Strains of Delight and Despair Marc Mangen Trio

• 1 Circles 05:44
• 2 Not Yet 07:06
• 3 In the Meadows 05:22
• 4 Cradle Song 06:46
• 5 Lovely As Ivory 04:57
• 6 Incantation 04:49
• 7 Sphere 2 05:47
• 8 When It Goes Away 05:45
• 9 Seascape 06:12
• Total Runtime 52:28

Info for Strains of Delight and Despair

With 'Strains of Delight and Despair' Marc Mangen proves he’s able to create a perfect balance between melancholic lyricism and a percussive groove. His songs start like a sunbeam that enters into a dark room and swing along, lightening up the space with a perfect dose of blues and improvisation. His music contains the certainty of joy after sadness, of light after darkness, of sunshine after rain. Jempi Samyn, author, jazz critic and radio personality.

'This most unique presentation presents 9 pieces drawn from a plethora of jazz themes composed by Marc Mangen. (...) Each theme has a personal content, a conceptualized ebb and flow that Mangen himself may be the only person able to fully explain this concept.' (Brent Black, Criticaljazz.com)

Marc Mangen, piano
Johannes Schaedlich, double bass
Jens Biehl, drums

Marc Mangen
is a pianist of international fame, working in the field of Jazz as well as in Funk and Fusion. His very personal style is based upon tradition, but also strongly shaped by his constant research on new harmonic and melodic possibilities.

Marc started his musical education in the conservatory of Luxembourg. There he obtained his final grade, the so called "Premier Prix" (first prize) in 1978. The same year he moved on to the conservatory of Strasbourg (France) where he spent the following four years studying with the illustrious French pianist Gérard Frémy and with French jazz great Bernard Struber. He obtained in 1986 the French diploma "Professeur d'État de Jazz".

After playing with local bands in and around Luxembourg, he founded with some friends Afrodisax in 1983, an eight piece band based in Metz (France), and for 12 years they played in venues all around the East of France. Two records were released during that period (see discography). In 1986 and 1994 he toured with former Mingus trumpet player. He has been the piano player in the Laurent Gianez Big Band in Metz from 1987 until 1991. Besides that, Marc always played in trio with changing rhythm sections. More recently, from 1997 until 2001, he played with Emmanuelle Somer, one of the very rare jazz oboe players in the world (see discography). He has been invited to following jazz festivals: Gaume Jazz Festival in 1986 and 1999; Strasbourg 1989; Jazz im Brunnenhof (Trier) 1998, 2000, 2002; Weimar 1998; Jazz au Chardon/Fallais 1998; Jazz Clervaux 2001 and 2002.

Other great musicians he has had the chance to play with over the years are Frank Agulhon, Uli Beckerhoff, Jarrod Cagwin, George Duke, Claudio Fasoli, Tino Gonzales, Lindsey Horner, Janice Lakers, Didier Lockwood, Jean-Loup Longnon, Glenn Miller, Itaru Oki, Peter Perfido, Michel Pilz, Jacques Pirotton, Gunnar Plümer, Sal laRocca, Johannes Schaedlich, Oliver Strauch, Mark Turner, Erwin Vann and many others. Marc has played concerts in Antwerpen, Amsterdam, Berlin, Besançon, Bordeaux, Bruxelles, Charleroi, Clermont-Ferrand, Colmar, Eupen, Kopenhagen, Liège, Luxembourg, Maastricht, Mainz, Mannheim, Metz, Mons, Nancy, New York, Ostende, Paris, Saarbrücken, Strasbourg, Thionville, Trier, Verviers, Weimar and other more relaxed places.

Marc started composing at a very young age, and his music got performed by other musicians since he was 20. He composes modern classical music and jazz tunes, as well as longer compositions for jazz bands. He is also a commissioned composer for other bands.

Booklet for Strains of Delight and Despair