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In-Between Flow

Maik Krahl Quartet

In-Between Flow

Price: € 19.95
Format: CD
Label: Challenge Records
UPC: 0608917354621
Catnr: CR 73546
Release date: 09 September 2022
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Label
Challenge Records
UPC
0608917354621
Catalogue number
CR 73546
Release date
09 September 2022

"... Maik Krahl dedicates his current album to flow as a transformation process from one state to the next..."

Jazzthetik, 01-1-2023
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Artist(s)
Composer(s)
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About the album

The continuing growth of Maik Krahl as a melodic improviser, bandleader, and composer is distinctly evident in this new release. In-Between Flow, Krahl’s third outing as leader, is a portrait of a young artist who has gone through many years of dedicated hard work, study, experimentation, and refinement in order to achieve this level of instrumental and artistic progress. Krahl belongs to a new generation of improvisers who have acquired a breadth of technical and theoretical facility, while not losing the spontaneity and rawness of this music we call jazz. As a bandleader, he chooses his colleagues wisely and for this date is joined on a few tracks by the visionary guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, whose brilliant playing adds a cherry on top of this already delicious line up.

The title In-Between Flow refers to ever evolving progression of our human condition. As in nature, the human spirit can expand and unfold, maturing to a new state where it may settle for a while until some new impulses inspires another transition. These transitions, sometimes subtle, sometimes abrupt; as well as the times of contentedness and serenity are the inspirations for this music.

The record opens up with an ode to the town Krahl calls home. Cologne 4 AM, begins with a haunting melody by Krahl’s soft yet powerful horn before settling into a perfect vehicle to display his command of melodic and motivic story telling. There is something about the time of 4 AM that seems to permeate literature and music, and this track will add to the canon of artistic references to this magical time where the night meets the morning.

Mr. Rosenwinkel joins the band for Slosetta, which is a great example of Krahl’s ability to craft a tune. As is to be expected, Rosenwinkel weaves through the changes with grace and mastery, obviously enjoying the communication with the rhythm section, who are undeniably inspired by his harmonic, rhythmic and melodic ingenuity.

Jakob Kühnemann, a Bandleader and composer is his own right, has been an in demand bassist on the German and European scene for several years, and his contribution to this record is proof of why that is. Although Krahl takes the lead on Drizzle Counter, in a great display of technical virtuosity, it is Kühneman who stands out on this track. It is not only in his improvisation, but more so in his poly rhythmic pulses dancing up from the deep and the harmonic insinuations in his accompaniment of Krahl’s solo that demonstrate his musical mastery.

Rosenwinkel joins again for No Claim Claim, a composition so balanced that I would not be surprised to hear other artists recording or performing it in the future. After Krahl’s melodically inventive statement, Rosenwinkel shifts the band to the next gear building the intensity towards the out head.

Constantin Krahmer has been Krahl´s piano player since his debut record, Decidophobia. His patience, ingenuity, and big ears make him a perfect accomplice to Krahl, and his sensitive yet powerful approach and accompaniment on Reconstruction of a Dream as well as his harmonic and melodic inventiveness on Vinaceous Clouds (where he plays Fender Rhodes) make it clear why he is an integral part of this unit.

Ms Ludgate is a funky composition with angular melody that is another feather in the cap of the band leader. Kurt Rosenwinkel is back, and seems more than willing to engage in some rhythmic dialogue with the spectacular young drummer on the date, Fabian Rösch. Throughout this entire record Rösch is subtly but strongly guiding the band, playing his role as a supportive and interactive proponent to the music. We will surely be hearing much more from this young man with such a refined sound and clear rhythmic conception.

Flawless Sunday, a perfect closing statement for this record. The melody is another great example of Krahl’s growth as a composer. The whole rhythm section really shines on Krahmer’s choruses, where the three colleagues push and dare each other rhythmically as well as harmonically before Krahl enters and brings the record to a close with his beautiful rich tone and melodic playing.

It is a great pleasure to hear the growth of a young artist with such dedication and vision. Hearing how Krahl and his band mates navigate through the vicissitudes of this music is an inspiration that can be mirrored in everyday life. A lesson in accepting the ever changing flow from one state to another. Growing, learning, and evolving into a new state, until the process begins anew. In-Between Flow.

