Muriel Grossmann

The journey to accomplish Earth Tones comes from a deep wish to create music that will express my profound search for connection with our true universal values: Peace, Harmony, Love and genuine Happiness.

The seed for this record was planted listening to a CD of Gongs, that I would put during the whole winter for bedtime with my children, in the house on top of the mountain of St. Carlos in the northeast of the Island of Ibiza. The house was situated in a huge forest of pinewood, hidden, and we had our bed above the chimney and the fire was burning every night, creating the beautiful shapes of light and shadow on the walls during the winter.

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The journey to accomplish Earth Tones comes from a deep wish to create music that will express my profound search for connection with our true universal values: Peace, Harmony, Love and genuine Happiness.

The seed for this record was planted listening to a CD of Gongs, that I would put during the whole winter for bedtime with my children, in the house on top of the mountain of St. Carlos in the northeast of the Island of Ibiza. The house was situated in a huge forest of pinewood, hidden, and we had our bed above the chimney and the fire was burning every night, creating the beautiful shapes of light and shadow on the walls during the winter.

The winter after, I started to get interested in overtones, colors of tones and Coltrane’s circular musical handwriting. I wanted to dedicated more time to the soprano saxophone and I composed Earth Tones, a suite, based upon simple melodies, structures and overtones.

When I started to record I wanted to create an organic drone that would give me a peaceful base for the story of the record: the earth calling us (EARTH CALL) to participate to turn in harmony (EARTH TONES). I found four essential qualities: HOPE of everybody / SHARING of experiences that would lead to WISDOM and to UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, all based on the universal principle of harmony that was guiding me.

I started to record the drone orchestra, rich in overtones, first tambura, an Indian accompanying instrument and afterwards sarangi, a South Asian violin, then I added piano, flute, melodica, percussion instruments (maracas and bells). I recorded all instruments of the drone orchestra linear and tried to create a natural bow through that process. After the drone orchestra I recorded melodies and solos all in one take, in the order they appear on the record. Radomir came up with an equivalent idea of the guitar drones, consisting of drone guitar, arpeggio guitar, oscillating guitar and slide guitar (in SHARING und UNCONDITIONAL LOVE).

We were listening over months before we decided to invite Christian and Robert to record. They had already recorded with us the previous record Awakening (Dreamlandrecords DR 06 CD) and we knew that they would be able to feel the necessities of this music.

We finished complementing the last song (EARTH TONES) with an acoustic bass and a Percussion Drone, recording timpani and concert bass drum, chau gongs and wind gongs and Tibetan bells, which I had brought from Austria in the time of my fathers funeral. The Tibetan bells reminded me of the church bells that I could hear from my parents apartment in the south of Vienna on Sunday mornings, and I was amazed sitting in my fathers library after his departure experiencing them through ‘new ears’. I hope that the listener will feel the same joy and excitement hearing this music. Muriel Grossmann, Ibiza, January 2015

REVIEW

Oh that's nice, when someone takes the time to create compositions and also gives them plenty of time to develop, time to breathe, so to speak. "Earth Tones" of Austrian saxophonist Muriel Grossmann, who is living in Ibiza, is such an album. None of the pieces last less than ten minutes, and the band with Radomir Milojkovic, guitar, Robert Landfermann, bass and Christian Lillinger, drums knows exactly, how to conjure great melodic arcs. Muriel Grossmann generated a dense carpet of sounds with Tambura, Sarangi, maracas, flute and piano, and has dealt a lot with overtones, as you can tell, and therein gave to her soprano saxophone a beautiful frame. Muriel Grossmann, Radomir Milojkovic, Robert Landfermann and Christian Lillinger make music that carries on the spirit of John Coltrane. (bak) Christian Bakonyi, Concerto Ausgabe2, April 2015

Muriel Gross­mann — Earth Tones. There is a whole musi­cal direc­tion asso­cia­ted with sound the­rapy, the impact of the music for impro­ving the men­tal and even phy­sio­lo­gi­cal state of a per­son. Muriel Gross­mann, detailed in the liner notes of her album Earth Tones the history and the goal of this pro­ject, not a sin­gle word is men­tio­ning sound the­rapy. Howe­ver, I am sure that having lis­tened care­fully Earth Tones and looked out the win­dow, regard­less of the wea­t­her, you will find the world more color­ful, fil­led with life with a new mea­ning. I under­stand that it sounds a bit pom­pous, but the music really adds Muriel’s con­scious­ness of optimism.

