Aron Ottignon originally composed ‘So Hold Still’ ten years ago on a one-hundred-year-old piano in the suburbs of Paris. At the time, New Zealand-born jazz pianist, composer and producer found himself conflicted over love, location and purpose. Within free-flowing musical figures, he found catharsis in the bittersweetness of good times that have almost passed. Over the following years, he toured with the French art-pop artist WoodKid, co-wrote with the idiosyncratic Belgian singer/rapper Stromae, released music through Blue Note France, and relocated to Berlin in Germany.
When the global pandemic set in at the start of 2020, Aron found himself revisiting ‘So Hold Still’ and realised he had something further to say with it. He enlisted the efforts of a cast of collaborators, including London-based New Zealand drummer Myele Manzanza and Senegalese percussionist Bakane Seck to help him extrapolate it into a twelve and a half minute border-crossing jazz-fusion odyssey.
On remix duties Aron enlisted two of his favourite contemporary electronic music producers, fellow Berlin dweller Glenn Astro, and from back home in New Zealand, Surly. While Glenn takes the opportunity to reimagine it with a bubbling, digi-boogie bounce, Surly opts for the double-time shuffle and skip of soulful 2-step and broken beat.
1. So Hold Still 12:28
2. So Hold Still - Surly Remix 05:41
3. So Hold Still - Glenn Astro Remix 04:23
4. So Hold Still - Solo Live 03:36
5. So Hold Still - Radio 03:49
Composers: Aron Ottignon, Ilan Kidron, Glenn Astro (Track 03), Surly (Track 03)
Drums: Myele Manzanza
Bass: Eden Ottignon
Percussion: Bahkane Seck
Steel Drums: Samuel Dubois
Piano, Synths & Production: Aron ottignon Marimba DX7: Moussa Ngom
Vocals: Ilan Kidron, Jade McRae, Pete Simpson
Mix: Rusty Santos
Mastered: Moomin
Recorded: Urban Trout Studio
Artwork : Gomez
