VOYAGE OUT

VOYAGE OUT trio Friedrich - Hébert - Moreno

Jürgen Friedrich - piano
John Hébert - bass
Tony Moreno - drums

Jazz4ever

Deceptively simple, there is a polite though adventurousness air to this attractive performance by a trio that sounds perfectly synchronized. While Jurgen Friedrich`s piano appears at first blush to be the lead voice, a close reviev reveals a group sound in which each member contributes his share. The music swings lightly but this is not by any means easy listening. There is an elegant sophistication to both the compositions and the improvisations, which while never showy nonetheless disclose a technical superiority. The pianist is not afraid to lay back and gently dart simple clusters or evan single notes over an active rhythmic bottom, not unlike birds gliding over a somewhat tempestuous river. At other times, there is a smooth calmness to the whole that never seams to meander, but provides a soothing pleasure not unlike that of the late Bill Evans. Friedrich's playing may derive from the Evans school, but he is more economical, which, at least to this listener, is a plus. Tony Moreno is one of the most underrated drummers on the scene, capable of many styles, listening and reacting with almost immediate precision. He boasts a rare delicacy, but can also drive hard and powerfully when necessary. John Hebert's bass melds quietly and unobtrusively, his pastel-like lines barely noticeable, but nearly always critical. The trio`s ability to change tempo and dynamics at a moment's notice is either the result of remarkable clairvoyance or (more likely) solid preparation. The results are both entertaining and enlightening, and this compellingly understated recording charms in a subtle manner that is almost breathless in its beauty.
Stephen Loewy / Cadence Magazin