Visionary Amsterdam-based ensemble Stargazers present their self-titled debut album via Night Dreamer. Drawing on the spiritual, freedom-driven sound of '60s/'70s Black jazz, Stargazers breathes new life into the introspective, quietly crafted and previously hidden musical diary of the ensemble's orchestrator, saxophonist, flautist and composer, Finn Peters. Released as a direct-to-disc live album, Stargazers marks Peters' debut in Night Dreamer's prestigious direct-to-disc series, joining the ranks of Emma-Jean Thackray, Gary Bartz & Maisha, Sarathy Korwar, and Knoel Scott featuring Marshall Allen. Like all entries in the series, it was recorded live at Artone Studios, cut straight to vinyl with no overdubs, bringing to life the highwire musicianship of the group. From the meditative deep jazz of "Loempia" to the spaced-out astral improvisation of the title track, Stargazers presents a fluent and poised collection of originals and spiritual jazz interpretations that take the legacies of John Coltrane and Sun Ra -- whose "Theme of the Stargazers" inspired the title -- into shimmering new realms. Looking to the sky for inspiration, Peters blends personal compositions such as "91 Ships" with tributes like "Clifford Jordan," paying homage to the lineage of saxophonists who came before him. Alongside rhythm section siblings Yoran and Yariv Vroom, bassist Jeroen Vierdag, Timothy Blanchet on keys and Gideon Tazelaar's tenor sax, Peters set out fashioning a new record that would represent both his range of influences, the kinetic interplay of his consummate improvisors and the versatility of his own playing on alto sax, flute and Moog. A nod to the iconic tenor saxophonist and composer who played with everyone from Max Roach and Art Blakey to Charles Mingus before signing for independent label Strata-East, "Clifford Jordan" takes a cooler tone, carried by Peters' sensitive flute playing and a light-touch triplet feel that flutters in the breeze of Yoran Vroom's delicate drumming. A glittering homage, the track then breaks down into an extended percussive outro, mirroring the journey of Jordan's own eclectic career, from hard bop to free jazz and beyond. Released as a six-track album, Stargazers' self-titled debut is a late night ode to the eternal cosmos and an earth-bound time capsule of Finn Peters at the height of his game, ready to take off once more.
