Philipp Schiepek – Versuch zu Träumen
(Picket Waggon Data / WWR 1. Album Assessment by John McGloin)

In Germany, guitarist Philipp Schiepek (b.1994) is extensively thought of one of many best musicians of his era, with a coaching in each jazz and classical guitar. His many awards together with BMW Younger Jazz Artist in 2020. There’s a attractive, quiet album “Cathedral” by him in a duo with pianist Walter Lang on ACT from 2021, made all of the extra poignant by Lang’s dying on the age of simply sixty, solely six months after its launch.

The guitarist, from Dinkelsbühl in Franconia, is creating a person sonic language with a give attention to each the efficiency of his compositions and his interpretation of music for guitar. His new recording “Versuch zu Träumen” is an extra growth of his musical imaginative and prescient. Schiepek has included two of his very long time musical collaborators in Henning Sieverts (bass) and Bastian Jütte (drums). He’s sure to be again on one of many greater labels earlier than lengthy – he has additionally recorded for ENJA – however in one thing of a departure, the brand new one is on the Picket Waggon Data label, produced by his sister Rebecca, who can be the dedicatee of one of many monitor’s. It’s the label’s very first CD.

The theme of dreaming runs by means of the album. “Versuch zu Träumen” means ‘try and dream’ though the German phrase Versuch additionally has the sense of an experiment, trial or sketch. The theme references the concept that goals are a window to our deepest ideas and that dreamscapes are tied to the seeds of creativity.

“Versuch zu Träumen” 1, 2 and three body the opening and shutting of the album. 1 could be very a lot an introduction with simply the guitar enjoying a collection of tumbling arpeggios, 2 develops the theme with a two be aware repetition overlain by strummed chords. 3 brings collectively a lead line coupled with the arpeggios however this time made extra pressing by means of percussion to carry the music to a climax and conclusion.

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The usual “I’ve Dreamed” is beautiful and has bass and drums accompanying Schiepek with a fantastic easy theme. The type of enjoying and therapy of the track is reasonably paying homage to Julian Lage. The opposite customary “Darn That Dream” is simply solo guitar with the principle theme picked out together with bass notes. Rebecca is presumably a dedication to his sister and is a mild ballad accompanied by Bastian Jütte on brushes. Nevertheless, all through the album, bass and percussion are typically used sparingly.

I significantly loved the clear chiming, ringing tone of the guitar, performed with a level of maintain and infrequently interspersed with harmonics. It lends itself to a contemplative, at occasions pastoral really feel. I discovered myself listening to the music within the early hours of the morning and it appears to go well with that quiet time of day. Repeated cautious listening permits the quiet great thing about this album to emerge.

Philipp Schiepek – Guitar
Henning Sieverts – Bass
Bastian Jütte – Drums

Tracks:

1. Versuch zu Träumen 1
2. The One
3. Rebecca
4. I’ve Dreamed
5. Darn that Dream
6. Unsagbar
7. Versuch zu Träumen 2
8. Versuch zu Träumen 3

All compositions by Philipp Schiepek apart from “I’ve Dreamed” by Rodgers and Hammerstein and “Darn that Dream” by Jimmy van Heusen.

LINK: Versuch zu Träumen is launched right now 29 March – Bandcamp