Jaejin Ahn Trio

The young Korean guitar player Jaejin Ahn proves himself an amazing newcomer with his album Lazy Step. Mature, sharp, playful and daring, he creates his own and incomparable jazz in an often minimalistic, single-note style. Like a modern painter in a sketchbook in which jotted lines and the space between them shape the gripping final image. Quite diverging pieces thus becoming a perfect unity. Versions of Monk (Work) and John Lewis (Milestones) connect wonderfully with Ahns own compositions. As goes for an oldie like Fats Wallers Jitterbug waltz. They carry the stamp of Ahn and of today. Moreover his own compositions Greyand Jiho- the latter with Caspar van Wijk on tenorsax - are a pure joy, sounding like theyve always been around. Nightmare is the only piece in which Ahn uses guitareffects in its haunting theme. Simplicity, warmth and originality abound in a debut to be cherished.