Mathias Eick
The Door

After exploring a satellite of one of the obscure parts of the Martian ensemble that are the Jaga Jazzist, namely Stian Westerhus with his Monolithic, I want to add another brushstroke to the splendid canvas of Norwegian jazz by talking about the gray soul, certainly not white, of Mathias Eick, escaping from the hallucinogenic progressions of the Jaga project to take refuge in a soft, sumptuous record, without overdubs or effects. Just a breath of ice.

The album opens with the title track, a splendid pearl of almost classic jazz, with the typical """"pop"""" vein of some cells of the JJ, Eick's trumpet is a graceful breath that creates the main themes of the piece, builds a framework, and then embroiders over it, counterpointed by the piano taking over, creating its own melody just to uplift good Mathias, and prepare for the finale, a sneaky acceleration, accompanied by long, distant trumpet notes and cascades of piano notes. "Stavanger" is introduced by sparks of sonic deconstruction, drops of music, "explosions" of drums, piano counterpoints and Eick paves the way for the creation of a splendid main theme that sticks in your head but immediately breaks to deconstruct itself again, the piano dots insane scales and drum doodles fill the silence, then the initial theme tiptoes back.

"Cologne Blues" is a ghost wandering in smoke-filled venues, dragging itself, and thus drags the trumpet that writes its melody in the stale air, over a continuous bass of piano, like steps not touching the ground, guitar counterpoints appear, it is true blues in suffering, all the notes are blue, they hurt, almost nine minutes of lament in splendor. And I include "October" among the most beautiful pieces, a soft drum accompanies a sad jazz melody with pop hues intertwined between piano and trumpet, almost like two lovers parting.

No bullshit, True Norwegian Black Music.