Earth Tones – a sin­gle suite, which con­sists of six large instru­men­tal pie­ces, rela­ted to the gene­ral idea. In purely musi­cal terms, wri­tes Muriel Gross­mann, the suite is based on a com­bi­na­tion of sim­ple melo­dies, tex­tures and over­to­nes. The lea­ders main tool – the soprano saxo­phone which is actively hel­ped by the stan­dard band, gui­tar, bass and drums. But bene­ath their sound is “plan­ted” the sound of a full orches­tra from a variety of instru­ments Euro­pean and, above all, of dif­fe­rent eth­nic origins. The con­tent of the suite — the mute appeal of the Earth to a har­mo­nious exis­tence, the search for this har­mony, and its acqui­si­tion. In con­trast to the pre­viously men­tio­ned sound the­ra­peutic works and many works in the genre of ambi­ent music, the work of Gross­mann is not conflict-free, it has a lot of emo­tion. The soprano saxo­phone of Muriel often “flies” on top, she likes long- drawn phra­ses, often with vibrato. The power of this music is extre­mely positive.

Now it is time to tell more about the aut­hor of this won­der­ful pro­ject, and her col­lea­gues. Expe­ri­en­ced and mature musi­cian, Muriel Gross­man is ori­gi­nally from Aus­tria, but in 2002 she moved to Spain, and in 2004 sett­led on the island of Ibiza. In her dis­co­gra­phy is quite a lot of work; she has col­la­bo­ra­ted with a num­ber of well-known Euro­pean musi­ci­ans. Muriel plays on the dif­fe­rent types of saxo­pho­nes and even sings, but in this case, used only soprano saxo­phone. She pre­fers small com­po­si­ti­ons. Earth Tones is writ­ten in the for­mat of the Quar­tet, which was also atten­ded by her long-time part­ner, Ser­bian gui­ta­rist Rado­mir Milo­j­ko­vic, thin, cool, I would say, phi­lo­so­phi­cal solos which ide­ally set off the emo­tion of sound and rhythm of the Ger­man rhythm group Robert Land­fer­mann — Chris­tian Lil­lin­ger. By the way, the same per­so­nal was recor­ding her album Awa­ke­ning in 2013, so that the musi­ci­ans know and under­stand each other. Among the foun­ders of the pro­ject should be attri­bu­ted Muriel and child­ren: toge­ther with her mother, they crea­ted a pain­ting fea­tured on the album cover.

… Until now, with the image of a woman play­ing the soprano saxo­phone, I asso­cia­ted with the bril­li­ant Ame­ri­can Jane Ira Bloom. Muriel Gross­mann plays dif­fer­ently, more leni­ent, per­haps more femi­nine, if there is an appro­priate way for defi­ni­tion. I do not expect the appearance of the name of Muriel Gross­mann in the lists of the Asso­cia­tion of Jazz Jour­na­lists for the best soprano sax play­ers: we know that the tas­tes of Ame­ri­can cri­tics suf­fer excep­tio­nal Ame­ri­can cen­trism. But by the rich­ness of her music, the stock of crea­tive ideas and the tech­ni­cal bag­gage I per­so­nally have expan­ded the num­ber of talen­ted and bright soprano saxo­pho­nists of modern jazz. Leo­nid Aus­kern Jazz­Quad Bela­rus April 2015

