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Anne-Marie Winkelman
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Storyteller – review excerpts
Leidsch Dagblad
October 2021
” Journey around the world with beautiful views ”
” The open ensemble sound, sparingly supplemented with electronic loops, allows us to enjoy the unusual sound combinations right from the start. The atmosphere is world music, the performance leans more towards improvised music. …there are many gems of interplay in all the pieces .”
Full Review (Dutch)
Noord Hollandsch Dagblad
October 2021
“The guitar and kora weave together perfectly and the combination with flute is unique.”
Full Article (Dutch)
Citizen Jazz
October 2021
” An astonishing explorative instrumentarium, beginning with “Anim”…In the beautiful “Everything is Everywhere”, all the instruments converge towards an elsewhere that remains to be imagined. A beautiful moment of escape.”
Full Review ( French)
Concerto
July 2021
“A formation full of curiosity, energy and character.”
Full review (German)
Jazzism
Feb 2021
”Boi Akih has always had a fascination for special sounds, produced by unusual instruments.”
“Brouwer’s compositions form folkish frameworks that leave a lot of room for beautiful sound nuances in the ensemble playing. Boi Akih’s music is timeless and enchanting”.
Full review (Dutch)
Heaven Magazine
Feb 2021
“Boi Akih have been playing together for 22 years and they treated us to a phenomenal concert, …combining sublime instrumental interaction with Akihary’s vocal beauty and emotion.”
“High-quality music that despite its mostly light tone is not lightweight, and precisely because of that can withstand a lot of spins without becoming tiresome”
Full review (Dutch)
All About Jazz
Feb 2021
“Storyteller is a wonderfully resonant blend of cultures and textures which hails traditions and innovations alike. Akihary and Brouwer have always shown deep respect for tradition but know, too, that without evolution there is stagnation. Above all, however, the music is a tale of ingenuity, loss, resilience and, ultimately, of triumph.”
Full review
JazzNu
Jan 2021
“..balance, daring, new musical insights and an intriguing mix of composed and, especially, improvised music.”
“Her scats are unpredictable, brimming with maturity and confronting within the concept that Boi Akih has developed. In the piece Imaginary Journey she builds an impressive duo with Niels Brouwer, who in turn, with his completely individual guitar sound, lifts the quartet to a higher plane.”
“…composition(s). They are all by Niels Brouwer. Monica Akihary is responsible for the lyrics, which are also of top quality and given an extra boost by their addition to the CD booklet. Boi Akih displays sophisticated craftsmanship down to the smallest details, outshining by far top Dutch jazz and improvisation ensembles.
Full review (Dutch)
Salt Peanuts
Dec 2020
“Storyteller” is another great album from Boi Akih, and if you get the opportunity to hear the two, three or the whole “hurven” (band) live nearby, sometime after corona has left us,
then you should grab the chance. I can guarantee you a delightful concert.
Full review (Norwegian)
Music Frames
Dec 2020
“Released right at the end of 2020, Boi Akih’s newest album Storyteller could just sneak in as the best album of this year, or already be a contender for the most innovative CD of 2021.”
“Boi Akih keeps the line-up small and intimate, resulting in music that excels in ‘maximum effect with minimum resources.’
“Storyteller is replete with musical tales that are exciting and emotionally charged, but also enchanting, theatrical, dignified and even solemn. Ten world stories brought together on an imaginative CD, with a sumptuous range of music that will easily last you a whole year!”
Full review
Trouw
Dec 2020
Full review (Dutch)
Maluku Post (RI)
Dec 2020
“New Album Storyteller, Boi Akih moves again”
Full review (Bahasa Indonesia)