Bram De Looze – Recognizing Gateways
(Dox Data Dox663LP/CD, Overview by Frank Graham)

Barely into his thirties, the profession of Belgian pianist Bram De Looze (b.1991) has coated a variety of floor. First catching my consideration with the energetic electro-jazz with LABTRio, his status turned actually worldwide with MiXMONK, the place together with saxophonist Robin Verheyen and drummer Joey Baron he took a contemporary take a look at one among jazz’s most iconoclastic
pianists and composers. Extra not too long ago he fashioned Vice Versa with Eric McPherson and Felix Henkelhausen, and the a lot acclaimed trio is because of launch a second album in 2024.

But it’s as a solo artist that I believe De Looze actually comes into his personal, typically setting self-imposed challenges to stimulate creativity. With 2017’s Piano e Forte De Looze approached three historic grand pianos from the gathering of mentor Chris Maene from a up to date perspective.

2018’s Change The Stream discovered him grappling with Maene’s uncommon Straight Strung Grand Piano, and on 2020’s Color Discuss De Looze performed an unequally tempered instrument designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly. With Recognizing Gateways the challenges this time are maybe extra psychological than bodily. Every of the eight items is a figurative web page from his sketchbook, and De Looze’s intention is for these kernels to function ‘gateways’ into completely different musical zones.

The unfinished nature of the fabric actually permits us to look at his inventive course of in motion at shut quarters, and though the enjoying time is comparatively quick the programme is properly balanced. The title-track opens in a considerably romantic vein, its lyrical and tightly-drawn theme scarcely hinting on the tensions which lie simply beneath the floor. A powerful repeating left-hand determine heralds a shift, taking De Looze into considerably darker territory. “Again Roads Solely” barely appears to supply any gateways in any respect, its zen-like theme resulting in a spot of inward contemplation. De Looze makes use of piano preparations on “The Chair”, a ruminative piece which more and more tends in direction of abstraction, whereas “Leaps On Drift Ice” grows enigmatically from an insistent melodic fragment right into a jagged panorama with echoes of mid-‘70s Jarrett.

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Already launched as a single, “Bow” is a deliciously melodic piece, a crossing place between Jarrett and the neo-classicism of Nils Frahm. At slightly below eight minutes in size “What We Carry With Us” is the longest piece of the set, a sombre improvisation which as soon as once more carries a touch of romanticism. The contrasting “I Throw The Kitchen Sink At You” is an actual adrenaline rush, summary shards finally cohering in harmonious decision, whereas the closing “Conserving
Up With Hank” could have been higher named “Conserving Up With Monk”, De Looze teasing us with hints of Thelonious.

Drawing deep into his internal reserves to create a music which is directly difficult, refined and uniquely private, Recognizing Gateways is one other outstanding achievement, and an awesome place to start out should you’re but to find De Looze’s solo artwork.

Recognizing Gateways is launched on 19 January

LINKS: Dick Hovenga’s 2020 overview of Color Discuss
Recognizing Gateways on Bandcamp