Kreek Trio

The program by the Kreek Trio features songs from the two collections of sacred folk tunes by Cyrillus Kreek, enriched by the trio’s improvisations. Kreek’s arrangements of Estonian folk melodies for mixed choir, with their Nordic clarity, austere beauty, and rich harmonic nuances, bear a striking resemblance to contemporary Northern European jazz influenced by folk music. At times, the bold and colorful harmonies even evoke associations with 1970s jazz-rock — although that style emerged more than fifty years after Kreek created these arrangements.

Guitarist Jaak Sooäär previously had the honor of performing this music together with the outstanding chamber choir Collegium Musicale under the direction of Endrik Üksvärav. This collaboration also resulted in the 2023 album Cyrillus Kreek. Sacred Folk Tunes (ERP). Inspired by this powerful experience, Sooäär developed the idea of translating Kreek’s folk song arrangements into the language of improvisational chamber jazz. For this project, he invited rising Estonian jazz vocalist Anett Tamm and versatile double bass legend Taavo Remmel. The trio uses only Kreek’s original harmonies and arrangements, aiming to highlight and expand their subtle beauty through improvisation and a fresh musical perspective.