Several new albums released in Latvian jazz this autumn

Latvian jazz has seen several new albums released this autumn. A music roundup in the magazine Ir lists recordings from Līga Kupča, Kristaps Vanadziņš, the group Trio Elpo, Eklektika and Toms Rudzinskis. The reviewer describes the season as a rich harvest and offers a brief look at some of the releases.

The albums vary in sound. Some feature solo piano and the influence of choral music, while others bring in electronics and heavier rock guitar riffs. Recent jazz output therefore spans quieter, acoustic approaches as well as louder, rock-related sounds.

Trio Elpo's debut

One of the works reviewed comes from Trio Elpo, whose members are Edgars Cīrulis, Jānis Rubiks and Rūdolfs Dankfelds. The group should not be confused with Elpo, an electronic music duo. The trio has been active for ten years, yet it has released its debut album only this year.

The review stresses that the long time spent making music together helped the musicians play in sync, sense one another and learn to trust each other musically. The result is a ten-composition recording that the reviewer calls monolithic. The musicians do not try to show off their technical skill unnecessarily. Instead they allow themselves to be laconic, melodic and even playful.

The roundup appears in the music review section of Ir magazine and gives the Trio Elpo album its own section.