Michel Reis, Marc Demuth, Paul Wiltgen - Once in a Blue Moon (2018)

A captivating inventive energy, the ability to shape the underlying sounds into all possible combinations to form an exhilarating, enchanting flow: with the REIS - DEMUTH - WILTGEN Trio, releasing its first album on this label, Jazz can be cutting-edge without waiving its strong emotional impact on listeners. But how do they do it? By means of an endless stream of ideas, never squandered and wasted, melodic and rhythmic cells pursued carefully, revisited in every harmonic, timbric and dynamic way possible, as in Freedom Trail. Or through two themes that, after an exquisite short-circuit opening, intertwine into an unexpected, intense process of development, as in New Beginning. Or by Michel Reis’ flowing, dynamic, smooth piano playing and its indissoluble bond with Marc Demuth’s double bass in Coming Home. Or by the superb harmonic structure of Never Seen Again, a melancholic, poignant ballad. Or else through the invaluable groove of Paul Wiltgen’s drums in Sacred Conversation or the sober, subtly glorious revisitation of Joni Mitchell’s Both Sides Now, its theme first being played on the double bass, then on the piano while the drums breathe, yes, breathe over them. No more words are needed. Listen to the remaining tracks on your own, so that you can realize for yourself why the music by this trio is so embracing, warm, exciting, unpredictable: like Jazz can be, when Jazz is Jazz.

Michel Reis ( Piano )
Marc Demuth ( Bass )
Paul Wiltgen ( Drums )