HIPPIE TUNES In 2009 "MSV Brecht" 's debut album "Urwaldallee" (Jungle Alley) came out, preceding a note by acclaimed bassist Carlos Bica: "When it comes to music, the further away the musician is from labels the more authentic the creative process, and the closer from the truth one seeks. Urwaldallee is a special revelation of a musical universe which moves beyond the jazz landscape and lets itself be contaminated by other influences."MSV Brecht comprises four improvisers: Timo Vollbrecht, Peter Meyer, Bernhard Meyer and Hanno Stick. As a group they have been developing the band's unique style for the past five years. The second album MSV BRECHT: "HIPPIE TUNES" (Unit Records) is being released in January 2012. It was recorded on two consecutive days right after an extended tour through the Middle East, using all the impressions and inspiration the group brought home from the road. Each member contributes two of eight compositions to the record. The music shows influences of jazz-, rock- and experimental- music, as well as a traits of folk (as seen in the title track "Hippie Tunes"). It all smoothly merges into one ripe, coherent sound. The improvising collective creates minimalistic soundscapes, in which the guitar rings alongside slowly pacing loops, as to be experienced in the opener "Perlenbaum" and the closer "Unumbium". Lyrical melodies, driven by the beauty of their simplicity add an hypnotic effect to it. Parallels to artists such as Bill Frisell or Björk mightcome to the listener's mind. The compositions "Apart From Being A Part" and "They Tell Me" each have a long developmental process. The harmonies, which are carefully chosen and full of detail, shape the architecture of these pieces. While the bass loosely lays out the fundament, the saxophone/clarinet and the guitar melt into a unified, original sound. The rocking grooves are sometimes raspy, as "Le Clap", a short and trashy Disco-Rock intermezzo, displays. Often times the drums play around the beat with controlled inaccuracy, creating a loose sound and making the music feel organic. It provides the perfect feel for the hymn-like melodies of "Hippie Tunes" or "Tale of Jordan". ... The four friends met during their studies at the Jazz Institute Berlin. Saxophonist and clarinetist Timo Vollbrecht moved to New York for his graduate studies with Mark Turner. At New York University he currently holds an adjunct teaching position. He has performed with internationally renowned artists such as Kenny Werner and Joe Lovao. The latter describes Vollbrecht as a "fantastic young tenor saxophonist with a lot of ideas that surprise me each time I hear him." The two brothers Peter and Bernhard Meyer have been working together musically ever since. Bernhard studied composition with John Hollenbeck and works in bands with Claudio Puntin and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Peter was Rosenwinkel's student. With their trio "Meyer/Baumgärtner/Meyer" they performed at the Jazz Baltica Festival.Hanno Stick is originally from Kiel, Germany and studied with drummers John Hollenbeck, Jim Black, Jeff Ballard and Joey Baron. He is a creative member of numerous bands and lives in Berlin. MSV Brecht has performed at important festivals such as the Damascus International Jazz Festival as well as at renowned venues like "Jamboree" Jazz Club in Barcelona. In 2008 they won the "winning jazz" award at the Hanover Jazz Club.