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Michael Jaeger

Kerouac ist das innovative und eigenständige Quartett um den Zürcher Tenorsaxophonisten Michael Jaeger, das sich seit seinem starken Debüt "Erfindungen" im 2006 (Unit Records) in der Schweiz und dem nahen Ausland einen Namen gemacht hat. Konsequent suchen die vier Schweizer Musiker seit einigen Jahren nach neuem und authentischem Jazz, in dessen Zentrum das improvisierende Kollektiv steht. Die Synergien entstehen zwischen den jungen und herausfordernden Musikern Michael Jaeger am Tenorsaxophon, Vincent Membrez am Piano und Luca Sisera am Kontrabass sowie dem renommierten Walliser Schlagzeuger Norbert Pfammatter. Gäste waren in den vergangenen Jahren bei Kerouac die Saxophonisten Natanael Su oder Urs Leimgruber sowie der Gitarrist Philipp Schaufelberger. Dass der Amerikanische Altsaxophonist Greg Osby seit 2009 mit der "Working Band" Kerouac zusammenarbeitet, zeigt eine gemeinsame Vision für den modernen Jazz: Komplexheit und Einfachheit, Kompromisslosigkeit und Freiheit; Stille und Chaos sind hier keine Gegensätze, sondern bedingen sich gegenseitig.

Die Arbeitsweise der Band geht von der Improvisation zur Komposition und wieder zurźck zur Improvisation: Freie Improvisation-Sessions dienen als Forschungslabor und Hörerweiterungen. Jaeger entwickelt Sound, Struktur, Harmonik, Rhythmik und Melodik einer Komposition aus zuvor improvisiertem Material. Im Konzert wird dann innerhalb der Komposition improvisiert, als gäbe es nur das Spiel und keine ihm vorausgegangene Komposition. Neben Noten liest das Ensemble auch von kleinen Uhren dirigierte Zeitpartituren von Jaeger, welche das Geschehen organisieren. Die Musik von Kerouac mit den Gästen Greg Osby und Philipp Schaufelberger beinhaltet gebundene und ungebundene Musik, gleichwertig nebeneinander und ineinander verknüpft.

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5
Album Review

Michael Jaeger Kerouac: Dance Around in Your Bones

Read "Dance Around in Your Bones" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


Zurich-based saxophonist Michael Jaeger and his band Kerouac have been a well-known entity in the European progressive jazz community amid alternating personnel since 2006. Jaeger is a musical voyager and covers a broad sound-design spectrum, steeped in prismatic colorations and the axiomatic peaks and valleys. Rather uncannily, the musicians impart numerous variables as they shape a mark of authenticity, when considering a group-centric concentration. Jaeger mixes it up via whispery clarinet sequences atop popping bass ostinatos on “Dance ...

Album Review

Michael Jäger Kerouac: Meets Greg Osby & Philipp Schaufelberger

Read "Meets Greg Osby & Philipp Schaufelberger" reviewed by AAJ Italy Staff


La formula della band “locale" che collabora con il musicista famoso e straniero non è nuova ma i risultati non sono sempre interessanti. In questo caso, il ruolo della band “locale" viene svolto dal gruppo svizzero Kerouac, guidato dal sassofonista Michael Jäger, mentre a Greg Osby spetta quello di ospite di lusso. A ibridare la formula ci pensa un altro ospite, ma “locale," il chitarrista svizzero Philipp Schaufelberger.Fortunatamente, il risultato è da raccomandare senza remore confermando, se ancora ...

263
Album Review

Michael Jaeger: Kerouac

Read "Kerouac" reviewed by Nic Jones


The quartet of Jaeger, pianist Vincent Membrez, bassist Luca Sisera and drummer Norbert Pfammatter has been together for five years and the depth of playing experience that implies is evident in this release. The balance of the new and the familiar is rarely struck with such precision as this ensemble manages, but the presence of guests Greg Osby and Philipp Schaufelberger adds another dimension to the creative tension. Both men prove themselves adept at blending with the quartet's working methods ...

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Recording

Michael Jaeger Kerouac - Outdoors (Intakt)

Michael Jaeger Kerouac - Outdoors (Intakt)

Source: Master of a Small House

Michael Jaeger's ensemble makes explicit reference to one of the founding fathers of Beat poetry, but the Swiss tenorist is also careful to note that his actual inspiration source rests in the Dizzy Gillespie's composition of the same title. Now five years on since their inception the foursome is well-oiled improvisation machine. Pianist Vincent Membrez, bassist Luca Sisera and drummer Norbert Pfammatter don't answer well to the summary of sidemen. Jaeger's name adorns the case spine, but the session is ...

"Jaeger nears the likes of Coltrane, when he was at his clearest and most serene. Jaeger creates, through long stretches, a very cool music with his very hot rhythm section consisting of Luca Sisera on bass, Vincent Membrez on piano and Norbert Pfammatter on drums. He is a great melody maker." —Peter Ruedi, Die Weltwoche

"There was a band language of noticeable consistence heard, which were built during collective stretches with a feeling of We, rather than I. (...) You realize with this ensemble, that behind this freely developing music stands a very strong structural consciousness." —Christoph Merki, Tagesanzeiger

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Dance Around in Your...

Intakt Records
2013

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Kerouac

Intakt Records
2010

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Meets Greg Osby &...

Intakt Records
2010

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