Nocturnal Animals

Yelena ECKEMOFF is back with a new album released a year after her latest Colors in which she explored colors.

If you don’t know her yet, this is a great opportunity to get to know this US naturalized Russian pianist. She was trained in the best music schools in her native country before moving to sunny California in Los Angeles in the 90s. She did not forget her roots so she builds her career creating bridge between the great tradition of American jazz and that of Russian music (which has a substantial folk and classical heritage). Her training as a classical musician allows her to approach jazz differently, in particular by writing all her melodies in advance. What she loses in improvisation, she gains in muffled elegance. This method also allows her to articulate each of her albums around a very specific theme: wild animals, memories, colors. And today the nocturnal animals of the Russian forests, a concept reminiscent of the pagan forests of STRAVINSKY and the same time – as of the Carnival of the Animals by SAINT-SÄENS and the soundscapes that Bill EVANS and Keith JARRETT paint with their fingertips.

Complete artist, it is she who designed the cover and wrote the poems inside the booklet to accompany the pieces. Well known for the flair with which she always chooses the best musicians to accompany her, this time she has set her sights on bassist Arild ANDERSEN and the two drummers Jon CHRISTENSEN and Thomas STRONEN. Only people coming from the cold of Scandinavia can understand what it means to walk in the middle of the night in a forest of the Far North. An experience that could inspire a scary horror film in more than one way, but which the pianist evokes a peaceful atmosphere suitable for contemplation.

It may be unnecessary to say, but be sure to approach this record at night or at least at dusk to better soak up its atmosphere. It is under the lunar rays that it is revealed, provided you show patience – it remains a double chamber jazz album, with pieces of four to eight minutes and reduced instrumentation. This is also a shortcoming of the record which still contains songs that “hit the encrust.” Take away a few, and the evocation of this fauna that we usually only see in the light of our headlights will be filled with strong passion. To make the trip perfect, select the stages: “Fox” and “Wolf” to put yourself in the shoes of these predatory mammals on the hunt. “Hedgehog” conversely is full of vulnerability, while “Bats” and “Owl” have beautiful flights of piano, logical. “Rattlesnake” is mean, vicious in the way it turns with the percussion, while “Cicada” and “Sea Turtle” are calm and relaxed.

When the first light of day breaks on the horizon, everyone returns to their lair, waiting for darkness to return. We won’t see them again, but over the course of one night they gave us a fascinating ballet of beauty.

Original French:

Yelena ECKEMOFF est de retour avec un nouvel album sorti un an après son (ex) petit dernier Colors dans lequel elle explorait les couleurs.

Si vous ne la connaissez pas encore, voilà donc une excellente opportunité de faire connaissance avec cette pianiste russe naturalisée américaine. Elle a été formée dans les meilleures écoles de musique de son pays natal avant de partir s’installer sous le soleil californien à Los Angeles dans les années 90. Elle n’en oublie pas pour autant ses racines ni de construire sa carrière à essayer de créer des ponts entre la grande tradition du jazz américain et celle de la musique russe (qui possède un patrimoine folk et classique conséquent). Sa formation de musicienne classique lui permet d’aborder le jazz différemment, notamment en écrivant toutes ses mélodies à l’avance. Ce qu’elle perd en improvisation, elle le gagne en élégance feutrée. Cela lui permet aussi d’articuler chacun de ses albums autour d’une thématique bien précise : les animaux sauvages, les souvenirs, les couleurs. Et aujourd’hui les animaux nocturnes des forêts russes, concept qui rappelle les forêts païennes de STRAVINSKY en même temps que le Carnaval des Animaux de SAINT-SÄENS et les paysages sonores que peuvent peindre du bout de leurs doigts Bill EVANS et Keith JARRETT.

Artiste complète, c’est elle qui a conçu la pochette et écrit les poèmes à l’intérieur du livret pour accompagner les morceaux. Bien connue pour le flair avec lequel elle choisit toujours les meilleurs musiciens pour l’accompagner, elle a cette fois-ci jeté son dévolu sur le bassiste Arild ANDERSEN et les deux batteurs Jon CHRISTENSEN et Thomas STRONEN. Seuls des gens venant du froid de la Scandinavie sont à même de comprendre ce que signifie se promener en pleine nuit dans une forêt du Grand Nord. Une expérience qui pourrait inspirer à plus d’un un film horreur angoissant, mais qui évoque à la pianiste une atmosphère paisible propre à la contemplation.

