Matthias Gmelin


"It´s heart and soul music, composed by Gmelin with a smile and realized by his dream team with lots of empathy. [...] It´s jazz, that allows itself to sound personal, beautiful, tasteful and harmonious. It´s a piece of happiness..." Ralf Dombrowski (Sueddeutsche Zeitung)

Vibes Waltz

Matthias Gmelin Quartet featuring Joe Chambers

released on Enja Records

 

Joe Chambers - vibes

Emanuel Ruffler - piano

Marc Abrams - bass

Matthias Gmelin - drums

 

"It is not every day that a distinguished and highly accomplished drummer invites one of the great legends from his field to collaborate on a quartet recording, especially when making his own debut. In the case of Matthias Gmelin and Joe Chambers, however, this is exactly what has happened, albeit in different roles. Matthias as the drummer as well as primus inter pares and Joe Chambers as vibraphonist of the quartet. (...)

 I have known and admired Matthias Gmelin for more than 25 years, not just as an excellent drummer, but one with an in-depth knowledge of the history of the instrument, with a perpetual urge to discover and explore new things in music. And when it comes to good and exciting jazz, Matthias’ refined and exceptional swinging style, his friendliness and his reserved nature, not to mention his extensive knowledge of music, have made him one of the most sought-after drummers today."

 

- excerpted from the liner notes by Michael Keul