Thursday, January 24, 2019

Morten Ramsbøl - True North (CHALLENGE RECORDS 2019)


True North - Morten Ramsbøl's latest release and debut album on Challenge Records

True North - Morten Ramsbøl's latest release and debut album on Challenge Records - showcase new compositions by Morten in a stellar lineup with some of the finest jazz musicians in Europe: “Several listenings to this music, only solidify the obvious, that Morten Ramsbøl is clearly his own musical spirit. Highly original, a payer of homage to the totality of jazz performance and the unique position that the bass occupies within it…one foot firmly placed in that history, the other constantly exploring new directions within the path less traveled”. 

Whether soloing, grooving, or painting colors, Morten consistently displays a staggering command of the instrument. He constantly responds immediately to his colleagues. Bassist Dave Holland said: “the greatest musicians were the greatest listeners”, a truism that is proved repeatedly throughout this recording.


Morten Ramsbøl 
Morten has a BA teaching degree from the Royal Academy Of Music in Aarhus and a Pedagogical Diploma degree.  He has since 1998 played, toured and recorded with stellar artists such as Sinne Eeg, Niels Lan Doky, The Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Kurt Elling, John Scofield, Claire Martin, Benny Golson, Kristian Leth, Kenneth Knudsen, Renato Chicco, Randy Brecker, Ulf Wakenius, Lars Jansson, and many more. Morten has composed music for television, commission work and numerous tours / projects. His first album “Short Stay feat. Joey Baron” (Music Mecca, 2002)  and secondly the first album with all original compositions “Same Story, Different Place” (Gateway Music, 2014) and thirdly “How Far Is The Moon” (Natango Music, 2016) have been praised in and outside of Denmark being called “a timeless masterpiece”. 

“I congratulate these musicians on such a splendid effort. I wholeheartedly endorse that effort with absolutely no hesitation. Morten Ramsbøl lends credence to that time spun adage of, “Talent deserving wider recognition”. Throughout this project, his magnificent talent, diligence in craft and scrutiny in selecting accompanying sidemen to enhance his aesthetic vision, he has subsequently raised the bar in musical achievership. 

Listen? Yes, definitely. But HEAR him!”

– Thomas Howard Curtis III

Morten Ramsbøl (double bass)
Julian Arguelles (saxophone)
Jacob Karlzon (piano)
Reini Schmolzer (drums)
Igmar Jenner (violin)
Andreas Semlitsch (violin)
Delphine Krenn-Viard (viola)
Katja Finsel (cello)

1 As Seen From Above  04:24
2 Marianne  01:29
3 Brothers  01:19
4 Keith  04:10
5 True North  07:22
6 Naymenhay  03:12
7 Le Grand  05:48
8 Signal Me  07:08
9 Brothers II  03:11
10 Surface  04:11

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