Sophie Lüssi - Sandra Weiss - Fridolin Blumer - Andreas Wettstein: Atlantic Puffin

AllAboutBirds.org describes the Atlantic Puffin as "a sharply dressed black-and-white seabird with a huge, multicolored bill, the Atlantic Puffin is often called the clown of the sea."

This album finds the foursome gleefully tossing classical precision, folk whispers and improvisational bravado into a blender, hitting pulse until it is a cohesive, if occasionally slippery, concoction. With violinist Sophie Lüssi at the helm, joined by Sandra Weiss (alto saxophone and bassoon), Fridolin Blumer (double bass) and Andreas WETTSTEIN (drums), they have cooked up a dish that is as brain-tickling as it is heart-stirring—though you might need a map to fully navigate the flavors.

Take the title track, "Atlantic Puffin," which kicks things off with the subtlety of a bird crash-landing on your picnic. Lussi's violin slices through the air with surgical crispness, sparring with Weiss's fluent alto sax phrasings. Blumer's beefy bass and Wettstein's twitchy percussion keep it all afloat, channeling the titular seabird—Europe's tiniest puffin species, apparently unfazed by its underdog status. The piece drifts along with a stubborn grace via a peppery and meticulously crafted post-bop groove, tinted with classical overtones.

The tightrope walk between structure and chaos defines the album, especially in the "Valse pour Ornette" series—a five-part love letter to free-jazz icon Ornette Coleman that is less humble homage and more 'we see your legacy and raise you a Swiss twist.' Spanning IX, IIX, X, XI and XIII, these tracks range from the wistful sway of "IX" to the spiky, let us arm-wrestle about it' vibe of "XIII." It is a nod to Coleman that does not just tip the hat—it yanks it off and frisbees it into the future.

What keeps Atlantic Puffin from spiraling into navel-gazing obscurity is its sneaky warmth. "Chimango" contains an impish charm with pulsating sax notes, Lussi's frenetic passages and alternating currents. Hence, this is not just a record—it is a conversation, equal parts brainy and big-hearted. The quartet's raw chemistry and fearless drive turn this from a tame jazz footnote into a lively, defiant scrawl across the genre's margins, demanding your attention.

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