For Very Sad and Very Tired Lotus Eaters by Wanja Slavin Lotus Eaters

This album is not only special to me because it is the second record carrying my own signature, but also because the production was particularly difficult and full of complications. There was a very clear idea from the beginning what the music should sound like and how it should be played, but it took over five years to reach the ideal moment where everything fell into place. Recording the final material took only two afternoons, but it took that long finding the right approach in my own musical practice, as well as choosing the right musicians and pieces.

There were many changes in the band constellation - about twenty musicians that were involved at one point or another. Even though they are not part of Lotus Eaters at present, they all left a mark on the music presented here. Special thanks at this point to Wolfgang Zechlin, Daniel Glatzel and Jan Leipnitz for the inspiration and input they have given in the past.

The sound of the album reflects the difficulties of its creation, but also presents a resolution after a long struggle. One can hear notions of melancholy as well as of getting lost, states of mind that have occurred after moving to Berlin in 2006. Yet, despite these shadows, the creative process always was stronger and the beauty emerging from it kept me on track (most of the time).

Compared to my first record „Scirocco“, this album focuses on more or less simple compositions that are all references to jazz pieces that have been of great inspiration to me. They are neither structural copies nor re-compositions, but try to catch the vibes or the particular feeling that I had listening to them, mirroring my moods on the way.

Hippie Song: Back Woods Song (from „Gateway“ by John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette)
Hommage: Love Theme from Spartacus (from „Eastern Sounds“ by Yusef Lateef)
Odense: Chords (from „The Remedy - Live at the Village Vanguard“ by Kurt Rosenwinkel)
PAF: inspired by Charles Lloyd
A Long Day's Journey into Night: dedicated to Hermeto Pascoal

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