PHOTOS / MINI-REVIEWS: Jochen Rueckert quartet with Mark Turner in Avignon and London

By ljazzn on 18 April 2016 • ( Leave a comment )

Smiles: Mark Turner and Orlando Le Fleming
Photo credit: Matt Pannell

Two of our contributors have attended gigs on the European tour by the Jochen Rueckert Quartet featuring Mark Turner. Sandie Safont attended the gig at the AJMI Jazz Club at La Manutention in Avignon; Matt Pannell photographed them at Pizza Express in Dean Street

The quartet is based in New York City, and is put togethet by German-born drummer Jochen Rueckert, and performs his compositions. As well as Rueckert and Turner, the touring band has Mike Moreno on guitar and English-born bassist Orlando Le Fleming. The album has Lage Lund on guitar and Matt Penman on bass.

L-R: Mark Turner, Mike Moreno, Orlando Le Fleming, Jochen Rueckert
Photo credit: Matt Pannell

The Pizza Express blurb has some background: “The quartet focuses on Jochen’s compositions with their swinging sections and rich harmonies. Jochen is mostly known for his work in the last 12 years of the Marc Copland trio, the mid-2000 Kurt Rosenwinkel New Quartet, all of Nils Wogram’s Root 70, and recent work with the Melissa Aldana Trio, with whom he made his last appearance at Dean Street during the London Jazz Festival.”

Orlando Le Fleming -Photo credit: Matt Pannell

Sandie Saffont writes: “The band played two sets of postbop/modern jazz originals – all written by Rueckert. Some might expect Mark Turner to be “the star of the show” but guitarist Mike Moreno’s role is just as central. Together they set the mood for each theme, while never outshining each other. The quartet played beautiful, meditative and ethereal music of high intensity.”

Sandie also talked to Mike Moreno after the Avignon gig. She writes “Mike said his playing was mainly influenced by horn players (Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard and Lee Morgan). Now, thats’ a very interesting and unusual approach for a guitarist.”

Matt Pannell described the quartet as: “coolly authoritative players, with a fine front-line mix of subtle guitar and quietly assured tenor saxophone.”