Imagine an exhibition of large-format photos compiled by the same photographer from all over the world. Some are sharply outlined, others are blurred, some are coarse-grained, others are finely outlined, color photos and subdued black and white ones are hung in subtle contrast opposite each other, and landscapes alternate with portraits. They share the honesty of their point of view and the emotionality of expression. Jonas Timm's new album "Narcis" produces an impression similar to this imaginary photo exhibition. The Leipzig pianist and composer Jonas Timm and his seven-piece band not only captivate the listener with all his senses, but also take him along in the variety of his emotions. What seems to begin like an acoustic film noir, becomes more cheerful as the album progresses, and continues to go through more and more emotional states without ever becoming predictable. Much is reminiscent of Latin American dances, French chansons, soundtracks from old films and sometimes jazz. But wherever Timm goes with his band, his distinctive characteristic as a composer and bandleader is always maintained. Like a director, he stages his characters to get a maximum of expressiveness and group-dynamic individuality from each of them. But just as confidently as with the voices of his co-musicians, he plays with the expectations and memory of his audience.
Jonas Timm deliberately avoids committing to a certain idiom or a continuous mood. It corresponds to his personal disposition that moods and emotions can swing very suddenly to the left and right, up and down. Since nothing in his music is more important to him than sincerity, he sees no reason to close the door to this variety of his feelings. "If I have such a range of colors available to me, why not take advantage of them," he confessed frankly. "Especially since there are seven of us. This results in a lot of potential for tiny nuances, but also bigger leaps. If I have such a big band, then I want to get everything out of it."
