Format: CD
Barcode: 0608917146721
Releasedate: 25-04-25
- Spontaneous and intuitive: jazz standards interpreted in an improvised way by a trio
- The spirit of jazz standards: freely contrived trio improvisations
A piano trio that plays standards, including ubiquitous ones such as "Stella By Starlight" and "Body and Soul": a case of decent, basic jazz? By no means! "We're really creating weird stuff," pianist Thomas Rückert said. Weird, because it is completely detached from the usual conventions of standard interpretation. "One of my favorite disciplines is to create new spaces, to associate, to fantasize by way of standards without retaining their classic form, but always with reference to the song, to its spirit, as well as to the lyrics."
"For All We Know" is the pure document of a magical concert evening in the LOFT in Cologne: without cuts and without any subsequent embellishment. There were standing ovations at the end. “That was really awesome. Our music seems to have triggered something with the audience,” the leader stated happily. Rückert gratefully emphasized how important and how much it meant to him. There were no rehearsals of pieces not on the set list. In addition, the three hadn't played with each other for quite some time beforehand. An excellent example of the special qualities that come from long familiarity and a shared vision.
Trio line-ups run like a common thread through the work of Thomas Rückert to date. The resident of Cologne by choice has been producing albums since the early 2000s. The current constellation with bassist Reza Askari and drummer Fabian Arends, both also from Cologne and both much younger, has existed since 2011. At that time, they had made an appointment to jam loosely at a first meeting. "We then played ... and that was like falling head over heels in love," Rückert described his feelings at the time, laughing. "I knew: this is now my trio!" Two joint productions were created over the years. In addition, there were always various connections with other musicians. The trio's work with the American saxophonist legend Lee Konitz in 2016 (with whom the pianist had played several times before) was a lasting influence. He became the catalyst for Rückert's very personal vision of standard interpretation. And praised his companions—as is well known—during one of the quartet concerts with "What a f***ing good band!".
Thomas Rückert leaves no doubt about Konitz’s influence: “Without Lee, I wouldn't be playing like this today. He was my greatest teacher. The impulses that he set have continued to germinate in me and brought forth further developments." For him, a key concept in dealing with standards is: association. "It's effortless, spontaneous and intuitive. Thanks to Lee, I have understood in depth how important it is to appreciate the song in improvisation and not just use it as a vehicle to show off great tricks. It's about improvising around the melody and the lyrics, not the harmony structure you learn in college. That is why we also have the different tonalities, which change sharply as contrast or shading. The lyrics of a piece are also part of it, i.e., to associate with the song and open up spaces."
This freedom in dealing with the templates has a firm foundation for Rückert, Askari and Arends. Rückert carefully chose the eight standards that evening; "Stella By Starlight" was Lee Konitz's eternal favorite. "These pieces are all very close to my heart. Pieces like ‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered’ or ‘For All We Know’ touch me very closely. These are really important to me. That's why I included them in the program. I knew that Reza and Fabian also have a close relationship to the pieces." In the joint flow of associations, the trio takes their time without the tension decreasing. "We also have the courage not to play during times when there is no idea. You don't force anything. As an improviser, I always try to invite the music." Another factor of the intense trio togetherness also has to do with daring. Rückert stated: "I want to surprise myself when playing. I don't want to become a master of well-trodden paths.” As a result, this album develops from the first piano notes to a gentle pull, the impact of which continues.
Thomas Rückert, who has composed many pieces in the course of his career, also attributes his special connection to standards to the fact that he has frequently played with singers, e.g., Mark Murphy, Kevin Mahogany, Greetje Kauffeld, Anne Hartkamp and Inga Lühning. "I have always been impressed by how they interpreted the song from an emotional point of view." Currently, he can be heard on the album of Inga Lühning, who mainly sings her own songs. "That means a lot to me too. Her songs touch me deeply; they nourish my musician's soul, my musician's heart". In addition, there are currently various duos that Rückert plays in: one with the cellist Gunther Tiedemann, one with saxophonist Peter Dahm and a duo with bassist Chris Jennings, a Canadian who lives in Paris.
The cover motif of the new trio album, a winter forest impression, was contributed by Thomas Rückert himself: also carefully chosen. "For All We Know," he said, contains something fleeting. "We tried to capture that musically, which for me is also in the atmosphere of this motif."