EPK for the album release
With the Sky in Our Hands
· the tangos ·
by Julie & Andreas
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Press Releases (PDF)
English
NO (Bokmål)
NYNO (Nynorsk)
German
Spanish
- “A sonic, rhythmically expansive global adventure that truly transports the heart and soul…”
Jonathan Widran
Music reviewer at jwvibe.com - “I hope that a vast audience discovers this exceptional duo.”
Gustavo Beytelmann
Tango Maestro, Artistic Leader of Tango Department at Codarts University of the Arts - “This is music that makes me smile inside and out. It is varied, strong, fervent and beautiful.”
Sidsel Walstad
Harpist at KORK - “A brilliant piece of work. A perfect combination of 2 musicians with incredible technique on their instruments, combining this with heart and soul and fantastic playing and breathing together.”
Wim Warman
Pianist, composer
Reviews
English
With the Sky in Our Hands
CD REVIEW BY ALISON YOUNG ON MAY 1, 2019
Read at harpcolumn here
Julie & Andreas: Julie Rokseth, harps, and Andreas Rokseth, bandoneon. JAR Records, 2018.
Is it just me or are we all feeling like it’s time to hear music from Argentina that is not written by Astor Piazzolla? Full disclosure: I have recorded and published arrangements of music by Piazzolla, and so I am well-placed to recognize his singular importance as a composer of tango. If it weren’t for Piazzolla, perhaps many of us would never have developed a taste for the sensual music of his homeland or even known the effect a bandoneon could have on our hearts. But Piazzolla isn’t the only composer to write tango, and it is with utmost glee that I discover and share with you a spectacular new album of, for lack of a more deferential way to say it, other people’s tangos. Julie and Andreas’ remarkable With the Sky in Our Hands is an invitation into the visceral experience of tango, guided by the traditional Bandoneon coupled with a newcomer to this world, the harp.
The journey began when classically trained harpist Julie Rokseth was struggling finding her own musical voice. Everything in her world felt constrained as though it always had to be correct and controlled. She looked upon her brother Andreas’ easy connection to his musical world, but then he played the bandoneon—or concertina—an instrument, especially in his expert hands, that reflects not just sound, but soul. She wanted some of that magic, and so dove straight into a world that had mostly been entirely closed to the harp. But she did so with intention, to find a way the harp could sing as an authentic voice, fitting in organically, as though the harp had always been there, and not as a “tango tourist.”
What she discovered is that tango allowed her to use all the tools as a harpist, the grittier side of the harp, extended techniques as well the rhythmic role of harp. Her participation in the duo is as a full-fledged member of the ensemble, not by performing transcriptions per se, but rather deeply thought-out, unique, and altogether new ways of hearing this music.
Favorites are the opening track, an original work Noctillique del Tango that immediately fires up the energy with its toe-tapping spark as though the two challenge one another to find ways to keep the fire stoked, not afraid to be aggressive. Anibel Troilo’s La Tempera is old-school, the duo giving us that exact feeling the dancers have of never fully touching the floor. You will swear you are hearing an orchestra – and a roomful of skilled tangoistas. Julie’s wrenching original Alma herido is indeed a tortured soul that moves seamlessly into Los Mareados by Juan Carlos Cobian, the first to take tango out of the smoky nightclubs and place it front and center as music that stands on its own. Particularly moving are the more experimental works that include nature sounds, like Rosita Melo’s Desde el Alma with gently lapping waves and shore birds, a longing waltz that could only be written by an Argentine. And yes, there is one piece by Piazzolla, at the very end. Well placed, as it acts as a kind of galvanizer for all that’s been said up to this point by this superb duo, showcasing their finest skills as musicians who sing our deepest longings. •
JULIE & ANDREAS, With the Sky in Our Hands – the tangos –
August 7, 2018
Jonathan Widran
Sometimes can be an amazing experience to get out of your musical comfort zone and go on a sonic, rhythmically expansive global adventure that truly transports the heart and soul while giving one’s mind colorful time traveling lessons it will never forget. You’ve never heard a brother and sister act like Norwegian born Julie and Andreas Rokseth, who take the concept of transatlantic cultural fusion to its most melodic, danceable and compelling extreme on With the Sky in Our Hands, their brilliant new collection classic and original tangos.
