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Underground Roller Coaster

Diego Pinera | Odd Wisdom

Underground Roller Coaster

Price: € 14.95
Format: CD
Label: Double Moon Records
UPC: 0608917145120
Catnr: DMCHR 71451
Release date: 25 October 2024
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Label
Double Moon Records
UPC
0608917145120
Catalogue number
DMCHR 71451
Release date
25 October 2024

"... A great musical work has been created here..."

jazzfun quote, 26-10-2024
Album
Artist(s)
Composer(s)
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About the album

Life is like a roller coaster ride! Diego Pinera, the drummer from Berlin, recently had far too much of it. "This part of the album title reflects my life over the last few years," he conceded candidly—and by that he also meant very personal matters. He had to overcome "very dark moments" and even a serious illness. On the other hand, there was a variety of great experiences with music. Then a painful separation. On the other hand, he was awarded the German Jazz Prize in the spring of 2023. The musician, who comes from Uruguay and has lived in Germany for more than two decades, was nominated twice: as a composer (the winning title "Through Hell" is on this album) and as an arranger. "These were many extremes at the time." And without a doubt, he found therein a breeding ground for many things that can be heard on the excellent new album "Underground Roller Coaster".

Underground? “Our attitude is pretty much underground, not in the free jazz sense, but perhaps in the punk sense." This spirit was reinforced by the unusual recording conditions. Pinera had decided that his quartet would largely record this album live in a large studio room—just like his great role models from the 1950s and 1960s. In search of a suitable location, he discovered the Zentrifuge Studio in Berlin's Wedding district: a rough, unique place where jazz and avant-garde are lived: "Chaotic and crazy just like Berlin! Full shelves. You play live standing in a semi-circle—no headphones, almost like in a concert." The amazing result: a harmonious organic sound, to which the careful mixing and mastering by specialist Martin Ruch contributed.

Diego Pinera (his real surname is Piñera) has already worked in top studios between Berlin and New York. His vision for this production was just right. "To make this work, you need a well-rehearsed band that you can trust. This is really a BAND!" ODD Wisdom was the name of the previous album of the Berlin-based artist, released on the ACT label at the beginning of 2021. The recordings were made in New York with some high-caliber jazz musicians: Donny McCaslin, Ben Monder and Scott Colley. He had prepared much of the material at the time with the same line-up that now forms the Odd Wisdom band. Guitarist Igor Osypov, born and raised in Ukraine, has played alongside him for about eight years. The connection to saxophonist Peter Ehwald goes back even longer; he was already involved in Pinera's third album "Strange Ways" (Double Moon Records, Jazz thing Next Generation). He has known Marcel Krömker since around 2007, and the bassist already played on the first Berlin production of the drummer from Montevideo ("Reflexiones", 2011). Krömker also took photos in Zentrifuge and expertly designed the cover.

“We are friends. and everyone is part of the process," Pinera emphasized. "I wanted to have a solid group of musicians with whom I also have a personal connection, who know me personally and musically, who are fearless and want to experiment as well as live in the same city!" And who are willing to make an impact with strong character traits. Pinera is a leader, composer and arranger who knows what he wants and whose songs challenge. But he also knows how much better a first-class, functioning band can be if all participants are not only instrumentally perfect, but also contribute their own ideas.

Diego Pinera, whose maternal grandmother had once fled Berlin, grew up with Latin traditions and mastered classical jazz styles. Before coming to Berlin, he studied in Havana, Cuba, and at the Berklee School of Music, Boston. However, contorted rhythms are his special passion. “It's like a drug. I'm still practicing very, very much and constantly keep going further." Polyrhythmic nesting sometimes means that he links or superimposes various contorted rhythms. He doesn’t do this as an intellectual experiment, but for the pleasure of unlimited possibilities of expression. Ultimately, complexity must never stand in the way, and virtuosity must never serve as an end in itself. Emotional content is what counts. With Odd Wisdom, even difficult as well as natural flows, a 13 beat (one of Pinera's preferred counting times) sounds wonderfully organic. And rousing.

The melodic feeling of the drummer ensures the rest. "Melody is extremely important to me." It is always about the right balance. This also applies to the one composition by someone else. Until now, Pinera has arranged a jazz standard for each of his albums. This time he chose "And I Love Her" by the Beatles, in the original with bongos and claves. Pinera ("I love this song!") made the title the 13th on the recording and added a percussion part for the first time ever on one of his albums. There are also three candombe drums from Uruguay on "Candombe in 5". "Through Hell" was created during the crisis as well as a hospital stay. "Ruido" is the noise of a metropolis. The wonderful ballad "Santa Teresa", which concludes the album, is fed by very personal memories of a church of the same name in the coastal town of Trani in southern Italy. The composition was originally intended as a duet of church organ and percussion.
"Underground Roller Coaster" is a rich, multi-layered masterpiece of a formidable band and a leader with his own unique style.

