When piano player and arranger Uwe Schenk was asked by drummer Michael Kersting to record together, an album of ballads seemed most in order. Besides, Uwe Schenk wanted to do one. Asked why, he said, "Variety". Meaning a change of pace. And perhaps he wanted to show those who have forgotten how beautiful and lyrical jazz can be. Donald Byrd once said, "After all these years of playing, I've come to the conclusion that one of the most difficult things to do is play a melody straight and play it well, with good tone and feeling". That is what Uwe Schenk and his fellow musicians do in this album: extraordinary reed player Jochen Feucht, versatile, restrained, but highly emotional; and a smart bass player, Florian Dohrmann, who has the right sound and ... read more