Living Being

Emile Parisien - Les ÉgarésCD / Vinyl / digital Ballaké Sissoko kora Vincent Segal cello Emile Parisien soprano saxophone Vincent Peirani accordion, accordina Les Égarés is more than a record. It’s play space, a locus of musical life, a poetic asylum inhabited by two twosomes who for years have excelled in the art of crossfertilising sounds and transcending genres. They are Ballaké Sissoko (kora) and Vincent Segal (cello) on the one hand and Vincent Peirani (accordion) and Émile Parisien (sax) on the other. In the case of these magicians, 2 + 2 no longer makes 4, it makes 1. Because what they concoct is most definitely a unity of spirit, a single and fluid sound that disdains all forms of egotistical competitiveness and puts each participant at the service of a common musical good. Neither jazz, nor trad, nor chamber, nor avant-garde, but a bit of all of them, all at once, Les Egarés is the kind of album that makes the ear the king of all instruments, an album where virtuosity expresses itself in the art of complicity, where the simple and grandiose idea of listening to one another results in the birth of a splendid song with four parts. It all started with a summit meeting – high on a hill overlooking Lyon. That night in June 2019, at Les Nuits de Fourvière Festival, everyone was preparing to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the NØ FØRMAT label in a beautiful setting of Roman stones under an open sky. Vincent Segal played the role of master of ceremonies and held a kind of musical salon, gathering together guests of choice, among whom were Ballaké Sissoko, Vincent Peirani and Émile Parisien. The participants signed a pact: rehearsing must never take precedence over anything that showed signs of being a moment of spontaneous creation. But how to reign in such inspired musicians, all of them enlivened by this desire to converse in music? That afternoon, in an arbour that shielded them from the hot sun, they started to jam, just for the beauty and pleasure of it, and the music just flowed like a spring, fresh and limpid. It was the memory of this spontaneous outpouring that gave rise to the idea of forming a quartet of Egarés (‘those who have gone astray’). And that’s what the recording of the album felt like too: a spontaneous sharing of impulse and know-how. Only one promise couldn’t be fulfilled, one long held dear by Vincent Segal, and that was to record in Bamako with his accomplice Ballaké Sissoko, as the pair had previously done for their debut Chamber Music. The extreme tension that currently holds sway in Mali scuppered this dream and, in the end, the four musicians set up their creative workshop in the alpine town of Gap. Outside, the weather was unpredictable; in the studio, the sun came out almost immediately. But it wasn’t a bland unchanging beauty: from the first notes, everything was volatile, in motion, vibrating. No surprises there: none of these four free stylers likes to be imprisoned, whether it’s in a particular role, or in a particular style or sound to which their instrument could so easily be confined. Each bought a few rough diamonds along in their knapsack and submitted them to the group. Tempered by that common fire, in the natural crucible of a live acoustic setting, those gems took on a new form, sublimating themselves and soon providing the material for an authentic and communal trove of music–musical gold in fact, melted down into a singular alloy of tones, touches, breaths and phrasings, that starts with a motif in unison that straightway spells out the basic alchemical formula. Take ‘Ta Nye’ and ‘Banja’, marvels of the Manding canon that act like markers for the start and finish lines of the course taken by Les Egarés: two kora tunes that the counterpoint and echoes of the other instruments enrobe and subtly displace, with that commitment to softness, that care to accompany as closely and precisely as possibly that’s the prerogative of experienced musicians. Just listen to Emile Parisien’s madly airborne introduction to ‘Banja’. A scent of Armenia clothes the first few measures of ‘Izao’, a piece that slips and slides in the direction of Transylvania via Turkey, seemingly orchestrating a disconcerting marriage of kora and Bartok in certain passages, all underpinned by a throbbing bass. ‘Amenhotep’ sets off a slow but sure ascending spiral, a Coltrane-like trance that elevates the interlocking breath of accordion and sax. Around the melody of ‘Dou’, as if guarding a fire, each of the four men take it in turn to preserve the memory of an ancestral blues, giving it the heady swaying feeling of a lullaby. ‘Nomad’s Sky’ opens with majesty and mystery, like a plant with intoxicating scents, everything required to overwhelm the senses present in the obstinate veins of the bass, played on a cello, and the progressive deployment of the instrumental motifs. ‘La Chanson des Égarés’ derives from those irresistibly cadenced melodies that buzz inside you when, according to Vincent Segal, ‘you walk without knowing where you’re going, letting yourself drift and giving into the pleasure of being lost,’ – a pleasure that, all on its own, aptly sums up the philosophy of this record. Credits: Produced by Ballaké Sissoko, Vincent Segal, Emile Parisien and Vincent Peirani

