tree of them by 17F

tree of them like

by 17F

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1	play	Add to Playlist	Le Sexe Faible	3:16	€0.59	x	Buy Share This Song like
2	play	Add to Playlist	Le Nain II	4:50	€0.59	x	Buy Share This Song like
3	play	Add to Playlist	For a while	5:51	€0.59	x	Buy Share This Song like
4	play	Add to Playlist	Receipt	3:59	€0.59	x	Buy Share This Song like
5	play	Add to Playlist	Racines	2:04	€0.59	x	Buy Share This Song like
6	play	Add to Playlist	Aiga II	17:08	€0.59	x	Buy Share This Song like
7	play	Add to Playlist	Angel	2:55	€0.59	x	Buy Share This Song like

Album Info

17F – “Tree of them”

17F is the name of a project by Frederic Merk, a self-educated minimalist musician from Vevey (CH). He
has collaborated as an arranger, musician, composer or remixer with several leading bands on the new
Swiss music scene, such as “Charlotte Parfois”, “Hemlock Smith” or “Girls in the Kitchen”.

The idea behind « Tree of them » arose while Frederic was composing the very long song “Aiga” which
was then recorded with friends and musicians at Studio 603 in Vevey. This launched the whole process
and the idea took shape and eventually ended up in a coherent 7-track album.

Impressionistic, tense and captivating, playing with the lingering and cold feel of the northern
countries, following the river jazz at times, titillating the progressive and psychedelic music of the
70’s, sometimes shrilly, sometimes noisy and provocative, the dramatic and introspective atmosphere is
either appealing or disturbing. Quietness is marked with violence, sadness is filled with hope.
Beyond any radio, commercial or stylistic constraint, “Tree of them” is the outcome of a collaboration
and its title expresses the trinity between a man, his father and his son, the wandering, the questioning
about the emptiness left by the dead.

“Tree of them” starts intriguingly with “Le Sexe Faible” in which the tribal drums and the ney of
virtuoso Sufi Kudsi Erguner answer to an animal Larsen; a harsh observation on frailty and denial. “Le
Nain” goes on with tones attesting that the author has made up with Gainsbarre. “For a while” is the
only pop track of the album which allows one to catch their breath before “Receipt”, a hybrid and
puzzling song, a complex neurosis with a hint of humor.

Then comes “Racines”, an intermezzo with oriental notes, which prompts one to anchor their feet to
the ground and to sway like a tree. An adequate preparation to tackle the long and melodic “Aiga”
which, just like the Styx, describes the winding and imaginary river parting the author and the world of
the missing ones. Finally, “Angel”, a brief musical haiku as a thank you note where the black swift and
its spring song invite us to look at the sky and find the first signs of summer.
Musicians involved in “Tree of Them”:
Laurent Estoppey – Tenor saxophone

With a classical background, the Swiss saxophonist Laurent Estoppey turns almost exclusively towards
today’s music and arts through numerous collaborations with composers, musicians, visual artists,
choregraphers, dancers, actors and writers. As an interpreter as well as an improviser, he has
performed with several different groups. He can be credited with a dozen albums and often
collaborates with the French Swiss radio – Espace 2.
http://www.musicians.ch/laurentestoppey/
Michael Frei – vocals (“Hemlock Smith”)
Composer and vocalist in the band “Hemlock Smith” (CH) whose discography and fame are constantly
increasing. Sailing through darkness filled with ghosts, his lyrics and his voice personify a rich and deep
universe.
http://www.hemlocksmith.ch/
K
udsi Erguner – Ney
The “Ney" flute, from the Persian “reed”, is the main instrument of the Sufi musical tradition. Among
all other Turkish musicians, ney flute virtuoso Kudsi Erguner is one of the few to have been taught
Ottoman classical music by a true master, his own father, through a traditional initiatory education. He
then completed his education with other great classical musicians or members of Sufi brotherhoods.
Through his collaborations with artists as different as Peter Gabriel, director Peter Brook for
Mahabharata, choregraphers Carolyn Carlson and Maurice Béjart or jazz performers Michel Portal and
Didier Lockwood, he gives new life to a XIIIth century tradition in a modern context.
Julien Grandjean – bass (Opak)
Well-known in Switzerland for the quality of his masterings and as a talented sound engineer, Julien
Grandjean is also a musician and composer of Opak (CH), a Swiss band internationally acclaimed for
their introspective, demanding and imposing music.
http://www.opakmusic.com/
Laurent Jaussi – bass (Girls in the Kitchen)
Laurent is a artist and a musician who devotes his life to being on stage as a musician or light engineer
for the greatest musicians of our times within the Montreux Jazz Festival (CH). As an efficient and
sensitive bass player of the band Girls in the Kitchen (CH), he always brings a human and emotional
touch to his work.
http://www.alum.ch/
Tassilo Jüdt – Soprano saxophone
Sax player and composer. He has studied saxophone and harmony at EJMA in Lausanne (CH) before
completing his musical education at Berkley College of Music of Boston. He plays in bands of various
styles: soul, jazz, funk, classical music; he is also a composer and has collaborated to the sound track
project of the film "Sir Arne's Treasure" with the band Hemlock Smith (CH).
http://www.tassilo.ch/
Arnaud Sponar – drums (Opak, Goodbye Ivan)
As a virtuoso multi-intrumentalist, Arnaud Sponar is a musician and composer of the band Opak (CH),
and also the core of the band Goodbye Ivan (CH). His music has a soft atmosphere with folk sounding
arrangements and traditional litanies that haunt the listener.
http://www.myspace.com/goodbyeivan
Frédéric Merk « 17F » – vocals, guitar, bass, other instruments
Frédéric Merk is the founder of 17f. He composes and plays a simple and minimalist music with
melancholic tones. With « tree of them », he signs his first album which is entirely self-produced.
http://www.17f.ch/
Gérald Rochat - drums (Hemlock Smith)
Drummer of the band Hemlock Smith (CH) and former drummer of the band Core (CH), Gerald Rochat is
a subtle and sensitive drummer who can create a rythm with a salt shaker if needed to serve the music.
http://www.hemlocksmith.ch/
Jean-Jacques Moreillon – picture of the artwork
Jean-Jacques is an educated musician and has a passion for image. Since 1997, he has been using
photography which has soon become one amongst other elements in his creative process. Collages,
superimpositions, additions of chalk and ink, and since 2001, computer science. His universe is dense,
sometimes disturbing and his exhibitions are impressing.
http://www.lesviesrevees.com/
Mixing and recording:
Recorded and mixed by Frédéric Merk during 2009/10 at Studio 603 in Vevey. All drums and tenor sax
have been recorded and mixed by Julien Grandjean. Mastering by Julien Grandjean. Arstistic consulting
and supervision by Caroline Fayet. Picture of the artwork («trois arbres») by JJMoreillon.

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