The music is very songlike in nature, almost like a pop or rock record. There are definite structures seemingly set in stone, only to be broken down and reinvented on the day of recording.
ACT 9746-2
Andreas Schaerer (voice, mouth percussion); Kalle Kalima (electric & acoustic guitar); Tim Lefebvre (electric & acoustic bass)
Recorded March 29 – 31, 2023
This is a quite extraordinary and different album from Schaerer and Kalima and probably only possible because of their close working relationship over the last few years, and their very open approach to music in letting it, well, evolve.
The music is very songlike in nature, almost like a pop or rock record. There are definite structures seemingly set in stone, only to be broken down and reinvented on the day of recording.
It takes some nerve to go into the studio with material that has a structure and lyrics but no melody, as was the case with ‘Pristine Dawn’, only finding itself as a fully realised composition on the day of recording.
The feeling of a set of song prevails as the Swiss vocalist focusses more on his singing than any form of vocal gymnastics that he is renowned for.
His wordless vocalising and unique mouth percussion are present and used sparingly to wondrous effect, but they do not take centre stage.
With his colleague, Finnish guitarist Kalle Kalima, the music ebbs and flows in a liquid manner that contradicts the inherent songlike rigidity that the musicians would like to have imposed, but as jazz musicians and improvisers they are able to react in the moment even if it does mean that the songs take on a life that was not originally intended.
Bassist Tim Lefebvre was an inspired choice. Having worked with both musicians previously and made tentative arrangements to collaborate at some point, the timing could not have been more perfect as this setting has brought out a truly original setting for these original songs.
All the songs are penned by Schaerer and Kalima with the guitarist using lyrics written by his wife on three of his songs. These include the melodic opening number ‘Rapid Eye Movements’ with a beautiful vocal from Schaerer, and ‘Untold Story’.
Some of the finest moments come on the slower tempo compositions with Schaerer’s ‘Song Yet Untitled’. A lovely ballad, this does have lyrics, but the vocalist also features some breathtakingly lovely wordless vocalising, and there is a great bass line from Lefebvre.
The vocalising and whistling of Andreas Schaerer are also exceptional on the instrumental ‘SloMo’ that has some more of Lefebvre’s exceptional bass lines on electric bass and a superb solo from Kalima. Not to be outdone, Schaerer steals the honours on ‘Multitasking’.
This is one of those albums that can be overanalysed in trying to pinpoint just where the musicians are coming from. Is it rock, pop, is there some jazz in there?
Those that really get what these three remarkable musicians have produced with this album, however, will not be concerning themselves with any such notion but simply letting the music wash over them.