***************************** MURIEL GROSSMANN – AWAKENING , 2013 *****************************

ALBUM NOTES

It’s like listening to AWAKENING and thinking that something will happen, and it does, but not like you thought it will. That is another wonderful thing about the improvised and spontaneous music that Jazz is, not only its deep African roots, which this performance reflects and builds upon, but an ease to make it happen. Grossmann plays for the band, that is clear from the note one, not only in this composition but the entire record; a natural order of melodies that you can hum, no patterns, just music, independent of style, mind hang-ups and must do’s. WIEN is like bringing you back to something, like the place you are from, it marks you, same as the music or the artists that you always listened and loved. TRUST has another exciting solo on the guitar, clearly inspired by its surroundings. Radomir Milojkovic is running some style that is difficult to catch upon, sometimes reminds one of piano, trumpet and sometimes of saxophone; something that we are not expecting to hear on the guitar. We all I guess can realize up until now that the guitar is still the bearer of change, something new still can be added. Milojkovic’s playing is deeply rooted in tradition, not only Jazz but also Blues and so-called World Music. Further on in this particular tune Grossmann constructs a solo that ranges from sounds and textures to a more rhythm-orientated mood as the final ensemble shows. There is a trust between these people: to deliver, whatever it takes. After all this energetic drive we are brought to the state of calmness. PEACEFUL RIVER is like “clear water cascading from some waterfall”. ORNETTE is this thing that happens by itself, just inventiveness to make it happen. Here we have Christian Lillinger, one of the most adventurous and exciting drummers of his generation, a musician’s musician, providing a wide range of concepts, ideas and moods that ultimately is giving a new voice for the drums. Robert Landfermann is a supremely gifted performer with pristine technique and far reaching imagination, both as accompanist and as soloist.

This album is another wonderful effort by Grossmann, worth repeated listening, where the listener can discover many great things, a passionate performance, full of surprises and fine moments. Alex Freeman

REVIEW

Saxophonist and composer, Muriel Grossmann, born in Paris, of Austrian origin and resident on the island, closed the second evening of the festival organized by the city council of Ibiza with a recital which, by its sheer quality will always be remembered by the many fans who gathered in the heart of the city, the lovers of this music called Jazz.

Muriel Grossmann, who received the praise of Jose Miguel Lopez, host of the event, offered five compositions - long, rich in nuances, ranging from the relaxing to authentic explosion of vitality, tensing the muscles to the maximum. This woman - fragile in physique - has an overwhelming force. She must take a lot “Zumosol”.

Muriel avoids pigeonholing. She's no friend of categorizations. Let us use the term free to define their Wednesday's offering, at least a good part of it. Her performance was extraordinary, sometimes soft, almost spiritual, and sometimes unbridled, forceful. Her gift was AWAKENING (inspired by John Coltrane), WIEN, TRUST (included on the “Birth of the mystery” album), PEACEFUL RIVER and finally ORNETTE, honoring Ornette Coleman.

In addition to her usual guitarist Radomir Milojkovic, the artist resorted to two prestigious musicians. The magnificent bassist Robert Landfermann and the colossal drummer Christian Lillinger offered a brilliant performance extolling the language of Muriel Grossmann that already is in a state of grace. The Ibiza public has the privilege of hearing this surprising performer not only on festivals. Xicu Lluy (Excerpts from Diario de Ibiza, August 26, 2011, title of article: The Power of Fragility).

***************************** MURIEL GROSSMANN – Birth Of The Mystery , 2011 ***************************** REVIEW

The very active saxophonist Muriel Grossmann, resident in Ibiza, returns to the arena with the same strength like in her previous albums: an brilliantly exploratory music, with spinning melodies, insightful, they advance unshaken on an explosive rhythm; an authentic shock. The detailed sound of her alto fits with mastery with the traveling phrasing of the guitarist Radomir Milojkovic, the discreet tone of bassist David Marroquin and the light attacks of the drummer Marco Jelaca. This work is a courageous proposal, tender and elegantly avantgardistic, which many would like to see touring live, but unfortunately, that is not too lavish outside the Balearic Island. (Marti Farre, Jac 37 / abril, mayo 2011)

INTERVIEW

Ultima Hora Ibiza / Sunday, February 6, 2011 CULTURE SPECTACLE / 35 • MUSIC

"My goal is to uplift people as much as possible"

Austrian saxophonist, based in Ibiza, Muriel Grossmann just released her new album, entitled 'Birth of the Mystery' • For this new album, the jazz composer and performer has had Radomir Milojkovic on guitar, Marko Jelaca as a drummer and David Marroquin on bass • The themes of the CD were composed during the pregnancy of Grossmann and recorded after she gave birth to her son.

PEP TUR

Based in Ibiza, but with a cosmopolitan past (born in Paris and raised in Vienna), Austrian saxophonist Muriel Grossmann is one of the leading personalities of the music on our island. With the banner of jazz and musicians like Coltrane and Davis, Kühn or Coleman in her personal file of influences, she introduces in the beginning of this year her new album, Birth of the Mystery, a record closely linked to the birth of her son and for which she counted on Radomir Milojkovic (guitar), Marko Jelaca (drums) and David Marroquin (bass).

