“Jazzrausch Bigband is making jazz sexy again” (Bayeri-scher Rundfunk). Downbeat has singled out not just the band’s “high-voltage performances” and “party atmosphere”, but also the amount of experimentation going on. The ensemble’s ingenious mix of techno and big band jazz has proved to be just as accessib-le to people listening to the band from the comfort of their seats in a concert hall as it has to those sweating it out on the dance floor. Since 2015 Jazzrausch Bigband has been in residence at Harry Klein in Munich, a club renowned for its house and techno acts as well as for its stunning live visuals; this cooperation between a techno club and a big band is truly unique in the world. From its base at the club, the pioneering ensemble has defined a comple-tely new genre, “techno jazz”. The band’s music is getting noticed on the other side of the Atlantic too: Jazzrausch Bigband has per-formed at New York’s Lincoln Center, and Downbeat magazine has pinpointed this unusual band’s remarkable strengths: “A high-voltage performance with party atmosphere and yet plenty of expe-rimentation. The mix of jazz and techno initially might seem surpri-sing, but actually makes perfect sense.”
On their previous albums “Dancing Wittgenstein” and “Beethoven’s Breakdown”, Jazzrausch Bigband impressively demonstrated its process of finding new perspectives on the artis-tic interaction of themes and elements from a wider cultural context. The focus of all the group’s trailblazing creativity has now turned to “téchne”. This ancient Greek term, “τέχνη”, is still signifi-cant in today’s European-influenced philosophy and its under-standing of the arts, science, and technology. Indeed, the element which was decisive in sparking Jazzrausch Bigband’s interest in “τέχνη” was the fact that the original concept of both ‘making’ and ‘doing’ can be applied indistinguishably to any of the three.
The idea of “téchne” was particularly appealing to composer Leonhard Kuhn because it drew him into a musical exploration not just of the relationship between art and technology, but also made him want to go further and work his way through bigger questions in science and philosophy, and notably existentialism. Thus, “What It Is” looks at the politics of widening wealth inequality in the cur-rent Corona crisis. He shows in Sartre‘s words, that there is an alternative to the famous “It is what it is”. In “Der Literat” Stravi-nsky-esque harmonies are interwoven with complex rhythms and melodies, as Kuhn places words by Dada poet Hugo Ball into a wild techno setting. In “AI 101”, the technology of Artificial Intelli-gence is combined with the art of music by the use of AI as a composition tool: “This piece raises the question of whether AI is progressively taking on more of the characteristics of human beings, or whether in fact it’s the reverse. Don’t we sometimes already behave far too much like machines in a self-imposed pa-nopticon prison?” Such glimpses into Leonhard Kuhn’s extraordi-nary ways of thinking are always rewarding and illuminating.
In addition to these pieces by Leonhard Kuhn who is the band’s main composer/arranger, “téchne” also features composi-tions by composers familiar with the band. This is actually quite an unusual step for Jazzrausch Bigband: “Most of our programmes are through-composed and function as a cohesive whole,” ex-plains Roman Sladek. “With ‘téchne’, on the other hand, we wan-ted everything to be more kaleidoscopic, multi-faceted. Theresa Zaremba is a brilliant film composer and Andreas Unterreiner a great jazz trumpeter and composer. We have already worked on complete concert programmes with both of them, so their compo-sitions fit perfectly into the world of ‘téchne’.”
Another new feature is the roll-call of star guests invited to join Jazzrausch Bigband: trombone star Nils Landgren is on “téchne"– he had already gues-ted on “Beethoven's Breakdown”. We hear the completely begui-ling voice of Nesrine in the opening track “Mosaïque Bleu”. Plus there is a highly individual contribution from singer/theatre actress Jelena Kuljić, known from the indie jazz band KUU! and a perma-nent member of the Munich Kammerspiele – her interpretations of texts are particularly evocative. And Viktoria Tolstoy, Wolfgang Haffner, David Helbock, Kalle Kalima and Jakob Manz complete an impressive list.