Il est peut-être inutile de le préciser, mais prenez soin d’aborder ce disque pendant la nuit ou au moins au crépuscule pour mieux vous imprégner de son ambiance. C’est sous les rayons lunaires qu’il se dévoile, à condition de faire preuve de patience – ça reste un double album de jazz de chambre, avec des morceaux de quatre à huit minutes et une instrumentation réduite. C’est d’ailleurs là le gros défaut du disque qui contient quand même des morceaux venant “taper l’incruste”. Enlevez-en quelques-uns, et l’évocation de cette faune que l’on ne croise habituellement qu’à la lueur de nos phares est remplie d’émotions. Pour que le voyage soit parfait, sélectionnez-en les étapes : “Fox” et “Wolf” pour vous mettre dans la peau de ces mammifères prédateurs en pleine traque. “Hedgehog” à l’inverse est emplie de vulnérabilité, alors que “Bats” et “Owl” ont de belles envolées de piano, logique. “Rattlesnake” est méchante, vicieuse dans sa manière de tourner avec les percussions, alors que “Cicada” et “Sea Turtle” sont calmes et reposées.

Lorsque les premières lueurs du jour pointent à l’horizon, chacun retourne dans sa tanière en attendant que l’obscurité revienne. Nous ne les reverrons plus, mais ils nous ont au cours d’une nuit livré un ballet fascinant de beauté.

The magnificent Russian-born pianist Yelena Eckemoff (please also read a recent exclusive interview I conducted with her) has already established herself in many records as an exceptional pianist and composer on theAmerican jazz scene. In addition to the virtuosity that comes from the Russian piano school and the study of classical music, her strengths are inventive melody, color work, and a unique compositional ability to create musical portraits of things around her. She also supports her narrative music with her own poetry, which is another side of the same coin used to complete the overall picture of a thoughtful concept of her albums. In her latest album, Nocturnal Animals, she describes through music to her listeners the life of nocturnal creatures. The album opens with the “Cicada” – a mystical composition performed with an expanded key and mood swings. Joyful moments alternate with uncertainty and unpredictability, which is expressed by harmonic tension and graceful dissonance. This musical story goes hand in hand with Eckemoff’s poem, which describes the life cycle and development of the Cicada, which, on the one hand, has high expectations of changeover into beautiful flying creature, but also experiences fear of what this life will be like – expressed musically by a constant duality of moods and harmonious language. “Bat” brings a much stronger rhythm and energy and now there is no ambiguity in its story. Eckemoff describes in her poem a bat that enjoys the night life and is preparing for the hunt. This is expressed musically by uniting a more agile rhythm, more energetic percussion, frequent staccato, and especially shorter phrases and a different emphasis on tones. So, each song intelligently expresses a new story in a different way. Take as another example, “Fox” –  a song about a fox which constantly runs away to somewhere and never stops for too long. The musicians depicted this constant running of the fox with energetic vibrations with relentless walking bass and tense harmonic accompaniment with constant staccato. Eckemoff very effectively uses various musical elements to express her stories in the music, for example she puts dramatic chromatic fragments at the end of the “Wolf,” which has its story ending with avalanche.

This is a really great album that belongs to so-called “programme music,” that is, music that attempts to render an extra-musical narrative musically. This compositional approach was used in the past in classical music, when printed guides for compositions were created to inform the listener what was happening in the music. Here Eckemoff replaced such printed bulletin with CD booklet, which is full of poetry she wrote for each composition. In jazz, projects developed in such fashion are not very common, perhaps because jazz more often relies on improvisation. However, it should be said Yelena Eckemoff has found her own expressive position in world jazz music that is both unique and matching for her. She puts all her efforts into having a project exist not only in music dimension but outside of it also. The result of her efforts is a synthesized visionary art form that unites poetry, music, and even the design of her own cover art – her own oil paintings. She tries hard to create such art form, and this can be clearly seen in her other albums. We could musically analyze each individual song from this extensive double album and describe how it relates to the accompanying poetry, but such description would only scratch the surface of this remarkable work of art. It would be much better for each listener to get his or her own idea, so I strongly recommend that you listen to both CDs and immerse yourself in the world of Yelena Eckemoff’s music while reading her poetry at the same time, because only this way will you get a complete picture of this work of art!

