Scopes Age Of Reason Vinyl

Following their critically acclaimed eponymous debut in 2018, international jazz quartet SCOPES bring their blend of accessibility and adventure to Whirlwind Recordings for their second album, Age of Reason. Led by Austrian drummer Mathias Ruppnig, German bassist Tom Berkmann and French pianist Tony Tixier, American altoist Matt Chalk makes his debut with the quartet on this their second full-length release. The group's name SCOPES describes "the frame we all work within", says Berkmann. "SCOPES is a creative space that we share, without boundaries." The group's second release, Age of Reason, is a personal and philosophical reflection on the pressing matters of a time, when all generations need to come closer together and become more aware of their surroundings. That feeling of maturity emerges on Age of Reason too; it's the first SCOPES recording to feature the compositional skills of each member, delivering some thrilling results. Age of Reason opens with 'Deep Water', a Tixier composition that carefully balances drive and expansion in a "dive into the depths of our biggest unacknowledged dreams." For Ruppnig, the album's aims are encapsulated by this tune; "the songs have an easy feel, and they're not too specific - every musician has the space to have his own voice speak." 'More Hope' came to Ruppnig when faced with relentless negativity during the Coronavirus period, with characteristically tumbling solo contributions from Tixier and space for Berkmann's introspective soloing.