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Christoph Irniger's Quintet  PILGRIM with HUMAN INTELLIGENCE LIVE   CD AND DIGITAL FORMATS AVAILABLE ON MARCH 21, 2025. INTAKT - CD 434/2025, EAN 7640120194345 WWW.INTAKTREC.CH Christoph Irniger - Tenor Sax Stefan Aeby - Piano Dave Gisler - Guitar Raffaele Bossard - Bass Michael Stulz - Drums   The quintet Pilgrim, founded by Zurich-based tenor saxophonist Christoph Irniger, has become one of the most exciting ensembles in young European Jazz over the years and will present their sixth album Human Intelligence Liveon Intakt Records in March 2025. In their gorgeously considered, but luxuriantly open music the quintet uses ambiguity as a tool. Some compositions are freely improvised, while others are completely notated, yet most lie in between, with an elasticity that reflects a life of freedom, where informed choices are made spontaneously. The accompanying soundtrack oscillates between enigmatic reflection and wild eruptions, although the band creates a dense, all-round sound which is hard to categorize.   The music on this album defies all things artificial. Human Intelligence is a complete live concert performed by Christoph Irniger’s Pilgrim at Red Horn District in Bad Meinberg, Germany, in November 2023. The set is captured from beginning to end, with no changes in the running order of the songs and just a few minor edits made to the final audio. Christoph Irniger with Pilgrim © Jonas Ruther Irniger says in the liner notes: “It is definitively an album for a listener who is able and likes to take his time to dive into the music,” says Irniger. “I think the power of this live album lies in the fact, that the listener can hear how things evolve, how composition melts into improvisation (and vice versa), how the music processes through different stages of emotions. Since the set list was built on the spot, you even notice sometimes musicians deciding differently, going different ways and finding each other again. There are doubts and questions, leading into resolution and common energy. The path is not always straight and needs rethinking or reflection sometimes, but because of the trust, common idea and subordination of the ego of everyone, the music can develop always. It’s like living together in society, or what I’d wish for it to be.” And Kevin LeGendre adds: "The quintet is as cohesive as it is imaginative, as much a triumph of advanced ensemble chemistry as it is the precision of each player."   The five members of the group, which was formed in 2010, come from different parts of Switzerland. They also play in various other groups, throughout the world and their work as leader, sideman or composer is documented on various records. Pilgrim Live © Frederic Laverriere “Hendrix” - This new song features a stellar slow burning guitar solo by the one and only Dave Gisler over a meditative world of endless chords. It honors Jimi Hendrix and artists (like Thelonious Monk for example) who can combine simplicity with complexity, which is one of the key elements for me as a composer and improviser.   “Calling the Spirits” - The song was released on the studio album Ghost Cat. The song is about coming together as a band, family, community, or the world to celebrate music. “I believe that music is always here, but you must find your way to it. It's like higher spirits in whatever form it may be.”    “Secret Level” - The song was released as ghost track on the studio album Ghost Cat. It is about a secret level, like computer games used to have. Opposite to those secret levels which are hard to find, where you can get all the money and leave strong, this secret level is easy to find, but hard to get out of. It's easy to get lost. The tune “Emergency Exit" on this record is about finding your way out of that level. “Human Intelligence” - This is a new song which is kind of an interlude of reflection. The music makes a step back in complexity and density to leave space for personal thoughts. It gives time to process, ask questions and find answers. It is about a calm, mindful and human way of evolving, leading into resolution and common energy. The piece occurs first out of the Secret Level as short Interlude and is played later in the set in its full version.   “Seven Down Eight Up” - The song was released on the studio album Ghost Cat. It is inspired by the book Listening by Nik Bärtsch. In one chapter he talks about the Aikido principle of falling seven times and standing up eight times. “At the time I wrote the song, I had very serious back problems which led to surgery, and I had to pause for six months. I found it very inspiring to see this not as a problem, but more as a situation to solve, which gives me the chance to find new ways and learn something new. As reference there is a "module-Ish" part in the middle of the piece (Nik Bärtsch calls his songs "modules").”   “The Kraken” - The song was released on the live album Big Wheel Live and appears only as little snippet, developing from the song played before (and the band decided on the spot not to play it thru then). “It is one of my Wayne Shorter tribute pieces. The image therefore is Wayne Shorter (with his Quartet) who was able to embrace a whole concert hall like an octopus.”   “Emergency Exit” - The song consists of a 10-bar form with a melody, chords and bassline. It is played as a suite with different parts that use combinations and improvisations with and over the material. It is basically always the same musical material but sounds totally different in each section. It’s about situations in life that occur and feel very differently, depending on the perspective. In this context it tells the story of the protagonist finding its way out of the Secret Level, going thru different emotions (hope, fear, joy, etc..) and coming to a resolution in the end.   “Back in the Game” - The song was released on the first quintet album Italian Circus Story and is always great to close the set with, since it has the quality of exit music in a film. It is inspired by the movie with the same name by Clint Eastwood. The song is about believing in the big wheel of life which keeps on turning, trust that things will come as they have to and feel good about it.   https://christophirniger.bandcamp.com | Christoph Irniger   Name Pronounciation (upper right corner) TRACKS 1. Hendrix (Christoph Irniger) 5:31 2. Calling the Spirits (Christoph Irniger) 14:27 3. Secret Level (Christoph Irniger) 3:38 4. Human Intelligence (Interlude) (Christoph Irniger) 2:18 5. Seven Down Eight Up (Christoph Irniger) 13:06 6. The Kraken (Christoph Irniger) 1:48 7. Human Intelligence (Christoph Irniger) 6:14 8. Emergency Exit (Christoph Irniger) 12:25 9. Back In The Game (Christoph Irniger) 5:23   Total: 64:04   All compositions by Christoph Irniger.  Live recorded on November 29, 2023, at Red Horn District, Bad Meinberg, Germany by Christopher Opelt.  Mixed in September 2024 in Berne by Christoph Utzinger.  Mastered in November 2024 in Zug by Alex Huber.  Cover art: Jamie Breiwick, Graphic design: Paul Bieri, Liner notes: Kevin Le Gendre, Photos: Markus Ecker.  Produced by Christoph Irniger and Intakt Records.  Christoph Irniger with Pilgrim © Frederic Laverriere    

A cover photo might help:   Discographic info:   Label: Debut Records – 0600753426081, Universal Classics & Jazz – 0600753426081 Format: 7 x CD, Compilation, Box Set Country: Italy Released: 2013       The Charles MingusOctet/The Jimmy Knepper Quintet - Debut Rarities, Volume 1   1-1   Pink Topsy 3:03 1-2   Miss Bliss 3:03 1-3   Blue Tide 3:08 1-4   Pink Topsy (Alt. Take) 3:38 1-5   Eclipse (Alt. Take) 2:57 1-6   Eclipse 2:54 1-7   Latter Day Saint 4:00 1-8   Cunningbird 4:45 1-9   The Jumpin' Blues (Jump The Blues Away) 4:52 1-10   The Masher 3:33 1-11   Latter Day Saint (Alt. Take 1) 5:22 1-12   Latter Day Saint (Alt. Take 2) 3:46 1-13   The Masher (Alt. Take) 4:15 1-14   Latter Day Saint (Alt. Take?) 3:51     The Charles Mingus Duo & Trio - Debut Rarities, Volume 2   2-1   What Is This Thing Called Love? 3:02 2-2   Darn That Dream 3:38 2-3   Yesterdays (Piano Solo) 3:05 2-4   Body And Soul 3:34 2-5   Blue Moon 3:33 2-6   Blue Tide 3:10 2-7   Darn That Dream (Alt. Take) 3:37 2-8   Jeeper Creepers (Take 1) 3:37 2-9   Jeepers Creepers (Take 2) 3:05 2-10   Day Dream (Take 1) 3:42 2-11   Day Dream (Take 2) 2:38 2-12   Theme From Rhapsody In Blue (Take 1) 3:24 2-13   Theme From Rhapsody In Blue (Take 2) 2:39 2-14   Jet (Take 1) 2:44 2-15   Jet (Take 2) 2:35     The Charles Mingus Group - Debut Rarities, Volume 3   3-1   (Untitled Original Blues) (Take 1) 3:55 3-2   Stella By Starlight (Take 4) 3:57 3-3   Stella By Starlight (Take 5) 3:53 3-4   (Untitled Original Composition) (Take 3) 5:17 3-5   (Untitled Original Composition) (Take 5) 4:34 3-6   Autumn In New York (Take 5) 5:29 3-7   Autumn In New York (Take 2) 5:05 3-8   Long Ago And Far Away (Take 2) 3:24 3-9   Long Ago And Far Away (Take 4) 3:11 3-10   Long Ago And Far Away (Take 5) 3:17 3-11   (Untitled Original Blues) (Take 2) 4:00 3-12   Joldi (Take 4) 5:24 3-13   Joldi (Take 5) 5:08     The Charles Mingus Groups - Debut Rarities, Volume 4   4-1   Portrait (Take 1) 3:11 4-2   Portrait (Take 2) 3:10 4-3   I've Lost My Love (Take 1) 3:01 4-4   I've Lost My Love (Take 2) 3:01 4-5   Extrasensory Perception 2:48 4-6   Extrasensory Perception (Alt. Take) 2:42 4-7   Precognition 2:43 4-8   Make Believe 3:04 4-9   Paris In Blue 3:12 4-10   Montage 2:54 4-11   (Medley) You Go To My Head 2:42 4-12   Can You Blame Me 2:48 4-13   You And Me 2:47 4-14   Bebopper 2:40 4-15   Cupid 2:46     Charles Mingus - At The Bohemia   5-1   Jump Monk 6:44 5-2   Serenade In Blue 5:57 5-3   Percussion Discussion 8:25 5-4   Work Song 6:16 5-5   Septemberly 6:55 5-6   All The Things You C# 6:47 5-7   Jump Monk (Alt. Take) 11:38 5-8   All The Things You C# (Alt. Take) 9:50     The Charles Mingus Quintet + Max Roach   6-1   A Foggy Day 5:35 6-2   Drums 5:34 6-3   Haitian Fight Song 5:24 6-4   Lady Bird 5:54 6-5   I'll Remember April 13:10 6-6   Love Chant 7:25     Charles Mingus - Right Now - Live At The Jazz Workshop   7-1   New Fables 23:18 7-2   Meditation (For A Pair Of Wire Cutters) 23:44

That's an insanely low price for an important box set.