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Soren Bebe
Based in Copenhagen and a leading pianist on the European jazz and contemporary music scene, Søren Bebe is most often compared to fellow Northern Europeans, Tord Gustavsen and the late Esbjörn Svensson. Ask Søren who has influenced him and the names that come up will likely be Oscar Peterson, then Keith Jarrett and, more recently, Aaron Parks. As for non-pianists, his number one would be Kenny Wheeler. But ultimately, Søren’s delicacy of touch – both as composer and pianist – is, of course, his own.
“Bebe certainly belongs to the tradition of lyrical pianists that goes from Erroll Garner and Bill Evans through Keith Jarrett. What Bebe adds to the lyrical tradition of the piano is a sense of folk-like simplicity, with mourning melodies blossoming like shy night-flowers” All About Jazz (US)
Søren’s extensive touring itinerary has included Brazil, Morocco, China, Korea, Indonesia, the USA and much of Europe. Along the way, he’s performed at a number of international jazz festivals, such as Hong Kong, Jarasum (Korea), Jakarta and also SxSW in Austin, Texas.
With four albums to date with the Søren Bebe Trio, including the critically- acclaimed “Eva” featuring US bass-player, Marc Johnson, Søren’s latest disc is “Gone” by Bebe/Buchanan/Tagel, featuring Helge Andreas Norbakken & Julian Arguelles; released by From Out Here Music in October 2014.
2014 has been the most dynamic (and busy!) year so far for Søren, playing in the Scandinavian All Star band at the Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta (alongside Timo Lassy, Magnus Lindgren and Nils-Petter Molvær); an appearance at the Stockholm Konserthus with the Blue House Jazz Orchestra; the Copenhagen Jazz Festival with Cæcilie Norby, Lars Danielsson, Marilyn Mazur and Sebastian Studnitzky; and a long-awaited tour of Japan with the Sidsel Storm Quintet. And that’s not to mention concerts with singer Katrine Madsen in support of their forthcoming album and Søren’s first solo piano performance outside of Denmark.
About Soren Bebe Trio:
Line-up: Soren Bebe - piano Anders Mogensen - drums Kasper Tagel - bass
Danish jazz pianist and composer Søren Bebe founded the Søren Bebe Trio back in 2007. Four releases and a great deal of concerts later the band is better and busier than ever.
Their latest release (July 2013) features the great Marc Johnson on the double bass and is recorded in New York at Sear Sound Studio by the legendary James Farber.
Søren Bebe Trio’s international concert experience includes performances at Hong Kong International Jazzfestival, Jarasum International Jazzfestival (Korea), Jazz au Chellah (Morocco), SXSW (USA), Brazil, Poland and Denmark. They have worked with international guest artists including Marc Johnson (US), Bill McHenry (US) and Joakim Milder (S).
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Søren Bebe Trio: Here Now
by Mike Jurkovic
Here Now, pianist Søren Bebe's seventh outing with his long time bassist Kasper Tagel and new-to-the-fold drummer Knut Finsrud, is one of those recordings one wants to keep in the travel bag or glove compartment when the day, like a runaway train, starts to pull away. Calling upon the sage wisdom of classicists like the late Esbjörn Svensson and Bebe's Scandinavian contemporary, Tord Gustavsen, the pianist fashions a sorely needed, encompassing whole quilt. A hushed and lushly melodic resting ...
read moreSoren Bebe: Echoes
by Chris Mosey
Danish pianist Søren Bebe plays a melancholy, minimalistic music almost shorn of rhythm. It is gentle and flowing and easy to get lost in. When one of his pieces ends, it can be like waking from a dream. But is it jazz?" The jury is still out on that one and will be for some time to come. Bebe's music is certainly in the tradition of Esbjørn Svensson and Tord Gustavsen, who were eventually, albeit perhaps unwillingly, ...
read moreSoren Bebe: Echoes
by Mike Jurkovic
A yearning reticence lies at the heart of Echoes, Norwegian pianist Soren Bebe's sixth trio disc. Stark yet beautiful at all times, Echoes follows in the spacious, introverted soundscapes of fellow Danish pianistsTord Gustavsen and the late Esbjorn Svensson. Neo-classical in structure yet open to the tides, the Bebe written title track leads off Echoes and plants you immediately into the whispery, twilight impressionism that is the pianist's forte. Suggesting images of a swaying, debutante ball, the trio--Bebe ...
read moreSøren Bebe / Jakob Buchanan / Kasper Tagel: Gone
by Fiona Ord-Shrimpton
It would be good if more non-jazzers under the age of 90 could also appreciate how little hardship there is in being totally absorbed by original music from a group like BeBuTa. Gone , from pianist Søren Bebe's trio plus guests is a real swell of reactions and contemplations that makes life feel a little less shallow than the virtual love we're all drowning under with selfie obsession. Gone would also make a surprise score for the next Aldi (or ...
read moreSoren Bebe Trio: A Song For You
by Jakob Baekgaard
Danish pianist Søren Bebe has carved a niche for himself with his particular brand of mournful Nordic ballads, which have enchanted not only Europeans, but also a Japanese audience that has embraced the bittersweet nostalgia that imbues many of his compositions. Thus, it is no coincidence that the Japanese label, Spice of Life, picked up the release A Song For You, an album that sees Bebe in the familiar company of his trio with electric bassist Niels Ryde ...
read moreSoren Bebe Trio: From Out Here
by Jakob Baekgaard
Like the derelict buildings that are placed in the background on the cover of From Out Here, Danish pianist Søren Bebe's music carries the timely imprint of a melancholy longing that arises from neglect and the sense of a void that can't be filled. But it is also imbued with sweetness and nostalgia, another aspect of historical time. Bebe previously released Searching (Music Mecca, 2008), with bassist Niels Ryde and drummer Anders Mogensen; here the trio refines ...
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