Album: CROSSINGS

In CROSSINGS an African ensemble is merged with a jazz ensemble bridging the genres of jazz, blues, world music, and free improvisation. The project contains compositions by Edith Lettner, lyrics by Karim Chajry and Ibou Ba and improvisations by the ensemble. The opener piece "In Peace we Grow" is followed by two suites. While “The Atlantic Suite” sketches out the development of jazz as a consequence of deportation of Africans and slavery, “The Mediterranean Suite” addresses the plight of people who attempt to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe in order to escape poverty, oppression and violence. An Improvisational piece by the ensemble (track 14) and two additional compositions by Edith Lettner for jazz quartet (15 and 16) round off the album.