Carsten Dahl is widely considered to be one of the most original and creative pianists coming out of Europe. He has received several awards like the Ben Webster Award, the Django D’Or, the Carl Nielsen Prize and several Danish Music Award Jazz. With a huge audience in Scandinavia he is now conquering the rest of Europe. Now he’s ready with a follow-up to the highly acclaimed “Painting Music” released on ACT Music.
On “Mirrors Within”, Dahl and his bandmates, Stefan Pasborg (drums) and Nils Bo Davidsen (bass), explores total improvisation. All the recordings were made without talking in the studio and with no prior previous agreements or ideas, except two tracks based on rough sketches (‘Falling Down Down’ and ‘How I Hear Beautiful’). That the result sounds so good and cohesive is a testament to the level of musicianship and connection between the three.
‘When we enter the room together, we compose instantly’, Dahl says. ‘We are playing composers. We are very close to the ability of creation. This recording is the essence of what creation is about in an improvisatory context.’
It´s spontaneous and straightforward just like the brush strokes by Dahl seen on the album cover. But it´s not random what goes on. The trio establish a sonic architecture as clear and vivid as a mountain source.
‘To me “Mirrors Within” is the picture of the collective and the universal’, Dahl says. ‘In the music we mirror ourselves in one another. But the mirror can also break and behind it is black’. Hereby he insinuates the both bright and dark sides of his own artist life. He has spoken in public about trauma, therapy and medicine. Music, painting and poetry are his creative responses.
A superb and super creative release from Denmark’s most important pianist – here he shows us why he’s always considered to be cutting edge.
Tracks
1. The Prayer 08:34
2. Palilalia 06:28
3. Turning Left 03:32
4. Old Rag 03:44
5. Mysterious Room 03:05
6. A Minor Disgrace 03:54
7. Coma 04:05
8. Everything Never Happens To Us 04:13
9. Falling Down Down 04:23
10. New Rag 06:45
11. How I Hear Beautiful 04:51
Carsten Dahl – piano
Stefan Pasborg – drums
Nils Bosse Davidsen – bass