Original Slovak:

Vynikajúca klaviristka ruského pôvodu Yelena Eckemoff (čítaj nedávny exkluzívny rozhovor) sa už mnohými projektami etablovala ako výnimočná klaviristka a skladateľka na americkej jazzovej scéne! Okrem virtuozity, ktorá pramení z ruskej klavírnej školy a štúdia klasickej hudby, sú jej silnou stránkou invenčná melodickosť, práca s farbami, unikátna kompozičná schopnosť vykresľovať príbeh. Svoju naratívnu hudbu podporuje aj priloženou vlastnou poéziou, ktorá je len druhou stranou mince a dotvára celkový obraz o premyslenom koncepte. Na svojom najnovšom albume – Nocturnal Animals, poslucháčom opisuje život nočných tvorov. Album otvára kompozícia Cicada – mystická skladba sa pohráva s rozšírenou tonalitou a zmenami nálad. Radostné polohy strieda neistota a nepredvídateľnosť, čo je vyjadrené harmonickým napätím a miernymi disonanciami. Tento hudobný príbeh ide ruka v ruke s básňou od Eckemoff, v ktorej opisuje životný cyklus a vývoj cikády, ktorá sa na jednu stranu teší na život a nadobudnutie novej formy, no prežíva aj strach z toho aký ten život bude a to je vyjadrené práve v neustálej dualite nálad a harmonickom jazyku. Kompozícia Bat prináša oveľa ráznejší rytmus a energickosť – v tomto príbehu nie je neistota. Eckemoff opisuje netopiera, ktorý si užíva nočný život a pripravuje sa na lov. Túto skutočnosť vyjadruje zoskupenie pohyblivejším rytmom, ráznejším bicím sprievodom, častým staccatom, a najmä kratšími frázami a ostatným zdôrazňovaním tónov. Každá skladba takto dômyselne vyjadruje nejaký príbeh, odlišným spôsobom ako napríklad Fox, teda skladba o líške, ktorá neustále niekam uteká a nikdy sa príliš nezastaví na jednom mieste. Tento neustály beh líšky hudobníci stvárnili ráznym swingom s neutíchajúcim kráčajúcim basom a vypätým harmonickým sprievodom s neustálim staccatom. Eckemoff veľmi efektne využíva rôzne hudobné prvky na vyjadrenie príbehu v hudbe, ako napríklad aj dramatické chromatické behy na záver skladby Wolf, ktoré reprezentujú zosuv lavíny. Je to skutočne pozoruhodný album, ktorý môžeme zaradiť do tak zvanej programovej hudby, teda hudby, ktorá sa snaží jasne opísať nejaké mimohudobné deje (príbehy). S takýmto skladateľským prístupom sme sa stretli aj v minulosti vo vážnej hudbe, kedy ku kompozíciám vznikali programové sprievodky, aby informovali poslucháča, kde sa čo v ktorom takte deje. Tu nahradil programovú sprievodku booklet, ktorý je plný poézie od Eckemoff, súvisiacej s každou kompozíciou. V jazze býva takto prepracovaných projektov s takto dôsledne vypracovaných projektov málo, možno aj preto, že častejšie buduje na improvizácii a toto je úplne iná situácia. Treba však povedať, že Yelena Eckemoff si našla výrazovú polohu, ktorá je pre ňu jedinečná a jej identická. Celú svoju energiu sústreďuje do celého projektu ako celku. Výsledkom jej snaženia je prepracovaná vízia, ktorá dostáva podobu poézie, hudby a dokonca aj dizajnu vlastného coveru. Sú to jej vízie, na ktorých si dáva záležať a toto nie je jediný album, ktorý o tom svedčí. Mohli by sme tu rozobrať hudobne každú jednu skladbu z rozsiahleho dvojalbumu a poukázať na to ako sa prepája s priloženou poéziou, no ani to by však dôkladne neobsiahlo celé toto prepracované dielo. Preto nech si každý poslucháč urobí predstavu sám, vrelo vám odporúčam vypočuť si obidve CD a nechať sa ponoriž do hudobného sveta Yeleny Eckemoff aj prostredníctvom priloženej poézie, lebo iba s ňou sa vám dotvorí celkový obraz o tomto diele!

