Simin Tander – voc, comp
Harpreet Bansal – vl
Björn Meyer – b, fx
Samuel Rohrer – dr
Raphael Becker-Foss – sound design
Release date album THE WIND: 21.03.2025
The German-Afghan, internationally acclaimed singer and composer enchants with her “unmistakable sound” (DIE ZEIT).
When Simin Tander starts to sing, she does much more than just make her vocal chords vibrate – her singing is pleaded, shaped, whispered. She listens deeply into herself, as if she were questioning her soul – raw, powerful and at the same time tender and permeable.
Sung in English and Pashto/Afghaani, her warm timbre develops an intensity that is deeply moving. With her unique way of improvising, far removed from traditional scat singing, Simin creates a sound world full of mysticism and passionate freedom.
After two highly acclaimed solo albums, she received the German Record Critics’ Award for her ECM album with pianist Tord Gustavsen. Over the past 15 years, Simin has performed at numerous renowned festivals around the world and has sung for UNESCO and UN Women.
She appears in international projects with Jan Bang, Michel Godard, the WDR Rundfunkchor, Nils Petter Molvær, Eric Vloeimans and many more.
On her album UNFADING (Jazzhaus Records, 2020), she sets her own lyrics to poems “by inspiring women who were or are very unconventional and strong personalities in their culture and era,” explains Tander. Through unconventional instrumentation and subtle playing, Simin Tander and her musical guests create a transparent and profound sound that has never been heard before. Tander and her chosen companions inspire each other, together they create a touching intimacy.
The NEW QUARTET’s new album will be released in spring 2025 on Bugge Wesseltoft’s Jazzland Recordings label. Compared to UNFADING, it will have even more bright and light-footed moments, says Simin. Some almost hymn-like pieces provide fire and passion on the record. All this would be unthinkable without the exceptional musicians she gathers around her in her quartet to bring this contrasting sound to the stage:
Violinist Harpreet Bansal is a shooting star in Norway and enriches the ensemble with her energy. The Swede and now actually Swiss Björn Meyer (ECM recording artist) conjures up great atmospheric effects on his bass, immersing himself just as much in the depths of the groove. Last but not least, Samuel Rohrer (ECM recording artist) creates almost hypnotizing, driving, dark rhythms as well as fine, bright sounds for the songs, subtly reaching into the electronic box again and again.
The first single was released at the end of August: Remembering.
The only thing missing now is the finishing touches for the new album. This will first take place in New York in the fall with Grammy-nominated sound engineer and producer Joshua Valleau (Arooj Aftab, Corinne Bailey Rae, John Legend, Kanye West etc.). Then it’s off to LA to multiple Grammy-winning engineer Daddy Kev (Kamasi Washington, Flying Lotus, among others) for the final master.