Junge Musiker wie Maik Krahl, 31 und Trompeter, muss man in Deutschland mit der Lupe suchen. Und wer ihn findet, der stellt verblüfft fest, dass nur ganz wenige deutsche Nachwuchs-Jazzer derzeit origineller, ausgebuffter und facettenreicher klingen. Krahl braucht keine populären Showeffekte, um sein Publikum aus der Reserve zu locken, sondern einzig und allein seine instrumentale Virtuosität und bunt schillernden Kompositionen. Denn er befindet sich im In-Between Flow.

Was Wunder, wenn einer während seines Studiums in Dresden und Essen von solch hochkarätigen Lehrern wie Till Brönner und Ryan Carniaux unterrichtet wurde. Dennoch kopiert Krahl keines seiner Vorbilder, sondern hat erstaunlicherweise längst einen unverkennbaren Ton und eine klar identifizierbare eigene Handschrift entwickelt. Die Entscheidungsangst, die der Trompeter noch 2018 in seinem Debütalbum Decidophobia mutig thematisierte, ist längst passé. Inzwischen trifft er viele richtige Entscheidungen, wie zum Beispiel die für Fraction, die 2020 erschienene Weiterentwicklung seiner kühnen Visionen. Gemeinhin aber nur eine weitere aufregende Zwischenstation auf dem Weg hin zu neuen unentdeckten Welten der Musik.
Der jetzt erscheinende dritte Karriereschritt von Maik Krahl trägt eben jenen kryptischen Titel In-Between Flow, was man in etwa mit „Zwischenströmung“ übersetzen könnte. Damit bezieht er sich auf die pausenlos fortschreitende Entwicklung des Menschen. Wie in der Natur kann sich dessen Geist ausdehnen, entfalten und zu einem neuen Zustand heranreifen. Dort lässt er sich für eine Weile nieder, bis neue Impulse einen weiteren Übergang einleiten. Dieser kann schmerzhaft, anstrengend, energieaufwändig oder langwierig sein, aber auch durchaus interessant und spannend. „Man lernt viel über sich und die Welt und kann dabei in einen Flow geraten“, erklärt Krahl. Solche Zwischenströmungen, manchmal subtiler, manchmal abrupter Art, sowie die Zeiten der Zufriedenheit und Gelassenheit, inspirierten den jungen Gipfelstürmer zu acht fesselnden Kompositionen für dieses Album.
Pianist Constantin Krahmer, Bassist Jakob Kühnemann und Drummer Fabian Rösch sowie als Gast in Slosetta, No Claim Claim und Ms Ludgate der famose Gitarrist Kurt Rosenwinkel bilden das perfekte Vehikel für Krahls melodische und motivische Geschichten, die von solch simpler Klarheit und Prägnanz sind, dass deren komplizierte Strukturen darunter kaum jemandem auffallen. Krahl liebt es, seine mal sanfte, mal vor Energie berstende Trompete in einen modernen, nie beliebigen Groove zu betten. Er lädt die Hörerschaft auf fein konstruierte, gehauchte, fast singende Gefühls-Achterbahnfahrten ein, bei denen Trauer, Freude, Einsamkeit, Warten, Zaudern, Zweifeln und neuen Mut schöpfen direkt nebeneinander liegen.
Maik Krahl und seine Gefährten erteilen eine unauffällige, aber nachhaltige Lektion darin, wie man den sich ständig verändernden Fluss von einem Zustand zum anderen akzeptieren kann. Was so viel bedeutet wie: Dabei wachsen, lernen und sich einfach im nächsten Zustand entwickeln, bis der Prozess aufs Neue beginnt. Dazwischen weiterfließen. In-Between Flow.

