In recent years, Daniel Erdmann has become known primarily through two trios: Velvet Revolution (with Theo Ceccaldi, violins and Jim Hart, vibraphone) and Das Kapital (with Hasse Poulsen, guitar and Edward Perraud, drums). Both pan-European, France-based soloist bands were enthusiastically acclaimed by audiences and the press. They received the German Record Critics' Award and a Jazz "Echo", released several albums and toured internationally. Most recently, Erdmann has also attracted attention alongside the one and only Aki Takase, for example at Jazzfest Berlin 2021 and with the album "Isn't It Romantic?".

Erdmann's bands unite extremely playful and accomplished musicians who, together with him, create a special, instantly identifiable sound. This is exactly what can be said about his latest trio Organic Soulfood. Here, Jim Hart plays regular drums instead of vibraphone, and the collaboration with Hammond organist Antonin Rayon is brand new. Hammond organ? If you're thinking of Jimmy Smith right now, you might want to change your mind. Because Rayon, born in 1976, plays the singular B3 monster anything but traditionally. Rather, he fits seamlessly into Erdmann's environment of clever and innovative musicians with a very personal, progressive style.

Daniel Erdmann first developed the idea for Organic Soulfood in January 2021, and the group celebrated its spectacular stage premiere at a festival in Frankfurt am Main in November. Rayon's subtle, sometimes almost abstract, sometimes almost electro-aesthetic sounds, harmonies and bass lines interweave perfectly with Erdmann's warmly timbred and deliberately roughened tenor saxophone tones. Fueled by Hart's variable drum grooves, Erdmann repeatedly modulates wide-ranging expressions and takes a pointed approach to his compositions in improvisations, but always preserves the form. Together, the trio develops impressive dynamics and a colorful, independent sound language.

The collaboration with Rayon is anything but a quick fix. "I heard Antonin at a festival over 10 years ago and have always had him in the back of my mind ever since," explains Erdmann. "The starting point for my projects is always certain sound ideas. I can't say exactly why I'm now striving for this somewhat more classical jazz sound. It's probably because of my original plan to go to New Orleans in 2021 and write new repertoire there." The band name Organic Soulfood reflects Daniel Erdmann's sense of humor and his current mood.

"It's a play on words, of course, but it also arose from the need to play music in which soul, instinct and intellect harmonize. In these times, I need music to feed my soul and that's what I'm trying to convey with the band name."

Norbert Krampf