CD jw 145 UNITY 6
ROT
ERNST BIER drums
GERHARD GSCHLÖßL trombone & sousaphone
REGIS MOLINA alto & baritone saxophones, flute
MATTHIAS SCHUBERT tenor saxophone
KELVIN SHOLAR piano
JONATHAN ROBINSON double bass & banjo
DE
Mannigfaltigkeit ist ein Berliner Phänomen, wobei Alter, Nationalität, Kultur etc. keine Rolle mehr spielen. Daran beteiligt sich auf verschiedenste Art und Weise die international besetzte Band UNITY 6, in der Schlagzeuger Ernst Bier verschiedene Generationen höchst aktiver Jazzmusiker Berlins vereint.
Ernst Bier studierte Schlagzeug bei Billy Brooks, Charlie Persip, Vernell Fournier und Elvin Jones. Von 1983 bis 1987 lebte und arbeitete er in New York City. Nach seiner Rückkehr aus den Staaten lebte Ernst zunächst bei Köln und dann ab 1992 in Berlin. Die Liste der Musiker, mit denen er gearbeitet hat, liest sich wie ein Who’s Who des Jazz.
Mit seinem einfühlsamen Spiel, seiner Hingabe und seiner konstruktiven Art hat er sich zu einem hochgeschätzten und gefragten Schlagzeuger entwickelt.
Das hochkarätige Ensemble UNITY 6 spiegelt die Vielfalt der Berliner Szene wieder. Die aus unterschiedlichen Backgrounds kommenden Musiker, trafen sich zum ersten Mal im Berliner Jazz-Club A-Trane und harmonisierten trotz ihrer Verschiedenheit sofort.
Durch ihre einzigartige Spielweise ist die Musik sowohl zeitgemäß, feiert aber auch die Vielfalt der Jazzstile.
EN
There is much going on on this wonderful CD. I love the chordal writing for the horns. The fabulous, advanced and technically correct solo lines over the vertical harmonic structure are absolutely amazing. Beautiful and interesting melodic lines come constantly. Throughout the horizontal harmonic movement in 2, 4, and 8 bar units define atonality clearly, and the floating, not about to land anytime soon feeling of atonality persists, though the lines are clearly harmonic in their individual bars and phrase segments. This wonderful CD shows the beauty and kind gentleness that can be found in atonality. The precision and beauty of the players in this regard overwhelms me and no one forces their tones. The drums are a constant contribution to this sensitivity.
UNITY6 by Kelvin Sholar
It is so beautiful tears almost well up. Fabulous post Gil Evans voicings emerge with beautiful bass and piano solos
IN TIME OUT by Ed Schuller
It is freestyle until all of a sudden someone passes out parts and everyone starts reading — ha, — they knew that was going to happen! (They must have known that was coming because the improvisations contained the same clever material.).
VARIATIONEN ÜBER THEMA JAZZ by Matthias Schubert
This is the only piece with harmonic resolution formally and harmonically, which is avoided by that atonality in the other pieces. Variationen is amazing in its
perfect „good time“ feel from the 1920’s with lots of beautiful modern surprises. It’s as if a modern harmonist took a real recording from the 20’s and changed some of the pitches and left everything else as it was.
LILTING BANSHEE by Jonathan Robinson
The opening theme is intoned beautifully by the bass and is then augmented by the great harmonies. Next is a commanding bari sax solo followed by a clarity based tenor solo.
ROT by Matthias Schubert
This is more of the same old beauty — with a strong groove, and a sly grin.DREI by Gerhard Gschlößl
Incredibly clean playing on triplet passages exchanging with more swing.
EinWeinFrei by Gerhard Gschlößl
The piano and drums leave me breathless, like people talking fast about profound things that you can catch – but barely. The bass and drums generate forceful waves of energy. Then everyone talks really fast, perhaps they had a few drinks and got argumentative? Finally they resolve it.
CRIMSON HEXAGON by Kelvin Sholar
In the bag of the Wayne Shorter period with Art Blakey but not a copy, a similar design but made from a different material – beautiful!
THE TREE OF LIFE by Regis Molina
Look out! Here comes Eve and, Oh, Oh— I see something moving in the grass behind her—-
How wonderful these musicians play and write. People like this could save the human race. N H Derwyn Holder, Dec, 2012
In this band drummer Ernst Bier has united different generations of highly active jazz musicians from the Berlin scene. The musicians have shared musical aims – so go ahead – get infected by the band’s freshness and spirit.