unison sung with an instrument to expressive explosions and delicate, filigree phrased pianissimo. With “Same Girl”, Sergio Mendes‘ “Song of No Regrets”, Philippe Sarde’s “La Chanson d’Helene” and not least “Enter Sandman“ by the heavy metal band Metallica, which is reduced to its lyrical content, does she subject completely different regions of pop music to her personality. Yet Youn Sun Nah offers not only totally new interpretations of the works of the best and most famous songwriters – her album also features genuine rarities. The bluesy “Moondog”, for example, stems from British drummer Terry Cox who was a member of folkrock bands such as The Pentangle and also played drums for David Bowie, Elton John, and Charles Aznavour. She also makes sure American folk singer Jackson C. Frank, who died prematurely in 1999, isn’t forgotten. Nah recalls his brilliant talent, destroyed by illness and psychological problems and documented on only one album, into our consciousness with “My Name Is Carnival”. To finish, Youn Sun Nah fulfils a long harboured wish with a cover of Philippe Sarde’s “La Chanson d’Hélène”. She did after all study French literature in Korea before her musical career and in 1995 went to Paris to become a chanson singer. In this way she treads heartrendingly in the footsteps of Romy Schneider.“Never change a winning team” could also be the motto of “Same Girl”. Once again, she is accompanied by Lars Danielsson on the bass, Xavier Desandre-Navarre on percussion and particularly Ulf Wakenius, her fixed partner in live performances, on the guitar – a true all star team. Youn Sun Nah’s new album embraces eleven fascinating song interpretations of a very special kind, her distinctive voice building the framework for her multi-faceted musical tastes. Styles and genres may change from tune to tune, but it is always the same girl you are listening to: Youn Sun Nah. Truly unique. Credits: Produced by Axel Matignon & Lars Danielsson Executive Producer: Jae Jin In (HUB MUSIC. Inc.) Recorded at Nilento Studios, Gothenburg, Sweden, April 7-9 Mixed May 3-5, and mastered June 17, 2010 by Lars Nilsson

Various Artists - Duo Art: Creating MagicCD / digitalDuo Art – it is the most reduced form of making music together, while no less rewarding. When it succeeds it is the smallest big-band in the world. Two people all alone, in harmony and competition. Complementing each other, scrutinising, and telling each other their opinion – a fascinating ear-to-ear dialogue. Spontaneous and intense, call and response – jazz in its purest form. A musical tight-rope act without a safety net. Ideally, wonderful art results. The duet can be found all through the history of jazz. The oeuvre of every great jazz musician simply cannot be without its duet recording. The duet has also always been a source of fascination for ACT: "How will two musicians react to one another? Will they find a common ground and will it lead them to new heights?" To this day, ACT continues to seek new answers to these questions, and it dares to experiment with the most diverse of musician constellations. "Creating Magic" is a presentation of more than 20 years of ACT Duo Art and the musical trailer for the new ACT Duo Art series that documents magical dialogues. As early as in the initial ACT program in 1992, Jasper van‘t Hof, Bob Malach and Wayne Krantz joined forces in various duos. The Swedish pianist Jan Johansson is considered a pioneer of Scandinavian jazz. With "Jazz på svenska" (Jazz in Swedish) he paved jazz a road into folk music, significantly in a duet with Georg Riedel on the bass. Siggi Loch experienced the two musicians in 1964 in Hamburg at the NDR Jazzworkshop, and 30 years later he wrote further pages in the story of "Swedish Folk - Modern" together with Nils Landgren and Esbjörn Svensson. Together with the Polish piano high-flyer Leszek Możdżer, Swedish master bassist Lars Danielsson also achieves a harmonious symbiosis on "Pasodoble" that is rare to behold. Together they attain an unheard-of level of interaction and esprit. Iiro Rantala and Michael Wollny created an ethereal musical moment in their dialogue on two grand pianos on "Jazz at the Berlin Philharmonic" in December 2012: "Tears For Esbjörn" is a poignant homage to the piano visionary Esbjörn Svensson, who died in 2008. Wollny can also be heard in duet on "Creating Magic": the unreleased "Polygon", recorded at Schloss Elmau, with the Norwegian saxophone shooting star Marius Neset, is the first ever meeting of these two, perhaps most important young European jazz musicians of our time, and it shows in no uncertain terms that the future is bright. The sampler ends with a track that has, in its own tragic way, gained a place in jazz history: "You Stole My Heart" is the last recording that Eddie Harris made, briefly before his passing. After the concert recordings with the WDR Big Band, which can also be heard on "The Last Concert", he asked pianist Gil Goldstein to stay for an extra night session. One last time he exposed his soul in the song he dedicated to his wife. Back in Los Angeles he was hospitalised and died on 5 November 1996.Credits: Compilation produced by Siggi Loch and mastered by Klaus Scheuermann The Art in Music: Cover art (Detail) by Philip Taaffe / ACT Art Collection

Singers who are able to shake up an entire genre are rare. Korean Youn Sun Nah is such a phenomenon, as "Lento" proves. "A miracle", "great art", "enchanting" or "world-class singing" is what the local press has said about the singer in recent years.

70 minutes of the best jazz infotainment through the current ACT line-up at a special price.

For the 20th birthday of ACT-Music, the Jubilee Album presents 20 highlights from the moving history of the Munich label. A real treat for connoisseurs, explorers, researchers and the curious, as well as for anyone seeking the Spirit of Jazz.

Music must have spirit and soul - this basic attitude of jazz, its search for the unheard, for the power of emotion, its unrivalled inner and outer freedom, that is the inspiration of ACT. "In the Spirit of Jazz" follows this leitmotif - with Youn Sun Nah, Nils Landgren, Viktoria Tolstoy, Leszek Mozdzer and Wolfgang Haffner, among others.

ACT, Germany's "Jazz Label of the Year" (ECHO Jazz 2010), impresses with cool show of work.