Drifter

Flow

(Edition)

A rebranding of the quartet that the marvellous Finnish pianist Alexi Tuomarila has led for 15 years, Drifter joins the dots between two of the greatest European jazz groups, Keith Jarrett’s Scandinavian Quartet and Swedish trailblazers EST, and yet also has a very strong identity of its own. The gospel element that was so central to Jarrett’s group manifests itself in several of Flow’s melodies as well as vocal chants, especially on Breathing Out My Soul, that also smack of field hollers; and had EST interpreted the Police songbook instead of Thelonious Monk’s, then Sting’s King Of Pain in the Swedes’ hands might have sounded something like it does here. It’s the four musicians’ individual strength of character and collective sense of purpose that makes this group and this album such a pleasure, however. Tuomarila’s soloing is at once virtuosic and engaging. Saxophonist Nicolas Kummert can be both robust and deeply personal, and their music, with its blend of delicacy, energy, freedom and sheer melodiousness, is consistently compelling.

Rob Adams