Søren Kjærgaard – “Concrescence” (ILK, 2018)

“Concrescence” is the newest release by famous Scandinavian label “ILK”. Solo compositions for piano were recorded by pianist, band leader and great improviser Søren Kjærgaard. Pianist is famous in Scandinavian avant-garde jazz scene because of his original and innovative improvising and interesting playing manner. His music is based on avant-garde jazz and free improvisation. The main and the most important priority is to create fresh and evocative sound. Musician tries out many different ways of playing – he blends together usual and experimental ways of playing. That makes an effort to rich, modern and colorful musical language. Dozens of special effects, unusual timbres, interesting sounds, innovative musical decisions and extended playing techniques always contain the basics of Søren Kjærgaard improvisations. The compositions usually are based on open forms and spontaneous solos – main elements of avant-garde jazz are blended together with Scandinavian ethnic music elements, modern jazz styles, basics of contemporary Scandinavian avant-garde jazz and other similar elements. Specific sound of experimental Scandinavian jazz is gently fused together with American and Europe avant-garde jazz, bebop, post bop, hard bop and other modern jazz styles. The music is colorful, has remarkable and impressive sound.

The music of “Concrescence” is bright and expressive. It’s based on all the main elements of Søren Kjærgaard playing and improvising style. The music is filled with sudden changes of styles, contrasting expressions, experimental and modern ways of playing and dynamic rhythmic. Pianist ,asterfully tries out new and unusual ways of playing – he’s dedicated to search new sounds and expand the traditional abilities of instrument. All the compositions are totally based on free improvisations, which have modern and colorful musical language. The musical pattern has many different layers – passionate and expressive melodic line, strong and solid rhythmic pattern, colorful and modern harmony and gorgeous background. All these layers are highly different from each other – they are formed from absolutely different musical language elements. Suble, abstract and silent mood is mixed together with rapid, moving and striking melodies, bright and loud sound, special effects and sharp chords. Melodic section is passionate and evocative. It has remarkable and impressive solos, wild fast passages, vibrant arpeggios, colorful and effective glissando and dozens of other simple playing techniques. Ordinary instrumentation decisions are used together with experimental ways of playing – that cause huge range of unusual and weird timbres, which make gorgeous and modern background. The music is full of changes and turns. Playful, joyful and vivid solos get to rigorous, powerful, cross and sharp. Depressive, dark, deep and repetitive tunes, rhythms or melodic elements finally turn out to light, shrieky, expressive and dramatic melodies or rapid passages. The music is constructed of many small pieces, which have individual mood and sound – it’s impossible to predict, where this music is going to get next. Pianist masterfully varies between different moods, expressions, playing techniques, rhythms and sounds. He also doesn’t hesitate to experiment in all sections of musical language. That especially hears in search of unusual sounds and huge variety of music styles, moods and characters. Though, the music is based on Scandinavian avant-garde jazz, it’s also has many relations of bebop, hard-bop, post bop, cool, and other modern jazz styles. These episodes are masterfully combined together with fascinating musical experiments, free improvisation, creative and free jazz. The music of this album has colorful, innovative and interesting sound.