It’s already her 18th Album in 13 years. And Yelena Eckemoff not only composes all the pieces – she puts the bands together, goes to the studio with them, does the label work, writes the album story, paints all songs and not least plays a remarkable jazz piano (as well as electric piano and this time also an electric celesta). For Lonely Man and His Fish, the pianist has a story about lonely man, who has a pet fish, but then has to go to the hospital, has his fish lost and finally finds him again. The grandiose Kirk Knuffke portraits the lonely man from the cornet, Masaru Koga gives the fishy counterpart – on a Shakuhachi flute. Ben Street (b) and Eric Harland (dr) complete the Dream Team. In 14 pieces (on 2 CDs) the pretty story is told – thoughtful (“Lonely Man”), hectic (“Accident”), mysterious Hospital”), nervous [Life in the Pond”) or sad (“Empty House”). Mainstream jazz is not reinvented here, but everyone plays really big – with empathy, power, skill and audible fun. In some way exhilarating.

Original German: