PETER DANSTRUP: REPTILES IN THE SKY (DANPETCD 01 - Gateway)

In May 2010 Danish Bass player and composer Peter Danstrup releases his first CD since the 1997 CD 'Aisha - a meeting between moroccan and western music.' 'Reptiles' presents 9 original compositions by Peter Danstrup and 2 collective improvisations by his band. The line-up of 5 brass instruments plus a trio of saxophone, bass and drums is unusual; we have to go back to Miles Davis' 'Birth of the Cool' (recorded 1950) to find a somewhat similar instrumentation. Danstrup's music is characterized by tight arrangements with an intriguing balance of  traditional jazz and contemporary dissonance.  Reptiles flips back to the roots: Blind Lemon Jefferson, Duke Ellington, traditional gospel, and forward to a contemporary, colourful and freely improvised expression. The absence of chordal instruments leads to strong, free-wheeling solos from the horns. Whilst the English composer Django Bates produced 'Reptiles' and has left his mark on the arrangements, it is Danstrup's contemporary trad concept that gives the whole album its unique flavour. Danish saxophone player John Tchicai is the main soloist and unleashes his personal, expressive and unpredictable playing throughout. The band consists of Danish, British, Norwegian and Swedish musicians and will perform for the first time at Copenhagen Jazzfestival in July 2010.

Peter Danstrup has contributed to the Danish music scene since the early 1970's as both double bass and electric bassplayer and composer. Debuting on record with John Tchicai and Strange Bros. in 1977 he has since then left his mark on a wide range of styles: jazz, rock, world and pop music. He has played with Tchicai, Marilyn Mazur, New Jungle Orchestra, Six Winds, Svend Asmussen, Link Wray, Mustapha Baqbou, Mikkel Nordsø and Jan Kaspersen and has also had a significant pedagogical and administrative career (directing The Rhytmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen 1997-2005).

Line up:
John Tchicai: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet
Chris Batchelor (UK): trumpet
Claus Højensgård Andersen: alto horn
Lise Munch: french horn
Peter Dahlgren (S): trombone
Daniel Herskedal (N): tuba
Peter Danstrup: acoustic bass guitar, double bass
Stefan Pasborg: drums

Album info Artist: Peter Danstrup

Title: Reptiles in the Sky

Catalog no.: DANPETCD 01

Label: Gateway

Barcode: 5707471016688

Origin: Denmark

Release date: May 25th 2010

Titles: Knee in Cheek (1:14) A Blind Lemon is Haunting Me (2:42) Left Hand Glove (4:37) Parley (2:40) Reptiles in the Sky (4:37) When the Danes (5:10) Quantum Hercules (4:17) Down the Brae (4:45) In a Hollow Zone (2:02) Osmotic (2:53) Whereabouts (7:02) Total playing time: 42:31

Further information and contact Peter Danstrup: 

Gateway:    Tlf: (+45) 35 240 240