Deep Jazz – The Meeting

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Jerker Kluge´s DEEP JAZZ
Directions in Spiritual and Modal Jazz

A1 Heaven & Earth B1 Black Tiger
A2 Orange Flower B2 Starling´s Talk
A3 Naima B3 Red Smoke
A1, B1 written by J. Kluge; B2 written by J. Fehenberger and J. Kluge; A2, B3 written by J.
Junghanss, A3 written by J. Coltrane
Julia Fehenberger – Vocals on A1, B1, B2
Jo Junghanss – Piano
Jerker Kluge – Bass, Tanpura
Matthias Gmelin – Drums, Vibraphone
Florian Riedl – Flute on A1, A2
Martin Fredebeul – Soprano Sax on A3, B1, B3
Till Martin – Tenor Sax on A3, B1, B3
Ulrich Wangenheim – Bass Clarinet on A3, B1, B3
Kathrin Pechlof – Concert Harp on A1

Following in the footsteps of the classic Impulse- and Blue Note recordings, DEEP JAZZ is
presenting Spiritual- and Modal-Jazz of the highest intensity!
There’s a swinging, soulful groove to the whole thing, full of inspired tones and rich colors.
Beautifully executed musicality and fine-woven compositions are brought together in the six
tunes on this mini-album – a wealth of righteous grooves that could just as well have been
recorded in the late sixties!

If you dig the work of Pharoah Sanders, John and Alice Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, Joe
Henderson and other giants on Impulse and Blue Note Records, then check out this young
German group, that takes the well-absorbed heritage and then runs with those roots in bold
new directions!

You can find spirit, swing, and a whole lot more — a mighty collection of music!
The recording took place in one session at the musician-owned studio at Hermann-Lingg-
Strasse in Munich in January 2008. Without any rehearsal the jazzmen (and of course
jazzwomen) managed to create a very powerful vibe throughout all the tunes and also
displayed their sensitive approach to the compositions, that they played for the first time!
The compositions, with the exception of Naima by John Coltrane, are all written by the
musicians themselves, showing their ability to take the heritage and tradition of the past and
create something new out of it.

Heaven & Earth is a journey through the flow of life, the eternal circle that is repeating
endlessly and starting all over again after each decline. Singer Julia is taking the listener far
away with this serene voyage to the soul.

Orange Flower is a composition by pianist Jo, that has a special modal groove with a
repetitive bass-line and a charming melody played by flute and piano. The following flute
solo will take you to heaven!

Naima is an absolute classic by John Coltrane, but played here in a lightly 5-4 groove, that
gives the composition a new impression, but flows very naturally despite the odd metre. The
tune is increasing in level and intensity until the mighty outburst of the anthem-like finale!
Black Tiger is a classic modal waltz composition, yet the unusual vocals give it a new
direction. In the solo section, the band goes to a 4-4 modal rhythm and the horn players show
their masterful control over their instruments.

Starling´s Talk is a very moodful composition by singer Julia. Listen carefully and you will
hear the starlings talk! After her vocal part, the group is building up intensity while pianist Jo
is launching into a forceful solo!

Red Smoke is rounding off this collection with a heavy modal mood in the style of the Blue
Note classics. Listen to this powerful tune by pianist Jo and you will soon put the needle to
the beginning again. Please note how drummer Matthias is grooving in heavy action from the
beginning on and then increases the heat even more during the extended solo-parts until his
own solo at the very end!

After all this reading I suggest you to just plug into this album and let the music do its thing!

Eric Rainey

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