Jazz drummer Jochen Rueckert flaunts his mastery around his
drums like former WWF champion Steve Austin likes to use his middle
finger. Rueckert’s skill is obvious and demands listeners to get
closer to the stereo to hear the accuracy with which he executes
rimshots and syncopated cymbal rhythms.
Rueckert seems to acknowledge his drumming, while impressive,
would not hold a listener’s interest. He has assembled bassists
Matt Penman and Johannes Weiden Muller, guitarists Kurt Rosenwinkle
and Ben Monder, and saxophone players Chris Potter and Hayden
Chisholm to create smokin’ versions of some jazz standards. Each
track, except two, are safely above the six minute tick, which
allows all the musicians the room to stretch.
Rueckert takes his solo during Kerner & Lewis’ “Just
Friends,” capitalizing on his small bass drum-tom-floor tom-snare
setup to coax multiple sounds. His rimshots are on the mark and his
snare sound is warm. His set, throughout the disc, should be noted
for its full ambient sound. During his solo, you can hear the
character of his toms with slight echoes after he has struck them.
His cymbal work is tasteful and interesting.
Although it’s not meant to be part of the album, at 11:24 in
track 8, the musicians start jamming a couple of Nirvana songs. It
is interesting to hear the “serious” musician stretch out in what
sounds like a fun jam. Rueckert sounds out of place, though, as a
rock drummer. His fills sound less than comfortable and the overall
timekeeping is sloppy.
But it was meant to be fun, as
Introduction is, on two levels: to hear vintage tracks by
the likes of Bruebeck and Coltrane swung into the ’90s by a new hot
jazz drummer; and as a reminder that artists like Rueckert keep the
jazz genre interesting and, importantly, alive!
