Lars Kutschke - Brașov Tales (CD)

The EP "Brașov Tales" is the guitarist's third release under his own name. It contains five new original compositions, stylistically a mix of blues, rock, funk, soul, gospel, and jazz, and follows on from his recent albums.

Lars Kutschke and his band have been guests at the annual jazz and blues festival in Brașov, a city nestled in the Romanian Carpathian Mountains, since 2018. The EP references this place, as most of the pieces were created during their summer stays—some are inspired by places, encounters, and friendships in the city.

The music was recorded live in the studio in one day with Chris Coleman (drums), Till Sahm (keyboards), and Tom Götze (bass). The band is complemented by strings and a horn section on two tracks. While the previous album, "While We're Here," is a lavishly produced journey through many recording sessions with numerous guests, the intention here was to capture something that documents a specific moment in a specific space—similar to a jazz album.

Nevertheless, the word "journey" is apt here once again. Each track offers a unique soundscape and invites listeners to explore it. Lars Kutschke, influenced by a childhood spent sitting in front of a record player, recommends listening chronologically through the five "chapters" of "Brașov Tales." The palette ranges from energetic funk (Kutschke fulfilled a dream by collaborating with a musician who played drums for Prince), to darker and atmospheric soundscapes, rock riffs merging with soulful guitar melodies, and even gospel elements.

01 Ada In An Uber
02 Kite City
03 Green Hill View
04 Hardly Ever
05 Nicu