Florian Ross Trio - Blinds and Shades

“…away from the mire of homogeneous Eurobop and into the realms of inventive and original small-group jazz.” Gramophone

On his first Intuition album Blinds and Shades, Florian Ross concentrates entirely on the trio ensemble, with Remi Vignolo at the bass and John Hollenbeck at the drums. Large part of the recording was produced at the Kleiner Sendesaal of the WDR. The titles Bookend, Julia and Bye Bye Blackbird, with Martijn Vink at the drums, were commissioned by the Deutschlandfunk and recorded at the Loft in Cologne. Except for the arrangement Bye Bye Blackbird originally composed by Ray Henderson, the ten pieces are the pianist's own compositions. Chamber music jazz at its best!

Here, again, Florian Ross falls back on the beginnings of the hard bop. Blinds and Shades shows his rather individual examination of the jazz traditions of the 1950s. He breaks down the worn-out pattern of solos accompanied by only one continuous rhythm, by integrating again and again passages of rhythmic tension and by having the melodically expressive style of playing, such as in Bookend, follow the harmony of contemporary music.

The Florian Ross Trio does not follow exclusively the tradition of Bill Evans, the three equal partners rather probe the world of contemporary jazz while playing, without forgetting the tradition.

And what better statement could be made than what Harald Rehmamm (“Jazz Live” / Deutschlandfunk / January 2004) said: “One say without doubt and patriotic pathos that the Florian Ross Trio can currently be counted among the world's leading piano trios.”