Satt by FM Trio
2016 WhyPlayJazz (RS025), CD + MP3 Album Download
Track listing
Line-up
Fabian M. Mueller (piano), Kaspar von Grünigen (bass), Fabian Bürgi (drums)
Production credits
Recorded February 13 - 15, 2015 by Christoph Utzinger and FM Trio at bau 4, Altbüron, Switzerland. Mixed October 2015 by Christoph Utzinger. Mastered November 2015 by Hannes Kumke. Artwork by Travassos.
The musicians around the Swiss pianist Fabian M. Mueller sets their positions within the field of the jazz-piano trio-tradition, they also arrive at its secluded and hidden edges: The piano searches for its lively path through the braids of the rhythm section.
After eight years of cooperation and almost 200 concerts, the FM Trio has achieved a musical maturity that is fully entering into the present album. The compositions were by means of numerous shows put to the acid test and subsequently handpicked for this compilation. The FM Trio is always on the look-out for the densification of musical substance, while consciously allowing spaces to emerge. These spaces are either used as well threaded turning points or unexpected stumbling blocks to jointly reorganize the music. At all times interaction is paramount. While the three musicians set their positions within the field of the jazz-pianotrio-tradition, they also arrive at its secluded and hidden edges: The piano searches for its lively path through the braids of the rhythm section. The rhythm section again is constantly shifting gears and its (thick stack of) chords are opening up new spaces. Bass and piano contrapuntally pass the balls to each other. (interact with each other?). In so doing, they let the drums take his own agil path whereby harmonic developments enter into new forms of dialogue and sonic experiments entirely blur the individuals’ instrument spectrum.
Reviews
These musicians are obviously very skilled and able to play basically anything, and yet they chose to challenge and stimulate rather than superficially please the listener.
This album requires perhaps several listening sessions to discover its full depth and intrinsic beauty, but the effort is definitely worth it.
Die zehn handverlesenen, in zahlreichen Konzerten ausgefeilten Eigenkompositionen des Albums halten gekonnt die Balance zwischen phantasievoller Komposition und Improvisation und gefallen spontan schon wegen ihres großen Abwechslungsreichtums [...] Freunde ambitionierten Piano-Jazz dürfte „Satt“ auf Anhieb gefallen als ein exzellentes Album, an dem man sich nicht satthören kann.
[...] nichts wirkt angestrengt, alles bleibt im Fluss, und trotzdem entsteht hier eine Musik, die unter Hochspannung steht.