MEAN MEAN
 MACHINE
Amsterdam-based Danish guitarist Teis Semey's latest release is called Mean Mean Machine, and is his third album in just three years.

Lauded and awarded for his experimental approach, the album is an attempt to fuse the punk and free jazz that he buried himself in during lockdown, with the Scandinavian songs of his childhood, found in a book his grandmother left to him when she passed away.

The result is 7 tracks of guitar-fuelled, nearly-danceable jazz with a finger on the pulse and a fist in the air. A flaming response to the critical state of the world and an homage to the extreme beauty that still exists.

It’s no surprise that Semey often refers to the quintet as his family: whilst hailing from 5 different countries, they have forged a close relationship together on the hotly-tipped Dutch jazz scene over the last years.

Interestingly, all five are bandleaders in their own right, bringing a deep understanding of what it takes to turn melodies and chords into a unique and happening set of music.

“My ideal is a leaderless sound. Everybody knows all the parts. That is also the way we rehearse. Anyone can start anything at any given moment. That results in a lot of unleashed creativity.”

Whilst his music has been labelled as avant-garde in the past, he is keen to unite both uncompromising musical concepts with an awareness of the audience.

“We try to deliver something that is unique. Sure it can be challenging to an audience but we absolutely want to make it a good experience for them. As for ourselves, we are putting everything that we have into it.”
Line Up

Teis Semey (DK) – guitar / compositions
Alistair Payne (SCO) trumpet
José Soares (ES) – alto saxophone
Jort Terwijn (NL) – double bass
Sun-Mi Hong (KR) – drums

Track listing

1 – Sun Song
2 – A Strange Absence of Birds
3 – Bamboo Eyes
4 – Reqiuem
5 – Monday in Turquoise
6 – Glue (or the Eternal Struggle of Beauty)
7 – Tragedie
QUOTES
"By using his own unique style of punk, Semey proclaims true freedom and blends forms of traditional jazz, with punk, and indie, together to create something truly wonderful."

-Rob Oatley, TheOdysseyOnline
‘Mean Mean Machine’ combines the depth of jazz with the attitude of punkrock and is therefore a CD that sets the ears nice and free. Tip for concert programmers!"

-Mathijs van den Berg, JazzEnzo
"...Some manage to be angular and inviting simultaneously, a rare feat. Others are more lyrical. Semey’s fluid guitar technique occasionally peaks in an impressive fashion, but always functions to serve the music."

Guitar Moderne Record Picks, January 2022
"... Already in the first composition, this spontaneously overflowing, but masterfully sensitive, insightful and charmingly nonchalant approach to music taught me a lot and I was determined to forgive if later unpleasant passages should come to me. It did not happen and after the first lesson in the fight against prejudice came the second in the Middle East pulse, then the third ballad, the fourth melancholic, the fifth syncopated, etc. Great!"

Miroslav Haľák, JazzSK

& REVIEWS
"The album includes seven recordings driven by guitar sounds. Pulsating, sometimes even dancing. Avant-garde clashes with melody in the recordings."

-Esensja magazine
Zennez Records, 2021
PURCHASE
---- CONTACT
Purchase album on www.bandcamp.teissemey.com
Purchase album on the Zennez Records webshop www.zennezrecords.com
For interviews or bookings of the Teis Semey Quintet contact booking@teissemeymusic.com
For physical copy for review contact Zennez Records john@zennezrecords.com
Bookings of Teis Semey in France related to Footprints European Touring, contact brigitagracner@gmail.com
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