Philip Weberndoerfer: Tides

"For myself, music has continuously been a safe shore during turbulent times, and for that I'm deeply grateful. In Tides I see the opportunity to share this warm feeling of solace, and want to invite the listeners to open their minds and let their spirits flow freely." This is Philip Weberndoerfer's own take on Tides, and a more accurate characterization would be hard to find. Together with bassist Richard Mikel, drummer Peter Traunmueller and saxophonist Dayna Stephens, Webendoerfer weaves a kind of peaceful tapestry of times, harmonies and dynamics that establishes him as a player and composer to watch.

Webendoerfer is a Bavarian who focussed on music after an early athletic injury limited the physical risks he could otherwise take. Educated in German music programs, Webendoerfer was encouraged to come to New York in 2016 by Pat Martino, a lucky conjuncture of circumstances that brought yet one more gifted talent to an already thriving jazz scene. Economists have an awkward term for this phenomenon, "increasing returns to scale," which basically means the more the merrier—bright creative people attract other bright creative people, and one gets a critical mass. As a result, Webendoerfer has recorded this with what is presumably his working band, although other players have appeared with him from time to time. It would be interesting to hear how the result varies with different personnel but what Webendoerfer presents here is unlikely to disappoint anyone looking for a creative respite to an all too fraught world.

Most of the tunes are originals, but "Little B's Poem" and "My Ideal" are not. The latter clocks in at more than eight minutes, and there is no flagging of interest anytime. Dayna Stephens in particularly seems to be a sympathetic presence in what is already a very cohesive group, weaving lines that match Webendoerfer's almost perfectly, especially in the funky blues "Simple Task," which also gives bassist Richard Mikel an opportunity to walk and shine. How the tune "Peace of Constance (1183 CE)" came to be titled is one of those deep questions that only the composer can answer. The Peace of Constance, readers are told, is often viewed as a significant step in the evolution of the relationship between the Holy Roman Empire and the Italian city-states, shaping the political landscape of medieval Italy. That is good to know.

So here one has a rare opportunity to groove, to hear some pretty righteous playing, and, above all, learn some medieval history. What more could anyone ask?