Christian Ludwig Mayer: The Call of the Woods
“[…] The aesthetic of the surprise created by deviating from the expected unites early Baroque, Jazz and Mayer’s music, which, with extraordinary stylistic twists, moves in every imaginable direction […]. Mayer, for whom ‘bring in that which is missing in the present through music’ is the motivation for composing, writes works that do not fit in any category; they are by no means only jazz pieces, but also orchestral and chamber music pieces.” [read the full article in German]
-- Marcus A. Woelfle, RONDO Das Klassik und Jazz Magazin
Album review: “Token Gestures” – debut album of the Auwald Trio
“Earlier, like in the last millennia, neither European nor (especially) German jazz musicians dared to form Jazz Trios […] Now it’s time to introduce the not-yet-well-known Auwald Trio! The pianist Christian Ludwig Mayer, the double bass player Ludwig Leininger and the drummer Lorenz Huziker-Rutiliano recorded a striking CD in Murnau with the title ‘Token Gestures’. Those who listen to the CD think to themselves when they hear the first piece ‘Nocturnal Constitution’: Aha, these three musicians studied the ‘[Bill] Evan’s Trio communication dictionary’ and learned something! Yet, immediately thereafter you’re dumbfounded by the lively, tempo-rich ‘The Battle of St. George’ with its cut-sheer-across-the-keys, room-grabbing stride piano, its rich double bass and its crisp drums. […] And then, all of a sudden, the 19th -- even the 18th century becomes audible with the piece ‘Reconnaissance: Im Gehäuse’ before the music from ‘Into it’ rips loose: What is that? Jack Bruce meets Mal Waldron? […] This CD continues with this type of diversity: sometimes deeply ballad-like, sometimes fiercely driven, sometimes with the breath of an easy, swinging French musette, sometimes casting a glance into the realm of Latin music […]. And for those who leaf through the booklet and read its contents, those people are also – so to say – verbally impressed, without really being able to make head or tail of the ingenious-ironic Text nor learning anything about the three musicians. Are these ‘Gestures’ also in this way symbolic, only pro forma = token? – All the same, the summary of the Auwald Trio and the CD is as follows: The music speaks for itself.”
-- Guenter Buhles, Jazz Podium
An insider tip that really is one
“Mayer’s works tell a story, are unbelievably, cleverly thought out and are exceptionally well composed. […] Hidden in most of the pieces is more ingenuity than is found in many of the albums of prized and celebrated musician colleagues.”
-- Jochen Eichner, Süddeutsche Zeitung
Spellbound audience
“Mayer has found a freedom in his expression that goes way beyond the typical ‘jazz sound’. His original works are multifaceted and full of lively tonal ideas and ingenuity. […] The results of [C.L. Mayer’s] inspiration between rhythmical and playful and between melodic and symphonic amaze completely.”
-- Harald Holstein, Allgäuer Zeitung
Editorial tip in the music magazine Silberhorn: The debut album „Token Gestures“ from the Auwald Trio
“Mayer has the animated between-musical-genres expressive fantasy of a Jaki Byard, the melodic touch of a Roland Hanna, the romantic soul of a Robert Schumann and an enormous helping of originality. He knows everything and – together with his trio members Ludwig Leininger (b) and Lorenz Hunziker-Rutiliano (d) – combines it with ingenuity in an appealing, down-to-earth manner. The Auwald Trio doesn’t fit in any category; above all it swings like crazy.”
-- Marcus A. Woelfle, SILBERHORN
Sense of swing
"Christian Ludwig Mayer is a pianist that will delight you with his sense of swing and the maturity that he brings to his performances."
-- Prof. Rusty Hassan, Radio host and jazz journalist (Downbeat magazine, Jazztimes, New York Times, Washington Post, Coda)
About Christian Ludwig Mayer and the premiere of his work "Waldgeist" played by the Ensemble Berlin
"Ingeniousness, versatility and virtuosity have a name: Christian Ludwig Mayer." [read the full article in German]
-- Erich Neumann, My Heimat
Music that takes your breath away
“For that which Christian Ludwig Mayer composes and brings with him on the stage is the term ‘jazz’ too narrow: Mayer is an exceptional musical talent who doesn’t fit in any category and who shifts between genres”
-- Rainer Bannier, Tölzer Kurier
A man with God-gifted fingers
"Christian Ludwig Mayer, a man with God-gifted fingers that majestically hover over the black and white keys. [At the concert] C.L.Mayer once again demonstrated the "high art" of piano playing. A veritable feast for the ears for everyone."
