*200 copies limited edition* "Almost a throwback to the glory days of 1970s Free Jazz, Driven’s one lengthy improvisation is played with fire and determination by a pan-European quintet. But with several generations of creative musicians now exploring that style, New Thing excesses have been pared to mature interaction. Consisting of Belgians, pianist Martina Verhoeven and guitarist Dirk Serries, Portuguese bassist Gonçalo Almeida, Dutch drummer Onno Govaert and British alto saxophonist Colin Webster, the five, who are each part of numerous bands, frame the narrative in sections, some of which are prestissimo and pressurized; while others are andante and acquiescent.  More than an historical aberration, Free Jazz improv has become part of the Jazz continuum. Here Martina Verhoeven’s quintet shows how well it can be done." - Jazzword 

Better than Ken Waxman's thoughts on the quintet's debut Driven we can't introduce Martina Verhoeven's quintet here. After their incredibly powerful passage at the Roadburn Festival in 2022, the quintet played a release show (for this album) at the same venue, jazzclub Paradox in Tilburg (The Netherlands).  The quintet consists of Martina Verhoeven (grand piano), Gonçalo Almeida (double bass), Colin Webster (alto sax), Dirk Serries (archtop guitar) and Onno Govaert(drums).

Equally powerful as the quintet's initial live performance but the jazz aspect dripped in a bit more, making the quintet more groovy and thematic. What a live band !