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 Matthias Frey for example, is a true master when it comes to all sorts of
keyboard instruments. He equally proves his talents in playing the piano, electric keyboards and the prepared piano (by putting balloons, wooden
wedges etc among the strings, he creates most interesting oundcolourings)
Apart from all this; Matthias Frey is reputed to be a very good composer of
filmmusic. Being open-minded for all styles, he broadened his mind during tours through Africa and South-East Asia, cooperated with very different people like the indian
drummer Trilok Gurtu ,with Wole Soyinka, the nigerian Nobel prize winner for literature and with the solo-cellist of a german symphony orchestra. This way he unifies impressionistic pianojazz,
up-to-date chamber music and far-east folklore.Ramesh Shotham started his career being the drummer of a rockband, but lately concentrates
much more on the percussion-palette of his south-indian home (Tavil, Ghatham, Midragem, Kanjira, Morsing). The percussionist ,who completed his studies at Karnataka College of Percussion,
cooperated in more than 80 records during the last 15 years. He played with illustrious people like Carla Bley, Jonas Hellborg, Charlie Mariano, Seve Swallow, Jule Neigel, Embryo, Steve Coleman and
Chris Hinze. Being a percussion expert, Ramesh Shotham also worked for tv- and radiostations, tought as visiting lecturer at the Rotterdam academy of music, ran workshops and travelled around
the world with musicians from Africa, Australia, China, Korea or Arabia. Büdi Siebert can also look back on an eventful career. The specialist for wind-instruments ( german
flutes, bamboo flutes, clarinet, saxophon) and keyboarder, completed his studies at Stuttgart Musikhochschule, was co-founder of the Eigelstein label in 1976 and in 1980 had a
guest-performance on the occasion of BAP’s second album “Affjetaut”. One year later he had his first own appearance with “Herrgottsax”. To follow were the project “Poesie und Musik”, good cooperation
of many years with Andreas Vollenweider and Ralf Illenberger, as well as the solo-productions “Hmm”, “Bridges” and “Wild Earth”. Very emotional, intensive recordings in Cheops pyramid were the
results of a meditational journey in 1994. Büdi Siebert composed many music pieces by order of tv, theater, ballet and also radioplays for children. During the last years, this studio-musician, who
participated in more than 100 recordings, became well-known especially as representative of “New Instrumental Music” A music.that very often is based on meditational elements
Büdi Siebert, Matthias Frey and Ramesh Shotham are multi-talents, that can not easily be categorized. With the actual album “TRI” the all-rounders perfectly show their diversity With lots of
competence they connect folkloristic ethno-elements from South-East Asia with modern jazz, which at one time is lyrical and contemplative and at another time heavily grooving. In the prologue of “Four
Corners” for example, the auditor listens to keyboard-layers, to sounds reminding of sitars and to a mouth percussion. The following piece ”Rivers
of time”takes seven minutes of time to create a contemplative mood and to fascinate through an almost spiritual sound. “Down to Chennei” carries off into the pulsating life of Madras (=Chennei) by
funk rhythms and impressive piano-hooklines. “New York Walk” starts off with a light, floating and dreamy piano prelude, to then work itself up into an eletrifying grooving music full of vital melody lines
for the tenor-saxophone. Last not least: “Wheels” is defined by soft piano sounds, a percussion-foundation in the difficult 5/4 beat and by ostinato figures for bass clarinet and soprano
saxophone. A colourful happening!
The album’s title “TRI” (indian word for “three”) stands for it.: Siebert, Frey and Shotham act as
partners with equal rights. Each of the three musicians contributes his own cultural background and the experiences of his musical cosmos. Their instrumental play combines the different worlds of
sound to a new, not known overall picture. Finest Worldjazz. |
