Hans Lüdemann TRIO IVOIRE

TRIO IVOIRE - reviews
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„Striking rhythms, catchy themes and cool beats.
„Timbuktu“ presents a transcontinental unit. „ (4 stars) (AUDIO, 2014)

„Jazz as a door into the wild, wide world - the Trio Ivoire performed an overwhelming concert with the NDR bigband....The inner eye sees pictures, pictures from a different stream of consciousness... Lüdemann did a great job with his arrangements: the interplay between the small trio and the big group of musicians worked perfectly from begin on.“
(die Welt, 2012)

„Breathtaking examples of jazzy - African polyrhythmic art.
Thundering applause, standing ovations....“ (Aachener Nachrichten, 2011)

„While playing, the band was careful to sustain a basic and comprehensible musical structure despite all their wild improvisational jaunts, so as not to alienate the audience.
Of course, it helped that the band members were enjoying themselves. Keita kept grinning mischievously while Lüdemann and Sardjoe reciprocated with sly smiles of their own as if sharing a little-known secret. So when the bright, fast beats finally exploded from the stage, I was caught off guard but not completely surprised. The music drove towards a dynamic, grandiose crescendo that was reminiscent of joyful African dances. These guys
were a riot.“ (The Phoenix, USA, 2010)

„Passion that trancends borders.... this music deserves no label, neither world jazz nor Ethno Pop. It is far too personal, seems to grow organically out of a transcending passion for music in general - and to finally blossom in marvelous colors and nuances.“
(Süddeutsche Zeitung, 2008)

...In this trio, different cultures come together with self-confidence... the musicians communicate on highest level. This is possible because Lüdemann and Keita are simply great virtuoso players on their instruments. They have a mutual understanding, it does not matter that one has a European classical and the other a West-African background:“ (Rondo, June 2006)

„Trio Ivoire, who astonished with their sonic waterfall of piano, xylophone and drums“
(the Guardian, 2008)

„unconventional, fascinating and ernourmously vital ...... the most intense and expressive
work of the Trio Ivoire.“ (Jazzthing 2006)

"You could go to an entire festival and not see musicians enjoying themselves half as much as the three men that make up the Trio Ivoire..... Don't miss them."
(Andrew Iliff, Hifalutin, Harare/Zimbabwe, May 2007).

„The Afro-European TRIO IVOIRE approaches African music from Jazz and shows on its albumTouching Africa more African soul than mostAfrican pop groups. .... the trio creates sort of a musical kaleisdoscope between two continents.“ (41/2 stars, Jazzthetik 2006)



„One of the highlights was Trio Ivoire from Germany, the Ivory Coast and Holland. The band, made up of Hans Lüdemann (piano), Aly Keita (balaphon/sanza) and Chander Sardjoe (drums/percussion), played a tribute piece entitled Injure for all those displaced, beaten or killed during the post-election violence. Trio Ivoire were a huge success at HIFA with their concentrated, complex and beautiful combination of African rhythms and melodies and European jazz.“ (the Zimbabwean 2008)

The Trio Ivoire or the encounter of black and white keys
„At first sight it is hard to imagine, how musicians with such diverse backgrounds could create such a harmony and performance.... With its magic melodies and rhythms the trio, a mixture of Africa and Europe, has seduced even the ones who are normally not receptible to Jazz. (...) This encounter of the black and white keys of German pianist Hans Lüdemann and the sonoric waves from the wood of Ivorian balaphonist Aly Keita, all well-tempered through Anglo-Catalan drummer Steve Argüelles, comprises an African-European formation of highest originality - on the level of rhythm as well as sound. The secret consent in the heart of the group is so, that in certain moments one can not tell the notes of Hans Lüdemann`s piano from the ones of Aly Keita`s balaphon. (...) The least one can write is that on the 1st of March 2002, the globalisation has become all its sense.“
(L‘Inter, Abidjan, 2002)

Hypnotising musical flow - the amazing Trio Ivoire
„When you go long ways“ is a title of one of their pieces. And this is characteristic for the Trio Ivoire, the ivory trio, in a geographic sense: The musicians come from the West African Ivory Coast, from England and Germany. But long and new ways they go also in a musical sense. Their almost hypnotic musical flow is really „cooking“ - and at the same time it is intellectually stimulating. A mix of tradtion and experiment that found an enthusiastic audience...
The harmonic possibilities are stretched by pianist Hans Lüdemann in a elaborate way. Impressive his technique in incredibly fast repetitions, his rhythmic feel and his broad stylistic range. Sometimes he improvises ear-catching melodic lines from few notes like Keith Jarrett. Sometimes he uses the inside of the piano for avantgarde sounds.“
(HNZ Kassel, March 5, 2004)


„The trio finds an intimacy of chamber music, that in its integrative interlocking of African, Jazz and Classical elements reaches a quality that has not been heard of before.“
(Jazzpodium, June 2002)


Jazz in Nijmegen tops North Sea Jazz Festival
„ Jazz as musical cement played an important role in the performance of the absolute highlight of the festival, the Trio Ivoire. Drummer Steve Argüelles was building a bridge between Ivory Coast and Germany. The contrast between the crackling, rattling and sizzling balaphon of Aly Keita and the clear piano playing of Hans Lüdemann could not have been greater. But with subtle cymbal playing and rhythms full of fantasy Argüelles brought the two together. In the moments when Aly Keita took over the white keys and Lüdemann the black ones, it came to a blend of rare beauty. ... The music of the Trio Ivoire touches different connotations - from minimal music to wassoulou - but is impossible to be labelled.“
(NRC Handelsblad , NL, November 4, 2002)


a lively music full of freshness
„West African, jazzy, classical and minimal music elements melt in this trio into a lively music full of freshness. The Trio Ivoire gives the label „world music“ in Dortmund its own meaning.“
(Westfälische Rundschau, March 3, 2004)


Vision and energy - Trio Ivoire in the Brotfabrik
„Sometimes, for long contemplative minutes, the three are in all openess so close together and create such a complex horizon of events that one feels: the Trio Ivoire is about to mark a path completely their own in contemporary improvised music with visionary energy, far away from the motorways of world music, equally far away from the idiomatic influences of contemporary Jazz:“ (Frankfurter Rundschau, November 11, 2002)


The Trio Ivoire plays intelligent Afro Jazz
„The grown friendship, the familiarity with each others culture and the mutual respect have led to one of the most beautiful and colorful world music productions.“
(FAZ, July 27th 2002)


„The opener immediately sends the listener on a fascinating journey: the simple, almost folkoristic motif is excellently suited for charmingly interwoven excursions with a quality of sweeping seduction. Heart of the CD is the three part „Suite Africaine“ which introduces Argüelles and Keita with solos before all three play alonside the intricate polyrhythms of the tune with rich variaitons. This piece ist the only joint production while all other compositions are by Lüdemann. (...) Trio Ivoire shows that even in the 21st century, still discoveries are possible.“
(JAZZthetik, JulyAugust 2002)


„The African cooperations of Cologne pianist Hans Lüdemann are unusual in may respects. They contradict the usual way of decorating oneself with something African or, even worse, merely adapting it. We are talking of exchange on an equal level. (...) The result easily goes beyong all categorisation that could be helpful int e record store, but not in someones head. (...) What Hans Lüdemann puts together with Aly Keita has almost utopian breath.“
(StadtRevue. Köln Magazin, July 2002) - various