CD jw 236 DEREK PLAYS ERIC
A SUITE OF SOAPS
AND OTHER ASSORTED SCENERIES
ANDREAS WILLERS electric & acoustic guitar
JAN RODER electric & double bass
CHRISTIAN MARIEN drums & percussion
EN Original Liner Notes
In this, our second recording, we set out to expand on the paradox cross-genre Derek (Bailey)-meets-Eric (Clapton) scenario towards an even more contemporary outlook on the mixture of generic stylistic elements of the day (mid to late 20th century that is), thus broadening the playing field of artistic diversity while staying connected to our common ground of creative interplay.
The programmatic ‚Suite of Soaps‘ is distinguished by bending traditional harmony, usage of quartertones and polyrhythms, para-modal and free improvisational concepts interspersed with short musical motifs coined by heroes of the day – and one employed by the Southern Pacific Railroad of California.
Same goes for the interpretations of some (at least to us) classic jazz, soul and rock charts. Hope you’ll have as much fun listening as we had putting it all together. DEREK PLAYS ERIC, Berlin, June 2023
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RELEASE SHEETS:
EN
On their second album, Berlin-based trio DEREK PLAYS ERIC once again negotiates nothing less than the boundaries between jazz, free improvisation and rock, between the avant-garde and the accessible and familiar in a way that is as intelligent as it is emotional and unique. Whether by complex and sonically drastic means like in the seven-part ‚Suite Of Soaps‘ by Andreas Willers or through the unorthodox processing of exciting templates by jazz greats Dave Holland and Paul Motian, the little soul gem ‚Space Captain’ made famous by Joe Cocker (on ‚Mad Dogs & Englishmen‘) and more recently by Herbie Hancock, and brilliant interpretations from the oeuvre of the legendary bands Gentle Giant (‚Cogs In Cogs‘ from the album ‚The Power And The Glory‘) and The Beatles (‚I Want You‘ from ‚Abbey Road‘). This is made possible by the kindred interplay of a well-rehearsed trio that is able to bypass the musical and tonal challenges of this concept in no time with technical finesse, compelling intuition and explosive empathy.
DE
Auf seinem zweiten Album verhandelt das Berliner Trio DEREK PLAYS ERIC erneut nichts weniger als die Grenzen zwischen Jazz, freier Improvisation und Rock, zwischen der Avantgarde und dem Vertraut-Zugänglichen auf ebenso intelligente wie emotionale und einzigartige Weise neu. Ob mit komplexen und auch klanglich drastischen Mitteln wie in der siebenteiligen ‚Suite Of Soaps‘ von Andreas Willers oder durch die unorthodoxe Aufbereitung spannender Vorlagen der Jazzgrößen Dave Holland und Paul Motian, des einst durch Joe Cocker (auf ‚Mad Dogs & Englishmen‘) und vor Kurzem wieder durch Herbie Hancock bekannt gewordenen Soulstückes ‚Space Captain‘ und brillanter Interpretationen aus dem Oeuvre der legendären Bands Gentle Giant (‚Cogs In Cogs‘ vom Album ‚The Power And The Glory‘) und The Beatles (‚I Want You‘ von ‚Abbey Road‘). Ermöglicht wird dies durch das kongeniale Zusammenspiel eines eingespielten Trios, welches die musikalischen und klanglichen Herausforderungen dieses Konzepts jederzeit mit technischer Finesse, souveräner Intuition und explosiver Empathie zu umschiffen in der Lage ist.