Label: Samo Records
Release date: 17.02.2020
Album length: 48.16 min
Producer: Samo Šalamon
Genre: ECM / Jazz Fusion
Rating: 10 / 10
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»Rare Ebb« is the second of two releases born from the collaboration of three refined jazz artists, Samo Šalamon, Igor Matković and Kristijan Krajnčan, performing as Samo Šalamon Trio. Unlike its sibling »Common Flow« (Rockline review HERE), for »Rare Ebb« the trio reworked the instrumental nature of how their jazz soundscape collages coexist. Both albums share the same compositions, played and recorded at two consecutive studio concerts, in a different order. Even though the two records are, as said, “siblings” (or “sisters, flow and ebb”), the main element that creates a clear contrast and expressive gap between them this time is the fact that on »Rare Ebb« Kristijan Krajnčan steps in as the cellist. That means the album has no rhythmic kinetics in the classical sense (drums), even though Šalamon picks up the electric bass, which provides a contrasting balance to the compositional nature. It’s downright fascinating to discover just how much you can draw out of an instrument like the cello in such a free-spirited setting. On »Rare Ebb«, Krajnčan is most often the lead player, and through him the character of Šalamon’s compositions »grabs« you in a considerably different way than on »Common Flow«.
If we’re looking for some kind of genre or stylistic label, this album too still has its eyes on ECM. That means it doesn’t handle free-jazz content very well, if at all, and instead follows a string of utterly calm, sensual and subtly played organic sonic motifs, still dominated by Matković’s trumpet. These building blocks of the soundscape speak to us once again with an outstanding musical payoff, and again primarily in a cerebral and meditative way, with the addition of the cello, unlike on »Common Flow«, pushing »Rare Ebb« more decisively into neo-classical territory.
The contrasts are especially fascinating. Where Matković’s trumpet “steps back,” the cleverly woven plucking of the cello strings moves into the foreground, and where the two play together with the trumpet, the cello works not only as a musical contrast but also reinforces the rhythm. And when the cello picks up the bow, it enters a deeply conciliatory, vivid sonic conversation with the trumpet, and thanks to its unusual outcome, it not only delivers a complete atmospheric turnaround but, with these “sweetly provoked shocks” of unexpected twists, keeps surprising and energizing the listener (especially the more demanding one) in a thoroughly positive way throughout the album. In the same compositions, then, it’s precisely the other instruments stepping into the lead roles on »Rare Ebb« that open up a different space for waves of improvisational play. Alongside the dominant trumpet, this puts the cello in the role of a key player, the one on which the jazz artistry of »Rare Ebb« itself grows and grabs, or rather, the cello is an important (even essential) generator of this release’s eclectic content.
This album will be even more interesting to music gourmets than »Common Flow«, since in terms of adapting the arrangements it speaks in a more unusual way and, because of that, a more challenging one in its eclectic outcome. At the same time, the album is extremely accessible at every moment to all listeners who are looking first and foremost for relaxing ambient music rather than an “Einstein” in the sense of lofty, technically complex feats of virtuosic “ego trip,” which would push the release toward avant-garde eccentricity and potential free-jazz aggression. The format of the compositions retains an exceptional musicality, a relaxing and organically engaging sound that gives the release a meditative-cerebral dimension.
The exploratory, perceptive and incredibly flexible spirit of Samo Šalamon’s high creativity, together with Igor Matković and Kristijan Kranjčan, has reached into the international jazz galaxy with a highly insightful art intellect! It’s a move that thrills with its unique, one-of-a-kind musical nature, expressive depth, unusualness and eclectic character.
The “brotherly different” albums »Rare Ebb« and »Common Flow« are worth listening to in sequence, one right after the other. That way, the listener gets an even more intense and contrasting sense of the trio’s basic aim: to carry the same compositions, through a changed choice of instruments, to an entirely different kind of soundscape development, which in turn results in a brilliant shift in character, a true “flow and ebb.”
author: Aleš Podbrežnik
Tracklist:
1. #7 (05:14)
2. Crooswijk (06:30)
3. Burmonster (02:32)
4. Dunes (02:52)
5. Sandstorm (02:44)
6. Here (03:34)
7. Same (05:28)
8. Dutchie (06:12)
9. Floating (03:38)
10. Serenity (03:22)
11. Another Rain (05:50)
Line-up:
Igor Matković – trumpet
Samo Šalamon – electric bass guitar
Kristijan Krajnčan – cello
