SONGBOOK

Daniel Schnyder

"Songbook"
Symphony Orchestra Of Norrlands Opera · Kristjan Järvi

Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Soloists live from Umeå Jazz Festival 2001, Sweden. Up until the 20th century Europe played the main role in concert music. Now as concert music travels around the globe it is being enriched and transformed by other cultures - especially by mixed cultures such as Jazz and Latin music. The borders to other kinds of music have already been crossed a long time ago.

Those who already had been acquainted with the young conductor Kristjan Järvi and his performances with his Absolute Ensemble were not surprised that the Symphony Orchestra Of Norrlands Opera, conducted by him, had invited the pianist Kenny Drew Jr. and the saxophonist and composer Daniel Schnyder, two artists with an open mind for modern music. Both have a thorough classical training and are also well acclaimed jazz musicians.

Schnyders "Piano Concerto" on this CD pays hommage to Gerschwin and the integration of jazz into symphonic music. "Songbook" combines a cycle of songs with elements of a solo concerto and the Broadway Musical. All in all, this live recording is a stunning journey through musical cultures as diverse as Jazz, R & B, Arab music, Klezmer, Cuban music, Brazilian music, South African music and European orchestral traditions.

The young and enthusiastic Norrlands Orchestra played great. They proved that a classical orchestra can easily adapt to a more global approach to music. The audience experienced the musical trip around the world as a very logical and natural development. They were totally into it and the warm enthusiastic response and the cheers switched during the performance more and more from classical audience reaction to the reaction of a rock crowd.

Please find more information about the artists on their websites:
Absolute/Kristjan Järvi - www.absoluteensemble.com
Daniel Schnyder - www.danielschnyder.com
Kenny Drew jr. - www.jayweb.com/kennydrew
Symphony Orchestra Of Norrlands Opera - www.norrlandsoperan.se

TRACKLIST

SONGBOOK Daniel Schnyder) - 20:11
1.) I. Be not afeard; the island is full of sounds 3:48
2.) II. She walks in beauty like the night 5:37
3.) III. Can you tell what I am dreaming 5:51
4.) IV. Moon-calf speak once in thy life if thou beest a good moon-calf 2:39
5.) V. Epitaph: "He could have had any job in Rome - but didn’t" 2:16
6.) ISABELLE (Daniel Schnyder) 4:20

PIANO CONCERTO - "Parallel Times" (Daniel Schnyder) - 23:35
7.) I. Time Gate 12:20
8.) II. Procession 6:29
9.) III. Tempus Fugit 4:49
10.) ISHMAEL (Abdullah Ibrahim/arr. by Daniel Schnyder) 6:57
11.) MEMORIES (Daniel Schnyder) 5:17

total time 60:47

Daniel Schnyder, saxophones
Kenny Drew Jr., piano
Symphony Orchestra Of Norrlands Opera
Kristjan Järvi, conductor
Produced by Philip Traugott
Recorded live in the Black Box Theater of the Norrlands Opera in Umeå, Sweden on October 25-26, 2001.