Russ Johnson: To Walk On Eggshells

Russ Johnson, a Chicago-bred trumpeter with a knack for adventurous jazz, joins forces with Swiss bassist Christian Weber and drummer Dieter Ulrich, both stalwarts of the Zurich jazz scene. Johnson's resume boasts collaborations with everyone from Lee Konitz to his own genre-bending Russ Johnson Quartet, while Weber and Ulrich have carved out reputations as nimble improvisers, notably in projects such as Oliver Lake's For A Little Dancin (Intakt, 2010) and Co Streiff's sextet.

This nine-track album is a tightrope walk between structure and freedom, with each musician contributing compositions that feel more like sketches for improvisation than rigid blueprints. Take "Lifted," Johnson's opening salvo, where his trumpet dances with lyrical swagger, weaving through Weber's pulsating bass and Ulrich's skittering drums like a caffeinated poet dodging traffic. The trio creates a sensation of ascending and descending a spiral staircase through taut, unison choruses that establish the tone early on. They also explore fluid, miniature motifs that keep the listener engaged throughout.

The title track, "To Walk on Eggshells," another Ulrich creation, is a masterclass in restraint. Each player tosses ideas into the mix without stepping on their toes, all anchored by a steady mid-tempo bop groove. Weber's bass hums with quiet intensity as he often takes on the melody. Ulrich's stickwork flickers like a candle in the dark, and Johnson's trumpet glides over it all, cool as a cat burglar. This piece evolves through free jazz outbreaks and sophisticated, multidirectional excursions, all tethered to a memorable central theme. Weber's composition, "Hidden Upsides of Contortion," is a standout, blending angular rhythms with Johnson's elongated notes and intricate bursts, all elevated by the rhythm section's focused interplay. The music operates as a truly democratic exchange.

The band wraps it up with "Exits Locked," a track built around complex time signatures that tangle playfully with a laid-back bop undercurrent. Johnson lets loose, shifting tempos effortlessly while Weber delivers a poignant solo, followed by Ulrich's flailing polyrhythmic flurry. What makes the album resonate is its refusal to overstay its welcome. Clocking in just under 50 minutes, it remains lean and purposeful, steering clear of the self-indulgent wandering that can sink lesser improvisational efforts. The trio's chemistry is like a lively barroom conversation—everyone has something to say, but they also know when to listen. Recorded in a single day, the session's spontaneity is its secret ingredient, turning what could have been a casual jam into something enduring.

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