Das Leben: eine Achterbahnfahrt, ein roller coaster ride! Diego Pinera, der Schlagzeuger aus Berlin, hatte zuletzt deutlich zuviel davon. „Dieser Teil des Albumtitels spiegelt mein Leben in den letzten Jahren“, räumt er freimütig ein – und meint damit auch ganz Persönliches. „Sehr dunkle Momente“ bis hin zu einer schweren Erkrankung hat er überwinden müssen. Andererseits gab es eine Vielzahl an großartigen musikalischen Erfahrungen. Dann: eine schmerzhafte Trennung. Im Frühjahr 2023 wiederum: die Verleihung des Deutschen Jazzpreis – nominiert war der Musiker, der aus Uruguay stammt und seit über zwei Jahrzehnten in Deutschland lebt, gleich zweimal: als Komponist (der Gewinner-Titel „Through Hell“ ist auf diesem Album) und als Arrangeur. „Das waren viele Extreme“ - und ohne Zweifel, so findet er selbst, ein Nährboden für Manches, was auf dem exzellenten neuen Album „Underground Roller Coaster“ zu hören ist.
Underground? „Unsere Attitüde ist ziemlich Underground. Nicht im Free Jazz-, eher vielleicht im Punk-Sinne.“ Dieser Geist wurde bestärkt durch die ungewöhnlichen Aufnahme-Bedingungen. Pinera hatte sich in den Kopf gesetzt, dass sein Quartett dieses Album weitgehend live in einem großen Studio-Raum einspielt – so wie die großen Vorbilder in den 1950er und 1960er Jahren. Auf der Suche nach einer geeigneten Location stieß er auf das Zentrifuge Studio im Berliner Wedding: ein rauer, einzigartiger Ort, in dem Jazz und Avantgarde gelebt wird: „Berlinerisch chaotisch und verrückt! Volle Regale. Man steht live in einem Halbkreis – keine Kopfhörer, fast wie im Konzert.“ Das erstaunliche Ergebnis: ein stimmiger organischer Sound, zu dem auch das sorgsame Nachmischen und Mastern durch Spezialist Martin Ruch beigetragen hat.
Diego Pinera (der eigentliche Familienname ist Piñera) hat schon in Top-Studios zwischen Berlin und New York gearbeitet. Mit seiner Vision für diese Produktion lag er genau richtig. „Damit so etwas klappt, brauchst du eine eingespielte Band, der du vertraust. Dies ist wirklich eine BAND!“ Odd Wisdom hieß das vorige Album des Wahlberliners, veröffentlicht Anfang 2021 auf dem ACT-Label. Die Aufnahmen entstanden in New York mit einigen Hochkarätern des dortigen Jazz-Geschehens: Donny McCaslin, Ben Monder und Scott Colley. Einen Großteil des Materials hatte er seinerzeit vorbereitet mit eben jener Besetzung, die jetzt die Odd Wisdom-Band bildet. Gitarrist Igor Osypov, geboren und aufgewachsen in der Ukraine, ist ihm seit etwa acht Jahren immer mal wieder musikalisch begegnet. Die Verbindung zu Saxofonist Peter Ehwald reicht noch länger zurück – er war bereits an Pineras drittem Album „Strange Ways“ beteiligt (Double Moon Records, JazzThing Next Generation). Marcel Krömker kennt er seit etwa 2007 – der Bassist spielte schon auf der ersten Berliner Produktion des Drummers aus Montevideo („Reflexiones“, 2011). Krömker fotografierte auch in der Zentrifuge und nahm das Coverdesign in seine kompetenten Hände.
„Wir sind Freunde. Alle sind Teil des Prozesses“, betont Pinera. „Ich wollte eine feste Gruppe haben mit Musikern, zu denen ich auch einen persönlichen Draht habe, die mich persönlich und musikalisch kennen, die furchtlos sind und Lust auf Experimente haben – und die in derselben Stadt wohnen!“ Und die als starke Charaktere bereit sind, Einfluss zu nehmen. Pinera ist ein Leader, Komponist und Arrangeur, der weiß was er will und dessen Stücke herausfordern. Er weiß aber auch, wieviel besser eine erstklassig besetzte, funktionierende Band sein kann, wenn alle Beteiligten nicht nur instrumental perfekt sind, sondern eigene Ideen einbringen.
Diego Pinera, dessen Großmutter mütterlicherseits einst aus Berlin geflohen war, wuchs mit Latin-Traditionen auf und beherrscht klassische Jazzstile. Bevor er nach Berlin kam, studierte er im kubanischen Havanna sowie an der Berklee School of Music, Boston. Eine spezielle Leidenschaft sind allerdings krumme Takte. „Das ist wie eine Droge. Ich übe immer noch sehr, sehr viel und komme dabei immer weiter.“ Polyrhythmische Verschachtelungen bedeuten bei ihm gelegentlich, dass er verschiedene krumme Takte verknüpft bzw. übereinanderlegt. Nicht als intellektuelles Experiment, sondern aus Freude an unbegrenzten Ausdrucksmöglichkeiten. Letztlich darf Komplexität nie im Wege stehen, Virtuosität nie als Selbstzweck dienen. Es zählt der emotionale Gehalt. Bei Odd Wisdom fließt auch Schwieriges wie selbstverständlich, wirkt ein 13er-Beat (eine von Pineras bevorzugten Zählzeiten) wunderbar organisch. Und mitreißend.
Das melodische Gefühl des Drummers sorgt für ein Übriges. „Melodie ist mir extrem wichtig.“ Stets geht es um die richtige Balance. Das gilt auch für die einzige Fremdkomposition. Bisher arrangierte Pinera für seine Alben jeweils einen Jazz-Standard. Diesmal wählte er „And I Love Her“ von den Beatles, im Original mit Bongos und Claves. Pinera („I love this song!“) machte den Titel zum 13er und ergänzte - erstmals überhaupt auf einem seiner Alben - einen Percussion-Part. Auf „Candombe in 5“ erklingen zusätzlich drei Candombe-Trommeln aus Uruguay. „Through Hell“ entstand in der Krise während eines Krankenhaus-Aufenthaltes. In „Ruido“ steckt der Lärm der Metropole. Die wunderbare Ballade „Santa Teresa“, die das Album beschließt, ist genährt von sehr persönlichen Erinnerungen an die gleichnamige Kirche im Küstenort Trani, Süditalien. Ursprünglich war die Komposition als Duett von Kirchenorgel und Schlagzeug gedacht.
„Underground Roller Coaster“ ist ein gehaltvolles, vielschichtiges Meisterwerk. Das einer formidablen Band. Und eines Leaders mit einer ganz eigenen Handschrift.

