Forget-Me-Not

Vittorio Lo Conte for Music Zoom

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Russian pianist Yelena Eckemoff, now living in USA, is by now an important presence in contemporary jazz through recordings which deserve respect, in which she is always good at drawing something new from the musicians with whom she interacts. It is worth to listen again to this trio of some years ago together with the Norwegian bass player Mats Eilertsen and the danish woman drummer Marylin Mazur, very known for her work in the band of Jan Garbarek.

All the composition are from the leader, perfectly at ease with her sidemen, who transport her towards new atmospheres, which we know from the scandinavian musician on ECM. But she shows a very strong personality and gives to the music a special touch. There is always something that attracts the attention of the listener as the inspiration, coming from different kind of musics, in their hands become a whole. “Sand-Glass,” for instance, is a composition that likes to express the running of time and the rhythm of a metronome hold by the piano, while tui bass and the drums find their way to the improvisation. “Trapped in Time” is a tiny jewel, because of the complex harmonies and the misterous atmospheres evoked in the introduction. Later on the performance gets a structure that goes to blues on the minalist percussions of the drummer and the poetical lines of notes of the bass player. Inside the same take we find moment of an orthodox jazz trio together mixed with the avant-garde, all of this performed with such a passionate feeling.

The trio goes along very well during the record, so the seventy two minutes of the record run quickly. It is a record that interacts with the listener, for the inventions of the trio do not go unnoticed, and the ability to put together so many musical influences makes the result perfectly coherent.

Original Italian:

La pianista russa, ma residente in USA, Yelena Eckemoff è ormai un’importante presenza del jazz contemporaneo con delle incisioni di tutto rispetto in cui riesce a trarre sempre qualcosa di nuovo dai musicisti con cui interagisce. Vale la pena andare a riascoltare questo trio di alcuni anni fa insieme il norvegese Mats Eilertsen al contrabbasso ed alla batterista danese Marylin Mazur, molto conosciuta per la lunga collaborazione con Jan Garbarek.

Sono tutte composizioni della leader, perfettamente a suo agio con i due comprimari, che la trasportano in atmosfere che conosciamo dai musicisti nordici sul catalogo ECM, tuttavia lei mostra una forte personalità che dà alla musica un tocco speciale. C’è sempre qualcosa che attira l’attenzione dell’ascoltatore, l’ispirazione che arriva da musiche diverse che nelle loro mani diventano un insieme organico. Sand-Glass, ad esempio, che vuole esprimere lo scorrere del tempo ed il battere di un metronomo tenuto dal pianoforte, mentre il contrabbasso e la batteria trovano una loro via all’improvvisazione. Trapped in Time è un piccolo gioiello, per le armonie complesse e le misteriose atmosfere evocate nel’introduzione, poi l’esecuzione acquista una struttura che la porta verso il blues sulle percussioni minimaliste della Mazur e le poetiche linee del contrabbasso di Eilertsen. All’interno della stessa esecuzione troviamo momenti di un canonico trio jazz insieme all’avanguardia, il tutto eseguito in modo appassionato.

Il tre riescono nell’impresa e così i settantadue minuti del disco scorrono veloci. È un disco che interagisce anche con l’ascoltatore per le continue invenzione dei tre, che non passano inosservate, e la capacità di mettere insieme tante influenze musicali rendendo il risultato perfettamente coerente.

