The Viennese pianist WOLFGANG SELIGO has made himself very rare for a long time. But now he is making an impressive return to the local jazz stage with his trio in the form of the live album “Live in Ljubljana” (Alessa Records).
Not much has been heard from Wolfgang Seligo in recent years. The Viennese jazz pianist’s last album was released more than ten years ago. Since then it has been Wolfgang Seligo who is now a lecturer at Vienna Music Institute active, as far as his own projects are concerned, approached it more calmly. Except for a few concerts in recent years, he hasn’t really made an appearance. Fortunately, one of these few concerts led to the new album. Wolfgang Seligo and his colleagues Peter Strutzenberger (double bass) and Heimo Wiederhofer (drums) were invited three years ago to play the opening concert for the Neighborhood (Sosedski) Dialog Austria-Slovenija event, which they did. The performance was also recorded, and in such good quality that Wolfgang Seligo decided to release it as a live CD.
“Live in Ljubljana” is a wonderful reminder of what the Viennese pianist and his trio were so highly valued for. The musical expression that Wolfgang Seligo and his band show is stylistically very broad. In their pieces, the participants not only limit themselves to the area of jazz, but also open it up to other genres in a really exciting manner. Sometimes it gets downright funky, then really rocky again, at other times you let the groove really flow or go into classical realms. The three musicians are also excellent at playing with the most diverse dynamics. The reserved and quiet is just as much part of the repertoire as the highly energetic and limitlessly playful. One notices from what is presented the joy with which Wolfgang Seligo, Peter Strutzenberger and Heimo Wiederhofer play their way through their pieces, how much they encourage each other and drive each other to peak instrumental performances, without losing the high musicality.
“Live in Ljubljana” is the perfect example of how stylistically open jazz with a sophisticated touch can be translated into a wonderfully accessible form. The pieces by Wolfgang Seligo’s Jazz Trio are simply great fun and entertain at the highest level. A really successful comeback.
Michael Ternai
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Links:
Wolfgang Seligo
Wolfgang Seligo (Facebook)
Alessa Records