While better known for his freer jazz work, pianist Richie Beirach teams with violinist Gregor Huebner and the famed WDR Big Band for a rich and grandiose affair. There are two major opuses to focus on, along with a few more concise pieces. Of the former, Huebner’s “Violin Concerto No. 3” includes melancholy stings, moody woodwinds and evocative percussion along with Jens Neufang’s bass clarinet as a foundation. Huebner’s three movement “Piano Concerto No. 3 ‘The Code’” is a nourish affair, along with some references to Lutheran hymns and rich piano work by Beirach, with the team bopping on the finale.
Beirach’s own “Rectilinear/Paradox” is a big and bold affair with rich harmonies and featuring Beirich’s swinging electric piano, while his “Elm” is a gorgeous elegiac arrangement with warm brass. Well arranged, mixing clever charts and dreamy atmospheres.