PG Special Agent introducing new album "String Theory" by Partikel out on Wirlwind Recordings

Partikel

to release third album

"STRING THEORY"

“One of the hottest young bands 

on the UK scene.”

  Jazzwise

Since Partikel celebrated the release of their third album ”String Theory” (Whirlwind Recordings) with an intense night at the Pizza Express back in june 2015 the international press is really catching up on the trio.

"Turbulent avant-riffage, lush, cinematic sophistication... an ambitious project, convincingly realised" JazzWise, UK ☆☆☆☆

"Highly atmospheric and full of surprises... There are exciting trips through times and styles, united by the great musicality of all the musicians" Musikreviews.de 13/15 , Germany

"Inventive contrapuntally - rich arrangements, this excellent experiment represents a perfect marriage of two seemingly disparate entities, resulting in an album of richly mellifluous sonority" All About Jazz ☆☆☆☆☆

"In balancing Partikel's familiar free jazzy energy with a compositional coherence that draws the textures of the string players and the trio into striking and often unexpectedly seductive accords.... String Theory is an intriguing insight into the depths of their resources"  John Fordham - The Guardian

The London-based trio Partikel (Duncan Eagles on saxophone, Max Luthert on bass and Eric Ford on drums) is heralded as a significant new group on the European scene having maintained a feverish live schedule during the past few years. Their latest album "String Theory" sees them pushing their own sonic and compositional boundaries by teaming up with four equally talented string players, fusing their love of jazz, rock and world music with the textures of a string quartet to create music that showcases an array of unique soundscapes.

The approach to "String Theory" differs to Partikel's previous albums where fine-tuning and non-stop rehearsing of arrangements characterised the lead up to the studio recordings. Eagles describes the process: "With this album the charts I wrote for the trio were purposefully more open and melodic than previous material and the arrangements were developed through touring with the band— rather than all the rehearsing— which I think gives the trio performance on this album a much more natural and spontaneous dynamic." The band has also started to incorporate electronic effects into their live set that they touch upon in the production of this album, giving String Theory a new overall sonic feel from their previous albums where they solely featured the acoustic trio.

Eagles talks about the string quartet: "When thinking about the addition of the strings I wanted to really try and push myself in all areas and not just in the actual writing of their parts which is something I’d never done until this project. Compositionally I wanted to think on a larger scale, moving away from the head–solo–head format as much as possible and I was adamant that I did not want to use the strings as just backing or padding. I wanted the string quartet to be as involved as possible and have a number of opportunities for the two ensembles to interact and improvise together. The first three tracks on the album play together as one piece and this is where I have really put this concept to work the most. When putting this together I was more concerned with allowing a flowing group effort."

The 12 new tracks on "String Theory"  is an astonishing statement from this young band and really shows how they continue to grow musically.

Performing live either as a trio or with strings, this is a must see live band

 

Contact for press and booking (Scandinavia):

For any further press or booking request please contact pgspeialgent(a)gmail.com

Links:

Partikel hompage

Partikel on Facebook

Listen also to more music here on Soundcloud

What the press says...So far:

All About Jazz ☆☆☆☆☆  http://www.allaboutjazz.com/string-theory-partikel-whirlwind-recordings-ltd-review-by-roger-farbey.php

"The always stimulating Partikel meets this string section on equal terms. Eagles's tone on his various horns achieves an impressive blend of colours and dynamics. His compositions and arrangements, embracing sinuous, sinewy elegance, spiky funk and languid ballads, repay close attention. It's another intriguing step in the evolution of this talented outfit." BBC Music Magazine ☆☆☆☆

"String Theory creates a broad spectrum of musical colours that allow the listener to become one with the music...a milestone of jazz."  Nachrichten.com

"high-energy music with a variety of many startling and original soundscapes" RheinMain Magazine

"It is clear that here are three absolute experts at work. Each a master of his instrument placing themselves at the service of the common goal of playing high quality jazz music" Mos Eisley Music

"Highly atmospheric and full of surprises... There are exciting trips through times and styles, united by the great musicality of all the musicians" Musikreviews.de 13/15 

Updated News on album with Mette Juul "There is A Song" OUT NOW

 

Already making international headlines

Latest news (Updated)

Mette Juul is currently recieving big hype internationally for her forthcoming album "There is a Song".

