Artists
ANGELA PUXI
For decades now, Cologne, the Ruhr area, and the neighbouring Netherlands have been an agglomeration where great musicians of all kinds, from everywhere in the world get together.
On this fertile ground, new exciting bands keep evolving, like the one of Angela Puxi.
Angela Puxi studied the saxophone in Arnhem/Netherlands, from where she pathed her way into a career as a professional musician. No easy endeavour in a, at least until recently, pretty much male-dominated field. As a working-class kid from Sardinian immigrants, her beginning was rather tough. Unlike many other young talents, she wasn’t sponsored and spoilt with premature praise. Instead, she had to fight hard against prejudice, and for getting access to the major orders of an academic training
in music.
While other young talents gained support at early age, she mainly taught herself how to play, despite all obstacles, being pushed forward by her passion and vision.
In doing so, her musical path turned out not to be the one of a typical allround instrumental virtuoso. Writing, producing, and finally playing her own music live, that’s
what she puts her focus on. In that way she managed to build a frame in which to express herself without disguise, with all of her personality.
And so, in summer of 2012 her debut-ep „Senza Parole“ came out; a rock-hymnic oeuvre that gained quite some attention in professional circles. The song „Breathless“ immediately landed on jazzradio.net’s playlist. Several German tv channels broadcasted a striking special, followed up by press interviews.
Puxi’s musical influences are wide-spread, but what always stands out is her great sound and her aptitude for strong, haunting melodies. A multidimensional band sound and hypnotic grooves, these are the main ingredients of her new album „Badapapapaa“, which stands for „out of the box“ thinking. 70’s funk sounds meet modern beats and club-flavours, always spiced up with some interesting details that dwell reliably beyond common fusion-clichees.
Though it may be good training for many musicians, myself, I’ve never tried to copy anybody.
I took the job of developping a personal tone and style seriously from the start, and to sing with my horn.“ says Angela Puxi. In early 2011 Volker Dorsch as keyboarder and co-producer was found to be the congenial partner for writing new songs. So, soon the first sketches of „Badapapapaa“ came to life. With Ulf Stricker on drums and Goran Vujic on bass, a tremendously tight and reliable rhythm section stepped in. Now they’d hit the recording studio, and what came out is a really refreshing and varied album, „out of the box“ in the true sense. This time, Angela Puxi shines not only as a saxophonist, she also grabs the vocal mic on three tunes. Guest misicians Sebastian Studnitzky (tp), Hans Peter Salentin (tp) and Dennis Legree (vc) enrich the album with their colours.
We didn’t think of any particular genre or audience when we started. Our only rule was to come up with something that thrills ourselves, even after a hundred times listening.“
says Volker Dorsch aka Climatic, who, alongside his activities as a jazz pianist, has also released several electronic albums in the ambient and deep-house realm. An influence that certainly left its marks on „Badapapapaa“.