Pianist Nik Bartsch has never shied away from his musical style of creating long and drawn out atmospheric pieces. His Ronin team of Sha/bcl-as, Thomy Jordi/b and Kaspar/dr this time out, however, seem to have added a new color to their musical wardrobe, as most of the pieces on this recent release includes a more dynamic set of grooves, even building up and releasing tensions in a more deliberate manner. And, why they still won’t be confused with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messenger’s, this band knows how to swing a groove!
“Modul 59” includes a mix of trudging bass and spacious piano soloing to support Sha’s bass clarinet broodings, while the low reeder gets misty for Barsch’s bluesy piano stringed pulse on “Modul 58.” Even Sha’s bass clarinet pads keep time to the groove here, while he breaths a spacey mood to form a Monument Valley mystical atmosphere, slowly building up with his alto sax on the meditative to modal “A”. Even a funk beat creates some bite and growl as Jordi hits hard on “Modul 34.” These guys are adding some new colors and brushes to their palate.
ECM Records