NINA ERNST - A DIVA’S MIND
Even if the melodies always remain recognizable, Nina Ernst and her fellow musicians have found a sound picture for the fourteen interpretations that is much closer to the relaxed chamber jazz of a Madeleine Peyroux than to the original originals, which are often very much fixated on the dance floor. - Junge Welt (Germany)
In short, a transgressive album that, listened to track by track, turns out to be an exciting repertoire that offers fourteen facets of a jazz singer without prejudices. A repertoire of broad vision that could well serve for a casting exercise on Broadway, for example, and that allows to know Nina Ernst from many points of view in a single listening. - Jazz ese ruido (Spain)
Originally it was supposed to be a CD to a self-written music comedy show about a failed diva. The result was a complex international music and video project.
Nina Ernst met the star photographer Gal Oppido (for Vogue, among others) in São Paulo on one of her numerous tours in Brazil.
Since the musical production of “A Diva's Mind” took place in Berlin at the same time and he liked the music very much, it turned out that he produced artistic videos of the recordings and included São Paulo's avant-garde artists in the production.
Inspired by international divas such as Sophia Loren, Carmen Miranda, Rosemary Clooney, Peggy Lee and Marlene Dietrich, Nina chose 14 classical songs in six different European languages, which are associated worldwide with the aforementioned performers.
Always respecting the original melody and inspired by modern influences; sometimes hypnotic, atmospheric and moving freely between jazz, rock, ambient and folk.
Sensual, swinging and sometimes powerful; these classical songs deliver an emotional, yearning soundscape.
The album was produced, arranged and mixed by American bassist Max Hughes and percussionist Andreas Weiser. Also the rest of the band is made up of top jazz musicians from the Berlin scene:
Nina Ernst (vocals), Max Hacker (saxophone, clarinet, flute), Kai Brückner (guitar), Kelvin Sholar (keyboards), Max Hughes (bass), Andreas Weiser (percussion), Michael Kersting (drums)
In 2019 the CD “A Diva’s Mind” was released by the label Fina Flor (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).
“What a pleasure to experience all the various Ninas. Sensual, sensual, super sensual. Dieterchen gets lead into a surreal bar and Nina’s voice embraces his heart, soft but with conviction.” - Dieter Meier (Yello)
“I have seen your videos. I find them extremely beautiful with an impeccable plasticity and a very good taste.” - Roberto Menescal
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