Florian Hoefner – Coldwater Stories (2017)

Born and raised in Germany, trained in New York City and now based in Canada, jazz pianist and composer, Florian Hoefner, draws from a myriad of influences that cumulate in his unique brand of modern jazz. Praised as a “composer-bandleader of insightful resolve” by the New York Times and a “harmonically daring pianist […] reaching toward new sonic territory” by Downbeat, Florian Hoefner has made his mark as an inventive creator and performer of exciting contemporary Jazz. 

With the Florian Hoefner Group, he has released 3 albums on Origin Records that have received rave reviews around the globe. “Luminosity,” his latest release, has been described as a “starkly picturesque album [...] that makes profound statements from quiet moments” by Downbeat and as a “total experience” by the New York Jazz Record. Featuring tenor saxophonist Seamus Blake, this record has been his most ambitious project so far. With the quartet, he maintains a busy touring schedule that has included over 100 performances in Europe and North America to date. After their performance at the Montréal Jazz Festival 2015, Hoefner was awarded the Stingray Rising Star Award. 

As a member of the Germany-based collective, Subtone, he has released 4 critically acclaimed albums on labels including ENJA Records and performed on 4 continents including festivals such as Jazz Baltica (Germany), ACACIA Jazz Festival (Ethiopia), Jazz in Situ (Ecuador) and Tremplin Jazz d’Avignon (France) where the group was awarded the jury and audience awards. Florian’s work as a sideman has led to numerous additional CD releases including a collaboration with guitarist, Kurt Rosenwinkel on Fresh Sounds Records. He has shared the stage with the likes of Joe Lovano, Seamus Blake, Rich Perry, John Riley, and New York Philharmonic clarinetist, Mark Nuccio. 

A two-time winner of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, Hoefner’s compositions and arrangements can be heard on many commercial albums by artists including Till Brönner, Jasmin Tabatabai and Peter Fessler. His big band compositions have been performed by the New York Jazz Orchestra, the Lucerne Jazz Orchestra, the German Youth Jazz Orchestra and the DanJam Orchestra. 

Florian initially began his musical studies in Bavaria, where he played the trumpet and accordion, in addition to piano. After obtaining his first degree in jazz piano from the University of Arts in Berlin, he was granted a Fulbright Scholarship to complete a Master of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City where he studied with Jason Moran, Dave Liebman, and Garry Dial. 

Since July 2014 Florian is a resident of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, where he continues to embark on new musical adventures.

1. The Great Auk 05:18

2. Migration [live] 06:35

3. The Send [live] 07:33

4. The Way of Water [live] 05:51

5. Never Lost [live] 04:44

6. Iceberg 1 02:56

7. Green Gardens 04:23

8. Sunrise Bay 07:42

9. Iceberg 2 05:24

10. With the North Atlantic 03:45

Released September 15, 2017 

Produced by Christine Carter and Florian Hoefner 

Recorded by Frank Jacobsen at Sendesaal Bremen, Germany, May 7th and 8th 2016 

Mixed & mastered by Dave Darlington at Bass Hit Studios, NYC 

Edited by Stephen Lilly 

Cover design and layout by John Bishop

Florian Hoefner Group - Luminosity (2016)

Label: Origin Records

Source: Something Else! - S. Victor Aaron

About a year and a half ago, German-born pianist/composer Florian Hoefner did what few up-and-coming jazz musicians would dare to do, and that was to pull out of the bustling scene of New Your City to relocate to a far-away place that shared an ocean but little else with his former home. But from the relative solitude of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Hoefner found the right environment to raise his game, and for his third album Luminosity (released January 16, 2016 by Origin Records), Hoefner constructed a set of pieces that more than ever for him, exemplifies the dynamism of modern jazz in the 21st century Big Apple.
The secret sauce to Luminosity lies in the compositions — all Hoefner originals — that mine Hoefner’s familiarity with his rhythm section: he’s performed with bassist Sam Anning and drummer Peter Kronreif for scores of gigs going back to 2010, and he wrote those songs with them and saxophonist Seamus Blake firmly in mind. Accordingly, Luminosity puts everyone in their best light, leader included.
These extended forms keep you engaged by not giving away the plot too quickly; “In Circles” elucidates that with its twenty-four beat cycle and a dancing long, harmonic line topped by a melodic line that dances in a difference direction. Hoefner solos on feel and exploits subtle cues coming from his rhythm section, and when he’s done, the music engages in another motif for Blake’s tenor sax turn, whose soaring howls has the full band behind him. The creativity with rhythmic patterns continues with “New Found Jig,” a 12/8 signature the forms the foundation for a Corea-esque melodic density. Blake does his best Michael Brecker while Kronreif causes a commotion right behind him. Hoefner invests a lot of craftsmanship in that piano solo that’s funky with a tinge of blues. And “Elements” is a high-motion tune with a catchy, three-beat riff that sets the whole thing up. Kronreif is working overtime to navigate the melody through the mood changes, Anning’s solo spotlight is right in that elusive pocket and Blake grounds the whole thing by pouring on the soul.
The lighter tempo tunes also possess a dancing quality to them. The title track is a smoothly flowing melodic progression belying its sashaying rhythm from Kronreif’s brushes. Hoefner puts in right measure of emotion in his solo and once again, he devises a new section for Blake, who switches to the lilting soprano sax for this song. “The Narrows” (along with “”North Country”) is the slowest song of this collection, but it’s situated right at the front of the album, probably to showcase Hoefner’s emotive rhapsodies that stand up to being exposed more with a slower pace, and Blake’s mournful sax illuminates the feeling so well.
“The Bottom Line” is the closest Hoefner gets to jazz tradition, a swing tune that has the motion of a bop tune but nonetheless mixes modern jazz chords with blues. That doesn’t keep Blake from contributing cool bop-inspired tenor sax lines, however.
They say the third time is the charm, and Florian Hoefner’s third album Luminosity has charm, freshness, dynamism and more. Evidently, heading up to far-eastern Canada was a good move for him.

1 The Narrows 6:12
2 In Circles 7:06
3 Luminosity 5:56
4 Newfound Jig 6:44
5 Elements 8:53
6 Reminiscence 5:10
7 Eleven 8:32
8 The Bottom Line 6:28
9 North Country 8:05

Seamus Blake - tenor and soprano saxophone
Florian Hoefner - piano
Sam Anning - bass
Peter Kronreif - drums

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