Being 6, they’re hailing from Germany, who prooved the world how unity was synonymous with strength when so many people currently look like prefering being left to their own devices. They’ve updated jazz music while revitilasing bossa nova and are amongst those who, alongside Kruder & Dorfmeister, King Britt, Carl Craig, Bugge Wesseltoft Herbert and the likes have pushed ahead the established formats. Meine liebe Damen und Herren : Jazzanova !
If the German scene is mostly reknown for its inclinaison to the sound distorsions in all forms, from the early works of people such as Kraftwerk, Klaus Schultze and Van Der Graf Generator to the current minimal house trend, Maurizio’s various experiences and the said Berlin techno, traces remain numerous of die hard jam & groove lovers and even in the East under the communist reign. Let’s not forget for instance the defunkt MPS label the repertoire of which being brought back to our memories by the likes of Rainer Trüby with a couple of comps. The Mojo Club in Hamburg where everyone involved with this spectrum had to come at least once. But also those labels like Soulciety and Yo Mama which where to the 90’s what Stereo Deluxe and INFRACom! Would become 10 years after. And the list to remain unfinished without a special mention to Compost label and its numerous activists incl. Jazzanova who were to initialize the said bossa electronic jazz revival within the contemporary production, as seen here and there like Italy, Turkey or Japan from the mid 90’s. Quite ironical as well to see those people proovin’ that they could work not only together by pairs but also with a whole bunch of promising new talents united under the Sonar Kollektiv banner !
Jazzanova sees the light in 1995 with Jürgen Von Knoblauch, Alex Barcke and Class Brieler’s decision to joint their forces during a party at Berlin’s Delicious Donuts. One of those very rare places at the time to be considered as a groove sanctuary alongside Hamburg’s Mojo. The thresome would soon become a sextet with the addiction of Roko Kretschmann (also reknown for his solo works as Kosma), but also Stefen Leisering et Alex Reinemer (themselves being Extended Spirit’s brains)… We’re note musicians, Jürgen said to me back in 1998, while crossing our paths at the now defunct London’s Blue Note. I mean not traditionally speaking. We’re working in pairs and have our work sequenced in 3 phases. The composition which is the result of an amalgamation of various fragments taken from here or there. We then assemble basically the whole which is given to a second pair which will sort of computerize it, before the mixing process which is our phase 3.A kind of complex and somehow slow way of working which will cause many delays on their delivery schedule. Should it apply to their compositions but also the numerous post-productions which they get commissioned to do like the ones recently gathered on their Remixes 2002-2005 album. An LP quite illustrative of what the combo tends to consider as another way to configurate dance music. We want it to be listenable everywhere, should it be at home or in a club. We’ve made our debut as club DJ’s playing music which although being melodic, was an invitation to dance. It’s for us far more interesting than reducing ourselves to make beats around some bassline variations.
We might have expected them for some time following what made their reputation at their early days (in other words : nu jazz/bossa). They opted for something quite different while releasing their much awaited album (In Between) in 2002 and going further electronically speaking as illustrated by their ‘Days To Come’ single. We had a very limited vision of techno when recording it, explained Claas at the time. What was its basement, how others would deal with it and how integrate it on our music ? Time would soon speak then. There are probably less direct references to Brazil on our works nowadays, but there still this melancholy as well as those complex rhythmic patterns which are the fundaments of our music. I guess it comes more naturally in terms of conception like this is probably the case of those open minded people who’ve been confronted to different types of music. Well, let’s not forget that wealth most often comes from diversity, doesn’t it ? MFSB
JAZZANOVA The Remixes 2002 – 2005 LP (Sonarkollektiv)
INTERVIEW
