High quality, 180 gram, 12" 2x Gatefold LP (3 sides of music - A, B, C, + etched D side with Whirlwind logo mark) - comes with download code containing the digital album in multiple formats
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Patrick Cornelius - alto saxophone
Kristjan Randalu - piano
Michael Janisch - double bass
Paul Wiltgen - drums
ALBUM CREDITS
Recorded at Red Gables Studio, London (May, 2019)
Engineer - Dick Hammett
Mixed & Mastered by Tyler McDiarmid
Produced by Patrick Cornelius
Executive Producer - Michael Janisch
Photography by Mark H. Turner, Thomas Pohlig, and Daniel Redding
Album Artwork by Dave Bush
credits
released October 30, 2020
ABOUT THE ALBUM
Over the course of eighteen years living in New York City, Patrick Cornelius has earned a substantial reputation as a saxophonist, composer, solo artist and educator, and created an impressive body of work comprised of nine albums as a leader, featuring some of the finest musicians from the global jazz and improvised music scene. Now for his latest release Way of the Cairns he reunites a ‘TransAtlantic Collective’ of like-minded musicians for a brand new project of original compositions. Fourteen years ago, Cornelius and bassist (and Whirlwind label boss) Michael Janisch teamed up with Luxembourgish drummer Paul Wiltgen and virtuoso Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu for a tour that turned into a band that turned into a recording project that delivered, in Cornelius’ own words, “some of the best musical experiences I’ve ever had”. This new music takes inspiration from his experiences of hiking with his growing family among the untamed wilderness of Maine’s Acadia National Park. The band delivers an outstanding set of first and second-take performances that combine the heat of New York’s jazz scene with the depth and subtlety of the European jazz tradition to create a set of recordings that are accessible and melodic, but as powerful and compelling as the landscapes that inspired them.
The album takes the listener on a journey through a set of inspiring scenes. ‘Way of the Cairns’ describes the ascent of Great Head Mountain, through texture and tempo changes and a strong bass/sax unison melody. ‘Star Party’ commemorates a beachside star-gazing session with a lyrical piano feature for Randalu. The insistent, subtly shifting groove and intricate melody of ’Blueberry Mountain’ evoke a sense of tumbling, childlike excitement, contrasting with the radiant, gently lilting calm of ‘Seawall Sunrise’. ‘Darkest Night’ has a feature for Janisch’s powerful, clearly articulated bass, and ‘On The Precipice’ hands the reins to Wiltgen for a thrilling drum break, both pieces articulating the ominous quality that can be revealed when travelling across the wilderness.
‘Valse Héstitante’ was written by Randalu, with a limpid clarity that reaches out of the European classical tradition, spiced with some unpredictable metric shifts, while ‘Personal Beehives’ is a very American piece of twisty swing after the tradition of Konitz and Tristano. The album closer, ‘Ten Years Later’ was written by Wiltgen: the stately, measured melody returns us to the tale of the band and their journey towards reunion.
Though Cornelius is leader and principal writer, Way of the Cairns is very much the sound of a collective - “My idea was to feature the band as the lead voice, rather than myself. There’s a definite chemistry here - not super-straight ahead but not avant-garde either - embracing the European aesthetic, but with the ability to swing hard as well - that’s the unique magic of this band.” The inspiration from Cornelius’ favourite landscapes that underlies the compositions, combined with the special rapport between the players, gives the album a powerful, highly characterful unity that makes this a stand-out release.
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
"The album has an airiness and freshness all too desperately needed."
★★★★★ BBC Music Magazine
"Don't miss the almost filmic nostalgia of 'Valse Hesitate', or the warm evocation of 'Seawall Sunrise'."
Hi-Fi News Magazine
"Intricate arrangements and superb playing... The musicians sound completely at home with each other."
London Jazz News
"The quartet gel perfectly... You are in for a treat."
Bebop Spoken Here
"Acadia: Way of the Cairns moves with purpose, style, energy, and soul. Patrick Cornelius writes to the strengths of his musical partners and they respond in kind. This music pulls the listener, leaving one satisfied but ready to dig right back in. That's what the best music does!"
Step Tempest
"Conceptually inspired by his experiences of hiking in Maine’s Acadia National Park."
Jazziz
"Whether it’s the inspiration drawn from Cornelius’ favorite landscapes, or just the innate chemistry they had formed a decade ago, this well-knit unit delivers transportive picturesque art worthy of Acadia’s unique beauty."
Making A Scene
"The session recorded here feels very much a collective enterprise, with the players creating a highly listenable set that exudes charm."
Jazz Views
"A jazz concept album... [performed] with an ear-catching bounce."
Jazzma
"Written with a clarity that fits in with classical European tradition... the album takes the listener on a journey through a set of inspiring scenes."
France Musique
"A uniquely exciting compositional voice, and a modern jazz virtuoso."
Jazz Artistry Now
"Cornelius' vigorous straight-ahead playing and composing are the key sculpting elements, supported by Janisch's forceful presence."
All About Jazz
"Cornelius’ sax echoes the theme while the piano and bass interplay alternates between light and dark like a torch beam lost in the night."
★★★★ UK Vibe
“The compositions have a poetic foundation and an ever-warm sound and atmosphere… a great jazz album that deserves a lot of attention.”
★★★★ ½ Written in Music
"The album combines the fire of New York City with the melancholy finesse of Europe in an intelligent and selfless way."
★★★★ Jazz'n'More
supported by 60 fans who also own “Way of the Cairns”
A beautiful album of what feels more like sax/piano duets – with 5 different pianists(!) and subtle support from the bass and drums. Refined and deep. The sound is incredible. Robert Middleton
supported by 53 fans who also own “Way of the Cairns”
I've been following Seamus Blake since his first Criss Cross album "The Call", and with every new album he is bringing new joy in my life, this one is no exception. Wytze van der Raay