Mathias Baumann Quartet ‘Expectations’ – Out Now!
Good mornings everyone. Today is the official digital launch of my album ‘Expectations’ which means it is now available in all common online stores. Please feel free to download, stream and share my album.
The physical CD will be available soon, just in time for Christmas.
Buy it here:
I am a German-born composer and guitarist. In 2006 I moved to Dublin, Ireland to follow my passion for music. I have been playing and recording music in many different styles and with musicians from all over the world. My desire to extend my musical vocabulary brought me to the genre of Jazz. In 2011 I recorded my first Latin Jazz album Bossa Fever with Portugese singer Susana Lima.
In the following years I completed a degree in Jazz Performance at Blackrock’s Newpark Music Centre and formed my band Mathias Baumann Quartet with which I recorded my first original Jazz album, entitled Expectations.
It was recorded as the result of a German-Irish collaboration of four musicians featuring seven of my original compositions by telling the story of how I explored many different dialects of Jazz. Stylistically my compositions include a mixture of Blues, Hardbop, Modal, Ballad, Latin, Broadway Standard and Thelonius Monk influenced tunes.
In essence, Expectations brings together different cultures through the language of music.
I am passionate about music and enjoy composing and playing. I always intend to create something meaningful and from the heart. My sources of inspiration are the things that surround me.
From my early childhood I have been surrounded by, and deeply connected with music and gathered a lot of experience by playing various styles of music with musicians from many different countries. In recent years I have been exploring intercultural and multidisciplinary approaches of writing, playing recording and performing music. I therefore made it my mission to explore life and our connection with one another and the world through meaningful music and creative, multidisciplinary art projects.
Everybody involved in this album has poured their heart and soul into recording the music and creating the artwork which represents it. Every second of my time, every ounce of my individual passion has been invested in realising the dream of sharing my music with you, and with the entire world.
I seek neither fame nor commercial success. My love of jazz has always been driven by the contentment and enjoyment of really playing, composing and recording my own music. I’m committed by the goal of seeing my album released on Vinyl and CD in November 2015. This for me would be a measurabe success. Anything that happens after that would be a welcome and happy bonus.
I invite you to help me realise my dream of bringing my music and my project to the world.
Thank you for taking your time to read about my new album ‘Expectations’ which will be released in three formats:
1. digitally across all online platforms,
2. as a compact disc in cardboard format, and
3. as a limited edition of 250 LPs.
01 Friday Night
02 Julia’s Song
03 Ode To Thelonius
04 Take It Or Leave It
05 The BumbleBeeBopBip DeeDoodleDeeDooDa
06 Mr. M.D.
07 Expectations
Listen to two of the songs on the album here…
Mathias Baumann – Guitar
Darragh Hennessey – Piano
Barry Rycraft – Double Bass
Satya Darcy – Drums
Recorded at Tuscany Soundz Studios, Dublin
Music composed, arranged, produced, mixed & mastered by Mathias Baumann
Artwork by Sarah Bracken
© 2015 Mathias Baumann Music. All Rights Reserved.
The weather on our last day was just perfect. We started our final section of the Wicklow Way at Onagh Bridge with another detour along the Glencree River.
On our way to Dublin we had to climb Knockree and Prince William’s Seat before passing the Glencullen River to embark our last ascent to Fairy Castle on Two Rock Mountain.
And before we finally had to face civilisation again we wanted to go for one last adventure. And so we did. Instead of taking the actual sign posted Wicklow Way we went straight uphill to the peak of Fairy Castle where we had a magnificent view over Dublin and the coast line.
After a short rest we started our descent while the sun was setting in the West.
We arrived at Taylor’s pub in Taylorsgrange where we had a couple of pints before we finished our trip at the gates of Marley park under a beautiful full moon. To put it in a nutshell it was the perfect ending of a perfect trip.
Although we always went off the main track and took the scenic route most of the time, our walking distances on the first three days were only averaged 20 kilometers per day. This was about to change.On the fourth and fifth day we had to walk around 60 kilometers altogether.
After a rainy third day the fourth day looked very promising. The first half of the actual way looked very predictable to us on the map so we decided to head down to the beautiful beach of Lough Dan. This is were we were rewarded with this stunning scenery.
From there we went further up the Inchavore River which we had to cross in order to get back to the Wicklow Way. Because of the heavy rain on the previous day the water level was high and the current very strong. After about 2 kilometers we found a passable way through the river.
On the other side we had to face our next challenge: bog and jungle-like vegetation. After we got through this very wet area we climbed over rocks to reach the peak of Knocknacloghoge with a stunning view.
Descending wasn’t as easy as it looked from the top as we had to fight our way through three meter high and overgrown fern. We arrived at the bottom of Lough Dan where we had to cross Cloghoge River. In comparison to the previous one it was a piece of cake.
