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Jens Lindemann's Latest Recording



 
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cheiden
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PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2020 10:08 am    Post subject: Jens Lindemann's Latest Recording Reply with quote

I'm surprised that there isn't more (any) buzz here about Jens Lindemann's latest recording that includes the Bach Brandenberg.
https://trumpetjens.bandcamp.com/album/bach-brahms-reimagined-2

Preview can be found here.
https://trumpetjens.bandcamp.com/track/brandenburg-2-excerpt-2

And if you haven't read his Facebook posts on the subject you're seriously missing out.
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trumpetjens
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HI Charles,

Thanks for mentioning these. There will also be a video rollout taking place over the next weeks as well as a private 'Demio' appearance to discuss the music and instrumentation in particular.

For pure trumpet players, what will make these recordings unique are the following:

Bach & Brahms Reimagined

World premiere recording of the these three works in this instrumentation.

Brahms Trio Op. 40 has never been recorded commercially with flugelhorn. The other two players, James Ehnes (violin) and Jon Kimura Parker (piano) are world renowned classical superstars. Hearing them alone is worth it. (PS...it is called Op. 40 NOT the Horn trio and was also published by Brahms for cello or viola as the third instrument...that makes it fair game for us!!!)

I had a custom 4-valve Flugelhorn built by Adams dubbed the 'Brahms' and a special mouthpiece made by Peter Pickett which makes the instrument sound like a French horn...just more accurate! (I figure this forum is the only safe place to say that!). Seriously, it does not even sound like a flugelhorn and that is why the video will be so important when it comes out. Matching the eye to the ear is half the fun much to the chagrin of the French horn world I suspect!

Brandenburg 5 is piccolo trumpet instead of the flute solo. I used a special e flat mouthpiece for that and the Yamaha 9820 piccolo with a. host of alternate fingerings for the upper register. But again, the attempt to sound like a flute was the mission and it was accomplished.

Brandenburg 2 (BWV 1047R) has also never been commercially recorded with original instrumentation which is just the chamber soloists, basso continuo and harpsichord. The added ripiano violins were not part of the original manuscript so this version is amazingly transparent and true chamber music. This was played on my Yamaha 9910 gold plated C piccolo also with Peter Pickett custom mouthpiece. The challenge was to play as softly as other soloists and this was a dream for me ever since I heard Dave Hickman do it live when I was 18.

The jazz band recording also has epic arrangements done by the inimitable Matt Catingub. Featured most prominently is the Gershwin Rhapsody in Blue. This is the world premiere recording of RIB with modern jazz band. It became public domain this year so we wanted to be the first to get in on the fun. On behalf of trumpeters everywhere, I asked for the trumpet solo to be done on piccolo as a secondary solo part so I could be upfront as with the Shostakovich Piano Concerto. Piano part was left untouched so any classical player can do it but the trumpet was given a prominent role...translation: it is a clarinet on steroids for this!

Bottom line for THIS forum? The motivation for doing this project was to push the trumpet envelope and get evermore younger players thinking outside the box of traditional approach. Plus, any chance to play Brahms and Bach with world famous superstars in the classical world is a chance the EVERY trumpeter should try and take advantage of since there is so much we can learn from them.

Find it all here:

www.riverdaleclassics.com

Hope you all enjoy...video coming.

Jens Lindemann
www.trumpetsolo.com
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djpearlman
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jens - What mouthpiece are you using for the french horn sound on the 4 valve flugelhorn?
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trumpetjens
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 1:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Custom made Peter Pickett polymethyl methacrylate. That mouthpiece is deep and funneled to take off any edges of flugelhorn sound. All kidding aside regarding French horn players, I wanted to respect that traditional tone as well as the fact that I made a conscious decision NOT to use vibrato as with standard modern horn playing. It was a wonderful musical challenge to phrase things that way.

Jens Lindemann
www.trumpetsolo.com
PS...who am I kidding? Here??? No way...French horn players do not have the right to call it the 'Horn' trio....it is Op. 40 and lets ALL Start playing more Brahms..........y'all have my back right? Right?????
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ProAm
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 5:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love the Brahms trio. I have a recording w. Lowell Greer playing natural horn that is my favorite. I downloaded the score from IMSLP and have played at the horn part on trumpet and some on horn for fun.

