Pianist and composer Daan Herweg delights on this tight ten-track set that fuses jazz tradition, touches of classical piano and a forward-looking approach.
Herweg, a prolific figure on the Dutch and European jazz scenes as well aa a teacher at the ArtEZ Conservatorium of Zwolle, brings together a core line-up for this record of Jeroen Batterink on drums, Lorenzo Buffa on bass and Matthias van den Brande on saxophone.
Opener ‘Cloud Cathedrals’ sets the tone for the record perfectly, with Herweg’s expansive, contemporary, lyrical piano style complemented by the combination of van den Brande’s sax and the trumpet work of featured player Suzan Veneman. The brass lines provide a beautiful, languid quality to the piece as Herweg extemporises and demonstrates the deftness and versatility of his playing.
In Search of the Lost Chord is an apt name for an album that, while clearly rooted in the jazz tradition of the last 50 years, taking cues from Herbie Hancock, Bill Evans and others, while also striving, searching and pushing things forward.
The experimentation on offer doesn’t take the form of overly obvious style fusions or step significantly away from the jazz idiom, but rather as dashes of other styles that are stirred into the rich sonic brew. Take, for example, the title track, one of three cuts here that feature fellow Amsterdam artist MONODUKE. The lilting piano, wordless vocals (from Henk Kraaijeveld) and sturdy bassline are underpinned by a distinctly hip-hop inflected beat, with twittering hats cutting through the mix at points.
The album pulses and grooves its way to a run time of 48 minutes, never outstaying its welcome, but always striving and searching to weave in another influence or element, while keeping a certain sonic consistency across the piece.
Beyond jazz, Herweg cites Bach, Brahms and Debussy as influences. While subtle in places, the influence of classical composition is notable throughout, in the beautiful and lilting ‘Onderweg Naar Bloemfontein’, for example. This track also shines a light on the excellent bass work of Lorenzo Buffa.
The classical influence is most evident on the penultimate piece ‘Tonight’. This solo piano excursion provides a point of calm on the record, moving things away from the more swinging and groove-based tracks, before closer ‘Symphony of Loose Ends’ picks things back up to end on a high.
We may be spoilt for choice with top jazz talent in the UK right now, but the varied and rich jazz of mainland Europe should not be overlooked. Herweg is a real ambassador for the Dutch scene. If you try out this concise yet enveloping set, you’ll find much to muse over and get lost in.
