The Swiss-based trio Koch/Loriot/Kocher formed in the summer of 2020 has kept developing a distinct musical identity ever since. The band makes use of insistently repeated motifs, broken melodic lines and occasional tonal harmonies cohabiting with pure sound production. The three musicians develop their respective materials in tension with each other: they are able to merge their sounds at any moment, but just as well might evolve their individual voices for a long time in parallel, without a priori seeking unity. The band's cohesion is achieved through the intense quality of listening and deep interaction that the three have honed, as well as by the blend of timbres that is reminiscent of European folk music.
"The album consists of six pieces that range from four minutes to ten. Some of them are slow moving soundscapes, in which slight variations create kaleidoscopic shifts ("The Weight Of Magic", "All Told", "A Fleeting Purchase") within a very coherent overall sound. On the other hand, you have the compact agitated nervousness of "Relinquished Rifles", a dissonant piece with instruments more engaging in combat than creating a coherent sound. "Found Bodies" finds its place somewhere in between these extremes, with the difference that it even adds some elements of musical fun. On ""Stranger Becoming", the long last piece, the two modes of working - calm versus agitation - work side by side, with Kocher's accordion remaining peaceful throughout the more intense dialogues of clarinet and viola near the end."
(Stef Gijssels, FreeJazzBlog)
"I am not sure whether or how much of this is composed. It certainly sounds deliberate, in the sense that the group is working toward a singular aesthetic. A truly engaging release, and one that reveals new layers with each listen."
(Nick Ostrum, FreeJazzBlog)
"Their music is centered around a group chamber music sound with listening at its center. Cooperation is emphasized over soloing here to build differing textures of filtered colors and hues. The pacific approach of "All Told" involves a layering of steady unperturbed tones one over another. The effect is one of luxurious ease. Same for "A Fleeting Purchase" with its eerie and ethereal application of sustained notes. "Relinquished Rifles" inverts the mood with pecking clarinet and plucked viola chased by Kocher's accordion. The trio's playful aggression is resolved into the eventual group silence. "Found Bodies" takes its inspiration from the sounds of electronics artists. The trio makes the sound appear manipulated by way of their techniques. With no electronics in the studio, the playing is quite amazing. Finally, "Stranger Becoming" is a woven tapestry of breathy clarinet, eerie viola notes, and accordion keys pressed one after another interwoven into a kind of beautiful musical prayer."
(Mark Corroto, All About Jazz)
credits
released December 15, 2022
Hans Koch, clarinet
Frantz Loriot, viola
Jonas Kocher, accordion
Recorded on February 25, 2021, at Kirche St. Maria in Ins, Switzerland by Bojan Ugrinovsky
Mixed by Bojan Ugrinovksy and mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi
Album & track title poem by Eliot Cardinaux
Cover picture by Rudolf Steiner
supported by 4 fans who also own “Stranger Becoming”
My afternoon is a great one, thanks to this new music from Ken Vandermark! He leads a large ensemble as they explore some wonderful, new territory in creative music. Happy dance time! 😎 Rick Mathis