简介
Tim Sund's connection with America began in 1993 when pianist and mentor Richie Beirach first invited him to New York as his student. While finishing his jazz studies in Cologne he was commuting to New York for piano lessons on a regular basis. In 1995 Sund moved to the Big Apple and started his masters in classical composition at the Manhattan School of Music, combining jam sessions by night with writing orchestral scores by day. Soon he had grouped violinist Gregor Huebner and saxophonist Joel Frahm round him and founded his international quintet, recording his first album for Nabel Records in 1997, ...In the Midst of Change, shortly before returning to Germany. Based in Berlin, in 1999 Sund brought out his exciting adaptations of classical lieder sung by his wife Erika Rojo with jazz ensemble: Erika Rojo & Tim Sund - Das Lied. For his third project for Nabel, Sund regrouped his quintet, recording in 1999 The Rains from a Cloud do not Wet the Sky. Since Frahm was unable to join the subsequent Germany tour in October 2000, he sent his former teacher, Tom Christensen, over instead. Christensen has long been well-established on the New York scene, playing regularly with the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra and recording with Joe Lovano, Paquito D'Rivera and David Sanchez. As demonstrated on his albums Paths and Gualala for Naxos Jazz, the multi-instrumentalist Christensen was able to provide another dimension to Sund's music. In addition to tenor and soprano saxophones, he also plays oboe, English horn, flute, alto flute, clarinet and bass clarinet. The combination of Christensen's almost limitless palette of sounds and Sund's orchestral approach to small band jazz scoring proved to be a winning one. The association had been established and both went their separate ways, for the meantime at least. The following year saw the recording of Sund's first trio album Trialogue with bassist Martin Lillich and drummer Michael Kersting, both of whom are prominent on the German jazz scene. At the start of 2002 Christensen invited Sund over to New York to perform with him in a series of concerts, each agreeing to bring one of his regular sidesmen. Christensen engaged the accomplished bassist Ben Allison and Sund brought Kersting. A prolific composer, Allison is the founder of the Jazz Composers Collective, which through its concert promotion and workshop activities has become a mainstay of New York's musical life. His latest album Peace Pipe for Palmetto Records was pronounced one of the best recordings of 2002 by The New York Times. Since 1980 Kersting has played with many world-class musicians, becoming the regular drummer for many North American front-liners on their tours through Germany. Among others, he has accompanied Jaco Pastorius, Kenny Wheeler and Arthur Blythe. The New York rendezvous therefore was an unmissable recording opportunity for Nabel's producer, Rainer Wiedensohler: a week after their main concert the quartet went into the studio and Americana was born.
