The double bass player GERHARD GRAML took a little longer. Thirteen years have passed since his last album, Upright Acoustic. During this time, however, the native of Linz was by no means inactive, but devoted himself intensively to his work as a sideman in a large number of projects. With the release of “Everything” (Alessa Records) the wait for new material from his own pen is now happily over.
In any case, Gerhard Graml has put together a really top-class band for his quasi-comeback. With Chris Stiles (piano), Julian Berkowitz (drums), Joe Herrera (trumpet), Bobby Muncy (saxophone) and Abram Mamet (horn), the busy Austrian double bass player and composer is supported on “Everything” by prominent colleagues from the USA who all of them as real experts in their field, who know how to fill every musical requirement with life.
Musically, Gerhard Graml and his sextet follow the cultivated classic tone of jazz, although – and that’s the beauty of the whole thing – they in no way stick to tradition. They encounter other styles openly and work elements of these into their sound in a variety of ways, which means that the music as a whole is more in the present than in the past. But it’s not just the high degree of musical variety that deserves a mention. Gerhard Graml and his band also manage to charge the pieces with a lot of atmosphere. The music dances elegantly and swings with a casual note, conveying an infectious laid-back vibe that invites you to simply sit back and enjoy what is on offer.
In summary, it can be said that Gerhard Graml really returns with this album in an impressive way. “Everything” offers a sound that is sophisticated and accessible at the same time, and is a real pleasure to listen to.
Michael Ternai
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Links:
Gerhard Graml
Alessa Records