Only few musicians can demonstrate such a broad artistic scope as the guitarist Hans Reffert from Mannheim. This time, he has a kindred spirit at his side, Werner Goos. This expert jazz guitarist also enjoys an excellent reputation as a musician producer and composer.
On their Acoustic Music debut, "Stone Cold & Broken", the two artists demonstrate their full class in a wide range of styles, including American jazz, blues reminiscences and timelessly beautiful traditionals. Two top musicians set out to explore the attraction of minor chords through complex, atmospheric arrangements, a fascinating diversity of acoustic sonorities, elegant technique and resounding song – it's no surprise that the first piece is called "I'm Turning Blue". The album "Stone Cold & Broken" is a masterpiece of melancholic moods, recorded by two virtuosos with a single, common goal: conjuring heart-rending and unbelievably beautiful music.

For Schrammel & Slide, the number 7 has a special meaning. For seven years they took a break and now they released their seventh album and invited seven musicians to contribute. For their “sieben/seven” album, the two Mannheim musicians dug into a rich trove of experience. They show their total class with an imaginative mix of styles ranging from American roots music and European traditional, to Indian-meditative sounds, Hawaiian “sugar music” or modern grooving lounge tracks like “Funky Domra”. Schrammel & Slide also generate a fascinating sound show with a great number of different string instruments from all over the world. Thanks to lots of virtuosic performance and a twinkle-in-the-eye smile, these two have the knack of putting “nonsense and depth of meaning” onto the same track. In the final analysis, “sieben/seven” is not only a special number for this formidable duo, but also a lucky number for fans of acoustic music with a broad horizon.

"Pow Wow" is an Indian word and indicates that the old and wise ones have gotten together and thought something up. That is exactly what Adax Dörsam and Hans Reffert have done on this CD, together with their friends. They shimmy between voodoo and klezmer, they slide between Mannheim and New York. They juxtapose things that have no business being together. They put wit, elegance, improvisation and an earthy feeling into their performance: "Pow Wow" is a journey through the world’s music. The humor-filled guitar orchestra "Schrammel + Slide" works with a great arsenal of valuable guitars, and that is audible. It’s unique music for your own mental images.

Schrammel & Slide... The name alone raises associations with that which is then immediately revealed on the CD: The most successful mix of instrumental guitar music and humor that can be found at this point in time. By the same token, solid craft doesn’t fall by the wayside either. What these two gentlemen, Dörsam and Reffert, deliver to the ears of an amazed audience is a fearless mix of music from all continents and eras performed on just about anything with strings. The result: pure entertainment.

"Schrammel & Slide play their own world music, which is full of surprises… Way out." (A. Müller, Gitarre und Bass, May 1997) "… One more climax in the highly individual version of the NDW classic „Das Model” by Kraftwerk, with which Schrammel & Slide definitively prove that they are the only legitimate successors to Laurel and Hardy." (MusikWoche, April 28, 1997)

 

Dutch classical guitar virtuoso Nathasja van Rosse is back in search of the golden tone, after having to take a break due to a serious injury. This fresh restart also allows for recently discovered new ways to express her own creativity through composing for classical guitar and writing poetry, channelling deep emotions during lockdown into four original compositions.

These pieces blend perfectly into a beautifully balanced program in broad musical variety exploring mainly new works by young composers like Damien McCuskey and Jan Depreter while completing it with two pieces by Astor Piazzolla and Louise Walker. Nathasja’s refined artistry is remarkably immaculate, her dynamic performance between cascading arpeggios and heartfelt lyrical melodies shows depth and maturity in a clear and straightforward approach. Apart from quite a few premier recordings the Sonatina by Florian Palier might be regarded as outstanding.

Naturally according to its title this album is particularly inspired by warmth, love and poetry.