REVIEW by Mark Corroto, All About Jazz
Anyone familiar with Tibetan Buddhism will know that once their spiritual leader or Dalai Lama dies, officials set off in search of his reincarnation, interviewing and examining potential postulants. Listening to Quiet Earth by Austrian saxophonist Muriel Grossmann one cannot help but ask if she might be the reincarnation or avatar of the late John Coltrane. Certainly that is one heavy label to place upon Grossmann but, a few minutes into the opener “Wien,” and there is little doubt this artist has the proper bona fides. The composition carries that A Love Supreme (Impulse!, 1965) vibe with a reverence for the ethereal. She is backed by her longtime collaborators, guitarist Radomir Milojkovic, bassist Gina Schwarz, and drummer Uros Stamenkovic, plus organist Llorenc Barcelo who came aboard for the previous release Reverence (2019). Both recordings are available as CDs from Dreamlandrecords or as 200 gram LPs from RR GEMS. “Wien” doesn’t parrot that Coltrane masterpiece, it expands upon the concept with Barceló’s organ pointing towards the spiritual jazz of Larry Young, and Milojkovic’s guitar chewing on some Delta blues.
Like every succession of the Dalai Lama, Grossmann’s music carries not just the previous incarnation but also its lineage. “African Call” travels back to the roots of jazz to its motherland, Stamenkovic and Schwarz laying down the rhythms that fuelled the birth of blues, jazz, and rock. If one need more proof of Grossmann’s incarnation, “Peaceful River” first finds her on soprano before swapping to tenor saxophone, as its Gospel blues expands into a kind of awakened devotional music where Stamenkovic works his ride cymbal very much in the manner of Elvin Jones. The title track opens with Grossmann drawing first from Ornette Coleman’s sound before returning to the Coltrane spirit with her soprano saxophone. Her quartet blossoms with sleek solos by Milojkovic and Barceló before a brief saxophone, bass and drums improvisation acts as a kind of coming attractions preview. Mark Corroto, All About Jazz
REVIEW by Ian Ward in UK VIBE, England
Let’s start by giving correct love to Tallinn’s RR GEMS Records. They palpably care, don’t they? That care is as clearly felt in their musical choices (Brahja and Soft Power are just two of their phenomenal artists) as it is in the design and finish of their product, as it is in their playful, communicative customer relations (see social media). Long may they continue to foster my goodwill towards them and, by my simple-brained association, to their beautiful city…hopefully softening my memories of a green-gilled ferry from Helsinki and a nasty beefsteak.
“Quiet Earth” is their new offering by the much-loved, Ibiza-based, Austrian saxophonist, Muriel Grossman, and her quintet consisting of Radomir Milojkovic on guitar, Llorenç Barceló on organ, Gina Schwarz on bass and Uros Stamenkovic on drums. It’s the same lineup from last year’s “Reverence” album and the core of her previous recordings. Not sure Grossman needs any introduction to UK Vibers, her contemporary take on the modal spiritual jazz of the masters is well documented and universally admired.
The opener, “Wien”, was first visited on “Awakening” but this version is notably fuller and richer. It’s a deep cleanse; a soothing irrigation that requires a solitary moment of empty-headed, open-hearted contemplation. Milojkovic and Schwarz create a positive path, Barceló warmly pulses, Stamenkovic washes and Grossmann offers up a feeling, asking you to personalise that feeling and ascendantly meditate upon it. Unexpectedly, successfully, Milojkovic gets the slide out and delivers a psych blues solo as per late 60’s genre-crossing, experimentation. Barceló patiently expands upon the idea before a breakdown that makes way for Grossmann’s resolution. “Wien” is a spiritually seamless 11 minutes – aware and purposeful, not glibly happy-clappy.
“African Call” has that titular mobility, those dancing patterns. It’s a summons, an invite to engage, both rhythmically and soulfully. Milojkovic and Schwarz hold it down tight but free, Stamenkovic’s cymbals busy it along and Grossmann’s jubilant motif calls its call. Milojkovic, Barceló and Grossmann each take an individual solo, collectively communicating the single exuberant plea.
The opening two minutes of divine air and unspoken rhythms that introduce “Peaceful River” are gorgeous; akin to the feels of Sanders on “Elevation”, a literal Acknowledgement of the river’s peacefulness. Overt rhythms of the river’s gentle ebb and flow then appear; becalming and requesting that we accept, and exalt, our inevitable oneness with nature. Ethereal.
