River Of Time, anniversary on April 3rd 2021
RIVER OF TIME RELEASED A YEAR AGO ON APRIL 3rd
“It has been exactly 1 year since my trio and I released the “River of Time” album. It had been scheduled for release on April 3, 2020 for quite a while before we knew that a global pandemic was coming. When the pandemic became a reality and a lockdown was imposed in March, my first instinct was to do like everyone else, just cancel and postpone. However, as this album marked an important milestone in my life as well as my career, and since it became increasingly evident that people were going to need music perhaps more than ever due to the lockdown, my team and I decided to go ahead and maintain the original release date, and I am so glad we did.
The “River of Time” album is my 43rd album as a leader since my debut in 1986 and it was to a large extent conceived as a reflective summary of my life journey up until now. The lockdown added yet another dimension to the meaning and importance to me of releasing this album as scheduled, which turned out to be in the midst of lockdown. With all plans getting cancelled and the world going an abrupt pause, it dramatically amplified my urge and desire to reflect over the meaning of life and the state of the world. And I suddenly had all the time in the world to do it. I am fortunate to be living in a beautiful area surrounded by lots of beautiful nature, ocean and forests. So my fiancé Sita and I decided to take long daily walks, enjoying the great weather and wonders of nature while having deep conversations about the course of humanity and our visions for the future. As this period inevitably turned into a major milestone in world history, I am glad that I released an album at that time, especially one as special and important to me as, River of Time.” - Niels Lan Doky
With song titles such as River Of Time, World Peace and Hope 2020, it is obvious that Niels Lan Doky’s album, “River Of Time”, is primarily a reflection on life and the state of the world. However, he also gets personal with a love driven piece like Sita’s Mood and offers an ironic and humorous commentary on political correctness and gastronomic pretentiousness with Greasy Sauce. On a slightly more serious note, he explores Western adaptation of Eastern spirituality with the song Pink Buddha and reflects on the controversial French best-selling author Michel Houellebecq with a composition bearing his last name. Finally - and one of the highlights of the album - is the sparkling and engaging call-to-action piece entitled Are You Coming With Me? With the highly unusual instrumentation of just piano, tambourine and bass drum. All in all, a highly enjoyable, inspiring, engaging and compelling abstract poetic musical depiction of the world at this present moment and a summary of the life on an artist who on his 1986 debut was hailed as “for the first time a young Jazz musician of real stature, someone who can make you feel that the future of the music is in good hands” and in 2019 was called “one of the most important pianists that European jazz has given us in the last 45 years.”
As a result of Niels’ dualistic global citizenship , the music of Niels Lan Doky embodies a unique blend between Nordic reflection and melancholy - and American swing and tradition. His album “River Of Time” - recorded with his regular trio comprised of two phenomenal musicians and next-generation fellow-Danes, bassist Tobias Dall and drummer Niclas Bardeleben - explores and celebrates this dualism and turns the synthesis of Danish and American culture into a fully integrated symbiosis.