Artist(s)

Maik Krahl (trumpet)

Maik Krahl completed his jazz studies at Carl Maria von Weber Hochschule für Musik Dresden and also studied the Master of Music Jazz Improvising Artist at Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. His most influencing teachers were Till Brönner, Malte Burba and the American jazz trumpet player Ryan Carniaux. His first album Decidophobia was released in 2018 with Double Moon/ Challenge Records International. With his own quartet, Krahl plays numerous concerts in all important jazz clubs all over Germany as well as at festivals e.g. International Jazz Week Burghausen, Trave-Jazz Festival or Birdland Radio Jazz Festival. His second album Fraction featuring Seamus Blake was released in May 2020 with Challenge Records International. Furthermore, he is a steady part of the Cologne based Subway Jazz...
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Maik Krahl completed his jazz studies at Carl Maria von Weber Hochschule für Musik Dresden and also studied the Master of Music Jazz Improvising Artist at Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. His most influencing teachers were Till Brönner, Malte Burba and the American jazz trumpet player Ryan Carniaux.

His first album Decidophobia was released in 2018 with Double Moon/ Challenge Records International. With his own quartet, Krahl plays numerous concerts in all important jazz clubs all over Germany as well as at festivals e.g. International Jazz Week Burghausen, Trave-Jazz Festival or Birdland Radio Jazz Festival. His second album Fraction featuring Seamus Blake was released in May 2020 with Challenge Records International. Furthermore, he is a steady part of the Cologne based Subway Jazz Orchestra. With this big band he recorded four albums: Primal Scream (2015), State of Mind (2016), Richbeck Suite (2018), and Still Screaming (2020). Krahl joined the WDR Big Band as a guest musician in productions and concerts and is a two-time scholarship winner of the Werner Richard - Dr. Carl Dörken Stiftung – most recently with his quartet.

Concerts brought him to Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Canada, Croatia, Lithuania, Serbia, Senegal, and the US. Traveling the world allowed him to work with musicians like John Clayton, Kurt Elling, Maria Schneider, Benny Green, Jeff Hamilton, Ingrid Jensen, John Ruocco, and Jiggs Whigham.

Besides working as an artist, Maik Krahl teaches trumpet at Offene Jazz Haus Schule in Cologne.


less

Maik Krahl Quartet

Maik Krahl completed his jazz studies at Carl Maria von Weber Hochschule für Musik Dresden and also studied the Master of Music Jazz Improvising Artist at Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. His most influencing teachers were Till Brönner, Malte Burba and the American jazz trumpet player Ryan Carniaux. His first album Decidophobia was released in 2018 with Double Moon/ Challenge Records International. With his own quartet, Krahl plays numerous concerts in all important jazz clubs all over Germany as well as at festivals e.g. International Jazz Week Burghausen, Trave-Jazz Festival or Birdland Radio Jazz Festival. His second album Fraction featuring Seamus Blake was released in May 2020 with Challenge Records International. Furthermore, he is a steady part of the Cologne based Subway Jazz...
more

Maik Krahl completed his jazz studies at Carl Maria von Weber Hochschule für Musik Dresden and also studied the Master of Music Jazz Improvising Artist at Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. His most influencing teachers were Till Brönner, Malte Burba and the American jazz trumpet player Ryan Carniaux.

His first album Decidophobia was released in 2018 with Double Moon/ Challenge Records International. With his own quartet, Krahl plays numerous concerts in all important jazz clubs all over Germany as well as at festivals e.g. International Jazz Week Burghausen, Trave-Jazz Festival or Birdland Radio Jazz Festival. His second album Fraction featuring Seamus Blake was released in May 2020 with Challenge Records International. Furthermore, he is a steady part of the Cologne based Subway Jazz Orchestra. With this big band he recorded four albums: Primal Scream (2015), State of Mind (2016), Richbeck Suite (2018), and Still Screaming (2020). Krahl joined the WDR Big Band as a guest musician in productions and concerts and is a two-time scholarship winner of the Werner Richard - Dr. Carl Dörken Stiftung – most recently with his quartet.

Concerts brought him to Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Canada, Croatia, Lithuania, Serbia, Senegal, and the US. Traveling the world allowed him to work with musicians like John Clayton, Kurt Elling, Maria Schneider, Benny Green, Jeff Hamilton, Ingrid Jensen, John Ruocco, and Jiggs Whigham.