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 - Magic Moments 15: In the Spirit of JazzCD / digitalBest jazz infotainment for the 30th anniversary of ACT: 16 tracks, 65 minutes of music in the spirit of jazz, featuring artists like Nils Landgren, Emile Parisien & Theo Croker, Iiro Rantala, Vincent Peirani Trio, Michael Wollny Trio, Joel Lyssarides, Jakob Manz & Johanna Summer, and more.Credits: Compilation by Siggi Loch Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Vincent Peirani - JokersCD / Vinyl / digital Vincent Peirani accordion, accordina, clarinet, keyboards, music box, glockenspiel & voice Federico Casagrande guitar Ziv Ravitz drums Jokers... Once again, accordionist Vincent Peirani reshuffles the cards. As a good jazz musician, he likes to venture into unexplored territories. As a good music fan and a very good musician in general, he is curious, enthusiastic, and eager to make new discoveries and find new things to listen to or play. Jokers, his first album in trio, goes even further, and elsewhere. The Jokers project is not entirely new. It was born a few years ago when the German radio station NDR invited Vincent Peirani to produce two concerts, giving him carte blanche for the format. Vincent chose to turn for the first time to the jazz trio, a formula with such a long history that it is almost sacred, and certainly intimidating. But typically, he used that framework only to escape from it. His two accomplices, Federico Casagrande on guitar and Ziv Ravitz on drums and keyboards, both have a wealth of experience and skills, an interest in rock and electronic music, and a taste for musical hybridity. The drummer immediately suggested that Vincent (who expected nothing less) experiment with electronic effects on the accordion. The tone was set. The group gave first of all some thirty concerts, enabling it to discover and hone its possibilities. Then, when the time came for thinking about an album, Vincent Peirani decided to reshuffle the deck once more: let’s take the same musicians, but start all over again, with a repertoire and a sound completely different from the live performances. The album opens with This Is the New Shit, a remake of a piece by Marilyn Manson, that nightmarish creature of American metal (the odds are low that jazz fans will know the original). There you are, expecting an outburst of hellish violence, when Vincent plays his melody on a musical box, like a child inventing a world whose secrets only he knows. It’s a bit like the opening credits, after which the rest of the album unfolds like a film. With suspense, romance, rhythm, (super)natural settings, fantasy, travelling shots, virtuoso elements and others of an intimate nature, lighting that sets the screen ablaze. This music, with its unpredictable movements, breathes, bewilders the senses; we listen to it as much with our eyes and imagination as with our ears. In Jokers, the music is well scripted, framed and “edited”, like the sequences in a film. Vincent Peirani still plays his trusty accordion but, through the magic of effects and production, it is transformed into a “camera-accordion”, a kaleidoscope-like lightbox.  Vincent Peirani learned and experimented with all this production work at night in his cellar, during this long period of the pandemic, which has been so conducive to reinvention. It was new for him; for a long time, he had wanted to work with sound, and for the first time he even provided a maquette of the pieces ahead of recording. He then transformed the recorded material during the mixing of the album, taking great care over details, moods, everything that can make a piece into a story. Often, the guitarist and the drummer had no idea of the final result, they trusted the director. Jokers is indeed a jazz album: the musicians listen to each other, interact, bring the musical material to life. Alterity is a key word in this music, as it is in jazz: understanding and becoming another musician, instrument, piece. The three musicians find and understand each other by devious ways, which have to be invented. While working on this album, Vincent also embarked on a duo collaboration with hip-hop dancer Frédéric Faula: another means of decentring himself, learning and enriching Jokers.  On paper, all this may seem laborious. But ultimately, pleasure is always the guiding principle behind the choice of what we are to hear. Circus of Light reflects an aurora borealis on the waters of the Mediterranean, or sends Nino Rota off into the Milky Way. River, taking up a Bishop Briggs pop hit, visits the convict songs of the American South. Copy of A, a piece originally recorded by Nine Inch Nails (Vincent Peirani is a fan), evokes the jubilation of an extraterrestrial carnival parade. Right up to and including the final credits, with a moving and pensive stroll through Italy, Jokers is guaranteed to give not a moment of boredom. With its iconoclastic revivals, powerful rock-music energy, Italian-style ritornellos, and its virtuosity and bold risk-taking, this album is simply a reflection of Vincent Peirani: we never know where to expect him, but we are always delighted to find him there!Credits: Recorded by Etienne Clauzel at Studio Black Box, Noyant-la-Gravoyère (France), October 2021 Mixed by Tony Paeleman & Vincent Peirani at Swome, Ivry sur Seine Mastered by Chab at Chabmastering Paris Produced by Vincent Peirani Cover art “The Universe” by Sengai Gibon (1750-1837)

