Peter Seiler
KlangOase
I was really glad when I got Peter's newest CD in the mail today. But the problem started when I sat down at the computer, putting these pages together and trying to figure out, which track to choose to exhibit here.
There is such a variety of styles that one single sample can not do justice. But I had to do it and I chose track 6 - Fly me home. When Peter was here in LA I didn't get a chance to introduce him to the world of GeZi Airways, but he sure knows, how it feels up there.
As usual in GeZi's Record Outlet the sound sample is presented as a RealAudio file (correct - as a file - it is not streamed so you might have to wait for the download first) and the latest player can be downloaded (for free - the last time I checked) from the RealAudio site.
And now lets take a look at the CD booklet:
Peter, a true-blue musician, came to me in 1986, with a lot of studio and live-music experience under his belt. I heard his demos and offered him a deal on my IC label, in which I relinquished my shareholding and parted in 1994. During that time we released six of his solo-recordings on IC, which became very successful for both artist and label.
It did not all finish in 1994, because what bonds me to Peter beyond his music is a sincere friendship and a still growing respect for his musicianship. Peter is someone who artistically travels his very own road, even if that is not always easy, but the Seiler-style is always recognizable and there is honour in his music, as well as love and deep felt emotion.
When Peter asked me to write the liner notes for his new record I was delighted and what you're about to read are my very personal impressions of his music. The titles I decided to highlight are the ones that are so typical Seiler - I had to "address" them and they showcase in 1996 what has been Peter's musical identity ever since he started writing and playing music.
"Park Louise" carries his very own melancholy, so often present in his compositions. Music like the golden leaves of an Indian Summer which fall gently to mother earth, they sing not only the song of a dying year, but in their rich colours pointing towards new life in spring ...
His love for smooth jazz shows in the third tune and so the champagne sparkles in that intimate, stylish jazz club, for that very first rendezvous and the music fills the late summer-night and you never know whether it ends with a "Nice to have met you" or whether there is a hot, erotic encounter still in the making ...
Dedicated to his daughter is "Jenny's Tune" and here it shows that Peter not only loves his daughter, but also the classical Russian composers. Result is a tender, romantic, soulful child's tune, with light touches of Vienna cafe-house music and their typical string sound ...
Since Peter is a frequent flyer with his international travels, a song like "Fly me Home" is a natural. Listen, and look out of your window: you see the glittering lakes, the snow-capped mountains, the cities of light and the layers of cloud. There is a hidden sadness in this music - maybe because one has left a beautiful, exotic beach - but still the music swings and there is happiness in the air, though despite all the lures of traveling to far away places, home is the place where the heart is and that is this flight's destination: home.....
"Irish Air" - this is were Peter really shines, glorious music with all the power of emotion. When his music becomes the paint brush for mullet dimensional landscapes - as in the case Ireland - he is truly at his very best. If your are romantic at heart and you can still awe child-like at the beauty of nature; you will simply FEEL his music, see the blazing greens of Irish landscape, smell the mist and peaty air and not only "hear" music ...
Also the majestic homage to Scotland "A wee bit of Skye" is a fine example how Peter composes effortlessly and conveys his so personal feeling to the listener ...
"When Stars Dream" is a very sensitive musical
fairy-tale and underlines Peter's love for the work of the romantic composer Schumann.
Musically, a story like a starry night, full of fairies, myth, fantasy and poetry. So, let
the child dream, let the music fly and your heart will follow ...
Mark Sakautzky
THE TITLES
with personal notes from the composer about the tunes.
Pictures, moods, & thoughts...
Frieden (Peace)
A simple melody for a big cause. Thanks to Christian Eitner (Jazzkantine) for the
great groove!
Park Louise
For the hundred year jubilee of Mannheim's Luisenpark. Romance in harmony with nature.
Nice to have met you ...
A harmonically wild piano introduction leads to C # minor theme of this Jazz Ballad;
played by piano, keyboards, sax and vibraphone.
Jenny's Tune
After "Her Song" and "Children's Eyes" a title for the youngest
member of the family. Played with immense feeling by violinist and Stamitz prizewinner
Hanno Haag.
A wee bit of Skye
I hope, those who were never on the Isle of Skye may be able to imagine it:
breathtaking natural beauty, majestic mountains, peaceful valleys and wonderful people. My
homage to Scotland!
Fly me Home
On the road or on the wing: fly me home Daimler or crane! The title was written
together with my good colleague Martin Buntrock. Thanks Martin!
Serenade for You
Love, feeling, aesthetics, a fire crackling in the grate's peace. Serenade for YOU!
Irish Air
Ireland! The country, the people. What a lust for life, what a deep musical feeling! I
first met this true Irish spirit on a fishing trip. This musical impression of the
traditional just had to be included on the album!
Close your Eyes
A Jazz Ballad. Composed for my respected colleague and friend, who played the cluster
chords with all saxophone voices so masterfully in a traditional Duke Ellington style. My
father would have loved the piece. Thanks Jochen!
When Stars Dream
The Robert Schumann composition is timelessly beautiful. I arranged it for the
Mannheim Planetarium "Sky".
Natural Touches
Touching nature - the biggest most ingenious example of absolute perfection.
Gute Laune (Mood)
So often requested by my real fans, now at last on CD - my live encore number. Happy
music! (A-major)
Guest Musicians:
Jochen Brauer
All saxes on "Close your Eyes", "Nice to have met you" and
"Frieden" and clarinet on "Natural Touches"
Benjamin Wittiber
Vibraphone on "Nice to have met you"
Chris Orzechowski
Guitar on "Fly me Home" and "Gute Laune"
Al Obo
Acoustic guitar on "Serenade for you"
Martin Buntrock
Drums & Sequencing on "Fly me Home"
Hanno Haag
Violin on "Jenny's Tune"
Christian Eitner
Drum-Programming on "Frieden"
Steven Seiler
Drum-Programming & Sequencing on "Gute Laune"
Lisa Franco
Harp on "Nice to have met you" Recorded at TRIPLE-MUSIC STUDIO.
Sound engineer: Peter Seiler
Sound consulting and assistance: Michael Ilgner, Steven Seiler
CD Mastering: Winfried Leyh (Klangstudio)
Art Work 8 Coverdesign: B-DESIGN, Peter Baecker
Photos: Thomas Henne
Many thanks to Martin Buntrock, Stadtpark Mannheim, Joachim
Schmitt, Rainer Koppermann, Gerd Layr and the staff of DA-MUSIC, The Bagpipes from Skye,
Wilhelm Küchler (KENWOOD), Lasertec, Peter Baecker, Dr. Wolfgang Wacker (Planetarium MA),
Barbara Seiler, Richard Hoppe and Mark Sakautzky
