Nicole Johänntgen - Henry III (Live in Pforzheim 2018) (2021)

In May 2021 Nicole Johänntgen presents her first live album „Henry III“ with Jon Ramm (trombone), Steven Glenn (sousaphone) and Paul Thibodeaux (drums). This is the third time the saxophonist has
recorded an album with her three New Orleans musicians. „Henry III“ is funky and refreshing, played simply and honestly, grooves and rumbles inspired by New Orleans jazz.

On the last tour, the saxophonist recorded the new album analog on tape during a live concert at Jazzclub Domicil in Pforzheim - beautifully in the old manner. You can feel how familiar and eager to play the four musicians are. „Life“ is the name of the first piece, and it sets to music the roller coaster ride of life. Compared to the first two „Henry“ albums, „Henry III“ has even more funk in it. Crisp, melodic and drum-twirling, Nicole Johänntgen‘s „Henry“ formation again makes powerful steam.
The new compositions encourage to sing along, dance along, simply to join in. But if you listen closely, you will also discover the profound, heart-wrenching side of „Henry“. In songs like „Dig Deep“ or „Guetnachtlied“ there is a lot of space between the individual melodies, so that you fall into a twilight state, a state in which you reflect, process things that sit deep. And then it goes up again on the roller coaster ride!

The „Henry“ project is a tribute to her father Heinrich, who used to wake her up early in the morning with the trombone in her school days.