I've had this idea in my head for a long time-a type of "messed-up stride" interpretation of compositions I've worked on during the past 15 years.

I've been inspired by George Antheil, Charles Ives, Scott Joplin, Guy Livingston, Fats Waller, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, and many others.

I just had to find the right pianist for it.

So I asked around. And Steve Holtje was kind enough to give me a name:

Anthony Coleman.

I'm grateful that I found a musician/instrumentalist who listened to what I had to say. How I wanted my music to sound. Without being judgmental about any potential errors in the chart. And that was liberating. He insisted on asking me: Is this what you want? If it wasn't, he asked me to sit down and play it myself. So he could hear what I wanted. That's a rare thing to experience for a composer/singer. And it led to some pretty damn great result, in my opinion.

Anthony could make a duo sound like an entire group. That's a skill. The dynamics in his playing were also very much up my alley-using intense, abrupt, sharp, and aggressive contrasts. Combined with an intense, quiet sensitivity.

Just the way I like it!

This record turned out to be more like a duo collaboration than Anthony just following me, which I really appreciated. 'Braiemotional' (brains and emotion). Just the right kind.

This inspires me to keep on writing.

This CD was originally supposed to be called 'Let's go polytonal, Baby!'

Due to the fact that my music often tends to contain several tonalities (that happens naturally-I wasn't even aware of it until someone pointed it out.) Still, "the messed up stride" element is an equally strong influence and finally won the position as CD title!

-Sophie Dunér