Remedy: Live at Jazzkammer

SELF-PRODUCED (RECORDED APRIL 2024)

Three old friends gather for a conversation. At times, they listen intently to one another, adding comments that build on the topic. At other times, one might pose a question that subtly changes the topic. They agree on some points. Bicker about others. They may raise their voice or whisper to make a point. Two might engage in a separate conversation as the third looks for a way to politely interrupt. It’s a conversation marked by mutual respect. The friends are trumpeter Thomas Hebeber, bassist/flutist Joe Fonda and drummer Joe Hertenstein, and the conversation took place on a Saturday afternoon in Bavaria. Fortunately , this musical conversation is now available at Bandcamp (Remedy: Live at Jazzkammer). Each of the five conversations is filled with interesting twists and turns as the musicians use a variety of techniques to build upon the opening statements. Heberer’s range of trumpet effects, Fonda’s command of the bass and flute and Hertenstein’s shifting and open rhythms keep the conversations lively. Your ears may perk up to references to other jazz recordings (planned or not) as you enjoy the conversation. The strong and episodic bass introduction on “GS#2- Aus Wildstlicher Ferne Ganz Nah,” a composition dedicated to Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky, is reminiscent of the way in which Charles Mingus would kick-off a tune. The exchange between Heberer and Fonda (on flute) on “Bright Light Opus #5,” dedicated to Wadada Leo Smith, conjures up the flights of Anthony Braxton and Sam Rivers on Dave Holland’s Conference of the Birds. If you are fan of creative, improvised music, you’ll like what Remedy has to say on their newest release, and I hope they continue their conversation in the future.

BOTTOM LINE: Take a rubber band and stretch it in every way possible. That’s the perfect description for the music of Remedy, a group featuring trumpeter Thomas Heberer, bassist/flutist Joe Fonda and drummer Joe Hertenstein. They twist, bend, expand, pull and unfold musical elements as they reshape the sound of jazz.