Showing posts with label Christina Von Bulow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christina Von Bulow. Show all posts

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Christina von Bülow - West of the Moon

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:32
Size: 168,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:30) 1. East of the Sun
(8:08) 2. Sail Away
(8:29) 3. With a Song in My Heart
(6:40) 4. Isfahan
(6:39) 5. 317 East 32nd
(6:08) 6. Silhouette
(5:43) 7. Decent Eyes
(6:08) 8. Tunnelbanelåten
(2:48) 9. Dig
(2:31) 10. Sand i Mit Øje
(2:01) 11. Jag Ligger På En Äng
(1:56) 12. Visa Från Järna
(6:44) 13. Joanne Julia

I grew up with jazz, as my father, Fritz von Bülow, was a jazz guitarist and developed a great love for brazilian music too, along with the jazz music that was already a natural part of my life. In my teenage years I started playing flute and later changed to the alto saxophone, which has been my main instrument ever since. From 86-90 I studied at the Rythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen.In 1990 I had the rare opportunity to take private lessons with Stan Getz at his home in Malibu, one year before he passed away. He welcomed me with great hospitality, we met several times and I spent many inspiring hours with him during my two months stay in Los Angeles. He became like a mentor for me.

Another important mentor has been the great alto saxophonist, Lee Konitz, who I’ve been lucky to meet many times in Copenhagen, participating in his great clinics, taking private lessons and playing concerts together at several occasions. Latest at two beautiful concerts in Denmark, March 2011. Forever an inspiration in the art of improvisation. I still feel the same passion for the ‘classical’ jazzmusic as I did 30 years ago, and never get tired of playing a standard tune or another good melody, and when the atmosphere is right and the reed is too, I just love the singing sound of an altosaxophone.

We happen to have a lot of wonderful musicians around Copenhagen and I am lucky to be playing with some of them in my different bands. I’ve been leading my own groups for decades, and had the first ‘break through’ with my own trio, Christina von Bülow Trio (Jacob Fischer, guitar, Jens Skou Olsen, bass) when we in 1993 started to work with swedish star trumpeter, Jan Allan with whom I recorded my first album in own name in 1994. Over the years I recorded 4 cd’s with this trio, and later 2 more cd’s with a newer band with pianoplayer Ben Besiakov, Bülow/Besiakov Quartet. This group has been working together through many years with another swedish star, tenor player Bernt Rosengren, and bass and drums are taken care of beautifully by Daniel Franck and Frands Rifbjerg.

In 2007 I had the great opportunity to record a cd with the unique pianist Horace Parlan together with bassplayer Jesper Lundgaard. (‘My Little Brown Book’). We even got to play a few concerts together, a rare and beautiful experience I will keep close to my heart always. Among newer projects I’m working with is Silhouette, a quintet I lead together with Fredrik Lundin (tenor, bary) and both a duo and a trio with pianoplayer Søren Kristiansen, with whom I also lead the group Time Out, a Tribute to Dave Brubeck. During the years I have also been playing with musicians like: Rune Gustafsson, Georg Riedel, Herlin Riley, Allan Botschinsky, Putte Wickman, Doug Raney, Marilyn Mazur, Mikkel Nordsø, Danish Radio Bigband etc. https://christinavonbulow.dk/bio

West of the Moon

Saturday, June 19, 2021

Christina Von Bulow - The Good Life

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:45
Size: 132.2 MB
Styles: Saxophone jazz
Year: 2014
Art: Front

[10:31] 1. The Good Life
[11:03] 2. El Cajon
[ 6:44] 3. Tenderly
[ 9:33] 4. The Way You Look Tonight
[ 8:58] 5. Blues In The Night
[10:54] 6. Star Eyes

Christina von Bülow: altosax; Søren Kristiansen: piano; Jesper Lundgaard: bass; Eliot Zigmund: drums.

Christina von Bülow, Søren Kristiansen and Jesper Lundgaard have formed a trio since 2006. The co-operation came naturally in a love of the roots of the jazz and not least to all the fine, old melodies that belong to this tradition. Throughout the years, all three musicians have made a name both in Denmark and internationally and are considered among Denmark's finest jazz musicians. Christina von Bülow is one of the few musicians who have had the unique chance to receive Stan Getz's education during a 1990 stay in California the year before he died. Her music is also clearly inspired by this and she has been famous for its very melodic and lyrical games over the years.

In February 2014, the CD released 'The Good Life' (Stunt Records), which is a live recording of the concert at Jazzhus Dexter during the quarterly tour of November 2012. (Translated from Danish.)

The Good Life

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Bulow/Besiakov Quartet - A Primera Vez

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:49
Size: 164.4 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2003
Art: Front

[7:50] 1. You're My Everything
[6:49] 2. Inutil Paisagem
[5:46] 3. A Primera Vez
[6:06] 4. Only The Lonely
[9:16] 5. The Best Things In Life Are Free
[6:33] 6. Loose
[6:47] 7. The Way You Look Tonight
[8:15] 8. Carminhos Cruzados
[6:13] 9. In The Last Minute Blues
[8:09] 10. How Long Has This Been Going

Christina von Bülow: altosax; Ben Besiakov: piano; Daniel Franck: bass; Frands Rifbjerg: drums.

This quartet from Denmark is lead by Christina von Bülow (alto sax) and Ben Besiakov (piano). After playing together for years as sidemen in different groups – Ben and Christina decided in 2001 to start a quartet together. It seemed an obvious choice to have Frands Rifbjerg on drums and Anders Christensen on bass, who later (in 2005) was replaced by Daniel Franck – indeed a very swinging rhythm section!

This is what you would call a ‘true’ jazz quartet inspired by groups led by Stan Getz, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt and many more. The roots of jazz mean a great deal to this group. As a young teenager Ben became very good friends with Ben Webster, who was living in Denmark at that time (in the early 70’s). Webster used to call him ‘little’ Ben and they hung out and played together – an outstanding inspiration for a young and very talented musician. Years after Christina had the rare opportunity to get private lessons from Stan Getz at his home in Malibu (1990), a year before he passed away. As Webster was for Ben, Getz became a mentor for Christina.

Ben and Christina shares a great love of Brazilian music too – a passion that for them both started at a very young age. So among the jazz tunes on their repertory, there is always a couple of Brazilian tunes too from composers like A.C. Jobim, Joao Donato, etc. At the heart of their repertory is the good melody. The quartet released their first album in February 2004, called ‘A Primera Vez’ on the the Danish label Music Mecca. (www.cdjazz.dk) This cd was nominated at the Danish Music Awards for the best jazz recording in 2004.

A Primera Vez