It is in the nature of waves that even the biggest will eventually ebb away, leaving behind a glorious mess of stranded goods. Only recently a new wave of Bavarian music has swept over our heads – not the first of its kind and probably not the last. Back on the beach, the best surfers enjoy the cheers from the crowd, some old warhorses as well as some daring young surfers. Flotsam and jetsam all over the shore, waiting for the next “Ramma Damma” cleaning day. Many interesting things have been washed ashore.

And what about FEI SCHO? They seem to be a kind of Bavarian sonar buoy – so firmly anchored, that the wave could not wash them away and only lifted them up a few feet. Another possible reason is, that five musicians, who are virtually at home on all oceans, are not easily shaken by some small turbulence on the Bavarian musical sea. Hence, their new album with the appropriate name “Weltensprung” sounds like the adventure-tale collection of five bold Bavarian musical mariners, laced with a healthy portion of sailor´s yarn.

There are stories from Peru (“Andenjodler” / Anden-yodel), the joyous anticipation of a Brazilian football party (“Polka Brasileira”), Bavarian-Caribbean love-stories (“Zwiefacher” / Double), songs tinged with soulful longing for Bavaria (“Weltensprung”, “Abendstille” / Leap Into Another World, Silent Evening Mood), and many more. The term “Weltensprung”, however, should be understood in a much broader sense: not only meaning a leap from one world to another, it implies that we accept or even initiate change in our own world by daring such a “Weltensprung”. And we all know (or are) people, who wouldn´t be worse for a small jump out of their familiar world – there is no harm in trying!

Aboard their current release, the crew of the MS FEI SCHO present themselves in a completely new formation. The two remaining members of the original line-up for the high-praised album “Ungrantig” (“Un-Grumpy”), Martin Lidl on the guitar and bassist Anschi Hacklinger, have contributed the majority of compositions. They are now competently supported by the new band members Robert Alonso (Trumpet and Tenor/Alto Horn), Helmut Sinz (Accordion) and Schorsch Karrer (Percussion).

These three “new kids on the block” stand for a clearly audible update of the FEI SCHO sound, which comes along more muscular and rocking, with distinctly stronger African and Latin-American influence. At the same time the band´s consistently high standard of an amazing compositional quality distinguishes them from many others. Absolutely sure-footed, FEI SCHO are mastering the terrain of an impressive variety of traditional music styles from all over the world, not without being familiar with European chamber music, too. Thus, it is no coincidence that “Weltensprung” like its predecessor “Ungrantig” sometimes gives the impression of a movie soundtrack. One feels reminded of Emir Kusturica and Goran Bregovic, at times it makes you think of Yann Tiersen´s soundtrack for “Amelie”, not to forget Brecht and Kurt Weill. And last but not least: all this is sung and done with a very special note – the Bavarian accent.