I'm not familiar with Johannes Wallmann or his work, but sometime last year I heard one of the songs from this album on the radio and it really stuck with me (Longing, in case you want to know). Ever since then I've wanted to eventually listen to this album due to how much that one song really grabbed me, and after having listened to it I might check out some of Wallmann's other work because I really enjoyed Elegy for an Undiscovered Species. It's that exact type of jazz that really sinks its hooks into me, with great performances and composition all around I'd say. The music has an amazing sense of both motion and feeling and is able to effortlessly communicate such precise emotions. Even without having a strong basis for what each song is "about" they all convey themselves excellently and conjure such vivid emotion that I don't think I could accurately describe; they gave me an almost nostalgic rush of sorts, to what I don't know but it was very potent. I wasn't crying my eyes out at it or anything but I think that it's a real mark of skill when something is able to do that. I truly was engrossed by pretty much every track and impressed by the complexity of the composition and instrumentation; that solo in In Three really knocked me out! It's tough to really rate or recommend jazz, at least from where I'm coming from, because at the end of the day it sadly can be boiled down to just "jazz", where a lot of it can blend together, but I believe that this is a real standout that I wholeheartedly recommend.
Highlights: Elegy for an Undiscovered Species, In Three, Longing, The Greater Fool.
Rating: 6/6
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