Carl Clements and the Real Jazz Trio - Retrospective (2026)

Tracklist

01. One for Joe
02. Mobius
03. Almodovar
04. Procession
05. Remnants
06. Selene in Repose
07. A Change of Rhythm
08. Retrospect
09. Kadam

Carl Clements – tenor & soprano saxophones, bansuri, composition; Jean-Yves Jung – piano; Johannes Schaedlich – bass; Jens Biehl – drums

Saxophonist and flutist Carl Clements doesn’t limit himself to the usual jazz tools. Alongside tenor and soprano, he also plays the bansuri, the bamboo flute of Indian classical music. That wider musical world shapes the eight originals on Retrospective, where hard-bop lines, Latin rhythms, odd meters, and touches of Indian music are held together less by fusion than by the confidence of a band that’s internalized all of it.

The band is The Real Jazz Trio: pianist Jean-Yves Jung, bassist Johannes Schaedlich, and drummer Jens Biehl. They’ve worked together for years, and the ease of it comes through right away.

“One for Joe,” a tribute to Joe Henderson, opens with a rolling rhythm from bass, piano, and drums before Clements enters on tenor. The melody has that slightly angular hard-bop edge Henderson favored. Jung follows with a piano solo built on thick left-hand chords and quick right-hand runs, while the drums push against the pulse set by the bass.

A quieter side of the band shows up in a few places. On “Mobius,” light stick work and a deep bass line set the stage before Clements enters on tenor with searching lines that circle the middle of the horn before suddenly jumping into the upper register. The atmosphere shifts again on “Almodovar,” where Clements picks up the bansuri. The bamboo flute floats over a gentle Latin groove in 5/4, with an earthy thump from the udu drum underneath. “Procession” keeps the flute in play but moves with more lift, a rolling shuffle carrying hints of Indian raga and Brazilian rhythm.

Clements turns to soprano on “Remnants,” a laid-back jazz waltz. Soft brushwork sets the rhythm before the horn comes in with a slightly dark tone. Now and then he pushes the sound hard—notes edging toward a squeal before pulling back—while the piano adds quiet, high-register lines around him. “Selene in Repose” slows things down even further. On tenor, Clements takes a searching path through the melody, the lines gradually opening up as the piano solo grows more lyrical.

“A Change of Rhythm” dives into a 7/4 groove that nods to New Orleans second-line patterns while running through bebop-style chord changes that shift quickly underneath, the ground never quite settling. The soprano darts through jagged, rapid lines as bass and drums bounce ideas off each other in short, punchy exchanges.

Across the record, the band feels effortlessly connected. The piano, bass, and drums respond to each phrase, leaving space for Clements to explore while keeping the groove solid. That ease is what Retrospective ultimately offers — not a showcase of range, but proof that these influences have been lived with long enough to stop announcing themselves. What’s left is just music.