Eberhard, Silke
Portrait Silke Eberhard
3 cds in one box; JW 103 | SILKE EBERHARD TRIO | WHAT A BEAUTY BEING . Among all of these ensembles, however, Eberhards trio with the bassist Jan Roder and drummer Kay L - is at the center of her musical activity. This is Eberhards chosen format when it comes to her own music - a music that is abstract yet still manages to swing with the signs of the times. Roder and Lubke provide the rock-steady foundation. And they do it with a great deal of finesse that is enormously resonant, even though (or perhaps precisely because) Roder plays without any amplification whatsoever in these twelve numbers. The pair provide a perfect demonstration of how a contemporary jazz ensemble has to consist of much more than just a couple of emancipated slaves to rhythm. They take all necessary license; they ground, support, and drive forward these twelve pieces, meeting in wonderful duets full of both power and subtlety. It is precisely these two words that mark the trios second CD, whose title draws upon Kurt Schwitterss onomatopoeic use of language to express the beauty of Being. This is reflected in a furious yet sophisticated triangular back and forth that is packed with energy and imagination - and a great deal of improvisational ideas. The bands history since its debut in 2008 (Jazzwerkstatt 027) is marked by a high degree of consistency, the joy of discovery, and aplomb. Nothing is lost in the groups spontaneity. On this CD, Eberhard plays only the alto saxophone - a forty-year old instrument - with which she draws upon the sounds of her predecessors all the way back to Johnny Hodges before coming full circle. "There still remains a great deal to be said," Eberhard says. And this balanced, fast-paced music is certainly proof that she remains one of the most important voices in contemporary German jazz. Ulrich Steinmetzger JW 112 | SILKE EBERHARD / DAVE BURRELL | DARLINGTONIA This CD documents a somewhat surprising encounter - you could even say it came out of the blue - bringing together two different generations, genders, and parts of the world. These polar opposites are made to bear fruit through a combination of spontaneity, the sheer delight of playing music, and, most crucially, passion. What bridges them is an improvisational dialogue that uses the universal language of free jazz. She first met Dave Burrell in person at a jazzwerkstatt-festival in 2009, where she was performing her Dolphy-program "Potsa Lotsa" and he appeared as a soloist. She had long been a fan of his, being particularly impressed by his playing on diverse Archie Shepp albums. But it was a big surprise to discover that he had listened to her Coleman recordings, too. And so when she found one of the legends of her music standing there in front of her, they were on the same wavelength from the word go - and the next year things just fell into place. What you hear on this CD chronicles Silke Eberhard and Dave Burrells first performance together in the Berlin jazz club Schlot in November 2010, uncut and in the same running order. It was preceded only by a short sound check, but otherwise there were no discussions, no underlying compositions, no throwing out anchors in familiar set pieces. Instead the evening was a colorful dialogue with minor and major eruptions,improvisations perfectly balanced between two performers who seem to like the same things, all channeled into a huge river of intuitive understanding - levelheaded, closely entwined discourses as amusing spontaneous conversations between a duo who are on a perfect par with each other. The exceptional nature of occasions like this, when free jazz reveals its capacity as a universal language, is palpable. Ulrich Steinmetzger JW 147 | POTSA LOTSA PLUS plays LOVE SUITE by Eric Dolphy . "When you hear music, after it is over, it is gone in the air; you can never capture it again." (Eric Dolphy) Now, fifty years after Dolphys tragic collapse during an opening concert in a Berlin club, Silke Eberhard, a musician who has hosen to make Berlin her home, recorded the Love Suite with Potsa Lotsa Plus in a studio of Radio Berlin Brandenburg (rbb). The live premiere of the suite took place in Berlin that same year at the jazz festivals 50th anniversary. This was preceded, however by an evocative discovery and a period of intense preoccupation with Eric Dolphys music. Thomas Fitterling