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Lumens ReviewFrom German Radio – SWR2

JAZZ

Sparkling light emitted: “Lumens” by Nicole Johänntgen & Jack DeSalvo

GEORG WASSMUTH

Nicole Johänntgen, jazz saxophonist from Fischbach-Camphausen in Saarland, is known for her energetic playing. Usually it brings every room to a boil, but in times of Corona quieter tones are more popular. Nicole Johänntgen has released a new CD together with the New York guitarist Jack DeSalvo: “Lumens”, released on the Unseen Rain Records label.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sparkling light emitted: “Lumens” by Nicole Johänntgen & Jack DeSalvo 4 min

Download audio (3.5 MB | MP3)

Musical spark

The title of the new CD comes from the Latin word light. For the saxophonist and her guitarist, a symbol not only of a spark of light, but one that is supposed to brighten the mind, especially in these difficult times.

Because “Lumens” was recorded in New York, where the musician met Jack DeSalvo with a free jazz orchestra. The two immediately radioed in on the same wavelength and when asked to spontaneously make a record, Nicole Johänntgen said yes.

 “We had four or five compositions, Jack wrote some of them, I brought some with me and we played some of them for the first time in the studio, not even rehearsing them properly. One or two runs and you’re done.
The rest were actually free compositions. We wanted to see where the journey was going. That’s what makes music so exciting: I actually want to be put in the deep end to see what comes out of it. “

– Nicole Johänntgen

Nicole Johänntgen (photo by Daniel Bernet)

Perfect balance with a lot of dynamism

Nicole Johänntgen and Jack DeSalvo pulled out all the stops at the recording session for “Lumens”. Guitar and saxophone play almost hands-free with the themes and find the perfect balance in terms of sound.

“Above all, I also love soft and deep tones, occasionally dangling up into the heights and sometimes wild and tender.
But it was precisely the combination with the beautiful acoustic guitar that moved me to reach into my treasure chest with a lot of dynamism. “

– Nicole Johänntgen

“Lumens” by Nicole Johänntgen & Jack DeSalvo Label: Unseen Rain Records

Lumens

Label: Unseen Rain Records

Title List:

  1. Lumens by Jack DeSalvo – 4’42
  2. Es Guste Morge song by Nicole Johänntgen – 2’28
  3. Has Never Said a Word by Nicole Johänntgen & Jack DeSalvo – 11’15
  4. Sent by Jack DeSalvo – 6’44
  5. Stuck by Nicole Johänntgen – 2’47
  6. Reappearing Sun by Nicole Johänntgen & Jack DeSalvo – 13’15
  7. Instance of Jack DeSalvo – 4’55
  8. Hand in hand by Nicole Johänntgen – 2’40

A Concept Album

The album “Lumens” is recommended not only because a spontaneous session was captured perfectly. The quality of the pieces by Nicole Johänntgen and Jack DeSalvo is also very convincing. With no driving beat and no clutter, the concept album is a small disc that you can listen to at a great price.

 “For me, Lumens means that we send out sparks of light and they flow somewhere and we start somewhere and we end somewhere and that is also a concept of the album. Our own songs – but also the freedom to start somewhere and travel somewhere. “

– Nicole Johänntgen

from the broadcast of

Fri , July 17, 2020 12:33 p.m., SWR2 Journal at noon, SWR2

Orignal German text: https://www.swr.de/swr2/musik-jazz-und-pop/lichtfunken-ausgesendet-lumens-von-nicole-johaenntgen-jack-desalvo-100.html

 

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