Record Reviews

SCHULTZE EHWALD DUO ~ GRASP WHYPLAYJAZZ 013 (Barcode: 4050486903179) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by the duo comprising of German pianist / composer Stefan SchultzeFind albums by this artist and saxophonist / composer Peter EhwaldFind albums by this artist. The two played together in several ensembles during the last decade but this is their debut as a duo. The album includes six original compositions, four by Ehwald and two by Schultze. The music is a wonderfully romantic / lyrical contemporary Jazz, very melodic but absolutely non-trivial. The tunes are masterfully woven by both composers, clearly a continuation of the European Classical Neoromanticism transferred into the Jazz idiom. There is also a certain elegant minimalism, which is manifested by the "less is more" approach, where the essential notes and chords are stated without much ornamentation. The performances are similarly modest, crystal clear and stylishly beautiful, without a shade of unnecessary sweetness or overdue syrupy tendencies, which often characterize similar efforts. Ehwald has a gorgeous tenor saxophone tone, which is unmistakably top-class. Schultze displays wonderful dynamics in his usage of the piano, cleverly moving between the foreground as a soloist and the background as an accompanist. Most impressive of course is their work as a team, which is the essence of this album, being truly exemplary. This is clearly a team effort without any attempts to dominate, and as a result the listener is treated to a piece of music, which is both emotionally moving and intellectually intriguing. This album is a classic example how melodic / romantic music can be artistic and ambitious, a complete antidote to the dreaded muzak of smooth Jazz, and as such deserves to become a scholarly model. Gentle souls and die-hard romantics like me will definitely have a field day with this music, as should most Jazz loving listeners. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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STEFAN SCHULTZE LARGE ENSEMBLE ~ ERRATIC WISH MACHINE WHYPLAYJAZZ 017 (Barcode: 4050486926864) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is a very ambitious project by German pianist / composer Stefan SchultzeFind albums by this artist, which occupied his mind for five years that passed since the release of the previous album with Large EnsembleFind albums by this artist, before it was finally recorded. Schultze, whose love of the big form Jazz is well documented, composed this seven-part suite for his Large Ensemble, which comprises of eighteen musicians and features a special guest, the Chinese sheng (mouth organ) player Wu WeiFind albums by this artist, who is the principal soloist. The music is a diverse collection of cross-genre compositions, which float between contemporary Classical, Romanticism, Avant-Garde and Fusion, but somehow manage to present a coherent musical entity, which is both intricate and beautifully melodic. The wonderful orchestrations and the sound of the Large Ensemble are especially impressive and bring fond memories of such superb ensembles like the NDR Big BandFind albums by this artist, which of course is a great model to follow. Although Wu Wei is an important contributor to this album, the music does not reflect many World Music elements per se. Nevertheless the Chinese instrument sounds perfectly at home with the Western instruments played by the ensemble and adds a valuable sound variety. This music is definitely quite different from what is being released as orchestral Jazz music today and deserves special attention just for being an attempt to search for new forms of expressions. The album is very well recorded and each of the instruments can be clearly heard in the mix, which is also quite rare these days. Overall this is a very unusual album, which is definitely worth of the attention of connoisseurs searching non-trivial musical explorations. Schultze, on the other hand, deserves praise and encouragement for pursuing his dreams, which eventually result in such superb recordings as this one.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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STEFAN SCHULTZE LARGE ENSEMBLE ~ TED THE BELLHOP WHYPLAYJAZZ 033 (Barcode: 4250459991336) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2017 This is the second orchestral / Big Band album by the German pianist / composer Stefan SchultzeFind albums by this artist released on the WhyPlayJazzFind albums on this label label and his third recording with the Large EnsembleFind albums by this artist. The music is performed by an eighteen piece orchestra and Schultze composed five of the six extended pieces the album presents. The remaining piece was composed by Carla BleyFind albums by this artist. Schultze himself does not play on this album. The Chinese sheng player Wu WeiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The music is a brilliant amalgam of Jazz sub-genres and orchestral sound, which characterizes the European approach to Big Band music, which although powerfully swinging, is able to extend the idiom in many different directions, often simultaneously, encapsulating decades of the Big Band tradition and European instrumental music. The compositions, although melody based, are very modern and always fascinating. Schultze wrote intricate and masterly woven arrangements, which present the full scale of possibilities of the Big Band and the many balances existing between the orchestra´s sections, the soloists and the overall sound. The performances by all the musicians involved in this project are absolutely stunning, especially so in view of the complexity of the music and the challenges it presents both to the ensemble players and the soloists. Overall this is a brilliant album from start to finish, especially so in view of the fact that Big Bands are almost extinct on the contemporary Jazz scene, a sad reflection of the cultural climate today. Both the music and the performances are inspired and highly aesthetic, which makes this album an absolute delight for all Big Band enthusiasts and in fact all Jazz connoisseurs. A must!

Updated: 06/06/2017Posted: 06/06/2017

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STEFAN SCHULTZE SEPTET ~ TURBALENTO WHYPLAYJAZZ 049 (Barcode: 4250459991497) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2013 Released: 2020 This is an archival album by German Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Stefan SchultzeFind albums by this artist, recorded live seven years prior to the release date. The septet includes American trumpeter Herb RobertsonFind albums by this artist and flautist Helen BledsoeFind albums by this artist (both frequently active on the European scene) alongside German musicians. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Schultze. The music is captivating, as always in Schultze’s case, and his recorded legacy clearly shows his fascination with big formats / orchestras, and the septet certainly often sounds as an entire orchestra on this album. His impressive recording activity (over twenty albums since the turn of the Millennium) places him among the most prolific contemporary German Jazz figures. The music is a wonderful amalgam of composed motifs and extensively improvised ensemble playing, full of mysterious tension and superb individual contributions by the participants. The album offers a coherent musical flow, which combines the separate tracks into a continuous aural experience, which flows unobstructed from start to finish. The septet offers an instrumental diversity, which enhances the listening experience considerably. Lovers of contemporary European Jazz, with strong Improvised Music proximity and challenging approach, should find this album irresistible. Schultze is a Master of suspense and manages to use the potential of the septet to the max, often offering several motifs being performed in parallel, but what might have sounded as complete havoc in fact sounds absolutely orderly and logical – a very rare quality for Improvised Music. This is the fifth album by Schultze for the fantastic German WhyPlayJazzFind albums on this label label, which manages to release some of the most vibrant and mindboggling music originating in Europe since 2005, all of which are certainly worth checking out and are highly recommended, including this one of course!

Updated: 14/02/2021Posted: 14/02/2021

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