www.lomax-deckard.de 04-2012

(De Limburger, 05-06-2025)Translation:‘Funk and Fireworks’ with Susanne Alt at the Last Jazz aan de SjtasieAfter this coming weekend’s edition, Jazz aan de Sjtasie in Swalmen will come to an end. During the farewell weekend, among others, Susanne Alt will perform—saxophonist and DJ in one.SWALMENPAUL VAN DER STEENSaxophonist Susanne Alt (47) has been performing with DJs since the late 1990s. In 2015, a booker called her with the question whether she also DJed herself. As a joke, she answered “yes.” And if you say A, you must also say B… “I took a few lessons to learn how to DJ and then just put in the hours. It has enriched me. As a saxophonist, you’re more focused on your own solos. A DJ needs to have a much broader perspective. You have to sense the atmosphere. Then you decide what kind of music is needed. There’s also quite a bit of technical knowledge involved.”In 2016, she decided to combine playing saxophone and DJing for her tour with the funky album Saxify. That act grew into Venus Tunes Live, the formation with which she will play at Jazz aan de Sjtasie in Swalmen this coming weekend. “No matter what lineup we perform with, it’s always only women. That’s been a wish of mine for a long time. Because of the automatic way in which male bands are always booked again and again. You rarely see women even in supporting roles or only as singers.”HighlightsThe band’s lineup changes. “It also depends on the wishes of whoever books us and what else is on the program. Sometimes it’s me with one singer and one percussionist, with all three of us DJing as well, to two singers, a violinist, a percussionist, and myself on sax and as DJ. The music also varies, depending on the type of audience and the atmosphere: sometimes it stays fairly mellow, other times it’s all about funk and fireworks.”Alt, born in Germany but now living in the Netherlands longer than she ever lived in her homeland, wants performances to be more than one-way traffic. “They only become real highlights when there’s social interaction: between musicians and with the audience. You can move people with your playing, but also get them to sing and dance along.”TributeBesides Venus Tunes Live, Alt still tours with the material from her jazz album Royalty for Real, which was released early last year. The idea for that album arose during the pandemic. “With all the time to reflect, I concluded that it was time for a real jazz project and it became a hommage to trumpeter Roy Hargrove (1969–2018). I’ve always admired him. Because of his playing, with which he could say so much with so few notes. Especially his ballads have always stayed with me. Also I loved the way he approached jazz; he always was looking for jazz sessions where he could join and play, encourage other musicians.. I recorded Royalty for Real in New York with musicians Roy often played with.”Hargrove, along with Joshua Redman, was one of the musicians who first introduced the then-teenage Alt to jazz. “Both my parents worked in music. But they didn’t listen to jazz. I myself had classical saxophone lessons since I was twelve. In Bavaria, where I grew up, saxophone was mainly destined for concert bands. But I knew the saxophone was also a real jazz instrument.”VideotapesAlt went looking for the music herself. “I would record jazz concerts on videotapes that aired on TV at night. And I went to the library to read biographies of musicians and dive deeper into jazz history.”Hargrove and Redman were not only gifted instrumentalists, but also young and cool. Years later, she met them at jam sessions at festivals like North Sea Jazz.“I didn’t push myself forward there, but waited calmly for my moment. If you didn’t immediately play a five-minute solo, the famous Americans also liked getting to know the local musicians that way. I immediately had a good connection with Hargrove. A kind of friendship developed.”In the coming years, Alt wants to play many styles mixed together and provide entertainment. “For me, there’s only bad and good music. I like to contribute to good music. And in my case, it preferably has to groove.”Jazz aan de Sjtasie takes place 6th, 7th and 8th of june at the previous station in Swalmen. performing artists are a.o. Benjamin Herman, Han Bennink, Hans Dulfer, Philip Catherine, Mike Roelofs and Bart Oostindie. - (...) Wenn man 'How To Kiss' hört, wird die Marschrichtung gleich zu Beginn bekannt gegeben. Der Groove und Funk bilden das musikalische Fundament auf dem gejammt und improvisiert wird. Mir gefällt der Klang des Alt'schen Saxophons: er ist bestimmend in der Aussage, aber zeitgleich auch offen für Inspirationen und Freiräume. Sie spielt das Instrument mit einem weichen Klang, versehen mit einer wohl dosierten Prise Rauheit hier und dort. Ihre Soli sind nachvollziehbar, trotz des manchmal hohen Tempos. In den langsameren Stücken ist der Klang schmeichelnd, eine Schüchternheit im Ton wird geschickt (und bewusst) überdeckt. Aber das sind nur meine Assoziationen und die müssen nicht stimmen. Finden Sie es selbst heraus, es lohnt sich, denn 'How To Kiss' ist ein grossartiges Album geworden! Es beginnt mit dem titelgebenden Track How to Kiss. Die Hauptverantwortung beim Jazz für den Groove hat die Rhythmusgruppe und diese wird von Lemm, Cuppen und Schuster fast beiläufig übernommen. Alt spielt ihr Solo mit einer überzeugenden Leichtigkeit. Die Trompete spinnt die Idee fort. B. Jammin tut das, was im Titel steht. Der Track geht in die Beine. Bei Scotheny wird einem langsam das oben erwähnte Timbre von Alt's Saxophon bewusst. Lateinamerikanische Rhythmen sorgen für Stimmung und Abwechslung. Ein Track bei dem man zudem sehr schön heraushören kann, dass das Tasteninstrument dezent im Hintergrund spielt und doch für die Wirkung