After ascending through Ballinrush we met the Wicklow Way again which led us all the way up to the highest summit of our tour: Djouce Mountain. On the way up we heard a rumbling noise coming from the Wicklow Mountains towards us. More rain was coming. The great thing about it was that we were blessed to be eye witnesses of a double rainbow on our way down to Powerscourt Waterfalls.
We definitely miscalculated the amount of time it would take us to get from our starting point at Lough Dan House to our destination in Coolakay. So after a beautiful sunset we arrived in total darkness at Coolakay House at around 10pm.
This is a music video of my Jazz Ballad ‘Take It Or Leave It’ recorded with Mathias Baumann Quartet at Tuscany Soundz Studios. The tune is available in all online music shops and on the shop page of my website.
Our third day started with light drizzle in Glendalough valley. Again we had to begin with a steep uphill walk which lead us to Brusher’s Gap Hut just after Paddock Hill.
The rain intensified on the way up so we were very happy to find shelter in the hut where we stayed for probably two hours. During that time we met other walkers who joined us for a short break from the rain. As we had to reach our destination in Oldbridge we had to leave the last hut on the way.
We walked through this beautiful forest before we reached Lough Dan House just before sunset. And because the rain and the clouds disappeared we decided to go to the top of the hill first to catch some sunlight.
At Lough Dan house we were served a delicious home-made three course dinner, had a bottle of wine in front of the fire and a nice chat with the other residents in the house.
…to be continued…
After a huge full Irish breakfast we left Glenmalure in the morning at about 10am. In the first part of our walk we had a beautiful view of Carrawaystick Waterfall
and stopped shortly after at Mullacor Hut for our second breakfast.
After another steep hike further uphill we reached the top of Derrybawn Mountain. In every hut, there is a little letter box which contains a book for Wicklow Way walkers to write in. It was fascinating to see how many different cultures were represented in the book.
Although the actual Wicklow Way track led us a different way we decided to take another detour to the mountain top to have a short lunch break.
I guess, this is where we first realised that we have finally escaped reality and arrived at the heart of mother nature.
Apart from the amazing weather, this day had a lot more in store for us. Descending from the mountain we were soon surprised with magnificent views over Glendalough.
Again we wanted to leave the actual track and search for a more adventurous way. We found a small river that led us right to the Poulanass Waterfall and decided to walk alongside the river bank until we reach the waterfall. Easier said than done as this turned out to be a little jungle trip. 1 km way took us about 3 hours.
After our jungle adventure we finally reached Glendalough valley, where we stayed for the night.
…to be continued…
Good Mornings,
in August 2015 I went to walk the Wicklow Way from Iron Bridge to Dublin with Markus, a friend from Germany. If you start in Iron Bridge you will be walking 5/7 of the entire way.
My wife gave us a lift to Iron Bridge on a Sunday Morning and we started our trip at 10:00 am with light drizzle and a feeling that this is going to be a beautiful and exciting trip.
We were well equipped so the rain didn’t bother us at all. After a very steep beginning through forest we arrived at a hut, which at that time didn’t catch our attention.
At the beginning it wasn’t easy to leave reality behind and become one with the surroundings. But soon nature revealed its ancient face and some amazing colours.
We continued our ascent and reached the top of the first mountain pretty soon.
We took a small detour to explore the regional forest and the boggy landscape before we arrived in the valley of Glenmalure where we stayed for the night.
…to be continued…
We left Dublin with all our gear in the afternoon on the 11th June and arrived in Frankfurt at sun set. In the baggage hall we checked if our instruments are ok after which we picked up our van to head for Nassau, my home town, where we enjoyed a very pleasant evening with a fire and some beverages…
The next day we drove to Koblenz which is about 30 km away from Nassau, and set up on stage of the amazing venue called ‘Schloss Koblenz’.
In the afternoon we performed some Jazz with my band ‘Mathias Baumann Quartet’ and in the evening we played a Funk, Disco and Soul gig with ‘Funkalicious Disconnection’.
Amy Kelly – Vocals, Abel Benito – Drums, Baz Rycraft – Bass, Judith Font – Keyboard, Mathias Baumann – Guitar.
After the gig we went back to Nassau and “chilled out” until sunrise. The following morning we decided to hiked to the neighbour village ‘Obernhof’ through Nassau’s forests where we were able to enjoy stunning views of the Lahn valley. We finished our short trip with a wine tasting and some local food platters. On the way back to Dublin we were eye witnesses to one of the most stunning sun sets I have ever seen from a plane. The best thing: I have captured the entire scene on video. Now I am really happy to being able to show it to you soon in one of my music videos for my upcoming album ‘The World Is Coming Together. Until then, enjoy the picture…
Mathias Baumann Music 