ALBUM REVIEW
LIVE PERFORMANCES
TRACKS
CONTACT
PHOTOS
Before listening to the CD, I had never heard Raimond Mägi play, only his name, here and there. That’s a shame!
The drummer on trio’s album, Hans Kurvits, I had heard once before and had been surprised by his level of playing. Pianist Kirke Karja, diverse and omnipresent in current jazz scene in Estonia, was of course an old acquaintance.
Raimond Mägi’s contrabass has a vocal-like deep sound. As a leader of his ensemble his also the composer and arranger of their music, using a carefully selected musical expressions he creates a conceptional whole for the album.
Accompanying words by Mägi serve as a guide: “This album is dedicated to peace and to the people who care about peace in themselves and peace around them. [---] How many of us do really have a home - a place where we feel safe? I hope everyone will find it. Then there will be peace.”
The nine-track record is by its sound and mood peaceful, yet not entirely.
Some tracks include more intense developments and higher temperatures but all around the music is coherent with contemporary European jazz.
Band members share their responsibility in representing music pretty equally. By no means has the record a dominating piano trio sound, but also not pushing the bass into soloing spotlight. Kirke’s piano playing has dynamics that stretch from piano pianissimo to orchestral cascades. Bass and drums are often resonating along in a weightless state of being, at other times stepping into the conversation using complicated rhythms.
Trio sounds delightful and cohesive and in the end, for the listener it is not important whether it is the result of like-mindedness, a lot of rehearsing and playing together or ingeniously crafted and good songs.
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Published in the Estonian music magazine “Muusika” on April 4th, 2018
Album Review
by Joosep Sang
RM trio playing a new tune Tantur feat. Siegmar Brecher.
Raimond Mägi trio feat. Pierre Lapprand