Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Oliver Schwerdt: Fucking Ballads

95

Oliver Schwerdt: Fucking Ballads

Oliver Schwerdt: Fucking Ballads
Pianist Oliver Schwerdt's Fucking Ballads is not just an album title; it is a declaration of sonic defiance, a rallying cry for those who dare to challenge the status quo. The juxtaposition of the genteel term "ballads" with the bold expletive "fucking" sets the stage for a musical escapade that is as cheeky as it is profound.

From the opening notes of the album, Schwerdt and his ensemble are on a mission to disrupt the conventions of jazz. The two tracks unfold like a series of musical provocations. Schwerdt's piano leads the charge into parts unknown as the dissonance and melodies twist and turn with reckless abandon, defying expectations at every turn.

But amidst the semi-controlled chaos, there is a method to the madness. Schwerdt and his esteemed cohorts traverse the harmonic landscape with the precision of seasoned navigators, weaving disparate elements together into a cohesive tapestry of sound. The result is a collection of "ballads" that are as unpredictable as they are exhilarating—a testament to the boundless possibilities of musical expression.

The true beauty lies in embracing the chaos. And yet, for all its rebellious spirit, there is a sense of reverence that underpins the album's sonic explorations. Schwerdt and his ensemble pay homage to jazz traditions even as they subvert them. With Barry Guy's bass rumbling like thunder and Gunter Baby Sommer's drums propelling the music forward with relentless energy amid shifty treatments on his cymbals, and other percussion instruments, each track on the album becomes a sonic escapade.

Together, the trio creates a symphony of rebellion—a harmonious cacophony with Guy's sawing arco lines and themes that start, abruptly stop, rise, fall and project stark free-form interplay that challenges listeners to rethink their preconceived notions of what jazz can be. With these two pieces, the concept of time and matter takes a sabbatical, leaving us scratching our heads in delightful confusion.

It is a rollercoaster ride that will have the listener pondering the meaning of existence one moment and laughing at the absurdity of it all the next. Welcome to the quantum playground of Fucking Ballads, where time is just a suggestion and matter is happily jamming along. Thus, the album is a revolution waiting to be heard. Are you ready to join the rebellion?

Track Listing

Fucking Ballads; In the Vein of Beauty.

Personnel

Additional Instrumentation

Gunter Baby Sommer: percussion, cymbals; Oliver Schwerdt: percussion, little instruments.

Album information

Title: Fucking Ballads | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Euphorium Records

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About Jazz

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter 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.

More

Tramonto
John Taylor
Ki
Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii
Duality Pt: 02
Dom Franks' Strayhorn
The Sound of Raspberry
Tatsuya Yoshida / Martín Escalante

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.