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  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Made from recycling-paper with a foam knob instead of a plastic tray. Comes with a 12-Page booklet including photos, information about the album and liner notes by danish drummer Kresten Osgood.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Care via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 5 days

      €15 EUR or more 

     

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

    In addition: digital booklet (pdf)
    Purchasable with gift card

      €10 EUR  or more

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 3 Yew Records releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Care, Constantin Krahmer - Close Up, and Ampair:e. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      €21 EUR or more (25% OFF)

     

1.
Napoli 04:43
2.
3.
Herbert 06:36
4.
Cirrus 03:30
5.
Recalling 04:15
6.
Rapid 05:16
7.
Flamingos 06:12
8.
Sun 04:06
9.
Nocturne 04:20
10.
Horn-Rims 05:47
11.
Encore 03:32

about

About the music:

Care was recorded June 14th/15th 2021 in the end of the second covid lockdown in Germany and I wrote the entire music in the months before. Due to a scholarship I was able to invite New York-based bassplayer Thomas Morgan for some concerts and the album recording as well as Leif Berger, rising-star drummer from Cologne and had both of them in mind while writing the music.

Danish drummer legend Kresten Osgood writes about the album in the liner notes:

"Where is the piano trio headed in our time? Rostock-based pianist and composer Constantin Krahmer (born 1986) has made a strong statement regarding that. Over the course of these 11 tracks recorded in 2021, Krahmer showcases his own unique approach to the piano and the piano trio format. There is no doubt that he has been influenced by the huge existing tradition, but he also has his own personal, almost private compositional world and a unique touch on the instrument.

The 11 pieces on this album are all by Krahmer and it is music that, to my ears, could only be played on piano and is very clearly composed by a pianist. It often revolves around a specific chord progression or distinct harmonic world. It deals with polytonality, polyphony and pedalpoints and its often interval based and lives and breathes very much through pianistic phrasing. It echoes the language of, Bill Evans, Paul and Carla Bley and Jan Johansson but also Morton Feldman and possibly even Joseph Haydn or Frederic Chopin, yet also goes beyond (listen for example to the track "Recalling" where a synthesizer plays a chord progression and the trio improvises on top of it, an area none of the names mentioned above have ventured to).

The two other members of the trio are very important elements in why this music works so well: Leif Berger plays the drums with precision and clarity, while still keeping the sonic and rhythmical landscape open - something that is so crucial for this music to develop organically. He beautifully expresses himself in the idiom always avoiding clichés (Notice his subtle reference to Vernel Fournier´s iconic ”Poinciana Beat" on the track "Consideration")
Thomas Morgan is an expert at this kind of playing, constantly anticipating the music and sustaining a flow of openness and direction. It sounds like a contradiction but in the case of Thomas Morgan those two things can go hand in hand. I also hear a folksy quality in his playing which really opens up the overall palet of the trio's sound (notice for instance his introduction to "Rapid" which gives an extra dimension to the whole piece).
Both sidemen offer a highly sensitive and intelligent accompaniment to Constantin Krahmers musical vision.

It's a vision that spans from the Chopinesque "Nocturne" over the bouncy explorations of "Consideration" to the near cinematic jazzy weirdness of "Encore" making many stops along the way. I will take you through a few of my favorite moments on this record:

I think my favorite track on the album is "Sun" - i love everything about this tune. The easy and open rhythmic feel, the overall positivity and forward motion of the chords and melody. to me it carries a message of hopefulness and insight. The way ahead has some unexpected turns but we know that if we follow the light we will get there. Incidentally, during the recording session Thomas Morgan remarked that the song reminded him of Joni Mitchell which i can totally hear. Constantin also confirms that the music of Joni Mitchell has been an influence. This is a gem that could become a new standard.

I really love the abstract interplay between Berger and Krahmer on the opening track "Napoli", probably the place on the album where they are stretching out on how to communicate the furthest. A fitting way to open up the album.

Every time I hear "Cirrus" I am startled by how unique a world this tune creates. I almost hear it as music referring to an alien culture unbeknownst to me.. It starts off quite through composed with chamberlike polyphony and then the trio gradually takes more and more liberties, breaking up the rhythm and elaborating on certain sections. It's so specific and yet foreign.

Herbert is such a beautiful composition and a great example of Krahmer´s control of the piano. According to him, it is inspired by the German film "Herbert" by Thomas Stuber featuring Peter Kurth. To me it brings to mind of the open-ended composing of Carla Bley, and Paul Bley´s interpretation of it. Very expressive and powerful!

One can approach this music from many sides and understand it on many levels. It has great depth which is revealed upon repeated listenings. But first of all it should just be experienced and enjoyed for what it is: a dedicated statement of beauty by contemporary musicians who care! Care about detail, care about sound, care about music. It's an album that you can put on and forget yourself.

- Kresten Osgood (ILK Collective Copenhagen/Kresten Osgood Trio)

Another renowned jazz musician commenting the album:

"Music that takes the time and space to develop out of itself and blossom in constant interaction and mutual inspiration. A unique and extremely exciting journey for the listener!"

- Florian Weber, Pianist (NDR Bigband, ECM, etc.)

credits

released February 23, 2024

Constantin Krahmer, piano/composition
Thomas Morgan, bass
Leif Berger, drums

Recorded June 14th/15th 2021 at Loft, Cologne and mixed by Christian Heck at TonArt Studios, Kerpen.

Mastered by Nate Wood at Kerseboom Mastering.

Artwork by Holger Risse (everything).
Photos by Karl F. Degenhardt

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about

Yew Records Rostock, Germany

Yew Records is a label for creative, contemporary jazz and was founded in 2021 by pianist Constantin Krahmer. The label's musical focus is on original, composed music with a high improvisational content.
Yew Records adapts to the realities of the music market and focuses on digital release, complemented by small-edition CDs. The label is based in Rostock, Germany.
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