ABC Jazz radio ( Biggest jazz radio in Australia) has made the album "Jazzpick" + "Release to watch out for" on their station right now as well a having her music on heavy rotation.

Link to program "A Danish song" 

From the UK the buzz is also building up with  reviews from some of the scenes most influential blogs such as Marlbank and Bebopspokenhere

"think an expressively creative voice steeped in vocal-jazz traditions landing somewhere between the sound of Anna Maria Jopek and Silje Nergaard – has a fine new album to be released next month"

Marlbank, Stephen Graham

Link to full article

"Danish, singer/songwriter, Juul is one of those artists who creep up on you and grow upon you and, as you absorb the melodies and the intriguing lyrics, suddenly you're in love with a voice"

Bebopspokenhere , Lance Liddle 

Link to full article

See also here:
Australia, SBS
Australia, ABC Radio
Finland, Jazzrytmit
Germany, Nordische Musik
Italy, All about Jazz
Italy, Musica Jazz
Sweden, Orkesterjournalen 





And reviews, interviews in Benelux, Germany, Scandinavia  are confirmed.

"There is a Song" - the album

The Danish jazzscene is as strong as ever. The scene in Denmark has a long and strong tradition and The Danish vocalist and singer-songwriter Mette Juul is such a wonderful proof for that. I am really proud and honoured to working with Mette Juul on this project, and I am sure that you jazz fans will enjoy this fantastic album.

”There Is A Song” is Mette Juuls forthcoming album, out via Universal Music on the 18^th sept. Including 12 astonishing new compositions. The album will be available on CD and for download and stream on all major sites world-wide. And this with a breathtaking line-up:

 Mette Juul (DK) vocals / acoustic guitar

 Nikolaj Hess (DK) piano

 Ambrose Akinmusire (US) trumpet

 Rodney Green (US) drums 

Joe Sanders (US) bass 

Mike Moreno (US) electric guitar

About the album

Mette Juul’s third album is inspired by her personal, musical search and at the same time by her cooperation with the New York based trumpet player Ambrose Akinmusire, who was also featured on her second album. The album has become a journey into her inner self while also having been formed by her worldwide touring. The songs have been written in New York, Italy, Paris and Berlin and in her current home base in Copenhagen. Mette Juul has co-produced the album with New York based Danish piano player Nikolaj Hess, who has been in on the project from the very first jam session to the icy cold day of recording in New York City. His exuberance was an energizer, and his “less is more” style of playing lends a natural lightness to the songs. The bass player Joe Sanders (US) merges with her music and breathes freely, the drummer Rodney Green (US) favors the brushes on several songs, and the (US) guitarist Mike Moreno’s rhythmical sense and jazzy tone bring the songs closer to jazz stan- dards. Ambrose Akinmusire once again shows Juul that he has a special understanding of her songs and her texts and is an active collaborator in telling her stories.

There are songs all over the world

Ever since Mette Juul’s childhood songs have offered her a room of her own. With this joy of singing as a loyal partner through life she has written ten new songs for her new album: A song for her husband, a song for each city she has visited, songs for the ocean, the nature and the moon, a song for the Danish hamlet in which she grew up and a song for the place between two people. The album creates a ring around both the inner and the outer journey with a title song which clearly states that there are songs everywhere in the world worth listening to and people whose songs may inspire us. 

Follow Mette Juul:

Dig into the world and music by Mette Juul here:

Mette Juul on Facebook 

Mette Juul website 

Mette Juul on Soundcloud

  

Feel free to contact me for for interviews, promo copies, photos if you would like to review this album.

Debut release from Zetzum Zorglub on PG Sounds is already getting international attention

Pick of the Week” - May 2015, Bird is the Worm

“Guitarist Buster Jensen’s mix of post-rock, Nordic Jazz and ambient minimalism is pretty damn captivating.  Electric distortion is balanced by contemplative piano phrasings, warm infusions of saxophone harmonies, and a careful attention to how one moment flows into the next.  A strange beauty to this one.”