-- Allgäuer Zeitung
Virtuoso “wanderer” between worlds
“88 keys are not enough for him: Christian Ludwig Mayer needs the entire grand piano as a sound generator, plucking and pounding, swiping [his hands] across the strings; making use of the swinging sound box. […] completely new tonal worlds. Three world class musicians. Three hats off!”
-- Christoph Pfister, Allgäuer Anzeigenblatt
Musical world wanderer
”The pianist Christian Ludwig Mayer is a musical world wanderer between classical and jazz. It has become fashionable to adapt classical material in jazz. There are, however, few pianists who can so effortlessly – with eyes closed – traverse these borders like Mayer […]”.
-- Markus Noichl, Allgäuer Zeitung
Magnificent piano artistry
"The second set on Saturday featured a jazz Klezmer performance by the Ludwig Auwald* Sextet affording a sharply contrasting style. Ludwig is a pianist/composer from Bavaria proficient in both classical and jazz and the music shows both influences. His piano artistry was magnificent and aroused a great reception from the audience."
-- Perry Huntoon, The International Association of Jazz Record Collectors Journal
A magnificent tour de force
“Ludwig Auwald* – singer, pianist and conductor on seven additional instruments – masterfully conducted this celebratory music: merrily and with ease. […] With exceptional expertise he presented his soloists all the while conducting with his index finger. Standing ovations for this magnificent tour de force.”
["Le chanteur pianiste chef d´orchestre aux sept instruments, Ludwig Auwald*, a dirigé de main de maître cette musique de fête, joyeuse et légère. [...] Avec une maîtrise exceptionnelle, de son index de meneur de musiciens et tout en jouant, le chef a fait émerger ses solistes. Une ovation debout a salué la prouesse."]
-- Gérard Mura, L'Alsace (France)
Expectations exceeded
“Christian Ludwig Mayer’s music ventures from the old jazz of the 1920s, across various jazz-genres, up to modern jazz and allows some classical to shine through. […] Mayer immediately spellbound his audience with his harmonic, melodious and soulful music. His strongly expressive piano playing […] magically turned the musical artistry of [his] Trio into a unique and wonderful orchestral experience.”
-- Neue Fricktaler Zeitung (Switzerland)
A flood of sounds: Ludwig Auwald* celebrates a joyful musical procession
“The Allgovian pianist and composer Christian Ludwig Mayer […] is a ‘Proteus’. Not only because he plays numerous instruments – piano, accordion, guitar, trumpet – and thereby moves about in diverse musical genres […], rather because he, above all, is a prolific jazz composer and pianist.”
-- Reinhard Palmer, Süddeutsche Zeitung
Sublime Pianist Mayer
"An evening that makes you want more of this type of jazz."
-- Dr. Rainer Schmid, Allgäuer Zeitung
Virtuosity at the highest level (accordion)
“[…] Christian Ludwig Mayer, innately a pianist, maximizes the sound-possibilities of the accordion to the last fibers of its musical substance. He caresses the keys and, through delicate repetitions, allows them to scintillate; he changes the themes in electrifying pulses and flits across the keys with terrific speed and laid-back hands – this is virtuosity at the highest level.”
-- Süddeutsche Zeitung
A musical genius
“High levels of creativity and many surprising combinations are the hallmark of this music […].” [...]. As a top-level pianist with unbelievable viruosity and tonal diversity Mayer proves his mastery."
-- Klaus Bielenberg, AZ Füssner Blatt
Music that amazes people
“On the piano [Christian Ludwig Mayer] has a fantastic and quick ‘style’ [...]. This [music] amazes [people] with tremendous diversity: lots of jazz, swing, waltzes, ‘ländler’ and – as they admit themselves – some pieces that are just ‘odd’.”
-- Claus Braun, Augsburger Allgemeine
*C.L.Mayer occasionally performs under the pseudonym Ludwig Auwald