Don't walk too far

With its debut album Don’t walk too far the Lucerne Jazz Orchestra presents a first retrospective of its two-year existence, underlining its musical orientation after an intensive time of rehearsing and giving concerts. A new generation of musicians and composers is passionately working on breathing new life into the body of sound “Big Band”, without taking any compromises.
With a good feel for tradition as well as a consistent curiosity for finding ways out of it, four young composers – all of them members of the orchestra themselves – brought their own point of view to todays orchestral Mainstream-Jazz. Listening to the new album, it is out of question that not only the composers, but every person involved, have put their hearts and souls into the project.
Whether as instrumentalists, soloists or composers, nineteen individualists have found their way to form one extraordinary body of sound and being lead by David Grottschreiber, they are heading into their very own musical direction.

Recorded at DRS Radiostudio Zürich, June 20th to 22nd, 2009, by Andreas Neresheimer. Mixed and Mastered at Hansahaus Studios Bonn June 27th to 31st 2009, by Oliver Bergner and David Grottschreiber. Produced by Ed Partyka and David Grottschreiber. Released on Unit Records, UTR 4236 on November 13, 2009.

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Presse Kit

Download «Don't walk too far» press kit in english (PDF, 38 KB)

Annotations

When music is good it gives us a feeling of wellbeing and comfort. When music is great it inspires us to be better than we believe we can be.
This music inspires me.
As all composers, writers and painters know, there is nothing scarier than a blank piece of paper or canvas. I am currently trying to get started on a writing project and the inspiration to start creating is currently being fuelled by listening to the music on this CD. The excellent compositions/arrangements of Herr Grottschreiber & Co. are nourishment for the imagination and soul. The improvisations are inspirational and the ensemble playing astounding.
This is large ensemble jazz music at its highest level.
What strikes me most about this recording and the LJO is the combination of tight section playing, great compositions/arrangements and creative improvising. In many bands there is a decision made to be a tight ensemble with good section players or to be an improviser’s band with good soloists. The same also often applies to the decision of whether to use written music or improvised music as the focus. The LJO is one of the very few ensembles I know that combines all of these factors effortlessly.
The scary thing is that this is a group of young musicians in their early to mid twenties! One could be jealous of this fact, but I see this as an incredible inspiration. As life goes on, it is very easy to become complacent and lose focus on what is really important in life and music.  Listening to this wonderful music makes me believe that there is hope for the future, gives me the energy to go on and inspires me to be better than I believe I can be.
I hope you feel the same way as I do when you listen to this astonishing debut recording of the Lucerne Jazz Orchestra.

Ed Partyka

This music is delightful, amusing, absorbing, beguiling -- it easily engages me -
having compositional intrigue and sophistication, and the core jazz feeling I so need for my enjoyment.
So pleased am I to know this music is around and in such capable hands and ears as David Grottschreiber's.

Michael Gibbs