“Quiet Earth” is initially more open, free-er. It jumps into a groove, much less free, much more urgent; there’s a funk to it. Stamenkovic’s cymbals coolly roll, his bass drum and Schwarz’s bass both just under the beat, propelling. While Grossmann speaks with explicit concern, a pain and Barceló casts evocative shade. As is the now-established formula Milojkovic and Barceló take ordered solos. Milojkovic clean, flat, phat picking; appropriate. Barceló jabs, shuffles, rope-a-dopes. The final minute and a half are free-er again, still turbulent but offering a glimpse of hope.
This album takes us on a wishful, search-for-meaning, journey. It does have that at-oneness we’d naturally expect from music created in the spiritual sanctuary of Ibiza; a meditative single-voice spirituality that evokes hope and positive energies and allows those of us fortunate enough to be able to connect with it, to feel healing, growth, and uplift. But there is also something more demanding, something that requires our (maybe illusive) oneness in order to respond to it; a request that we be aware, that we look for positive transformation, that we look to collectively heal ourselves and our environment.
Muriel is hopeful that we can achieve this: “I pray for all of us to live a happy, healthy, meaningful and unifying life, with responsible intentions for our and future generations…May our music serve you on your essential journey.” Apt beseeching, as we leave 2020 and enter into who-knows-what 2021.
And, finally, a Yuletide Greetings to you all! Bring it, 2021. Ian Ward
REVIEW in DUSTY GROOVE, CHICAGO
There’s nothing quiet about the way that Muriel Grossman approaches her music – as the saxophonist is one of the boldest, strongest voices in jazz in the past decade – one of the key proponents of the new spiritual underground, and a player who just seems to win us over more and more with each new record! This album’s got the amazing rhythmic pulse of Grossman’s previous records, but also shifts the sound slightly too – as in addition to the fantastic use of guitar by Radomir Milojkovic, the set also features these strongly swirling organ lines from Llorenc Barcelo – in a way that makes us imagine what it might sound like if we ever got to hear those lost jam sessions between John Coltrane and Larry Young! Grossman blows tenor, alto, and soprano sax here, with a rich sense of imagination throughout – and the rest of the group features Gina Schwarz on bass and Uros Stamenkovic on drums – on long titles that include “Wien”, “African Call”, “Quiet Earth”, and “Peaceful River”. Dusty Groove, Chicago
REVIEW in JAZZ QUAD, 11/29/2020, Belarus by Leonid Auskern
Muriel Grossmann — Quiet Earth
Quiet Earth, the new album of the Austrian saxophonist Muriel Grossmann living in Spain, has been re-released by the Estonian label RR GEMS Records as Vinyl. Like the previous album ‘Reverence’, Muriel recorded it on her Ibiza island in the quintet format. Mallorcan organist Llorenç Barceló seems to have become a permanent member of the team with which Muriel Grossmann has been working together for many years.
In her own handwritten liner notes, Muriel speaks of the deep imperfections of our world, which make many feel helpless. She claims that everyone should look for strength and positive energy for change in themselves, and her music should help listeners to find hope and that very positive energy.
Well, for me personally, Muriel Grossmann’s music always evokes the most positive emotions. Quiet Earth, small in volume, was no exception. The album includes only four compositions by Muriel. In the opening song WIEN, the only thing that can be called classical (in a jazz sense) is the construction of the composition, where, after a saxophone solo, Milojkovic’s guitar, then Barcelo’s organ, and finally Grossmann’s saxophone again come to the foreground. But judging by the music, Muriel’s memories of the capital of her native Austria are closer to the architecture of Hundertwasser and Haneke’s films than to the idyllic landscapes of imperial Vienna during the time of Franz Joseph.
The composition AFRICAN CALL with the accentuated work of the rhythm group and bright saxophone colours looks like an echo of African motives that occupied the main place in the previous album ‘Reverence’. The impression that there was simply no place for African Call in that album, but here “Africa” works well in contrast to the European “Vienna”. As for the second half of the album, the pieces by PEACEFUL RIVER and the title piece QUIET EARTH, seem to be the ones who embody Muriel Grossmann’s dreams of how our planet should look like.
What can a musician do for this? To compose music and put into the performance so much expression and talent that the listener feels and remembers this passionate message without words from the great master of modern jazz, Muriel Grossmann.
Leonid Auskern
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