Besides working as an artist, Maik Krahl teaches trumpet at Offene Jazz Haus Schule in Cologne.


less

Composer(s)

Maik Krahl (trumpet)

Maik Krahl completed his jazz studies at Carl Maria von Weber Hochschule für Musik Dresden and also studied the Master of Music Jazz Improvising Artist at Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. His most influencing teachers were Till Brönner, Malte Burba and the American jazz trumpet player Ryan Carniaux. His first album Decidophobia was released in 2018 with Double Moon/ Challenge Records International. With his own quartet, Krahl plays numerous concerts in all important jazz clubs all over Germany as well as at festivals e.g. International Jazz Week Burghausen, Trave-Jazz Festival or Birdland Radio Jazz Festival. His second album Fraction featuring Seamus Blake was released in May 2020 with Challenge Records International. Furthermore, he is a steady part of the Cologne based Subway Jazz...
more

Maik Krahl completed his jazz studies at Carl Maria von Weber Hochschule für Musik Dresden and also studied the Master of Music Jazz Improvising Artist at Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen. His most influencing teachers were Till Brönner, Malte Burba and the American jazz trumpet player Ryan Carniaux.

His first album Decidophobia was released in 2018 with Double Moon/ Challenge Records International. With his own quartet, Krahl plays numerous concerts in all important jazz clubs all over Germany as well as at festivals e.g. International Jazz Week Burghausen, Trave-Jazz Festival or Birdland Radio Jazz Festival. His second album Fraction featuring Seamus Blake was released in May 2020 with Challenge Records International. Furthermore, he is a steady part of the Cologne based Subway Jazz Orchestra. With this big band he recorded four albums: Primal Scream (2015), State of Mind (2016), Richbeck Suite (2018), and Still Screaming (2020). Krahl joined the WDR Big Band as a guest musician in productions and concerts and is a two-time scholarship winner of the Werner Richard - Dr. Carl Dörken Stiftung – most recently with his quartet.

Concerts brought him to Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Canada, Croatia, Lithuania, Serbia, Senegal, and the US. Traveling the world allowed him to work with musicians like John Clayton, Kurt Elling, Maria Schneider, Benny Green, Jeff Hamilton, Ingrid Jensen, John Ruocco, and Jiggs Whigham.

Besides working as an artist, Maik Krahl teaches trumpet at Offene Jazz Haus Schule in Cologne.


less

Press

... Maik Krahl dedicates his current album to flow as a transformation process from one state to the next...
Jazzthetik, 01-1-2023

The 31-year-old Tompeter Maik Krahl is one of the most promising talents in the German jazz scene...
Inmusic 11 12 2022, 01-12-2022

Maik Krahl stands out in the German jazz world with his captivating trumpet tone. It is characterized by an immediate approach, a way of holding and shaping the tone at the same time that only few trumpeters have mastered, and a unique density in the timbre that is able to float and penetrate at the same time.
Concerto, Austria, 01-10-2022

Cologne-based trumpeter Maik Krahl is one of the most promising names in young German jazz, as he impressively demonstrates on his third album...  
nrwjazznet, 21-9-2022

The production is a continuation of the path that Krahl has taken with his previous productions: a combination of warm-blooded ballads and solid funk. All pieces are again from the leader himself. The album opens with the melancholy 'Cologne 4 AM', in which the trumpet player can shine with his beautiful sound and tasteful ideas.
Jazzenzo, 15-9-2022

... After a more electric phase, "In-Between Flow" is now a sonic commitment to a velvety unexcited trumpet tone close to the flugelhorn...
Jazzthing, 23-8-2022

... Clear and melodic in expression, inspired compositions, smooth, refined and pointed arrangements, so I receive the music as very accommodating and entertaining ...
musikansich, 15-10-2022

On "In-between Flow" the MAIK KRAHL QUARTET improvises through 9 original compositions by the trumpeter with the soft tone...
NaDann, 28-9-2022

... Here someone knows how to write and play sensitive yet energetic jazz music with strong melodies and stories - and to pick up the listener on different emotional and mood levels ...
virginjazzface, 21-9-2022

Krahmer also convinces here on the Fender, he only elicits atmospheric sounds from his instrument, also all compliments for the rhythm section, which lays down a beautiful carpet on which it is good to solo.
Rootstime, 13-8-2022

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