The musicians who make up the jazz quintet Red Kite hail from three European countries and are releasing their debut album, Popludium, today. With a lineup featuring trumpet, guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums, Red Kite could explore various jazz genres. They have opted for modern jazz, to which a touch of electronica here and there adds new dimensions.

A breath of fresh air—that could serve as a headline for the nearly 42 minutes of playing time. Or perhaps “playtime,” since “Ludium,” the Latin word for dancer or stage performer, is already embedded in the album’s title. The “pop” element, however, is somewhat lacking in the soundscape, though this is not meant as a complaint. Perhaps it was merely intended as a metaphor for a slight broadening of the concept of jazz.

The title track Popludium opens the set of six tracks almost cautiously and gently. Tropical bird calls resonate through the atmospheric keyboard rhythms and guitar chords before the rhythm section diligently establishes a structure upon which the trumpet begins to tell a story.

Galileo’s Pendulum moves in 7/4 time, and its rhythm is dotted with playful melodies in multiple voices, interrupted by beautiful solos. Shards is a delicately melodic jazz number that unfolds a variety of atmospheric moods over its more than 8 minutes.

Two Worlds exudes cinematic tension and would certainly make a fine film score. The Only One is an improvisational near-ballad to which the rhythm section lends a perceptible heartbeat, before the concluding Tales Untold brings the musical narrative to a decisive close with verve and in a lively 3/4 time.

These atmospheric pieces were created by Danish bandleader Esben Tjalve on keyboards, Italian trumpeter Fulvio Sigurtà, Austrian-born Hannes Riepler on guitar, fellow Danish bassist Jasper Høiby, and Frenchman Marc Michel on drums. Incidentally, Høiby and Michel also form the rhythmic backbone of Phronesis, and their interplay on Red Kite is correspondingly natural and seamless.

Popludium is a musically accomplished album with many facets that repeatedly catch the listener’s attention and invite deeper listening. The atmospheric recording, with its spaciousness and richness, further invites the speakers to transform the listening room into a concert hall. After all, a guaranteed experience is practically in the DNA of the Red Kite recording.

A fantastic flight through modern jazz. (Thomas Semmler, HighResMac)

Fulvio Sigurta, trumpet
Hannes Riepler, guitar
Esben Tjalve, keyboards
Jasper Hølby, bass
Marc Michel, drums