An easy floating instrumentation that is built around a few notes; on the other hand, the trio really gets cooking when Gasselsberger improvises in a kind of âsoul-jazzyâ way.

9 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Contemporary Jazz, JAZZ: Soul-Jazz

Show all album songs: 2nd Move Songs


Details:
The recent release of Martin Gasselsbergerâs CD is a definite delicacy in production and cooperative playing of mg3 , which along with easiness in his astoundingly mature pianistic expression, creates the clarity of a painted musical picture, which makes one sit up and listen and be impressed in the truest sense of the word.
Gasselsbergerâs exclusively self-composed music is overflowing with refreshing intelligence, targeted taste and a stupendous instrumental skill in tone, melody and sound which places the listener directly into moments of thrilling attentiveness.
The northern Austrian pianistâs pieces donât follow the transparency of current musical trends.
His work appears to be much more moderately classical and independently modern in its artistic beginnings and in his personal performances.
With this combination of the highest level of Jazz musical shapes with âas if sungâ melody bows and a balanced out, luxurious sound picture, he reaches a beauty in his music which instantaneously captivates even non-jazz listeners.
Martin Gasselsberger has with "2nd Moveâ mastered his existing Recording Output to produce this latest masterpiece of his musical imagination.

ALL ABOUT JAZZ review

It had to happen: the popularity of the Swedish piano trio E.S.T. is making its presence felt on both sides of the Atlantic. Canadian bassist Simon Fiskâs latest disc, Intent, demonstrates the same kind of pop sensibility, albeit with a freer complexion. Similarly, Austrian pianist Martin Gasselsberger and his group mg3âs new release, 2nd Move, can easily be lumped into E.S.T. territory. And while there is a clear precedence in Gasselsbergerâs refined approachârelying on lyrical themes and improvisation over relatively simple vamps and changesâthere are differences that make 2nd Move an entity unto itself.
If E.S.T. is the elegant alternative to the Bad Plus, then mg3 goes a step further. E.S.T. has always incorporated the use of electronics, while mg3 is unabashedly acoustic. E.S.T. is a collectiveâall three members of the group are credited with all compositionsâwhile mg3 is clearly Gasselsbergerâs show, even though bassist Roland Kramer and drummer Gerald Endstrasser are essential to the group sound. And, finally, mg3 never strays into aggressive tonalities or texturesâ2nd Move is, from start to finish, accessible and easy on the ears. While E.S.T.âs Dan Berglund is known to hit the distortion box and creating searing arco solos, mg3âs Kramer plays with a softer approach, always supportive and rarely stepping to the fore.

But Gasselsbergerâs compositions do come from a similar place that is plainly European in ambience, with a playing style that is clearly rooted in Keith Jarrett, like that of E.S.T.âs Esbjörn Svensson. Thereâs little in the way of traditional swing to be found on the discâalthough the relaxed groove of the 5/4 âPeace of Mindâ has some of the lilt. If anything, thereâs more of a light pop approach rhythmically, combined with a kind of pared-down classical impressionism.
But while mg3âs approach is light, it shouldnât be mistaken for being lightweight. That mg3 should choose to take the delicacy and elegance of E.S.T. a step further, with a sound that has absolutely no sharp edges, simply makes even their uptempo tunes feel calm and at ease. âRevolutionâ and the blues of âWatch the children playâ may be slightly funky, and the aptly-titled âJarrettyâ may sound like something from Jarrettâs â70s European Quartetâbut paradoxically more rigid in form, even as it is more relaxed in pace and intensityâbut underneath it all mg3 aims for a consistent sing-song approach that makes the entire set highly approachable without sacrificing integrity.