Like Chick Corea’s forays into storytelling, this isn’t just an album consisting of songs but one made up of melodic threads that connect the roles and varied movements.
—John Ephland, Downbeat
“I dreamed about being born in medieval times,” says composer Yelena Eckemoff.
Yelena’s newest album is not a rendering of early-music tropes in modern jazz feels. Rather, in her writing on this album Yelena synthesizes classical music constructs and her original melodies with the varied rhythmic and stylistic innovations of jazz, fusion, and world music from the 21st century. Beyond this, she invests each moment of the album with her own sense of delight in leading and performing this unique material.
Yelena recorded this album in Mantua, Italy, bringing together an ensemble perfectly suited to execute her ideas: esteemed Italian musicians Riccardo Bertuzzi on electric guitar, Carlo Nicita onflute, Eloisa Manera onviolin, Riccardo Oliva on electric bass, and legendary percussionist/drummer Trilok Gurtu.
From the first moments of “Pilgrims,” the album opener, with Gurtu’s decisive attack on the drums and Oliva’s funk vibe in the bass, the listener is put on alert that this album defies the expectations of its title. It’s when Yelena enters with a chant-like theme in the piano, however, that one first begins to understand the ingenuity of her writing—how the impact of a simple melodic notion can change depending on its context. As if to prove this point further, Yelena continues to upend the tune, first with Bertuzzi’s blazing entrance on electric guitar, then with Nicita’s seductively sweet flute lines. Astonishingly, these transitions between musical ideas are seamless.
“This project is so different from my others because it has prog-rock feel,” says the accomplished self-produced musician, who, with this latest title, has now released more than 20 critically acclaimed albums via her own label, L&H Production. “I didn’t want just guitar and bass, I wanted rock guitar and electric bass and really strong drums. On this recording you’ll hear me playing not only piano, but medieval instruments like organ, clavichord, harpsichord, and celesta. I also wanted violin and flute, and I think this somewhat atypical instrumentation gives the music another dimension.”
Yelena brings this same attention to the album’s narrative construction: one tune flows organically into the next as she weaves a vibrant sonic tableau depicting medieval life. In her vision, each tune captures a unique aspect of those far-off times—much like the fairy tales that so mesmerized her as a child.
“For as long as I can remember, I was surrounded by books, growing up in the imaginary world of folk stories and fairy tales,” Yelena remembers, emphasizing how strong a hold this literature has had on her imagination. “I remember being very little, sitting on a huge sofa with stacks of books around me, scrutinizing wonderfully illustrated pages of one book after another. Then, in elementary school, I would play a game about living on a different planet, set in medieval times, where I walked among castles, horses and carriages, kings and princes. Later, in the fourth grade, I wrote a story about medieval times with music. Funny, but a couple of the melodic ideas from that effort made their way into this album.”
Those who follow Yelena’s career will not be surprised by the enormous creativity in this collection; Yelena always brings a wealth of deep thought to everything she does. What might surprise listeners, however, is how persistently this project has been forming in Yelena’s mind, resurfacing intermittently years after she wrote those first little snippets for a grade school performance.
“In my late teens I played in a progressive rock band, which influenced my composing with prog-rock idioms,” she explained. “Later, after immigrating to the United States, I was working in my MIDI studio and utilizing the rich possibilities of Kurzweil K-2000 sequencer and created a project that I called Medieval Symphony, where I mixed a medieval feel with prog-rock and fusion. This project represented my reincarnated childhood dream about medieval times—how I imagined them, according to all those wonderful illustrated fairy tales I used to read and love.
“I planned to release Medieval Symphony along with my prior projects involving MIDI, like The Birth of Emmanuel, Kaleidoscope of Life, and Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. But I started to realize that my solo efforts—where I played all of the instruments, including drums—lacked the live touch of real musicians. So, I left the project unreleased.
“New, different projects followed, recorded with various jazz musicians. And finally, I thought about going back to my unreleased medieval project, to be recorded with a live band. I reworked all of the tunes from the original Medieval Symphony, added new material, and infused it all with jazz improvisation.
“So, basically, this project started a long time ago for me, having taken root in my childhood infatuation with medieval life. Like a never-ending fairy tale, images from medieval life have continued to inspire me.”
To modern ears, these compositions will register as present-day fairy tales, sparkling with the same imagination and wonder that has kept these most beloved stories alive for centuries. Like fairy tales, too, Yelena’s work carries deeper meanings; its sophistication lies in her talent for making the complex seem simple and the simple beautiful.
“Widely cast and richly conceived music filled with a sumptuous range of tonal and rhythmic tapestries, all-original and very mood-rich.” —Michael Tucker, Jazz Journal UK
“Ever as productive and captivating, Yelena Eckemoff continues to surprise us with utterly unexpected projects. The album is a treasure trove of culture and intelligence and reminds me of the band Yes, particularly in the energy and ambition to engage European musical traditions in dialogue with other cultures—whether rock, jazz, or a fusion of multiple styles.”—Thierry De Clemensat, Paris-Move
“The album has a strong folky feel reminiscent of early Jethro Tull. And there is also an eclecticism reminiscent of the David Cross-era of King Crimson with some “world music” of the type Peter Gabriel championed in the early '80s.”—Aaron Steelman, Sea of Tranquility
“What a discovery, what a masterpiece! The double album is an enlightening broadening of horizons, a fantasy world with a close connection to the Middle Ages, but with a postmodern habitus. This music is so refined, versatile, rich and demanding that you just discover, marvel and enjoy.”—Silvano Luca Gerosa, Jazz ‘n’ More
Yelena’s newest album is not a rendering of early-music tropes in modern jazz feels. Rather, in her writing on this album Yelena synthesizes classical music constructs and her original melodies with the varied rhythmic and stylistic innovations of jazz, fusion, and world music from the 21st century. Beyond this, she invests each moment of the album with her own sense of delight in leading and performing this unique material.
