On this, his latest and most personal album to date, Omer Klein – “one of a small group of master pianists” (Süddeutsche Zeitung) – presents us with an insightful commentary on the world today. Originating during the 2020 pandemic, the ten pieces reflect Klein’s personal position as a human being, pianist, composer, bandleader, father, and artist between cultures.
For Klein, like everyone else, the first Covid wave brought unfamiliar challenges. Born in Israel and now living in Frankfurt, his life as an itinerant musician came to an abrupt halt from one day to the next in spring 2020. Not one for brooding, he started to use the abundance of free time to compose. As broad swathes of the world seemed to come to a standstill, large numbers of people were falling ill and grim images became the hallmark of the time – Klein’s thoughts and experiences were calling out for collection and expression.
With his gaze alternately focused inward and outward, little by little there emerged a narrative thread of extraordinary vibrancy and depth, in which he views the bigger picture in miniature.
