Christian Doepke Trio ft. Rick Margitza - Ad Libs (2008)

In the current hype involving young German jazz pianists an exclamation mark should be added to Christian Doepke's name.
Lyricism and groove should not be contradictory. The same applies to pace, depth and gracefulness, let alone swing and intelligence. In addition, the compositions of the Amsterdam-based pianist also tell wonderful stories, which really dots the i's.
Doepke, a romantic at heart like Bill Evans, who gets a beautiful tribute with Bill's Mood - as well as a realist in the tradition of Horace Silver, has developed his own signature on the 88 keys with a clear touch and a sovereign technique, that clearly distinguishes him from the German jazz pianist masses.
You'll see someone buckled down to a concert grand, who is equally familiar with sunlit open spaces in a forest and the liveliness of a metropolis, witness "Heaven Knows" and "Looking For Trouble".