Artist(s)

Diego Pinera (drums)

Diego Pinera was born 1981 in Montevideo, Uruguay and has lived in Germany since 2003. He studied drumming at the Berklee College of Music (USA), at the University of Music in Havana (Cuba) and at the University of Music and Theater in Leipzig (Germany). Pinera’s encounters with Latin American music, and with jazz in all its breadth, have led him to develop an unmistakable style. Through the combination of his advanced conception of rhythm, a jazz sound with a Latin touch, and the freedom of improvisation his strong character comes across vividly. In Pinera´s compositions there is musical complexity and virtuosity in abundance imbued with great subtlety and his love to odd meter grooves. In Uruguay he recorded with the Diego Pinera...
more
Diego Pinera was born 1981 in Montevideo, Uruguay and has lived in Germany since 2003. He studied drumming at the Berklee College of Music (USA), at the University of Music in Havana (Cuba) and at the University of Music and Theater in Leipzig (Germany).
Pinera’s encounters with Latin American music, and with jazz in all its breadth, have led him to develop an unmistakable style. Through the combination of his advanced conception of rhythm, a jazz sound with a Latin touch, and the freedom of improvisation his strong character comes across vividly. In Pinera´s compositions there is musical complexity and virtuosity in abundance imbued with great subtlety and his love to odd meter grooves.
In Uruguay he recorded with the Diego Pinera Trio the album “Buscando” under the Perro Andaluz label. Back in Germany he founded the Berlin Quartet and released in 2010 “Reflexiones” featuring Tony Lakatos. In 2014 the Jazz Thing Next Generation Series “Strange Ways” followed. In May 2016 he went on the cd release tour for “My Picture” with Donny McCaslin and Phil Donkin.
In 2017 Diego Pinera received as bandleader and composer the prestigious prize ECHO Jazz for his album “My picture” in the category drums/ percussion national, recorded in New York with Mark Turner and Ben Street. His first ACT music album “Despertando” was released 2018 and his next ACT album “Odd Wisdom” feat. Donny McCaslin has been considerated for the finalist of the GRAMMY Music Awards 2021.
With this project he played at the Jazzbaltica 2022, live recorded by ZDF. In November 2022 he has been invited to play in 30th anniversary event of ACT at the Berlin Philharmonic together with Wolfgang Haffner, Nils Landgren and many more artists.
Diego Pinera won the German award Deutscher Jazzpreis 2023 for „Best Arrangement of the Year“ of Béla Bartók’s String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85 and was also nominated for the best composition of the year with „Through Hell“.
Since 2022 he has taught at the University of Music Dresden “Carl Maria von Weber” and since 2023 at the University of applied sciences Osnabrück. He is also a first-call session/ sideman/ clinician and has been touring the world with many different settings and bands. He played with musicians like Donny McCaslin, Mark Turner, Ben Monder, Scott Colley and Ben Street. These brands have been represented by him as endorser: Yamaha Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Rohema, LP Percussion, SM Percussion und Musik Wein Ahead Armor Cases.