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Susan Frances for Yahoo

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The ambient soundscapes and eclectic tresses of Forget-Me-Not from pianist Yelena Eckemoff showcases music that stimulates the mind through complex entanglements and ethereally textured chimes reverberating in a broad range of keys and decibels. The improvised parts are proportioned to the structured motifs so the tracks keep their autonomy while maintaining a melodic fluidity. Accompanied by Mats Eilertsen on double bass and Marilyn Mazur on drums and percussions, Forget Me Not stays true to Eckemoff’s character of being a member of the vanguard and keeping her audience guessing about what creations she has in store for them. The bowing arcs of Eilertsen’s bass on “Maybe” produce angular lines which trail into Eckemoff’s lounging keys then morph into a series of staccato strikes in “Sand-Glass” generating an anxiety in the track as a choir of scintillating chimes dance around the keys. The variations in the drum beats along “Five” transitions from deep-toned bass notes to seraphic projectiles as Eckemoff’s keys hewn the main theme of the track. The slow rise in the bass notes and the delicate sprigs of jittering keys garner “Schubert’s Code” with an ambient sonorous introspective in character, while “Quasi Sonata” resonates with a maudlin Beethoven-esque musing. The clip-clopping beats of “Seven” move independent of the springy cadence of the keys and the bass notes quieting to an eclectic swishing through the passages of “Trapped in Time” and then into gently balladry sweeps across “Welcome a New Day.” A maestro in her own right, Yelena Eckemoff studied at the Piano School of the Moscow State Conservatory and earned a master’s degree in piano performance. Since 1991, she has been living in the United States and developing a repertoire as an independent artist. Forget Me Not was recorded in two days at a recording studio in Denmark, and even though the recording shows no signs of being rushed but rather pristinely charted, the compositions never lose their trait of moving in unpredictable lobes and strides.

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Tom Hull on Web

Piano trio, with Mats Eilertsen on bass and Marilyn Mazur on percussion. Smart, precise, tasteful, as is everything I’ve heard from her. B+(***)~Tom Hull, Jazzprospecting.

Brent Black for Critical Jazz

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Yelena Eckemoff is a Russian born pianist living permanently in the United States since 1991. Eckemoff has been flying just under the industries musical radar despite having two critically acclaimed releases from 2010 while working with Danish bassist Mads Vinding and drummers Peter Erskine and Morten Lund. Holding a Master’s Degree in piano performance and pedagogy, Eckemoff’s talents are walking the artistic tightrope of her personal experience in Moscow and that of the form and function of the more traditional western improvisational forms of jazz in the United States. “Resurrection of a Dream” is a spacious yet methodically developing piece. A mysterious dynamic tension that builds in conjunction with the shifting harmonics is captivating as a slightly more free form approach takes shape within the melody. Mat Eilertsen is a gifted double bassist and former Miles Davis percussionist Marilyn Mazur adds a balance of finesse and subtle nuance that aids in the musical development of the entire release. “Sand-Glass” is a syncopated piece somewhat reminiscent of a more accessible Philip Glass. Eckemoff is the type of artist to drive a critic and most major label executives to the nearest ledge as her prolific talents sidestep the more standard categorization with ease. “Five” showcases Mazur’s master work as one of the most lyrically driven percussionists working today. Eilertsen’s soulful bass work helps push the harmonic ebb and flow of this more emotionally charged sonic exploratory. Eckemoff displays a virtuosity of precision and her deceptive understatement in performance on “Five” allows the trio to function as a cohesive unit with a single harmonious vision.

H. Allen Williams for Jazz Times

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Russian born pianist Yelena Eckemoff’s latest offering Forget-me-Not is a jazz and classically infused exploration of beauty, textures and improvisational genius. The interactive chemistry between Yelena, bassist Mats Eilertsen, and drummer Marilyn Mazur is clear from the first lustrous passages. Eckemoff’s compositions offer a journey of introspection, exploration and emotional intelligence. One cannot help but be profoundly moved by hearing her approach and ideas. Though classically influenced in nature, each composition is entrenched in the modern jazz idiom. With a vast discography, that includes some of the leading figures in jazz today, Eckemoff has clearly established herself as a top ranking composer. The question is no longer whether she can be considered in the ranks of top composers; it is now how far her musical journey will take her. I was fortunate enough to have a chance to interview this significant composer and delve into some of her processes and background.

