The music of Trio Heinz Herbert is first and foremost a tonal experience. Broad arcs and ingenious geometric grooves give it its form. Spaces are created, pivotal points set, textures woven. Within these free markings the tonal chemistry begins to unfold its potential. Sometimes a space shuttle floats through an underwater garden, sometimes the sounds glisten like a cell under the microscope. The trio penetrate the DNA of the sounds, creating a playful, humorous effect, despite the precision and experimental strength.

Pirmin Bossart writes in the liner notes: „The refreshing performance by the Trio Heinz Herbert on the main stage at Willisau Jazz Festival, summer 2016, confronted the audience with a kind of contemporary music which doesn’t sound like jazz for a second, but is infused with its freedom and spirit of adventure. Many of the older Willisau pilgrims, who appreciate the festival for its classic programme of free music, were very excited about this young trio, which says a lot. We sense immediately that three instrumentalists set out to great a wholly individual music, with precision and determined playfulness – and soon realised their goal“.

Cover art: Emanuel Berti
Graphic design: Jonas Schoder
Liner notes: Pirmin Bossart
Photos: Marcel Meier

All music by Trio Heinz Herbert. Recorded by Martin Pearson at Jazzfestival Willisau on Sept. 2, 2016, for SRF 2 Kultur and Intakt Records. Manuel Egger, live mix, studio mix. Mixed and mastered at Suburban Sound Recording Studio, Winterthur.