Russian:

Великолепная пианистка российского происхождения Елена Экемофф (читающая недавнее эксклюзивное интервью) уже зарекомендовала себя во многих проектах как исключительная пианистка и композитор на американской джазовой сцене! Помимо виртуозности, которая вытекает из русской фортепианной школы и изучения классической музыки, ее сильными сторонами являются изобретательная мелодичность, работа с цветами и уникальная композиционная способность изобразить историю. Онa также поддерживает свою повествовательную музыку своей собственной поэзией, которая является лишь другой стороной медали и завершает общую картину продуманной концепции. В своем последнем альбоме «Ночные животные» онa описывает жизнь ночных существ своим слушателям. Альбом открывается композицией «Cicada» – мистическая композиция исполняется с расширенной тональностью и перепадом настроения. Радостные позиции чередуются с неопределенностью и непредсказуемостью, которая выражается гармоническим напряжением и легким диссонансом. Эта музыкальная история идет рука об руку со стихотворением Экемофф, в котором она описывает жизненный цикл и развитие цикады, которая, с одной стороны, ожидает жизни и приобретения новой формы, но также испытывает страх того, на что эта жизнь будет похожа, и выражается в постоянная двойственность настроений и гармоничный язык. Композиция Bat приносит гораздо более сильный ритм и энергию – в этой истории нет неопределенности. Экемофф описывает летучую мышь, которая наслаждается ночной жизнью и готовится к охоте. Этот факт выражается группировкой с более подвижным ритмом, более энергичной перкуссией, частыми стаккато, и особенно более короткими фразами и другим акцентом на тонах. Таким образом, каждая песня умно выражает историю не так, как, например, «Fox», песня о лисе, которая постоянно куда-то убегает и никогда не останавливается слишком сильно в одном месте. Музыканты изобразили это постоянное бегание лисы энергичными колебаниями с неумолимым гуляющим басом и напряженным гармоническим сопровождением с постоянным стаккато. Экемофф очень эффективно использует различные музыкальные элементы для выражения истории в музыке, а также драматические хроматические фрагменты в конце композиции «Волк», которые представляют лавину. Это действительно замечательный альбом, который может быть включен в так называемую программную музыку, то есть музыку, которая пытается четко описать некоторые не музыкальные события (истории). Мы сталкивались с таким композиционным подходом в прошлом в классической музыке, когда были созданы программные руководства для композиций, чтобы информировать слушателя, где что-то происходит. Здесь он заменил буклет программы передач, который полон поэзии Эккёма, связанной с каждой композицией. В джазе таких разработанных проектов, как правило, мало с такими последовательно разработанными проектами, возможно, также потому, что он чаще опирается на импровизацию, и это совершенно другая ситуация. Тем не менее, следует сказать, что Елена Экемофф нашла выразительную позицию, которая является уникальной и идентичной для нее. Он концентрирует всю свою энергию на весь проект в целом. Результатом ее усилий является переработанное видение, которое принимает форму поэзии, музыки и даже дизайна ее собственной обложки. Это ее видения, о которых она заботится, и это не единственный альбом, подтверждающий это. Мы могли бы музыкально проанализировать каждую отдельную песню из обширного двойного альбома и указать, как она связана с прилагаемой поэзией, но даже это не полностью охватило бы всю эту переработанную работу. Поэтому, пусть каждый слушатель получит свое собственное представление, я настоятельно рекомендую вам прослушать оба компакт-диска и погрузиться в мир музыки Елены Экемофф через вложенную поэзию, потому что только с ее помощью вы получите полное представление об этой работе!

This extensive production with fourteen tracks equally distributed over two CDs is about animals. Moscow-born multi-artist Yelena Eckemoff writes about them and composes music that should capture something of their character. It does, too, from time to time, but the use of animal mathematics has something of an intermediate stage task to it.
Musically it is quite dry, a bit stagnant, albeit beautifully done. Arild Andersen’s powerful bass lines, Jon Christensen’s light and delicate drum playing, Eckemoff’s confidently stepping left hand and more searching and poetically minded right hand, certainly it is elegant, but also quite boring. Percussionist Thomas Strønen completes the quartet. Most of all, I think that neither the brilliant drummer Jon Christensen nor the Rainbow studio’s legendary magician Jan Erik Kongshaug are among us anymore. This may be among the last Kongshaug recorded. Eckemoff’s own pictures are fine, in the text booklet. It deserves to be pointed out.

