ABISKO LIGHTS

1. Press Release

Inspired by Northern Lights and endless scandinavian landscapes, the „Abisko Lights“ subtly combine acoustic, contemporary jazz with influences from chamber music, pop and oriental folklore. In their music, clear melodic lines and song structures intertwine with delicate rhythm patterns to form wide, open sound planes, between composed passages and improvisation the Berlin based quintet gives rise to a diverse and transparent bandsound.

In August 2017, the band’s debut album „Abisko Lights“ will be released by Swiss jazz label Unit Records. Supported by the Berlin council, the band will return to the studio to record their second album in March 2018.

Formed in 2014, Abisko Lights brought together five members of Berlin jazz- and classical music scene in a unique instrumentation: Pianist Dirk Flatau and drummer Benjamin Wellenbeck met during their music studies at Amsterdam School Of Music and have been working together since then in various jazz- and pop projects. In Berlin they encountered jazz- and klezmer clarinetist Hannes Daerr and classically trained cellist Tabea Schrenk, who themselves formed a well-attuned team after having worked together as theatre musicians for „Deutsches Theater Göttingen“. With Niklas Lukassen on double bass, who joined the band in 2015, the Abisko Lights found a perfect match.

The compositions of bandleader and pianist Dirk Flatau reflect his own musical history: The classical training, his love for pop and rock music, the discovery of jazz, and, last but not least, a great fascination for folklore and classical music of the Arab world. Another great source of inspiration for his music were several hiking and canoeing trips through the barren land- and lakescapes of Sweden and Norway. One of these hikes took its starting point in a small Swedish village called Abisko, which is considered one of the best places to experience the Northern Lights.

„Abisko is a small village in Swedish Lapland, 195 km north of the polar circle, known for its clear skies. If you take a trip to Abisko in wintertime, you get a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights blazing across the Arctic sky.” (Abisko Tourist-Office) 2. musicians

Hannes Daerr, born 1978 in Berlin, studied jazz saxophone and clarinet at Weimar Music School (Hochschule für Musik „Franz Liszt“) with Wolfgang Bleibel, Michael Schiefel und Frank Möbus. Since 2005, Hannes has been working as a performer and studio musician in Berlin with avantgarde pop quartet „Glücklich1“, Moritz Sembritzki’s Magnetic Ghost Orchestra, Lucia Martinez „Azul Cielo“, tango-jazz ensemble „Bassa“, as a theatre musician at „DT Göttingen“ and as a leader und composer for his own quartet „Hannes Daerr//No Trash“.

Benjamin Wellenbeck, born 1982 in Bremen, studied jazz drums at Amsterdam School Of Music/NL with Martijn Vink and Marcel Seriese and as a scholarship student at Berklee College of Music/USA with Kim Plainfield, Rick Coincide und John Ramsay. He has been engaged as a drummer and composer in various projects, among others „Pär Lammers Trio“, Albert Vila, Leroy Quintyn, Brendan Croskerry, Paulino Lorenzo and Denis Gäbel). Benjamin played concerts and conducted workshops in the USA, Canada, Spain, Greece and The Netherlands.

Tabea Schrenk was born 1985 in Berlin and completed a masters programme cello and baroque cello in Berlin, Helsinki und London. She was awarded prizes at various competions (Solo Bach Competition London, Alice Samter Competition, International Bach Competition Berlin) and supported by the Royal Piano Trio Society UK and Karl Hofer Society. Furthermore, Tabea was an academy fellow at the Welsh National Opera und BBC NOW, works as a theatre- and studio musician and is a part of Berlin-based chamber music ensemble „Maison Royale“.

Dirk Flatau, born 1976 in Haltern am See, studied jazz piano at Amsterdam School Of Music/NL with Tine Schneider, Karel Boehlee and Chris Goessens. He was a member of Dutch pop/jazz band „Room Eleven“, worked with Janne Schra, Amber Schoop, Chris Hirson, Marie Séfèrian and Diego Piniera and performed in France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Scandinavia and Canada. Since 2008, Dirk has been working as a pianist, keyboarder and composer in Berlin, among others with „Götz Rausch Orchester“ and „Abisko Lights“.

Niklas Lukassen, born 1995 in Horb, was granted a scholarship at Berklee College of Music/USA und studies since 2012 electric and double bass at „Jazz Institute Berlin“. As a bass player and singer, he has been working with Till Brönner, Jiggs Whigham, Peter Weniger, Till Fessler, Marc Secara and David Haynes, and as a composer and leader for his band „Aurora Ensemble“. Niklas was awarded various prizes (among others „Solo Bass Fun“/USA, „Jugend Jazzt“ and „Jugend Musiziert“/Germany), and went on concert tours all over Europe, Asia and the USA.

www.abiskolights.com