Personal belongings

Description

On his latest album, his most personal to date, Omer Klein - “one of a small group of master pianists” (Süddeutsche Zeitung) - offers us a keen look at the contemporary world. Born during the 2020 pandemic, these ten tracks reflect his perspective as a human being, pianist, composer, bandleader, father and multicultural artist. By observing the outside world and his own feelings, Klein gradually imagined an extraordinarily deep and vibrant narrative arc, like the miniature version of a painting. An expression of the constant fluctuation between solitude and the desire to be together, Omer Klein’s instrumental choices for the ten tracks on 'Personal Belongings' are highly revealing. In addition to the six solo piano pieces, where his attachment to the instrument is stronger than ever, the album’s four other tracks are performed with his longtime partners Haggai Cohen-Milo on bass and Amir Bresler on drums. The resulting tension creates thrilling contrasts between contemplative moments and the trio’s energy. This unique vibration appears from the very beginning of the album in the two linked tracks 'Kavana' and 'Baghdad Blues', which blend Middle Eastern romanticism with jazz improvisation. For Klein, like everyone else, the first wave of Covid brought unknown challenges. Born in Israel and now living in Frankfurt, his life as a touring musician came to a sudden halt overnight in spring 2020. Not one to brood, he began to use the abundance of his free time to compose. As large parts of the world seemed to stop, many people were falling ill and dark images became the hallmark of the era - Klein’s thoughts and experiences demanded to be gathered and expressed. "The Magnets", echoing both Brazil and Brahms, is a feverish love song that surprises with its pastoral ending, one of the most intimate moments in Klein’s catalogue. Along with the lyrical song "Sun Girl" the two tracks are inspired by Klein’s relationship with his life partner. "The Flower and the Seed", graceful and almost trippy with joyful carefreeness, is dedicated to his children. It goes without saying that some of the essential ingredients of the mix are freedom, interaction and the connections between people, countries, customs and languages. Omer Klein and his colleagues are experts in jazz and its boundless, relentless quest for self-transcendence. At the same time, Klein’s music is entertaining, in the best sense of the word. The funky shuffle-swing "Shake It" is not easy to play, but its sparkling melodies make it immediately accessible, even to jazz newcomers. Klein’s intention is never to impress but rather to create his music as richly as possible. At times, he draws inspiration from literary sources, as in the mysterious solo piece "Najara", named after a Jewish liturgical poet whose nostalgic verses inspired Klein to compose one of his most haunting melodies. At the end of 'Personal Belongings', Klein deliberately placed an intimate cover of the classic "What a Wonderful World". It is a profound statement, because when he studied the lyrics, he realized how much the song’s surface charm conceals pain. After all, 2020 was not only the year of Covid. It also highlighted the urgency of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. "The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky" - lyrics affirming the beauty of our diverse skin colors and cultures - made this song a must for Klein as the final track on 'Personal Belongings', as well as the line, so poignant in the days of Covid - "I see friends shaking hands, saying how do you do, they’re really saying I love you".