The album was recorded by Josy Friebel at the Harry Klein club: “It’s where we feel at home. This environment put us straight into the right vibe for the album, rather than starting off with the dry sound of a recording studio.” And “téchne” does indeed sound a bit more techno, more “down to the floor” than the previous albums with their more complex arrangements.
“Holy cow, what a band!” was Fono Forum’s ecstatic response to Jazzrausch Bigband. A statement that certainly also applies to “téchne", and which should also encourage more people to get out and hear this band live. With the new Jazzrausch Bigband album, the young musicians and their guests revel in making se-amless and effortless transitions from one sphere to another.
Through their compositions and lyrics they embrace mathematical, philosophical and literary themes, with a compelling band sound fusing jazz, classical music, and techno. With their dazzling con-fidence, genuine authenticity and communicative panache, the members of Jazzrausch Bigband have created a musical world which is as close to jazz and its origins as it is to the electronic music of the future.
01 Mosaïque Bleu (Leonhard Kuhn / Patricia Römer) 4:01
feat. Nesrine, vocals / Nils Landgren, trombone
02 AI 101 (Leonhard Kuhn) 3:25
feat. Jelena Kuljić, vocals / David Helbock’s Random/Control
(David Helbock, piano, keys, synthesizer & fx / Andreas Broger,
tenor & soprano saxophone, flute / Johannes Bär, tuba,
trumpet, beatbox & didgeridoo) / Wolfgang Haffner, drums
03 Make Craft Perform (Leonhard Kuhn) 2:58
feat. Viktoria Tolstoy, vocals / Nils Landgren, trombone
04 Green Sun (Theresa Zaremba) 5:50
feat. David Helbock, piano, keys, synthesizer, fx & toys / Jakob
Manz, alto saxophone
05 Der Literat (Leonhard Kuhn) 6:01
feat. Jelena Kuljić, vocals / Jakob Manz, recorder
06 Hurricane Ride (A. Unterreiner / A. Dering) 4:49
feat. Viktoria Tolstoy, vocals / Kalle Kalima, guitar / Wolfgang
Haffner, drums
07 What It Is (Leonhard Kuhn) 4:40
08 Decadence (Andreas Unterreiner / Antonia Dering) 4:43
09 Shuffling Steps (Leonhard Kuhn) 4:15
10 Green Sun Return (Theresa Zaremba) 4:11
feat. David Helbock, piano, keys, synthesizer, fx & toys / Jakob
Manz, alto saxophone
Jazzrausch Bigband
directed and produced by Roman Sladek
featuring Jelena Kuljić, Nesrine, Viktoria Tolstoy,
Wolfgang Haffner, David Helbock’s Random/Control ,
Kalle Kalima, Nils Landgren & Jakob Manz
Excecutive Producer: Siggi Loch
Recorded by Josy Friebel at Harry Klein, Munich in July, August,
and September 2020
Mixed by Roman Sladek & Umberto Echo
Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann
Cover Art by Lena Maidl (sturmtiefdesign)
Jazzrausch Bigband:
Alto & Soprano Saxophones: Bettina Maier, Daniel Klingl
Tenor Saxophones: Raphael Huber, Frederik Mademann,
Moritz Stahl Baritone & Bass Saxophones, Bass &
Contrabass Clarinets: Florian Leuschner Trumpets: Angela
Avetisyan, Julius Braun, Julian Hesse, Michael Salvermoser
Trombones: Thorben Schütt, Roman Sladek Tuba: Jutta
Keeß Electronics: Leonhard Kuhn Drums: Marco Dufner
Percussion: Samuel Wootton Bass & Synthesizer: Georg
Stirnweiß Guitar: Heinrich Wulff Keys: Thomas Kölbl, Kevin
Welch Vocals: Patricia Römer, Alma Naidu
