Arne Jansen, Anders Jormin, Uwe Steinmetz - The Pilgrimage (2024)

It must be considered a stroke of good fortune that these three musicians have come together: On double bass, the Swede Anders Jornim, one of the most essential bass players on the European jazz scene with eight albums as bandleader for ECM and a packed artistic CV with tours and recordings alongside legends such as Elvin Jones, Albert Mangelsdorff, Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz, and Kenny Wheeler. On guitar, Arne Jansen, the two-time "ECHO Jazz" award-winning Berliner, who has played with the Senegalese Orchestra Baobab, Nils Landgren, and Jazzanova and whose duo recording with Nils Wülker recently climbed to number 15 in the German pop charts. On saxophone, Uwe Steinmetz, who also lives in Berlin, has made a name for himself as a composer for the NDR Big Band and the Fitzwilliam String Quartet in addition to his collaborations with Joe Maneri and Tord Gustafvsen, among others.

The German-Swedish trio's unique bond was immediately apparent when they first performed in Gothenburg Cathedral in 2016 as part of a Nordic church music festival. This rare connection, which also characterized the trio's joint tour in autumn 2022, especially the final concert in the Waldkirche on Timmendorfer Strand on October 22, is a testament to their exceptional collaboration, a bond that resonates deeply in their music.

It is no coincidence that the album created from the live recording is now entitled "The Pilgrimage". Firstly, it begins with "La Peregrinacion", a pilgrimage song by Argentinean and "Misa Criolla" composer Ariel Ramirez. Secondly, Jansen, Jormin, and Steinmetz trace the origins of a universal human phenomenon in their pieces, which move between jazz, classical music, and Nordic and non-European folklore. "Pilgrimages are part of all the great religions in the world," says bassist Jormin. "As a musician, your goal is to make contact with this deeper meaning. At best, you are a vessel for it, a sounding board that resonates with the audience and the other musicians," adds guitarist Jansen.

The fact that the trio succeeds so brilliantly in making the listener's inner self resonate on "The Pilgrimage" is also due to the unique nature of the compositions played. Behind each piece is a highly personal story reflecting the three musicians' cosmopolitan nature. This is especially true for the Berlin saxophonist Steinmetz, on whose initiative the trio was formed in 2016. Steinmetz is a tireless wanderer searching for the connecting lines between sacred music and jazz, whose studies have taken him practically around the world. His works include "The Promise", based on a morning raga written under the influence of a stay in India, and the ostinato-dancing "New Flower". Steinmetz wrote the latter when he was teaching in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, in 2008 and wanted to capture the feeling of optimism in a country that would soon be engulfed in civil unrest. "This piece reminds me of how important it is to celebrate the moment," explains the composer, who blows extremely intense lines on his soprano during the live performance of the number.

The roots of "He Who Counts the Stars", written by Jansen, lie in Uzbekistan. The ethereal, floating sound narrative was inspired by the observatory of Ulug Beg, built in the 15th century, which the Berlin guitarist visited during a concert tour to Samarkand. The composition was also inspired by the Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, whose musical explorations of the liturgy colour the trio's playing like a ray of spring sunlight shining through a colourful church window. The soulful, gospel-like "Deep Wood" is also based on a particular story: the unexpected visit to the Madonna d'Ongero pilgrimage church in the woods above Lugano, which deeply touched Hermann Hesse fan Jansen as one of the settings of "Klingsor's Last Summer".

The pieces that the man on the bass brought to the trio repertoire bear witness to the immense experiences that Anders Jormin has had during his 50-year career alongside artists such as Don Cherry, Bobo Stenson, and Charles Lloyd. Jormin became acquainted with the North Korean folk song "Red Flower" during a concert tour to Pyongyang when a shy museum attendant sang it to him. "I try to sing it on the bass," Jormin modestly describes his interpretation of the song on "The Pilgrimage", which - like the entire performance - is characterized by his phenomenal sound design on the bass. Jormin also has formative memories of Krzysztof Komeda's "Sleep Safe And Warm". He regularly played the ballad alongside trumpeter Tomasz Stanko, says the Swede. At concerts in the Polish homeland of Komeda, who died far too young, the piece triggered veritable explosions of emotion in the audience.

"I would say that I have always strived for spiritual music in my artistic existence. I want to dedicate my work to spirit, warmth, and humanity," says Jormin. There is no better way to sum up the credo of this extraordinary trio.

Arne Jansen, guitar
Anders Jormin, double bass
Uwe Steinmetz, alto & soprano saxophones

TRACKLIST

1. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - La Peregrinación
2. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - He Who Counts The Stars
3. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - The Promise
4. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - Procession
5. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - Deep Wood
6. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - The Red Flower
7. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - New Flower
8. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - March
9. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - Sleep Safe And Warm
10. Uwe Steinmetz, Anders Jormin & Arne Jansen - Peace of the Earth