The Pilgrimage by Arne Jansen/Anders Jormin/Uwe Steinmetzt is spiritual jazz from some of Northern Europes strong instrumental voices.
It must be considered a stroke of luck that these three musicians have come together: On double bass is Sweden's Anders Jormin, one of the most important bassists on the European jazz scene with eight albums as bandleader for ECM and a rich artistic resume with tours and recordings alongside legends such as Elvin Jones, Albert Mangelsdorff, Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz, and Kenny Wheeler. On guitar is Arne Jansen, the Berlin-based musician who has twice won the "ECHO Jazz" award, who has played with the Senegalese Orchestra Baobab, Nils Landgren, and Jazzanova, and whose duo recording with Nils Wülker recently climbed to number 15 in the German pop charts. On saxophone is Uwe Steinmetz, also based in Berlin, who, in addition to his collaborations with Joe Maneri and Tord Gustafvsen, among others, has made a name for himself as a composer for the N...

The Pilgrimage by Arne Jansen/Anders Jormin/Uwe Steinmetzt is spiritual jazz from some of Northern Europes strong instrumental voices.
It must be considered a stroke of luck that these three musicians have come together: On double bass is Sweden's Anders Jormin, one of the most important bassists on the European jazz scene with eight albums as bandleader for ECM and a rich artistic resume with tours and recordings alongside legends such as Elvin Jones, Albert Mangelsdorff, Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz, and Kenny Wheeler. On guitar is Arne Jansen, the Berlin-based musician who has twice won the "ECHO Jazz" award, who has played with the Senegalese Orchestra Baobab, Nils Landgren, and Jazzanova, and whose duo recording with Nils Wülker recently climbed to number 15 in the German pop charts. On saxophone is Uwe Steinmetz, also based in Berlin, who, in addition to his collaborations with Joe Maneri and Tord Gustafvsen, among others, has made a name for himself as a composer for the NDR Big Band and the Fitzwilliam String Quartet.

It is no coincidence that the trios recent album, is titled "The Pilgrimage." On the one hand, because it begins with "La Peregrinacion," a pilgrim song by Argentine composer Ariel Ramirez, who also wrote "Misa Criolla." On the other hand, because Jansen, Jormin, and Steinmetz trace the origins of a universal human phenomenon in their pieces, which range from jazz to classical music to Nordic and non-European folklore. "Pilgrimages are part of all the world's major religions," says bassist Jormin. "I think as a musician, your goal is to connect with that deeper meaning. In the best case, you are a vessel for it, a sounding board that resonates with the audience and the other musicians," adds guitarist Jansen.

"I would say that in my artistic existence, I have always strived for music that is spiritual. In my work, I want to devote myself to spirit, warmth, and humanity," says Jormin. There is no better way to sum up the credo of this extraordinary trio. Josef Engels / 2024.

"When three musicians understand each other musically without even seeing each other, the result is almost inevitably special, even outstanding. Conclusion: The year 2024 is drawing to a close, and I consider this vinyl record to be the jazz LP of the year!” fidelity, fidelity-online.de 11/2024

“Jansen, Jormin, and Steinmetz have succeeded in creating a Misa de vida that praises the universal human as part of the universal natural—and thus life and its value in itself.” Jazzthetik, jazzthetik.de 11/2024...

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