Awareness – feat. Palle Mikkelborg og Mike Sheridan

"Awareness" can be interpreted as: consciousness about; realizing; being present in the situation - three concepts that in the context of this concert describe a situation where you relate to the world that surrounds you, are "there in the situation" and appreciate life, see and understand it as it is in all its magnificent diversity.

“Awareness” is the title of the concert that celebrated Palle Mikkelborg’s appointment as Honorary Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus/Aalborg, RAMA, in September 2013 – a concert produced on a large scale with almost 100 academy students participating in the orchestra and choir conducted by Jens Chr. “Chappe” Jensen, and featuring Moussa Diallo (bass), Mike Sheridan (electronics), Helen Davies (harp), Ayi Solomon and Habib Meftahcfra (percussion), Baba Sacko (vocal and kora), Kamissa Dianaté (vocal), Moslem Rahal (ney-flute), Maher Mahmoud (oud) and with Mikkelborg (trumpet) himself as the central soloist.

“Awareness” is at the same time a musical journey in time, where “So Many Come, So Many Go” takes us back to Palle Mikkelborg’s compositions of the 1980’s and Chappe’s painfully relevant “Prayer for Syria” reminds ud of present day troubles, and a voyage through different musical forms of expression. From Middle-Eastern and African sounds over jazz-funk and electronics to acoustic a capella choir and chamber orchestra we float through the musical soundscapes of Mikkelborg, Chappe and the featured soloists in a long weightless glide.

“Awareness” is a demonstration of RAMA’s broad and diverse musical range and the academy’s focus on cultural and musical diversity. This album is RAMA’s celebration of music in all its different facets – and of Palle Mikkelborg.

Thomas Winther
Copenhagen, April 2015