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Natural Flow

Arthur Possing Quartet

Natural Flow

Price: € 14.95
Format: CD
Label: Double Moon Records
UPC: 0608917139129
Catnr: DMCHR 71391
Release date: 26 August 2021
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Label
Double Moon Records
UPC
0608917139129
Catalogue number
DMCHR 71391
Release date
26 August 2021

"... The clear, strong quintet sound with him even reminds a little of the neo-bop of the 1970s. Anyway, the band is on a very good way."

Jazzthing, 01-11-2021
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Artist(s)
Composer(s)
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About the album

“Natural Flow” is the name of the second album by Luxembourgian pianist Arthur Possing with his quartet, and the album title of course also defines the sound ideal of the band. It has existed since 2013, so it had enough time to develop the natural flow that characterizes the eleven songs on the successor to “Four Years”. Together with his compatriot Niels Engel on drums, the German bassist Sebastian Flach and the French saxophonist Pierre Cocq-Amann, Possing plays a warm modern jazz on “Natural Flow”, which is sophisticated, versatile and exciting. The four got to know each other in the Luxembourg jazz scene, and the French trumpeter and flugelhorn player Thomas Mayade is also a guest on four songs.
“Together, we embody exactly the sound I imagined,” Possing said. “As a pianist, the standard formation is the trio, but I always wanted a saxophone to play the melodies. I realized when composing that it would be better if another instrument played the melodies.”

Possing cannot praise his partner in melody leadership and structure enough. “Pierre can play a note and it touches you directly,” according to the pianist. “It's not about the number of notes, but about the way he plays a note. Whether on the soprano or the tenor, he has an attitude of how he presents emotions that is unique. I'm very glad I have him playing alongside me.”
Possing also found just the right companion for the position on the bass. “It's the round sound of Sebastian,” the pianist stated enthusiastically. “When he plays double bass, you immediately feel the fullness of his sound. He is very focused on the sound he plays and on the whole band at the same time. In addition, he plays very melodically. He gives the whole band a feeling of security, and that's actually the most important thing.”

And then there’s the man on the drums. “Niels plays drums as I imagine you play drums," Possing observed. “He is very versatile, because he is active in many different projects, like all the musicians in the band, and is at home in many different genres. He always finds the right grooves for the respective pieces and plays very freely and carefree. Sometimes he makes small interjections that deviate from the actual groove and are very interesting and inspiring. They often take the piece in a new direction.”
Thomas Mayade adds an extra dimension to the sound of the band in four pieces. “I met Thomas in Brussels, but he actually comes from France,” Possing said. “I had composed a few pieces, in which I wanted to have a trumpet or a flugelhorn playing with the band and I immediately thought of him. He combines traditional with more modern ways of playing and that fits exactly.”
The eleven songs were mainly composed by the band leader, while some songs were also composed by other band members, including the most intense, “Le Roi Arthur”, by Cocq-Amann. “Last year he called me and told me that he composed a song for me; that was ‘Le Roi Arthur’," Possing remembered. “The piece not only reflects my musical world, but also fits perfectly into the quartet. Of course, it also demonstrates his background and reminds you of John Coltrane without being a pale copy of his playing. It is in 7/4 time and consequently has a more modern approach that was not common at the time. At the same time, it is mixed with this energy.”
Relaxed rhythmic complexity distinguishes “One Move Further”. “'One Move Further” is based on a rhythmic idea that Sebastian and I play together,” the pianist explained. “A melodic idea develops from this, which is anticipated by the rhythm – hence the title.”
The enchanting “Walk Around Etangs” shows another side of the band. “‘Walk Around Etangs’ refers to my time in Brussels, where I studied,” Possing explained. “’Etangs’ is the French word for ponds, and I often went for walks along the ponds in my district.”
"Golden Fields” is also among the particularly impressive songs. “That was one of the first pieces I composed for the album,” Possing remembers. “The influence of Brad Mehldau can be heard quite clearly there. I composed the piece after I saw a concert by him with his trio in Luxembourg. He embodies an aesthetic that is very close to me and that I find very important – without wanting to compare myself to him now.”
„Natural Flow“ heißt das zweite Album des Luxemburger Pianisten Arthur Possing mit seinem Quartett und der Albumtitel definiert natürlich auch das Klangideal der Band. Sie existiert seit 2013, hatte also genügend Zeit, den natürlichen Fluss zu entwickeln, der die elf Songs auf dem Nachfolger von „Four Years“ auszeichnet. Zusammen mit seinem Landsmann Niels Engel am Schlagzeug, dem deutschen Bassisten Sebastian Flach und dem französischen Saxofonisten Pierre Cocq-Amann spielt Possing auf „Natural Flow“ einen warmen Modern Jazz, der raffiniert, vielseitig und aufregend ist. Kennengelernt haben die vier sich in der Luxemburger Jazz-Szene, auf vier Songs ist außerdem der französische Trompeter und Flügelhornist Thomas Mayade zu Gast.
„Zusammen verkörpern wir genau den Sound, den ich mir vorgestellt habe“, freut sich Possing. „Als Pianist ist die Standardformation das Trio, aber ich wollte immer ein Saxofon dabei haben, das die Melodien spielt. Ich habe beim Komponieren gemerkt, dass es schöner wäre, wenn ein anderes Instrument die Melodien spielt.“
Seinen Partner in Melodieführung und -gestaltung kann Possing dabei gar nicht genug loben. „Pierre kann eine Note spielen und es berührt Dich direkt“, findet der Pianist. „Es geht nicht um die Anzahl der Noten, sondern um die Art und Weise, wie er eine Note spielt. Egal, ob am Sopran oder am Tenor, er hat eine Attitüde, wie er Emotionen darstellt, die einmalig ist. Ich bin sehr froh, dass ich ihn neben mir habe.“
Auch für die Position am Bass hat Possing genau den richtigen Mitstreiter gefunden. „ Bei Sebastian ist es der runde Sound“, schwärmt der Pianist. „Wenn er Kontrabass spielt, spürt man gleich die Fülle seines Klangs. Er ist sehr fokussiert auf den Sound, den er spielt und gleichzeitig auf die ganze Band. Hinzu kommt, dass er sehr melodiös spielt. Er gibt der ganzen Band Sicherheit und das ist eigentlich das Wichtigste.“
Fehlt noch der Mann am Schlagzeug. „Niels spielt so Schlagzeug, wie ich mir vorstelle, dass man Schlagzeug spielt“, stellt Possing fest. „Er ist sehr vielseitig, weil er wie alle Musiker der Band in vielen verschiedenen Projekten tätig ist und in vielen verschiedenen Genres zuhause ist. Er findet immer die richtigen Grooves für die jeweiligen Stücke und spielt sehr frei und unbeschwert. Manchmal macht er kleine Einwürfe, die vom eigentlichen Groove abweichen und sehr interessant und inspirierend sind. Oft führen sie das Stück in eine neue Richtung.“
Thomas Mayade verleiht dem Sound der Band in vier Stücken eine zusätzliche Dimension. „Thomas habe ich in Brüssel kennengelernt, aber er kommt eigentlich aus Frankreich“, erzählt Possing. „Ich hatte einige Stücke geschrieben, bei denen ich gern eine Trompete oder ein Flügelhorn dabei haben würde und da habe ich gleich an ihn gedacht. Er verbindet traditionelle mit moderneren Spielweisen und das passte genau.“
Die elf Songs stammen vorwiegend aus der Feder des Bandleaders, einige Songs stammen auch von anderen Bandmitgliedern, darunter der intensivste, „Le Roi Arthur“, von Cocq-Amann. „Letztes Jahr hat er mich angerufen und mir gesagt, dass er mir einen Song geschrieben hat, das war ‚Le Roi Arthur‘“, erinnert Possing sich. „Das Stück spiegelt nicht nur meine musikalische Welt, sondern passt auch genau ins Quartett. Es zeigt natürlich auch seinen Hintergrund und erinnert an John Coltrane, ohne eine blasse Kopie davon zu sein. Es ist im 7/4-Takt gehalten und zeigt damit eine modernere Herangehensweise, die damals nicht gang und gäbe war. Gleichzeitig ist es vermischt mit dieser Energie.“
Lässige rhythmische Komplexität zeichnet „One Move Further“ aus. „‚One Move Further‘ geht von einer rhythmische Idee aus, die Sebastian und ich zusammen spielen“, erläutert der Pianist. „Daraus entwickelt sich eine melodiöse Idee, die vom Rhythmus antizipiert wird - daher der Titel.“
Das verwunschene „Walk Around Etangs“ zeigt eine andere Seite der Band. „‚Walk Around Etangs‘ bezieht sich auf meine Zeit in Brüssel, wo ich studiert habe“, erklärt Possing. „‚Etangs‘ ist das französische Wort für Weiher und an den Weihern in meinem Stadtteil bin ich immer spazieren gegangen.“
Zu den besonders eindrucksvollen Songs zählt auch „Golden Fields“. „Das war eins der ersten Stücke, die ich für das Album geschrieben habe“, erinnert Possing sich. „Der Einfluss von Brad Mehldau ist hier ziemlich klar zu hören. Das Stück entstand, nachdem ich ein Konzert von ihm mit seinem Trio in Luxemburg gesehen habe. Er verkörpert eine Ästhetik, die mir sehr nahe steht und die ich sehr wichtig finde - ohne mich jetzt mit ihm vergleichen zu wollen.“

Artist(s)

Arthur Possing (piano)

