Artist: Stauss, Anliker, Kayser, Vogt
Label: Fazzul Music
Release: 1999
Rating: 4.5/5
Echoes is an album helmed by Swiss saxophonist Markus Stauss. This time his lineup is Stauss on saxophone, Oliver Vogt (also of Spaltklang) on strings, Pit Kayser on keyboards and Hans Anliker on trombone.
This album doesn’t actually have a whole lot of new material, since most of the compositions were already released on other records. Markus Stauss had the sly idea of reworking some pieces from Ulterior Lux, tracks from the New Duos and Trios album and a few forgotten ideas. He figured it’d be fun to do it with a chamber ensemble, and the end result is once again totally unlike any other Stauss album – incredibly original and brilliant at the same time.
The first composition was already released on the New Duos and Trios album, which Markus Stauss also took part in. It was written in memory of Oskar Giger. This piece shows another side of Stauss’s character – less jazz and more chamber music, with touches of the Renaissance and other classical elements. It kicks off with gentle piano and violin and sounds surprisingly classical. That intro comes back later on. There’s also an interesting trombone solo that sounds like a didgeridoo. OG is a pretty lively piece, even though the tempo isn’t exactly fast.
Looking 4 (already released on the Ulterior Lux album) also starts out classical and slow – which is, again, unusual. Now and then Stauss shows off some of his saxophone chops, which gives it a slight jazzy feel. The track then slides into blues, and finally we hear some typical jazz-rock moves on saxophone and violin. The piece circles back to the blues at the end.
The title track starts in a very avant-garde way – with a fun duel between the strings and the trombone. The trombone then takes the lead for a while. The rest of the band jumps back in and returns to the original mission – playing avant-garde classical and jazz. The closing section is a bit more ominous, with excellent violin and keyboard playing.
Deep Inside is yet another reworked Ulterior Lux composition. This one was officially released on Adventures. It starts slowly. The style is a mix of jazz and classical. Stauss is excellent throughout with his saxophone. The violinist also treats us to some outstanding moments, while the keyboards conjure up a suitably dark atmosphere.
Slow Waves has a fitting title, since the tempo really is slow, but that doesn’t take anything away from the beauty of the piece. No single instrument dominates, though I personally enjoy the saxophone and viola the most. The piece is mostly classical, but Stauss’s playing once again adds a jazzy aftertaste.
Another Sad Song was originally a collaboration between Stauss and his Ulterior Lux buddy Jean Chain. It starts with a pleasant violin and grows into a lovely chamber piece. But Stauss wouldn’t be Stauss if he left well enough alone. He steps up front with his jazzy saxophone and cuts across the classical flow. But the change is welcome! The piece then returns to its original intent, yet you can constantly feel Stauss getting restless and gearing up for a final assault, which, miraculously, never comes. Another fun surprise!
The last composition is “stolen” from yet another Ulterior Lux album (Evergreen). This version opens with Stauss’s solo intro on bass saxophone and then unfolds in a more classical way. The mood is gloomier, but this might be the most beautiful creation on the album. Everything is perfect – the tender piano and soft viola, the trombone in the background and the occasional moan of Stauss’s saxophone.
Of course Echoes is a totally different beast from Stauss’s other work, but that doesn’t make it any less important. I love the classical feel of the album. It only shows more of the depth of Stauss’s talent. Without drums and bass the music is less dynamic, but it’s so beautiful you just can’t pull yourself away. This kind of chamber music is right up my alley. At times the music is very classical, but Stauss doesn’t let us forget his jazz-rock roots. He’s the one who brings in the most jazzy bits, though the rest of the band chip in now and then too. Could you say this is a jazz musician’s attempt at writing classical compositions? Either way, the blend of chamber music, jazz, folk and avant-garde helps Stauss deliver yet another classic.
It’s hard to single out just one member of the band. This feels like a real team effort. The music is quite focused and cleverly composed. The playing is stricter this time around, and I’d guess the written notes played a bigger role here, with improvisations rarer. It works wonderfully. The music doesn’t feel as free-flowing as Stauss’s jazz projects, but that’s fine. The compositions are so strong that listening to the album is an outstanding experience. The music is intense, witty, fun and whimsical, despite the lack of constant soloing.
Echoes is another album that every Stauss enthusiast should own. I honestly can’t imagine him making a bad album. Every one of his projects has something that pulls you in, and every one is different. So you never know what to expect, and he proves it once again with this one. This album may even have flown a bit under the radar for Stauss fans, because it was overshadowed by his work in Ulterior Lux, Spaltklang and Trank Zappa Grappa in Varese, but when it comes to pure musical beauty, this might be my favorite Stauss record. A great album for diving deep into your own soul.