des Stückes maßgeblich ist. Hört man die ersten 2 Noten und die ersten Takte von Cold Sweat, so kommt einem sofort ein berühmtes Jazz Album in den Sinn. Das Stück verströmt eine fröhliche Aufbruchstimmung (schnelle Musik!). Wir hören Soli auf der Trompete und dem Hammond L100, sowie fetzige Bläser Riffs und Susanne Alt ist bei alldem eine souveräne Leaderin. Snokie fällt durch seinen rockigen Charakter etwas aus dem Rahmen, ist aber nicht minder interessant. Nach einem harten Gitarren-Solo schält sich das Saxophon in den Vordergrund und erst gegen Ende dominiert wieder der Funk.Der Klassiker What's Going On wird sehr unbeschwert dargeboten mit lockerem Groove. Der Klang des Saxophons ist sehr geschmeidig aber nie schwülstig und Alt spielt es so, als würde sie den Refrain singen. Grossartig! Hier wird die Nähe des Instruments zur menschlichen Stimme deutlich. Das Fender Rhodes klingt einfach nur wunderbar in diesem Stück. Willow Weep For Me ist eine klassische Ballade mit einem herrlichen Fender Rhodes Intro. Susanne Alt erzählt uns eine Geschichte. Einer der besten Tracks des Albums! Bei Brothers And Sisters ist der Rhythmus tonangebend, lateinamerikanisch-kubanische Klänge sorgen für exotisches Flair mit einem ausufernden Solo des Tasteninstrumentes. Der Anfang des nun folgenden Stückes, African Dream, ist spannend, fesselnd und musikalisch sehr interessant: geübte, aber auch ungeübte Hörer, werden in den ersten Sekunden heraushören, auch ohne dass der Titel bekannt wäre, auf welchen Kontinent hier verwiesen wird. Durch die Verwendung bestimmter Rhythmusfiguren (später werden die Polyrhythmen eindeutig hörbar) und der Elektronik klingt das Saxophon gerade zu Beginn futuristisch, erst später setzte der bekannte Groove ein und es wird wieder gängiger. No Rules klingt genauso wie der Titel es sagt. Ein musikalischer Hybrid an die Bebop Ära erinnernd (durch den Walking Bass) mit Elementen des Fusion-Jazz der 70'er Jahre. Alt spielt dazu ein energisch-muskulöses Solo. Frida's Birds erinnert durch den Wechsel vom Rhodes auf das Hammond an 'From Left To Right' von Bill Evans. Auch dieser Track verströmt cubanisch-lateinamerikanisches Flair. Auf Just A Little Lovin' singt Frau Alt das erste Mal auf diesem Album und sorgt somit für einen charmanten Abschluss eines gelungenen, packenden und unterhaltsamen Albums. (Rick Deckard)English(...) If you hear 'How To Kiss', the direction is disclosed at the beginning. Groove and funk form the musical foundation on which there is jamming and improvising. I like the sound of Alt's sax: it is decisive in the statement, but at the same time open to inspiration and freedom. She plays the instrument with a soft sound, provided with a well-measured roughness pinch here and there. Her solos are understandable, despite the sometimes high tempo. In the slower parts of the sound is coaxing, a shyness in tone is well (and deliberately) covered. But these are just my associations and do not have to be correct. Find out for yourself, it 's worth it, 'How To Kiss' has become a great album! It begins with (...) How to Kiss. The primary responsibility for the Jazz groove has the rhythm section and this is done by Lemm, Cuppen and Schuster, almost casually. Alt plays her solo with a convincing ease. The trumpet spins the idea further. B. Jammin' does what it says in the title. The track is leg-swinging. In Scotheny one starts to become aware of Alts' saxophone timbre mentioned above. Latin rhythms create a wonderful atmosphere and variety. A track where you can also hear very nice, the keyboard instrument that plays discretely in the background and yet relevant to the action of the play. Listening to the first 2 notes and the first bars of Cold sweat, so at once a famous jazz album comes to mind. The piece exudes a cheerful spirit of optimism (fast music!). We hear solos on the trumpet and the old Hammond L100 and groovy horn riffs and Susanne in all this is a sovereign leader. Snokie falls something out of context through its rocky nature , but is no less interesting. After a hard guitar solo , the saxophone peels to the fore only toward the end and again dominates the Funk. The classic What's Going On is presented very carefree with a loose groove. The sound of the saxophone is very smooth but never pompous and Alt plays as if she would sing the chorus. Great! Here the proximity of the instrument and the human voice becomes clear. The Fender Rhodes sounds absolutely wonderful in this piece. Willow Weep for Me is a classic ballad with a beautiful Fender Rhodes intro. Susanne Alt tells us a story. One of the best tracks on the album! In Brothers and Sisters, the rhythm is essential, Latin American-Cuban sounds provide for an exotic flair with a sprawling solo of keyboard instrument. The beginning of the following piece, African Dream, is exciting, compelling and musically very interesting; trained, but inexperienced listeners will hear the first few seconds, even without the title would be known, to which continent is is referred to. Through the use of certain rhythmic figures (later the polyrhythms are clearly audible) and the electronic sounds, the saxophone almost sounds futuristic especially at the beginning, later the groove comes in and it is again a bit more popular. No Rules sounds exactly like the title says it. A musical hybrid reminiscent (of the bebop era by the walking bass) with elements of fusion jazz of the 70s. Alt plays an energetic, muscular solo. Frida's Birds reminded by the change from Rhodes to Hammond 'From Left To Right by Bill Evans. Again, this track exudes Cuban-Latin American flavor. On Just A Little Lovin' Alt sings for the first time on this album, thus ensuring a charming conclusion of a succeful, exciting and entertaining album. (Rick Deckard)