Young rising star and piano original Luzius Schuler hails from Berne, Switzerland and cites John Carroll Kirby, Floating Points and Bill Evans as some of his influences. While references are always to be taken with a grain of salt this may serve as an apt preview of some of the ideas Schuler pursues on his latest oeuvre. For his new record “Penta Festival” (Red Brick Chapel), Schuler had initially planned on inverting his circadian rhythm: to create and record when the rest of the world would be fast asleep. The pandemic, however, had already imposed its very own pulse of canceled concerts by February 2021, which also affected the schedule of the sought-after pianist, keyboardist, composer and producer. In the end, the night recordings did not go ahead and Schuler spent 14 intense days at his studio instead, taking serious stock of himself. The distilled results can be heard on face
The colourful cover by Luca Schenardi hints at the many facets and celebratory character of this sonic carnival which Schuler created at a time when life was put on hold frequently, even during daytime. Through his imaginative and subtle use of electronics Schuler fancifully creates ghostly images which he juxtaposes with uncannily responsive precision on the upright piano – an artistic endeavour that suggests a highly personal and rather emotionally charged process in the making of the record.
