# CD review: Frederik Köster and Die Verwandlung – Golden Age 2020: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2020/02/02/cd-review-frederik-koster-and-die-verwandlung-golden-age-2020-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2020-02-02T12:50:33+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**Once again, The Metamorphosis lives up to its name. On their new album, the top-
class quartet of award-winning musical personalities (a total of six jazz echoes,
New German Jazz Award, WDR Jazz Award) once again accomplishes a stylistic and tonal
change of direction. Especially in direct comparison to his Homeward Bound Suite
released in 2018. **

The spectacular orchestral work was widely praised at the time, for example as “
a successful interweaving of jazz and classical elements with emotional depth” (
Jazz Podium). The Swiss magazine Jazz’n’More found: “The quartet stringently implements
the orchestra’s timbres and Frederik Köster’s solos conclusively lay over rhythmic
patterns And the Badische Zeitung positioned the band leader at “the top of German
jazz. Köster’s trumpet, elegantly and stubbornly lined with occasional loop echoes,
clearly stands out from icons like Miles Davis and Chet Baker

After the successful excursion into large format, Die Verwandlung is now concentrating
on itself again. With equally impressive results. You have never heard the band 
as diverse as on Golden Age, at least on CD. Already in the opening title Fanfare–
For The Right Reasons Frederik Köster combines his brilliant trumpet sound discreetly
with electronic effects, building an elegant and clever bridge from the orchestral
previous album to the current sound of the quartet. In the following Soudasi, the
electronics, which here includes a ring modulator in addition to a kaos pad, loop
effects and samples, set striking accents.

The multi-part piece also combines flickering trumpet fanfares, growling double 
bass passages, calm and inciting moments. Not only Soudasi is based on Middle Eastern
grooves (specifically on a Lebanese 6 / 4 pattern), which are fired by Burgwinkel’s
pointed to high-density percussion. In Yalla, Köster’s rapid lines involuntarily
evoke Balkan associations, but in fact the piece is based on an Arabic Maqam Bayat,
which was modified by the band. Jimballa, on the other hand, relies on a 5 / 4 beat,
which is also common in other parts of the world. In addition, there are compositions
that process completely different inspirations. So Leak first lets the harmonics
of Kenny Wheeler sound, before it suddenly turns to electro with beats and synthesizer
sounds.

1. Fanfare – For the Right Reasons (2:34)
 2. Soudasi (8:01) 3. Cast Me from Your
Spell (3:08) 4. Jimballa (7:00) 5. Leak (7:45) 6. Levante (6:53) 7. Modern Day Mephisto
Amor (3:43) 8. Yalla (4:57) 9. (To The) Evening Star (7:32)

**Frederik Köster: trumpet, electronics, vocals**
 **Sebastian Sternal: piano, fender
rhodes **

**J****oscha Oetz: double bass**
 **Jonas Burgwinkel: drums**

![Image result for Frederik Köster & Die Verwandlung - Golden Age"](https://i0.wp.
com/www.jazzthing.de/drei/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/frederik-koester-die-verwandlung-
golden-age-cover.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)

### _Related_