Karolina Strassmayer & Drori Mondlak - Freescapes (March 20, 2022)

With their latest recording Freescapes, drummer Drori Mondlak and alto saxophonist and flautist Karolina Strassmayer, continue their creative adventure that began in New York City in 2000. In their eighth recording together their vision has further crystallised their original and deeply personal sound.

Freescapes describes the open musical landscapes that offer complete creative freedom.

The album includes a spontaneous improvisational suite in 3 movements, two solo drums & percussion pieces, a saxophone and drum duet and three original Strassmayer compositions.

Mondlak and Strassmayer consider Freescapes their most powerful and authentic recording to date.

Freescapes reflects the live performances of their quartet KLARO!, weaving together group improvisations and composed pieces while remaining dedicated to lyricism, melody, and the creation of beauty.

The sound quality is exquisite. As always, they have taken great care in the recording process–in this case, in a great concert venue. The mastering quality is superb and offers the best and truest sound of the quartet.

If you’d like the CD signed with a dedication inside the digipack, please specify this in your order

Internationally renowned journalist Doug Ramsey writes,

“This international quartet is one of the most interesting small groups at work today.”

1. Sing To Me Of... 03:32

2. Mallets And Air 03:48

3. Sticks And Flurries 03:17

4. Brushes Dancing 04:22 video

5. Courage 07:33

6. Hands And Feet Talking 03:47

7. Aahhh! 09:38

8. Both Held And Free 08:08

9. Octopus Dance 04:29

Drori Mondlak - drums, percussion

Karolina Strassmayer - alto saxophone, flute, compositions

Rainer Böhm - piano

Thomas Stabenow - bass

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Rainer Böhm - hýdōr (ACT MUSIC 2018)

“ACT seems to be on a mission to introduce the world to Europe's rising new jazz-classical pianists,” the UK’s leading jazz critic John Fordham of the Guardian has noted. And jazz for piano has indeed always been part of ACT's DNA. The label’s roster includes pianists who have achieved international renown such as Joachim Kühn, Esbjörn Svensson and Michael Wollny; and more recently the Austrian David Helbock has started to be recognized as the major talent he clearly is. Siggi Loch started the dedicated album series “Piano Works” to present the finest in solo piano playing, and Rainer Böhm with his album “hýdōr” becomes the latest pianist to enter this pantheon.Born in Ravensburg in Southern Germany in 1977 and now based in Cologne, Böhm is considered by critics to be one of the country’s outstanding jazz pianists, yet among the wider...

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Rainer Böhm / piano

1 Bass Study (Part I) ( Rainer Böhm) 05:04

2 Bass Study (Part II) ( Rainer Böhm) 02:45

3 hýdor ( Rainer Böhm) 02:25

4 Badi Bada ( Rainer Böhm) 03:46

5 Terzen ( Rainer Böhm) 02:10

6 Two Minds ( Rainer Böhm) 02:10

7 Catalyst ( Rainer Böhm) 05:55

8 Brazilian Movie Song ( Rainer Böhm) 05:22

9 Querstand ( Rainer Böhm) 01:50

10 Expansion And Reduction ( Rainer Böhm) 04:22

11 Thumb Up, Broken Toe ( Rainer Böhm) 05:05

12 Hypo ( Rainer Böhm) 04:52

13 hýdor Reprise ( Rainer Böhm) 03:46

Music composed and produced by Rainer Böhm

Recorded by Stefan Deistler at Tonstudio Loft, Cologne, August 10 & 11, 2017

Mixed by Stefan Deistler

Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann

Cover art by Hermann Rudorf, Woge (1998)

© VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn, 2018

Wanja Slavin Lotus Eaters - Salvation (WHY PLAY JAZZ 2018)

Wanja Slavin (BMW World Jazz Award, Echo Jazz Award) presents his new album, “Salvation” with music that dazzles like the iridescent layers of a rainbow, evoking a radiance and authority – seven compositional gems with an orchestral feeling, rich tonal colors and sophisticated arrangements.

It’s a given that he’s one of the best alto saxophonists in Germany – or anywhere else, for that matter. His play has earned him the commensurate awards – important waystations along Wanja Slavin’s musical journey rather than any sort of existential musical goal. 

The exceptional new album from Slavin and his Lotus Eaters is the best evidence that the bandleader wants more. It’s the reason why he is so meticulous about the music he releases and why he so scrupulously fine-tunes his arrangements; it’s why time and again he alters his band personnel in order to more conclusively encompass the overriding musical ideas.

The music on “Salvation” dazzles like the iridescent layers of a rainbow. Yet it does not intrude on or attempt to overwhelm the listener. It develops its radiant power and authority reflectively, with discipline, devoid of clichés. In listening, one witnesses the burgeoning of something beautiful. Known for his free play in diverse Avant-garde constellations, here Wanja commits to the melodics of song form. Wanja Slavin considers The Lotus Eaters to be his most important band.

Like a gourmet, he seeks out the musicians that best suit his intentions. Thus, this second Lotus Eaters album consists of three recording sessions with alternating lineups and seven musical gems. There is an orchestral feeling to the music, with rich tonal colors and sophisticated arrangements. The solos are delineated, and come quickly and precisely to the particular point, since totally free play would not serve the purpose. Less is more, with pieces that project the feel of thoroughly arranged pop songs, or a kinship to Alfred Schnittke, or they could be the heroes of an imaginary Shorter-Wheeler-Konitz lineup leaning towards a rare multi-dimensional quality. After listening to the music, it’s clear that the particular line-up is essential.

Wanja isn’t one to hide behind his music. In this postmodern period, he has to deal with everything that’s out there. With the Lotus Eaters, he has come a long way in the art of defining and refining the essential. He doesn’t copy and he stays clear of irony. He doesn’t need those crutches because he’s not afraid of standing on his own two feet. 

The music alludes to something precious that goes beyond the six individuals involved and towards a spiritual level in which everything is transformed.

1 Salvation  6:36

2 W.S. 1  6:54

3 Melancholia 1  6:25

4 Melancholia 2  3:51

5 W.S. 2  6:33

6 Moonlight Becomes You  4:48

7 Love Song  3:53

Tom Arthurs (tp)

Erik Kimestad Pedersen (tp)

Wanja Slavin (as, synth)

Philipp Gropper (ts)

Rainer Böhm (p, rhodes)

Andreas Lang (b)

Bernhard Meyer (eb)

Petter Eldh (b, eb, synth)

Ivars Arutyunyan (dr)

Tobias Backhaus (dr)

Nasheet Waits (dr)

Track 1 recorded March 24, 2016 by Falko Duczmal at Forest Studios Steinbeck, Germany. Track 2/3/4 recorded September 28/29, 2016 by Marco Birkner at Casa San Francesco Loft Studios, Italy. Track 5/6/7 recorded January 19, 2017 by Rainer Robben at AudioCue Tonstudios Berlin, Germany. Produced by Wanja Slavin for WhyPlayJazz. Mixed by Marck Fuck. Mastered by Katherine Miller. Photo by Dovile Sermokas. Design and artwork by Travassos. Supported by Initiative Musik gGmbH with project funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Germany.

Concerts 2018

Apr 17, 2018 - Mannheim, DE @ Klapsmühl

Apr 18, 2018 - Köln, DE @ LOFT

Apr 19, 2018 - Berlin, DE @ Orania

Apr 21, 2018 - Pohrsdorf, DE @ Saxstall