Original Swedish:

Den här omfångsrika produktionen med fjorton spår lika fördelade över två cd-skivor handlar om djur. Moskvafödda multikonstnären Yelena Eckemoff skriver om dem och komponerar musik som väl ska fånga något av deras karaktär. Det gör den också, emellanåt, men bruket av djurtematik har något av mellanstadieuppgift över sig.
Musikaliskt är det ganska torrt, lite stillastående, om än vackert utfört. Arild Andersens kraftfulla baslinjer, Jon Christensens lätta och delikata trumspel, Eckemoffs säkert klivande vänsterhand och mer sökande och poetiskt sinnade högerhand, visst är det elegant, men också ganska tråkigt. Slagverkaren Thomas Strønen gör kvartetten komplett. Mest tänker jag på att varken den briljante trummisen Jon Christensen eller Rainbow-studions legendariske trollkarl Jan Erik Kongshaug längre är bland oss. Det här kan säkert vara bland det sista Kongshaug spelade in. Eckemoffs egna bilder är fina, i texthäftet. Det förtjänar att påpekas.

Yelena Eckemoff has lived in North Carolina since 1991, but has had an intensive creative connection to Scandinavia for a long time. The pianist once again traveled to Oslo’s Rainbow Studio for a session with Norwegian musicians to record her fifth album with bass star Arild Andersen. On top of that, Eckemoff gives us the possibly last recording with his Masqualero colleague Jon Christensen, who died in 2020. (Together with Tore Brunborg, the three had already recorded a quartet album a few years ago.) But on their 15th album since 2010 Eckemoff has another ace up their sleeve: the drum position has occupied them twice, whereby the highlight is that Christensen and his younger colleague Thomas Strønen are known for so different ways of playing and musical temperaments that the combination of the two led to some very inspired moments. This decision may have resulted from the fact that Christensen was already getting old at the time of the admission (April 2018), so Strønen, 30 years his junior, was hired as »Safety Net«. But the collaboration is much more than that. So this should be the only opportunity to experience the two masters of their field together on a complete album; and you can be lucky that the four have recorded enough wonderful material to fill a double CD.

It was based on 14 of Eckemoff’s own pieces, and as on previous albums, her compositions follow a unifying concept: this time she was inspired by nocturnal animals, from fireflies and hedgehogs to grizzly and wolf to scorpion, rattlesnake and sea turtle Animal his own piece. And even if you ultimately do well to forget the templates while listening and to enjoy the music in a purely abstract way, it is impressive how much the productive musician gets out of each of these inspirations. Of course, the teammates have a significant part in it, and each individual gets enough space to develop freely. Two CDs with around three-quarters of an hour of jazz are therefore by no means too much; the mere chance of experiencing the calm Jon Christensen at the end of his long career together with the sovereign Arild Andersen and for the first time with the agile Thomas Strønen, charmingly combined by Yelena Eckemoff’s catchy melodies, makes »NOCTURNAL ANIMALS« an all-round recommendable , unique »Nordic Jazz« album full of highlights.

Original German:

Yelena Eckemoff lebt seit 1991 in North Carolina, pflegt aber seit langem eine intensive kreative Verbindung nach Skandinavien. Zum wiederholten Mal reiste die Pianistin für eine Session mit norwegischen Musikern ins Osloer Rainbow Studio, um ihr bereits fünftes Album mit Bass-Star Arild Andersen einzuspielen. Obendrein schenkt uns Eckemoff die womöglich letzte Aufnahme mit seinem Anfang 2020 verstorbenem Masqualero-Kollegen Jon Christensen. (Gemeinsam mit Tore Brunborg hatten die Drei vor ein paar Jahren bereits ein Quartettalbum eingespielt.) Doch auf ihrem 15. Album seit 2010 hat Eckemoff noch ein weiteres Ass im Ärmel: Die Schlagzeugposition hat sie gleich doppelt besetzt, wobei der Clou ist, dass Christensen und sein jüngerer Kollege Thomas Strønen für so unterschiedliche Spielweisen und musikalische Temperamente bekannt sind, dass die Kombination der beiden zu etlichen sehr inspirierten Momenten führte. Womöglich resultiert diese Entscheidung aus der Tatsache, dass Christensen zum Zeitpunkt der Aufnahme (April 2018) bereits hörbar in die Jahre gekommen war, so dass der 30 Jahre jüngere Strønen als »Safety Net« engagiert wurde. Doch die Zusammenarbeit ist weit mehr als das. So dürfte dies die einzige Gelegenheit sein, die beiden Meister ihres Fachs gemeinsam auf einem kompletten Album erleben zu können; und da kann man von Glück sagen, dass die Vier genügend wunderbares Material eingespielt haben, um gleich eine Doppel-CD zu füllen.

Als Grundlage dienten 14 eigene Stücke von Eckemoff, und wie auf vorigen Alben folgen ihre Kompositionen auch hier einem verbindenden Konzept: Diesmal ließ sie sich von nachtaktiven Tieren inspirieren, von Glühwürmchen und Igel über Grizzly und Wolf über bis zu Skorpion, Klapperschlange und Meeresschildkröte bekommt jedes Tier sein eigenes Stück. Und auch wenn man letztlich gut daran tut, die Vorlagen beim Hören zu vergessen und die Musik rein abstrakt zu genießen, beeindruckt doch, wie viel die produktive Musikerin aus jeder dieser Inspirationen herausholt. Selbstredend haben ihre Mitspieler maßgeblichen Anteil daran, und jeder einzelne bekommt hinreichend Raum zur freien Entfaltung. Zwei CDs mit jeweils rund einer Dreiviertelstunde Jazz sind daher keineswegs zu viel; allein die Chance, den in sich ruhenden Jon Christensen am Ende seiner langen Laufbahn noch einmal gemeinsam mit dem souveränen Arild Andersen und erstmals mit dem wendigen Thomas Strønen zu erleben, charmant verbunden von Yelena Eckemoffs eingängigen Melodien, macht »NOCTURNAL ANIMALS« zu einem rundum empfehlenswerten, einmaligen »Nordic Jazz«-Album voller Höhepunkte. (ijb)

“Recorded at Rainbow Studios, Oslo. Recording engineer: Jan Erik Kongshaug.” These two brief notes in the supplement of a CD make the hearts of all HiFi friends beat faster. For years the recording engineer has had a reputation that he has been able to build on with every studio production from the Norwegian capital. This is also the case with this double CD by pianist Yelena Eckemoff, which is completely convincing not only in terms of sound. The output of the Russian-born pianist is astonishing. In the past 10 years she has released 14 albums and from the booklet of “Nocturnal Animals” it can be seen that another production is expected already next year (“Adventures of the Wildflower.”) Looking back on the titles of her previous releases, the 58-year-old pianist seems to have developed a preference for acoustic portrait galleries. Well, now – the animals, more precisely, the nocturnal ones. But anyone who now thinks that the whole thing has led to a kind of gothic romance is thankfully mistaken. Rather, it is the ideas about what a firefly (“Firefly”) or an owl (“Owl”) is doing at night that have spurred Eckemoff on to extensive, yet exciting excursions on the excellently arranged Steinway grand piano. In this context, it is essential to mention the brilliantly laid out rhythm team, which brings tears of emotion to the eyes of every Nordic Jazz enthusiast: the dream team of every early ECM production, Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen, have come together here? Unbelievable. 

