Ullmann, Gebhard / Dahlgren, Chris / Lande, Art

Die Blaue Nixe (Blue Water Nymph)

Label: Between The Lines Country: Germany

"Water nymphs are know from ancient legends as female beings, who live in water and bring death through their beauty and song or at least prophesy ruin and depravation - usually of men. The "Blue Water Nymph" of the international trio also casts a spell on listeners, but proclaims enjoyment of outstanding and fascinating music.

The composer and saxophonist Gebhard Ullmann born in Bad Godesberg in 1957 has lived in Berlin since 1983. He conquered the world from there and in the meantime is one of a handful of German musicians, who are perhaps better known in the USA than in their native country. The list of musicians, with whom he has recorded or played, is almost infinite: from Paul Bley, Han Bennink, Bob Moses, Trilok Gurtu, Bobby Previte to Willem Breuker and Enrico Rava - and lots more. He plays in several projects and tours internationally several times a year. His trio with Chris Dahlgren and Art Lande has existed for years and developed its own character, which is far different from the music of Ullmann's other bands, e.g., "Conference Call".

The bassist and composer Chris Dahlgren, born in New York in 1961, studied under Anthony Braxton and Dave Holland, among others. He is one of the most skilled bassists of our time and is also a teacher in high demand (at the Berlin Music College Hanns Eisler) and composer.

Art Lande (1947, New York) is one of the most creative pianists of the past 30 years. His earlier ECM records are unforgettable, among others with Jan Garbarek, Gary Peacock, Mark Isham, but also his current CDs with Nguyen Le.

The music on the "Blue Water Nymph" takes listeners off into another world. Sometimes charged with tension and yet always completely relaxed, the three musicians play and develop motifs, which provoke strong images in the minds of listeners. You can hear in the pieces that most of them were developed by the collaboration of the three musicians. The perfect interaction of the musicians is impressive, and the music entices listeners with its great charisma emanating from the improvisations interlinked with the compositions similar to the attractions of water nymphs."-Between the lines