Charles Petersohn meets Jasper van't Hof
(D-NL)

In General

Frank Charles Petersohn Vocals, Street Poet	Jasper van´t Hof Piano, Keyboard, Samples

CD Delirious

Delirious is the outcome of an unusual encounter between two entirely different musicians. CHARLES PETERSOHN on the one hand, a jazz DJ, electronic music producer, singer and “street poet,” JASPER VAN´T HOF on the other, World Music and jazz pianist, composer and arranger, internationally renowned through Pili Pili and other projects. The key to their collaboration is football in the broadest sense: the director of JARO asked Charles and Jasper to address that theme on a joint album. The two musicians agreed from the start but both wanted the message to be subtle, personal and associative. The focus would not be the high-polish, sponsor-cushioned side of football but its down-to-earth, nitty-gritty side: street football, as it sees itself. Musically the plan involved a suspenseful trip around the world to stage a range of variations on jazz as well as virtuoso quotations from the music styles of Central Africa, Spain, the Orient, Caribbean Calypso, Brazilian Samba and the Italian waltz. The lyrics on Delirious deal with emotions which can be applied to football or standing alone can be regarded as poetry. Poetry which is about the feelings that touch and move virtually every one of us throughout the game of life.

JASPER, CHARLES and sound engineer Lehna locked themselves up for ten days in VAN´T HOF´s country house in Suaucourt, near Dijon, to experience, celebrate and produce music in an intense retreat. The collaboration was characterized by endless sessions which gradually ripened into songs. CHARLES was blown away by JASPER’s method of layering melodies and harmonies one on top of the other - a kind of sandwich technique - then putting the mosaic pieces together: a finished track was born. JASPER, for his part, was amazed at the influence DJ-ing can have on the experience and understanding of music. Here and there CHARLES discovered parallels and affinities that a musician might not necessarily have noticed. Again and again, these affinities led to surprising results within the context of the production. Constantly “armed” with pen and paper, CHARLES roamed the house writing his poetry, which leaves a big fat mark on the album. Mutually inspired by numerous rapturous discussions about the wide world of jazz, the musicians came up with eight pieces, many passages of which shine as bright as the sun. Infected by the joint vibes, JASPER likewise invested lots of very spontaneous energy into the music.

Charles’ colleague Lehna contributed infinite patience and technical sophistication to making sure the work on the album would not end in a delirium. “Dreams come true, they just have to – to prove, they’re so supreme…”!

THE CD Delirious JARO 4275-2

Lyrics CD:

1. Floating Like A Butterfly An Italian waltz that could have come from a Fellini sound track, introverted, full of musical poetry. Jasper asked Charles to take off his “coolness” mask for once and celebrate a text in the style of Martin Luther King or Jesse Jackson. Charles, for his part, wrote a love story for the piece. The blend of melancholy, love song and “grass roots speech” transports the song into regions filled with a drama in no way inferior to many a Fellini film, though it will also bring a smile to your face. “Cool breeze, don’t tease - yourself with questions, too much expectations. It’s one night, maybe more, it’s kinda cool and it’s pure. Let it float like a butterfly!”

2. Du bist Peter Pan A tribute to the eternal boy who invests all his energy and passion into the daily dream of doing something unique, something great and using his ideas and talents to take the wind out of melancholy’s sails. Football serves as a symbol for the inexhaustible search for fun, pleasure, happiness and greatness.

3. Dreams Come True A song from the early days of the jazz legend Sun Ra. Poetry which conveys that dreams can come true if you firmly believe in and inexhaustibly aspire towards them. Realized by Jasper and Charles in an unusual jazz standard. “Dreams come true, they just have to - to prove they’re so supreme. Mine came true and yours will too - all you have to do is dream!”

4. Mouldy Crackers A song reminiscent of New Orleans funk by musicians like Dr. John, about a classical “anti-hero” – the ironic description of the monotone everyday life of a man whose wisdom puts the apparent hopelessness of many young people in contemporary urban life in a nutshell – with trenchant disillusionment: “Today’s nothings will be tomorrow’s futures!” Charles slides vocally into the role of this Mr. Nobody.

