BAREFOOT DANCES AND OTHER VISIONS
JIM MCNEELY & THE FRANKFURT RADIO BIG BAND
Nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Recording
Now available on iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby
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Barefoot Dances and Other Visions is a seven-part suite composed in 2014 for the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. Each piece expresses a different kind of fantasy. We performed it live in two concerts in Frankfurt February ’14, then recorded it in the studio in September of that year.
When I wrote this music I had been working with the Frankfurt Radio Big Band for about six years, so I knew the players quite well. The suite was written so that every one of the band’s soloists is placed in a framework that would be both familiar and challenging. Each piece features a pair of soloists, playing individually, sometimes together. Several of the pieces begin with a chamber-sized group, “in front of the curtain”. Then the curtain rises to reveal the whole band, having assumed yet another formation. Bob’s Here imagines the return of composer/trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, who died in 2011. Black Snow conjures up the vision of a normally tranquil scene, still tranquil but rendered improbably dark. Barefoot Dances are just that, something I’ve never actually done in my life. A Glimmer of Hope tries its best to be optimistic, a difficult task these days. Redman Rides Again imagines the return of the arranger/reedman Don Redman. Among other things he was known for writing fantastic clarinet trios. This piece features a real clarinet trio, and a second “trio” formed by Oliver Leicht and his harmonized clarinet. Falling Upwards: try as I may, I still find it impossible. The Cosmic Hodge-Podge offers a vision of the cosmos where galaxies are replaced by blocks of sound; super novas become solo explosions; and a single black hole emerges at the end, emitting just a smidgen of light. Jim McNeely |
THE MUSIC
SOLOS Christian Jaksjö, valve trombone Martin Scales, guitar |
SOLO Martin Auer, flugelhorn |
SOLOS Günter Bollmann, trombone Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn, soprano saxophone |
SOLOS Rainer Heute, baritone saxophone Manfred Honetschläger, bass trombone |
SOLOS Axel Schlosser, flugle horn Oliver Leicht, clarinet |
SOLOS Peter Reiter, piano Steffen Weber, tenor saxophone Jean Paul Höchstädter, drums |
SOLOS Thomas Heidepriem, bass Tony Lakatos, tenor saxophone Axel Schlosser, trumpet |
LINER NOTES
The artist Paul Klee wrote “Art does not reproduce the visible; rather it makes visible.” From our earliest days as children, we all have visions and fantasies. Imaginary friends; winning “the big game”; confronting monsters; visits from mysterious people we don’t recognize. We create images and sounds in our minds’ eyes that typically don’t exist in the “outside” world. It is the calling of an artist to midwife these fantasies into reality. In Klee’s case he used paint, pencil, canvas and cardboard. In my case I’ve used rhythm, pitch, and the musical spirit of the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. These are seven imaginary scenes. A couple of them imagine the return of great musicians no longer with us. A few begin with chamber-size visions before the whole band develops. They all represent inner visions made audible.
Bob’s Here imagines the return of composer/trombonist Bob Brookmeyer—one of my mentors—who died in 2011. Christian Jaksjø soars on valve trombone; then Martin Scales’ guitar solo leads into a whirling dervish of a finish. Peter Reiter’s piano solo leads into Black Snow. Martin Auer’s Flügelhorn conjures up the vision of new-fallen snow, normally a tranquil scene, but rendered improbably dark by internal conflicts within the observer. Barefoot Dances is inspired in part by Henri Matisse’s The Dance, and in part by years of dreaming. Gunther Böllman starts the dance on trombone. Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn finishes the celebration on soprano saxophone. A Glimmer of Hope is optimism struggling to survive in an ocean of darkness. It starts with a theme (to return later) elaborated on by Rainer Heute on baritone sax and Manfred Honetschläger on bass trombone. The main body of the piece follows, with Peter Feil’s trombone solo providing the glimmer.
