Christian Pabst - Balbec (April 30, 2021)

“Christian Pabst’s music, full of lyricism, elegant ornamentation, craftsmanship, but also with a strong and clear concept, is a work that impacts all of our senses. The powerful, illustrative music, stimulates the imagination. With every sound, the listener envisions the most beautiful and warmest images – a bright and happy place knowing no sadness or fear – our private Balbec.”

Babsikem Uchem (Poland)

“Pure rhythmic groove”

Jazztrail (USA)

“Pabst wrote seven pieces that take the listener at their guts.“

Jazzflits (the Netherlands)

“Seven tracks full of sound aesthetics, lyrical moods and exciting improvisations.  This cinematic soundworld has only little to do with the handed down rules of the piano trio and the parameters of classic jazz.”

Jazzthing (Germany)

“A trio that transports imaginary pictures and paints them in perfection (…) on an album where the breath of the musicians is tangible.”

Schall Musikmagazin (Germany)

“Seven fantastic pieces”

Magazin Köllefornia (Germany)

Italy-based German pianist and composer Christian Pabst loves to travel to imaginary places.

This time, he goes to Balbec - the famous city that you won’t find on any map and the literary

inspiration for the new exhilarating abum.

Together with German bassist and Jazz Echo - Winner André Nendza as well as Dutch drummer

Erik Kooger, Pabst explores new musical horizons. Framed by the hopeful spirit of the energetic

opening and closing songs, a poetic story emerges that evokes a wide range of fulfilling emotions.

On two pieces you can also hear the warm sounds of Rhodes and electric bass.

With Balbec, Christian Pabst confirms his artistic identity by exhibiting an impressive command of

the piano, a melodic sensibility and rhythmical fireworks that make you want to travel with him to

one of those secret imaginary places right away.

1 Revelation 04:13

2 Snake 06:49

3 Balbec 05:45

4 Snow 06:58

5 Storm 05:10

6 Golden 05:39

7 Flight 06:52

Christian Pabst (DE) (piano & rhodes)

André Nendza (DE) (double bass & electric bass)

Erik Kooger (NL) (drums)

Recorded & mixed by Christian Heck 

at Loft, Cologne

August 13th, 2020

Mastered by Nate Wood

Kerseboom Mastering

Brooklyn, NY

Pre-order

Christian Pabst - Inner Voice (MOCHERMUSIC 2018)

“Exciting cineastic soundworlds (…) they can become an example of the European jazz piano trio scene” Jazzthing

“This beauty comes from within, from the depth of the music, and leaves space for always new associations” Jazzpodium

#A collection of poetic and soulful music” Jazzflits

“You believe to be taken into the depths of the soul” Jazzhalo

Marco Zenini/Christian Pabst/Erik Kooger (photo by Bart Voorbergen)

“Brilliant and deeply emotional” Musenblätter

“A mysterious sound-world whose fundament is an intriguing balance between composition and improvisation” wegotmusic.de

“Pabst is a virtuoso on his instrument as well as his musicians.

A virtuoso, complex but always melodic jazzalbum” Der Kultur Blog

“**** ”Inner Voice” pays dues to its title and is thus anything but a loud work. And especially because of that it has a lasting impact. Poetic, introverted and with great intimacy (…) deep, sophisticated but never over-complicated jazz aesthetics”” Soultrain

“Inspired and imaginative” anbeat

“A clearly harmonic and lyrical CD at its best. 8 beautiful compositions” Köllefornia

About Christian Pabst

1. Dantès' Dream

2. North-East, South & West

3. Lartigue

4. Shadows

5. Flabbergasted

6. Waiting

7. Inner Voice

8. A Promise

All compositions by Christian Pabst

Christian Pabst (piano)

Marco Zenini (bass)

Erik Kooger (drums)

Recorded by Joris Wolff @ PowerSound Studios, Amsterdam

Mixed and mastered by Jan Erik Kongshaug @ Rainbow Studios, Oslo

www.christianpabst.com

mochermusic.com

Luboš Soukup Quartet - Země (ANIMAL MUSIC 2018)

Luboš Soukup Quartet’s  latest release, Země,  features guitar and vocals from Lionel Loueke

Luboš Soukup Quartet has released their third studio album, titled Země (The Earth). The jazz album features guest appearances from guitarist Lionel Loueke, who brings a slightly African touch. As with the band’s earlier releases, all music and arrangements are composed exclusively by the Czech saxophonist Luboš Soukup, and it is the first of the quartet’s offerings to feature vocal arrangements.

Compared to their previous release, Through the Mirror, which was recorded with an ensemble of 14 musicians, Země is more intimate and personal. The quartet’s  essence stays the same, but new musical interactions are presented. The instruments featured on the recording (saxophone, guitar, piano, double bass, and drums) are reminiscent of the quartet’s debut album Beyond the Borders, which featured a guest appearance from guitarist David Dorůžka. However, Soukup introduces a new instrument to this project, which has not previously been typical of his music, the voice. 

