Moses Yoofee Trio - OCEAN (2023) Hi Res

Having built an impressive following on the back of live performances and social media, Berlin’s Moses Yoofee Trio share OCEAN, their impatiently awaited debut mini-album. Released by LEITER, it contains five tracks and follows their debut single for the label, ‘On That Side’, released in June 2023 alongside a one-camera, one-take video recorded live at Berlin’s Zentrifuge Studio. OCEAN is available via all digital platforms, and will be followed by a European tour at the end of the year, with more dates due to be announced soon.

Emerging at a time when jazz is in rude health, the trio – pianist/keyboardist/producer Moses Yoofee, bassist Roman Klobe-Barangă and drummer Noah Fürbringer – have lit up Germany’s clubs and venues over recent years with astonishing, almost obscenely tight live shows. Turning as much to RnB, hip hop and soul as more traditional jazz sources – though they’re definitely united by J Dilla and Madlib – the band cite a wide variety of influences but, as Roman makes clear, “We find a common ground in our musicianship.”

OCEAN's tunes – written during sessions in mid-2022 at Berlin’s Brewery Studios and swiftly recorded by house engineer Erik Breuer, then mixed by Tytus Lesczcynski – reflect the spontaneity, inspiration and instinctive refinement of their performances. The deliciously frantic title track and increasingly ecstatic MINOR ISSUES stand in stark contrast to AT EASE’s restrained complexity, while FRAGILE’s hypnotic rhythm betrays their love of hip-hop and the lush RICHMOND is driven by a deliciously low-strung groove before shifting up a gear for its climax. “Everybody loves fusion,” the band agree, “even if they don’t admit it,” but that’s only one element of the trio’s sophisticated style, with Moses’ exceptional keyboard skills illuminated by Roman’s fluid bass lines and Noah’s eloquent drum patterns.