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Sehnsucht (Longing)

Thomas Franke Jazz Trio

Label: Thomas Franke Music
Released: 2026
Duration: 00:47:00
Views: 40

Tracks

Morgendämmerung; VomAufgang der Sonne; Wolkenzug; Sehnsucht Norden; Why should I know everything; Agile; Weite See; Farewell; Unbeschwert; Day and Night

Personnel

Album Description

The Thomas Franke Jazz Trio’s Album „Sehnsucht“ (Longing)

Or the question: What does longing have to do with a double helix?

With their new album “Sehnsucht,” the Thomas Franke Jazz Trio breaks new ground and presents only original compositions, all of them were written in the very short span of just three months. In their deeply intimate, often ballad-like music, the trio - consisting of double bass (Dietmar “Spaxe” Lang), piano/keyboard (Ulrich Bauer), and tenor saxophone (Thomas Franke) - addresses the “longing” for example, for a specific place, for happiness, love, or a partner, for a fresh start, for outer and inner peace, or for someone who, sadly, is no longer here. Without drums, the three musicians complement each other to form a unified whole, searching for the light that illuminates our souls.

Many of us, at some point in our lives, feel the desire for a fresh start, for example in our careers. This is expressed in the first two pieces. It begins with a text-based composition in the style of Stockhausen titled “Morgendämmerung” (Dawn) for double bass, with the instruction: “Play a single note until you feel that it is now time for the sunrise.” It sets the stage for the sunrise and, in the composition “Vom Aufgang der Sonne” (From the Rising of the Sun), effectively brings it forth from the darkness of dawn, highlighting the opportunity for a fresh start or change. Then, figuratively speaking, clouds gather in the sky in “Wolkenzug” (Clouds drift by) and carry away the listener’s thoughts and longings. These could take concrete form in the desire for another place - the place of longing—which is expressed through the composition “Sehnsucht Norden” (Longing for the North) - the album’s title track.

With a wink, the trio throws in “Why should I know everything?”, which basically means “Don’t always ask me - I don’t know either!”. A theme that can certainly come up in the workplace or in a relationship. The initial slow tempo really picks up drive with the use of “double time” - so maybe there is a solution to all questions and problems after all? “Agile” is about the longing for agility, health, and fitness in old age within a society that still feels and wants to be young, but is aging. The piece was created in response to a friend’s request that the composer perform something musical at her milestone birthday. The sea, long waves, the glimmer of light, and perhaps a bit of spray as the waves break on the shore, the vast view into infinity - these are the themes of the composition “Weite See,” (Vast See) which also encourages reflection on the desire for inner and outer peace.

The ballad “Farewell” is about saying goodbye. At first, the focus is on the positive memories of someone who has been lost. But then, unfortunately, the pain of loss takes hold in the middle section of the composition and grows, leaving the listener grappling with a longing for the one who is no longer there. The band dedicates this piece to their longtime bassist Dietrich Frauer, who passed away unexpectedly some time ago. “Unbeschwert” (Carefree) then comes across as conciliatory and uplifting. This melodic and “delicately” played bossa nova is, especially in today’s world, associated with the hope of freedom for all people. Finally, there is the longing for love and happiness. This is the wish of a woman who daydreams of a date with a man, only to see him in the club that evening, sadly, with another woman in his arms - musically captured in the ballad “Day and Night.”

But wait, wasn't there something about the double helix? Oh, right!

For even though the descriptions mentioned above sound very serious and are meant to be taken seriously, the three musicians also had a lot of fun developing and performing the compositions. This is how the idea arose to complement the central theme of “longing” - in the sense of a double helix - with another strand: the “daily routine.” The arc spans from an early morning breakfast at sunrise, through a relaxed gaze at the clouds during the lunch break, all the way to a missed date in the evening. And the culinary delights aren’t neglected either: Doesn’t “Sehnsucht Norden” (Longing for the North) make you crave a fish sandwich? For the bassist, it was clear that “Why should I know everything?” “tastes” like strawberry cake with cream, a suggestion the composer accepted as a subtitle.