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 - 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

Vincent Peirani - AbrazoCD / Vinyl / digital Vincent Peirani accordion Emile Parisien soprano saxophone Abrazo. Embrace. A close dance perhaps, but also with the hint of a friendly tussle. Could there be a more fitting metaphor for the duo of accordionist Vincent Peirani and soprano saxophonist Émile Parisien? "It's like a marriage," says Peirani. "In the beginning everything’s just great, wonderful, paradise. But of course, after a while, it also becomes challenging, which is quite normal. "Right now, we're just massively happy playing together." There can be very few musicians who have got to know each other as well as Peirani and Parisien have. They have clocked up well over 1000 concerts together in the past decade, of which more than 600 have been as a duo. They first met in 2012 as members of drummer Daniel Humair’s quartet, and their very first appearance as a duo was an impromptu latenight club set while touring in Korea. "Une catastrophe! An unmitigated disaster"... Peirani still remembers it vividly. But shortly later, with the benefit of no jetlag, and also having done some proper preparation, things did fall properly into place at a festival in France, and one of the outstanding lineups in European jazz was born. In 2014 their first duo album "Belle Epoque" was released on ACT. From then on they started touring, and were soon playing at the leading clubs and festivals in France and Germany and setting off all over the world – to Asia, Latin America, the USA, Canada and throughout Europe. And also appearing in major classical venues such as the Philharmonie halls in Berlin, Hamburg, Essen and the Musikverein in Vienna. And it was not long before international recognition became established, through prizes such as the Echo Jazz, Les Victoires du Jazz, the Preis der deutschen Schallplatten-kritik, and numerous awards and ‘best-of’ lists from leading jazz magazines. "Belle Époque", their 2014 debut album as a duo, was a tribute to soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet, one of the biggest stars of early jazz in the 1920s and a wonderfully melodic player. Peirani and Parisien have left it nearly six years to produce the follow-up. "Abrazo" is also a salute, this time not to a person but to an art form: to the tango with all its elegance, sadness and rhythmic and melodic power. And as in their debut as a duo, Peirani and Parisien do not reproduce the original repertoire, they prefer to play WITH it. Furthermore composers of South American imprint such as Astor Piazzolla, Tomás Gubitsch or Xavier Cugat form only a part of the repertoire they have developed. Parisien’s and Peirani's own pieces have a way of moving in the spirit of tango. That is certainly the case for their arrangement of "Army Dreamers" by Kate Bush, an artist for whom Peirani has a profound admiration. The opening track "The Crave" by US-American pianist/ bandleader Jelly Roll Morton – one of the most influential jazz musicians of the early 20th century – establishes a surprising connection to the previous album. It seems as if "Abrazo" and "Belle Époque" are two parts of a suite, and indeed if one listens to albums together, the sense that they have interconnecting common threads is very strong indeed. What unites all of these disparate elements is the particuarly deep affinity between Peirani and Parisien. One can hear at any moment the astonishingly sensitive way they are able to interact. And another common feature which they have between them is that both stand out currently as among the most important innovators on their instruments anywhere. In a truly magical way, they seem to have a sixth sense which makes everything fall into place. And it seems as if they can source their ingredients just about anywhere: whether it’s traditional or modern jazz, free avantgarde, classical, folklore, rock, electronic, new or old music, they have an irrepressible hunger for the new, and an unquenchable appetite for adventure. This boundless curiosity, this urge to grow together, this imperative to climb ever new levels… these are the elements that meld the duo Peirani & Parisien together and that make them such a unique phenomenon.Credits: Recorded by Boris Darley at Studio Besco, December 19 – 22, 2019 Assisted by Léo Aubry & Loïc Colin Mixed by Boris Darley, Vincent Peirani and Emile Parisien at Studio Holy Oak Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Produced by the artists The Art in Music: Cover Art by Thomas Scheibitz, Spieler (detail), 2019, ACT Art Collection

