We Were So Close by Soren Reiff

I am thrilled and filled with pride as I present this version of the song “We Were so Close,” which is a remarkable collaboration with some incredibly talented musicians.

In 2020, my colleagues and I faced the disappointment of canceled tours and live shows due to the disruptive impact of the pandemic. However, fortune smiled upon us as I connected with some exceptionally talented individuals in my network who were ready to embark on this collaborative journey. Each of us contributed our recordings from different corners of the world, resulting in the creation of this extraordinary piece. 

Allow me to share the story behind it:

The genesis of the song came from my desire to pay tribute to my late elder brother, Jesper. 

After I made a demo with the an arrangement, the drums were recorded by Mikkel Villingshøj (Suspect, The LAB inc.) in Denmark. Mikkel’s files then traveled back to my studio in Sweden for a bit of mixing, before making their way to Norway where Lars-Erik Dahle (M.D. for Ole Børud) recorded the captivating bass line. After that the project continued its journey to the Netherlands. It was there that Martin Verdonk (Snarky Puppy, George Duke) adorned the track with his remarkable percussion skills. Once again, the files returned to Sweden for a bit of mixing, before being sent across the ocean to New York, where the incredibly talented Matt King (M.D. for the great late Chuck Loeb) contributed with a beautiful keyboard part. From New York, over Sweden the session was sent to Canada for some beautiful saxophone playing by Walle Larsson. Finally, all the recordings returned to my studio in Scandinavia, where I added the guitar parts. Subsequently, I took on the task of editing the video and mixing the track in Denmark, and the final mix was mastered in London.

Throughout the creative process, I couldn’t help but imagine how incredible it would be to perform live in your area. The thought of playing this composition, along with many others, with such an extraordinary lineup fills me with excitement and anticipation.

I sincerely hope that you thoroughly enjoy this production, which reflects the passion and dedication invested by everyone involved in this recording. I also encourage you to explore the individual social media platforms of these exceptional musicians, as we aspire to expand and strengthen our network.

Our collective aspiration is to spread a little joy across the globe, and we genuinely hope to see all of you out there when we perform live.

The lineup comprises of:

Walle Larsson (Canada) – Tenor Saxophone 

Matt King (USA) – Keyboards 

Martin Verdonk (The Netherlands) – Percussion 

Lars-Erik Dahle (Norway) – Bass 

Mikkel Villingshøj (Denmark) – Drums 

Soren Reiff (Denmark) – Guitar

Concerning the recordings and more technically stuff:

Each of us, recorded our part(s) ourselves in our studios around the world. As described above, every recording returned to me, in my studio for pre-mixing and small arrangement-adjustments between every recording.

I also did all the final mixing in my studio in Danmark and after that it was mastered in London.

Concerning video:

There will also be released a video of all of us – captured while we did the recordings. All raw video-material was also sent to me, and I did all the editing of that as well.

At the moment it is here on Tidal: https://tidal.com/browse/video/299058811 and I’ll add it on my YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/sorenreiff) Sunday July 2’nd. 

Concerning Soren Reiff:

Soren Reiff, a talented recording artist, has released three albums that showcase an impressive lineup of jazz, funk, and fusion legends. Collaborators on these albums include Jimmy Haslip, David Garfield, Gary Novak, Michito Sanchez, Mike Stern, Will Lee, Steve Ferrone, Ricky Lawson, and others.

In 2017, Soren Reiff was honored with The Studio Jams International Inspiration Award as the “Most Inspiring Guitarist.”

As a musical director, Soren Reiff has worked on numerous TV shows, providing him the opportunity to perform with renowned artists such as Chaka Khan, David Sanborn, Mark King, and many more. Additionally, he has ventured into music composition and production, creating tracks for television, radio, and albums.

Before transitioning into his roles as a producer and musical director, Soren Reiff established himself as a professional guitar player. His extensive experience includes participating in countless sessions, embarking on major tours, and performing with in-house bands on hundreds of TV shows.

Soren Reiff’s notable credits involve live performances, television appearances, and studio recordings with esteemed musicians like Robert Palmer, Randy Crawford, David Sanborn, Chaka Khan, Mike Stern, David Garfield, Eric Marienthal, Rick Braun, Toots Thielemans, Tracy Silverman, Michael Ruff, Michael Brecker, and many others. 

For more info on Soren Reiff please visit: www.sorenreiff.com