Jochen Rueckert

“We Make The Rules”

(Whirlwind Recordings WR4658)

Jochen Rueckert is a German born drummer and composer who has been based in New York City since 1995. He has worked with many leading NY based musicians including saxophonists Will Vinson and Seamus Blake, pianist Mark Copland, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, organist Sam Yahel and trombonist Nils Wogram. Something of a polymath Rueckert also operates in the field of electronic music under the pseudonym Wolff Parkinson White releasing three full length albums and two EPs and providing remixes for other artists, Wogram among them. He is also the acclaimed author of three ebooks under the generic title “Read the Rueckert” in which he chronicles the minutiae of the life of a touring jazz musician.

Central to Rueckert’s creative life is his jazz quartet, the current edition of which has been running since 2009. It’s an all star affair featuring tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, guitarist Lage Lund and bassist Matt Penman. Lund is the most recent addition, having succeeded Brad Shepik who played on the group’s début release “somewhere, meeting nobody” (Pirouet Records, 2011).

“We Make The Rules” was recorded in a single eight hour session at a Brooklyn studio in February 2014. The nine compositions are all Penman’s and all had been “road tested” prior to recording, evidence that this is very much a working band.  Many of the finished performances are first takes. However it’s ironic that the leader is the only musician with whom I wasn’t previously familiar, the move to Michael Janisch’s Whirlwind Recordings label should certainly raise Rueckert’s profile with regard to British audiences.

The music on “We Make The Rules” is the kind of intelligent post bop one would expect from musicians of this calibre. Turner is one of the most acclaimed saxophonists on the planet and it’s always a pleasure to hear him play. He’s fully involved here and performs with his customary elegance and intelligence. Lund exhibits similar qualities and James Farm bassist Penman is a rock throughout. Rueckert’s drumming is bright, imaginative and finely detailed and central to the success of the music.

The opening “Eggshells” begins with a roll from Rueckert’s drums and features the sophisticated chording of Lund plus a typically fluent and inventive Turner solo which is allowed to flow and develop organically, all the time shadowed by Rueckert’s neatly energetic drum and cymbal work. Lund’s solo also unfolds gradually in a style that has been compared to both Rosenwinkel and John Abercrombie. Rueckert is also featured on a set of nimble drum breaks before Turner returns and the tune finally resolves itself.

Penman begins the nine minute “Pretty From Afar” which initially charts a similar course with Turner’s opening statement. However the middle of the tune incorporates a change of mood and pace with a brief feature for Penman and a delicate duet between Lund and Turner as bass and drums temporarily drop out. A more orthodox guitar solo follows as the tune continues to unfold with a further cameo from Penman and a pensive tenor sax meditation from Turner.

“Saul Goodman”, presumably named after the fictitious attorney in “Breaking Bad” is a lively tune, more obviously influenced by old school bebop and featuring lucid solos from Lund ,Turner and Penman.

Lund’s guitar arpeggios introduce the title track which exhibits a contemporary urgent edginess through its bustling bass and drum grooves. Turner’s sinuous sax leads off the solos followed by Penman at the bass who enters into an absorbing dialogue with the leader’s drums. Rueckert also enjoys an extended feature of his own as Lund takes something of a back seat.

“Bess” is a tender ballad that features delightful interplay between Turner and Lund, a richly melodic and resonant Penman solo and Rueckert’s brushed accompaniment. Lund’s guitar solo is typical in its cool elegance, he favours a clean jazz guitar sound with little recourse to effects.

“The Cook Strait” is more groove based but incorporates plenty of intelligent rhythmic variation, this providing the jumping off point for lengthy but rewarding explorations from Turner, Lund and Penman.

Rueckert has mentioned both Wayne Shorter and Kurt Rosenwinkel as compositional influences. He also likes to write pieces inspired by his own life experiences. He explains that the title of “Alloplasty” was inspired by the psychoanalysis he has undergone as the result of a “morbid fear of flying”. The piece exhibits a kind of fidgeting, nervous energy with the leader’s drums at the heart of the music. However it’s all tempered by the natural elegance of this very classy group.

“Yellow Bottoms” is more relaxed and less neurotic in feel. Penman’s brightly propulsive bass lines   and the busy chatter of Rueckert’s drums fuel agile solos from Lund and Turner and the piece also incorporates a lively but well constructed drum feature.

The album concludes with the richly atmospheric and descriptive “Manoug Twilight At The Whatever Hotel”. Rueckert explains that the piece is named after a piece of art created by his San Francisco based uncle Carlos Villa during the 1960s. An enthusiastic jazz fan Villa passed away shortly before this album was recorded. Turner deploys an unusual sax sound in places, a kind of gentle buzzing, and Lund’s carefully measured solo is a delight. The composer’s subtle brush work is also hugely effective on this heart felt dedication.

“We Make The Rules” is a highly sophisticated album that contains some excellent ensemble and individual playing, one would hardly expect any less from this stellar group of musicians. Rueckert has mentioned his liking for writing understated melodies but I find myself agreeing with Anthony Dean-Harris of the US based Art Of Cool Project website who argues that the album is lacking in sufficiently memorable themes and tunes. I certainly find that many of the pieces sound very similar and that the album would benefit from a greater variety of mood, style and pace. It’s all a little too bloodless and for all their elegance, fluency, intelligence and sophistication one feels that it would sometimes be nice if Turner and Lund roughed things up a bit, with the guitarist maybe investing in a couple of FX pedals. 

The quartet are due to launch the album in the UK tomorrow night, Thursday 9th October 2014, at London’s Pizza Express Jazz Club and officially released on Monday 13th October. The opportunity of seeing these world class musicians should not be missed and I suspect that this music will take off and sound even more impressive in a live situation.

A good album then, but despite the talents of those involved still a little short of greatness. 
 

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