The WDR BIG BAND feat. Karolina Strassmayer with her composition "Of Mystery & Beauty" in an arrangement by guest conductor Chuck Owen, who also leads the WDR BIG BAND. Another solo is performed by U.S. violinist Sara Caswell. Produced at WDR Studio 4 / Cologne in July 2019. CD released by MAMA Records M 1060.

Karolina about her composition: "Beauty means different things to different people. But there is a universal truth about it, regardless of taste and aesthetic; beauty has the power to move the heart.

I feel that it is my responsibility as an artist to search for those little melodic twists and harmonic turns that make my heart leap — in the hopes that they will touch the heart of another. Turning those tiny tugs and hunches into songs is a deeply satisfying work and witnessing them being brought to life by such splendid musicians was a blast."

Chuck Owen is a US jazz musician, composer, arranger and jazz educator. His compositions and arrangements incorporate currents from many different musical styles: contemporary classical music can be heard as well as American roots music, funk and hip hop, and Latin. But everything swings in the old jazz tradition. https://www.chuckowen.com/

Sara Caswell is an American violinist and jazz educator. Her solo "Can't Remember Why from the album Whispers on the Wind" by Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge was nominated for a 2018 Grammy Award for Best Improvised Jazz Solo. https://saracaswell.com/

More about the WDR BIG BAND:
http://www.wdrbigband.de
  / wdrbigband