Nils Landgren - The Moon, the Stars and You (CD)

Release Date: 08/26/11

Nils Landgrens declaration of love to the moon: A Ballad album with charm and of fragile beauty.

“The moon and the stars are just wonderful to look at – especially with someone special,” says Landgren, showing his romantic side. “I knew that there are so many good songs about the moon to choose from.” These songs include jazz standards, such as Henry Mancini’s “Moon River” or Herbie Hancock’s “Stars in Your Eyes”, as well as folk and pop songs like Kris Kristofferson’s “Please Don’t Tell Me How The Story Ends” or “Moonshadow” by Cat Stevens, and he also includes South American song by Kurt Weill called “Holofotes” alongside his own compositions. As such, “The Moon, the Stars and You” has grown into a concept album with a whole spectrum of different moods - meditative, longing, occasionally funky yet continuously inspired and swinging. Landgren used all of his experiences and contacts on this journey to the moon and stars. One example is Joe Sample - I am a member of his Jazz Crusaders and together with him we released the album “Creole Love Call” on ACT. “When he was composing a production for the NDR Big Band, I asked him if he wanted to join in on a couple of songs – which he did, and he even brought his drummer Steve Gadd along.” With “The Moon, the Stars and You“, Landgren was able to fulfil some wishes that he had long been waiting to realise. “For instance, I’ve been keen on doing something together with Richard Galliano for a while, and vice versa.” Galliano’s unmistakable accordion sound, occasionally sounding like a blues harmonica, provides “Moonshadow” and “Moonriver” with completely new musical shades. One by one, friends and colleagues joined in; Vince Mendoza, who arranged Jimmy Webb’s hymnic “The Moon’s a Harsh Mistress” for the NDR Big Band and Kurt Weill’s “Lost in the Stars” for the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra”; and Michael Wollny presents his exceptional poiano playing on eight tracks as an accompanist. And finally Joao Bosco, one of the greatest singers and composers of the Musica Popula Brasileira, was brought on board.