Only 21-year-old British jazz saxophonist Emma Rawicz already stood out so much with her self-released debut album Incantation that she was noticed by the important German jazz label ACT. Chroma is her debut for the label. The title, the Greek word for color, has a special connotation: Rawicz' is a synesthete, which means that her brain makes sounds visible to her as colors. Whether or not it is
… due to this phenomenon cannot be determined, but Rawicz completely blows the listener away on this album. With her saxophone, flute and bass clarinet, but also as a composer and bandleader. Rawicz and her quintet play with an infectious energy, navigating profoundly between solid Zappian jazz rock and a lyrical, more traditional jazz sound. Each piece also has a beautiful and surprising build-up. Her self-assurance is a joy to listen to. (JV)more
