Marko Churnchetz

• 4 STARS JAZZWISE MAGAZINE

Recorded in Brooklyn in April 2012 this excellent modern Quartet session led by Slovenian born pianist and composer Marko Churnchetz (native spelling is Crncec) only recently saw the light of day in July 2014 courtesy of London's enlightened Whirlwind label. The delay is all the more inexplicable given the prominent contributions of hot saxophonist Mark Shim, who played on those wonderful recent Steve Lehman records Mise en Abime and Travail, Transformation & Flow

Musically the first thing that strikes you about the album is the mastery of different rhythmic and compositional settings. So while the modern fireworks of openers "Being There" and "Schizo" predominantly showcase the invigorating dialogue between Churnchetz's powerful classically influenced piano lines and Shim's muscular tenor sax, on subsequent tracks like "Gonzalost" and "Late" Shim makes prominent use of a midi controller that brings a jazz-funk texture more in a Hancock, or possibly Corea, style. This willingness to experiment with different instrumentation, where the composition benefits, is a definite strength. The variety in the sound palette helps keep the listener engaged and allows the merits of the pieces to emerge

PERSONNEL:

• Marko Churnchetz - piano, Fender Rhodes & keyboards.
• Mark Shim - tenor saxophone, Yamaha electric midi controller.
• Christopher Tordini - acoustic & electric bass.
• Justin Brown - drums.

TRACKS:

• 01.Being There
• 02.Schizo
• 03.Devotion
• 04. Gonzalost
• 05. Interprelude
• 06. Risk Free
• 07. Bass Intro (Without Tomorrow)
• 08. Without Tomorrow
• 09. Late
• 10.Improvisation