Klaus Doldinger’s Passport – Motherhood

The jazz veteran celebrates with Udo Lindenberg and Max Mutzke.
Review by Markus Brandstetter, laut.de

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Klaus Doldinger released two albums with his former combo Motherhood. With “I Feel So Free” (1969) and “Doldinger’s Motherhood”, the saxophonist laid the foundations for the rest of his career. Doldinger was one of the first to help put fusion on the jazz map, and not just in this country. “Motherhood” was genre-defining, experimental, and new – and is the link to Doldinger’s further work with Passport.

Now, fifty years later, Doldinger is devoting himself to his past – and reinterpreting it. Not because he has run out of ideas, which seems impossible for someone like him. But because the label suggested it to him he felt it was a good opportunity to ensure that the pieces were not forgotten, as he told laut.de in an interview.

Doldinger enjoyed the work, he says – and you can hear that throughout the long player. “Motherhood” celebrates the old songs in high spirits, HD sound, and with plenty of pop appeal. Doldinger gives his fellow musicians enough room for improvisation. And he? Somehow he doesn’t seem to age, or at least differently to other people. With all his musical adventures, film scores, explorations, and reinventions, Doldinger probably simply didn’t have time for anything like getting older – after all, music doesn’t make itself.

There are also some star guests. Among others, Udo Lindenberg does the honors. We remember: Lindenberg played drums on an early version of Doldinger’s Passport. This time he sings on the track “Devil Don’t Get Me”. In English and without döpndödö, it’s hard to recognize him. Also on board: Max Mutzke, who sings on the tracks “Song Of Dying” and “When I Get You Alone”. There are also female vocals – on “Women’s Quarrel” they come from China Moses, the daughter of Dee Dee Bridgewater. Doldinger even sings himself on “Turning Around”.

“Motherhood” is fun – for Doldinger, his band, and the listeners. Which of his works will he transport to the present day next? There’s still a lot in his back catalog!

Musicians

KLAUS DOLDINGER – SAX, VOCALS

MICHAEL HORNEK KEYS, – VOCALS

MARTIN SCALES – GUITARS

PATRICK – SCALES BASS

CHRISTIAN – LETTNER DRUMS

ERNST STRÖER – PERCUSSION

BIBOUL DAROUICHE – PERCUSSION

Special Guests:

UDO LINDENBERG VOCALS

CHINA MOSES – VOCALS

MAX MUTZKE – VOCALS

WOLFGANG – SCHMID BASS (Track 5)

JOO KRAUS – TRUMPETs