Dave Sumner / www.birdistheworm.com

“I love the Zetzum Zorglub, for sure!  It's exactly the kind of stuff I play on the show” 

Kevin Coultas, “Mingle” www.artxfm.com , Louisville

Here at PG Sounds it is the poetry and musical delight which is the driving force in releasing music. And with Zetzum Zorglub the pulse in the opening composition, "Raskol", was my first musical encounter with the 23-year-old guitarist and composer Buster Jensen. The softly heartbeat and the guitar solitary dance that finally kicks into an infernal moved me so much that I simply had to listen to more music from Zetzum Zorglub and finally releasing this debut. As the six compositions unfolded, I was in no doubt: Here is a young composer with something to say that is so fine and intimate. Still, explosive, elegant, hell-and outgoing.

The crew of the album is Kaare Bjerke on bass; Andreas Moller Bøttiger on tenor saxophone and piano; Sven Dam Meinild on alto saxophone and clarinet; Mikkel Aagaard Nielsen on trombone; MainTrack on drums and Buster Jensen on guitar. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Thor Madsen at The Mill Studio in Copenhagen during only 2 days of recording in late 2014.

Instead of writing a long press text, I would rather let the composer and the music speak. So I asked Buster to tell about each track. The inspiration, mood, landscape .. Listen and let yourself get carried away.

Zetzum Zorglub on the 6 compositions:

“Raskol”
A compostion named after a Dostoyevsky novel. The book is very gloomy and melancholic, and I that's excatly what I wanted to capture here.

“Fluen” (The fly)
Is built around three thematic lines. I would really have played them on the guitar, but by chance played Andreas lines on a piano, and I immediately fell for the sound. Andreas is not at all a pianist, but I like the little stumbling and naive sense, therefore the title .
 

“I Kina Spiser De Bjerge/Beskidt Ole” (In China They Eat Mountains / Dirty Ole)
The story of Dirty Ole is very sad. He is my parents' neighbor, and therefore also mine when I was younger. Ole was a worn man with no teeth, and generally in a bad state. He was always friendly and welcoming. He has a girlfriend for a short period. It was not love that bound the two together, at least not in her case, and I think that Ole for long periods felt very uncomfortable, but who else would take him? Eventually he chose to take his life by hanging himself in her apple tree. He was called Dirty Ole.

“Bagmændene” (The Masterminds)
I wrote this compositon a long time ago. It has been played in a lot of different versions. Originally I wrote the melody first, which has led to periods of chords sometimes a little strange. It took me a really long time to find out if it would be a major or minor, but once I found starting notes in G minor, it all came togetherf.
 

“Den Døde Murer” (The Dead Bricklayer)
I have not much to tell you about. Title is taken from a Danish kinder movie “Krummerne (The Crumbs) where the main character Krumme (Crumb) and his family move into a new house. It was rumored that a bricklayer was dead somewhere in the house.

“Myskjin”
This is a track named after someone in Dostoevsky's novel “The Idiot”. Myskjin believe in the best in people, I think it fit very well with this little tune, and the book made a great impression on me, so I dedicate the tune to him.

Links to follow and meet the artist

http://www.zetzumzorglub.com/

https://soundcloud.com/zetzum-zorglub

https://www.facebook.com/zetzumzorglub

 

Carsten Dahl returns to solo concerts in Denmark & Norway + with trio feat. Ginman & Rifbjerg

More Carsten Dahl

Live dates in Copenhagen, Odense, Svendborg and Vossa Jazz 

Just back after a hectic tour with Reuben Rogers and Greg Hutchinson. For Carsten and the boys it was their first trio tour after a bunch of packed nights at Jazzhus Montmarte during early 2014.

on tour in Norway: Hutchinson/ Dahl/ Rogers ( Photo by Dahl)

Right their at the stage in Store Regnegade where it all started, and now out on tour in Norway, Germany and Denmark. In Norway the trio was caught by the most crazy thunderstorm up north. ”Ole” - as the thunderstorm was named basically closed Norway from Trondheim and up... The trio was snowed in Kiruna and never made it to Narvik and Tromsø. Hope to return soon, as the other gigs in Bergen, Oslo, Kongsberg and Berlin were all a big success. And the two final nights back at Jazzhus Montmartre were sold out.