- Where is moving your music with this album? - Every album is a long trip, where you compose, record and design music for the final product. In this case, this album has opened up more road for the music I do now: 'pulse' time, with more open structures, with a different harmonic and melodic development.

- Throughout your career you have given much importance to improvisation; in what way is this reflected in this recording? - The themes and improvisations have been supplemented in such a way that sometimes you do not recognize if we play the theme or improvise. Thus, the music is being expanded in this regard. Jazz is improvisation, but this album is more than a jazz album, it is an album of music that can reach anyone. Improvisation reflects the time in which we live and reflects my own experience. What I play comes from the tradition that our ancestors have left us, from what we learn and how we put something of ourselves in it.

- After 'Sudden Impact', in which you worked in a trio, you now came back to the quartet in 'Birth of the Mystery'. Why? - To me, all formations reveal other possibilities. Each needs a certain type of themes and other concepts. I like all the formations. Only last year I recorded more than forty hours of music in different formations, and each is a different world. Playing in quartet is a perfect vehicle, especially if it includes guitar, because I am much more free. So the quartet is something special for me; I like composing and playing for this type of formation ... For example, last week I finally finished three different programs for quartet, which I hope in the near future become more records.

- What has been the relationship between the musicians during the recording sessions? - We knew we were taking new ground, we did it together ... (Laughs). I love playing with David and Marko. With them we have the freedom to create our own sound, because they come with a blank sheet, so that we can color it together. David is very humble and hardworking, and Marko brings unique characteristics.

- In your formations is repeated the presence of guitarist Radomir Milojkovic; how would you describe your musical relationship over the years? - Radomir and I are like a band. Our passion for music is very similar. We elaborate musical concepts together: one begins and the other instantly incorporates it and evolves it, and we go on... Our musical relationship can be seen as a symbiosis, it’s ecstatic. On the other hand, we like to study, develop new ways, listening to music. I think it boils down to both believing in what we do in the same way.

- To what mystery do you refer in the title of your new album? - A mystery clears all questions. Questions and answers no longer satisfy us. Music for me cannot be explained by words. Music speaks for itself. The music of this album has evolved from the intense spiritual experience of the birth of my son. I composed the themes during the preparations for birth and recorded after giving birth, incorporating new concepts then studied.

- You were born in Paris, grew up in Vienna and live in Ibiza; is the geographical universe reflected throughout your music? - Yes. I am what grows from my experiences and I am what I invent. I always like to dream about our world and beyond. I hope that can be heard in my music.

- In your biography you states that you studied Baroque music. Is there a connection between this music and jazz? - Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie ... all their language has some Baroque music, the difference lies in the phrasing and in this the vitality. I studied Baroque music as a child and it opened the road. It is very powerful. Today the music remains a part of me. The music of Bach, for example, has taught me to use multidirectional voicing.

- Ibiza has a renown jazz festival, but, beyond this annual event, what is the life of a jazz musician on the island? - There are many places where you can play and people welcome us with open hands, but we need the help of institutions, because, as we all know, art needs support. In my case, I always spend one month a year off the island. Now my children are very young and I cannot travel as before, but they grow, and the time to reach out more will come. We live in a global world and now a musician has to play all styles if necessary. Jazz musicians are trained; we can play all styles.

- Do you think that Ibiza is the ideal environment for composing? - Ibiza has inspired me greatly and has pushed me to write more music; so did my children. The island has a beautiful countryside, the sea and the salt are always present, and the light and sky are very special. You may want to see every sunset (and every sunrise), and it fills you! People are very varied and bring their cultures from all over the world. The farmers of the island equally as eastern philosophies bring peace and contemplation as well. I love to live here. I appreciate that. I am very happy to live in such a precious place and grow with my children in an environment filled with magic and positive energy.

- The compositions of your new album have titles of various states of mind or consciousness ... - I wanted to have a positive birth of my son. In the last weeks before giving light, I stayed for hours awake at night reflecting my fears and my wishes on the subject of birth. I started writing songs with the awareness of what I needed to fulfill my objective. With the time I saw that you can use these steps for any purpose you choose.