Among many other things, the great arranger/reedman Don Redman was known for writing fantastic clarinet trios. After a prelude that bathes Flügelhornist Axel Schlosser in cascades of sound, Redman Rides Again imagines Redman’s return. It features a “real” clarinet trio, and a “virtual trio” formed by Oliver Leicht and his harmonized clarinet. I’ve dreamt about Falling Upwards, but so far can’t actually do it. It starts with a tenor solo by Tony Lakatos. Then the first theme from Glimmer of Hope returns, this time a little more optimistically. Steffen Weber raises spirits on tenor sax. Then the band returns with more cascades swirling around Jean-Paul Höchstädter’s drum fills.
The final piece starts with bassist Thomas Heidepriem offering a reflective solo cushioned by the ensemble. Then begins The Cosmic Hodge-Podge, a vision of a cosmic soup where galaxies are replaced by blocks of sound. Super novas become solo explosions by Tony Lakatos on tenor, Axel Schlosser on trumpet, and Jean-Paul Höchstädter on drums. A single black hole emerges at the end, emitting just a smidgen of light (another glimmer of hope?). It may flourish and grow; then again, it may be simply the last gasp.
It takes a few years of writing for a band before you really get to know them. I started working steadily with the Frankfurt Radio Big Band in 2008. After three or four projects I began to see the musicians’ faces on the score. I could hear their sounds; imagine their improvising. I could hear how they laugh. I was making thousands of arranging decisions based on the characteristics of each player. By the time I wrote the pieces on this CD I knew the “ins and outs” of this band so very well. I tailored my musical visions to fit each player in the ensemble, and placed each soloist in a framework both familiar and challenging. This is truly a collaboration between the members of the band and myself. Thank you, all, for giving such an elegant voice to these visions.
Jim McNeely
www.JimMcNeely.com
The artist Paul Klee wrote “Art does not reproduce the visible; rather it makes visible.” From our earliest days as children, we all have visions and fantasies. Imaginary friends; winning “the big game”; confronting monsters; visits from mysterious people we don’t recognize. We create images and sounds in our minds’ eyes that typically don’t exist in the “outside” world. It is the calling of an artist to midwife these fantasies into reality. In Klee’s case he used paint, pencil, canvas and cardboard. In my case I’ve used rhythm, pitch, and the musical spirit of the Frankfurt Radio Big Band. These are seven imaginary scenes. A couple of them imagine the return of great musicians no longer with us. A few begin with chamber-size visions before the whole band develops. They all represent inner visions made audible.
Bob’s Here imagines the return of composer/trombonist Bob Brookmeyer—one of my mentors—who died in 2011. Christian Jaksjø soars on valve trombone; then Martin Scales’ guitar solo leads into a whirling dervish of a finish. Peter Reiter’s piano solo leads into Black Snow. Martin Auer’s Flügelhorn conjures up the vision of new-fallen snow, normally a tranquil scene, but rendered improbably dark by internal conflicts within the observer. Barefoot Dances is inspired in part by Henri Matisse’s The Dance, and in part by years of dreaming. Gunther Böllman starts the dance on trombone. Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn finishes the celebration on soprano saxophone. A Glimmer of Hope is optimism struggling to survive in an ocean of darkness. It starts with a theme (to return later) elaborated on by Rainer Heute on baritone sax and Manfred Honetschläger on bass trombone. The main body of the piece follows, with Peter Feil’s trombone solo providing the glimmer.
Among many other things, the great arranger/reedman Don Redman was known for writing fantastic clarinet trios. After a prelude that bathes Flügelhornist Axel Schlosser in cascades of sound, Redman Rides Again imagines Redman’s return. It features a “real” clarinet trio, and a “virtual trio” formed by Oliver Leicht and his harmonized clarinet. I’ve dreamt about Falling Upwards, but so far can’t actually do it. It starts with a tenor solo by Tony Lakatos. Then the first theme from Glimmer of Hope returns, this time a little more optimistically. Steffen Weber raises spirits on tenor sax. Then the band returns with more cascades swirling around Jean-Paul Höchstädter’s drum fills.
