The German-born saxophonist Tobias Meinhart splits his time between New York City and Berlin. His 2019 album Berlin People introduced listeners to his Berlin-based band of the same name, a band that includes one of the premiere guitarists of this generation, Kurt Rosenwinkel. This group has toured extensively in Europe and South America and also includes pianist Ludwig Hornung, bassist Tom Berkmann, and drummer Mathias Ruppnig. Given that the band has evolved over the past three to four years into a more democratic unit with members also contributing compositions, Meinhart wanted to showcase their live performances.
Dark Horse features Berlin People performing at the A-Trane in Berlin, the place where Meinhart first heard Rosenwinkel in 2008. The A-Trane is one of the few clubs in the world that still provides musicians with a full week of performances. The pieces were recorded on two separate tours in 2021 and 2022. Most of the takes were taken from the final day at the club, representing the zenith of the spontaneity of the band. All told the seven pieces comprise well over an hour of music. Rosenwinkel’s role, as it is throughout, is to join Meinhart on the front line, in essence serving like another horn as he does in his collaboration with Jim Snidero’s Far, Far Away, which we covered here earlier this year. Yet, while that date may well have been a one-off, Rosenwinkel is an entrenched member of Meinhart’s band and a favorite in his adopted city of sorts, Berlin. He coaxes a great tone out of his instrument, coming across bright and lively at almost every turn.
The linchpin track is the last one, the epic “Berlin People,” which the band has played at every gig over the last four years, giving it a new sheen and interpretation each time. It’s uncanny how the guitarist and saxophonist play in unison but the piece, like most here, involves lengthy solos as one expects of live performances. This is particularly a showcase for Reinhart who goes deep into improvisational mode. An inspired Rosenwinkel follows, with Hornung and his rhythm mates engaging in a trio sequence that builds in intensity before the quintet rejoins for an abrupt climax, following Ruppnig’s workout on the kit. Reverting to the beginning, Meinhart’s “Luna Park” opens, as a piece in four sections as Meinhart paints character portraits of those he finds at Coney Island, alternating between lyrical and more aggressive postures, which the guitarist emulates in his exciting solos as well. Hornung is no slouch either, upholding the furious tempo with boundless runs through the keys.
Meinhart delivers a solo intro to the title track, a post-bop piece with terrific sax-guitar unison passages as the composition morphs in and out through several changes. “Dreamers” is an older Meinhart piece and contrafact of the standard, “You Stepped Out of a Dream,” though it is camouflaged very well with steady turns from the leader soaring on soprano when soloing and producing a different harmonic when paired with Rosenwinkel. Like most, it’s typically structured – theme/sax solo/guitar solo/piano solo/bass or drum solo/theme with a strong groove running through it. Ruppnig’s “Gift of Time” follows, a beautiful ballad with another nourishing unison melody for sax (soprano again) and guitar. Berkmann’s “Torn,” arguably the most intriguing piece, deviates from the structure alluded to above as begins meandering before settling into a harmonically complex melodic section, which is supposed to represent making difficult choices. Rosenwinkel improvises in the intro to Meinhart’s “Sonic River” which is also a bit astray from the others, with a 7/4 pulsating groove eventually taking shape against an out of time rubato melody played by Meinhart on soprano. Partly ballad, partly ambiguously suspended, it does indeed float like a river and rather than resolving itself it just trickles out.
The compositions are solid, with “Torn” and the title track a few notches above the others but the album succeeds on inspired soloing. Any time we hear Rosenwinkel is a joy, and he has a special affinity for working well with saxophonists. He and Meinhart thrive in this setting.
