The Claudia Quintet — For

On For, their fourth (wink, wink) album, every song is a dedication. For musicians, graphic artists and/or personal friends. How exactly this influences the music of course not always clear, but it doesn't really matter.

Opening track I'm So Fickin' Cool (for Fritz Pauer, I assume it's the jazz-pianist whose work I don't know) is fast-paced and sounds a bit like Jaga Jazzist, but more elegant - grown-up if you will - even though it's all acoustic. It's probably that jazzy contemporary composition-thing with some other influences from far and near that makes you feel right at home, if you're into the music of related bands, that is. The conglomerate of mostly NY Downtown bands in which members of this band also play. Even though the group always maintains elegance, the energylevel can rise to exhilarating heights, like the eleven minute tour-de-force Be Happy. Just to be followed up with a the more pensive moment in the form of This Too Shall Pass. There's also a song for us, the listeners, called For You. It's rather moody and brooding (so, eh, guys, what do you mean by that?). The last piece, Three Odes - dedications to Peter Garland, Jan Garbarek and (Pity for) Mary Cheney - rolled into one suite, ends on a bit of slo-mo note.

A bit of a sullen end maybe, but the album as a whole breathes good spirit and the joy of playing music together. The nice instrumentation of clarinet, accordion, acoustic bass and drums (and a little electronics) give For a warm feeling throughout.