Antonio Dayyani | Trop Op | September 27, 2024

Praised by radio hosts and critics alike for his standout musical personality and compositional voice, young drummer/composer Antonio Dayyani proudly presents his second studio album. Combining Nordic melancholy with dusty Americana, ‘Trop Op’ is set to release on April Records on September 27th.

A followup to his 2022 debut Dayyani released on his own label, ‘Trop Op’ sees the drummer delve deeper into the mood of pedal steel, trumpet and Nordic folk he discovered early in his writing practice and develop it into a bigger, more comprehensive vision

Featuring eight original compositions and an arrangement of a traditional Swedish folk song, Dayyani’s simple yet sophisticated writing style is focussed on lyrical thematic melodies, rich folk harmony, and showcasing each member of the sextet’s musical identity

With years of playing together in a number of up-and-coming Danish jazz groups including Tigeroak, Nordlys trio and Vingborg/Valencia Quartet, the ensemble is well versed in giving each other space to express their voices freely. Soaring reverberated arcs from the pedal steel, subtle drum grooves and expressive, tasteful improvisations offer up an imaginative fresh perspective on contemporary Nordic jazz.

The record’s title translates to ‘Step Up’, referring to Dayyani’s view that we all need to step up for our communities and share more of ourselves to the people around us. 

“We live in a time where there is an increasing focus on our mental health, and personal growth where we need to take care of ourselves. In doing so, I think we can sometimes withdraw too much into ourselves, focus on the inner self and forget to stand up for each other and the community surrounding what we do.”

Line up

Antonio Dayyani | Drums
Harald Hagelsjær | Double Bass
Cahlo Hayman | Guitars (except Track 1)
Magnus Munk Tækker | Pedal Steel Guitar
Jon Askjær | Trumpet, Flugelhorn Andrea Maagaard | Piano                   Special Guest
Carlo Dayyani | Guitar (Track 1)

Track Listing

Wow, det er nat // Wow, it is nighttime
Skiftevisen // The Shifting Song
Fyldt op (…pludselig af kœrlighed) // Filled Up (…Suddenly by Love)
Snefald på Lyravej // Snowfall on Lyravej
Stjerner over Vercors // Stars over Vercors
Melankolsk setting (har aldrig slået fejl) // Melancholy Setting (has never failed)
Hård uge // Hard Week
Jakketyvens tristesse // The Tristesse of the Coat Thief
Vem kan segla förutan vind? // Who can sail without the wind?

PR Quotes

Jazz Views (UK)
“a world where tradition and innovation meet”

Jazz Weekly (US)
“pastoral portraits”

Presto Music (UK)
“richly rewarding sound world”

Jazz-fun (DE)
“A beautiful, calm and atmospheric album that is worth spending more time on”

Musikreviews (DE)
“A quiet album full of beautiful melodies that stick in your head and are framed by relaxed arrangements”

Esensja (PL)
“Antonio Dayyani’s album may prove to be a great sonic illustration of the changing weather.”

UK Vibe (UK)
Introspective, stirring, achingly intimate… an absolute treasure

Jazz in Family (IT)
“offers a fresh perspective on contemporary Danish jazz”

Jazznyt (DK)
“It is a very strong end to an album that will land among the Danish jazz records of the year”

JazzBuzz (GR)
“The whole album is a very tight and cohesive whole with perfectly structured tracks dominated by slow tempos and beautiful, peaceful melodies”

Cuttings