Hot Club D'Europe - Kouvola Junction (2013)

Behind this ambitious Hot Club of Europe that comes his debut album this summer hiding three names already well known gypsy jazz: Paulus Schäfer, Sinti famous guitarist from Holland, author of three books including the recent and very successful Twelfth Year . Beside her, a young 22 year old Finnish Olli Soikkeli, the festival regulars Samois already know well, having crossed regularly over the years on the stand and AJL in Late Samoreau jams. Finally, the bass is provided by the inevitable Arnoud van den Berg, solid Dutch musician who already have a good CV (Voet Reiner, Jimmy Rosenberg, Robin Nolan, Nomy Rosenberg, Tolga during ...).

Convened in March by the producer Jarno Kanerva side of Kouvola in Finland, the trio recorded an album in a day comprised mostly of standar...ds: nothing new in that directory rather conventional, if not a few occasions of local composer Finnish Rauno Lehtinen (the lovely bossa Others of us ) and vibraphonist Erik Lindström (blues shuffle very French Heels ) and an original composed by the team, Kouvola Junction, bluesy swing (in the spirit of the Blues clear Django) and that naturally gives its name to the album: questions / answers from the duo We offer great flights of joining on a nice theme in unison.

The two guitarists are not the same age, nor the same experience. On the one hand, Paulus Schäfer proposes a game very safe, built, and virtuoso borrowing a nice feeling. We feel perfectly into his sentences the influence of the Dutch school through Stochelo Rosenberg and Wasso Grünholz. Especially since it is expressed here on acoustic guitar kind Selmer (it is also very good on archtop ...). Olli in young guitarist in the making that sign still here his second album, we appreciate the impeccable technique, already very safe sound and the fury: one feels that he wants to budge, the guitar itch, but fortunately never it is set loose and keep tempo Olli knows!

The clash of two swordsmen programmed turns so nicely to the friendly help of two musicians who enjoy playing together while they learn. A highly contagious fun!"