15th December 2015: Samuel Blaser: US tour starts this week and album ‘Spring Rain’ receives rave reviews from The New York Times, The Chicago Reader and The New York City Jazz Record.
Released to great critical acclaim earlier this year, Spring Rain is the new quartet album and Whirlwind debut from Swiss born and Berlin based trombonist Samuel Blaser.
A tribute to US clarinettist and composer Jimmy Giuffre, the album features NY heavyweights Russ Lossing, Drew Gress and Gerald Cleaver.
Blaser is a musician who seeks to widen the musical scope of his instrument while retaining its tonal identity and thrives on continually developing and communicating new expressions in improvisation, keen for audiences to discover and appreciate the trombone in other forms. Spring Rain displays that intent with an immersive sound world which rewards with deeper understanding.
Samuel is currently touring across the US, to keep updated with all Samuel’s show dates go: here
Prior to the start of the tour, here’s how the American press have received Spring Rain:
“An intrepid, Swiss-born trombonist living in Berlin, whose new album, “Spring Rain,” is a thoughtful and energetic tribute... Blaser has a precise, expressive style on trombone and he’s an ace with multiphonic techniques, which enable him to growl chords on the instrument…”
The New York Times (full review)
“He not only sculpts meticulous improvisations that sound composed, but also assembles smart projects in which the concept never overwhelms the emotional substance… An imaginative salute to the great reedist and improviser Jimmy Giuffre… excellent band.”
Chicago Reader (show preview)
“Spring Rain uniquely salutes a jazz hero while showcasing the skills of improvisers who propel the tradition in their own manner.”
New York City Jazz Record (website)
“Authentic in its reflection of sounds past, present and future, [Spring Rain] is another fluid example of this brass player’s flourishing talent.”
The Whole Note (website)
Here’s a full length track, ‘Temporarily’ from the album: