Passenger Morten Schantz

• 1 Mountaineer 05:15
• 2 Hidden Island 06:55
• 3 Ankarhelten 03:58
• 4 Pokhara 06:23
• 5 Dynasty 01:23
• 6 The Yes Cat 06:30
• 7 Apia 06:24
• 8 Passenger 06:38
• Total Runtime 43:26

Info for Passenger

Energetic contemporary jazz and intricate compositions cloaked in pop-like simplicity lead the way in the latest release from Danish pianist Morten Schantz and his trio, out 16th Sept on April Records.

‘Passenger’ - their third studio album - revels in exploring both the familiar and the unexpected, offering a modern jazz extension to the iconic Scandinavian piano trio sound.

Rooted in thoughtful songwriting, the album moves seamlessly from comforting harmony of folk and pop music to extended passages of energetic virtuosic improvisation, propulsive syncopated riffs, and attitude-infused bluesy bass-lines.

Taken as a whole, Morten’s compositional skill creates a series of songs which can feel more like a mini-suite with their labyrinthine hooks and through-composed sensibility.

Continuing in the vein of the ensemble’s critically acclaimed 2014 release Unicorn and Morten’s 2017 release Godspeed (Edition Records), the group’s palette is extended with the inclusion of horns, percussion, and Ondes Martenot.

Their 15 years of performing together can be heard through the ease in which they weave through their rich array of influences.

The three musicians are highly active on the Danish and worldwide music scenes, each with impressive reputations and accolades under their belts.

Drummer Janus Templeton was awarded the Grammy for ‘Jazz Album of the Year’ in 2007, Bassist Morten Ankarfeldt has released over 60 albums across his career, and Morten Schantz himself has been awarded the prestigious Young Nordic Jazz Comets, numerous compositional grants from the Danish Arts Council, and been nominated for two Danish Music Awards.

Morten Schantz, piano, Ondomo, Fender Rhodes on "Passenger"
Morten Ankarfeldt, double bass
Janus Templeton, drums
Guests:
Ayi Solomon, percussion (1,3,4, 8)
Anders Banke, flute, clarinet (4, 8)
Nicolaj Henriques, bassoon (4, 8)
Anders Malta, flugelhorn, trumpet (4, 8)

Morten Schantz
Pianist, composer and bandleader Morten Schantz, born 1980 in Aarhus, Denmark, is by no means a newcomer on the international jazz scene. In 2005 he founded and became the main songwriter for critically acclaimed supergroup, JazzKamikaze, (which also included fellow band-member Anton Eger) and the band has since won numerous awards and toured across five continents. He has released eight albums - four with JazzKamikaze and four as a soloist with his own groups Morten Schantz Trio, Unicorn and Segment.

Schantz is by no means a newcomer on the international jazz scene as he has been the main contributor and force behind the critically acclaimed supergroup, JazzKamikaze, touring all over the world for quite a few years now. Together with JazzKamikaze he has pushed the boundaries of jazz another step into the future. They have been headlining large festivals around the world such as the North Sea in Rotterdam and Bangkok International Jazz Festival. In 2007 JazzKamikaze was elected as spearheads of Danish jazz reprenting Danish music on five continents of the world. However, the depth and scope of his talent has lead to greater succes than normally experienced within the jazz society. Regular performences on MTV and live broadcast TV concerts to millions of viewers in Asia with JazzKamikaze - both as a singer and pianist - are just some of the achievements that are linked with Morten Schantz despite a relatively young age of 30.

In 2006 he formed his own trio, a platform where he could fully express himself as a pianist. A challenging prospect that demanded a new and totally different aspect of his personallity as a musician, bandleader, and not least, as a composer. In 2007 he graduated from the Rhythmic Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen with a final exam concert in front of a packed audience. The trio received rave reviews from the censor panel which included renowned American pianist Butch Lacy. However, it took another 3 years until the trio finally got together to recording this album mostly due to Schantz’ activities with JazzKamikaze. Consequently, a new and sparkling energy filled the recording studio in Brooklyn, NYC. The material had already been performed on many live concerts yet it had lain untouched for quite some time. The tunes which are partly Schantz’ originals mixed with pop/rock classics as well as a few jazz standards are the essence of what message Morten Schantz is trying to convey to his listeners. That jazz has the ability to both entertain, touch, surprise and hopefully inspire.

This album contains no booklet.