After six long years, European pianist and composer
Julia Hülsmann revives her quartet. Her longstanding trio with bassist
Marc Muellbauer and drummer
Heinrich Köbberling has remained active,
Not Far from Here is only her second outing with an expanded band. On 2013's
In Full View, her trio was appended by trumpeter
Tom Arthurs. He added a quizzical, understated swing and a forthright sense of cohesion to the ensemble. This time, the alternately fire-breathing and in-the-tradition tenor saxophonist
Uli Kempendorff becomes the band's fourth limb. He has long been connected with its members, having played in occasional duos with the pianist for nearly two decades, while
Muellbauer has played in the saxophonist's various bands and on several of his recordings.
In typical fashion, all members compose here:
Hülsmann contributes five of these 13 short- to medium-length tunes while her bandmates contribute two each. There is also a cover of
David Bowie's "This Is Not America" co-written with
ECM alums
Pat Metheny and
Lyle Mays and delivered twice: once by the band and later in a solo piano variation.
Not Far from Here flows seamlessly from start to finish, but there are some real highlights extant.
Muellbauer's "Le Mistral" is an exercise in kinetic post-bop wherein the bassist plays with multiples of five and seven yet manages to keep the entire group swinging hard. The first incarnation of the
Bowie tune features a wonderfully spidery, angsty solo from
Kempendorff. His playing alternates between investigative modal and fiery free jazz as
Hülsmann pulses and pastes the melody with expansive, choppy chord voicings. The song's political overtones are betrayed by the horn in its more unruly moments. The leader's title track was penned specifically for this ensemble. Its convergence of blues, updated cool, and Latin themes and rhythms are articulated beautifully by the rhythm section with
Kempendorff's lyric interplay offsetting the piano's gently percussive yet elaborate harmonics.
Köbberling's ballad "If I Had a Heart" is brief at just over two minutes, but its studied articulation is emotionally deep and fluid. His breezy yet exploratory "Colibri 65" immediately follows and he delivers a lovely, bright, arpeggiated solo. "No Game" began as a solo piano piece, but has since been built out for the quartet. Scalar tenor sax pronouncements give way to bassy blue reflections of post-bop and modal swing. Finally, the solo piano rendition of "This Is Not America" contrasts sharply with its previous incarnation here. There is no outrage, no anger. In its whispered sadness and softly presented melancholy -- as if the worst has already happened -- what remains is a simple declarative melody surrounded by silence.
Kempendorff's horn adds depth, dimension, dynamic, and expanded harmonic capabilities to
Hülsmann's trio on
Not Far from Here. Her ability to seamlessly incorporate these possibilities, inspire her bandmates to write according to them, and strip away all that is unnecessary is masterful, making this album a gem. ~ Thom Jurek