5. Football Football A Caribbean Calypso by Edmondo Ross, a musician living in England. Transformed by Jasper and Charles into a flawless pub hymn.

6. Selecáo ´06 Charles’ homage to Brazilian football. Already in 1994 he contributed his personal share to the making of Selecáo as world champions. The new version is at the kick-off as “Voodoo,” ready to serve as a lucky charm once again. “One nation reduced to eleven, wizards between earth and sky - caressing games on lawn, miraculous samba in yellow and green.”

7. Something real Easy Like the Straits of Gibraltar connecting Europe and Africa, Jasper creates a musical link between Spain and the Orient. The atmosphere that emerges as a result is deep and light at the same time, scope for the most diverse associations. In Jasper’s music Charles discovers the lightness of being and philosophizes on coolness.

8. Music Is Sorcery Calimba – Central and South African “finger piano” – staged by Jasper in a manner as simple as it is electrifying, enchanting us from the first note as it transports us into the jungle where we experience the beauty of nature but also its ruthless power it all its immediacy. Charles tells the story of a virtual journey that is to lead to a sorcerer.

MAXI JARO 4276-2 „Du bist Peter Pan“

Frank Charles Petersohn – Vocals, Street Poet Jasper van´t Hof – piano, keyboard, samples

Die Titel 1. Du bist Peter Pan ( Radio Edit) 3.44 2. Football, Football 4.11 3. Selecáo 9.14

Songtext: MAXI " Du bist Peter Pan "

du bist peter pan

du liegst im dreck und fühlst dich wohl – bist voll in deinem element aus schlamm und pfützen und erde und schweiss – du gibst alles springst und grätschst und streckst dich nach dem objekt das jetzt, selbst hier im dreck, scheinbar an deinen füssen klebt du bist merlin und copperfield und talentiert wie mr. ripley und irgendwann ganz cool, landet das ding da, genau da, wo du es haben willst präzise, ein bisschen glück dabei wie an der schnur gezogen, im eck ein schrei, pure euphorie du wirst begraben von emotionen und einem knäuel von freunden die schreien und dich begraben im dreck, im schlamm du bist peter pan der ewig junge mann

ein mann und auch ein junge, der ewige junge auf der immer neuen suche nach der magie des spiels und des augenblicks und jeder augenblick macht dir klar, dass da wo du springst und dich aufregst und dich freust über einen doppelpass, der euch gelingt, auch hier im dreck du und deine jungs sind hin und weg vom gelingen, von der magie des spiels, im schweisse dieses augenblicks wie ein scann bleibt er dir erhalten, lässt dich nicht los erfüllt dich mit energie und euphorie und an tagen an denen es gar nicht läuft wo der dreck und der schlamm dich begraben mit knoten in den beinen dann denk an sie an merlin und an copperfield denn du bist peter pan

du kennst die quadratur des kreises – das runde muss ins eckige du bist peter pan der ewig junge mann du bist peter pan

football football

not me again, thats what i’m thinkin i sit in the pub to do my drinkin’ i was having a drink very quietly but certainly some young men came up to me they said – sir, we’ve never seen you before thats why we want to please you to settle the score

they talk ´bout football, football the english football, football italian football, football never ending football, football

one said to me – i tell you truely we got a man that they call rooney i hand someone who came from the bar you must have heard – his name is millar ´cause of so many names they made me confused but anyway – this place has been of no use a big guy said – stop man, don’t be a fool the greatest team on earth comes from liverpool

they continue – football, football the english football, football italian football, football they’re going for football, football

he said – my friend, i got to tell ya they got a man, called steven gerrard he is so fast, no one is faster and he is still the liverpoolian master then came a girl with the cutest voice there’s only one team – that takes me rejoice nearly every match to take they have won my heart is with maldini’s milan

football, football, italian football, football, the english football, football they’re lost in football, football

she said, thats a bunch – that go in places they got some guys with the cutest faces i heard her brother – shut up your big mouth haven’t you heard of the boys from roma well, so many teams came up in my ear they nearly set me into a serious koma milano, roma and also chelsea i had to leave my drink to run home to tea

so football, football … … never ending football, football

selecáo 06

one nation reduced to eleven wizzards between earth and sky caressing games on lawn miracoulus samba - in yellow and green

whole nation is part of that wonder from muddy streets to golden lawn selecáo celebrates it’s own samba miracoulus samba – in yellow and green

magic steps in dirty streets twistin at the corner dances unexpectable to endless spaces of golden lawn young boys reach the incredible miracoulus samba - in yellow and green

selecáo selecáo

Short Bios:

charles petersohn

arrived at funk and rap music through his band’s drummer by way of punk in the backyard cellars of 1980s Berlin; his friendship with the brötzmann family led him to jazz and free music. these influences have left clear marks. in wuppertal he first experimented with funk, free jazz and noise in the context of the project DON N°1, then landing at JARO with his band charles / c- funk. the project lasted three albums, three bands and various concert tours in germany and abroad and gained charles a lot of experience and considerable success. since 1997 he has been concentrating primarily on djing. he has published in germany, uk and taiwan under the name zico and with the producer’s team yaziko and has meanwhile fused his love for jazz with electronics and break beats. the collaboration with jasper van’t hof is the consummation of a joint jam session that took place in 1994, twenty-five minutes that moved charles deeply. this is the long overdue but unexpected finale.

jasper van’t hof the dutch pianist and keyboarder, has been on the road since the late 1960s with various successful jazz and world music projects. he has played with greats like archie shepp, charlie mariano, philip catherine (pork pie), alphonse mouzon, bob malach (however), ernie watts, greetje bijma and angelique kidjo, celebrating solo piano and church organ highlights with projects like axioma and il mondo illusorio. with his afro/jazz undertaking PILI PILI he made an important contribution to world music. he is a member of the dutch quartet the yellow house. jasper van’t hof’s new project hotlips recently released the album neverneverlands, unwittingly presaging the collaboration with charles petersohn, for on their joint album delirious one title is especially prominent: you are peter pan!

BIOGRAPHICAL DATES OF CHARLES PETERSOHN musikalische projekte ·1984 f.i.k. (punk_funk_jazz) ·1986 prince of carpatia (soul_punk) ·1990 don! (punk_funk_free jazz) ·1991 speaches of malcom x + music (don!) ·1992 charles (acid jazz_funk) ·1996 charles & the agencee (funk_trip hop) ·1998 charles & the sonic soul force (funk_jazz_d & b) ·2002 zico (breakbeats_jazz_samba) ·2003 yaziko (collaboration von 5 wtal ·produzenten) ·2004 musik produktion für tshirt projekt harakiri ·seit 2004 zico and lehna (breakbeats_jazz_ambient) CD - releases:

·1991 charles (mother father sister brother) maxi

·1992 charles (fruit) maxi

·1993 charles (c-funk) cd

·1994 charles (selecáo) maxi

·1994 charles (aspects) cd

·1996 charles & the agencee (en-Core) cd

·2003 yaziko (elegant moves) cd

·2003 zico (orfeu 21 / shapes one) cd / lp

·2005 zico and lehna (astro black) maxi

Track Licenses of his group CHARLES to many European sampler among them in France with Delabel + Radio Nova

dj projects

·1991 moods & attitudes radio show (radio wtal) ·1991 jazz indeed residenz im basement (wtal) ·1995 soulfood residenz im cithea (paris) ·1997 jazz nad odra jazzfestival (glogov_polen) ·1997 hitze collaboration ballet und musik (zürich) ·1997 en-Core dj und tanz (florenz_mailand) ·1998 hitze preisträger tournee (wien) ·1998 sonic soul force 3 djs + soundengineer (wtal) ·1999 just beats residenz im le fonque (stuttgart) ·2000 vollstoffsaftex theater_tanz_musik (zürich) ·2001 watermusic residenz im seebad enge (zürich) ·2002 beats do brasil residenz im geburtstagsklub (berlin) ·2004 going underground bergkeller (wtal) ·seit 2004 hipster’s lounge residenz im b.u.k. (wtal) ·seit 2005 sounds ugly residenz in bar ugly de luxe (düsseldorf)

CDs:

delirious - 2006
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DU BIST PETER PAN (Single-CD) - 2006
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