Johannes Wallmann’s Elegy for an Undiscovered Species is the pianist’s ninth album and his most ambitious effort to date: a full-length album of new music for jazz quintet and string orchestra. The 19-piece ensemble is fronted by two returning collaborators of Wallmann’s, New York trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and tenor saxophonist Dayna Stephens, and powered by a rhythm tandem of drummer Allison Miller and bassist Nick Moran. Two years in the making, the album was recorded at the Hamel Music Center in Madison in late February 2020 – just prior to the Covid shutdown – and will be released June 25, 2021.
1. Elegy for an Undiscovered Species
2. Two Ears Old
3. In Three
4. Expeditor
5. Longing
6. The Greater Fool
7. Two Ears Old (reprise)
Johannes Wallmann - piano
Ingrid Jensen - trumpet
Dayna Stephens - tenor saxophone, EWI
Allison Miller - drums
Nick Moran - bass
String orchestra: Kaleigh Acord (concert master), Maynie Bradley, Mercedes Cullen (principal), Glen Kuenzi, Chang-En Lu, Anna Luebke, Richard Silvers, Mary Shin, violins; Emma Cifrino, Pedro Oviedo, Rachel Riese (principal), violas; Hannah Kasun, Cole Randolph (principal), Ben Therrell, cellos; Michael Dolan, conductor.
All compositions by Johannes Wallmann, MooseWorks Music, BMI
Recorded February 21 & 22, 2020 at the Mead Witter Concert Hall, Hamel Music Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison
Johannes Wallmann is a Yamaha Piano Artist and thanks Heid Music and the Yamaha Corporation for providing the Yamaha CF6 piano for this recording.
Recording engineers: Audrey Martinovich and Buzz Kemper (Audio for the Arts)
Mixing engineer: Audrey Martinovich (Audio for the Arts)
Mastering engineer: Mark Whitcomb (DNA Music Lab)
Graphic Design: Jamie Breiwick, B Side Graphics
Producer: Johannes Wallmann
This recording was made possible with generous support from: The Emily Mead Baldwin Award, Division of the Arts, University of Wisconsin-Madison & The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and the Graduate School Research Competition, University of Wisconsin-Madison
