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De stilte van een zomernacht in augustus 1924, ergens in de grensstreek niet ver van de hoofdroute Antwerpen-Breda, wordt plots verstoord door revolverschoten. Een camion met verduisterde nummerplaten, de lichten gedoofd, rijdt langzaam de bosrijke omgeving in, door de bomen beschermd tegen het maanschijnsel. Op de plek des onheils blijft achter het met bloed doordrenkte levenloze lichaam van de in die contreien als louche bekendstaande zakenman Balthazar van der Motten, rijk geworden in de gok- en hoererende wereld. Naast hem een half dozijn flessen sterke drank van onbestemde receptuur en komaf, vermoedelijk van de laadbak gerold tijdens de schermutselingen die hebben plaatsgevonden. Van der Motten is niet meer.In de dagen die volgen zijn de dorpscafés afgeladen; van feest is geen sprake, doch de bevrijding onder het volk is voelbaar. Het is verlost van de afpersingspraktijken van de gewestelijke tiran. Zijn hoogmoed verleidde hem zich ook te mengen in de wereld van stooksels, de handel daarin. Dat werd hem noodlottig. Begeleid door donkere klanken uit de aanwezige Welte-pianola van Duitse makelij drinkt men zwijgzaam voort...

Everybody has favorite tracks on an album. But one will also have favorite parts of a track. A certain moment where you like the arrangement a lot, a great solo or a tight groove. It could be anything. Quiet Now | Mr. Shiny Pants has both, one of my favorite tracks and some of my favorite parts of music being recorded in our studio. Check the playing of the band starting around the five minute mark which I think is stunning. But there are more of these moments. Listen to Alexander's left field keyboard solo in Ghost Soldier or the intensity of Cyrille's sax playing in Plastic Battle.

"If it sounds good it IS good." The words of none other than Duke Ellington. The musicians certainly did sound good the day we recorded this album. There's nothing more beautiful than the sound of top class reeds and brass playing right in front of you. Nothing more exhilarating than a rhythm section that swings and surprises. But this is a recording. Can we recreate the feeling that we all shared on vinyl? Ultimately it's the quality of the musicians that's most important for a good sound.

So here it is, our first full-fledged jazz album. The first 3 albums on Alive! Modern Savior featured, amongst others, great jazz musicians, but weren't jazz albums per se. Bass Brawl unquestionably is.

Grooves from the Cloud is the third album on our label. And indeed, this is all about improvisation. Not a single note was written out or practiced in advance. Scientists tell us that to perform on the highest level possible musicians need to invest at least 10.000 hours of individual study. The natural interplay, the tight shifting grooves, the responsiveness, but also the harmonic complexity, the richness of ideas and the individual coolness, all of this would not be possible without full mastery of an instrument and a deep musical knowledge. But enough said about academics, let the music play ... and enjoy a magnificent and diverse set of music.

"Beginnen? Ja." "Start? Yes." This is what you'll hear in the first few seconds of this album. With the ripple of a mumbling audience and the sounds of a few brass instruments warming up in the background. Then Eric starts tapping his jungle drums and we're off. This is the second album on the Alive! Modern Savior label. On our first album, Tepin, we recorded classic jazz guitar with vintage synths. This time, we had 3 horn players and an electric bass. And no guitar. Wanna know how it sounded? Listen for yourself. All I can say is that Ronald surpassed himself in writing new tunes. What an incredible songsmith he is.

Our first recording with the infamous Anton Goudsmit.