Outernational Nu-Jazz from Berlin
Photo Above: Jazzanova
The Jazzanova musical collective has been a fixture on the Berlin club scene since the mid-Nineties when six deejays, Alexander Barck, Claas Brieler, Roskow Kretschmann, Stefan Leisering, Axel Reinemer, and Jürgen von Knoblauch met while spinning at a club called Delicious Donuts. Their initial goal was to bring the underexposed jazz-funk genre to more listeners but since the Millennium they've expanded their musical territory into the unchartered regions of Nu-Jazz, Sountrack Music, Lounge Trip Hop, Acid Jazz, House & Broken Beat.
Early on, Jazzanova made their musical reputation in Berlin's clubs as trip hop artists who remixed downtempo jazz songs. They spend seven years doing remixes exclusively before releasing their first album of original material in 2002.
Le Jardin Secret is one of their remix songs from the period between 1995 and 2002.
Last year's
The Funkhaus Sessions was their most provocative musical statement to date and the album shows them at the peak of their powers as producers, arrangers and players. It's a musical collaboration between Jazzanova and the sublime Detroit based vocalist Paul Randolph (aka Randolph of
Lonely Eden fame). A lot of the material is reminiscent of Seventies era funk-jazz ensembles like Roy Ayer's Ubiquity and Gil Scott Heron's Midnight Band.
Let It Go is from The Funkhaus Session album.
Much has been said by music critics about the stagnant state of the jazz scene but apparently those critics aren't listening to Jazzanova, the future of jazz.
Discography
Albums
In Between (2002)
Of All the Things (2008)
Funkhaus Studio Sessions (2012)
Compilations
Belle et Fou (2007)
Blue Note Trip: Scrambled/Mashed (2006)
Broad Casting (2006)
Paz e Futebol (2006)
Boom Clicky Boom Clack (single) (2006)
Glow and Glare / Dance the Dance / Let Your Heart Be Free (Ame and Atjazz remixes) (2005)
The Remixes 2002-2005 (2005)
Blue Note Trip: Lookin Back/Movin on (2005)
Mixing (2004)
Remixed (2003)
Soon (2002)
That Night (2002)
The Remixes (1997-2000)