Martin Schray’s of FREEJAZZ BLOG just wrote an absolutely lovely review on our latest digital release KEUNE SERRIES TAYLOR’ CLOSER AND BEYOND. The album is available here :

“Jon Corbett once said that in the sometimes hermetic world of free improvised music, there are contrasting tendencies between fragmentation and blending. In the 1970s in particular, there was a certain ‘schism’ between jazz musicians and non-jazz musicians, which has continued to exist until today, as can be seen, for example, in Mats Gustafsson’s and Thurston Moore’s duo or Peter Brötzmann’s collaborations with Last Exit or Oxbow. However, some musicians are also drawn to like-minded colleagues who share their musical philosophy, their aesthetic goals, and their taste. And there is nothing negative about that. Stefan Keune is one of these musicians. For example, he enjoys playing with guitarists who share his view of freely improvised music – a style more closely aligned with European free improvisation than with classical (free) jazz. In the mid 1990s, he approached John Russell because he liked his guitar sound so much. “I always thought his 1930s Epiphone guitar with steel strings and his dental acrylic pick were great,” he says, and indeed, Russell’s sound was unique and suited Keune’s delicate, irritated, disturbed tone. Then there are also recordings with his old friend Erhard Hirt, with whom he plays in Xpact and the King Übü Orchestrü , but whose approach is completely different because it’s based on electronics and the preparation of the instrument. Finally, Keune’s latest project at the Moers Festival with Damon Smith and Sandy Ewen is also different, although the guitarist also prepares her guitar with objects and uses effects devices and two amplifiers. On Closer and Beyond, he has joined Dirk Serries. Serries (guitar) and Benedict Taylor (viola) have played with each other frequently, and since Stefan Keune has a penchant for string instruments anyway – whether bass, guitar, violin, or viola – this trio was somehow a natural fit. And of course it comes as no surprise that the three harmonize wonderfully. After a brief period of feeling each other out, quick, excited movements set in, and the musical molecules whirl around in a frenzy. Sharp contrasts – especially between Taylor’s longer, sweeping notes on the one hand and Keune’s hard riffs and Serries’ Derek-Bailey-inspired, sometimes brittle playing on the other – meet contemplative phases (right in the first piece after three minutes). But more often than not, the players dart around each other, into each other, and away from each other. The most interesting moments, however, are those of silence, when Keune escapes into barely hearable, extremely high registers or when delicate breaths meet the gentle scratching sounds of the guitar and long notes of the viola only to start again at breakneck speed (both also in the first piece). This varied play of sonic ricochets is hidden across four tracks, with Serries providing the textures, Taylor the verbosity, and Keune the hectic and breathless figures. Since no one pushes themselves into the spotlight, tension and dynamics are always guaranteed. The highlight of the studio recording is the last piece, in which the ideas and playing styles of the first three tracks culminate. Keune’s saxophone wanders wonderfully between Taylor’s bowed lines and Serries’ blurred chords. The timing is perfect, creating pure beauty in dissonance. If you like European improvised music in the sense of sound exploration, this album is for you. A definite recommendation.” Freejazz Blog

“KEUNE SERRIES TAYLOR Closer and Beyond (A New Wave Of Jazz, nwoj0075, DL): Stefan Keune spielt hier an Sopranino- & Altosax in Anderlecht mit dem nwoj-Macher Dirk Serries an Archtop-Gitarre und mit dem britischen Bratscher Benedict Taylor. Der ist ein erprobter Spielgefährte von Serries, zu zweit, in Tonus oder SETT. Und ein Komponist (zusammen mit Naren Chandavarkar) von Scores für indische Filme und Serien, der sich das Herz der Bollywood-Diva Radhika Apte eroberte. Keune in seiner in Xpact und im King Übü Örchestrü widerhallenden und mit Lash & Noble originalgetreu vertieften Affinität zum Brit-Plonk quiekt, keckert, girrt, sprudelt hier nicht umsonst ausnehmend schillernd und quietschfidel. In Serries struppiger Ästhetik findet er nämlich einen Anklang an John Russell, mit dem der Oberhausener eng verbunden gewesen ist. Taylor unterstreicht das mit gewetzten und glitchigen Lauten, herben Kratzern, flötenden, zwitschernden, schmatzenden Strichen. Und deutet mit sonoren Klängen an, dass der Abstand zu den euphonen Gefilden ein bewusster ist. Serries harkt, bekrabbelt, beprickelt die Saiten, pocht an den Korpus. Die dreistimmige Action streift immer wieder lustvoll ins Kakophone und Turbulente, als hyperkinetisches Action Painting, nicht als Farbfeldmalerei. Die Laute umflattern und umtanzen den Pollock-Pol wie delirante Motten auf Speed. Doch solange dieser Pol für Freiheit und Vitalität steht… [BA 131 rbd]” Bad Alchemy