Your recording sounds great! But I have to say, no disrespect intended, that IMO the horn blends much better with the violin and piano sound than the flugelhorn.
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trumpetjens
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 7:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No offense at all. The very fact that we are talking about it all is the best part. I have had communication with French horn players that hate the fact that I did it on flugelhorn as well as comments from horn players who love it. The beauty of an informed opinion is that you are able to measure it up against other ideas and ultimately come to your own conclusion. In my case, the motivation for doing this was very simple. I really wanted to play Johannes Brahms and the chance to do that with two classical superstars in James Ehnes and Jon Kimura Parker was simply a musical dream come true.

The Greer recording is fantastic and an absolute must on the shortlist of Brahms trios. Of course he's also doing it on natural horn which is rarely heard these days. Then you can get into the discussion of Conn 8D’s vs an Alex vs a Wiener horn let alone recordings that are also out there on cello and viola. Were it not for the great Maurice Andre who cleverly stole repertoire from violins, oboes, and flutes, we wouldn't have as much standard repertoire as we now do for Piccolo trumpet. And what Sergei has done? Wow, he's taken it to another level with his creative transcriptions.

Our job in the greater musical community is to break down the stereotype of what people think a trumpet should be. In most cases, our reputation is that we play too loudly and should be relegated to the back. So, given the opportunity to do something that people don’t expect and then doing it well gives us a seat at the table to further the cause of an instrument that everyone on this site already loves.

The Brandenburg 2 and 5 were done with similar motivation…play Bach with world class artists and do it differently than anyone else so that it has its own identity.

On a pure trumpet geek note, it is also just to inspire the next generation of trumpet influencers to find their own unique voice as well.

Jens Lindemann
www.trumpetsolo.com
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Subtropical and Subpar
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 7:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

trumpetjens wrote:
Bottom line for THIS forum? The motivation for doing this project was to push the trumpet envelope and get evermore younger players thinking outside the box of traditional approach.


Jens,

If I could pick your brain for a second, what is your take on the future of innovative trumpet playing and the direction(s) it should be heading? I see a few disparate vectors forming:

- technically hyper-proficient players expanding the trumpet repertoire to encompass pieces originally written for other instruments. Exemplars would include Sergei Nakariakov and Ruben Simeo.

- Spookily well-rounded players. Wynton is the quintessential example, obviously, with players like Charlie Porter coming to the fore.

- Avante-garde trumpeters playing music that can't even be notated. Peter Evans springs to mind.

I am sure there are other fields being created and furthered; that's just what I can summon on this dreary midweek winter's eve.
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JonathanM
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jens; Thank you for contributing here.

Your thoughts and ideas are so enlightening... A huge thanks for your time!
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trumpetjens
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2020 9:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That is a great question. The answer is fluid of course. The point of inspiring each other as trumpet players is because if you are on this site, you are a geek willing to engage in discussion that absolutely NO ONE outside of this forum could care less about. We admire and critique each other because we are looking for ways to make things better rather than worse. Why would you come here to argue and tangle with people If we are presumably all here for inspiration?

So, that being said, here are my rapid fire answers to your three questions.

Hyper Technical players are amazing to us only. I can promise you that the greatest technique or range that any trumpet player has ever developed is glanced at only sideways by most other musicians outside our sphere. At best, we are a cool parlor/party trick and actually incapable of impressing string players or pianists who have set the high bar for sheer technical virtuosity. So technique alone ain’t the answer.

Players like Wynton should be admired because he has transcended the trumpet. I don’t even bother calling him a trumpet player anymore…he is simply an icon. HIs ability to be versatile has allowed him to play what he imagines so his mind is working in synch with his artistic vision. However it is Wynton’s overall influence that puts him in the ‘he-has-his-own-category’ category.

Extraordinary extended contemporary technique like Peter Evans' make us ask ‘How’ but the rest of the world outside of our sphere usually says ‘why’? We are (and should be) stunned by what he is capable of doing. It will always be a niche market though and if that is the mission, then go for it. It is easy to forget that Peter is quite capable of playing ANYTHING on the trumpet when his voice is too often called the 'tip of the spear' for the avant garde scene.

All three answers and the respective players have one thing in common though: an extraordinary ability to play the instrument with apparent ease. We need trailblazers like that to push our own standards to different levels. My hope is that we admire all of them for their proficiency. However, I always find myself coming back to the original question, “how can I get others (non-trumpeters) to care, enjoy and feel as though their lives have been improved?”.

I am making a hard push with these two new albums and the narrative with both of them is that they are new and fresh. I have to do that because it is business and you have to be ready to wave your own flag both for attention and assessment. It is always great to have your fellow trumpet brothers and sisters give a nod of approval because they get what you are doing. They can also give you that sideways glance which implies, "I know what you are doing and I know why you are doing it...but don’t worry, I won’t give up the secret to the magic act". When people leave in wonderment it should also leave them wondering (lots of double entendres there!).

The future ALWAYS lies with the next generation. It is up to them to become proficient and then start making their statements. Further, proficiency takes time and discipline and that is a very personal journey that no one can do for you.

All three of your questions imply that the playing must be exceptional and that demands that the technique itself be based on solid fundamentals. I have a lot of hope for this next generation because boundaries and definitions are less important to them and that keeps their minds open to trying things. That being said though, are we really reaching people outside of our community?

Jens Lindemann
www.trumpetsolo.com
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Trumpetingbynurture
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 12:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jens - how did you find time to record this?

I was under the impression commenting on Hakan's Charlier videos had become a full time calling for you!

More seriously, I'm looking forward to listening. Thank you for your passion and energy and for dropping by TH. It's always a delightful surprise when you do.
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Subtropical and Subpar
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, thanks for the really thoughtful response!

Quote:
Hyper Technical players are amazing to us only. I can promise you that the greatest technique or range that any trumpet player has ever developed is glanced at only sideways by most other musicians outside our sphere.


As I like to say, there are two types of musicians: there are trumpet players... and I hear there are other types of musicians as well.

Oh yeah, Peter can play anything. I actually knew Peter as a teen and had the privilege/frustration to be in a few groups with him. He could have been a pro at age 14. Tossing off a Lee/Freddie/Clifford-style solo was as natural as breathing to him. If I recall correctly, he actually took up the piano the summer before his junior year and was voted one of the best high school jazz pianists in the state of Massachusetts the following spring by IAJE. A singular talent.

Quote:
All three of your questions imply that the playing must be exceptional and that demands that the technique itself be based on solid fundamentals. I have a lot of hope for this next generation because boundaries and definitions are less important to them and that keeps their minds open to trying things. That being said though, are we really reaching people outside of our community?


I agree and am quite hopeful that boundaries, definitions, and the traditional, fairly stodgy music theory curriculum are becoming less relevant, and as the world becomes ever more connected, anticipate a lot more universally-minded trumpeting, for lack of a better phrase. I think about how wonderfully players like Amir ElSaffar and Itamar Borochov have adopted trumpets into the complexities of Middle Eastern quarter-tone theory, for instance. At the same time, I fear that simply given the number of music majors and conservatory graduates relative to the number of even bare-subsistence-level gigs for them, exceptional playing is a baseline requirement for recognition. And that's not limited to our divine instrument: there are several professional symphonies here in the subtropics that feature maybe 1/6 the pay of Boston/NYC/LA/etc. and just about every musician in them under the age of 45 or so has an educational CV that is absolutely identical to the musicians in Boston/NYC/LA/etc.

My only additional thought, depressing as it may be, is this: what contemporary musicians on any instrument have successfully broken through their community to wider popular appeal? Off the top of my head, I can only think of Chris Botti, Kenny G, and Yo-Yo Ma - and I would still call their audiences niche in the grand scheme of things. I mean, Chick Corea's Youtube channel has only a fraction of the subscribers as any of the four or five "jazz piano tutorial" YouTube channels I browse from time to time. It's a weird time in music.

Again, thanks for the response and I'm looking forward to listening to your new albums![/i]
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bike&ed
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 2:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jens, this album is fantastic, it has suddenly become one of my favorites! You are great whether you’re doing this or squealing out Maynard renditions like we did back in 2010, but I do greatly prefer this highly refined musical persona. I know BB2 is practically obligatory for any top-tier trumpet soloist not named Sergei, but I for one would love to hear more works like the Brahms and the BB5 transcription. The level of musicianship in those recordings is astounding!
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trumpetjens
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 4:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the kind words. Yes, high notes are fun but the musical challenge here was to blend and stand out only when necessary. Also, to push the envelope of expectation.

The musicians were ALL world class and the producer, Steve Epstein (who produced almost all of Wynton's recordings among many other classical stars) and the engineer, Richard King, have 32 Grammy's between them. In other words, you cannot get anyone better than this behind the glass and in front of the mics. That is why it was such a labor of love.

And working with the inimitable Matt Catingub the last couple of years and then culminating with this big band project? Well, wow! The man is a genius on every level and I learned a long time ago that you should surround yourself with that kind of talent, bask in what they do and try and learn something!

These artists all threw their expertise and reputations on the line to produce something that has never been done before...if you gather that I am excited, you are correct!!!

Jens Lindemann
www.trumpetsolo.com
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Miketpt
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 04, 2020 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

James Ehnes is a "whole other level" musician. It must be fun and humbling to collaborate with him!

Mike
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trumpetjens
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 05, 2020 9:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jimmy Ehnes (...I get to call him that 'cuz he's on my speed dial now!)? Oh yes...a WHOLE other level. His level of perfection combined with the greatest attitude and personality makes him a bona fide superstar!!!

Little known fact about James Ehnes...his father as the trumpet professor at Brandon University...secretly, Jimmy is one of us!!!!

Jens Lindemann
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dershem
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2020 6:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have this album, and it's amazing.
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trumpetjens
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2020 6:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for the kind words. All of the players were world class and I fully subscribe to the mantra that I learned years ago from one of my mentors the inimitable Tommy Banks: "Always surround yourself with people who are better than you are".

The producer was Steve Epstein and the engineer was Richard King...32 Grammys between them!!! Steve's resume is very easy to google (translation: rock star in the classical world...start with Wynton and it goes from there...) And the bottom line when recording? Find people you trust that go in the booth. If you do it correctly, I can guarantee that they will know more than you ever will because that is their job. Also, respect your fellow musicians and get them passionate about being involved...you would be amazed at who actually says 'yes' when you ask about getting involved with a really good idea.

YOUR responsibility as the leader is to be the most excited about moving the project forward and that is a skill itself that will be learned by making initial mistakes. But until you put yourself out there, you will never know what those mistakes will be and as a result, you will never learn anything. When it comes to funding these projects (because that is a very real issue that deserves its own masterclass), I subscribe to a philosophy I learned a long time ago:

"If you want advice ask for money and if you want money, ask for advice".

If you let that one really sink in, it will forever change your approach to the symbiotic relationship between arts and patronage.

Jens Lindemann
www.trumpetsolo.com
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blbaumgarn
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 10:55 pm    Post subject: Jens Lindeman's latest recording Reply with quote

I have to get my hands on these recordings. And, Jens, I have only one question after reading your contributions: are you sure that polymethyl methacrylate is totally street legal? it's just a question. Also, Jens, to say that you have done recordings with slightly different instrumentation and that raised the hackles on a few folks, I seem to remember the criticism Isao Tomita heard interpreting the classics on synthesizer. His stuff has stood the test of time and so will yours. Bravo
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trumpetjens
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PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2021 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Street legal mouthpiece? Absolutely! Here is another absolute, I have NO intention of ever going back to a metal mouthpiece. There would have to be a really great reason and I have not found one in over a year of playing Peter's-Poly-Picketts (just made that up but it sounds good!).

For this site, I will absolutely be going into more mouthpiece geek talk soon. Y'all are the only ones who would really care anyway although I am getting pretty good at spinning that conversation for the general public's understanding as well.

The recordings will go into wider release in the next few weeks and will include video of the session (Bach/Brahms) as well as the first visual concert recording of the big band project which will include the world premiere of Matt Catingub's instrumentation for Rhapsody in Blue. It is an awesome rework and gives the piccolo trumpet some new high bars (figurative and literal) for aspiring players. Everything about these recordings (Gershwin and Brandenburg 5 for piccolo in particular) was intended to push the envelope and inspire the next generation. The fact that this was motivated by some of the greatest music ever written also made this a great artistic endeavor.

Jens Lindemann
www.trumpetsolo.com
www.riverdaleclassics.com
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