The final piece starts with bassist Thomas Heidepriem offering a reflective solo cushioned by the ensemble. Then begins The Cosmic Hodge-Podge, a vision of a cosmic soup where galaxies are replaced by blocks of sound. Super novas become solo explosions by Tony Lakatos on tenor, Axel Schlosser on trumpet, and Jean-Paul Höchstädter on drums. A single black hole emerges at the end, emitting just a smidgen of light (another glimmer of hope?). It may flourish and grow; then again, it may be simply the last gasp.
It takes a few years of writing for a band before you really get to know them. I started working steadily with the Frankfurt Radio Big Band in 2008. After three or four projects I began to see the musicians’ faces on the score. I could hear their sounds; imagine their improvising. I could hear how they laugh. I was making thousands of arranging decisions based on the characteristics of each player. By the time I wrote the pieces on this CD I knew the “ins and outs” of this band so very well. I tailored my musical visions to fit each player in the ensemble, and placed each soloist in a framework both familiar and challenging. This is truly a collaboration between the members of the band and myself. Thank you, all, for giving such an elegant voice to these visions.
Jim McNeely
www.JimMcNeely.com
THE BAND
Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn--Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Clarinet
Oliver Leicht--Alto Sax, Clarinet, Flute, Alto Clarinet, Alto Flute
Tony Lakatos--Tenor Sax, Flute, Alto Flute
Steffen Weber--Tenor Sax, Flute, Clatinet, Bass Flute
Rainer Heute--Baritone Sax, Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute
Frank Wellert--Trumpet, Flügelhorn
Thomas Vogel--Trumpet, Flügelhorn
Martin Auer--Trumpet, Flügelhorn
Axel Schlosser--Trumpet, Flügelhorn
Günter Bollman--Trombone
Peter Feil--Trombone
Christian Jaksjø--Trombone, Valve Trombone
Manfred Honetschläger--Bass Trombone
Martin Scales--Guitar
Peter Reiter--Piano
Thomas Heidepriem--Bass
Jean-Paul Höchstädter—Drums
Heinz-Dieter Sauerborn--Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Alto Flute, Bass Flute, Clarinet
Oliver Leicht--Alto Sax, Clarinet, Flute, Alto Clarinet, Alto Flute
Tony Lakatos--Tenor Sax, Flute, Alto Flute
Steffen Weber--Tenor Sax, Flute, Clatinet, Bass Flute
Rainer Heute--Baritone Sax, Bass Clarinet, Alto Flute
Frank Wellert--Trumpet, Flügelhorn
Thomas Vogel--Trumpet, Flügelhorn
Martin Auer--Trumpet, Flügelhorn
Axel Schlosser--Trumpet, Flügelhorn
Günter Bollman--Trombone
Peter Feil--Trombone
Christian Jaksjø--Trombone, Valve Trombone
Manfred Honetschläger--Bass Trombone
Martin Scales--Guitar
Peter Reiter--Piano
Thomas Heidepriem--Bass
Jean-Paul Höchstädter—Drums
PRODUCTION NOTES
Recorded: September 9 to 12 2014, Hörfunkstudio II, Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt am Main
Mixed: July 2015, Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt am Main
Mastered: October 2017, Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt am Main
Produced by Olaf Stötzler
Recording Producer (Recording/Editing/Mixing/Mastering): Axel Gutzler
Recording Engineer: Michael Wayszak
Cover Art: Terry Lamacchia, www.terrylamacchia.weebly.com
Cover Art Photography: David Corrigan, www.davecorriganphotography.com
Package Design: Valerie Trucchia, www.valerietrucchia.com
This project has been supported by a generous grant from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music Recording Program
Recorded: September 9 to 12 2014, Hörfunkstudio II, Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt am Main
Mixed: July 2015, Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt am Main
Mastered: October 2017, Hessischer Rundfunk, Frankfurt am Main
Produced by Olaf Stötzler
Recording Producer (Recording/Editing/Mixing/Mastering): Axel Gutzler
Recording Engineer: Michael Wayszak
Cover Art: Terry Lamacchia, www.terrylamacchia.weebly.com
Cover Art Photography: David Corrigan, www.davecorriganphotography.com
Package Design: Valerie Trucchia, www.valerietrucchia.com
This project has been supported by a generous grant from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music Recording Program