Philm perform a change between light and shadow, claustrophobia and blasted vastness. Tenor saxophonist Philipp Gropper is the author and genius behind it. Gropper’s distinctive style that many listeners may be familiar with from the trio Hyperactive Kid finds it continuation in Philm. The sound is a combination of familiar jazz idols and his own vocabulary. This way he manages to develop a recognizable individuality, far from the academically cultivated sound and muffled or screaming “free jazz monotony”. The quartet is awake and responsive. For the listener composition and improvisation can be hard to distinguish from time to time. The overall very nested and nervous tracks develop harsh context changes. Delivering something beautiful, they are uncomfortable and innovative.

Philipp Gropper (saxophone)
Håvard Wiik (piano)
Andreas Lang (bass)
Oliver Steidle (drums)

Visit their offical website http://www.whyplayjazz.de/philm Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.