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

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

Vincent Peirani - So QuietCD / digital Serena Fisseau vocals & body percussion (06) Vincent Peirani accordion, accordina, Wurlitzer, piano, plastic bags, music box & voice Quiet. It is such a precious commodity, and more so today than ever before. In this music from accordionist Vincent Peirani and singer Serena Fisseau, you can actually hear it. It’s right there in the gaps between the notes, perhaps almost more important than the notes themselves. This music is irresistibly light and limpid, and often very cheerful too. It draws its intimate feel from the fact that Peirani and Fisseau are not just a couple artistically, but also in real life. They recorded the tracks of "So Quiet" for their children. And for all other children. And also for any adults out there who'd like to take themselves back in their dreams to a temporary state of childlike innocence – for the time it takes to listen to an album. And what is it that makes this irresistibly light and delicate music quite so appealing? It has to be the astonishing expertise and judgment of both musicians. Serena Fisseau has always been spurred on by a particularly inquisitive spirit: she has sung classical as well as gospel, blues, latin, rock and jazz, and she has worked a lot with spoken word, poetry in particular. Furthermore she has become well-known in France and abroad for songs, albums and projects conceived for children: "D'une île à l'autre" (from one island to another), "Nouchka et la grande question" (Nushka and the big question) or "L'échappée belle" (the beautiful escapee/close call). For his part, Vincent Peirani is certainly the greatest innovator of the accordion of our day, voted "Artist of the Year 2018" by the leading French publication Jazz Magazine. And both of them are cosmopolitan and eclectic by nature: Fisseau is French with Indonesian heritage and has a fascination for languages; Peirani is from the South of France, with a musical career has taken him from classical to Mediterranean music to jazz. But all of this virtuosity, wealth of experience and versatility are in the background of "So Quiet"; what matters is that the tracks of this album are so touching, clear and expressive. It’s simply about the beauty of the music. It might come from chanson genius Serge Gainsbourg ("La Javanaise"), from easy listening deity Burt Bacharach ("Close to You") or from the alchemists of pop, The Beatles ("And I Love Her"); whether the source is Indonesian folk music ("Bintang Kecil" - small star), Musica Populeira Brasileira in Caetano Veloso’s "Alguem Cantado", Antonio Carlos Jobim ("Luiza") or a standard from the Great American Songbook like "What a Wonderful World"; whether in French or Indonesian (Fisseau’s two native languages), English or Portuguese; whether with accordion, accordina, Wurlitzer e-piano, body percussion or a plastic bag(!), Fisseau and Peirani reveal the essence of these timeless masterpieces, and in the most natural way possible. All it takes is a voice, an instrument and a lot of quiet – listen out for the ending, a totally enchanting version of “Over The Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz".This album has a prevailing spirit that everyone is going to want to hum or to dream along with, no matter their age, or what music they normally prefer. "So Quiet" is a feast for the senses, an irresistible invitation to take some time, to cuddle up in the living room maybe, and to let the singing and the accordion carry you off somewhere. So Quietly. Credits: Recorded by Nicolas Djemane at Studio Soult, Maisons-Alfort (Paris), in December 2018 Produced by the artists Mixed by Boris Darley Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Cover photo by Sylvain Gripoix Liner notes by Olivier Prou

