…New album out on 5th July 2024
EAST–WEST–CENTRAL–SOUTH
African contemporary piano music
Recorded Dec 2023 @Ölbergkirche Berlin
Released 5.7.2024 on www.genuin.de
Available on CD/Vinyl/Digital on all platforms
or order here: jangerdes.bandcamp.com/album/east-west-central-south
A traveler between worlds, navigating between tradition and avant-garde, the highly acclaimed pianist Jan Gerdes exemplifies mastery in both realms. With his new GENUIN album, he more than lives up to his reputation as a fearless musical adventurer: he releases exciting, contemporary piano music by six composers from various countries in the African continent. Names like Clare Loveday, Andile Khumalo, or Bongani Ndodana-Breen urgently deserve our attention! Gerdes contributes with his brilliant recordings to a new focus that the increasingly internationalized music scene needs. Top marks for interpretation and repertoire value! (Label Genuin)
Presse
Klassik Heute vom 6.7.2024:
"...Insofern ist das neue Album des Pianisten Jan Gerdes, East-West-Central-South betitelt, sehr willkommen, denn es stellt Werke von sechs zeitgenössischen afrikanischen Komponisten vor, deren Musik oft genug vorher kaum auf CD repräsentiert war.“
Pizzicato vom 11.7.2024:
"...Das erste charakteristischere Stück des Albums ist A Walk In A Misty Morning des nigerianischen Komponisten Chidi Obijiaku, das Jan Gerdes sehr stimmungsvoll und evokativ spielt.“
Theaterkompass im Juli 2024:
"...Es ist eine inspirierende Aufnahme, die sehr zu empfehlen ist.“
Exerpt from "Johannesburg Etude I" by Clare Loveday
Ölbergkirche Berlin 2.12.2023
"Songs and Improvisation" out on 8th dec 2023 on XJAZZ!Music
Songs and Improvisations
„Songs and Improvisations“ skillfully blurs the genre boundaries between classical and jazz, making it a true delight for aficionados of exquisite piano music.
"Songs and Improvisations oscillates between the musical worlds of classical music, jazz, new music and even pop, sometimes sensually intimate, sometimes rhythmically pulsating and yet improvisationally free, based on fully composed or even just sketched thematic cells."
Available on Vinyl, CD and digital.
The first single " EMPTY WALTZ" can already be heard on all digital platforms via https://orcd.co/emptywaltz.
Available on Vinyl, CD and digital.
https://www.xjazzmusic.com/jangerdes
jangerdes.bandcamp.com/album/songs-and-improvisations-4
Press
NMZ Hörbar 8.12.2023, Dr. Martin Hufner
