The Grammy nominated trio of singer Norma Winstone MBE, Italian pianist Glauco Venier and German reeds player, Klaus Gesing, present music from their highly acclaimed ECM album, Stories Yet to Tell, described by critics as ‘sublime’ and ‘exceptional’.
Norma Winstone occupies a special place among Europe’s jazz voices, ethereal yet rich she suffuses folk and classical sensibilities into her rarefied, glacially beautiful music.
Pianist Glauco Venier and reeds player Klaus Gesing, have a long history as duo partners. Invited to guest with them 10 years ago, Winstone noticed their instant rapport and the trio were formed. Three albums on, they have developed a sense of unity lauded as unique by critics.
Gesing and Venier, both strong composers, are also players who serve the song and the text. Gesing has developed a unique role for the bass clarinet, alternating between a real bass function and lyrical, virtuosic flights. Venier on piano establishes the harmonic frameworks and organically intertwines with Winstone’s haunting vocalese.
The ECM album ‘Distances’ received four and a half stars in Downbeat, winning an Academie Du Jazz prize as Best Jazz Vocal CD and a Grammy nomination. Their most recent album "Stories Yet to Tell" was nominated for best album in the 2011 Parliamentary Jazz Awards in the UK.
This wonderful trio launched their impressive new ECM title "Stories Yet to Tell" at the end of August and will be touring throughout next year to promote the album. The last album "Distances" (ECM) was nominated for a Grammy and this trio is now so well established that it is an absolute joy to listen to. The interplay between the three musicians is astounding. Norma Winstone is one of the world's greatest jazz performers with a subtlety and musicality that is breathtaking and her two musical partners are a perfect match.
A short film about the group van be seen at:
http://player.ecmrecords.com/winstone
“Music of this serene beauty and tonal purity is normally reserved for the classical racks…” Jack Massarick – London Evening Standard
“Winstone’s remarkable voice, which manages to be both sumptuous and airily ethereal at once…” John Fordham – The Guardian ****
“Gesing’s solos….. show a remarkable capacity for grasping the mood of the music, and Venier’s insightful responses to both his colleagues throughout are compelling …
…“Distances” is a prime example of ego-free music-making…Ultimately only the best jazz musicians can take such diverse material and turn it into something personal and satisfyingly complete. That’s a measure of what this trio has achieved here.” Ray Comiskey – The Irish Times *****
