Benjamin Lackner - piano
Mathias Eick - trumpet, voice
Jerome Regard - double bass
Manu Katché - drums
Benjamin Lackner has so far mainly appeared in a trio.
German-American pianist Benjamin Lackner makes his ECM debut with a star-studded quartet of Manu Katché on drums, trumpeter Mathias Eick and Jérôme Regard on bass. Mathias and Manu share a longstanding association with the label and their respectively unique instrumental signatures can be traced across this set of exclusively original material – eight pieces by Benjamin, one by Jérôme. The bassist and the leader’s partnership goes all the way back to 2006, when Jérôme joined Lackner’s trio, which remains active until today. Two decades of close collaboration have molded them into intimate colleagues, who complement each other’s lines intuitively. Mathias Eick and Manu Katché’s effortless musicianship enhances the quartet’s fluid interplay.
„Wow, you really have a made a beautiful piece of work here. Love the tunes and the way they work together as a whole, the playing, the interaction of players and the subtlety throughout. I love the way Mathias gives color to your melodies and how Manu resists playing predictable grooves in favor of expressive response to the tunes and band vibe. No excess showboating, and that dreamy ECM sonic air intact.“
Joe Woodard ( Musikjournalist u.a. für Downbeat, Jazztimes)
http://www.bennylackner.com/
http://www.bennylackner.com/quartet