Irène schweizer and Han Bennink like to play together – you can hear it in every note. after a tour of switzerland, the two went straight in the recording studio. the result is a stunning second album: "Welcome Back“. the music moves between freely improvised pieces, beautiful jazz standards, and songs influenced by south-african melodies which are a trademark of Irène schweizer (such as her classics 'Rag“ and 'Bleu Foncé“). schweizer says: “Han and I are soul-brother and soul-sister. We have the same taste and rhythmical feelings in jazz music.”

As kevin Whitehead points out in the liner notes: “Hard to believe this is only the second Irène schweizer-Han Bennink duo album, given how much they share, how far back they go, and how obviously they love playing together. But then, top improvisers have hectic schedules. Folks talk about how loud Han can be, how ruthless with duo partners, but this music confirms his sensitivity to dynamics in conversational playing, his generosity in support, his eagerness to hear his partner’s views.” the two share the same sense of play, lyricism, swing feeling, percussive clarity and historical grounding. a mastepiece!

Cover art and graphic design: Jonas schoder
Liner notes: Kevin Whitehead
Photos: Francesca Pfeffer

Recorded april 13, 14, 2015, at Hard studios Winterthur, switzerland by Martin Pearson for Radio sRF and Intakt Records. Mixed and mastered by Martin Pearson, studio 1, Radio studio Zürich.