German sax player and composer Nicole Johänntgen’s latest release reunites the same trio from her 2023 album, Labyrinth, featuring US tubist Jon Hansen and Swiss percussionist David Stauffacher. While that might sound like a logistical nightmare in terms of rehearsing, all three musicians are in fact based in Zürich. With Johänntgen’s warm, expressive sound anchoring the trio’s punchy, incisive approach, the album showcases the group’s remarkable versatility across 13 tracks. ‘With Love’ unfolds at a gentle, ambling pace, its hymn-like simplicity echoing Abdullah Ibrahim’s style, enhanced by Johänntgen’s carefully layered vocal harmonies. The seven-minute ‘Elephant Walk’ opens with a tight Hansen-Stauffacher ostinato before skilfully navigating multiple tempo shifts. The programming thoughtfully balances intensity and restraint, as the polyrhythmic complexity of ‘Headbang’ gives way to ‘The Voice of The Saxophone’, a brief but affecting soprano sax solo. ‘Pandeiro, Sing It Baby’ supplies three minutes of Brazilian-influenced groove, featuring close-miked pandeiro from Stauffacher and vocal contributions from all three musicians. ‘In Honor Of Arthur Blythe’ pays tribute to the US altoist, known for his own tuba-inclusive ensembles, with some wonderfully twisty melodic unisons between Johänntgen and Hansen, while ‘Courtship Dance’ highlights the trio’s intricate rhythmic interplay.