About Me
CHRISTOPH STIEFEL TRIO – 7 MEILENSTIEFELThis music has evolved out of two different musical spheres. Firstly, for about 15 years now, I have been working with my trio through various line-ups on my personal renditions of modern jazz. My primary aim has always been to attain the highest possible degree of independence, musical density, interplay and communication within the band – usually on the basis of my own compositions (and occasionally of established jazz standards) which are supposed to act as a starting point for the band in developing its own language.Secondly, for more than 10 years now, I have been working on my isorhythms approach; which, for the first time - on the CD 7 Meilenstiefel - I have extensively incorporated into the trio concept. Isorhythms were first employed, or composed, in the Middle Ages (ars nova). Like rhythms (‘iso-’ = 'same’ in Greek) are combined with different melodies, producing rhythmic, harmonic and also melodic superposition of the different layers - something to which the listener was totally unaccustomed.I had always felt that I only wanted to allow isorhythms to permeate the trio more extensively on the condition that they should restrict neither the freedom to improvise, nor communication, interplay, etc - for me the essential aspects of playing in a jazz trio. In my view, this has succeeded because I have such a command of the isorhythms technique today (particularly through my latest solo CD Isorhythms for Solo Piano) that I am able, despite the enormous rhythmic complexity, to concentrate on making music with my fellow musicians, and we can thus build up slurs of tension and develop ideas for improvisation together. This is only possible with band members well versed in the jazz tradition, and who also have a desire and an ability to integrate isorhythms, which are extraordinary and rhythmically challenging, into a modern trio concept. Patrice and Marcel fulfil all these requirements, and more besides: they allow their great musicality and creativity to infuse the trio's music entirely.The resulting music is thus special and demanding, distinguished by its decidedly compositional and conceptual character. At the same time, when you’re playing it (and hopefully listening to it too), it feels like music we love and want to expand upon each day, using our own ideas: in other words, modern, contemporary jazz.Christoph Stiefel, Winter 2006
