caspar – lp

WHILE EXPLORING ALTERNATIVE, NON-TRADITIONAL PLAYING TECHNIQUES ON THE CONTRABASS TO DE- AND REFORMULATE THE IDEA OF BEAUTY, I CAME ACROSS THE HISTORICAL FIGURE OF KASPAR HAUSER. AS A CHILD, BORN IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY, HE WAS IMPRISONED IN A WOODEN BOX FOR APPROXIMATELY 16 YEARS AND THEN RELEASED INTO AN UNPERCEIVED AND COMPLETELY UNKNOWN WORLD. IN AN INTERVIEW HELD YEARS LATER BY THE JUDGE VON FEUERBACH, HAUSER DESCRIBED HIS PERCEPTION OF PHENOMENA, FOR EXAMPLE TREES OR BIRDS, AS COMPLETELY DISTORTED FROM THE COMMONLY KNOWN READING. ONCE SET FREE, PROCESSES OF DECIPHERING AND SORTING OF SOUNDS, SENSES AND IMPRESSIONS BEGIN. IN MY OWN PRACTICE THIS THOUGHT BROUGHT ME TO REDEFINE BY DISCOVER AND RECOVER THE POTENTIALITY SOUND AND TONE EMBODIES.

SIDE A
PART I ………………………………………… 3:46
PART II………………………………………… 4:16
PART III ……………………………………… 2:47
PART IV……………………………………….. 10:32

SIDE B
PART V ……………………………………….. 2:48
PART VI ……………………………………… 13:27
PART VII ……………………………………… 1:34
PRAYER BEADS* …………………………………. 3:09
*COMPOSED BY MARC JOHNSON

KLAUS JANEK CONTRABASS. PART I, II, III, VI, VII RECORDED JULY 12, 13, 15 1997 BY OLIVER GAYK & JENS UNTERDORFER. PART IV, V RECORDED JUNE 11, 1998 BY ANDREAS ALBRECHT. PART VIII RECORDED SEPTEMBER 27, 1994 BY MICHAEL SEBERICH FOR RARA RECORDS. MASTERED BY SILBERBLICK AT WHITEHOUSE STUDIO, BERLIN. THE RECORD WAS RELEASED FIRST FOR SOLPONTICELLO, ATHENS GA, USA IN 2001, AND AN ALTERNATIVE VERSION OF THE WORK IN 2004 FOR FMP A.L.L., BERLIN. MY GRATITUDE GOES TO ALL PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE REALIZATION OF THIS WORK AND TO MAURO MURARO, GÜNTHER PITSCHEIDER, MARCO CRISTOFOLINI AND MARCELLO FERA FOR THEIR GENEROSITY IN SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE WITH ME. ARTWORK BY STEPHANIE RODERER, WWW.STUDIO-PINGPONG.DE, THE ALBUM IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY PROVINCIA DI BOLZANO/SÜDTIROL

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words

> Klaus Janek is a master of contemporary classical and free jazz expression. His solo 5-string doublebass album Caspar is a milestone recording in recent European artistry. (CD baby)

>Klaus Janek is a prime force on the avant-garde double bass scene.  (Matt Shimmer/ Indieville)

>Janek plucks, bows, bends, and warps the bass in ways that are almost pornographic…Then, when you realize that this is not the product of effects pedals or any overdubbing, your mind is blown….It leaves you a spectator to Janek’s mastery over his instrument. (Bill Campbell / ink19)

>This elaborate, highly visual piece is a milestone in the doublebass repertoire. Comes with our highest recommendation. (drimala records)

>Janek’s work will be the beautiful discovery of a passionate musician who has an innovative viewpoint on an age-old instrument’s infinite capabilities. (Andrew Magilow/splendid)

>This CD simply is superb…Janek’s playing deserves to be heard. Strongly recommended. (Francois Couture / All music guide)