Berardi Foran Karlen release new album Haven with vibraphonist Pascal Schumacher

Berardi/Foran/Karlen’s new album, Haven, showcases captivating melodies, lush harmonies and emotive collective improvisation. Featuring three distinctive composer-performers including vocalist Kristin Berardi, pianist Sean Foran, and saxophonist Rafael Karlen, the ensemble builds on years of performances and a shared musical vision. With special guest Luxembourg-based Vibraphonist Pascal Schumacher, the album highlights the ensembles’ intimate dynamics, sensitivity and varied compositions. 

Formed in 2014 in Brisbane, Berardi/Foran/Karlen features the talents of three distinctive Australian artists. Kristin Berardi (vocals), winner of the Montreux Jazz Vocal competition, APRA Jazz Award Winner Sean Foran (piano), and Churchill Fellowship recipient Rafael Karlen (saxophone), are known for their personal artistic voices. With their respective projects they have performed in venues across Europe, the US, South America, Japan, Korea, China and at the Montreux, Bremen, Tokyo, Manchester, Melbourne, Wangaratta, and Sydney jazz festivals. Their debut album “Hope in My Pocket” (2015) won the QLD Music Award for Jazz in 2016 and the APRA/AMC State Award for Excellence in Jazz at the Art Music Awards.

In 2017, the group invited Pascal Schumacher to tour Australia, performing at the Brisbane and Melbourne Jazz festivals. Whilst in the country the group spent two days in the studio tracking a new suite of music composed specifically for Schumacher. The result is the album Haven. The trio has known of Schumacher for some time, as Foran explains; We’ve known Pascal for many years; he came out to Australia for his first tour and played a double bill with Trichotomy, so I’ve been into his music for some time. Kristin has also collaborated with other members of his band at various times over the years... When we started thinking about collaborators, Pascal came to mind instantly. We were all a fan of his playing and writing, and also we were looking for a sound that would complement the trio, something a little unexpected – vibraphone fit that. We already have instrumentation that is a little unusual, so I think this pushed that even further. The album lay completed for several years whilst each musician was busy in their own various projects, but it’s now released through Earshift Music.

Despite the ensemble using only four instruments, the sonic world on Haven is lush. Modern jazz, folk and classical elements combine in intricate, light and delicate arrangements. Each instrument takes a lead role. The composer credits are split across the 10 tracks, with Berardi, Foran and Karlen each contributing. The opener, Berardi’s No Shepherds Live Here brings a sense of calm, yet tells an intense story. Complementing this is Karlen’s Ripple and Handwritten sparkle, with the saxophone and vocals intertwining. The piano and vibraphone create layered harmonic textures throughout. Foran’s works, Orbit and Rambling bring more rhythmic energy, with the insistent pulsing vibraphone part giving a minimalism-inspired modern jazz edge.