Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Beat Kaestli: Beat Kaestli: Live in Europe

Beat Kaestli: Beat Kaestli: Live in Europe

By C. Michael Bailey
January 17, 2016
View read count

Beat Kaestli: Beat Kaestli: Live in Europe

In my humble estimation, there are two ballad singers (living) without peer: Rebecca Parris and Beat Kaestli. The latter has had a string of recent recordings that are as innovative as they are entertaining, including: Happy, Sad And Satisfied (B&B Productions, 2005), Invitation (Chesky Records, 2010), and Collage (B&B Productions, 2014).

Kaestli sneaks a live recording in on us: Live in Europe where he performs with a trio lead by pianist Walter Fischbacher (musical and life partner of vocalist Elizabeth Lohninger, both close associates of Kaestli's). Kaestli's European repertoire is plentiful in his trademark ballad singing with the addition of the contemporary pop of the Eurythmics' "Here Comes the Rain Again," which melds sonically in medley with "Missing" both folded into a seamless samba. Central to this performance is a scintillating "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise," which is introduced gently with an angular Petr Dvorsky bass solo. A ballad typically tethered to tempo harmonically, Kaestli and Fischbacher liberate the melody giving it free-floating flight. The tempo almost too slow is nevertheless perfect for the exposition. The performances exists as evidence of Kaestli's command of the genre.

Track Listing

Day in Day out; Conflicted; Missing/Here Comes the Rain Again; Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise; That's All; Why Should I Pretend; The Choice You Make/Choice de Vie; What are You Doing the Rest of Your Life; Body and Soul.

Personnel

Beat Kaestli

vocals

Beat Kaestli: voice; Walter Fischbacher: piano; Petr Dvorsky: bass; Andreas Winter: drums.

Album information

Title: Beat Kaestli: Live in Europe | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Self Produced

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Bird with Strings: The Lost Arrangem...
< Previous

Behind The Sky
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.