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Echoes is an album masterminded by Swiss saxophone player Markus Stauss. This time the band is comprised of Stauss on saxophone, Oliver Vogt (also of Spaltklang) on strings, Pit Kayser on keyboards and Hans Anliker on trombone.
This album doesn’t actually contain much new material because most of the compositions were already released on other records. Markus Stauss had the clever idea to rework some pieces of Ulterior Lux, the album New Duos and Trios and some forgotten ideas. He decided it would be fun to try this with a chamber ensemble and the final result is unlike any other Stauss album – again totally original and brilliant at the same time.
The first composition was already heard on the New Duos and Trios album that Markus Stauss took part in. It was written in the memory of Oskar Giger. This piece shows a different side to Stauss – not as jazzy, but more chamber music, with some Renaissance and other classical music elements. It starts with some mellow piano and violin and sounds unusually classical. Later, this intro is repeated. There’s an interesting segment on the trombone, which sounds like a didgeridoo. OG is quite a dynamic piece, even though the tempo isn’t very high.
Looking 4 (already released on an Ulterior Lux album) again starts very classically and slowly – again unusual. Stauss gives us a taste of his saxophone skills here and there, which creates a slightly jazzy feel. The song then veers into blues and then we finally hear some of Stauss’s typical jazz rock stylings on saxophone and violin. The song returns to blues for the final part.
The title piece starts in an avant-garde way, with some fun interplay between the strings and the trombone. The trombone then takes the leading role for a while. The band returns to the scene and returns to the original purpose of playing us some avant-garde classical and jazz music. The final part is a bit more sinister with some fine violin and keyboard work.
Deep Inside is yet another composition taken from Ulterior Lux and reworked. This one was originally released on Adventures. The song starts rather slowly. The style is a combination of jazz and classical. Stauss shines throughout this one with some fine saxophone work. The violin player also offers some great parts, while the keyboards create a fittingly dark atmosphere.
Slow Waves has a fitting title because it is indeed slow, but that doesn’t take away its beauty. No instrument is dominant here, though I do enjoy the viola and saxophone work immensely. The piece is mostly classical in nature, but it is again Stauss’s playing that adds a jazz flavour.
Another Sad Song was originally a collaboration of Stauss and his Ulterior Lux companion Jean Chaine. This starts of with some nice violin work and then turns into a very nice chamber piece. However, Stauss wouldn’t be Stauss if he could let things rest. He comes to the foreground with some jazzy saxophone work and disrupts the classical feel. A welcome change! The piece then returns to its original peaceful intent, but you can feel Markus is already getting restless and is preparing for the final assault, which amazingly never happens. Another interesting surprise!
The final piece is again taken from an Ulterior Lux album (Evergreen). This rendition starts off with Stauss’s solo introduction on bass saxophone, then the piece develops in a more classical way. The mood is very sombre in this version, but this is perhaps the most hauntingly stunning composition on the album. Everything works perfectly – the gentle piano and viola, the backing of the trombone and the occasional moan coming from Stauss’s saxophone.
Naturally, Echoes is a very different project to Stauss’s other endeavours, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less important. I love the classical feel of the album. It just shows an extra depth to Stauss’s talents. The music is less dynamic without the drums and bass, but it is so beautiful that you just can’t tear yourself away from it. I love this kind of chamber music. At moments the music is very classical, but Stauss makes sure we don’t forget his jazz roots. He is the one who plays the most jazz parts, even though the rest of the band does land him a hand occasionally. Could we say that this is a jazz musician’s attempt at classical compositions? Whatever it is, the fusion of chamber music, jazz, folk and avant-garde makes this another classic from Stauss.
It’s difficult for me to single out one member of the group. This seems very much like a team effort. The music is extremely focused and cleverly composed. The playing is stricter this time and I would guess that the note sheets played a more important part, with improvisations happening very rarely. This works fine here. The music doesn’t seem as free-flowing as Stauss’s jazz projects, but again that’s OK. The compositions are just so strong that this makes for a wonderful experience. The music is intense, clever, fun and whimsical even without constant soloing.
Echoes is, therefore, another must buy for all the Stauss enthusiasts. It’s really hard for me to imagine him making a bad album. Each of his projects has something that draws you in and each one is totally different from the other. That’s why you never know what to expect and he proves this yet again with this work. This may have slipped under the radar of even Stauss fans because it is overshadowed by his work in Ulterior Lux, Spaltklang and Trank Zappa Grappa in Varese, but when it comes to sheer musical beauty, this might just be my favourite Stauss release. A great album for self-reflection.
Line-up
Markus Stauss – saxophones
Hans Anliker – trombone
Pit Kayser – keyboards
Oliver Vogt – viola & violin
Production
Markus Stauss
Tracklist
1. OG
2. Looking 4
3. Echoes
4. Deep inside
5. Slow Waves
6. Another Sad Song
7. Perpetuum 4
