The Touch Søren Kristiansen & Thomas Fonnesbæk

• 1 Soft Winds 05:13
• 2 Nigerian Marketplace 06:59
• 3 On the Trail 05:43
• 4 Love Ballade 04:54
• 5 Night Child 07:23
• 6 On Danish Shore 06:01
• 7 Wheatland 06:26
• 8 There Is No Greater Love 06:44
• 9 Hymn to Freedom 02:17
• Total Runtime 51:40

Info for The Touch

With "The Touch" Sren Kristiansen and Thomas Fonnesbk present their take on a classical piece of jazz, playing the music of Oscar Peterson and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - classical but improvised! Oscar Peterson & Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen OP and NHP gave us something unique and unforgettable, just as the classical composers did and still do. Being the world's greatest virtuosos on piano and double bass respectively, their immense technique and 'Touch' made them unique.

Their collaboration was likewise special because they were equals. For instance, Oscar Peterson's arrangement for "On The Trail" (Great Connection, 1971) was presumably written because he had found a bassist that could keep up both musically and technically. OP & NHP gave us something extraordinary and unforgettable, exactly like the great classical composers did and continue doing - and now Kristiansen and Fonnesbk share their idea of how it could be played today.

The ultimate technical and musical challenge: The music of OP & NHP is maybe the most challenging repertoire that exists in classical jazz. It requires 'The Touch' The nuanced, personal touch the soft, almost inaudible accompaniment and an effortless technique. Sren Kristiansen describes the process: "Exactly like in soccer, The Touch is something you practice. When you play piano or the double bass you need to be able to control the instrument to express yourself freely in the moment."

Sren Kristiansen & Thomas Fonnesbk Sren Kristiansen: is one of the best and most acknowledged pianists in Denmark. Born and raised on the small Danish island r he became a pianist in Jesper Thilo's quartet at a very young age and later on he toured in Denmark and all over Europe with a number of great classical American musicians. Sren Kristiansen is famous for his great technique, phenomenal swing, and vast amount of repertoire. An unusual musician one of the few of his kind in Denmark.

Thomas Fonnesbk was the obvious choice as bassist to The Touch, and he is one of the youngest Danish bass players who continues the virtuosity which NHP was the first bassist to introduce. There is a wildness and energy in Thomas Fonnesbk's musical style that is very unusual. Unorthodox, but technically perfect.

Søren Kristiansen, piano
Thomas Fonnesbaek, double bass

Søren Kristiansen
belongs in the absolute elite of Danish jazz musicians. While still young he broke unto the scene and was deservedly hailed as Denmark's greatest piano talent. Søren Kristiansen has played with Jesper Thilo's bands and accompanied dozens of great American musicians, from Harry Sweets Edison to James Moody. During the last ten years Søren Kristiansen has made his mark as our perhaps greatest solo pianist. His playing channels piano masters such as Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans and Art Tatum. It is original, played with fantastic skill, and incredibly swinging when Søren Kristiansen leafs through the Great American Song Book.

Thomas Fonnesbaek
Thomas bass playing creates a foundation for the songs with a dancing, rhythmic insistence that takes one prisoner, but with an elegance, responsiveness, and sensitivity that accommodates great attention to detail. Over the years, he’s played his way into the upper echelon of elites, collaborating with international stars including Monty Alexander, Christian Sands, Justin Kauflin, Aaron Parks, John Taylor, Helge Lien, Paolo Fresu, Lars Jansson, and Adam Baldych. The list of Danes he’s played with goes on forever – Thomas is often the “first call” bassist in the Kingdom. On Stunt Records, he can be heard as one half of a collaboration with the singer Sinne Eeg (EEG/FONNESBÆK – an album that won the Danish Music Award as Jazz Album Of The Year in 2017), as well as with pianist Ole Kock Hansen on FINE TOGETHER – NORDIC MOODS, and as a member of the Thomas Clausen Trio.

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