Schweizer / Bennink Welcome Back CD

Ir?ne Schweizer and Han Bennink like to play together - you can hear it in every note. After a tour of Switzerland, the two went straight in the recording studio. The result is a stunning second album: "Welcome Back". The music moves between freely improvised pieces, beautiful jazz standards, and songs influenced by South-African melodies which are a trademark of Ir?ne Schweizer (such as her classics 'Rag" and 'Bleu Fonc?"). Schweizer says: "Han and I are soul-brother and soul-sister. We have the same taste and rhythmical feelings in jazz music." As Kevin Whitehead points out in the liner notes: "Hard to believe this is only the second Ir?ne Schweizer-Han Bennink duo album, given how much they share, how far back they go, and how obviously they love playing together. But then, top improvisers have hectic schedules. Folks talk about how loud Han can be, how ruthless with duo partners, but this music confirms his sensitivity to dynamics in conversational playing, his generosity in support, his eagerness to hear his partner's views." The two share the same sense of play, lyricism, swing feeling, percussive clarity and historical grounding. A masterpiece!

1. Welcome Back 2. Kit 4 3. Trap 5 4. Free for All 5. Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland 6. Verflixt 7. Rag 8. Bleu Fonce 9. Apus Melba 10. Ntyilo, Ntyilo 11. Firewood 12. To Misha with Love 13. I Surrender, Dear 14. Eronel