Malene & Christian (Vinyle LP) / Malene Mortensen & Christian Sands

Description

The story of this album began in 2014, when Danish singer and songwriter Malene Mortensen (1982) met American pianist Christian Sands (1989) at the Jazzhus Montmartre club in Copenhagen. At the time, Sands was one of jazz's rising stars, performing alongside bassist Thomas Fonnesbæk and the late drummer Alex Riel. Mortensen already had a rich discography of prestigious collaborations under her belt, including Alex Riel, NHØP, Niels Lan Doky, Chris Potter, Mike Stern, and Avishai Cohen, and she soon joined Sands in New York. Their 2015 recording, *Can't Help It*, captured the spark of that initial meeting. Ten years later, Stunt Records and Mortensen reconnected with Sands. In the interim, he had established himself as a leading bandleader, composer, and arranger, notably with Christian McBride, who gave him the advice that became his guiding principle: "Be yourself. Don't adapt your music to what you think people want to hear." Mortensen and Sands met again in Copenhagen in 2025 to create this new album, which brings together original compositions and standards. Sands doesn't just play; he produces, arranges, and shapes a repertoire that is both intimate and expansive.