Arthur Possing is a young Luxembourgish pianist. Born in 1996, he grew up in a family, where music takes an important role and was omnipresent at home.   He started classical percussion at the age of 6 and classical piano at the age of 10, later in the class of well-known pianist Jean Muller. In 2009, he began jazz piano with Marc Mangen and in 2011, vibraphone with Guy Cabay. In 2016, after finishing secondary school, he began further studies in jazz piano at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles with Eric Legnini. The Arthur Possing Quartet was formed in 2013. The members of the group met in highschool (music section) and soon they started to play together regularly. In 2017, the musicians are originally from Germany, France and...
more
Arthur Possing is a young Luxembourgish pianist. Born in 1996, he grew up in a family, where music takes an important role and was omnipresent at home. He started classical percussion at the age of 6 and classical piano at the age of 10, later in the class of well-known pianist Jean Muller. In 2009, he began jazz piano with Marc Mangen and in 2011, vibraphone with Guy Cabay.
In 2016, after finishing secondary school, he began further studies in jazz piano at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles with Eric Legnini.
The Arthur Possing Quartet was formed in 2013. The members of the group met in highschool (music section) and soon they started to play together regularly.
In 2017, the musicians are originally from Germany, France and Luxembourg and have studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, at the Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood near Paris, and at the Musikhochschule Mannheim.
Their repertoire consists of own compositions, as well as tunes of jazzmen they really appreciate.
The quartet plays modern jazz, with influences from all genres, without forgetting the tradition.
In 2017, the quartet recorded its first album, entitled “Four Years which has been released in March 2018 on the Belgian label Hypnote Records. It was well acclaimed by the audience and the press and won “Hit” by Couleurs Jazz in France.

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Niels Engel (drums)

Pierre Cocq-Amann (tenor saxophone)

Sebastian Flach (double bass)

Composer(s)

Arthur Possing (piano)

Arthur Possing is a young Luxembourgish pianist. Born in 1996, he grew up in a family, where music takes an important role and was omnipresent at home.   He started classical percussion at the age of 6 and classical piano at the age of 10, later in the class of well-known pianist Jean Muller. In 2009, he began jazz piano with Marc Mangen and in 2011, vibraphone with Guy Cabay. In 2016, after finishing secondary school, he began further studies in jazz piano at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles with Eric Legnini. The Arthur Possing Quartet was formed in 2013. The members of the group met in highschool (music section) and soon they started to play together regularly. In 2017, the musicians are originally from Germany, France and...
more
Arthur Possing is a young Luxembourgish pianist. Born in 1996, he grew up in a family, where music takes an important role and was omnipresent at home. He started classical percussion at the age of 6 and classical piano at the age of 10, later in the class of well-known pianist Jean Muller. In 2009, he began jazz piano with Marc Mangen and in 2011, vibraphone with Guy Cabay.
In 2016, after finishing secondary school, he began further studies in jazz piano at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles with Eric Legnini.
The Arthur Possing Quartet was formed in 2013. The members of the group met in highschool (music section) and soon they started to play together regularly.
In 2017, the musicians are originally from Germany, France and Luxembourg and have studied at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, at the Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood near Paris, and at the Musikhochschule Mannheim.
Their repertoire consists of own compositions, as well as tunes of jazzmen they really appreciate.
The quartet plays modern jazz, with influences from all genres, without forgetting the tradition.
In 2017, the quartet recorded its first album, entitled “Four Years which has been released in March 2018 on the Belgian label Hypnote Records. It was well acclaimed by the audience and the press and won “Hit” by Couleurs Jazz in France.

less

Pierre Cocq-Amann (tenor saxophone)

Sebastian Flach (double bass)

Press

... The clear, strong quintet sound with him even reminds a little of the neo-bop of the 1970s. Anyway, the band is on a very good way.
Jazzthing, 01-11-2021

Everything flows. Modern jazz can sound this cool: "Natural Fow" by the Arthur Possing Quartet. An album with eleven compositions that invite you to drift away...
d'Revue, 08-9-2021

... is a moment of intense energy in complex measure, and sounds "Coltrane sixties", but with a wink of the pianist in a solemn intro and outro, almost royal ...
JazzMania, 06-9-2021

... Eight compositions by Possing, the other four by Cocq-Amman and Fach. And it is of a beautiful fluidity, it is natural, as the title says...
Le Soir Belgique, 01-9-2021

... Very funky comes "Golden Fields" and impresses with its modern groove, the long piano introduction of "Memory" is very lyrical and romantic, and here again Mayade provides the extra touch. The natural flow ultimately runs through the whole record, which shines with "Straight Forward" once again with modern-oriented jazz.  
Music an Sich, 31-8-2021

... The quartet's repertoire consists of their own compositions, but also of pieces by jazz musicians they hold in high esteem. This mixture reveals a modern, melodic jazz with influences from all genres, without forgetting the tradition...
Luxemburger Wort, 19-8-2021

More complex, but not more complicated. Arthur Possing is a young, up-and-coming jazz pianist. With his quartet he releases his second album...
Telecran, 11-8-2021

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