TEN STORIES FOR HEAD, STOMACH AND HEART
After her successful debut album "Once Upon A Summertime" (with Colin Vallon on piano and Thomas Duerst on Contrabass, 2002 Brambus records), comes the Bernese singer's long awaited second album. In the new repertoire, Nadja Stoller lets her experienced jazz knowledge merge with her early sources of inspiration from the Pop genre (unique songwriters such as Rickie Lee Jones or Joni Mitchell being first on her list). With this combination, she creates a path comparable to the Skandinavian Sidsel Endresen and Josephine Cronholm, which is neither typical jazz nor typical pop. She sounds most comfortable in the zone between these clearly defined styles.
Six of the songs spring from the singer herself; tender yet strong, they lullingly touch one with their urgent melancholic colors. With her weakness for lyrical nuances, Nadja Stoller combines the text with depth and excitement far beyond the meaning of the words, and emotions are sublimated and occasionally transcended.
The other four songs, 'Of Smiles Remembered' by Kenny Wheeler, 'Without A Word’ by Colin Vallon, 'Orbit' by Chris Moore (Nadja Stoller Group's bassist), and the heart-breaking 'Ballad of the Sad Young Men' complete the shimmering palette of moods. The clear and compact sound of the Nadja Stoller Group is powerfully shaped by the presence of the cello, which functions occasionally almost as a second voice. The band is exemplary in fulfilling Nadja Stoller's assignments. The perceptive musicians weave a multilayered, precise and supple sound carpet, and know how to thicken every meaningful sentiment.
NADJA STOLLER GROUP:
Nadja Stoller (Vocals), Marco Rohrbach (Cello), Chris Moore (E-Bass), Philip Henzi (Piano), Michael Nobel (Drums/Percussion)
Tracklisting:
1. circles
2. of smiles remembered
3. twilight
4. without a word
5. riot
6. trees
7. orbit
8. it's ok
9. friend ship
10. ballad of the sad young man