The Berlin-based trio BROM (not to be mistaken with the Russian group with the same name) is led by tenor saxophonist Alexander Beierbach, known also as the leader of the Absolutely Sweet Marie quartet dedicated to songs of Bob Dylan, and features double bass player Jan Roder and drummer Christian Marien and is working since 2010. The trio focuses on the tension between Beierbach’s open compositions and its free-improvised abstractions, and how all are closely interwoven. The loose and introspective compositional ideas also serve as starting points for deeper, exploratory interplay.

«Cardborad Sea» is the sophomore album of BROM, following «there.» (Gligg Records, 2013), and was recorded in October 2016 in Berlin, Beierbach sets the atmosphere of the eight pieces with clear, melodic themes, but then all is open to negotiation, often a subtle and minimalist one. Beierbach keeps expanding his lyrical, melodic ideas, Roder is busy deepening the solid, sometimes even swinging rhythmic basis, but Marien, a master colorist, often charges the patient, peaceful interplay with much needed tension with his inventive gestures.

Only «Missed the Date/Bought the T-Shirt» opts for a complete free-improvised form and quite energetic one, still anchored in a strong rhythmic pattern. The most surprising piece is a humble and emotional reading of Boris Vian’s famous anti-war anthem «Le déserteur» (The Deserter), performed with a sense of urgency and engaging passion and reprised at the end of the album in a brief, more contemplative and more emotional version.

Eyal Hareuveni

Alexander Beierbach (ts), Jan Roder (b), Christian Marien (dr)