Carsten Dahl Trio feat. Lennart Ginman and Frands Rifbjerg

Carsten keeps being busy and is now looking forward to new dates with his Danish trio feat. Bassist player Lennart Ginman and drummer Frands Rifbjerg. A trio he has been recording with since the late 1990's and is a strong vibrant trio full of soul and heart. With focus on standards they are legendary here in Denmark. But only rare live appearences

First two nights are this spring on the island Fyen

05March , Giant Steps, Svendborg

06March, Dexter, Odense

Solo

Jazzhouse 03rd march

Carsten Dahl returns to Jazzhouse on the 3rd March for a selected Copenhagen night. Last solo performance from Dahl at the Jazzhouse was during the DMA Jazz Awards 2013. This is a rare night in Copenhagen

Link 03 march, Jazzhouse, Copenhagen:

In april Carsten will also return to Norway at the Vossa jazz Festival playing solo. And speaking about solo performances. We are currently working on show in Benelux, Finland and more. Keep updated on all gigs with Carsten Dahl at his website

Link to 28 march, Vossa Jazz festival, Norway

Carsten Dahl has recently released the highly acclaimed ”Bach – The Godlberg Variations – Prepared piano” via Tiger music. It has been one of the best selling classical albums during 2014 in Denmark. Carsten will sadly not be touring this piece of music. It's simply impossible. You would have to arrange and prepare a piano for each and every variation. Meaning 32 pianos. But saying... You never know what happens. We might do it one day. Imaging that... 32 pianos and one room.

Listen+ download the album here

Enjoy

Fullface, Zetzum Zorglub, Dodebum and Bogan Via: New releases from PG Sounds

PG Sounds is busy these days. New artists getting a platform to show their talent, so you can be inspired. People like Bleep and The Lake Radio have already embraced the sounds from this small digital entrepreneur from the outskirts of Denmark. And we hope you will listen too.

Recent release is with Fullface. A full lenght album named ”Creoletronica” -  is made in the woods up north. Where the waves hits the shore with power and force. Where the wind grabs your hair and if you are lucky, even the wolfs might howl. Fullface is strong beats, free form programming and taking you on a musical trip you think you heard before, but no... Its jazz, world-music. Its Avantgarde and life. Full of energy.

"Creoletronica" balances between Computer Structures and Rootsy Sightseeing. Directed,chopped and assembled under the name FullFace. The output has become either a painters One-Man Band (Several seperate wiew-points and contrasting textures at once, as in a lot of contemporary visual arts)...Or maybe this maximalist expressionism has emerged thru a collective effort of fusionists engulfed in that weird smell of some reconstructed 70 ́s?... Is Fullface an image-maker who intends to paint directly on people's minds?... - Or is this a crew that equally wants to make dub, pumping porn-scores, and nu-jazz with a retro-modern approach? Judge by yourself ! 

 

In April PG Sounds will introduce its 6^th release. This time also a new-comer, a shining new talent on the danish jazz scene. Zetzum Zorglub is a quartet from Odense, on the island Fyen. For most people in the world, best known for the writer of great fairytales H.C. Andersen.  This music is also about stories, that soon will be unveiled.

 

Zetzum Zorglub is foremost the young guitarist and composer Buster Jensen. Buster has worked with this music for more than a year now. Recorded mixed and mastered at Mill Factory-Mazza Mansion Copenhagen in the winter of 2014. The 6 tracks will be released on the 23 april 2015.

Danish electronica producer Dodebum made a big impact on the Bleep shop, and is one of the few Danish electronica artists to be on this very fine electronica shop.

3 eps so far and lots of live performances during 2014, among the the highlights was playing at Punkt Festival in Norway .

Dodebum is improvised electronica, hard to grab, hard to hold on to, but will keep you warm in the hearts. The wonderful radio The Lake , curated by Efterklang is already playing tracks from his ep. Check the radio, and get ready to travel beyond.

If you are around Denmark  you can catch Dodebum live collaborating with Maria Laurette Friis and Kresten Osgood. Check this link for info:

https://www.facebook.com/events/762903170470523/?notif_t=plan_user_invited

Future release will also be the Arizona darlings Bogan Via. Their 2^nd album is soon due. One of the tracks were recorded during a Red Bull session in Copenhagen in collaboration with Danish singer KirstineStubbe Teglbjærg – former lead singer in Blue Foundation. More details soon on this, meanwhile the first single ”Madly” is already out. Enjoy the melodic synth pop here live from the rooftop: