[re:jazz] - Kaleidoscope (2012)

[re:jazz] will be publishing their fifth studio album “Kaleidoscope” in November 2012 to coincide with their tenth anniversary. The new album means that, even after 10 years of their existence, countless concerts and two successful tours to Japan [re:jazz] remains exciting.

The self-chosen dogma in the earlier albums of creating acoustic versions of electronic originals is abandoned on Kaleidoscope and the repertoire focuses on own compositions. Because, still using jazz as basic vocabulary, the Frankfurt band project around jazz pianist and DJ Matthias Vogt takes the liberty of extending this freedom. Over the years, [re:jazz] has developed an own language of form which is still in the area of conflict between acoustic and electronic music and for which they are internationally recognised as pioneers, but which they use with considerably more electronic references on Kaleidoscope.

[re:jazz] are still inquisitive and feel that the time has come to go new ways, not to repeat themselves, while, at the same time, not ignoring their own tradition.
Against this background, the decision in favour of another form of production for the new album appears only logical: The new production has the support of a soul mate in jazzanova producer Axel Reinemer. Kaleidoscope was recorded by him analogously, exclusively with vintage microphones, polished and refined using tube compressors. The result impresses through versatility and dynamic sound. [re:jazz] has never sounded as warm, as direct, intimate and impressive as in this symbiosis. Kaleidoscope features the most varying moods and influences of jazz, soul, Latin, funk through to dubstep, house and drum & bass.
This is also reflected in the album title “Kaleidoscope” which, in addition to the direct translation “attractive forms” – or, as the Swiss aphorist Charles Schopp said – also stands for the multi-coloured nature of human life.

A further remarkable change has left its mark on Kaleidoscope. The new voice of [re:jazz] : the singer "Mediha" who, following the departure of Inga Lühning last year, has already excelled with the band live "on the road" and who now shines for the first time in album length with her warm and smoky timbre.

In addition, the regular seven-man formation has been joined for the anniversary by several musical guests: The most prominent of these is undoubtedly the singer of the Brand New Heavies, the wonderful N'Dea Davenport who, together with the band, wrote the title "Don't Push Your Luck" - an ode to the inspired London sound of the early 90s. This breathes the vibes of Soul II Soul, of a Jhelisa Anderson, or even of the Heavies and can simultaneously also be listened to as reminiscence of the Soul sound of the early 70s of a Curtis Maifield. The Berlin star trumpeter Studnitzky is involved in three titles. Other guest singers are Nathalie Schäfer from the German electro-jazz project (Nekta) and Andrew Herbertson (Joash/London) whose sensitive voice warms the perhaps most electronic number of the album "Earworm". They too have composed the respective title together with Matthias Vogt and thus given Kaleidoscope a further individual facet.

Finally and in keeping with old tradition, some electronic originals have found their way onto the album and have been transformed by Vogt into [re:jazz] versions. For Vogt, this is not about riding on the bandwagon of past club hits. Rather, the septet is searching for hidden beauty. Titles of respected electronic producers such as "lambic 9 Poetry" by the British sound tinkerer Squarepusher or the wonderfully melancholic "Miss You" by Trentemoeller, are placed in a new context here. And as Matthias always has several musical souls inside him and also successfully goes his own way globally as DJ, a classic of house music is also present in the interpretation of “Tears” (Frankie Knuckles/Robert Owens). Vogt has already produced own house tracks for the New York label “Saw Recordings” of “Tears” producer Satoshi Tomiie, and he has already performed a gig in the Frankfurt Cocoon Club with Robert Owens. Here too, things come full circle.