Playful and lively—that’s the vibe of much of the Wiebke Schröder Trio’s latest album, *Tales Untold*. Together with drummer Silas Jakob and bassist Michael Bohn, the pianist from Osnabrück recorded the album, bringing to life both new compositions and pieces that had long been gathering dust in a drawer.

It’s a pleasure to listen to these three and a quarter hours of music. For despite all the rhythmic challenges and harmonic blue-note peaks, it is essentially a consistently harmonious and accessible album that translates the joy of playing into joy for the listener.

But what are the Tales Untold about? In seven musical narratives, we hear how quickly Time Flies. In the downright tender Child, we discover all there is to see when gazing at our little ones.

Overthinking unfolds hesitantly and with a long breath, while the piano in the bass jumps back and forth in thirds to the rhythm of a ticking clock. At 8:49 minutes, it is also the longest track on the album.

Missed Chance is barely any shorter, its sadly plucked bass cloaking the melancholy in a heavy veil right from the start. There is, however, one small deviation: the drum solo in Spring Rain is more reminiscent of a hailstorm. But that’s really just nitpicking.

In the listening room, the Wiebke Schröder Trio plays on a compact club stage within arm’s reach of the audience. The instruments are sometimes placed very close together and overlap at times. This can be a bit jarring at times and obscures the details of the various sound sources, but it enhances the feeling of having the trio right there in the room.

Tales Untold is a musically and acoustically exquisite album that is a joy to listen to, allowing you to reflect on your own untold tales along the way and ensuring a relaxing listening experience. Absolutely beautiful. (Thomas Semmler, HighResMac)

Wiebke Schröder, piano
Silas Jakob, drums
Michael Bohn, double bass