The musicians Stefan Schultze and Peter Ehwald share a long and productive friendship. Together they make music in ensembles like “schultzing” and “Oktoposse” and founded the “Backyard Jazz Orchestra”. “Grasp” is their debut album as a duo and the obvious consequence of their common musical work. Over the years, they have explored their compositional possibilities in many ways. With “Grasp” they now turn to simplicity. Homage to the naturalness auf making music together, it at the same time gives them great freedom of artistic expression. The album is a clear statement. Ehwald‘s earthy saxophone sound meets Schultze‘s surprising harmonic turns. Together they form an authentic substrate on “Grasp”. Plenty of openness and a lack of pretentiousness result in appealing arcs of suspense. The listener follows the music in various directions: It is the many overtones, the ceasing of the moment and the subtle nuances that turn the album into a fascinating journey. The six compositions of the album clearly structured. They are rich always direct. No tone is wasted. its possibilities of expression with a reliable sense of style. In doing so, it becomes apparent that Schultze and Ehwald enjoy listening to each other. They react to each other without taboos and remain alert to what might come next. This results in a harmonious and well-balanced force that is one of the greatest strengths of “Grasp”. The fact that the album contains tracks made by twomusicians who have known each other for a long time, who respect and appreciate each other, gives it a personal quality. Their selection of the compositions shows intuition. The music is based on common origins and emotions. Still every track develops into a different direction and surprises the listener with a variety of colors and moods. Ehwald and Schultze only need little changes to make a great statement. Those who take a moment to think about the album cover and its concise title will already find part of this message here. “Grasp” shows that virtuosity is distinguished not only by fast lines. The recording shows how the musicians react to each other virtuously and how they put each other on stage in the best manner. With their debut album, Stefan Schultze and Peter Ehwald do not only bear witness to their excellent playing technique but also prove their ability to engage in the moment again and again, identifying it and reacting to it. This is how they create a real work of art of improvised music.