Volker Kriegel - Lift! (1973/2016) Hi-Res

What a group Volker Kriegel assembled for this album! Polish Violinist Zbignew Seiferts was a player who worked with the jazz world’s elite and is still talked about with a sense of awe. Saxophonist Stan Sulzman has worked with musicians ranging from Paul McCartney to Gil Evans. John Taylor rates as one of the most important jazz pianists to come out of England; bassist Eberhard Weber and drummer John Marshall rank as two of the major European players on their respective instruments. On Kriegel’s Lift, short, pregnant solos weave through the pageantry of the piece, and Two or Three in One once again illustrates Kriegel’s compositional strength in this fusion fest with its affective violin and soprano solos. Weber’s ballad Forty Colors features Kriegel’s poignant acoustic guitar solo, whereas A piece With a Chord… is an up-tempo modal masterpiece in 3/4. Electric Blue shines in a quasi-Irish rock light with a powerful melodic riff and counter-melody as shadow. Seifert plays with devilish heat, followed by burning guitar and soprano solos. The Lame Donkey has the slow-tempo pictorial feel of an imagined movie score; with its beautifully arranged theme, Between the Seasons maintains a mellow rock grove, and Blue Titmouse takes wing with a rhythm track straight out of Shaft. Impressive compositions and arrangements coupled with standout solos by some of Europe’s premier jazz musicians.

Tracks:

01. Lift (6:53)
02. Three Or Two In One (6:06)
03. Forty Colors (3:25)
04. A Piece With A Chord From A Yorkshire Terrier (6:04)
05. Electric Blue (8:53)
06. The Lame Donkey (2:39)
07. Between The Seasons (4:37)
08. Blue Titmouse (3:55)

Personnel:

Volker Kriegel - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Eberhard Weber - bass, cello, electric bass, bass guitar
John Marshall - drums
John Taylor - electric piano
Cees See - percussion
Stan Sulzman - soprano saxophone, flute
Zbigniew Seifert - violin