In jazz, the colour blue sometimes conveys red threads. And it is no accident that this CD opens with music from a classic jazz album whose title puts its cards on the table: “Kind of Blue”, the most successful jazz album of all time. “All Blues” lets us literally dive into the blue sea of melancholy. When you combine blue and sounds, the blues emerges once again. 

The idea of Blauklang (ACT 9465-2) goes back to a painting by the famous German artist Ernst Wilhelm Nay (1902-1968), part of the ACT ART COLLECTION of Siggi Loch. In close cooperation with Bernd Hoffmann of the WDR (West German Radio) the idea of this project became reality. The name of the painting, “Blauklang” (“Bluesound”), already refers to the synaesthetic relationship between music and fine art. Grounded in the impact of colour, Nay’s abstract works now have taken on board a real “tone painter”, Vince Mendoza. Mixtures of tonal colours and coloured tones that overlay a variety of harmonic and melodic voices shape a large part of his compositions. Mendoza rules over this sovereign play of light and shadow, brightness and darkness. The album Sketches (ACT 9215-2), which he recorded with the WDR Big Band, already encapsulates an aspect of Mendoza’s work methods. Again and again he is stirred into assembling sketches into a musical arc of images. Compositions as suites – and he is as much enamoured by the details as he treasures large arcing structures. 

Once again Mendoza is able to find the balance between aspirations and expectations. His ability to satisfy the sophisticated listener with a popular first touch has made Mendoza one of the most sought-after arrangers and a giant in both jazz and pop (Björk, Sheryl Crow, Joni Mitchell, Ute Lemper, Elvis Costello, Dianne Reeves, the Yellowjackets, Michael and Randy Brecker, Jens Winther, Joe Zawinul). The composer-arranger, who experienced his breakthrough with the Jazzpaña project (ACT 9212-2), works with some of the most prestigious musical organisations, be it with the WDR Big Band, orchestras in London, Paris, and Berlin, or as principal guest conductor of the Dutch Metropole Orchestra.