Adore this… soon to be released from the great German pianist Joachim Kühn, known for his work with Ornette Coleman, in duo with the Polish violinist Mateusz Smoczyński, a graduate of the Frédéric Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw and a member of the boundary crossing Atom String Quartet. Recorded in an Ibiza studio the duo sound is fixed firmly on the classical on Kühn composition 'Epilog Der Hoffnung'. A little over half way into the piece the rigidity of its form gives way to the 'escape' that Kühn manages to discover and tentatively diverts from the strict form of the melody and close connection to the violin's overlapping lines. I suppose that is part of its surprise, the way we are held captive for so long and then shown a new vista that points towards the freedom of improvisation. Elsewhere other repertoire on the album in the inclusion of pieces by Vincent Peirani and Rabih Abou-Khalil expands their perspective to tilt more overtly still towards jazz improvising traditions. SG