Two dazzling figures of the European music scene meet in dialogue.
Like no other German pianist, Chris Gall has consistently and creatively expanded the stylistic boundaries of jazz in the last few years, inspiring audiences from the legendary Montreux Jazz Festival to the JazzBaltica.
Mulo Francel is a saxophonist and globetrotter. Also known as the creative whirlwind of the ensemble Quadro Nuevo. For many years, the multiple ECHO award winner has been touring the countries of the world. From Bavaria to the Balkans to Bolivia. Together, Chris and Mulo turned the night into day in Buenos Aires. The result was the album Quadro Nuevo: Tango, which was awarded the German Jazz Award in Platinum.
The duo now presents a fascinating cosmos of virtuoso improvisations, mesmerizing minimal music elements, subtle grooves, new interpretations of classical works, magical impressionistic sound images and atmospheric ballads.
Their music feeds on encounters with people, their cultures, their myths. It addresses the ancient dream of mankind symbolized in Icarus’ outbreak from one’s own destiny, as well as the adventures of Aeneas in search of a new home. It devotes itself with “The 7 Wise Men” to a political idea and, with “Jesu bleibet meine Freude” to the most formative myth of the Occident.
Two passionate aesthetes meet, who turn to each other in each melody.
Two troubadours carrying their audience through the night with velvety tones.
Two divers in the glittering sea of ideas.
Already in early teenage days, they ran into each other several times. Played together in big bands or jammed in the legendary Le Pirate Jazz Club in the tranquil town Rosenheim in the Prealps. They got along, appreciated each other, had fun and then drank a beer together at the bar.
Then they lost sight of each other for a long time.
Chris Gall went to the USA and graduated as a scholarship holder at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. The daily encounter and musical interaction with musicians from all over the world in the Boston “Melting Pot” is still the source of inspiration and the cornerstone of his musical experimentation. Back in Germany, he released two albums on the label ACT with the Chris Gall Trio feat. Enik, before he further refined his virtuoso expressive style on two solo piano albums on GLM. With his fascination for a variety of rhythmic forms of expression, contemporary harmony and his classical-influenced understanding of melody, he creates new soundscapes.
Mulo Francel traveled around the globe with Quadro Nuevo. To the farthest corners of the world. Over the years he developed his very own authentic version of World Music. He has given more than 4000 concerts worldwide, has received numerous prizes such as the European Impala, the ECHO Jazz for Best Live Act and the Gold Award for the Quadro Nuevo album Mocca Flor. The Kulturnews magazine credits him with the “most sensuous saxophone sound in Europe”. Mulo Francel’s saxophone tells stories. Wide-stretched melody lines give an idea of how broad-minded extravagance can override the small-scale limits of the earthly.
And then you met again. After the illustrious tango adventure in Argentina, the two musicians wanted more. Quadro Nuevo consistently included the key wizard in their tours.
During a journey through the Greek Aegean Sea, the hard climb of Kerkis, the highest mountain on the island of Samos, was resolved. From up there they had a view across to the island of Ikaria and further south to the Fourni archipelago. In between, sparkling under glistening southern sun, lies the Ikario Pelagos, the sea of Icarus, how it has been called by the Greeks since ancient times. Here Icarus is said to have fallen into the water, on his flight into freedom. Under this impression the song Ikarus’ Dream and the idea for the album MYTHOS was born.
Francel and Gall say about their music: “The core theme that carries our album has a lot of inspiration. But, of course, also the danger of pathos, which we are not afraid of. Besides, our joy of musically bouncing ideas may create a happy balance.”