Langjährige Weggefährten sind der 65-jährige Kärntner Saxophonist Karlheinz Miklin und die amerikanische Schlagzeuglegende Billy Hart. Seit 1987 kommen die beiden immer wieder für Projekte zusammen, nun haben sie sich erstmals Heiri Känzig mit ins Boot geholt und im Mai 2010 im Wiener Jazzclub Porgy & Bess die sieben Stücke von "Cymbal Symbols" live aufgenommen. Ganz abgeklärt geben sich die drei stilsicheren Akteure hier, unternehmen in den Intros der Stücke ausgedehnte Klangerkundigungen von bisweilen spiritueller Tiefe.

Dem behutsamen Einsatz von Harts Trommelstöcken und Filzschlägeln auf Fellen und den titelgebenden Becken setzt der Post-Bop beeinflusste Miklin oftmals ein scharf und kaskadenartig geblasenes Saxophon entgegen. Heiri Känzig versteht es, diese gegensätzlichen Stimmungen rhythmisch prägnant zu verbinden und seine Spitzenklasse zu zeigen.


                                                                                                                Thomas Volkmann

                                                                                                                "Jazz Podium" 03/12

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Liner notes
"Cymbal Symbols"


What a delightful turn of language to derive the word “cymbal” from the word “symbol”.

Just as a symbol is a conceptual representation of something, the cymbal stands for a drum set. Or rather, for the drummer himself. The cymbal becomes a symbol of the drummer. Which is why famous drummers prefer to be photographed with their cymbals rather than with their set. And some, like Billy Hart, for example, probably spend days and nights in factories scrupulously selecting their cymbal set. After all, they take it with them wherever they go, while the drum set is usually already waiting on stage.


Billy Hart is one of those people who have distilled cymbal arrangement, their finely chiseled melos and the beat down to the very essence. The choice of his Zildjian cymbals may be a science that remains obscure even to the committed listener. More than a play on words, “Cymbal Symbols” is a coinage devised by Karlheinz Miklin, for whom music has always gone far beyond the compass of language, as an homage to one of the most important living drummers and as the title of his new live CD.


Respect and modesty before great musicians have always distinguished the Austrian star saxophonist. At the same time, over all these years his self-confidence as a musician has grown to the same extent as he has bowed to the accomplishments and standing of great colleagues and found his place in a changed world of jazz. A world of jazz which, on the one hand, still follows the tradition of its great seminal musicians and official instrumentalists and which it was his task to represent during several decades working as professor of jazz and director of the internationally renowned Jazz Department at the University of Arts in Graz. And, on the other, a post-modern world of jazz marked by demolished dogmas, lost parameters and technical innovation. For many years, Miklin has approached the former with increasing quiet contemplation in his playing. He does not close his mind to the latter, using new technologies in moderation. In that light, this CD with its subtle title is not necessarily proof of his artistic viewpoint, although it does not contradict it in any way. Instead, the recordings, that excellently capture the atmosphere of Vienna’s Porgy & Bess jazz establishment, demonstrate Miklin’s versatility, his distinctive sound that pushes into the higher registers, instrumental control, and eminently mature ensemble spirit in the context of an utterly mellow virtuoso trio. In addition, KHM succeeds in expressing a very personal touch with almost every member of the saxophone family, from sopranino to tenor (only the baritone finds no record in his oeuvre), lending a very special character to each of the seven tunes.


Miklin and Billy Hart, whose significance in the history of jazz must be sought in the hall of fame, are musical allies of twenty-four years’ standing, an alliance that has obviously been mutually inspiring. In Miklin’s aforementioned original “Cymbal Symbols”, for example, dedicated to Hart, the drummer with an assured sense of style seems to gratefully reciprocate this homage with an opulent cymbal intro.


“Joltz Waltz”, in turn, is KHM’s acknowledgement of a world-class bassist, with whom he has been friends for just as long and with whom he formed a quartet together with Billy Hart and Austrian pianist Fritz Pauer very early on: Ron McClure. His role in this new trio, that was first put to the test three years ago, was assumed by Swiss Heiri Känzig, who proves with his forceful, rhythmically distinctive and muscular bass that he has long been in the front rank of international musicians. His full-bodied rich sound was captured with particular care in these recordings.


Listening to these gripping tunes, Miklin fans will perhaps miss his solemn bass clarinet and the atmospheric imagery of his flutes. But we could do much worse, with his graceful ballad “Fall” of softly patinated tones counting among the sensory highlights in this expressive compendium of a formidable jazz trio. A bona fide proof of maturity.


Otmar Klammer  


Die Paukenschlegel bringen den Schlagzeugfellen sanften Singsang bei, und als das Sopran einfällt, tönt es, als gebe es gerade ein paar Reiseimpressionen aus dem Maghreb wieder - so beginnt eine Aufnahme, die 2010 in Wiens schönem Untergeschoss-Club Porgy & Bess entstand und den österreichischen Saxofonisten Karlheinz Miklin auf Tenor, Alt und Sopran, den Schweizer Bassisten Heiri Känzig und den amerikanischen Schlagzeuger Billy Hart zusammenbrachte. Im Laufe der nun folgenden 56 Minuten hören wir eine intensive Musik mit regem Austausch aller Beteiligten, Nummern in denen sich das Trio immer wieder aufsplittet, in denen Rhythmen beschwingt tänzeln, markante Riffs und Ostinati Forderungen stellen und treibender Swing viel Bewegung bringt.


Musikalisch ist für viel Abwechslung gesorgt, von handfesten, erdigen Passagen bis hin zu einem atmosphärischen Intro, in dem sich über einen Orgelpunkt einiges zusammenbraut. Da bleibt man bis zum Ende gebannt vor der heimischen Anlage sitzen.


                                                                                                                swp

                                                                                                                "Jazzthing" Feb/Mär 2012

Wenn eine neue CD das Becken zum Symbol erklärt, steckt nichts anderes dahinter als eine Hommage an einen Schlagzeuger. Im Falle dieses Trios ist es Billy Hart, mit dem Karlheinz Miklin seit 1987 zusammenarbeitet.


Harts Art, den unterschiedlichen Becken ("Cymbals") mannigfaltige Klangfarben zu entlocken, mag den Kärntner Saxofonisten bewogen haben, dieses Trio ohne Harmonieinstrument zu gründen.Seit 1978 bewegt er sich in diesem Fahrwasser.

Jetzt hat der 65-Jährige sieben neue Stücke geschrieben, die meist mit Klangerkundungen
eingeleitet werden, bevor die abgeklärte Hardbop-Post abgeht.

Harts behutsamem Einsatz von Stöcken und Schlägeln setzt Miklin harte Kontraste entgegen. Heiri Känzig, der Dritte im Bunde, bündelt diese gegensätzlichen Stimmungen prägnant mit seinem Bass. Stetes Interplay komplettiert dieses famose Trio.


                                                                                                                rk

                                                                                                                "JAZZ'N'MORE" 01/12

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