H. Allen Williams interview

1. H. Allen Williams: What was the main reason you left Russian and came to the United States to reside?

Yelena Eckemoff: Summing up a long story to one sentence, I’d say that the main reason that moved my husband and me to leave our home was the strong drive to seek freedom to practice our Christian faith and to raise our children away from restrictive regime of the Soviet Union.

2. H. Allen Williams: How do you feel that your Russian upbringing has influenced your music?

Yelena Eckemoff: Living in Moscow, I was exposed to enormously flourishing Russian culture having had access to many cultural venues. But mostly I owe everything to my mother Olga, a wonderful pianist, who brought me up in an extraordinary environment of music, art, fantasy, nature and much, much love and laughter. My mother diligently took me to endless concerts, operas, ballets, movies and plays; in my childhood she provided me with plenty of books, records and all kind of art supplies. I also was truly fortunate to receive excellent academic education at Special Gnessins School for musically gifted children, studying piano with Anna Pavlovna Kantor – one of the most brilliant piano teachers ever. The Gnessins School raised professional musicians from 5 – 6 years of age; therefore my future was determined since my first grade. I was also very fortunate to have another great teacher, Galina Nikolaevna Eguiazarova, who continued my development as a pianist at the Moscow Conservatory. Then I had an unmatched (for that time in Soviet Union) opportunity to learn and see a lot at the Moscow Experimental Jazz Studio, where I studied for two years.

3. H. Allen Williams: Historically, Russia seems to put a major focus on technique, how do you feel your piano lessons as a child influenced who you are as a player today?

Yelena Eckemoff: I inherited the traditions of famous Russian Piano School which took its roots in the “poet of the pianoforte” Heinrich Neuhaus, who was a student of Aleksander Michałowski, who in turn was a student of Carl Mikuli, who in turn was a student of Frederick Chopin. Neuhaus was an artist of great culture, passionately in love with his art, who created his own highly intellectual and at the same time very romantic school of pianism. It was said that he forced the hands of his students to submit to artistic expression, to “obey the intellect.”

4. H. Allen Williams: Who would you say was your biggest influence musically growing up?

Yelena Eckemoff: If I have to narrow down the long list of people who had me influenced in my musical development, I shall name Galina Eguiazarova who had opened my ears to the very depths of music expression and shared with me her exquisite taste of classical music interpretation. I also should mention Dave Brubeck, whose live performance in Moscow opened new horizons for me when I was 20.

5. H. Allen Williams: What is the quantitative difference between Forget- me-Not and your other body of works?

Yelena Eckemoff: I see each new recording of mine as an evolution of some sort, the next step in my musical journey. Conceiving a new album and preparing music material for a new recording session, always involves rethinking, striving to do your best yet, and coming up with new ideas. “Forget-me-not” is more dynamic and up-beat, even playful, than my previous recordings. In my own improvising I have explored more dissonant and chromatic way of playing. I think Marilyn Mazur’s colorful and spirited percussion work and Mats Eilertsen’s lyrical bass playing enhanced by some very charming bowing, added some different angles and ECM flavor to this record.

6. H. Allen Williams: What is your composing process?

Yelena Eckemoff: Oh, it is very simple. All I need is music paper and a pencil. My head is always filled with melodies, rhythms, harmonies; even in my sleep I often hear music… I write it down whenever I have a chance and can get hold of something to write on. Later on I go through my papers and rework material which speaks to me at the moment and develop it as much as I can (or my time permits.) Finally, as I prepare music for the live performance or the recording, I make the lead sheets in Sibelius music notation software.

7. H. Allen Williams: How do you balance composing and arranging with allowing flexibility and freedom for each individual player to create within the context of a piece?

Yelena Eckemoff: Usually composer likes to be in a total control of the music, but I’ve been learning to step back and let the performers participate in the creative process. Wherever possible I try to leave extra space (beyond the solos) in my compositions for making music on the spot during the recording. Working with top-notch musicians and such incredible improvisers humbles you and prompts you to minimize your control and let the interplay thrive.

