With the power of the lyrical

Zurich has had a big band for 23 years. A luxury, certainly, but a most welcome one. Big jazz bands are not in vogue at the moment, but this in no way detracts from the achievements of the Zurich Jazz Orchestra, or ZJO for short. It was originally founded as an experimental vehicle for local sound creators and arrangers. Four years ago, the renowned Cologne composer and multi-instrumentalist Steffen Schorn took over the direction of the 18 musicians.

Now "Three Pictures" is the first audio document of this collaboration - it is the ZJO's fourth album in total. The twelve tracks were all written by Schorn and testify to his musical virtuosity. When asked what makes the ensemble unique, the 50-year-old says: "We have imagination, we are willing to take risks." Anyone who has listened to the record will agree with this assessment. With Eye Of The Wind the recording begins with generous melodic arcs, albeit rather restrained and comparatively traditional. The three-part Africa is not only much denser, but also more intricate, brash and inventive. Cleverly placed guitar and saxophone solos repeatedly break up the action, provide eruptive moments and do not shy away from dissonance.

The almost 21-minute title suite is no less daring Three Pictures. It knows how to vary between pulsating beats and sparkling lushness and never runs the risk of drifting into shallow musical waters, on the contrary. On the contrary, the composition offers plenty of lyrical power and a well thought-out arc of tension. With its sound, the ZJO succeeds in combining swinging rhythms with grooving tempo intensifications and constantly changing motifs. A feat that makes the sound paintings both innovative and multi-layered. It should not go unmentioned that a lot of space was also given to improvisation on the album. This makes it not just unpredictable, but downright accomplished.

Steffen Schorn & Zurich Jazz Orchestra: Three Pictures. Mons Records MR874611

More info: zjo.ch/