Ebb and flow – coming and going – something left behind on life’s sandbanks. The driftwood of emotions and impressions, of familiar paths and impenetrable thickets – or burgeoning nature. Some footprints still visible, some whose meaning becomes clear many years later.
“Submerged in the sound depths of Virus TI Synth, my friend and colleague Nils Hoffmann and I spent nights swirling and whirling in the sound waves that later formed the basis for the piece Rowing. We surfed then on waves of creative elation and unstoppable creative joy, and when I left Nils’ flat in the early hours of the morning, I had no idea that our shared adventure would become a whole album.” – this album.
What was it that had got washed up to the surface of our musical unconscious? Rock? Of course. Pop? Well, why not? World music? Yes, but what does that mean, after all? Jazz – better late than never. Scottish folk? Can’t get away from that. And ... metal? Well, it certainly seems like it. Bach was inevitable, but Arvo Pärt was too, and lots more. Acoustic or electric, handmade or electronic: just TIDES.
Waves eddy everything around, and tides mix everything up until no grain of sand is like it used to be. Until eventually certain cornerstones begin to form – with Bach at the centre.
Swimming alongside are friends and companions, workmates and childhood heroes, all of them dwelling on their own in infinitely varied beaches.
It feels like observing from a still point at the centre of the turning world – perhaps a prayer for peace: listening – floating – just being.
(English by Keith Harris)
credits
released July 1, 2022
Jochen Roß: Mandolin, Piano with special guests:
Oliver Kälberer: Sitar, Voice, Double Bass
Martin Kälberer: Hang, Halo
Arayik Bakhtikyan: Duduk
Jens-Uwe Popp: Guitar
Nils Hoffmann: Programming
Stephan Emig: Drums, Percussion
Matthias Akeo Nowak: Double Bass
Michael Kiske: Voice
Mathias Eick: Trumpet
Matthias Hübner: Cello
Daniel Sieb: Big Drum
Marcus Schneider: Recording, Mix
Sascha Paeth: Mastering
Michael “Miro” Rodenberg: Authoring
Produced by Marcus Schneider and Jochen Roß
Recorded at: Punkt-Musik Studio Mike Vogel,
Beduin Studios Hamburg,
Pianohaus Puttfarken Hamburg,
Maritim Hotel Timmendorf and various other places.
Ray Collins: Seascape Photo
Kaupo Kikkas: Portrait Photos
Thomas Nutt : Portrait Photo Inlay Card (inside)
Christian Zimmermann: Artwork
Jochen Roß was born in the north of the state of Hesse, also the home of the Brothers Grimm, legendary for their collections of Fairy Tales. When he was eight, he began to play the mandolin alongside his grandfather and mother in the mandolin and guitar club in his home town of Wickenrode.
The piano came a bit later. His curiosity and interest in music was aroused by playing in the mandolin orchestra, and also of course by the recordings of Deep Purple, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, which his father listened to.
He studied the mandolin with Steffen Trekel and the piano with Hans-Georg Lotz in Hamburg. During his student time, he also played with the German Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, took part in a project with the music of Arnold Schönberg, and played in a rock band. He also worked for the fanclub of a metal band.
After post-graduate work in the field of Early Music with the eminent lutenist Joachim Held, he spent six months in Scotland soaking up the inspiration of the local musicians.
He performed for altogether 15 years with guitarist Malte Vief and cellist Matthias Huebner in Malte Vief’s HeavyClassic Ensemble.
His collaboration with guitarist Jens-Uwe Popp extends back a number of years now. Their most recent album, Through Space and Time, is published by the classical label Naxos. It was nominated for the OPUS KLASSIK and was also on the longlist for the German Record Critics’ Award.
His solo album Tides (2022) includes friends, colleagues and childhood heroes. It’s his own microcosmos, with music ranging from Bach to modern pop.
Since 2022 he is performing together with Jens-Uwe Popp (Guitar) and Florian Dohrmann (Double Bass) as a Trio.
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