Peter Hedrich – “Simplicity”

Eight years after “New Hope”, trombonist and composer Peter Hedrich returns with his second album, “Simplicity”. While “New Hope” was a tribute to his mentor Jiggs Whigham, Hedrich takes a consistently personal approach with “Simplicity”: all the pieces are his own compositions – inspired by his musical development, his experiences, and his deep connection to his quintet.

“Simplicity” represents Hedrich’s musical philosophy: music doesn’t have to be complicated – it has to touch the listener. It’s not about virtuosity or self-expression, but about expressing emotions and letting the music speak for itself. Following this idea, Hedrich wrote the compositions for “Simplicity” with the sound of his band in mind, without having heard the pieces beforehand.

The recordings took place without rehearsal—a daring step that paid off. The close musical connection between the musicians ensures that each piece can develop its own character. His quintet consists of Fabian Schöne (alto saxophone), Felix Hauptmann (piano), Reza Askari (double bass), Kevin Naßhan (drums), and himself on the trombone. Guest artists on individual tracks include Luxembourg trumpeter Ernie Hammes, Austrian singer Veronika Morscher, American trombonist Luke Brimhall, and German pianist Thilo Wagner. In addition, British arranger Callum Au has contributed an impressive string arrangement. Although the musicians in the quintet have very different stylistic influences, this diversity gives rise to a sound language all of its own. It is precisely the clash of different musical worlds that gives the band its special character and lends “Simplicity” its depth and uniqueness.

The pieces on “Simplicity” are as diverse as the emotions they convey. “Ghost” is based on the chords of Wayne Shorter’s “Armageddon” and deals with the personal challenges of growing up. The title song “Simplicity” embodies Hedrich’s musical attitude with a mixture of simple beauty and refined arrangement. “Hope and Tears”, his first composition ever, was previously released on “New Hope” — but now with moving lyrics by Veronika Morscher and a new orchestral depth thanks to Callum Aus’ string arrangement. “Home” is a tonal declaration of love to his homeland, while “Swinging on a Cloud” serves as an energetic feature for Kevin Naßhan on drums. With “Mourn”, Hedrich captures the undulating experience of a period of grief and gives it expression with melancholic melodies and moving harmonies.

With “Simplicity”, Peter Hedrich shows that true depth in music does not depend on complexity, but on honesty, emotion, and the ability to put the music above one’s own ego. An album that touches, inspires, and resonates.