The official homepage of Arild Andersen

N e w C D r e l e a s e, m a r c h 2004

In 1997 trumpeter Markus Stockhausen and bass legend Arild Andersen started working in a duo context and added drummer Patrice H�ral one year later to form a trio. On the other hand guitar virtuoso Ferenc Sn�tberger had been playing duets with both Stockhausen and H�ral. Because of the good vibrations between all four of them it was a natural step forward when in 2002 Stockhausen, Sn�tberger, Andersen and H�ral founded a pan-European collective working quartet based on their common artistic experiences.

Markus Stockhausen, son of the well-known composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, started his stage career at the age of four and is a regular member in his father's ensembles. An experienced player in both classical and jazz contexts (e.g. with Ralph Towner, Gianluigi Trovesi, Michael Riessler), he approaches improvisation with a maximum of discipline and technique reaching for unmatched melodic invention. Hungarian-born guitarist Ferenc Sn�tberger is among today's outstanding players on his instrument. Going for a synthesis of flamenco, classical music, jazz and samba, he melts all these influences into a very personal style full of surprise, wonder and emotion. One of the world's leading jazz bassists, Norwegian Arild Andersen has recorded dozens of great albums as a leader and sideman, e.g. with Jan Garbarek, Kenny Wheeler, Bill Frisell and Paul Bley. Extraordinary drum artist Patrice H�ral from France has been working in many multi media and world music contexts (e.g. Dhafer Youssef, Vienna Art Orchestra) and is considered by his colleagues as "Europe's Nana Vasconcelos".

Crossing the borders between jazz, classical music, world music, bossa nova and more, the quartet's debut album "Joyosa" presents a new amalgamation of today's sounds that is at the same time utterly elegant, full of joy and vibrating with vitality. But no matter what you call it: This tasteful, brilliant, highly sensitive music will speak to the unprepared listener's heart as well as to the advanced connoisseur's mind.

ENJA RECORDS M. Winckelmann GmbH P.O. Box 190333 D-80603 Munich Germany

phone: +49-(0)89-1800 6311 / fax: +49-(0)89-1800 6313 / e-mail: info@enjarecords.com