Writing for a jazz orchestra and leading a 19-musicians orchestra marks a turning point for any musician, and Danish double bass player Kenneth Dahl Knudsen is no exception. Knudsen acknowledges the importance of this artistic milestone in his career but prefers to frame it as a sort of a tribute to the lasting influence of the Danish peaceful atmosphere and natural scenery on his art. «My music does not based on advanced harmonic or complex lines, it’s more simple», he says. «My music should reflect ut, it should sound like me, like Denmark, but also like all the people i met from all over the world».
«We’ll Meet in the Rain» is Knudsen third solo album, a Kickstarter crowdfunded project, featuring nine original compositions for the orchestra, each one speaks about his encounters with people, stories and anecdotes. Knudsen Pan-European orchestra, featuring young musicians from the vibrant scene of Berlin, including a vocalist and a string quartet, conducted by sax player Malte Schiller, was recorded in Berlin. Polish, Denmark-based rising trumpeter Tomasz Dąbrowski is the most experienced musician in this orchestra along Knudsen, and played on Knudsen previous albums, «Strings Attached» (Gateway, 2010) and «Clockstopper» (Longlife Records, 2012).
Knudsen compositions gravitate towards an innocent, lyrical core, echoing the lush arrangements of American big bands such as Maria Schneider Orchestra. All the compositions unfold as clear cinematic narratives, enriched by the multiple voices of the orchestra. These voices color the melodies and suggest a balanced spectrum between the woodwinds and brass section and the strings quartet.
Wordless vocalist Marie Séférian shines establishes herself as one of the dominant voices in the orchestra. She shines on the tender and dramatic «Krig og Kærlighed» («War and Love»), the melancholic «The Camera Man» and on the chamber, introspective arrangement of «A Merry Song» with her beautiful, ethereal delivery. Dąbrowski contributes few remarkable solos, as on «Tucked In» and «Dapo», a piece that also highlights impressive rhythmic solos by pianist Uri Gincel and Knudsen himself. Knudsen assured and warm toned playing leads another melody soaked with a melancholic touch, «Mettelody». The title piece introduce a surprising folksy vein, abstracted by a gentle chamber-like arrangement.
Impressive.
Eyal Hareuveni
Malte Schiller (cond), Marie Séférian (v), Linda Jozefowski (fl), Roman Ott (as), Markus Ehrlich (ts), Viktor Wolf (ts), Lou Lecaudey (tb), Nils Marquardt (tb), Tomasz Dąbrowski (tp), Magnus Oseth (tp), Fritz Moshammer (tp), Daniel Weltlinger (vio), Héloïse Lefebvre (vio), Sebastian Peszko (viola), Liron Yariv (c), Sebastian Böhlen (g), Uri Gincel (p), Mathias Ruppnig (dr), Kenneth Dahl Knudsen: (b)
