Vein
Vote for Vein
Unit Records ***
First of all the album cover is terrible! Secondly the concept of “voting” for a band is kind of corny. But if they must, then down with rubbish album covers! Some of the track titles are ‘funny’ but it’s a kind of a geeky humour, ‘No We Can’t – Vote for Us Anyway’... hello? I know better knock-knock jokes. So you might think this Swiss trio who have been releasing records since 2006 are worth avoiding, that they’re just too cheesy. Well no that’s not the case. Pianist Michael Arbenz, a romantic soul with the sound of Oscar Peterson in his head and the impressive chops to stand comparison; the George Mraz-like bassist Thomas Lähns; and the pianist’s brother straightahead drummer Florian Arbenz all fizzing with ideas, can navigate the language of swinging modern mainstream jazz expertly on a bunch of their own tunes recorded for the album last summer in Basle. But ultimately however well played everything is here (and of course it is) it’s just yet another acoustic piano trio, one in a long and talented line, to show you a good time.
Vein, with guest saxophonist Greg Osby, play Band on the Wall, Manchester on 22 April, and the Vortex, London on 24 April