Mengamo Trio: Chat Bizarre

With their debut album The One (Floatmusic, 2018), Mengamo Trio firmly established their foothold in the modern jazz landscape. With their offering Chat Bizarre, they are pushing beyond the known frontiers. Chat Bizarre marks a turn into the realm of pure originals—a bold step affirming the trio's maturing artistic identity. Mengamo Trio is guitarist Philipp Brämswig, Hammond organist Sebastian Scobel, and drummer Thomas Sauerborn.

The trio's expanded palette and daring use of effects are the first things to catch the listener's attention in this album. Far from mere ornamentation, these effects are integral to the tonal architecture of the record. Brämswig's guitar work on "Song for George" is a prime example of this, where he employs a wide array of effects to enhance his already distinctive sonic signature.

"Thin Curtain of Drops" and "Consolation III" find Scobel venturing beyond conventional organ playing, using effects to craft a soundscape which oscillates between tonal and white noise, adding a new level of depth to their music. On "Itchy & Sketchy," Brämswig and Sauerborn expand the effects palette by dynamically altering their sound throughout the track. At its core, Chat Bizarre is a compelling blend of jazz, rock, electronica, and funk. This cross-genre exploration amplifies the trio's musical lexicon without diluting their jazz roots. "Full Throttle" and the title track perfectly encapsulate this approach, manifesting rock's raw energy within a jazz framework.

Brämswig exhibits a captivating integration of jazz, funk, blues, and rock in his playing, demonstrating the trio's dedication to their multi-genre ethos. Combined with Sauerborn's distinct rhythms and Scobel's strong harmonic underpinning, the trio's cohesive harmonies and overall sound are dynamic and musically nuanced.

Chat Bizarre shows Mengamo Trio's continuous growth and innovation with their move towards all-original compositions and adept use of effects and genre-blending to create a distinctive voice within the current jazz domain. Chat Bizarre is a compelling collection of tracks; it is a testament to Mengamo Trio's relentless pursuit of a sound which is uniquely theirs, marking a new chapter in their musical journey.

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