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Peter Ehwald (saxophone)

lgor Osypov (guitar)

Composer(s)

Diego Pinera (drums)

Diego Pinera was born 1981 in Montevideo, Uruguay and has lived in Germany since 2003. He studied drumming at the Berklee College of Music (USA), at the University of Music in Havana (Cuba) and at the University of Music and Theater in Leipzig (Germany). Pinera’s encounters with Latin American music, and with jazz in all its breadth, have led him to develop an unmistakable style. Through the combination of his advanced conception of rhythm, a jazz sound with a Latin touch, and the freedom of improvisation his strong character comes across vividly. In Pinera´s compositions there is musical complexity and virtuosity in abundance imbued with great subtlety and his love to odd meter grooves. In Uruguay he recorded with the Diego Pinera...
more
Diego Pinera was born 1981 in Montevideo, Uruguay and has lived in Germany since 2003. He studied drumming at the Berklee College of Music (USA), at the University of Music in Havana (Cuba) and at the University of Music and Theater in Leipzig (Germany).
Pinera’s encounters with Latin American music, and with jazz in all its breadth, have led him to develop an unmistakable style. Through the combination of his advanced conception of rhythm, a jazz sound with a Latin touch, and the freedom of improvisation his strong character comes across vividly. In Pinera´s compositions there is musical complexity and virtuosity in abundance imbued with great subtlety and his love to odd meter grooves.
In Uruguay he recorded with the Diego Pinera Trio the album “Buscando” under the Perro Andaluz label. Back in Germany he founded the Berlin Quartet and released in 2010 “Reflexiones” featuring Tony Lakatos. In 2014 the Jazz Thing Next Generation Series “Strange Ways” followed. In May 2016 he went on the cd release tour for “My Picture” with Donny McCaslin and Phil Donkin.
In 2017 Diego Pinera received as bandleader and composer the prestigious prize ECHO Jazz for his album “My picture” in the category drums/ percussion national, recorded in New York with Mark Turner and Ben Street. His first ACT music album “Despertando” was released 2018 and his next ACT album “Odd Wisdom” feat. Donny McCaslin has been considerated for the finalist of the GRAMMY Music Awards 2021.
With this project he played at the Jazzbaltica 2022, live recorded by ZDF. In November 2022 he has been invited to play in 30th anniversary event of ACT at the Berlin Philharmonic together with Wolfgang Haffner, Nils Landgren and many more artists.
Diego Pinera won the German award Deutscher Jazzpreis 2023 for „Best Arrangement of the Year“ of Béla Bartók’s String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85 and was also nominated for the best composition of the year with „Through Hell“.
Since 2022 he has taught at the University of Music Dresden “Carl Maria von Weber” and since 2023 at the University of applied sciences Osnabrück. He is also a first-call session/ sideman/ clinician and has been touring the world with many different settings and bands. He played with musicians like Donny McCaslin, Mark Turner, Ben Monder, Scott Colley and Ben Street. These brands have been represented by him as endorser: Yamaha Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Rohema, LP Percussion, SM Percussion und Musik Wein Ahead Armor Cases.

less

Press

... A great musical work has been created here...
jazzfun quote, 26-10-2024

... Pinera has given the Beatles classic “And 1 Love Her” a spectacular 13/8 beat. His own songs reveal not only the drummer's typical penchant for uneven meters but also something of the bandleader's optimism....
Jazzthing, 25-10-2024

... This “Roller Coaster Ride” is a high-energy contemporary/free jazz mix that also leaves room for quieter tones...
Er-em, 25-10-2024

... his rolls, insertions, and rhythmic changes while simultaneously controlling the musical proceedings are a delicacy...
Jazzthetik, 25-10-2024

Diego Piñera has just released his new album “Underground Roller Coaster”, which follows on from his previous project “Odd Wisdom”. We took this opportunity to invite this extraordinary percussionist and composer to a conversation.
jazzfun interview, 26-10-2024

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