CD Reviews: Johannes Berauer's Tiny Orchestra

Jazzzeit 2008/11-12

Johannes Berauer has his Tiny Orchestra well orchestrated, creates playgrounds for improvisation, forms, dresses and leads his compositions which are at home in-between Bebop, more contemporary classic, some folklore and cool jazz. All sounds melt to an intelligent whole. None of the musical parts forms a foreign body, also the Soli of the involved musicians are completely in the service of the interesting pieces from Berauer’s feather. The solo passages of pianist Dov Manski shine just as Dan Rosenthal’s clear trumpet tone. The accordionist Cory Pesaturo proves that his instrument has an equally important role in the octet sound structure as the saxophones of Ben Roseth and Jon Bean do. Haggai Cohen Milo (b) and Sean Hutchison (dr) provide besides the euphonium player Adam Dotson rhythmical stability. With "A Place To Go" one proceeds to a place where notable jazz is at home.
bak

Concerto 2008-09/6

The title is a program and shows that (his) music as the place where one could escape to or where one could feel comfortable. The composer (pianist) born in 1979 in Wels presents a record that is characterized both by the band-sound as well as the solo playing of his Boston crew. Johannes Berauer’s Tiny Orchestra is the medium, an octet, which the composers directs himself through the six compositions. Intros, complex interlocking tutti sounds, broken by accented section play and the mentioned solos. Berauer has not invented a new concept, but has shaken well and not stirred arbitrarily well approved ingredients from many great jazz composers – alternating dynamic and rest generates interest. With Johannes Berauer a young Austrian composer challenges his colleagues, which allows to expect a lot from him. An own Austrian (or European) ensemble as "working band" will most likely be only a matter of time …
tHo