Theo Bleckmann - Love & Anger [CD]

The exquisite vocal gifts of Theo Bleckmann have enlivened the works of many composers and improvisers over the years. This has unfortunately often led to his own projects becoming a rarity. Bleckmann's new recording, Love and Anger, presents the full scope of the vocalist's wide ranging musical talents with collaborators new and old on material imbued with heart.One of Bleckmann's more recent collaborators, Ulysses Owens, Jr., had loved Bleckmann's Hello Earth, a recording highlighting the music of Kate Bush. Bleckmann and Owens' time on the road allowed for a friendship to blossom, leading Owens to express his intention to produce a recording for Bleckmann in 2024.The duo's efforts were fluid and fast, as they chose material that they felt would highlight Bleckmann's unique abilities and, also, was connected to his unique aesthetic. They really wanted to highlight Bleckmann's innate ability to take another composer's work and excavate something out of it that wasn't already there. His pure and daring voice has inspired compositions by Ben Monder, John Hollenbeck, Phil Kline, Ikue Mori, and Pulitzer Prize-winning composers Julia Wolfe and David Lang, whose chamber opera "Note to a Friend" (commissioned by Japan Society and directed by Yoshi Oida) was composed specifically for Bleckmann's unique sound and sensibility.The musicians recruited to accompany Bleckmann on this deeply personal recording are fellow journeymen on many of Bleckmann's projects, truly making this a band of friends. Drummer Owens is accompanied by stalwart bassist Matt Penman and pianist Mike King, a brilliant performer to whom Bleckmann was introduced during the Songs of Freedom tour. Longtime collaborators Ben Monder and woodwind specialist Timo Vollbrecht are also featured prominently on a number of pieces. These partnerships extend a lineage of trusted creative bonds-Bleckmann has maintained long-term associations with the late Sheila Jordan, Meredith Monk, and Monder, most recently appearing with Monk in her 2024 Park Avenue Armory blockbuster Indra's Net.The ensemble recording was made on July 24, 2024, at Trading 8s Studio by Chris Sulit and then mixed and mastered by Dave Darlington. It begins with two Kate Bush compositions. "Love and Anger" is a song about deep secrets, in this case those of the ills of the Catholic church. Bleckmann's multilayered vocals float above the driving quartet as he asks for resolution from an ugly reality. Bush's "Bertie" delivers a message of love for a child but also a concern for their existence in a confusing moment in time.ABOUT THEO BLECKMANNSince the 1990s, Bleckmann has added a flexible and creative voice to the worlds of jazz, improv, and new music. His vast network of collaborators has grown throughout time, creating longtime partnerships with brilliant musicians like Meredith Monk, Ben Monder, and John Hollenbeck. He has also forged acclaimed collaborations with Laurie Anderson, Ambrose Akinmusire, Philip Glass, John Zorn, Kneebody, The Westerlies, and the Bang on a Can All-Stars. A sought-after interpreter, Bleckmann brings his adventurous sensibility to reimagining songs across centuries-from Henry Purcell, Charles Ives, George Gershwin, and Kurt Weill to Kate Bush, Massive Attack, Frank Ocean, and the Bee Gees. He has discussed this joyful, experimental approach on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross.Bleckmann's artistry has earned him Grammy nominations in both jazz and classical categories, as well as the prestigious Echo Award in his native Germany. He has toured Europe with the Oulu Symphony Orchestra and the UMO Jazz Big Band, and just returned from a tour of Japan with orchestra performing the music of Joe Hisaishi.As a composer and bandleader, he has released more than two decades' worth of influential albums, including the luminous Elegy (ECM) and the witty, propulsive 12 Easy Songs (commissioned by National Sawdust, forthcoming in 2026 for ECM).