Spirituality meets jazz
Spirituality meets jazz. Second concert in the KlangkircheHarburg (lh)
"Die Quadratur des Kreises" (The Square Circle) is the title of the current CD by Misha Steinhauer. Here, the singer attempts to join two significant aspects in her life: jazz and faith. That successful attempt evidently fits the atmosphere of the Hamburger Klangkirche which is why Misha Steinhauer did her second concert at the Harburger Dreifaltigkeitskirche together with pianist, Mathias Claus.
Compared to the first concert at the sold-out Blues-Ladies-Night last April, the turn-out this time was modest. About 60 people showed up to experience what others missed out on: the inter-play between summer sunset and music. Misha Steinhauer is from Germany but has been living in Moscow for quite some time. There she studied, now teaches and has made a name for herself in the Russian jazz scene. Mathias Claus is from Braunschweig but has Swabian roots. He brushed up on his jazz playing during his extended stay in the US . Both have known eachother for some time but only play together whenever Misha Steinhauer tours in Germany. "Spirituality and jazz often appear to be mutually exclusive", Claus had said before the start of the concert, yet there are examples of such approach, such as Duke Ellington's latest work or compositions by John Coltrane. In Keith Jarrett's instrumental pieces you will often find gospel harmonies.) …
Accordingly, Claus opened up the evening with an original composition, strongly reminicent of Keith Jarrett's music, before being joined by Misha Steinhauer. Both artists put up a brilliant show and the singing as well as the playing were technically world class. Mathias Claus virtually worked himself into the grand piano, one often had the impression he wanted to crawl inside it in order to cuddle in the warm sounds like a eiderdown. Misha Steinhauer's modulations and phrasing had texture and were to the point.
