Barbara Dennerlein releases Christmas album
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Topic: Barbara Dennerlein releases Christmas album
Posted By: BaldFriede
Subject: Barbara Dennerlein releases Christmas album
Date Posted: November 03 2015 at 04:32
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Here an excerpt from this month's newsletter: Bari, Italy, end of July, 2015. 35 degrees Celsius, blue sky, the Adriatic Sea is inviting for a swim. In short: vacation feeling. Long summer nights under the stars, ice cream, summer dresses. This suggests itself that it's the best time to go into the studio and record a Christmas album. Come again? Yes, indeed. During the great summer heat Barbara Dennerlein flew to south Italy to record her album "Christmas Soul". Christian Kellersmann from the Edel company had the idea to this album. It will be released November 6 on the legendary label MPS both as CD and as LP. Notable musicians accompanied Barbara Dennerlein in the recording sessions. Magnus Lindgren is an awarded saxophone, flute and clarinet player and arranger. He played together with Herbie Hancock at age 18, was band member of Nils Landgren's Funk Unit and the Till Brönner Band. He has arranged the songs for the album. Barbara attached great importance to a selection of great songs, not only the well known but also titles that are less frequently played. And, she composed the "B's X-Max Blues" especially for this album. Barbara chose a Hammond organ for these recordings that she had played in several concerts in Italy before. It is a wonderful B3, owned by a true fan of Barbara, who equipped the instrument with a Midi pedal and other special features. It's certainly the best B3 available for concerts and studio recordings in Italy, and this instrument had been carried the long way from north Italy to Bari especially for Barbara's recording sessions. Of course, Barbara plays the pedal bass with the Hammond, but also double and fender bass can be heard on several tracks played by Luca Alemanno. Drummer Robert Mehmet Ikiz, who is also a regular band member in Nils Landgren's Funk unit, came from Sweden. He wrote on Facebook on August 1: "Just recorded a X-mas album for Barbara Dennerlein with producer Nicola Conte in Italy. July, 35 degrees and X-mas at the same time was a new but great experience. Merry X-mas from the drum-room! Album will be out in November on the legendary MPS label!" Abdissa Assefa completed the rhythm section playing the congas and percussion. Born in Ethiopia, he lives in Finland and is one of the best percussionists in Europe. Zara McFarlane from London has been awarded best female jazz singer at the 2014 Mobo Awards. She sings "Christmas Time", "Christmas Song" and "Blue Christmas" on the album. Nicola Conte played guitar on two tracks but mainly was responsible as producer. This was Barbara's first collaboration with him, and it turned out to be great. Conte is internationally reckoned for his unique sound concept, and this was the reason why the musicians met at Sorriso Studio in Bari where Barbara's and his ideas for the album sound could be realised perfectly. Now, how does this album sound? The music is soft like trickling snow, cheery-swinging like dancing snow flakes, romantic and cosy like a crackling fire in the fireside. The Christmas songs remind of jazz standards, grooves that go under one's skin, ballads, soul, blues, hot jazz rhythms - it is an album not only for Christmas time but also perfectly for the whole year. The LP contains a bonus track, a second version of "We Three Kings". On the other hand, other pieces are only on the CD, due to the longer playing time. For instance "Let It Snow" (no, not that one that assumedly comes to you mind now) or "Chim Chim Cheree". As we said - it is not the standard set of Christmas songs that can be awaited.  For all those who don't know Barbara: -------------  BaldJean and I; I am the one in blue. |