Tracklist

01. Sky Dive (5:41)

02. Moon River (8:59)

03. Message to Mankind (8:07)

04. Blu Sky (10:44)

05. Planet Mingus (7:58)

06. Old Devil Moon (6:33)

07. Solar (7:49)

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Crew:

Markus Schieferdecker (double bass)

Wayne Escoffery (tenor sax)

Xavier Davis (piano)

Joris Dudli (drums)

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www.markusschieferdecker.de

Double bass player´s guide to the galaxy   

 

What do the jazz greats Albert Mangelsdorff, Michael Wollny, Julian and Roman Wasserfuhr, Richie Beirach, Clark Terry and Lee Konitz have in common? Or rather: Who ...? German bassist Markus Schieferdecker was the one to prepare the breeding ground for their musical heights in numerous collaborations. Now the much sought-after „subwoofer expert“ is back with his new album under his own name: “Asteroid 7881, Standards” is the first part of a trilogy that Schieferdecker has dedicated to the composer and church musician Johann Christian Schieferdecker.

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There are currently a handful of professorships for Jazz Bass at the sixteen German music academies. Markus Schieferdecker holds one of these professorships - at the University of the Arts Bremen. But the musician is anything but a local Bremen town musician: On the contrary, he is on stage with top stars from the international jazz scene and accompanies concerts that are broadcast throughout Europe by cultural channels such as „3sat“ or „arte“. Schieferdecker is always looking for new and unusual challenges: An innate exploratory urge that fits well with his professorship and his vocation to work with talented people. “I want to work with the students at their level and help them discover their own way forward. It is important not to smother their flames, but to ignite a wild fire of creativity within them”, says Schieferdecker, describing how he views his teaching role. He sees this as a great gift, because self-reflection is the pre-requisite for self-development. Or to put it another way: it is vital not to forget your roots while reaching for the stars.

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Which brings us full cicle to the starting point of this concept album. In honour of Johann Christian Schieferdecker, after whom the asteroid with the identification 7881 is named, Markus Schieferdecker takes us with five standards and two self-composed pieces to the sun, moon and stars, across the universe and back. On “Solar” or “Blu Sky” he ignites the hyperdrive for maximum thrust. On “Moon River” or “Sky Dive” he steers the band shuttle through the galaxy with his cool, laidback manner and remains in control on the double bass. Anyone who is anyone is part of the crew of this international sound station: Brit Wayne Escoffery on the tenor sax, US-American Xavier Davis on the keys and Swiss Joris Dudli on the drums. Sitting at the mixing desk is none other than the New Yorker Mike Marciano, who has already won two Grammys for his sound engineering skills. Through the loudspeakers of this interstellar spaceship, with its finely selected crew, premium, modern, swinging jazz can be heard, allowing every listener to fly along into infinite space ...

So please fasten your seat-belts, close your eyes, open your ears ... 3-2-1 ... lift-off!

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Available in a limited vinyl LP edition (300 copies) and in digital format on all major streaming platforms.