Ritual Dances

SPA4118 2022-02-11

Track List

Spring Round Dance (Live) - 9:59
Sacrificial Dance - 5:56
Ritual Dance - 7:02
Adoration of the Earth - 5:29
Dances of the Young Girls (Studio) - 7:05
Introduction - 4:39
Princess’ Game - 4:28
Infernal Dance - 3:09
Tableau - 5:30
Spring Round Dance (Studio) - 7:25
Dances of the Young Girls (Live) - 8:13

Musicians

Stefan Pasborg - drums
Anders Banke - tenor saxophone
Anders Filipsen - keyboards
Fredrik Lundin - tenor
Goran Kajfes - trumpet
Jeppe Kjellberg - guitar
Jeppe Tuxen - Hammond B-3
Jussi Kannaste - tenor
Mikael Myrskog - moog bass
Rune Harder Olesen - percussion
Seppo Kantonen - keyboards
Stale Storlokken - Hammond B-3
Umo Helsinki Jazz Orchestra - Orchestra
Blood Sweat Drum and Bass - ensemble

Danish drummer/composer Stefan Pasborg grew up in a household of ballet dancers, allowing him to have an intimate relationship with their lifestyle and performances. One of his first formative musical experiences was witnessing a performance of Igor Stravinsky’s legendary ballet, The Rite of Spring, by The Danish Royal Ballet. The experience embedded a love for Stravinsky’s work that has manifested in Pasborg’s new recording, Ritual Dances.

Pasborg has been an important voice in the European jazz and improvised music scenes for the past two decades. His dynamic drumming and eclectic tastes have pushed him into collaborations with many stellar musicians, including Wadada Leo Smith, Tomasz Sta?ko, Miroslav Vitouš, amongst many others. Pasborg has also led a number of celebrated ensembles, the most notable being Ibrahim Electric.

Even though his compositions were seen as dangerously revolutionary when they premiered, Igor Stravinsky’s music has inspired listeners for generations. His many works have become part of the canon for many philharmonic orchestras but are still presented in more challenging programs. Stravinsky was a key figure in avant-garde symphonic writing, but it was his ballets, The Rite of Spring, The Firebird, and Petrushka, that solidified his legend.

The Rite of Spring and The Firebird were the two ballets that inspired Pasborg to reinterpret the Stravinsky’s work for a jazz big band. Ritual Dances takes music from these two works as a basis for Pasborg’s re-structuring. The pieces are heard performed by two large ensembles: the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra on two live cuts and Blood Sweat Drum+Bass for the complete studio recording. The bands are augmented by a number of soloists and electronic musicians.