On Mathias Eick's album "Midwest," the interplay between his expressive trumpet and violin was particularly impressive—an instrumental partnership that was further developed on "Ravensburg." New to the ensemble is Håkon Aase, a talented violinist from the Norwegian jazz scene, whom attentive ECM listeners might recognize from his work with Thomas Strønen's group. The band's core lineup is complemented by Helge Andreas Norbakken, who engages in dynamic musical dialogues with drummer Torstein Lofthus. As a composer, Eick is at a peak in this formation: with powerful rhythms in the lower register and soaring melodies in the upper register, he creates a kind of musical family portrait in several pieces. The recordings for "Ravensburg" were made in June 2017 at Rainbow Studio in Oslo, produced by Manfred Eicher, and are being released just before the start of the European tour.