After this said, I have to confess that composition is still central to my music, which I believe makes it sound more like MY music and not like just some improvised avant-garde music. The improvised parts, solos, and interpretation may vary of course, but melody, musical structure and overall concept usually stay true to my vision and carefully thought- and felt through design. While traditional jazz keeps its focus on the body of improvisation, I treat improvising in modern jazz as vital part of melodic and structural development – the same way as it happens in classical music. This process has started with George Gershwin, and Bella Bartok was known to intentionally leave some sections of his music blank with the note to musicians to play what they felt appropriate.  In writing my music I am trying to achieve balance between what and how much is composed and what and how much is improvised. I believe I am one of growing number of modern composers who choose to incorporate improvisational approach to the composing process.

8. H. Allen Williams: The trio really sounds interactive and cohesive. What are some of the conscience decisions the band as a whole made, and you as a leader made, to create such a unified ensemble sound?

Yelena Eckemoff: It surely helped that all three of us shared the liking of music material and were on the same vibe. It was exciting for all three of us to play together for the first time, and I was especially happy to introduce Eilertsen and Mazur to each other, and it was so much fun to watch them lock at once in a fire-sympathetic groove.

Also, since I have much of the piano parts written down, I suggested to Eilertsen some written bass lines to insure interesting polyphonic interaction in certain places when bass and piano should intervene very tightly.  It was done in the songs “Five” (5 x 4 time signature), “Maybe,”  “Schubert’s Code,”  “Welcome a New Day,” and “Seven” (7 x 4 time signature).  Still, most pieces on “Forget-me-not” have less than one fourth of the written bass parts, and the rest have just the chords symbols marked. The only piece that has mostly written bass part is “Sand-Glass.”

9. H. Allen Williams: You seem to record with numerous ECM musicians, is this a purposeful approach, or do the individual musicians fit your musical message the best?

Yelena Eckemoff: I am always looking for like-minded musicians who I would share an affinity with. It just happens to be that I feel closer to ECM musicians, because we share similar approach and likings in music making. But I have also successfully collaborated with bassists Mads Vinding and Darek Olezskiewicz, who are not affiliated with ECM, and I am aware of a lot of other non-ECM musicians who I would gladly work with (and I hope I will) in the future.

10. H. Allen Williams: It’s obvious you’ve done a lot of honest thinking about your work and direction. How would you describe your music to an audience?

Yelena Eckemoff: It is said: treat others the way you yourself would like to be treated. I sincerely try to follow this rule in producing my music. I feel music should be listenable and accessible, but never vulgar or imitative of other music; it should be sophisticated and fresh; interesting, but not annoying; reflective; kind; soulful.

Stylistically, my music is symbiotic, taking mainly from classical and jazz music universes. But this is not a mere coexistence. The way I see it, there is a man, Jazz, and a woman, Classical. Since they have met each other, they had a love from the first sight, and having lived together as a couple for some time, they became proud parents of many children who bear features of both, but in different proportions. I think this is how the music is evolving now, and I am happy to be one of these lucky “children.”

11. H. Allen Williams: I noticed your discography is vast, but your performance schedule select. Do you prefer recording over live performances?

Yelena Eckemoff: If opportunity arises, I don’t mind to perform, and I’ve done numerous gigs both as concert pianist and with bands and ensembles; yet the career of a touring musician was never on my agenda. Basically I am becoming way too busy with my composing and recording to be engaged in performing live. My main and passionate aspiration is to compose, and I do a lot of it, so I have virtually endless supply of new music material; and then I am really thrilled to have it performed and recorded. Naturally, I love very much to play piano, but I am the most excited when I am playing my new music. The best time of my life I have at the recording session. Period. But as soon as it is finished, all my desires turn towards planning and executing a new project. I realize that it is rather uncommon path for a {jazz} musician, but this is the way I like it.

12. H. Allen Williams: Does recording and releasing records independently give you the freedom needed to explore your music honestly, or would you prefer to be label represented?

