Label: ECM Records, 2023
Personnel - Mette Henriette: tenor saxophone; Johan Lindvall: piano; Judith Hamann: violoncello.
After an excellent double-disc debut on ECM, Norwegian saxophonist-composer Mette Henriette returns with Drifting, a chamber jazz trio effort with pianist Johan Lindvall and cellist Judith Hamann. Inhabiting a world of intrinsic ambiguity, this 15-track offer oft lags in serene atmospheres where everyone listens sharply to one another.
Displaying achingly reflective moods with an erudite temperament, the tunes comprising this album reveal a certain poignant vulnerability but also a calm and confident expression. “Across the Floor” and “Chassé” flow with a three time feel, in an egalitarian interaction that blends European jazz elements and classical chamber music.
“I villvind” is one of the most beautiful segments of this musical trail, radiating otherworldly beauty through undercurrents of utopian saxophone melody, sensible tidal piano fluxes and elegant cello. The serene contemplation continues with the title track, which suggests clear skies and a soft cold breeze. Modulation and circularity are considered in the three-layer instrumentation that engenders a breathable texture with surprising tenderness. “Oversoar” slowly prolongs this shimmering minimalism that is not so simple to achieve as one might think.
In her compositional material, Henriette seems to declare and confide, benefiting from the deep sympathy between her and her co-workers. “Rue de Renard”, for example, has pure, balmy saxophone lines sliding across the smooth wavy fabric at the bottom. On the other hand, “A Choo” is carved out with some improvisation and unisons over a relentless piano figure. A distinctive sound and delicate lyricism distinguish the music of Henriette, from whom we expect great things in the future.
Favorite Tracks:
02 - Across the Floor ► 03 - I villvind ► 08 - Rue de Renard