CARL CLEMENTS AND THE REAL JAZZ TRIO

RETROSPECTIVE

Greydisc

Carl Clements, tenor & soprano saxophones/flutes/bansuri; Jean-Yves Jung, piano; Johannes Schaedlich, bass; Jens Biehl, drums.

The music of Carl Clements has been influenced by cultures around the world.  This is exemplified on his recently released album “Retrospective” where he is playing woodwind instruments inclusive of the bansuri, an East Indian instrument revered for its soulful tones. It’s a side-blown bamboo flute, significant in Hindustani classical music.

The “Real Jazz Trio,” that Clements enjoys performing with includes Jean-Yves Jung, a renowned French jazz pianist, respected for his work in traditional and modern jazz. Johannes Schaedlich is his German bassist, and Jens Biehl is a versatile German drummer. Together, they present a formidable quartet.

Their album opens with “One for Joe” penned by Clements.  It’s an ode to the great saxophonist, Joe Henderson.  This tune is a swinging example of this group’s unity and cohesiveness.  The four musicians are tight as a lock and key.

Carl Clements has composed all nine songs on this album.  The next one is titled “Mobius.”  It’s a tranquil ballad, using straight eighths to create the base of this arrangement.  Clements lets his saxophone float above the warm groove, bright as sunshine on a new morning.  Enter Jean-Yves Jung on piano, playful and creative during his solo journey. On his song “Almodovar” we hear the bansuri.  It reminds me of bird in flight.  The music spreads wide, like large wings across the sky. This time, bassist Johannes Schaedlich takes a solo spree, answering the call of the bansuri with his own improvised solo.  Played in 5/4 meter, it entertains the listener with a bolero-feel. Jung takes his own time to arpeggio and lilt across space during his piano solo.  Beneath the melancholy melody, Jens Biehl taps the rhythm into place, steady as the ticktock of a premium clock.

On this album, Carl Clements offers us a peak into his creativity and composer talents, with songs brought richly to life through his long-term collaboration with the Real Jazz Trio.  They embrace deep roots in North Indian and Latin American music, blended nicely with jazz and European classical roots.  This music blooms like a rare, international flower.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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