"...All in all a very unusual, pleasant and convincing first album of a promising group and, foremost, a promising vocal artist with a very special way of performance." In this day and age of vocal supremacy by a handful of impressive ladies, the arrival of a true baritone voice used in a jazz context comes somewhat as a surprise. Frontman Markus Calame of the group "Marxis" from Geneva, Switzerland, is ultimately responsible for this discovery. He projects a deep, resonant and truly jazz related voice, knows about the necessary suggestive inflections and articulations, has good timing and represents something new on the scene. What makes this album interesting is the incorporation of Calame's voice into the entire structure of the tunes and the overall sound. The material has been written by the members of the group and is essentially based upon "straight ahead" jazz with a strong melodic content. Raphael Anker's trumpet serves as a beautiful counterweight to the voice and gives the group a very special tinge. The occasional use of tenor saxophone, violin, vibes or percussion add the necessary flavors to the overall sound of the group and prove to be very organic. To enhance the sound, pianist Alexis Trembley makes tasteful use of piano and keyboards, assisted by a solid and perfectly fitting rhythm section. All in all a very unusual, pleasant and convincing first album of a promising group and, foremost, a promising vocal artist with a very special way of performance. Kurt Weil © 2004