Alive
ALBUM OF THE YEAR IN JAZZWISE AND MOJO
JASPER HØIBY double bass
IVO NEAME piano
MARK GUILIANA drums
Phronesis have the ability to excite, inspire and move people in a way that few bands are able to do. Since the release of their second album Green Delay in 2009, Phronesis, led by Danish double-bassist Jasper Høiby, have captured the hearts and minds of British audiences and have developed a fierce reputation as one of the most formidable trios in the UK. With their acclaimed performance at Banlieues Bleues Festival in Paris behind them Phronesis released their third album Alive back in 2010 (their first on Edition Records), which not only confirms their reputation but looks set to escalate them to the forefront of the European contemporary jazz scene. Recorded over two nights at the Forge Arts Venue in London, Alive beautifully captures the exhilarating shared adventure of Phronesis’ live performances. In Høiby’s words, ‘This is what I love about playing live, there’s a real edge and freshness that excites me’. Flawless in execution, and driven by some of the most infectious and compelling music written in recent years, ‘Alive’ demonstrates an openness that is not always achievable in a studio setting. It is this telepathic empathy between the players and their collective desire to take the music in new directions that prompted Jon Newey (Editor of Jazzwise Magazine), to describe them in live performance as “the most exciting and imaginative piano trio since EST”.
“Alive sounds like one of the hot UK jazz-album contenders of 2010″ GUARDIAN ****
“The sort of album that should get bigger jazz names quaking in their boots.” BASS GUITAR MAGAZINE
“Look out for Phronesis – they might change your life!” BBC RADIO 3 ‘In TUNE’
“…the most electrifying experience to be had in British jazz” TELEGRAPH
