This 2016 release was a follow-up to Carsten’s 2011 solo album ‘The King’s Chamber’. I first came across Carsten due to his work with Robin Taylor, and he was originally trained as a classical saxophonist at The Royal Danish Academy of Music. In addition, he is organist at the Odense Valgmenighedskirke and second organist at Ansgar's Church in Odense where he performs daily. He is also a freelance musician and composer, and is conductor of the Odense Teaterkor. Perhaps it isn’t surprising that on this instrumental album he provides piano, keyboards, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone and clarinet, but what is surprising is the sheer amount of styles that he follows across the length of this release, and the number of guests (sixteen) he uses to turn his vision into a reality.
Carsten himself says that he incorporates elements from jazz, tango, flamenco and classical chamber music, but given how these in themselves include so many different styles one can understand just how diverse this album is. I have always thought of Carsten first and foremost as a saxophonist, but what makes this album really work is the delicacy of his touch on piano. With this number of guests, it would be easy to get lost in the maze of myriad styles but the piano cuts through it all, and this is the real driving force. Of course, the sax also is often the main instrument, but it could also be an accordion, or strings. In many ways, it is a very complex and quite heavy album, but it is also incredibly fresh and light. It is a wonderfully bright New Zealand Autumn morning as I write this, and the album is the perfect accompaniment. All I’m missing is a glass of North Canterbury Pinot Gris and I’ll rectify that as soon as I put this review to bed.
This is another incredibly enjoyable album from Carsten, and I feel enriched from having had the opportunity to listen to it. Let’s hope that we don’t have to wait another six years until the next one.
