CD Review: Bruno Heinen – Mr. Vertigo

Bruno Heinen – Piano

(Review by Hugh).

Mr. Vertigo is Heinen's sixth album on the Babel Label and was recorded at the Vortex Jazz Club.  Heinen has an established pedigree in both the classical and jazz worlds.  The publicity material accompanying this disc describes it as “a record that defies traditional categorisation”.  I would agree with that – the overall feel is perhaps more classical than jazz, but with jazz and other influences throughout.  All ten tracks on the disc are either composed or arranged by Heinen.

Forgotten Images has a definite French impressionist feel – not surprising perhaps, as it is inspired by Claude Debussy's Images Oubliées.  György Kurtág  inspires the next piece Hommage à Kurtág, played using only the index finger on each hand - based on the instinctive moves of children arriving at a piano to play for the first time.  Daydreamer (inspired by Wayne Shorter's Night Dreamer) finds Heinen at a Fender Rhodes and has (as one might expect) a more jazz-like feel.  Virgo, taken from Stockhausen's Tierkreis, commences with a sound of a clockwork mechanism being wound; this device is an original Stockhausen music box.  Heinen then freely improvises alongside the music box.  The Peacocks is Heinen's melodic take on the Jimmy Rowles original – I would describe it as jazz-impressionist fusion.  Mirage explores space and atonality using keyed and plucked piano with overdubs and electronic post-production manipulation.  International Blues features acoustic and electronic piano – the title derives from the colour International Blue patented by artist Yves Klein.  This track does what it says on the tin!  The title track, Mr Vertigo, is inspired by the book of the same name by Paul Auster – the piece apparently describes the nightmare of a boy being buried alive by his master as part of his quest: learning to fly (I can't say this concept came through to me on listening to this track).  Inspired by a trip to India, In Kochi is based on a  South Indian Carnatic Scale Heinen learned while travelling.  The final track, Fire and Rain, is a James Taylor original and takes a look at trying to pick up and get started again.

Overall then, a mixed bag with diverse influences.  Nice enough to listen to, and interesting in places.  The folded insert in the CD case and the press release (from both of which a lot of the above review derives) are perhaps somewhat pretentious.  The music itself is an honest exploration of differing sound worlds by the artist.

Mr.Vertigo is released on Babel Label in late March 2018.  The launch is at Kings Place, London on 29 March 2018. Heinen can be also be seen (and heard) on tour at Sheffield (6 March), Hackney

(18 March), Manchester (21 March), Ashburton (1 April), Cardiff (4 April) and at the Vortex in London on 15 April.

Hugh

Babel Label Catalogue Number:  BBDV18151