The Burhorn | de

What happens if a jazz trumpeter (Thomas Burhorn) and hip hop producer (Michael Paetz aka the Algorhythmik) come together to make an album - jazzy trip hop with an eye for details, the warm sound of real instruments and the nostalgic crackle of long forgotten samples. The idea to fuse jazz with different styles isn’t new, yet The Burhorn create an independent, contemporary sound which convinces through its’ authenticity. Jazz listeners who want to hear strong bass drum and hip hop fans, who can differ a bass clarinet from a hookah will be more than satisfied.
The strong personalities of the 20 participating musicians from Hamburg and Berlin (Germany) have enough room on the album “Beauty of the Beast” in order to unfold themselves. One especially feels this during the vocals of Y’Akoto, Valeska Steiner (Boy), Phil Fill und Milka Doo, which could not be more different from each other than day and night. However, similar to a leitmotif, the partial traditional and experimental sounds of the trumpet bound their way through the unconventional and pop-like arrangements. Through the interaction of the bass clarinet, played by the Jazzanova saxophonist Sebastian Borkowski, a complete new soundscape is created.
The producers’ eagerness to experiment knows no boundaries. In the studio, instruments are often alienated, so that the one can hardly recognize them again, yet samples are also used in manner that gives one the impression that they are being played live. Reaching from Miles Davis in the 70s to Prince in the 80s, the trip hop sound of Massive Attack and Portishead in the 90s, to current hip hop productions from DJ Shadow or DJ Vadim – among other their influences have made this album modern, it sounds real, independent and timeless.
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