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Liner notes
"Next Page"


Listening to Karlheinz Miklin several times in small groups I  got interested in his compositions, so the idea came up to arrange his music for big band. Doing that I had second thoughts . Here was this wonderful musician who has composed some very interesting music over the years but has very rarely been associated with big bands. Various sizes of small groups yes. The challenge I faced is to try to write the arrangements in such a way as to leave Karlheinz free to play as he would in a small group. His compositions can vary from the craziness of a Joltz's Waltz, Monk-key to beautiful melodies such as Para Pochin and Palomar. Hopefully I have accomplished this. This was a fun and challenging recording to work on and hope you enjoy the finished project.

                                                                                                        Michael Abene




My capacity for enthusiasm regarding big band music is unadulterated since my professional start in the early 1980’s. And almost since then an intense musical collaboration with Karlheinz Miklin had been along my way. Doing workshops with my first „big band baby“, the Big Band Süd, being my teacher and mentor at the Jazzdepartment in Graz and in the past years sharing the stage on bigbandish occasions once in a while. Therefore I’m extremly happy that it was possible – with the birth of another band - to bring this collaboration to another level. Performing and recording the music of Karlheinz Miklin with the handpicked and outstanding musicians of the brand-new „Jazz Orchester Steiermark“ is a wonderful piece of luck. The icing on this cake are the magnificant arrangements of great Michael Abene – who did an amazing job in putting „Charlie’s“ very personal music into a big band context. Happy and proud in having been a part of this project!

                                                                                                        Sigi Feigl




This is not my first CD entitled „Next page“. After having played mostly in trio format I started to work in quartet with Fritz Pauer, Ron McClure and the drummers Victor Lewis, Adam Nussbaum und Billy Hart in the nineties – defenitely opening a 'next page'. Later I came back to play mostly in trio again, besides my ongoing work with Argentine musicians for decades. That Michael Abene proposed to write arrangements of my compositions means an honour and another very important next page for me. It puts me in an unusual context but Michael – a true master - succeeded in keeping the meaning of my songs and enriched them with beautiful sounds and colors. I would not have started this project without the support of my dear friend Sigi Feigl. His knowledge and dedication were indespensable to make everything happen. I hope you enjoy!

                                                                                                        Karlheinz Miklin

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alessa records

ALR 1055