Creating a sensual yet playful, fresh contemporary twist on the classic style (which originated in the 1880s along the Rio de Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay), Julie (harp) and Andreas (bandoneon) create innovative arrangements which allow them to transcend the harp’s stereotypical classical limitations and sway and groove through the emotional joys and pains of these pieces with vibrant tango authenticity.
Some fun background facts to think about as you’re enjoying the romp from the alternately plucky and poignant original “Noctilique del Tango” to the elegantly and thoughtfully rendered, somewhat obscure Astor Piazzolla piece “El Cielo en Las Manos” – the title track that artfully showcases how the harp can use the “bandoneonistic” techniques of expressing tango music. Both siblings graduated cum laude in Master of Music (MMus) from Codarts, University of the Arts (in their second home of Rotterdam, Netherlands). Julie received her degree in tango harp (a world first!) and Andreas in bandondeon.
She started playing pedal harp at 9, and he started on the accordion at six and the bandoneon at 10. Since their instruments were parts of different traditions and genres, the Rokseths didn’t realize that these instruments could fit together until their later teens. It took them several years before they took on the challenge of creating compositions and arrangements, and by 2014, they began performing in Norway and internationally, staying six months at one point in Buenos Aires.
Aside from melodic and rhythmic diversity and multiple moods expressed in each piece, the true joys of the collection emerge from the way they create a narrative that blends their masterful interpretations of pieces by legendary composers like Anibal Troilo (“La Trampera”), E.N. de la Cruz (“El Ciruja”), Juan Carlos Cobian (the multi-movement “Los Mareados”) and Piazzolla with uniquely recorded originals that feature Julie on different harps. She plays lever harp on “Noctilique del Tango” and the lighthearted “Tijango,” solo pedal harp on the dark, haunting “Alma Herida,” and medieval on the largely atmospheric “Alma, no Entornes tu Ventana.” That last piece was improvised with field recordings from the siblings’ favorite place in the world, the birthplace of their mother, the Norwegian island of Sula.
Listening to this album, you’ll travel through time, cultures and history – and be left with a soaring feeling that somehow Julie and Andreas have left you with the sky in your hands.
Julie & Andreas: With the Sky in Our Hands
Review by Wim Warman
29 September 2018
A brilliant piece of work. It has a complete new personality which many people will have never heard before. But it’s done so well and tastefully, that it will capture the listener immediately.
1. Noctilique del Tango – J. & A. Rokseth
A strong opener on the CD with this own composition. Immediately you get captured by the wonderful playing and breathing together in the music. Wonderful piece.
2. La Trampera – A. Troilo
You would expect that the combination of harp & bandoneón would be a bit difficult for groovy milonga’s like La Trampera. But anyone who knows Julie & Andreas, knows that they will find a way. And they did. It’s briljant and this would even be easily danceable in tango salons. The rhythmical percussion effects on harp by Julie work perfectly.
3. El Ciruja – E.N. de la Cruz
This solo piece by Andreas on bandoneón is so wonderful and takes you to another dimension. Also because I believe Andreas is one of the few bandoneonists who can really play this incredibly difficult arrangement.
4. Prólogo 2: Alma Herida – J. & A. Rokseth
Fantastic atmosphere created by Julie, which leads us to
5. Los Mareados – J.C. Cobián
One of the nicest versions I’ve heard of this tango, because it resembles the atmosphere of the song itself so well.
6. Prólogo 2: Alma, no entornes tu ventana – J. & A. Rokseth
It makes me curious where we will go next. The CD says it will be Desde el Alma. How will they arrive there?
7. Desde el Alma
Of course they arrive here in this beautiful waltz in beautiful way. Their version is so great because they combine a bit of old fashioned tango waltz playing with their own flavour and personality. And that makes it really “from the soul”.
8. Tjiango
This is a fantastic combination of the Irish “Jig” music with tango. This proves that you can combine almost all kinds of music together. And as usual brilliantly played.
9. El Cielo en las Manos
This says it all: The sky is in their hands. Beautiful version of this Piazzolla piece. And a great final of this CD.
A perfect combination of 2 musicians with incredible technique on their instruments, combining this with heart and soul and fantastic playing and breathing together. The CD has been wonderfully mixed and mastered by Rob Rietveld, which also contributes to the outstanding quality of this production.
