The actual recording session took only six days, but rehearsals were rigorous: “We had three days of rehearsal, which were totally intense — 12-hour rehearsals with almost no breaks,” Rosenwinkel recalls. “What made the whole project work was the attitude and enthusiasm of all the musicians. I really felt that everybody was supporting me, supporting the music, and really giving their best. It was a great challenge for them, and they rose to the occasion. The spirit that was present during the whole thing was just beautiful.
Our Secret World is filled with Rosenwinkel’s original material, reinterpreted and rearranged for a bigger band by OJM members Carlos Azevedo and Pedro Guedes. As a result, the album features a wide range of styles and tones, from the intensity of “Turns” to affecting chorus on “Use of Light.” Saxophonist and composer Ohad Talmor also was approached by OJM to rework some of the tunes. He churned out some wild results, ambitious and sweeping in scope while retaining the heart and soul of the original pieces.
Our Secret World will be available on September 7, 2010 via WOM Music.