Mark Turner: Patternmaster

In his review of Mark Turner's latest quartet album for ECM, "Return From The Stars" (2022), Peter Rüedi described the program in Weltwoche as "the slimmest, most concentrated and most inspired improvised chamber music imaginable" An apt description for the tenor saxophonist's powerful quartet arrangements, which seem to have reached their most mature and at the same time most powerful form to date on "Patternmaster". The album, which will be released in 2026, functions in many ways as both a continuation and an extension of its predecessor. Uncompromising improvisation and cool control are the driving forces behind a group that has developed its shared musical understanding over the years on tour and in the studio. 'The more trust you have, the more risks you can take and the deeper you can immerse yourself in the music with your musical partners,' says the bandleader, who has the feeling with these colleagues that 'you can go beyond the craft and delve deeper into the art of music. You feel freer to experiment compositionally without ever having to worry about the outcome because I know it will fit Turner and Jason Palmer unfold themes with far-reaching harmonic implications, carried by Joe Martin on double bass and Jonathan Pinson on drums - musicians who interlock with the horns on a melodic, harmonic and rhythmic level with great intensity. Turner's six original compositions have a timeless quality that picks up on the spirit of the classic bebop era and at the same time points to the future. "Patternmaster", recorded in the south of France in 2024, was produced by Manfred Eicher.