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Kristiana Roemer: House of Mirrors

By Jerome Wilson
March 27, 2021
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Kristiana Roemer

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Kristiana Roemer is a young German singer whose voice has a lilt and plush texture reminiscent of

" data-original-title="" title="">Annette Peacock. On this, her first album, she uses her intriguing sound in the service of both conventional jazz tunes and floating, airy pieces which border on art songs. Most of the material here is her own writing, though some lyrics derive from others' poetry. In addition, she proves her jazz bona fides by including familiar tunes by

Stanley Turrentine

saxophone, tenor
1934 - 2000

" data-original-title="" title="">Stanley Turrentine and

Charles Mingus

bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Mingus.

The suppleness of Roemer's jazz singing shows in her easy gliding on "Virgin Soil" and dreamy swoon on "Lullaby For N."

Addison Frei

piano
b.1992

" data-original-title="" title="">Addison Frei' plays rich piano on both tracks.

Dayna Stephens

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Dayna Stephens' gushing tenor sax highlights the former and

Ben Monder

guitar
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Monder adds chiming guitar to the latter. She also does right by the two non-originals, sounding sassy and seductive on Turrentine's "Sugar" and bringing a deep yearning feel to Mingus' "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love."

The other pieces are where Roemer's writing and voice stretch out. She sails over groaning bass and piano and jittery percussion on "Beauty Is A Wound," and sings simply and endearingly on "House Of Mirrors" over Frei's tinkling piano and

Gilad Hekselman

guitar
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Gilad Hekselman's bent guitar notes. On "Manchmal," taken from a Herman Hesse poem, she delicately sings in German as Frei and Monder quietly murmur under her. The guitarist is also a presence on "Dark Night of the Soul," accenting the surging piano repetitions which back Roemer's melodic flow. Drummer

Adam Arruda

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Adam Arruda and bassist

Alexander Claffy

bass
b.1992

" data-original-title="" title="">Alexander Claffy are strong throughout the CD but their work here is really exceptional as they keep the song's tense pulse going.

Kristiana Roemer's voice has a combination of softness and firmness which conveys both strength and sensitivity. Her songs have a haunting, wistful feel which perfectly matches her sound. Her band here is fine at being either ethereal or swinging as the songs dictate . This is an excellent debut for her.

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Track Listing

House of Mirrors; Beauty is a Wound; Virgin Soil; Deine H?nde; Dark Night Of The Soul; Manchmal; Lullaby For N.; Sugar; Duke Ellington's Sound of Love.

Personnel

Kristiana Roemer

vocals

Addison Frei

piano

Alex Claffey

bass

Adam Arruda

drums

Ben Monder

guitar

Dayna Stephens

saxophone, tenor

Rogerio Boccato

percussion

Additional Instrumentation

Gilad Hekselman (1); Ben Monder (5,6,7); Dayna Stephens (3,8); Rogerio Boccato (2).

Album information

Title: House of Mirrors | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Sunnyside Records

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