Spaltklang - In Between
SKU
33-AltrOck 037
Spaltklang is the long-running band led by Swiss saxist and composer Markus Stauss. The group here features Richard Koch-trumpet, Francesco Zago-guitar (of Yugen), Christian Weber-double bass and Rémy Strauli-drums. The sound here is definitely jazz, but it's modern jazz that relies on interesting and notably tricky compositions, so even though it is somewhat different than the 'typical' AltrOck sound, it still features one of the biggest hallmarks of their sound, while also extending their sound. Speaking about a previous album I compared it a bit to something like like Curlew meets "Stringy Rugs" Blast, and that's a great comparison! Whoever you want compare this to, this is excellent and recommended in my book!
"The band guided by the eclectic Swiss sax player Markus Stauss comes back with a new album and a totally renewed staff. After the last two beautiful workd by the original Spaltklang quartet, now the group included the trumpet player Ritsche Koch, from Austria, guitar player Francesco Zago (Stauss’ mate in Yugen and now in the Zauss duo as well) and the upright bass of Christian Weber (in Kurai with Zago yet, 2009), who forms a tremendous rhythm section with the band’s veteran, the drummer Rémy Sträuli. The richness of sax and trumpet texture, the wide melodic phrasings, the unusual contrapuntal twist, and the improvisations helped by a red-hot rhythmic drive, make this album an extremely varied and enjoyable one."