Original German:

„Recorded at Rainbow Studios, Oslo. Recording engineer: Jan Erik Kongshaug.” Diese zwei knappen Anmerkungen im Beiheft einer CD lassen die Herzen aller HiFi-Freunde höher schlagen. Seit Jahren eilt dem Tonmeister ein Ruf voraus, den er mit jeder Studioproduktion aus der norwegischen Hauptstadt zu untermauern wusste. So auch mit dieser vorliegenden Doppel-CD der Pianistin Yelena Eckemoff, die jedoch nicht nur in klanglicher Hinsicht vollends überzeugt. Der Output der gebürtigen Russin ist erstaunlich. In den vergangenen 10 Jahren hat sie 14 Alben veröffentlicht und aus dem Booklet von „Nocturnal Animals” lässt sich entnehmen, dass man bereits im kommenden Jahr mit einer weiteren Produktion zu rechnen hat („Adventures of the Wildflower”). Lässt man die Titel der bisherigen Veröffentlichungen Revue passieren, so scheint die 58-jährige Pianistin eine Vorliebe für akustische Porträtgalerien entwickelt zu haben: Nun also die Tiere, genauer gesagt, die nachtaktiven unter ihnen. Doch wer nun denkt, das Ganze würde zu einer Art Schauerromanze geführt haben, sieht sich Gott sei Dank getäuscht. Vielmehr sind es die Vorstellungen darüber, was denn nun so ein Glühwürmchen („Firefly”) oder eine Eule („Owl”) nächtens treiben, die Eckemoff zu ausufernden, gleichwohl spannungsgeladenen Exkursionen auf dem hervorragend disponierten Steinway-Flügel angetrieben haben. Unbedingt zu erwähnen sind in diesem Zusammenhang das glänzend aufgelegte Rhythmusteam, das jedem Nordic Jazz-begeisterten Liebhaber die Tränen der Rührung abringt: das Dream-Team jeder frühen ECM-Produktion, Arild Andersen und Ion Christensen, haben sich hier zusammengefunden? Unglaublich. 

Yelena Eckeznoff: Nocturnal Animals Yelena Eckemoff, Klavier (Steinway D); Arild Andersen, Bass; Jon Christensen, Thomas Stronen, Drums L & H Productions 806151-29 (Vertrieb: InAkustik)

Moscow-born Pianist Yelena Eckemoff’s New Work
Yelena Eckemoff, a Russian pianist with a perfect balance of jazz and classical elements, is a composer, poet and visual artist. Her new double-album titled “Nocturnal Animals” is a lineup of 14 songs including “Cicada”, “Bat”, “Walkingstick”, “Hedgehog”, “Toad”, and “Fox.” “Fox” has a swinging sound with a walking bass. How Eckemoff uses sound and arrangements to represent each nocturnal animal is very intriguing. The combination of piano, bass, and both drums and percussion is also unique.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Title: A Genuinely Historic Document!
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2020 Format: Audio CD

There are few jazz music labels that are revered, and instantly recognized, by jazz aficionados…and even fewer recording engineers that have earned universal respect from music-lovers across the world. ECM Records, helmed by producer Manfred Eicher, is the former. His go-to engineer for the past half-century, Jan Erik Kongshaug, the latter.

ECM is this year celebrating its 50th anniversary, with feature articles in every major jazz magazine, including DownBeat and Jazz Times, and commemorative concerts around Europe and the United States. (I just caught their representatives here in southern California, at the Blue Whale Jazz Club in Los Angeles.)

And…

Dear Mr. Kongshaug has, sadly, just passed.

His loss — to all who have looked forward to his every production these past decades — is inestimable.

I, myself, made a personal pilgrimage to Oslo, Norway, exactly ten years ago. Having corresponded with Jan Erik prior to my travels, I was so gratified that he welcomed me to visit him at his world-renowned Rainbow Studios (in Oslo). As fate would have it: there is only one other fellow Norwegian who could possibly have trumped my meeting Mr. Kongshaug…and yes, that individual, drumming pioneer, Jon Christensen, agreed to meet me the very same time I had scheduled for visiting Rainbow Studios. I hastily called Mr. Kongshaug with my dilemma, and he beyond generously said: “You’re a drummer, Bob. And you’ve loved Jon Christensen for as long as he has recorded with me. You should meet him instead. I’ll be with you both in spirit.”

Thus it was that I spent several hours, that May afternoon in 2009, with the man who has more deeply influenced my drumming conception than anyone, by far: Mr. Christensen.

All of which brings me to the current review, of dear Yelena Eckemoff’s most recent offering, “Nocturnal Animals.” Yelena’s music has been a fixture in my home this entire, past decade. I’ve been blessed to review several of her prior albums, and am grateful to be doing that again here. But what of the above introduction?

