Pablo Held's eighth release
in nine years with his trio for Pirouet Records. The pianist, not yet thirty,
like compatriot Michael Wollny studied at the Conservatory in Cologne with John
Taylor and has rapidly established himself on the European scene with a
distinctive sound and extraordinarily empathic trio. The eight originals on
this dense, often abstract but compelling and frequently propulsive set,
exploit the mutual understanding between Held, drummer Jonas Burgwinkel and
bassist Robert Landfermann to the full. “I like it when you don't know exactly
what is going on” Held is quoted as saying. Long, twisting, time shifting,
written passages sound like they could have been improvised but for the locked
left hand of the pianist and bass and stop start changes of mood and pace;
instinctive hook-ups between bass, drums and piano in the midst of tumbling,
mazy blizzards of notes could almost have been scripted. The distinction
between composition, improvisation, familiar elements of structure and
completely fluid interchange are all deliberately blurred. The opener Hidden
has all these elements with the sinuous, stop-start theme flowing, punctuated
by an engagingly melodic riff before dissolving into an urgent scramble of
improvisation. Lament despite its title and initial dark abstraction, develops
into a three-way conversation that suddenly bursts with urgent momentum before
fading away. Song Noir is an angular, dark, tone poem that develops into
cycling dissonant chords whilst Burgwinkel churns and lashes. Ammedea's
snappily percussive groove underpinning another angular line, gives way to a
dazzling display from Held, fragmentary phrases, and glittering runs coalescing
to leave an impression of something familiar but not quite stated. The more
meditative title track Lineage and Spuren both hint at a theme,
that of all the various elements that have, through the chemistry of Held's
composition and the bands interplay, produced their unique sound. At times an
almost stated melody and moving chords leave a shimmer of Debussy in the air,
at others a burst of cymbal and skittering runs from the piano hint at fiery
post-bop. This is very personal and alluring music with compelling performances
all round that repays close listening. ~ Mike Collins, LondonJazzNews.com.
Pirouet Records, PIT3094,
2016
Recorded 30th & 31st
January, 2016 at Kyberg Studio, Oberhaching, Germany
Musicians:
Pablo Held - Piano
Robert Landfermann - Bass
Jonas Burgwinkel - Drums
Tracks:
1. Hidden (5:08)
2. Lament (8:23)
3. Song Noir (3:07)
4. Bernstein Fantasie (6:45)
5. Lineage (4:39)
6. Ammedea (5:04)
7. Meta (4:50)
8. Spuren (7:32)
All Compositions by Pablo
Held
Total Time: 45:33
Credits:
Producer, Recording &
Mixing Engineer - Jason Seizer
Mastering Engineer -
Christoph Stickel
Cover Design, Artwork,
Photography - Konstantin Kern
“A masterpiece" ~ Rondo.
"Another impressive
field report from a restlessly creative artist with virtuosic skill." ~
Downbeat.
Ammedea
