Yuri’s Dream: A Sonic Adventure You Didn’t Know You Needed
Let me tell you about Yuri’s Dream, the 2014 jazz album by Adasiewicz, Erb, and Roebke. It’s not your typical smooth jazz record where everything feels neatly tied up in a bow. Nope. This is free improvisation at its rawest, like someone handed these musicians a blank canvas and said, “Go nuts.” And boy, do they ever. Released on Veto Records out of Switzerland, this album hits hard but in that sneaky way—you don’t realize how deep you’re into it until you’ve been listening for an hour straight.
First off, can we talk about the track "Untitled"? Yeah, real creative name, I know, but hear me out. The vibes (courtesy of Jason Adasiewicz) are all over the place yet somehow still grounded. Like when you're trying to describe a dream to someone and you keep saying, “It made sense in my head!” That’s what this track feels like—a lucid musical dream. Christoph Erb jumps in with his bass clarinet, weaving through the chaos like he owns it. Every note feels intentional, even though logic says there’s no roadmap here. By the time Jason Roebke’s bass rumbles underneath it all, you’re just... gone. Lost in the swirl.
Then there’s another standout moment—though honestly, it’s hard to pick just one because the whole thing flows so well—but let’s say Track 3 (yeah, I’m too lazy to look up the exact title). Here, Erb switches to tenor saxophone, and suddenly it’s like the room got smaller. Intimate. He’s not playing at you; he’s whispering secrets directly into your ear. There’s this tension between him and Adasiewicz’s vibraphone—it’s playful, almost flirty, but also kinda serious? Like they’re having a conversation you wish you could understand. It’s messy and beautiful all at once, which is basically the point of free improv, right?
The production deserves a shoutout too. Producer Christoph Erb teamed up with Brian Labycz for mixing and mastering, and John Abbey handled recording duties. Together, they managed to capture the live energy without making it sound overly polished. Props to Sonnenzimmer for the artwork as well—it’s abstract enough to match the vibe of the music perfectly.
What stays with me most about Yuri’s Dream isn’t any single melody or rhythm. It’s the feeling that anything could happen next. One second, you think you’ve figured it out, and then BAM—they pull the rug out from under you. But instead of being frustrating, it’s exhilarating. Kinda like life itself, if you think about it.
So yeah, give this album a spin if you’re tired of predictable tunes and want something that challenges you. Just don’t blame me if you start zoning out during meetings because you’re too busy replaying those untitled moments in your head. Oh, and fun fact: I bet Yuri would’ve loved this album. Whoever Yuri is.