Yelena Eckemoff: Hypothetically, the representation of a good label could deliver my music to a larger audience. Yet I cherish the flexibility in choices I make, rather than to be dependent on decisions of others, starting with the choice of music and performers, and ending with the art work design and release dates, and bunch of other things like that. I tend to believe that if music is good and deserves attention, it will somehow find its way to listeners sooner or later. It has been reassuring for me to see that my music steadily gains more radio play and more and more recognition and fans around the world as well as the attention and respect of some notable music critics. My CDs and digital download sales are also on the rise, and especially in Japan. 

13. H. Allen Williams: What does the future hold for Yelena Eckemoff?

Yelena Eckemoff: The one and only thing I truly desire for me in future is to be able to continue to write and produce my music with the help of the great musicians and sound engineers, who would find this collaboration exciting and rewarding, at the best recording studios of the world. I’ve been lucky to do this so far, and I hope I will be able to continue as time goes by.

In the beginning of the 2013 I will be releasing my next CD, “Glass Song,” which I recorded  in California last March with two legends of jazz world who had also played together for the first time on my session – Arild Andersen on double-bass and Peter Erskine on drums.

I am planning two new sessions – one for the trio with Arild and another in a quartet setting. I have my hands full with new ideas and projects, which makes me busy as a bee, but also truly happy. So, future looks quite promising for the L & H Production label 🙂

Maria Miaoulis for The Celebrity Cafe

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Pianist and composer Yelena Eckemoff undoubtedly turns heads (and raises many eyebrows) when listeners hear her rare blend of classical chamber music and progressive jazz on her latest CD, Forget-me-not. The Russian-born musician learned to play piano by ear at the tender age of four and has been composing since age five. She went on to study concert piano at the renowned Moscow State Conservatory and established quite a name for herself before moving to the US in 1991, avoiding the collapse of the Soviet Union. Over the years, Eckemoff has released several records, composing for various instruments in the genres of jazz, classical music and experimental jazz-rock, all styles which are heavily featured on Forget-me-not. Together with bassist Mats Eilertsen and former Miles Davis percussionist Marilyn Mazur, the album was recorded in just two days at a Denmark recording studio. The 10 original compositions are chameleon-like, switching between structure and improv with such fluidity that the transitions are seamless. My personal favorite is “Sand-Glass,” a piece with a very simple melody adorned with mysterious effects that make it completely mesmerizing. Overall, the record is intriguing and intellectually stimulating. At times romantic, often eerie, but always intimate, it’s as though a dreamy mist descends upon you while you’re listening to it.

John Barron for Jazz World

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The classically-trained Russian pianist Yelena Eckemoff has released a series of critically acclaimed jazz trio recordings with the likes of bassist Mads Vinding and drummer Peter Erskine. Her latest effort, Forget-me-Not, is an exploration of the pianist’s imaginative compositional style with spirited group interplay. Bassist Mats Eilertsen and drummer Marilyn Mazur are both equal contributors to the music’s open-ended direction. From the light swirls of sound on the opening track “Resurrection of a Dream” to the trodden harmonic movement of the poignant closing ballad “Welcome a New Day,” Eckemoff puts forth convincing themes with ample space for bass and drums to fill in the cracks with unhindered expression. The pianist’s technical prowess is evident without ever being overbearing. As heard on the title track, she has a tendency to be sly, even within an approach to line shaping that is resolute. “Sand Glass” is an example of a more thoroughly composed piece, maintaining a jazzy aesthetic. Such a prescribed direction is a nice contrast to some of the more free form moments heard on the disc. Eckemoff’s approach to the traditional piano trio is fresh and appealing.