Spanish
8 de Octubre 2018
El duo que constituyen Julie y Andreas no tiene precedente histórico alguno en la música que me ocupa. No sólo el talento de ambos pero también su curiosidad y cultura han abierto para el tango un universo impensable hasta ahora. Que sean temas propios, arreglos de clasicos del género o incursiones por otros territorios culturales todo suena original, con voz propia. Ojalá un vasto público descubra éste duo excepcional. G. B.
20 de Septiembre 2018
El 20 de agosto tuvimos el placer de disfrutar en Montevideo un concierto único de Julie & Andreas a sala llena. Éste fue el debut de los hermanos noruegos que ofrecieron lo mejor de sí, generando climas especiales entre silencios y delicadas notas celestiales que nos llevaron casi a levitar. Debo recordar con emoción la hermosa versión de Milonga Triste (Sebastián Piana y Homero Manzi) donde Andreas realizó una introducción poética que se amalgamamó con los primeros acordes del arpa de Julie, y Noctilucas (de su autoría), inspirado en el Cabo Polonio.
Julie, “el ángel” que lleva incorporada la música (ella es música) y el arpa, logra transportarnos a otra dimensión no sólo por ser una brillante intérprete, sino también por su fina estética, sensibilidad y belleza. Andreas, joven y virtuoso bandoneonista, también bello y sensible, parece haber nacido en el Río de la Plata. Logra un sonido propio con depurada técnica, fraseo, matices, y desarrollo de todo el instrumento. El formato que ofrecen, arpa y bandondeón hace la diferencia. Estos músicos logran transitar novedosos e insospechados sonidos en el género Tango.
Con el cielo en las manos es el título de su primer álbum y sugiere lo que se encuentra en el CD; buen tratamiento de la música, una obra muy cuidada desde el arte hasta la elección del repertorio. Compacto que se escucha en su totalidad, desde la primera hasta a la última nota, cosa no muy frecuente cuando uno llega a casa y se sienta en un buen sillón a disfrutar del arte. Estamos frente a dos creadores con novedosas ideas musicales, estudiosos del género y sus códigos que sin desprenderse de las raíces del Tango renuevan repertorio y crean un estilo. Allí conjugan los tangos clásicos y modernos, están Troilo, Rosita Melo, Juan Carlos Cobián, de la Cruz, y Ástor Piazzolla. Pero lo más destacable, es que están Julie & Andreas con sus notables composiciones Noctilique del Tango, Alma herida, Alma no entornes tu ventana y Tjiango. Celebro el hallazgo y el encuentro de lo vital, la vida en su máximo esplendor artístico.
Estar despierto en la vida significa estar atento y va conectado con lo intelectual, lo pensante. Cuando el arte mayor gana el corazón y llega a los rinconcitos más insospechados del ser, logra una conexión inexplicable. La masa conviviendo con las emociones: qué misterio!!! Si bien soy ferviente defensor de la diversidad, siempre me llamó la atención como observador, el motivo por el cual algunas personas no se vinculan con su universo. Ese necesario encuentro con uno mismo, que es en definitiva el viaje espiritual que nos eleva y desconecta de las mundanas miserias. Julie & Andreas ponen el cielo en las manos de cada uno de ustedes, no se distraigan…
Norwegian
15. Oktober 2018
Nannerl og Wolfgang, Fanny og Felix. Musikkhistoria har høyrt mange brør og søstre musisera i lag, og
berre desse kan eigentleg forstå verdien av å ha eksakt lik oppvekst når ein øver eller går på scenen.
No har vi fått Julie og Andreas som lik sine berømte forgjengarar kombinerer søskenkjærleik, virtuoseri, kreativitet og
musikalitet. Resultatet er ikkje berre bra men i tillegg eineståande i valg av instrument og kvalitet.
25. September 2018
Det jeg liker mest med plata er at dette er musikk som får meg til å smile, bli glad og god innvendig, jeg synes kombinasjonen mellom instrumentene utnyttes på en utrolig vakker måte, det er både rytmisk, klanglig og inneholder spennende lydbilder. Det er både variert og rett og slett tøft, inderlig og fint!
