Airelle Besson’s Surprise!: A Bold, Bass-Free Exploration of Modern Jazz

French trumpeter Airelle Besson continues to expand the boundaries of European jazz with Surprise!, a bold and luminous album featuring pianist Sebastian Sternal and drummer Jonas Burgwinkel. This unique trio formation—conspicuously lacking a bassist—breathes new life into the jazz ensemble tradition, embracing harmonic openness and rhythmic elasticity in a way that is both daring and deeply musical.

Long celebrated for her radiant tone and lyrical phrasing, Besson has become a fixture on the international jazz stage, earning acclaim not only for her solo work but also for her collaborations with giants like Charlie Haden, Carla Bley, and Michel Portal. On Surprise!, she co-leads with Sternal, a pianist known for his touch, textural depth, and use of Fender Rhodes and FX pedals, while Burgwinkel supplies vibrant, shape-shifting rhythms that elevate each composition with kinetic precision.

What makes this project especially compelling is the absence of a traditional bass instrument. By forgoing this sonic anchor, Besson and her bandmates open up space for experimentation and interplay that feels both spontaneous and intricately designed. The music floats, surges, and converses in a way that defies expectation, revealing fresh colors in every measure.

Recorded at Loft Studios in Cologne, Germany, Surprise! is a testament to creative trust and compositional strength. The album features ten original pieces—five each from Besson and Sternal—that range from introspective ballads to energetic, rhythm-driven works, all unified by the trio’s unmistakable synergy.

Track Listing (Disc 1, Side 1):

1. Time to Say Goodbye

2. J.T.

3. Surprise!

4. Ma-Ion

5. The Painter and the Boxer

6. Lulea's Sunset

7. Prayer

8. Go

9. Calgary

From the elegant simplicity of Prayer to the cinematic sweep of Lulea’s Sunset and the sparkling title track Surprise!, each piece reveals a different facet of Besson’s artistry and the trio’s unique chemistry.

In addition to her role as bandleader, Besson remains an in-demand collaborator, composer, and arranger. Her credits include work with artists as diverse as Metronomy, Manu Katché, and Rhoda Scott, as well as orchestral arrangements for the Orchestre National de Lyon. With Surprise!, she confirms her status as one of Europe’s most imaginative and expressive jazz voices.

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