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 

Vincent Peirani - Living Being II - Night Walker CD / Vinyl / digital  Vincent Peirani accordion, accordina & voice  Emile Parisien soprano saxophone  Tony Paeleman fender rhodes & keys  Julien Herné electric bass & electric guitar  Yoann Serra drums  Valentin Liechti electronics on 12 Vincent Peirani is a jazz musician who is equally at home in world music, or classical music, chanson or pop. Yet what the listener will hear from his new album is that he has transformed the accordion into the baddest of rock 'n' roll axes. On “Night Walker” the Frenchman shines. His quintet with extensive experience of playing together produces fiery Led Zeppelin covers and has a sound that not only crosses genres but is also completely unique. The accordionist and composer is celebrated throughout Europe, something that was already the case before he made his debut as leader with the 2013 album “Thrill Box” - Peirani was winning prizes in France as a teenager. Later he earned the title “Artist of the Year” from “Jazz Magazine”, and has received a German ECHO Jazz award four times, most recently in 2016 for his highly acclaimed duo album “Tandem” with pianist Michael Wollny. At the beginning of 2015 the “once-in-a-century talent” (Fono Forum) released his first work with a new quintet “Living Being”, the same title being used for both the band and their album. The members are Emile Parisien, saxophone, Tony Paeleman, keyboards, Julien Herné, electric bass & guitar, Yoann Serra, drums. “We were friends long before we started playing together,” says Peirani, “This band feels like family.”  This special family has now recorded a triumphal second album: “Living Being II - Night Walker”. The Roman numerals look back to Led Zeppelin: “'Led Zeppelin I',' Led Zeppelin II' and so on...” says Peirani. “I liked that. This album also means a kind of upgrade: new music, new direction, and a new identity.” Recorded in just four days in March 2017 in Brussels, “Night Walker” shows the quintet channelling its energies even more powerfully and consistently. The mix by sound engineer Boris Darley took several months of experimentation to get it right. As Peirani says,” it was like being in a musical laboratory.” Whether seen from a jazz or a pop perspective, the combination of instruments is unique. In fact, all of the melody instruments in Living Being are created equal: Tony Paeleman's rich Fender Rhodes, sometimes earth-shuddering, sometimes feathery and light-heartedly jubilant; Emile Parisien's bright soprano saxophone – the tenor stayed in its case this time – and of course the wonderfully varied accordion of the Peirani. Unlike his previous album, the leader hardly ever puts himself in the foreground. “This album is more of a collective trip,” explains Peirani. “The accordion is even less at the centre. It is only if you were to remove it that you would realize quite how much has suddenly gone missing.” The art of Vincent Peirani is to play rhythmically and at the service of the tune, adding layers to each piece, as others could only attempt with a vast array of keyboards. The melancholy of chanson, the elegance of classical music, the sheer power of rock – Peirani’s virtuosity pulls them all together. Living Being take a kid-glove approach as they start off the album; the quintet plays Sonny Bono's “Bang Bang”, immortalized by Nancy Sinatra, with the tenderest possible feel, giving this cover a completely new lightness.  On “Enzo”, which starts with mellifluous charm, Peirani plays the accordina – similar to a melodica – and bassist Herné can be heard on the guitar for the first time. Peirani's powerful version of the aria “What Power Art Thou” by the English composer Henry Purcell, from the 1691 opera “King Arthur”, preserves the triumphal power of the original, yet could hardly be further removed.  The pivotal point of the album is the three-section “Kashmir To Heaven”, which references the two songs of the legendary hard rock band Led Zeppelin that are the probably the best known. The energy levels in the band, as it carefully builds this mini-suite, are quite staggering. Living Being remains true to the vibe of the originals but with a completely different instrumentation: there isn't a guitar in sight.  Peirani explains that the choice of songs to cover reflects his own preferences: “Many years ago I had a solo project mixing the songs of Deep Purple and Rage Against The Machine. Those songs of the seventies have always fascinated me, and everyone in the band loves Led Zeppelin. Their songs contain so much nourishing material for us - we all really enjoy sinking our teeth into it!” When Vincent Peirani says his band wants to be a 'chamber rock music orchestra', it may sound like “Rock meets Classic” bombast. But Living Being, this powerful beast of a jazz band, is exactly the opposite. It is a supple little animal that moves elegantly on any terrain without ever leaving the path, but can grow into a muscular carnivore at any time. “Living Being II - Night Walker” is the proof – it's the both the most delicate and the most powerful album of the year.

