Aeby - Big Wheel Live - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Thomas Grimmonprez writes InchThe big wheel. The wheel that reminds us of our relationship to movement and time. The freewheel of letting go, of the suspended moment. The wheel that turns round in a square world. The symbolic nature of the big wheel inspires myths and sacred themes; it refers to the idea of perfection, like the circle; it refers above all to movement, evolution, what is to come. It is also a new beginning, perpetual creation. It was this idea of a cycle and a new beginning that stimulated me to compose this album; a new repertory with longstanding companions. After the album Kaléidoscope, released in October 2016, my desire to reveal my sonic identity further now leads me to continue my journey in the quartet form. This new project takes flight thanks to the talent of musicians free of all aesthetic dogmatism, who have consented to place their talent at the service of my compositions in order to cast light on these various tableaux in sound. By combining four strong personalities who share the same artistic attitude, I hope to be able to invite the listener to travel within my universe. It was our long friendship that prompted me to write this repertory.Inch

The concert of the Stefan Aeby Trio at the Intakt Festival at Vortex Jazz Club in London 2017 was a highlight of live music in the capital that year. It made an emphatic statement on how improvisation transcends borders and underlined the strength of a new generation of players. London journalist Kevin Le Genre writes InchAeby drummer Michi Stulz and double bassist André Pousaz make for an inherently contemporary proposition insofar as they are by no means restricted to the standard tropes of the piano trio. This is a group comprising three instruments and three open minds. Hence the performance sees the players organically shift the ensemble towards many stylistic areas, whether it is a suggestion of wistful ambient soundscapes, breezy, percussive African folk, or modern pop that retains the blues to varying degrees. The music is multi-faceted. Throughout the concert there is a palpable sense of breathing space as well as controlled intensity. A quiet fire. The lasting impression of this concert is precisely the cohesion and dynamics of the trio, with it's skillful straddling of natural and digital tones, and it's deft negotiation of sounds past, present and future.Inch

It is a journey that the pianist invites the listener to embark on, writes Alain Drouot, jazz journalist from Chicago. Revealing a panorama of uncharted territories, the opener InchYumeInch suggests that it will be well worth the trip. Swiss pianist Stefan Aeby's first solo piano recording is the product of three and a half years of incubation and shows an understanding of what can be accomplished when taking advantage of a studio setting. Whether composed or improvised, the pieces all have a common denominator. All sounds come from the acoustic piano, but they can be distorted or modified through preparation, inserting all kinds of materials inside the instrument, and/or some processing via various electronic devices. This brings out one of Aeby's main traits his attention to detail. If making a distinctive statement and being forward-looking are at the forefront of Aeby's concerns, he does not forget the tradition as witnessed by his thoughtful re-harmonization of Erroll Garner's InchMistyInch that he complements with unobtrusive electronic flourishes.