For a long time, jazz musicians have applied their art to the art of reconstructing melodies and musical structures. Some times it is a focused study, and at others it's manifested in the free form nature of a jam. When they are really good at it, you feel as though the musicians are working with notes in the same way a sculptor works with clay, wood or whatever material they have at hand; elongating phrases, distilling percussion from a simple, round fruit into a complex, refined liquor. That's what Christian Prommer's "Drum Lesson Vol. 1" is all about.

1. Drum Lesson I
2. Can You Feel It
3. Rej
4. Plastic Dreams
5. Drum Lesson II
6. Trans Europa Express
7. Elle
8. Claire
9. Drum Lesson III
10. Higher State of Consciousness
11. Strings of Life
12. Beau Mot Plage
13. Nervous Track
14. Drum Lesson IV

As with all art, its appreciation is not universal. That subjective nature is part of what makes Christian Prommer's Drumlesson so interesting. Love it or hate it, he has taken some huge dance floor shakers and transformed their rhythms, phrases and melodies into deeply felt jazz songs. Not smooth jazz, but real smoke filled room jazz.

Among the works that have been reinterpreted here are classics like Kraftwerk's "Trans Europa Express", which Christian Prommer and players turn into a jumping, cymbal crashing number with some heavily played piano keys. More recent songs are Ame's "Rej", and Mr. Fingers' "Can You Feel It", as well as work originally performed by Daft Punk, M.A.W.Derrick May, Patrick Pulsinger, Josh Wink and more.

Sure these are incredibly well done analog interpretations of electronic music, but it all comes down to a simple truth: this is just really good jazz music. If you've got a taste for Five Corners Quintet, The Invisible Session, Koop, Les Hommes, or classic Blue Note jazz in general, you'll find Christian Prommer's Drumlesson just burns it up.

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Originally released in Europe on Jan. 28, 2008

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