JÜRGEN FRIEDRICH - Pollock

Jackson Pollock’s work has often been fertile ground to explore for contemporary jazz musicians who find his work analogous with the rhythms, intensity, irreverence and improvisational qualities of the genre and German pianist Jürgen Friedrich’s, new CD Pollock, is no exception. Teaming up once again with top drawer American bass and drums; John Hebert and Tony Moreno, this collection of deeply reflective musical conversations takes great strides forward in terms of confidence and quality from his previous release Seismo which was at times fey and unfocused. The trio now sound strong with the conviction to explore the idea and spirit of the pieces, not please the crowd with trendy trio sound swatches.

The opener, Drift, starts Debussy-esque and then wanders down other avenues of more intense trenchant passages which Moreno underscores on the tom toms rather than the snare to keep the rolling, wave-like qualities of the piece surging over you. A beautifully reconsidered seven minute offering of ‘Round Midnight seems to drift in and out of different tempos with Friedrich letting the melody directly inform the harmony and rhythm more than the traditional harmonic structure itself – it sounds like the song as sung. Ripple, one of several strong originals, has soulful undertones, blue notes and classical cadences that seem to typify this trio – a breath of fresh improvised air with multiple influences built on a foundation of sensitivity, collaboration and conversation. Pollock is one of three short collectively improvised/composed pieces and evokes the idea of the master at work in which we hear the more disturbed, restless side of the Pollock persona.

The final Flauschangriff has the in and out of tempo feel of ‘Round Midnight though with less subtle, more strident juxtaposition between structure and improvisation – it’s a lovely meandering contemplation of melody and harmony and makes you mindful that this isn’t just another manufactured trio hitting the scene. It’s a special musical unit striving to find new ways to make the strings of the piano and bass and skins of the drums and bronze alloy of the cymbals sound nearer to the outpourings of the human soul - something I suspect Pollock was trying to do with paint on canvas.