Ensemble Du Verre - Peaceful (Batterie) [Jazz]

Ensemble Du Verre have been around in various forms since 2003, quite the achievement. Led by Sönke Düwer the project is rooted in twentieth century jazz tradition, but has always kept an open mind to where the genre should be heading; not afraid to dabble with machine sounds, and Düwer's keen ear for synergistic collaborators, especially choice vocalists, ensuring that there's a gently restless energy flowing through the project that has stopped the dust settling and means that they're always worth checking, even after twenty years.

I'm happy to report that there is a new album on the way and "Peaceful" is the second single teaser from it, and it sounds like Düwer's been in contemplative, somewhat retrospective mood recently. The vibe from the off is distinctly sixties, which lets face it in jazz is no bad thing, and despite my reservations about modern artists, in all genres, going head to head with golden age periods, no one is going to be making any pale pastiche accusations here.

Unusually, two double basses, courtesy of Melanie Streitmatter and Giorgi Kiknadze, are at the heart of the composition, one for each speaker and those warm contrabass frequencies drift through the speakers like underfloor compositional heating Streitmatter & Kidnadze looking each other in the eye whilst playing, the perfect bed forJan-Peter Klöpfel on trumpet) and Adrian Hanack on tenor saxophone to float their horns over the comforting thermals, the melodies affectionately melting into each other as they politely suggest to the world's leaders that love is the answer.

Düwer for his part sits back on the drums, offering a light percussive frame to anchor the quartet's endeavour, whilst blessing the arrangement with succinct piano refrains that elevate the composition to even more tranquil realms. Bring on the album.

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Playlist Companion

Find the Ensemble in the Slow Jazz Playlist.