Dutch
Hoe de nog jonge levens van broer en zus Julie en Andreas Rokseth uit het Noorse Trondheim precies verliepen, weet ik eigenlijk ook niet, maar ik stel wel vast dat ze een ongewone muzikale combinatie van harp en bandoneon hanteren om hun muzikale reis te ondernemen. Die reis houdt opvallend vaak halt in Nederland, waar deze plaat ook opgenomen werd, met name in de Noorse Zeemanskerk van Rotterdam. Rotterdam was ook voor verschillende jaren de thuishaven van de twee youngsters, die er kwamen studeren aan het Codarts-conservatorium en les kregen van levende legende Gustavo Beytelmann.
Je zou dan kunnen verwachten dat de rest van de Benelux volgt, zeker nadat het duo een aantal keren te zien was op de Nederlandse TV, maar nee hoor, het is wachten tot vandaag, bij de release van de fysieke CD, die al wel even verkrijgbaar was bij het duo zelf, voor de “rest van de wereld” kan kennismaken met deze muziek en laat mij u al maar vooraf verwittigen: het is het wachten meer dan waard. De ongewone combinatie van harp en bandoneon en het gebruik van verschillende types van harp, plus het samengaan van eigen werk met composities van classici als Piazzola -de plaat is trouwens vernoemd naar diens “El Cielo en Los Manos”- maken van de 36 minuten die de plaat duurt, een waar feest voor de oren.
Bij de geleende stukken, vind je “La Trampera” van Anibal “Pichucho” Troilo, het ook door Carlos Gardel opgenomen “El Ciruja” van Ernesto Navidad de le Cruz en Francisco Alfredo Martino, “Los Mareades” van Juan Carlos Coblán en “desde el Alma” van Rosita Melo en wat deze in ook bij ons vrij bekende stukken typeert in de versies op deze CD, is de manier waarop het duo ze als het ware deconstrueert en weer opbouwt, zodat ze niet altijd even herkenbaar meer zijn. Dat vind ik op zijn minst fascinerend: naspelen lukt de meesten nog wel, maar een eeuwenoud nummer tot het jouwe maken, dat is niet iedereen gegeven, maar broer en zus slagen er wonderwel in en daarenboven weten ze hun eigen composities ook nog eens te laten klinken alsof ze altijd al in dit gezelschap hebben vertoefd.
Dit zijn twee niet alleen technisch erg goed geschoolde muzikanten -dat zou er met dergelijke opleiding maar aan ontbreken-, maar tegelijk hebben ze ook dat tikkeltje méér, dat je kennelijk alleen maar tussen naaste familie aantreft: dat vlekkeloos aanvoelen van elkaar, dat weten waar de ander naartoe gaat…het is dat wat deze plaat zo leuk maakt. Ik kan alleen maar hopen dat een aantal programmatoren aan de Vlaamse kant van de landsgrens dit duo ontdekken en hen hierheen halen, zodat ze kunnen beginnen aan het uitbouwen van een heuse fanbase. Dat lukt hen ongetwijfeld, maar ze moeten er wel aan kunnen beginnen…
(Dani Heyvaert)
Cover Art
Cover art, front
Cover art, back
Cover art, fold
Cover art, label
Cover art, fold
Cover art, fold
Press Photos
Album Tracks
Please use the player below to play back the album. Should you experience problems, please visit this page for a simple html playback, or stream the album at SoundCloud. For full credits, please refer to the cover above.
- 01. Noctilique del Tango (J. & A. Rokseth) Julie & Andreas 4:17
- 02. La Trampera (A. Troilo) Julie & Andreas 3:13
- 03. El Ciruja (E. N. de la Cruz) Julie & Andreas 3:03
- 04. Alma Herida (J. & A. Rokseth) Julie & Andreas 2:02
- 05. Los Mareados (J. C. Cobián) Julie & Andreas 6:24
- 06. Alma, no entornes tu ventana (J. & A. Rokseth) Julie & Andreas 3:35
- 07. Desde el Alma (R. Melo) Julie & Andreas 4:01
- 08. Tjiango (J. & A. Rokseth) Julie & Andreas 4:00
- 09. El Cielo en las Manos (A. Piazzolla) Julie & Andreas 5:10
Contact
+47 93640899
+316 50425914
info@harp-bandoneon.com
Posters*
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