Imagining Places No One's Probably Ever Been Lasse Mørck

• 1 The Golden City 05:34
• 2 The Silver Mountains 06:53
• 3 The Moon 06:27
• 4 Underworld Rendez-Vous 05:27
• 5 Bihimi (Fountain of Youth) 04:39
• 6 Searching for Atlantis 05:49
• 7 The Fletcher's Blues 04:15
• 8 Pythia (The Oracle) 04:48
• Total Runtime 43:52

Info for Imagining Places No One's Probably Ever Been

Danish bassist and bandleader Lasse Mørck presents a set of hard-swinging, blues-infused originals on his upcoming release “Imaging Places No One’s Probably Ever Been” (March 10th).

Descended from a long line of double bass players on the island of Funen in Denmark, the bandleader’s music brings to mind a sly nod to the late great Mingus in both the idiosyncratic, through-composed compositions and the joyful group interplay.

A followup to his award-winning 2017 debut album “Imagining Places I’ve Never Been” which drew inspiration from cultures around the world and their folklore, Mørck’s upcoming record takes this concept a step further to draw inspiration from places that have only existed in humankind’s imagination.

“The music I make is inspired by wherever my curiosity has led me, through many styles of music, stories I’ve heard and places I’ve imagined.”

Mørck’s second record to feature a chord-less quartet lineup, he was initially drawn to the transparent sound as it forced him to be aware of every essential aspect of the music as a bassist and composer, and then challenge himself to ensure all these aspects were emphasised in sufficient detail.

The bassist’s vision for his music is to be simple, yet interesting for both the novice and the seasoned jazz listener alike. The result? A collection of tunes which are beautiful, fun, swinging and imaginative in equal measure.

Assembling a quartet of his closest friends and collaborators, the album features three fellow stars of Denmark’s vibrant jazz scene today: Jonas Due (trumpet), Ludvig Samuelsson (alto & baritone saxophones) and Snorre Kirk (drums).

With lyrically melodic compositions taking centre stage, the eight tracks feature warm functional harmony, joyful swing grooves and extended passages of playful improvisation.

Intricately arranged harmonies and contrapuntal lines across the trumpet and saxophone mean one would hardly notice the absence of a harmony instrument. Combining the sounds of fables with contemporary jazz, Mørck has crafted an album that balances the familiar and comforting with the surprising and inventive.

Jonas Due, trumpet
Ludvig Samuelsson, alto- and baritone saxophone
Snorre Kirk, drums
Lasse Mørck, double bass

Lasse Mørck
A native of Denmark, Lasse Mørck has always been interested in music, people and culture. Born in the town of Svendborg, he began experimenting with different instruments: first with bass and later piano and guitar. Bass seems to have won out though, continuing a tradition begun by both his father and grandfather who were classically trained on the double bass. He formalized his musical education at Frederiksberg MGK in Copenhagen while exploring the art of jazz, with a particular fondness for Bill Evans and Scott Lafaro,

Eager for a new experience and perspective, Mørck lived in Mexico for a time, soaking up its cultural and musical heritage and learning enough Spanish to get by. Returning to Denmark, he was ready to release his own music, and Imagining Places I've Never Been debuted in 2017. He also graduated from RMC (Rhythmic Music Conservatory) and followed-up the following year with The Aztec Creation Myth Suite, a nod to his immersion in Mexican culture. He has been touring through Europe, Asia and the US with his quartet, guesting on other recordings, including a few with Snorre Kirk and winning awards for his compositions, most recently winning first prize in the Young Danish Jazz Composer 2018 competition for “Tezcatlipoca.”

This album contains no booklet.