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Global grooves, mercurial melodies, plucky polyrhythms and hypnotic happenings abound on this impressive release by Swiss jazz pianist Nik Bärtsch. “Zen Funk” is how Bärtsch describes his oftentimes Eastern-influenced music, and indeed, the various tracks, simply titled “Modul 36” or “Modul 33,” are metaphysical musical koans of sorts. He is joined by his “Ronin” band: clarinetist Sha, bassist Björn Meyer, drummer Kaspar Rast and percussionist Andi Pupato. Imagine an aural geometrical kaleidoscope on which multiple layers synchronously rotate and morph in a subtle, albeit complex dance. James Brown jamming with Steve Reich, perhaps? Throughout, Meyer and Rast comprise the unerring gyroscopic motor driving Bärtsch’s tightly knit compositions; providing him and the others interspersed spacing in which to amble. Bärtsch’s piano is the axle, as he double-handedly plays contrasting, interlocking patterns in real time, often punctuated by Sha’s clarinet accents. Repeated listen reveals more depth with each go around. Very well done!
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