Geannine Reid for Ejazz News

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Russian pianist Yelena Eckemoff has long been adored by the ECM follower, her working relationships with many likeminded artists such artists as Peter Erskine and, more recently, Marilyn Mazur with her latest endeavor, FORGET-me-NOT, which delightfully features Tord Gustavsen recruit Mats Eilertsen on bass, rounds out the trio perfectly. Sonically pastoral beauty that delights the senses and evokes the listener in an engaged journey beyond can be found throughout this phenomenal release. From the ethereal mood of “Resurrection of a Dream” it is evident that Eckemoff has crafted a distinctive marker in her vast recording discography. Set to a milieu of expressive percussion and arco textures, Eckemoff traverses the listener through a canvas of beautiful harmonic colors with liberated pianism. Mazur underpins with cymbals in a flurried but cohesive accompaniment to Eilertsen focused yet perceptive, soloing. The beauty of the opening cut sets the thematic journey through the many landscapes, creating an atmospheric troposphere that is intoxicating. The methodical “Sand-Glass” further gives the listener and opportunity to additionally taste the flavors offered with this well-honed offering. As the CD continues an engaging rhythmic delight “Five” comes in literally at the halfway mark, which creates an emotional release along the midway point of the release. Rooted in classical music, Eckemoff shines on “Schubert’s Code.” Coded with nineteenth century, adornment it shimmers with dexterity and spark, once again pulling the listener deeper into the overall message of Eckemoff’s outstanding compositional skills. “Quasi Sonata,” in contrast has a more historical overtone, though still unique in delivery and concept. “Welcome a New Day,” brings into view a complex, yet uplifting experience, and is a befitting ending to the overall experience. FORGET-me-NOT is a captivating listen, which takes you beyond the usual jazz CD, a deeper musical message and an introspective appreciation for oneself through Eckemoff’s music. You cannot help but reflect and enjoy as you listen along. Eckemoff’s ability to transport the listener beyond their own boundaries is what we all look for in music. Clearly, Eckemoff has given the listener a chance to experience this opportunity through her expressive ideas and outstanding personnel choice. Mazur and Eilertsen create the circle of a perfect trio. The sound is symbiotic, expressive and meaningful. Don’t miss the opportunity to be introduced to Eckemoff through any of her current or previous releases and experience the becoming of a true master in the making.

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ThisisBooksMusic.com

When one reviews a good number of jazz albums as I do, one can get overwhelmed by what comes across during any given month, if not week or day. I can’t imagine what jazz journalists go through. There has been an album that has been in my scope for about a week or two, and after getting a message like “hey buster, have you heard it yet?”, I thought okay, let me move it forward and take a listen. The cover short for Forget-Me-Not (self-released) by Yelena Eckemoff is simple: a photo of a landscape involving two houses in the background and a bit of farm land in the front. The sky is cloudy but the sun is about to rise or set. Anything could be on this album, but I knew it was jazz and after reviewing music for so long, sometimes I get a hunch and I hold on it until I listen, to find out if that hunch was correct. In this case, it is. Forget-Me-Not is a simple trio album featuring Eckemoff (piano), Marilyn Mazur (drums), and Mats Elitersen, and together they bring the kind of great sensibility that one can often hear on jazz albums on ECM. Pick an era, and you may hear some of those qualities here. I think that I like about these musicians as they play is that there’s an understanding for the goal of the song, and they allow each other breathing room. In a song like “Seven”, you tend to imagine everything from snow falling to clouds crumbling as Eckemoff washes the rhythm section fresh as Eltertsen holds things together with his bass melody. At times, you hear this and may think of more adventurous moments from Dave Brubeck, especially on how Eckemoff plays in “Resurrection Of A Dream” as her group either jump around quietly or move forward into rush hour traffic, and it’s great when Mazur suddenly adds some nice percussive touches at the appropriate moments. This is just top notch jazz played beautifully, and whether you listen to this album in order of appearance, or play with the track line-up a bit (as I did, I created a playlist where the songs were in order by time length, from the shortest to the longest), Forget-Me-Not will become an album you will never forget, simply because it’s sounds like a recording that will be considered by some as a recording worth preserving. This is the kind of jazz I enjoy listening to and one I will recommend to anyone who comes my way.

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