Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Uwe Oberg: Work

1

Uwe Oberg: Work

By

Sign in to view read count
Uwe Oberg: Work
Work is a fully realized solo recording by German pianist Owe Oberg. He makes a strong case, in the six tracks/eight compositions, for his overflowing abundance of skill and resourcefulness. Recorded in 2008, this disc comes to light (why the wait?) now, with the release of Turns (Leo, 2016) with Silke Eberhard and another solo record Twice, At Least (Leo, 2015).

Like his previous disc for Hatology, Lacy Pool (2006), the music and sound quality are given top priority. Where Steve Lacy cover band of Christof Thewes and Michael Griener stick to one artist, here he reinterprets a must be hero, Thelonious Monk, plus Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and "Muddy Mouse" by Fred Frith and Robert Wyatt.

The first impression of this outing is that Oberg is parading multiple approaches here. Repeated spins, and his overall philosophy reveals itself. The pianist unwraps each composition as if they were swaddled in layers of silk gauze. The fabric of abstraction opens Mingus' "Fables of Faubus," a dense left hand gives way to the familiar chant directed at the former segregationist governor of Arkansas. Oberg unwraps, then rewraps his music with some stride piano before some crafty prestidigitation presents Coleman's "W.R.U." from his recording Ornette! (Atlantic, 1962).

Oberg's approach comes into focus with pieces from Monk, an artist he favored in previous recordings. "Pannonica" is played relatively straight, if it were possible to call any of Thelonious' music straightforward. Oberg honors the music, and the musician by not de-then-reconstructing the piece. "Work" with a pause, a certain Monkian pause to it, as if the great man were listening.

His original piece "Hill" for the singular pianist Andrew Hill is a dark brooding complicated piece half painted as a requiem mass and half as celebration. Oberg draws out the emotional essence of each piece. His composition "Kelvin" opens with stabbing notes, that turn into clusters of thoughts and the eventual unwrapping of Coltrane's "Crescent." How he gets from here to there in this twenty minute piece is a meditative journey of confidence and a magnificent display of a consummate musician.

Track Listing

Hill; Fables of Faubus/W.R.U.; Kelvin/Crescent; Pannonica; Olo Olo/Muddy Mouse; Work.

Personnel

Uwe Oberg
piano

Uwe Oberg: piano.

Album information

Title: Work | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Hat Hut Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Fiesta at Caroga
Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fellowship
David Gibson
Immense Blue
Olie Brice / Rachel Musson / Mark Sanders

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.