chrisabelen.com

new 2018 album
streaming - download - cd

'The interesting, and most distinguishing element, about this album – apart from the music – is that the narrative has at its core, the theme of working in an office, and all its connected situations and emotions. In music as in many other art forms, everything done, has always been done before in some other way. I have to say that I have never come across an entire project, in all of my lifetime based entirely on this subject.'
Tunedloud.com - Feb. 2018 [read more …]

'A gospel for those consigned to cubicle life, Chris Abelen’s new album captures the angst and ennui of the career office employee.'
Band camp Jazz Pick - Jan. 2018 [read more …]

Songs on the eve of dismissal, as the title suggests, is a project about working in an office, and the main emotions involved in present-day office life: fear and loss of individuality. With millions of people worldwide trying to survive the next reorganization while doing their job, this is a serious subject which connects to a large group; at the same time, not many songs have been written about it – up to now, that is! Sad songs, but high-spirited ones as well: like the one they sang going to their last off-site, or the respectful but frank Prayer to the shareholder. The project consists of about 22 pieces (2 sets), 9 of them with vocals. The other compositions (for a 7-piece line-up) have already been published in the 2016 instrumental album A day at the office. The instrumental compositions will also be used as a background for spoken contributions by Bastiaan Geleijnse which we are currently working on.
Bastiaan Geleijnse and Chris Abelen

'The proof’s in the final report. The players don’t sound like they’re watching the clock, waiting for work to be over. They sound psyched, rested and ready. Putting this music together, Chris Abelen struck a blow for worker comfort, efficiency, and effective time management.' [read more . . .]

Kevin Whitehead - liner notes

‘The pharmacy was closed when the many tired ghosts of Miles Davis decided to in vivo freak this band. Suitable for zombies and psychedelics. #livingdeadcharm’
Fiona Ord-Shrimpton’s comment on ‘Fix’ - All About Jazz

A day at the office : Sheet Music Plus™ - iReal Pro™

Play along with the original A day at the office studio recordings.
Select the track and your instrument, download the sheet music and minus one mp3, or play along with the free minus one streaming audio

from the album What a romance - Fleet Street - trombone feature

from the album Bye bye bloomingdale the title track - trombone solo improvisation with samples

Albums

Songs on the eve of dismissal, same line-up as A day at the office, but with Lorena del Mar singing the lyrics written by Bastiaan Geleijnse

Another new album, trombone solo with samples. It started as a trombone warming-up for A day at the office, we will see were it ends

The instrumental set of the Songs on the eve of dismissal project - 4 horns and rhythm, sheet music available at Sheet Music Plus

Plint is an EP, as an introduction to my music. From a quartet to a 10-piece band, with a string quartet. 4 previously published tracks, but the title track is new, with a great tenor solo by Tobias Delius

Is it too much to suggest that on his four CDs so far, Chris Abelen has taken a thesis-antithesis-synthesis approach to bandleading? Kevin Whitehead - liner notes

Imagine the Art Ensemble Of Chicago jamming with Duke Ellington and the Willem Breuker Collective, injecting their jam with elements from the New Orleans funk, blues and brass band music, and you'll get a pretty good picture of what this CD by this Dutch trombone player sounds like. GROOVEMASTER

A much stronger effort than his earlier Dance of the Penguins, What a Romance features a more confident, mature, and gruff-sounding Chris Abelen on trombone -- who not only leads but does so in glorious style. Steven Loewy - All Music Guide

Delius is featured over pedal tones on "Delay," just before Corrie van Binsbergen breaks out with a nasty electric guitar solo. Charles Huffstadt's march drums on "Who's Next" recall Henry Threadgill's Sextet, but this group's got a wholly original sound. Bassist Wilbert de Joode wields an enviable high-action, matte-timbre sound.
John Corbett - Downbeat

and last but not least, the one and only Chris Abelen Playlist

chrisabelen.com