Rebecca Trescher, Paris Zyklus Review

by Nolan DeBuke

Rebecca Trescher is a jazz composer, clarinetist, and bandleader directing her own large ensemble for almost ten years. Trescher is an integral part of the German jazz scene and has been awarded numerous prizes and grants, including the Wolfram-von-Eschenbach Prize 2021, Artist in Residence at the Cité Internationales des Arts Paris 2019, Bavarian Art Prize 2017, and scholarship of the Baden-Württemberg Art Foundation 2014. Trescher is now releasing her fourth album featuring a large ensemble called Paris Zyklus. The music for the album was composed during her six-month residence at the Cité Internationale des Arts Paris. The energy of Paris flows through the music as Trescher is excited by the vibe and the spirit of the streets. The other compositions are inspired by her wonderful atelier in Nuremberg, where she has spent most of her time during the pandemic. The large ensemble consists of trumpet, saxophones, clarinet, cello, concert harp, piano, vibraphone, bass, and drums.

“Verborgen im Wald” has a blended sound of classical and jazz. The opening is a classically inspired section. When the rhythm section enters, the jazz influence can be heard and felt. The flowing melody is still maintained, but the drums, bass, and piano add jazz colors and feel. The composition continues to grow in intensity and complexity, with each phrase building to the first solo. Trescher’s compositional style is rich in textures and harmonic colors. These colors blend the classical and jazz worlds together imaginatively and vividly.

“Paris ZYKLUS Lafayette” has an active ostinato over which Trescher spins a web of boppish lines landing in rich voicings. For Julian Hesse’s flugelhorn solo, the feel is relaxed as Roland Neffe, vibraphone; Peter Christof, double bass; and Silvio Morger, drums; open the space and begin the climb back to the original feel. Andreas Feith’s piano solo takes the ending motif from Hesse and develops it through an exciting melodious declaration. Trescher’s choice of orchestration is compelling and keeps the music moving forward with new sounds and colors. Her backgrounds during the solos section also maintain the composition’s theme and overall hue and ambiance.

With Paris Zyklus, Trescher creates an invigorating, modern sound that progresses empirically between jazz and classical music. Under her leadership, the ensemble spins a fascinating musical network of contemporary compositions brought to life by their shared experiences, precise coordination, and mutual trust.