Taken from Lars Danielsson: Per, Lars, and Henrik are the core of the original version of Funk Unit (with Nils Landgren) where they together created a raw, wild, and unpredictable framework to their a little bit different view of the genre Funk/Jazz. Albums such as Redhorn and Live in Stockholm with Maceo Parker are examples of some of the influences that they have "marinated" in their long-standing collaboration with Michael Ruff, Randy Brecker, Brenda Russell, etc. Studio Tan emerged out of the desire to continue building on common experiences and create a collective musical frame on a platform where they could meet and create musical moments for themselves and their audience.
Born in Bergen in 1985, the Norwegian saxophonist and composer Marius Neset has earned countless nominations and awards for his performances and recordings, and has performed with jazz musicians all over the world. He is increasingly in demand as a composer of works for the concert hall; these range over a wide spectrum of performing forces, many featuring the saxophone. This album features four world première recordings, three of which feature the composer as saxophone soloist. MANMADE is a concerto for saxophone and symphony orchestra in which the form and the structure are inspired by the climate change which our times are experiencing. The work is divided into five movements which concern themselves with man-made historical innovations that have contributed to the development of society, but that in many ways have also brought us step by step to the great global challenges facing the world today. Originally scored for flute, string quartet, and piano, Windless is a piece that Neset was keen to re-score for saxophone and orchestra. Similarly, A Day in the Sparrow’s Life started out as a piece for solo saxophone that has grown (via saxophone and string quartet) to the full orchestral score recorded here. Every Little Step was composed during lockdown when we all had to maintain a distance, and spend time by ourselves. It was also a period when we had to stand together in making all the small but crucial changes that would get us to the finish line. To Neset, it also offered the possibility of spending a lot of time with his new-born daughter and following her development from day to day.
Marius Neset combines Brecker's power and Jan Garbarek's tonal delicacy (The Guardian) and "makes his instrument dance like a gazelle and soar like an eagle, and he's an ingenious composer too." (Telegraph) Downbeat described him as "not only an impressive technician but also a formidable composer." On "Happy" Marius Neset draws for the first time on the pop, soul and funk of the 70s and 80s.