It’s simple, really. Yelena’s piano conception, her depth of field in drawing together classical traditions (including from her native Russia) with jazz execution (she has literally drawn to her side most every jazz luminary worth mentioning these past 10 years) lies at the heart of Manfred Eicher’s original vision for ECM Records, dating all the way back to 1969.

And if that weren’t enough: Yelena has drawn here, with “Nocturnal Animals,” on two of the original cadre of ECM artists — bassist nonpareil Arild Andersen and drummer Jon Christensen (you already know how I feel about him) — along with the next generation vanguard, Thomas Strønen (more about him soon), to create a complete Meisterwerk, exemplary of Eicher’s initial inspiration — all of it recorded for all posterity in what, sadly, represents one of Jan Erik Kongshaug’s final offerings from the mecca of contemporary recording, Rainbow Studios in Oslo!

Can you believe how fortunate we are to have this lasting, truly legacy recording?

Jon Christensen, the quintessential ECM drummer himself, laying down intertwining beds of trans-metrical rhythms…anchored by his successor, even heir apparent, fellow Norwegian Thomas Strønen, whose precision, coupled with utter originality, is itself an absolute wonder.

I love how Jan Erik captured in the left channel, Mr. Christensen, and in the right, Mr. Strønen, as they sing and dance around Ms. Eckemoff’s pianistic journeys. I say “journeys,” because if you stop everything, and pay very close attention, you will find yourself taken on voyages to every continent, every culture, every imagined world with Yelena’s incredibly unique and evocative compositions and expressions on concert grand.

Yelena is the epitome of creative humility: her technique, at the very highest imaginable level, and yet, even with that, her openness to create space for her compatriots.

Speaking of: Arild Andersen — who must surely be the definition of “ageless” — draws from the depths of his instrument…a world of bass. His solos are riveting — and you could literally visit both albums of this 2-CD set and place all your attention on Andersen’s bass contributions, and leave completely filled and satisfied.

Imagine then what it must be like to experience the convergence of four, genuine masters — each of his or her respective instrument — as they roll out deep listening and engagement with one another, unquestioned virtuosity at their fingertips, all in fidelity to Yelena’s unending flow of creative and (even for her) unusually spacious composition.

I cried when I listened to this supernal album. Jan Erik is no longer with us. Jon Christensen nears the end of his recording career (his every solo moment on this album defines tastefulness and grace) – and generously passes the baton onto his friend and protégé, Thomas Strønen. Who knows how much longer we will have dear Arild Andersen with us? (Please don’t miss his sterling contributions to several of Ms.Eckemoff’s prior album masterpieces, including “Glass Song,” “Lions,” “Everblue,” and “Desert.”)

And dear Yelena: for your heart and mind this entire past decade…for your utterly prodigious output at only the very highest quality…for the spirit that suffuses not only your sonic contributions, but also the extraordinary poetry and paintings (all your own) which accompany each of your albums…and yes, for your immortalizing here one of the very final recordings ever by Jan Erik Kongshaug, one of the great engineers of all-time, himself a key architect of “the most beautiful sound next to silence” (ECM Records’ absolutely accurate motto)…for all this and more – blessing upon blessing as you move into the New Year and new decade, beginning most auspiciously with this incredible testimony to modern jazz at its best: “Nocturnal Animals”!

P.S. I write this postscript in March of 2020: the coronavirus pandemic is upon us all. And dear, dear Jon Christensen just passed away one month ago, after a lengthy, severe illness and hospitalization. Ironically, I found out about Jon’s grave illness during an interview with yet another contributor to several of Yelena Eckemoff’s classic recordings, drummer Peter Erskine. Peter informed me initially; then just one week later, Jon passed. As it turns out (and again, quite synchronistically), I was interviewing drummer Billy Hart (also a major contributor to Yelena’s music in recent years) but a week or two later, and mentioned in passing my deep sorrow with Jon’s passing. Billy stopped the interview, thunderstruck, informing me that he had not been aware of Jon’s passing. Three drummers, all three intimately connected to Yelena Eckemoff, all three drumming giants with deep, mutual respect for one another, and for Ms. Yelena. So please add blessed Mr. Christensen to my above dedicatory to Jan Erik Kongshaug: the passing of both lend even further, unfathomable value to this recording you will soon be enjoying. It’s truly an historic document!