Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet: Rising Sun

Rarely does one find a debut recording as confident and accomplished as pianist Shuteen Erdenebaatar's Rising Sun. With eight well-crafted compositions, and superb support from her young colleagues, all of whom have similarly bright futures ahead of them, Erdenebaatar successfully stakes her claim as one of the rising stars in post-bop jazz.

Although she hails from Mongolia, Erdenebaatar has already won a pretty good haul of European jazz awards. This release will no doubt earn her some additional accolades. She brings a delicate, assured touch to her instrument, with a particularly keen melodic sensibility. And her compositions are well-suited to showcase her tuneful disposition. The album's opener, "In a Time Warp," has an anthemic quality, with emotional crests that allow Erdenebaatar's colleagues to prove their own mettle. Anton Mangold, who is featured on this track on soprano sax, brings a sweetness to his articulation of the melody that almost sounds too saccharine at first—but that is only until his solo, a scintillating statement filled with motion and zest. His coruscating work on the up-tempo burner, "Ups and Downs," might be even more thrilling, matching the passion that Erdenebaatar brings to her own solo on the tune. Mangold also plays alto sax and flute on the album, and he is equally adroit on all three instruments.

While all the pieces easily impress with the fine caliber of musicianship on offer, it is the strength of Erdenebaatar's compositions that will likely spearhead her continued prominence in the jazz world. Her brief unaccompanied track, "Summer Haze," is a lovely meditation with a compelling tune and subdued warmth throughout. And her ability to make excellent use of her colleagues is another attribute; this sounds like a band that has worked together for years. "An Answer from a Distant Hill" is a great example, with bassist Nils Kugelmann in fleet support of Mangold, whose dynamic flute winds in and alongside Kugelmann's impeccable lines. Drummer Valentin Renner also has an undeniable feel for Erdenebaatar's music, as he is as dialed-in to the speedy "Ups and Downs" as he is capable of bringing texture and restraint to the the more contemplative "Saudade," where his understated brushwork for the first half of the piece gives way to a gradual increase of emotion and intensity as the track reaches its bracing conclusion. And the opportunities for engaging dialogue are always present as well; listen to the energizing exchanges between the pianist and saxophonist on the album's title track, with Renner and Kugelmann in lock-step accord through every moment of the track's ebb and flow.

It is always exciting to find young musicians whose skill on their instrument is matched by a mature compositional voice. Shuteen Erdenebaatar is one of them, and her debut is a definite winner.