ALBUM INFO

Chris Walden Big Band & St. John's Choir: KURT MARTI SUITE (Origin Records, 2007)

3.  Die Salbung (3:19) soprano sax solo: Jeff Drsikill

4.  Ostermorgen (1:49)

5.  Bitte (2:05) flugelhorn solo: Ron King

6.  Lobpreis (2:31)

7.  Anrufungen (2:58) alto sax solo: Jeff Drsikill

8.  Ganz Werden (1:56)

9.  Lichtstrahl (2:32) trombone solo: Bob McChesney

10. Protestantische Kirchenmusik (1:58)

11. Predigtnot (2:19)

12. Dahingehen (3:50)

13. SLINGS AND ARROWS (Michael Brecker, © Grand Street Music, BMI) (5:23) guitar solo: Mitch Holder, sax solo: Brandon Fields, drum solo: Dick Weller

TOTAL TIME: 38:02
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The KURT MARTI SUITE for choir and big band is based on sacred poems by Swiss lyricist Kurt Marti from his collection "gott gerneklein". Born in 1921, Marti worked as a priest in Switzerland until 1983. The recipient of many awards, he is amongst the most important contemporary writers in Europe. Linking concrete poetry with political statements, incorporating Swiss dialect poetry into "the world language of verse", Marti freed religious poetry from clerical conventions and created love poems of a new and highly original beauty.

I chose these lyrics for my composition KURT MARTI SUITE for choir and big band in order to express my connection to the German language and culture, and because of their concise, almost clipped style, and strong imaginary.

The St. John's choir belongs to the Lutheran parish of St. John in Hamburg, Germany and has approx. 100 members. I dedicated this piece to this ensemble since I was born and raised in Hamburg and my mother has been singing in this choir for 20 years.

This piece was premiered in 2007 at the Los Angeles Cathedral as start of a concert tour of the St. John's and the Chris Walden Big Band throughout the Southland of California.

SLINGS AND ARROWS is a composition by the late Michael Brecker, who played on my very first big band album in 1995. A few years later Michael gave me a transcript of his composition SLINGS AND ARROWS to write a big band arrangement of it, whenever I would find some time. As it is often the case with assignments without a deadline, I never got around to do it. After Michael passed away I felt guilty and finally did an arrangement of SLINGS AND ARROWS. (Chris Walden)

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All tracks composed (except #13), arranged, conducted, and produced by Chris Walden

Saxes: Jeff Driskill, Kim Richmond, Rob Lockart, Brandon Fields, Tom Peterson

Trumpets: Wayne Bergeron, Kye Palmer, Ron King, Sal Cracchiolo

Trombones: Bob McChesney, Alex Iles, Arturo Velasco, Rich Bullock

Guitar: Mitch Holder

Piano: Alan Steinberger

Bass: Ken Wild

Drums: Dick Weller

Vibes: Percussion: M.B. Gordy

Choir director: Claus Bantzer

Sopranos: Cat Lustig-Radt, Claudia Günzl, Cornelia Meinberg, Dorothea Kyrieleis, Ebba-Maria Künning, Gisela Fulda-Peiler, Gisela Grobusch, Heike Will, Henriette Irmer, Henriette Meding-Knetter, Karin Bode, Katarina Kring, Katharina Schnier, Kathrin Fiege, Lucie Morgenbesser, Maike Vollstedt, Sigrun Müller-Hagen, Simone Gaulke, Susanne Buschbeck, Susanne Kolb, Trudi Schulz-Scheibli

Altos: Angelika Fahrenholtz, Antje Gottberg, Barbara Morgenbesser, Birgit Borstelmann, Birgit Franke-Schneider, Brigitte Rau, Carmen Wolf, Corina Gyger, Friedrike von Borstell, Friederike Holldorf-Herzberg, Gabriela von der Lippe, Gabriele Hufnagel, Hilda Krob, Ilsabe Stolt, Iris Kraemer, Johanna Wiedenbach, Nicola Ernst, Regine Saint-Paul, Susanne Hilge, Susanne Maaß, Ulrike Gehrs, Ute Bav-endamm, Ute Hantelmann

Tenors: Claus Bantzer, Martin Findert, Sönke Arlt, Stefan Moegling, Thomas Günther, Ulrich Zinnkann, Uwe Sirsch, Werner Knof

Basses: Albrecht Schneider, Burkhard Lange, Frank Kohlbach, Frank-Uwe Dill, Hansjörg Dröge, Henning Harte-Bavendamm, Jean-Claude Schlurick, Jörg Rebel, Matthias Schmidt, Peter Brauel, Stephan Peiffer, Sven Baake, Tilman Seidel, Tilo Zimmermann, Thomas Lühr

Recorded and mixed at Capitol Studios, Hollywood in March 2007

Recording and mixing engineer: Steve Genewick

Assistant engineers: Paul Smith, Dan Johnson

Mastering: Oliver Kels, Andreas Kolinski

Contractor: Shari Sutcliffe

Voice coach: Friederike Holldorf-Herzberg

Choir coordination: Catherine Lustig-Radt, Corina Gyger, Stefan Moegling, Trudi Schulz-Scheibli

Photographs: Beate Walden

Cover design & layout: John Bishop

Publicity: Costa Communications

Radio Promotion: Neal Sapper

Executive producer: Chris Walden