Benjamin Koppel - Story of Mankind and Time Again

[GA Russell]

With Randy Brecker!  Brian Blade!

TWO NEW RELEASES STORY OF MANKIND (5/17) & TIME AGAIN (5/26)

Cowbell Music Presents   STORY OF MANKIND – A REQUIEM BY BENJAMIN KOPPEL   CD AVAILABLE ON MAY 17, 2024 (COWBELL #93).

Benjamin Koppel - alto saxophone Randy Brecker - trumpet Frederikke Vedel - vocals Henrik Dam Thomsen - cello Søren Møller - keys Johnny Åman - double bass Ferenc Nemeth - drums & percussion



Story Of Mankind is a piece that depicts the cruelty of man through an interpretation in music of human feelings. Pictures of the trenches in Ukraine look frighteningly the same as pictures of the trenches of World War I. And thus, the story repeats itself. Again.    French poet Apollinaire is by many not only considered one of the great poets of the early 20th century but also a pioneer of surrealism. And with his words as well as with lyrics from two great Danish poets of today, Tomas ”TT” Krag and Morten Søndergaard, Benjamin Koppel wanted to examine how the absurd sur-reality of war and destruction remain in the center of human actions.    Master photographer Jan Grarup has travelled through Ukraine since the beginning of the war. His pictures will say more than a thousand words. And they have brought Koppel’s attention even closer to the horrific absurdity and devastating loss of both, human lives and resources, that is the result of any war.    Story of Mankind is a requiem. A mass for the dead. But it is also a celebration of life, of all that man as a species has accomplished, and of all the love that the human heart is able to offer. If we only remember to do so. And remember our story.    Featuring a stellar cast of top musicians, this piece of music interprets the sadness and terror of war. Any war. Which, at any given moment in history, seems to be a part of the story of mankind.

TRACKS CD #1 1.     YOU WHO HEAR US NOW (5.36) 2.     Afterthought I   at vi tilfældigvis er født (0.39) 3.     I DON’T BELIEVE (6.16) 4.     Afterthought II   at stå ved frontlinjen (0.36) 5.     ABSURD (8.04) 6.     Afterthought III   en usynlig og lydløs fjende (0.25) 7.     REHEARSING DYING (5.23) 8.     Afterthought IV  det eneste vi ved (0.21) 9.     CIVILIZATION (7.16) 10.  Afterthought V   det som er inde i mig (0.30) 11.  TOC TOC (8.40) 12.  Afterthought VI   som om alt var, som det var engang (0.25)   (playing time 44:20)   CD #2 13.     NOUX DIMES ADIEU (6.27) 14.     Afterthought VII   alle disse menneskers angst (0.17) 15.     THEREFORE I AM (5.41) 16.     Afterthought VIII   et skrig af lykke, vi er udelukket fra (0.21) 17.     EXERCISE (8.32) 18.     Afterthought IX   vi skal vågne (0.19) 19.     BLEUET (6.15) 20.     Afterthought X   hver dag må vi sige verden igen (0.10) 21.     NIGHT SOFT NIGHT (6.08) 22.  Afterthought XI   kun sangen bliver tilbage (0.42) 23.  THE STORY OF MANKIND (8.15)   (playing time 43:25)   Total playing time: 87:45 minutes (including afterthoughts 4:55) Benjamin Koppel © Robin Skjoldborg

All composed by Benjamin Koppel   Lyrics by Guillaume Apollinaire (extracted by Benjamin Koppel), except 5, 9, 15 & 23 by “TT” Tomas Krag Lyrics for Afterthoughts by Morten Søndergaard   Produced by Jeff Levenson and Benjamin Koppel Arranged by Søren Møller and Benjamin Koppel   Recorded at The Village Recording, Copenhagen, June 2023 by Thomas Vang Mixed by Thomas Vang and Benjamin Koppel Mastered by Boe Larsen Photos by Jan Grarup/WHILE WE BLEED Design by Knut Schötteldreier Liner notes by Adam Holm Special thanks to Jan Grarup, Adam Holm, Tom Tramborg, Tomas “TT” Krag & Morten Søndergaard.  Label: Cowbell Music   Benjamin plays Peter Jessen handmade mouthpieces and sax necks

Cowbell Music Presents      KOPPEL | BLADE | KOPPEL  with TIME AGAIN     CD AVAILABLE ON MAY 26, 2024 (COWBELL #89).

BENJAMIN KOPPEL - alto saxophone   ANDERS KOPPEL - hammond B3 organ   BRIAN BLADE - drums      When it all comes down, the music needs to swing. It needs to touch our souls as well as move our feet. And the music of this trio par excellence does exactly that.   When father and son, the Koppels, two of the most prolific musicians and composers on the European scene today, join forces with master drummer Brian Blade the result is nothing less than extraordinary.   The music draws on inspiration from sources throughout music history. With the classic organ trio as the frame, the three innovators take their audience on a journey, that leaves no hearts and feet untouched.    Through a collaboration in 2011, saxophonist Benjamin Koppel and drummer Brian Blade became close friends on and off stage. Since then, they have released three albums (together with top bassist Scott Colley) over the years - all have become milestones in the world of piano-less saxophone bass drum-trios. The band has been playing around the world, and when composer Anders Koppel wrote his biggest symphonic piece to date, The Mulberry Street Symphony, the music was created with this specific trio in mind. This time, Koppel senior, Anders, goes back to the organ bench, from which he has created so many legendary moments in European music with his iconic band Savage Rose (1969-1975), which performed at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1971 (and shared the stage with names like Blood, Sweat and Tears and Sly & The Family Stone), and his duo and jazz quartet with fellow American pianist Kenny Werner and the founding member of Weather Report, bassist Miroslav Vitous.   Now it’s time again to revisit the almost telepathic interplay between three minds, that reach far beyond the ordinary. Three hearts with the same beat. The tracks on this new album, released on May 26 via Cowbell Music, are all originals composed by Anders Koppel, Benjamin Koppel and one by Kenny Werner. Music of the times, by the times, in time.    It is surely TIME AGAIN. Brian Blade © Lars Hestbaek TRACKS 1. Puerto Rican Rumble [05:15] 2. If You Forget Me [07:43]         3. Mavis [05:58] 4. Bazaar Revisited [13:27] 5. Time Again [05:54] (Feat. Al Agami) 6. Fall from Grace [05:53] 7. Should Have Put A Ring On It [05:03] 8. Blind Man [08:25]   Total: 57:40:15 No.1, 3, 5, 7 composed by Benjamin Koppel No.2, 4, 8 composed by Anders Koppel No. 6 composed by Kenny Werner   Recorded August 12, 2019 at Village Recording by Thomas Vang Mixed and mastered by Boe Larsen at Mill Factory Produced by A. & B. Koppel   Cover by Knut Schötteldreier Photos by Lars Hestbæk   Benjamin plays Peter Jessen handmade mouthpieces and sax necks Label: Cowbell