Emile Parisien Quintet - Sfumato live in MarciacCD / DVD / digital Emile Parisien soprano saxophone Joachim Kühn piano Manu Codjia guitar Simon Tailleu double bass Mário Costa drums Guests: Wynton Marsalis trumpet Vincent Peirani accordion Michel Portal clarinet French soprano saxophonist Emile Parisien is one of the most highly regarded European jazz musicians of our time. The three albums he made in just three years – “Belle Epoque” in 2014, “Spezial Snack” in 2015 and “Sfumato” in 2016 – have propelled him, at the age of just 35, to the top of the worldwide rankings on his instrument. One thing is abundantly clear: Europe has a new jazz star. 2017 was the year for Emile Parisien. No jazz artist received more prominent acclaim in his home country France, and beyond. Very few European jazz artists can have appeared at so many big jazz festivals and classical concert halls. Emile Parisien today is regarded the most important innovator on the soprano saxophone. Right at the beginning of 2017, Jazzthing magazine (DE) set the tone with their CD review: “It is amazing how quickly Emile Parisien has become one of France’s most influential musicians. “Sfumato” is the title of the new album from the 34-year-old soprano saxophonist, who has nothing to fear from the competition of anyone of his own generation anywhere in the world. And this album is going to amplify the buzz about him which is starting to echo around Europe.” And that was exactly what happened: not long after the release, the French “Jazz Magazine” and German music magazine “Stereo” both voted “Sfumato” as their album of the year. Shortly after that, Emile Parisien received the “Victoires Du Jazz”, the jazz prize for album of the year at the most important French music awards. In Germany Parisien also received the most important music award, the ECHO Jazz, for “best international saxophonist” of the year. Topping out an outstanding year, French “Jazz Magazine” chose Émile Parisien as its artist of the year for 2017.Deutschlandfunk Kultur (Germany) called Parisien a “superstar of the jazz scene in France”, Fono Forum (Germany) stated: “Emile Parisien is taking the magical sound of the soprano saxophone onwards – following in the footsteps of Sidney Bechet, Johnny Hodges, Steve Lacy, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter and Evan Parker.” The Guardian in the UK gave “Sfumato” a rare 5-star rating and called it “an exhilarating genre-hop bubbling with captivating remakes of US and European jazz traditions. An exuberant album”. And the widely-read French magazine “Télérama” wrote: “Parisien’s inventiveness and energy are nothing short of breathtaking.” The year of 2017 also marked a new high-point for Emile Parisien’s career as a live performer. In that one year he played at festivals such as Jazz Sous Les Pommiers, Bergen Jazz Festival, Elbjazz, Jazz Baltica, Montreux Jazz Festival, Jazz à Vienne, Umbria Jazz, the London Jazz Festival and the Rheingau Musik Festival. He also appeared in the some of Europe’s finest classical concert halls: the Philharmonie in Essen, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, Hamburg’s new Elbphilharmonie and the Konzerthaus in Berlin. A special highlight was Parisien’s residency at Jazz in Marciac, the place where Parisien’s enthusiasm for jazz had been originally been awakened as a young audience-member, and where he was invited to be Artist in Residence for 2017. Parisien’s “Sfumato” concert on 8 August 2017 was unforgettable and has been captured for ever on both CD & DVD. His quintet was augmented at this concert by illustrious guests: US trumpet star Wynton Marsalis, French jazz legend Michel Portal and Parisien’s alter ego and long-established duo partner Vincent Peirani. Parisien’s “Sfumato” concert on 8 August 2017 was unforgettable and has been captured for ever on both CD & DVD. His quintet was augmented at this concert by illustrious guests: US trumpet star Wynton Marsalis, French jazz legend Michel Portal and Parisien’s alter ego and long-established duo partner Vincent Peirani. Multi-layered, innovative and experimental, “Sfumato live in Marciac” is packed full of tension, excitement and turbulence. And yet is firmly grounded in jazz, brimming over with playfulness and adventures of improvisation; it is a testament to the intensity and to the magic of live jazz. And yet is firmly grounded in jazz, brimming over with playfulness and adventures of improvisation; it is a testament to the intensity and to the magic of live jazz.Credits: Recorded live in concert by Nicolas Djemane at Jazz in Marciac on August 8th, 2017 Mixed by Boris Darley in April 2017 Mastering by Klaus Scheuermann Produced by Emile Parisien Video editing by Alice Fave & Nicolas Lecart Cameras: Florence Pradalier, Cedric Alliot, Ugo Gillino & Mathias Touzeris Audiovisual director: Jean Marc Birraux DVD authoring by Platin Media Productions Cover art by Chen Ruo Bing, untitled, 2016, ACT Art Collection

Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic VIII - MediterraneoCD / digital Stefano Bollani piano Jesper Bodilsen bass Morten Lund drums Vincent Peirani accordion & accordina Members of the Berliner Philharmoniker Geir Lysne arranger & conductor To put the “Sound of Europe” on the big stage is the mission of “Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic” and of its curator Siggi Loch. Earlier concerts in the series – tracking down “Celtic Roots” or strolling through “Norwegian Woods” – have shown how the sheer plenitude of European music has left its mark on the jazz of our time. Many of the roots of European music are to be found in Italy. The country was an early hub for Western classical music, and was where opera was born. From Sicily up to Venice, all kinds of gloriously diverse and many-hued folk music heritages are nurtured. There is a nationwide tradition of the “cantautore”, and in film music, Italy sets the trend: Nino Rota's and Ennio Morricone's movie scores are known worldwide. “Mediterraneo” avails itself of this cornucopia of inspiration – and sets off on a journey of discovery. The 17th concert in the “Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic” series was a major event which took place in the sold-out main hall of the hallowed temple of classical music. The central figure of the evening is Stefano Bollani. This maestro of the jazz piano, born in Milan in 1972, is a figure of unrivalled prominence on the Italian jazz scene. His creative arc is uncommonly far-reaching. It ranges from working with senior figures like Lee Konitz, through luminaries like Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and, of course, his longtime partner Enrico Rava, French innovators such as Michel Portal and Martial Solal, and on to world music greats such as Caetano Veloso and Richard Galliano. So, for “Mediterraneo”, it was important for Bollani to cast his net wide, to shape an evening that would be full of variation and surprise; the Italian is not content just to perform for the audience, above all he wants to entertain them: alongside Monteverdi, Rota and Morricone, Puccini and Rossini, there was also the evergreen sixties pop song “Azzurro”, made famous by Adriano Celentano. Bollani emerged as the ideal travel guide for this Italian night. With his completely individual virtuosity and his enjoyment in playing, his Mediterranean ease and well-judged injections of humor, Bollani takes the listener on the Grand Tour through the music of his homeland. Right by his side an exceptional rhythm section with the two Danes: Jesper Bodilsen and Morten Lund, plus a star guest on the accordion, Vincent Peirani, and 14 intrepid members of the Berliner Philharmoniker. They don't just bring a cultured sound, they also prove refined improvisers. The Norwegian Geir Lysne wrote the arrangements for the concert, and also directs the musicians through this Italian night. He is an ideal partner for Bollani. They have already won an ECHO prize for their work with the NDR Bigband. Both are musicians who like to make discoveries and spring surprises. Lysne is an extremely deft experimenter in sound. He uses unusual instrumentation to bring a richness of timbre, and also brings tension and a unique feel for groove, placing musical material into wholly new and unexpected contexts. And then there is Vincent Peirani. Raised in Nice, the most visible face of young French jazz, the accordionist is a talented storyteller. He had already shone at the “Accordion Night” in the Berlin Philharmonie. This time, in his tightly meshed interplay with Bollani, he ensures that there is additional Mediterranean flair, and his cultured playing brings heart-stopping moments of excitement and surprise. The well-known themes by Ennio Morricone from the spaghetti western movies are kept aside for Peirani. They are showpieces for him at his absolute best. Bollani and Co. delivered utterly compelling passages of music, and touched the hearts of the audience. “Mediterraneo” wasn't just a unique musical occasion. It also proved a point: Europe has so much to offer.Credits: Recorded by Nanni Johansson live in concert at the Berlin Philharmonie, Großer Saal, June 12, 2017 Mixed by Klaus Scheuermann with Geir Lysne & Roberto Lioli Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Curated and produced by Siggi Loch Cover art by Federico Herrero, Landscape, 2017 by permission of the artist and Sies + Höke, Düsseldorf

