The Hi-Fly Orchestra - Get Ready (2013)

„Although this is already our third album, recording it felt like something really fresh.“ The Hi-Fly Orchestra are excited when they talk about their new long-player „Get Ready“. They have all rights to do so, with 12 original tracks covering a wide range from funk, brazil, soul and jazz, always in view of the groove: „We are no scientists, we are not on a mission. We are here to make you dance.“

Florian Riedl, one of the two main songwriters in the Hi-Fly Orchestra, has a story to tell about „Get Ready“: „We have always been a real band, right from the start in 2005. We love vintage recording techniques, all our gear crammed in one room and getting the music on tape in a jam session situation.“ The opening chords of „Uncle Green“ already prove the point. “Get Ready” is a journey in style. Think of Lonnie Smith’s immediacy and rhythmic urgency circa „Move Your Hands“, the casual spirituality of Horace Silver with a hint of Lee Dorsey’s style of turning rhythm & blues into soul, even Vince Guaraldi’s versatile, comforting jazz sound is somewhere in “Get Ready”.

„’Get Ready’ is all about the music we love. Take the title track, for example“, Jerker Kluge, second half in Hi-Fly’s songwriting team, says. „It has that certain New Orleans feeling. The band is going loose on the rhythm, while Karl Frierson’s lyrics have a conscious, social dimension to them.“ Speaking of lyrics and Frierson’s appearance (widely known from his success with De-Phazz), Florian Riedl is particularly proud of their guest vocalists. Paula Morelenbaum, wife of Brazilian producer and musician legend Jaques Morelenbaum appears on „Sambinha“: „The little samba, as we call it, is our homage to Brazilian music. It is made for dancing. So it is kind of our motto.” Same with „Jequibau“, a showcase for the competent brass supplied by Florian Riedl’s altosax and Johannes Herrlich’s trombone. „I Got Hope“, on the other hand, is a down-to-earth affair of a groove, featuring Julia Fehenberger, a well-known face in the lively jazz scene of Hi-Fly Orchestra’s hometown Munich, moving in the right direction with the help of Chris Gall’s piano. „Brother Sun Sister Moon“ and the cool flute excursion „Sweet And Busy“ takes us into classic dancefloor jazz territory. It’s all about smooth moves here, Alexander Krampe’s soothing voice will make you get down to the beat.

First and foremost, though, The Hi-Fly Orchestra is a tried and tested, tight live unit. Following the release of two acclaimed albums – „Samboogaloo“ (2007) and „Mambo Atomico“ (2008) released on Tramp Records and a number of 7inch vinyls on renowned labels like Record Kicks or Ajabu! - the band toured extensively around Europe visiting Italy, Hungary, Belgium, Sweden und even Estonia along the way. While being serious about what they do, the fun factor is never far away: “’Nerd’s Dancefloor’ looks at club culture with a smile. It’s about us really, especially Jerker and me, doing weird moves on the floor. Not really what you could call a lesson in cool,“ Florian Riedl admits. „But it has this tricky 5/4 bar which makes it a special treat.“ Right on: The expert rhythm section of Jerker Kluge on double-bass and Hajo von Hadeln on drums knows about a smart groove. Having experienced sound experts like Jan “Mastermix” Krause (Beanfield, Poets Of Rhythm) on the controls and Willy Löster (LaBrassBanda, Trikont) in the mix makes “Get Ready” authentic, enjoyable and very international.