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Ellington - Sacred Concert (Vinyl LP)

£28.50

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Label: Alba

Cat No: ABLP01

Barcode: 6417513600018

Format: LP

Number of Discs: 1

Genre: Vocal/Choral

Release Date: 14th August 2020

Works

Ellington, Duke

Sacred Concerts

Artists

Anu Komsi (soprano)
Marzi Nyman (organ)

Works

Ellington, Duke

Sacred Concerts

Artists

Anu Komsi (soprano)
Marzi Nyman (organ)

About

Duke Ellington wrote Sacred Concert in the mid-1960s and performed the work with his orchestra and various soloists between 1966 and 1974 at churches around the USA and Europe. Ellington never wrote a score of Sacred Concerts, and it wasn’t until 1993 when John Høybye and Peder Pedersen produced a score mostly meant for choirs, but including the full vocal lines and harmonies. Ellington’s own performances were all different. The amount and order of the movements and everything about interpretation was agreed just before the start of each show, and the musicians and soloists improvised in true jazz style.

The movements of Sacred Concert are reflections and allusions of traditional gospel songs and the historic roots of soul music in America, and the songs sung by black slaves in the hellish working conditions of the cotton fields. The threads of freedom, brotherhood, God’s mercy and praise run through each lyric.

The album was recorded at the Kokkola Church in 2017, one long take at a time, making the improvisation sections genuine. The choir parts have been recorded post-production in a studio by Anu and Marzi.

Anu Komsi (b. 1967) is one of Finland’s most international coloratura soprano stars. She has gained a reputation in the world of opera houses and major concert venues as a skilled singer who has embraced perfect musicianship. As a soloist and chamber musician, her programme extends from the Renaissance through progressive jazz to the latest in contemporary music, and she has a number of acclaimed roles in the repertoire of over 60 opera roles. In her opera career, Anu has sung on the major opera stages and festivals of Europe and America. Komsi’s numerous recordings have earned her praise, and she has also worked as an opera director.

Guitarist Marzi Nyman (b. 1979) is an excellent example of a diverse and immaculate musician who has brought a new kind of vitality to Finnish rhythm music. He has performed with a variety of ensembles including the iconic Finnish pop group Nylon Beat, Hemma Beast, UMO Jazz Orchestra, Husband, Iiro Rantala New Trio and GG Caravan. Nyman had been playing the piano for ten years before he actually started playing the guitar. He began his studies at the Sibelius Academy's Jazz Department in 1998. Nyman was elected Pori Jazz Artist of the Year in 2003.

Tracklisting:

1. Praise God

2. Heaven

3. Freedom

4. The Majesty of God

5. Freedom is a Word

6. David Danced

7. Almighty God

8. Freedom is Sweet

9. Freedom Spoken in Different Languages

10. Praise God and Dance - Finale