Various Artists - The Jubilee ConcertsCD / digital Various Artists “We fly like birds of a feather,” runs the Sister Sledge lyric. And so the musicians did – thirty-four of them flocked to the Konzerthaus in Berlin, from several countries of Europe, each of them an artist who has found a nurturing home for his or her projects and talents on the ACT label. It was their way of expressing gratitude, and of giving their label a 25th birthday present. The musicians appeared on stage in a whole variety of combinations throughout the day, some of the bands formed for these concerts having never been put together before. It was in every sense a special occasion: a day of very fine concerts, a joyous celebration of the passing of an important milestone - the date marked exactly twenty-five years and one day since the ACT label put out its very first release in 1992 - and a happy gathering for the label-as-family. What this unique event brought to the fore was that precious common spirit and attitude among these musicians: an openness and respect for the individual and very different talents of the others, the courage to take risks, and an ever-present willingness to welcome in the unexpected and to discover the new. The musicians are also from several different generations, all bringing their combined energies to the event. For example, saxophonist Emile Parisien and pianist Joachim Kühn were born nearly forty years apart, and yet their mutual understanding, their common way of making music and generating excitement makes a detail like that an irrelevance. There were two other trans-national duos on the album. Whereas saxophonist Parisien and Kühn brought high-voltage excitement, and received a loud ovation, the two double basses of Lars Danielsson and Dieter Ilg channelled very different emotions. Two bassists playing together tends to be a recipe for pure joy, good humour, bonhomie and mischief, and that was exactly what these two master musicians offered. The third duo of Nils Landgren and Michael Wollny brought warmth, affection, and wistful poetry and beauty to Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns,” which opens the album. These three intimate conversations were just part of the story of an unforgettable day. A quartet feature was led by violinist Adam Bałdych, whose ski-ing accident just a few days before had not deterred him from attending this joyous gathering - he was supported by crutches to get on and off the stage. Then there was a special one-off formation of Nils Landgren’s Funk Unit in “Walk Tall”, the band propelled by Wolfgang Haffner’s crisp, in-the-pocket drumming. One of the features of the ACT label is that founder Siggi Loch is a natural connector and helps the formation of new bands. A quintet around Nguyên Lê and the quartet led by Adam Bałdych were created especially for the evening. Lars Danielsson’s “Suffering” has as its first soloists two ACT cornerstone artists who have helped to define the many-sided identity of the label: Nguyên Lê and Nils Landgren. Another more established quartet which ACT has helped into existence is the supergroup of Andreas Schaerer, Emile Parisien, Vincent Peirani, and Michael Wollny. “B&H” shows these four stars of European jazz, all of a similar age, keeping each other and the audience on their toes. A celebration like this could run the risk of drifting into memory and nostalgia – this one didn’t. ACT has issued over 500 albums, so there is much to look back on with pride…but one moment found an inspired way to look to the future as well. The listener might wonder who the drummer and guitarist are, playing with such ease, flow and total assurance on “Dodge The Dodo.” They are Noa and Ruben Svensson, sons of the much-missed Esbjörn. The culmination of the day of celebration in Berlin was a Gala Concert by the “ACT Family Band.” The evening built naturally to a whole-band, whole-family finale in which the combined ensemble, led by Ida Sand, launched into “We Are Family”. As an expression of togetherness, of a shared joyful ethos it would be hard to beat. These Jubilee Concerts made it possible to experience at close quarters what ACT exists to achieve: it is a leading label where listeners can discover newly created music “in the Sprit of jazz.” The label’s range and its previously unimagined connections are a constant source of surprise from which it draws ever-new inspiration to connect the unexpected. Mike Flynn, Editor of Jazzwise wrote in his review of the concert that the ACT label has “a smile on its face and a swagger in its step”. And where might the best evidence for that statement be found? It’s all there on this album.Credits: Live at Konzerthaus Berlin, April 2, 2017 Recorded, mixed and mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Curated by Siggi Loch An ACT Music concert production in cooperation with Konzerthaus Berlin

A supergroup of European jazz – that's probably the best way to describe the quartet featuring Swiss singer Andreas Schaerer, German pianist Michael Wollny, French accordionist Vincent Peirani, and his compatriot on soprano saxophone, Emile Parisien. With the live album "Out of Land," they now prove together that they are at the forefront of the jazz generation between 30 and 40 years old: because they redefine the possibilities of their instruments and expand the boundaries of jazz.

Even for the "Jubilee Album" celebrating this proud anniversary, ACT does not settle for the expected. Except for three pieces that can be considered "Signature Songs" of the ACT philosophy, all tracks are previously unreleased, and some were recorded specifically for this occasion with a changing "Allstar lineup" at the Hansa Studios in Berlin.

Two winners united for the first time: Michael Wollny, a 7-time ECHO Jazz awardee and "Europe's Musician of the Year" (Académie du Jazz), joins forces with Vincent Peirani, "France's Jazz Artist of the Year" (Victoires du Jazz) and 2-time ECHO Jazz winner. Together, they form a duo of two musical connoisseurs and virtuosos, simultaneously demonstrating themselves as European luminaries in the universal language of jazz.

65 minutes of the best jazz-infotainment featuring the current ACT lineup at a special price. With e.s.t. Symphony, Fresu - Galliano - Lundgren, Nils Landgren, Michael Wollny & Vincent Peirani, Joachim Kühn New Trio, Iiro Rantala, Marius Neset, Lars Danielsson, Lou Tavano, and many more.

"Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic" puts the program in the spotlight. In the always sold-out concert series at the Kammermusiksaal, curator Siggi Loch aims to bring together previously unheard combinations of musicians under a thematic focus. On February 13, 2015, the accordion took center stage...

Vincent Peirani blends accordion, jazz, and modern sounds into unique music. Discover his album – creative, virtuosic, and full of emotion.

16 tracks, over 50 contributors, 70 minutes of the best jazz-infotainment featuring the current ACT lineup at a special price.

Vincent Peirani & Emile Parisien blend virtuosity and tradition on Belle Époque – an innovative duo bridging jazz history and a new musical era.