- On one occasion you explained that you composed during the night, when you live a special peace, and your music, on many occasions, is an authentic expression of strength and vitality. Why is there this duality? - Duality, for us, sometimes hides the whole. If at night you go out of your house, the environment seems quiet, and then becomes majestic, you can see to other galaxies. You feel very small, but part of something very vital. I would say that you can almost hear and feel the earth spinning. That is magic. In this 'silence' you perceive the energy of the earth and connect with the 'all' of the universe. That 'nothingness' is very powerful, because the energy comes from the quiet, like the day is born from the night. In the other hand I have always been very strong, early on, and everything can inspire me. My goal, however, remains the same: to uplift people as much as possible. To inspire them to realize more and more of their capacity to live meaningful lives; because surely there is a sense in life.

EXTRAS

THEME BY THEME

The concepts of a 'mystery'

Dedicated to her son, Grossmann’s disc is based on a series of concepts, which have given title to each of the topics. The saxophonist summarizes. Strength : "Know what you want." Trust : "Have confidence in yourself and in the circumstances of life." Breathing : " Use it, to be present." Patience : "This is my special subject (laughs)." Opening and Slide : "Help the things that arise." Welcome : "It is a special theme for my son. With this suite I have reinvented myself and I have refined myself in my daily life. "

INFLUENCES

From Coltrane to Kühn, through Davis and Coleman

Muriel Grossmann considers herself strongly influenced by four musicians. John Coltrane "From his deep search emerged the purest music, sincerely positive and most wonderful. All his recordings are a revelation to me. He inspires me to go deeper. " Miles Davis "An inventor, with few notes and silence he says it all, each album has a different concept from bebop to cool-jazz to free jazz and then fusion, pop, etc ... motivates me to take new paths. " Ornette Coleman "His playing leaves me with a smile. His themes and improvisations are always special, and the blues is always present. " Joachim Kühn "Being close to a musician of integrity with such impact, is very inspiring."

Pep Tur Ultima Hora Ibiza / Sunday, February 6, 2010

***************************** MURIEL GROSSMANN / RADOMIR MILOJKOVIC / CHEMA PELLICO - SUDDEN IMPACT, 2009 *****************************

REVIEWS

The saxophonist of Austrian origin living in Ibiza, Muriel Grossmann shares an experimental session with the balkanic guitarist Radomir Milojkovic and the legendary bassist Chema Pellico - installed on the island of Ibiza – an exercise in abundant communication, Caving jazz with glorious moments. Improvised music, rather than instantaneous, in which different voices flying in parallel, are built with exquisite poetic tension. Marti Farre, Jac Magazine Barcelona, nr.35, December 2010/January 2011

…Jazz album with all the letters, proposing rigorously intelligent things. The great touch of Grossmann, who without being heterodox, includes elements and imputs that enrich the whole. German Lazaro, Quadernos de Jazz, Madrid, January/February 2009. ..a freejazz of ..velvet.. Marc Sarrazy, Improjazz 2009

****************************** MURIEL GROSSMANN – QUARTET, DR 03 CD 2008

ALBUM NOTES

Muriel Grossmann as a saxophonist and composer is building a very substantial style and body of work. There is real motivation in Grossmann’s music and a desire to keep finding out who she is and to make her music out of that deepening knowledge. J.L.Thomson original liner notes from the album Muriel Grossmann Quartet 2008.

REVIEWS

Enigmatic compositions in the hands of a luxury saxophonist. Marti Farre, Jac Magazine Barcelona, February/March 2009.

***************************** MURIEL GROSSMANN QUARTET, live on Eivissa Jazz Festival 2008 ***************************** PRESS

Concert was excellent, vigorous and hard worked. Xicu Lluy, Diario de Ibiza, Ibiza Jazz Festival 2008.

Muriel Grossmann and her quartet was revealed as one of the most potent formations of the festival…. a memorable concert at the Espai Eivissa Mercat Vell. Pep Tur, Ultima Hora, Ibiza, Ibiza Jazz Festival 2008.

***************************** Muriel Grossmann / Uno P. Here And Now, DR 02 CD 2008 *****************************

ALBUM NOTES

Composed, conducted and produced by Muriel Grossmann. Secret understanding between the musicians makes the music of this cd, the music of here and now. Thomas D. H. Foster

REVIEWS

….the superb album 'Here and Now', a recording with the drummer Uno P.; gentle and energetic at the same time; beautiful; Xicu Lluy, Spain, 2008

…recorded an interesting ‘Here and Now’ (Dreamlandrecords DR 02 CD) in duet with the iconoclastic drummer Uno P.; Marc Sarrazy, Impro Jazz Magazine, France, 2010

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