JOACHIM KUHN NEW TRIO - Love & Peace
ACT 9861-2
Joachim Kühn piano; Chris Jennings bass; Eric Schaefer drums
Joachim Kühn is twice as old as his rhythm section and he says that he values and is inspired by their energy. Energy is an important feature of the work of this trio. Trying to create something new in the classic trio format is not easy. Kühn and his young bassist and drummer do that by almost forgetting the past. Tracks are short – only three of them are longer than five minutes. The relative brevity of the tracks gives the improvisations a concision that has sometimes been lost in jazz in recent times. The interplay between the three musicians and the sharing of their creativity is the point of this music. The exciting part of the album is that you are never really sure where the music will go. The themes are taken from a variety of sources: Mussorgsky, the Doors, Ornette Coleman. Schaefer and Jennings contribute one piece each, Kühn contributes the rest.
‘Casbah Radio’ by Chris Jennings has overtones of Charlie Haden and Ornette. It is a catchy tune that sets Kühn off on a melodic journey as he spins his thoughts never far away from the jaunty melody. Eric Schaefer drives the piece with a confidence and freshness. You are left being disappointed that the track is not longer. Schaefer’s piece ‘Lied Ohne Worte No.2’ is the most contemplative on the album leaving him to softly colour the piano’s improvisations with cymbals and soft drums.
The drumming on New Pharoah is remarkable, building up a new rhythm. It has a primitive quality and effectively underpins and contrasts with the delicate incisive improvisation of Kuhn. The only fault with the track is that it is faded as if Kühn could not think of a satisfactory resolution.
‘Phasen’ the last track on the album gives space to Chris Jennings to bow the bass under the pointillistic playing of Kühn as he dances across the keyboard varying the shape of the piece and the rhythmic pulse.
Kühn famously recorded with Ornette Coleman and he seems at times to have Ornette’s approach to melody and rhythm. ‘Only if you live freely you can really improvise freely’ writes Kühn in the sleeve notes.
The album is recorded with clarity so that all the nuances of the instrument are defined.
This is an exciting trio that is innovating and finding a way forward in a very satisfying way without losing the listener.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
ACT 9861-2
Joachim Kühn piano; Chris Jennings bass; Eric Schaefer drums
Joachim Kühn is twice as old as his rhythm section and he says that he values and is inspired by their energy. Energy is an important feature of the work of this trio. Trying to create something new in the classic trio format is not easy. Kühn and his young bassist and drummer do that by almost forgetting the past. Tracks are short – only three of them are longer than five minutes. The relative brevity of the tracks gives the improvisations a concision that has sometimes been lost in jazz in recent times. The interplay between the three musicians and the sharing of their creativity is the point of this music. The exciting part of the album is that you are never really sure where the music will go. The themes are taken from a variety of sources: Mussorgsky, the Doors, Ornette Coleman. Schaefer and Jennings contribute one piece each, Kühn contributes the rest.
‘Casbah Radio’ by Chris Jennings has overtones of Charlie Haden and Ornette. It is a catchy tune that sets Kühn off on a melodic journey as he spins his thoughts never far away from the jaunty melody. Eric Schaefer drives the piece with a confidence and freshness. You are left being disappointed that the track is not longer. Schaefer’s piece ‘Lied Ohne Worte No.2’ is the most contemplative on the album leaving him to softly colour the piano’s improvisations with cymbals and soft drums.
The drumming on New Pharoah is remarkable, building up a new rhythm. It has a primitive quality and effectively underpins and contrasts with the delicate incisive improvisation of Kuhn. The only fault with the track is that it is faded as if Kühn could not think of a satisfactory resolution.
‘Phasen’ the last track on the album gives space to Chris Jennings to bow the bass under the pointillistic playing of Kühn as he dances across the keyboard varying the shape of the piece and the rhythmic pulse.
Kühn famously recorded with Ornette Coleman and he seems at times to have Ornette’s approach to melody and rhythm. ‘Only if you live freely you can really improvise freely’ writes Kühn in the sleeve notes.
The album is recorded with clarity so that all the nuances of the instrument are defined.
This is an exciting trio that is innovating and finding a way forward in a very satisfying way without losing the listener.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
