Jazz Articles about Nik Bärtsch

Nik Bartsch's Ronin at Joe's Pub, NYC

by Budd Kopman
March 17, 2008

Nik Bartsch's Ronin at Joe's Pub, NYCJoe's PubNew York City, New YorkMarch 5, 2008 Simple complexity, complex simplicity; intellectual control, emotional abandon; individual details, organic wholeness; deep, deep bottom, floating highs; irresistible funky groove, phase-shifting rhythmic interaction; dramatic storytelling, propulsive drive; just a band, an artistic entity. Nik Bartsch's Ronin, and his music, is all of the above and much, much more. Having first played at Joe's Pub on July 3, ...

Nik Bartsch's Ronin: Holon

by Andrey Henkin
March 7, 2008

It may seem odd to begin a CD review by expressing gratitude over its length, but there you have it. Pianist Nik Bärtsch's Holon, with his Ronin group, is a shade under 56 minutes and it is to his credit that he understands that with his particular brand of music, less is more. Like a walk on a foggy evening, it is only wondrous for a while. Bärtsch's first of six independently released discs before signing with ...

Nik Bartsch's Ronin: Holon

by Dan McClenaghan
February 22, 2008

For those of us who weren't paying attention earlier, Nik Bartsch's Ronin first burst on the scene with its 2007 ECM Records debut, Stoa. But the Swiss composer-pianist had, in fact, been building a just-beneath-the-radar discography for several years on his own Ronin Rhythm Records.Which brings us to Holon, Bartsch's second ECM set, one which moves the music deeper into the “Zen Funk" and “Ritual Groove" foundational mold that the pianist and his band have constructed.It's ...

Nik Bartsch's Ronin: Holon

by Budd Kopman
February 2, 2008

With the release of Stoa (ECM, 2006), pianist Nik Bärtsch and his band Ronin caused a tsunami of words to be written that attempted to describe what this music was and why it evoked such strong emotions. Certainly, the shock of the new had something to do with it. Upon reflection, however, the key things turned out to be a deep funkiness united with minimalist repetition and phase-shifting polyrhythms, played with Zen-like concentration. In other words, this new sound was, ...

Nik Bartsch's Ronin: Holon

by John Kelman
January 31, 2008

While Nik Bärtsch's 2006 ECM debut, Stoa, was a powerful first shot across the international bow, garnering a place on many journalists' “Best of" lists for the year, the Swiss pianist had, in fact, been honing his self-proclaimed “Zen Funk" since the beginning of the decade, starting with the equally descriptive Ritual Groove Music (Ronin Rhythm Records, 2001). Holon capitalizes on the success and innovation of Stoa, again featuring his Ronin quintet, proving the value of ongoing musical partnerships, especially ...

Nik Bartsch's Ronin: Holon

by Chris May
January 29, 2008

Pianist/composer Nik Bartsch's wondrous synthesis of intellect and funk, of lofty cerebral abstraction and urgent physical energy, is so thrilling that it may produce in the listener an urge to scramble on top of the nearest building and start yelling “hallelujah!" and “eureka!" at everyone within earshot.

Holon is the second album Bartsch has made with his band Ronin for ECM, following Stoa (ECM, 2006), and is the latest addition to an outstanding body of work previously released ...

Nik Bartsch's Ronin: Live

by Jeff Dayton-Johnson
August 22, 2007

Nik Bärtsch's Ronin Live Ronin Rhythm Records 2006

The critical enthusiasm that greeted Stoa (ECM, 2006), by keyboardist Nik Bärtsch's Ronin band, has encouraged some listeners to look into his back catalogue. It turns out that the Zurich-based musician has been developing the musical project that gave rise to Stoa for many years; this includes workshop-like performances at the Zurich club Moods, where all but the first track of this album were recorded live ...