Silke Eberhard (alto saxophone, clarinet), Jan Roder (bass), Kay Lübke (drums)
Recorded by Christian Betz in Berlin, May & June 2007
This music pours and swings itself with determination into that jazz tributary called 'New Thing', which has been flowing for more than half a century. It is an emphatic claim of responsibility from the successors of Dolphy, Coleman, Mingus, Monk, Lee Konitz, and Charles Gayle. Though Silke Eberhard's music departs from there, it is completely original - in the source material she selected, in its a fascinating improvisational approach, in its expression, freshness, and vitality. Eberhard's band 'Being' with Jan Roder on bass and Kay Lübke on drums is a classic trio setup, a magic triangle whose intuitive harmony borders on the somnambulistic. Full of beans, the trio creates a smoky club atmosphere with a flying blend of discipline and spontaneity. Though they've been long-time friends in Berlin, they show no signs of wear and tear so far. At times aggressively sliding, then slowing down into ballad-like passages, Eberhard's altosax and clarinet lines shoot out of a thick, urgently swinging mesh of bass and drums - a real surprise packet. Listening, you can feel that these people love what they're doing. And even more importantly, they pass it back to their listeners. (Ulrich Steinmetzger)