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Benjamin Koppel: White Buses: Passage To Freedom

By Angelo Leonardi
May 31, 2024
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Benjamin Koppel: White Buses: Passage To Freedom

Il sassofonista e compositore

Benjamin Koppel

saxophone, alto
b.1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Benjamin Koppel �� uno dei massimi jazzmen danesi: in trent'anni di carriera ha inciso pi�� di sessanta dischi con i massimi nomi del jazz contemporaneo e il suo nome spicca per il trio con

Scott Colley

bass
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Colley e

Brian Blade

drums
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Brian Blade e per il quartetto con Colley,

Kenny Werner

piano
b.1951

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Werner e

Jack DeJohnette

drums
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Jack DeJohnette (The Art of the Quartet, Cowbell 2020).

Questo progetto �� stato registrato a New York coinvolgendo altri statunitensi (

Uri Caine

piano
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Uri Caine,

Antonio Sanchez

drums
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Antonio Sanchez,

Thana Alexa

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Thana Alexa e il fido Scott Colley) ma l'ispirazione �� tutta europea e ricorda una pagina della seconda guerra mondiale.

Il titolo e la copertina si riferiscono al salvataggio degli ebrei danesi che la Croce Rossa trasport��, dai campi di concentramento tedeschi verso la Danimarca e la Svezia, sul finire del secondo conflitto mondiale. Koppel ha intervistato alcuni sopravvissuti e prende spunto dai loro ricordi (riportati in originale nel compact e con traduzione da Alexa) per costruire un lungo percorso comprendente sedici brevi interludi parlati e altrettanti piccoli brani, talvolta poco pi�� che abbozzi di 1 o 2 minuti.

I temi sono spesso solenni e si caratterizzano per le linee cameristiche di

Henrik Dam Thomsen

cello

" data-original-title="" title="">Henrik Dam Thomsen al violoncello e per il sax contralto, fervido e svettante, di Koppel. Gli altri ruoli strumentali sono invece pi�� circoscritti e in qualche modo sacrificati. Le sedici istantanee musicali comprimono la fantasia dei solisti e lo sviluppo musicale finisce per risultare superficiale e uniforme. Eccezioni sono "The Planes in the Sky" (tutto per Uri Caine) e momenti collettivamente fantasiosi come "The Woman with Her Violin," "The Goodbye" e "Potsdam."

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Track Listing

Introduction / Testimonial I; The Devil Under the Skin; Testimonial II; The Woman with Her Violin; Testimonial III; I Was Terrified; Testimonial IV; Talking About Food; Testimonial V; Two Birds in a Nest; Testimonial VI; The Planes in the Sky; Testimonial VII; Rumours; Testimonial VIII; Die D?nen Raus; Testimonial IX; My Father; Testimonial X; The White Bus; Testimonial XI; The Goodbye; Testimonial XII; Potsdam; Testimonial XIII; The Welcoming pt. 1; The Welcoming pt. 2; Testimonial XIV; Awake or Dreaming; Testimonial XV; Fantastic Miracle; Testimonial XVI; The Golden Carriage.

Personnel

Benjamin Koppel

saxophone, alto

Thana Alexa

vocals

Uri Caine

piano

Henrik Dam Thomsen

cello

Soren Moller

piano

Scott Colley

bass

Antonio Sanchez

drums

Album information

Title: White Buses: Passage To Freedom | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Cowbell Music

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