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Colin Vallon: Samares
by Mike Jurkovic
One does not so much come upon the astute athletics at play within the soundscapes of pianist Colin Vallon as much as get lured, baited, then intrigued by them. Vallon who, for whatever reason, has not been on the new release radar since the ancient precepts he brought to light on 2017's tranquilly vibrant Danse (ECM) and, before that and also on ECM, 2014's deftly defiant Le Vent and 2011's densely poetic Rruga. Taken together and disregarding time, ...
Continue ReadingColin Vallon: Danse
by Angelo Leonardi
In questa terza incisione per l'ECM il trio di Colin Vallon prosegue e amplifica quant'aveva evidenziato in Le Vent, inciso nel 2014 con gli stessi partner e caratterizzato da un cambio di direzione rispetto al precedente Rruga (2011), con Samuel Rohrer alla batteria. Se in quest'ultimo lavoro l'interplay improvvisato restava un elemento centrale, combinandosi con tempi elusivi, lunghe iterazioni e riferimenti al camerismo classico e al folklore caucasico, da qualche anno le scelte del pianista privilegiano la composizione orientata verso ...
Continue ReadingColin Vallon / Patrice Moret / Julian Sartorius: Danse
by Karl Ackermann
Pianist Colin Vallon seems on the verge of a creative breakthrough with his new trio album Danse. With his third ECM trio release Vallon has cemented a personal approach to his music; it is one that has taken time to unfold much like many of his compositions. In his writing, as well as group interplay, the pianist has made a science of exploring open spaces and filling them with nuanced textures or opting for minimalism. Vallon's influences include ...
Continue ReadingColin Vallon Trio: Le Vent
by Hrayr Attarian
Swiss pianist Colin Vallon's fourth release as a leader, Le Vent is a truly collaborative effort that eschews individual solos in favor of a haunting, collective sound. The results are atmospheric and exquisitely formalistic. This is not to suggest that, because of its ambient nature, the album is without substance. On the contrary, its structure becomes its essence. The title track, for instance, recreates the phenomenon of its name with supreme lyricism. Vallon's resonant, tranquil bars sing the ...
Continue ReadingColin Vallon Trio: Le Vent
by Neri Pollastri
Dopo il debutto con l'apprezzato Rruga, il trio svizzero di Colin Vallon torna a registrare, parzialmente rinnovato nell'organico--Julian Sartorius sostituisce il peraltro ottimo Samuel Rohrer--ma costante nelle atmosfere e nei temi, qui quasi interamente della penna del pianista e leader. La musica del trio si basa su una narrazione lirica aperta e non tradizionale, nella quale hanno estrema importanza la delicatezza dei suoni, a tratti quasi romantici, e soprattutto il sapiente ed equilibrato contrasto tra pieni e ...
Continue ReadingColin Vallon Trio: Le Vent
by John Kelman
When Bill Evans emerged in the 1950s, he represented a paradigm shift for the jazz piano trio. No longer a lead instrument supported by a rhythm section, Evans' more egalitarian approach to music-making allowed delineated soloists to engage in a more fully conversational context, with any instrument capable of pushing the music in a new direction at any moment. Half a century later, Evans' influence can still be felt, but there's been further development, stripping away individual virtuosity and leaving ...
Continue ReadingColin Vallon Trio: Rruga
by Dan McClenaghan
The piano trio--piano, bass and drums--can seem something of an anachronism in a time when musical artists make use of synthesizers, electronics, laptops and loops to craft their sounds. But scores of pianists still go to the acoustic trio format as one of their primary means of expression. In looking toward jazz veterans, Keith Jarrett and Ahmad Jamal come to mind. With a newer group of artists, it's possible to point to Bill Carrothers, Brad Mehldau, Greg Reitan, and so ...
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