Yelena recorded this album in Mantua, Italy, bringing together an ensemble perfectly suited to execute her ideas: esteemed Italian musicians Riccardo Bertuzzi on electric guitar, Carlo Nicita onflute, Eloisa Manera onviolin, Riccardo Oliva on electric bass, and legendary percussionist/drummer Trilok Gurtu.
From the first moments of “Pilgrims,” the album opener, with Gurtu’s decisive attack on the drums and Oliva’s funk vibe in the bass, the listener is put on alert that this album defies the expectations of its title. It’s when Yelena enters with a chant-like theme in the piano, however, that one first begins to understand the ingenuity of her writing—how the impact of a simple melodic notion can change depending on its context. As if to prove this point further, Yelena continues to upend the tune, first with Bertuzzi’s blazing entrance on electric guitar, then with Nicita’s seductively sweet flute lines. Astonishingly, these transitions between musical ideas are seamless.
“This project is so different from my others because it has prog-rock feel,” says the accomplished self-produced musician, who, with this latest title, has now released more than 20 critically acclaimed albums via her own label, L&H Production. “I didn’t want just guitar and bass, I wanted rock guitar and electric bass and really strong drums. On this recording you’ll hear me playing not only piano, but medieval instruments like organ, clavichord, harpsichord, and celesta. I also wanted violin and flute, and I think this somewhat atypical instrumentation gives the music another dimension.”
Yelena brings this same attention to the album’s narrative construction: one tune flows organically into the next as she weaves a vibrant sonic tableau depicting medieval life. In her vision, each tune captures a unique aspect of those far-off times—much like the fairy tales that so mesmerized her as a child.
“For as long as I can remember, I was surrounded by books, growing up in the imaginary world of folk stories and fairy tales,” Yelena remembers, emphasizing how strong a hold this literature has had on her imagination. “I remember being very little, sitting on a huge sofa with stacks of books around me, scrutinizing wonderfully illustrated pages of one book after another. Then, in elementary school, I would play a game about living on a different planet, set in medieval times, where I walked among castles, horses and carriages, kings and princes. Later, in the fourth grade, I wrote a story about medieval times with music. Funny, but a couple of the melodic ideas from that effort made their way into this album.”
Those who follow Yelena’s career will not be surprised by the enormous creativity in this collection; Yelena always brings a wealth of deep thought to everything she does. What might surprise listeners, however, is how persistently this project has been forming in Yelena’s mind, resurfacing intermittently years after she wrote those first little snippets for a grade school performance.
“In my late teens I played in a progressive rock band, which influenced my composing with prog-rock idioms,” she explained. “Later, after immigrating to the United States, I was working in my MIDI studio and utilizing the rich possibilities of Kurzweil K-2000 sequencer and created a project that I called Medieval Symphony, where I mixed a medieval feel with prog-rock and fusion. This project represented my reincarnated childhood dream about medieval times—how I imagined them, according to all those wonderful illustrated fairy tales I used to read and love.
“I planned to release Medieval Symphony along with my prior projects involving MIDI, like The Birth of Emmanuel, Kaleidoscope of Life, and Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. But I started to realize that my solo efforts—where I played all of the instruments, including drums—lacked the live touch of real musicians. So, I left the project unreleased.
“New, different projects followed, recorded with various jazz musicians. And finally, I thought about going back to my unreleased medieval project, to be recorded with a live band. I reworked all of the tunes from the original Medieval Symphony, added new material, and infused it all with jazz improvisation.
“So, basically, this project started a long time ago for me, having taken root in my childhood infatuation with medieval life. Like a never-ending fairy tale, images from medieval life have continued to inspire me.”
To modern ears, these compositions will register as present-day fairy tales, sparkling with the same imagination and wonder that has kept these most beloved stories alive for centuries. Like fairy tales, too, Yelena’s work carries deeper meanings; its sophistication lies in her talent for making the complex seem simple and the simple beautiful.
Praise for Yelena Eckemoff
“Like Chick Corea’s forays into storytelling, this isn’t just an album consisting of songs but one made up of melodic threads that connect the roles and varied movements. Riccardo Bertuzzi’s electric guitar forays recall Corea’s own sonic designs, along with the rapid-fire deliveries that come from Trilok Gurtu’s uniquely combined percussion and drum work.”—John Ephland, Downbeat“Widely cast and richly conceived music filled with a sumptuous range of tonal and rhythmic tapestries, all-original and very mood-rich.” —Michael Tucker, Jazz Journal UK
“Ever as productive and captivating, Yelena Eckemoff continues to surprise us with utterly unexpected projects. The album is a treasure trove of culture and intelligence and reminds me of the band Yes, particularly in the energy and ambition to engage European musical traditions in dialogue with other cultures—whether rock, jazz, or a fusion of multiple styles.”—Thierry De Clemensat, Paris-Move
“The album has a strong folky feel reminiscent of early Jethro Tull. And there is also an eclecticism reminiscent of the David Cross-era of King Crimson with some “world music” of the type Peter Gabriel championed in the early '80s.”—Aaron Steelman, Sea of Tranquility
“What a discovery, what a masterpiece! The double album is an enlightening broadening of horizons, a fantasy world with a close connection to the Middle Ages, but with a postmodern habitus. This music is so refined, versatile, rich and demanding that you just discover, marvel and enjoy.”—Silvano Luca Gerosa, Jazz ‘n’ More