The saxophonist again joins forces with Danish drummer Morten Hæsum, one of the quartet’s founding members, and German pianist Christian Pabst, who featured on the quartet’s previous album. They are joined by Danish bassist Morten Haxholm, who has been with the band since 2016, and New York-based, Benin-raised guitarist, Lionel Loueke, who accompanies the band for six tracks, including providing vocals for some of them. Luboš Soukup, recipient of the Danish Music Talent Award 2017, first met  Lionel Loueke at a Summer jazz workshop for professional musicians in Vallekilde, Denmark, three years ago. At the beginning of 2017, Soukup invited Loueke to join his quartet for a European tour, during which the five musicians performed at Jazz Festival Brno, the Czech Republic, and in Copenhagen, Denmark, amongst others, and finished the tour in Danish studio, The Village Recordings, where they recorded the music for Země. 

Music that celebrates the Earth 

The CD begins with title track Země (The Earth), which was inspired by Loueke’s music. “I wrote this composition with Lionel in mind,” says Soukup,  “we live in interesting times and our planet faces many issues. My wish is that people strive to be more environmentally-friendly and sustainable, and that we are in closer contact with nature. I think future lifestyles will have to be simpler, which is a rather difficult task in today’s world with all the incredible possibilities we have.” This optimistic song is followed by rather darker ballad, Dark Shark.The track description from the CD insert reads: “A dark shark is floating around your head, waiting for your good thoughts to eat.” Continuing with the marine imagery, following track The Red Sea — inspired by the picture of Moses stretching out his hand over the sea and God parting the waters — is one of the most rhythmically complex pieces on the album.


Soukup borrows the word ‘Shikara’ from the Salman Rushdie classic, Midnight’s children, as the title for a short poem about small colorful boats on Indian lakes, and the dialogue between piano and clarinet is the leitmotif of calm and dreamlike composition, White Horse. The dreamy mood continues in the second part of Smoke, which is also one of the most technically sophisticated compositions. Soukup found inspiration for this tune in the eponymous movie directed by Paul Auster and Wayne Wang. An interesting music development can be also heard in C. The piece opens with the collective improvisation of piano, guitar, and soprano saxophone, and features a main theme of Latin-American vibes, finally graduating in an exposed guitar solo The only tune that bears any hallmarks of the classical jazz of the1960s is Falling star, which captures the impression of a falling star freezing on the horizon. The final track on the album is a positive arrangement of the Czech folk song Na Bílé Hoře (On the White Mountain) which, thanks to Lionel Loueke’s contribution, has a distinctly African feel.

Notes

Luboš Soukup Quartet first formed in 2012 in Copenhagen, Denmark. During this time, the band has changed its lineup several times. The remaining original members of the project are Czech saxophonist and clarinettist Luboš Soukup, who is also the founder, band leader, and exclusive composer of all the band’s music, and Danish drummer Morten Hæsum, who is renowned for his innovative, highly interactive way of playing. In the current line-up, the band also features German pianist Christian Pabst, who brings a fresh, lyrical style to Soukup’s compositions, and Danish bassist Morten Haxholm, who ensures that the music’s foundation is mature and solid.

Soukup studied at three European music schools, The Jazz Conservatory in Prague, Czechia, The Music Academy in Katowice, Poland, and The Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 2011, he became the first scholar of the benefit project Chocomusic, which was founded by the O2 Foundation alongside Strings of Autumn, one of the biggest Czech music festivals, and which contributes to foreign studies. During his studies abroad, Soukup fell in love with Scandinavian musical tradition and settled in Denmark.

In addition to the Luboš Soukup Quartet, he also leads the internationally successful quartet Points, and its expanded versions — Points Septet and PointsRataj Quintet (a jazz quartet with live electronics). He is a member of the energetic Scandinavian band MAdHAs, the Czech-Polish quintet Inner Spaces, and the Czech big band, Concept Art Orchestra etc. In recent years, he has been very  involved with composing music for his own bands, as well as other people’s  projects, and he teaches Saxophone and Ensemble at the Music and Dance  Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts (HAMU) in Prague.

The Benin-raised jazz guitarist Lionel Loueke makes a guest appearance on Země. Thanks to his originality, outstanding rhythm and well-honed technical skill, he has become one of the most sought after jazz musicians in the world today. He has previously featured in the work of Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, Dave Holland, Chris Potter and many more.

1. Země (The Earth) 6:12

2. Dark Shark 6:05

3. The Red Sea 4:12

4. Shikara 6:51

5. White Horse 4:01

6. C 7:03

7. Falling Star 6:05

8. Smoke 7:06

9. Na Bílé hoře (On the White Mountain) 4:53

All compositions by Luboš Soukup, except track 9 (Czech folk song arranged by Luboš Soukup).

Luboš Soukup – tenor and soprano saxophone, clarinet

Christian Pabst – piano

Morten Haxholm – acoustic bass

Morten Hæsum – drums

&

Lionel Loueke – guitar and vocal