Down The Street

About

„One of the most fascinating Jazz pianists in Germany.“ (Jazz thing)

His heart beats to the rhythm of jazz. His chords at the piano fill every room with color. His Trio has become a mainstay of the German jazz scene.

Sebastian Gahler, Pianist, keyboard player and composer, graduated with distinction from the Cologne university of Music as jazz pianist. Sebastian Gahler directs several series of concerts in Düsseldorf – he places great store by a lively, vibrant jazz scene in his home city. In 2011 he received the City of Düsseldorf’s Award in the category music.

Down The Street  is the Sebastian Gahler Trio’s third album, following Meditation and Trust. „For the first time, we have included some jazz standards on a CD, which is a way of going back to our roots.“ Yet Sebastian Gahler stays true to himself. „There has been one Soundtrack title on each of my CDs so far (Meditation: Plastic Bag Theme from American Beauty, Trust: Overture from Disney’s Jungle Book) and now with Someday My Prince Will Come, a jazz standard derived from the movie soundtrack for Snow White (again Walt Disney).“

For Down The Street, Sebastian Gahler has incorporated his trio in a quartet format, inviting saxist Wolfgang Engstfeld, and thereby fulfilling a personal dream of his. „This CD with Wolfgang Engstfeld is something very special for me, as I have always been a huge fan of his playing. When I was still a student going to school, I went to as many of his concerts as possible.“

Wolfgang Engstfeld ranks as one of the most popular and influential jazz saxophonists in Europe. During his almost 40 year long career, he has played among others with John Scofield, Chet Baker, Albert Mangelsdorff and Jasper van’t Hof. Engstfeld is famous for his energetic yet lyrical tone of his tenor sax and with In The Evening he contributed one of his original compositions to this new album. „It was important for me to have one of Wolfgang’s compositions on my CD, for I really value his compositional skills.“

All the other compositions on Down The Street are by Sebastian Gahler. His compositions are small, lyrical works of aural art with melodies that stay with you. „In Between displays my typical style of composing,” states Gahler. “A song with a strong melody connected with modern harmonies. The title reflects an inner feeling that I had at the moment I created the composition and it finds itself in the rhythm which has a certain in-between feel.”  Gahler is always exploring for new sounds in his compositions, finding them in his counterpart on the tenor sax. „ Just Like That was composed expressly for this recording session with Wolfgang’s sound in my mind.  A powerful, energetic piece, in which I give Wolfgang just some more space by not comping during his first solo chorus.“

Gahler’s piano playing is delicate and differentiated. His rhythm section – with whom he has been playing since 2003 – knows how to swing hard without losing the right balance for his compositions, therefore becoming part of the compositions. They are a unity, but still individuals, following the same pulse of the music and always serving the melody. Swinging jazz with depth!

The Reprise of Just Like That is a bonus track at the very end of the album and it sounds quite different from the other pieces – maybe a foretaste of the next trio album?!

Release Date: 2016/05/20

Catalogue-No.: 5093JS