Christoph Irniger Trio Octopus (2015)

Word is beginning to get around that the Christoph Irniger Trio’s Octopus should be on the shortlist for anyone wondering where to make a start with his impressive music before going back to the earlier, 2012 album, or his other recordings outside of this trio. This music was recorded in the winter of last year (2014) and has something of a lacerating quality of a masterpiece. The music also shows Mr. Irniger to have a remarkable quality for dodging the obvious just when it seems that the music might get predictable. To do so he and his trio find inspiration in the most unlikely places, drawing attention away from the individual instruments and replacing that with a delightful ensemble sound that is full of energetic excitement, brilliance and the genuine avant-garde spirit.

After the acclaimed album 'Gowanus Canal' in 2012, 'Octopus' is Christoph Irniger's second release with his trio of Raffaele Bossard (double bass) and Ziv Ravitz (drums). The album is a studio recording and shows the ensemble in fantastic shape. Irniger is a master of orchestration and rejects the hierarchy of soloist-plus-rhythm. Instead of using the compositions as springboards for solos, he finds interesting ways for the improvisations to underline the compositional characteristics.