Tobias Becker Bigband & Jochen Neuffer - Augmented Reality (2018) [Hi-Res]

Reeds: Markus Harm (as/ss/cl); Daniel Roncari (as/cl/fl); Alexander Bühl (ts/cl); Lukas Pfeil (ts/cl); Christoph Beck (bs/fl/bcl); Jonas Brinckmann (bs/bcl)

Trumpet: Christian Mück (tp/flgh); Christian Mehler (tp/flgh); Heidi Bayer (tp/flgh); Benjamin Lindner (tp/flgh)

Trombone: Florian Seeger; Tim Hepburn; Marc Roos; Patrick Flassig (b-tromb.)

Rhythm Section: Tobias Becker (p/Fender Rhodes); Christoph Neuhaus (git); Markus Bodenseh (db/b); Martin Grünenwald

With his first own big band album AUGMENTED REALITY, the conductor, composer and arranger Jochen Neuffer impressively demonstrates why he has already written for such greats as Lalah Hathaway, the metropolis Orkest and Helen Schneider. Finely balanced melodic phrases, colorful harmonies and wide-ranging musical arcs: AUGMENTED REALITY contains except for a refreshingly modern implementation of the classic "Pennsylvania 6-5000" exclusively multilayered original compositions from the pen of Neuffer, the traditional conventions of traditional big-band jazz ,

In this project, he trusts in the renowned Tobias Becker Bigband, who once again proves her outstanding musicality and versatility in her meanwhile third studio production. In doing so, Tobias Becker relinquishes the musical responsibility of his handpicked band and confidently places them in the hands of his longtime colleague Neuffer. The compositions are tailor-made for the band and also give the outstanding soloist due space for development.

Neuffer produced the album together with Henk Heijink, who was a member of the Metropole Orkest for more than 30 years. As a producer he supervised artists like Kurt Elling, Gregory Porter and Joshua Redman. Heijink played a major role as producer in awarding the Metropole Orkest with a Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category for his collaboration with Snarky Puppy in 2016. AUGMENTED REALITY is the first project for which Heijink was drawn back from his retirement to the producer's chair.