triosence – Paint Music from “Stories of Life”

The album Stories of Life by the genre-defining piano trio triosence is a musical diary inspired by the stories life tells. In each track, bandleader and composer Bernhard Schüler explores the tragedy and beauty of everyday moments, translating these experiences in irresistibly melodic, captivating instrumental compositions. Great joy and deep sorrow, the seemingly ordinary and the truly life-changing are often closer than we think.

The loss of a pregnancy in Little Lost Wonder, the love for his young daughter in Tamina's Lullaby, the death of his uncle in Dear Rainer, and the joy found in his partner's wildly growing garden plants in Tomato Party – Stories of Life is Bernhard Schüler's realization that all these moments are deeply interwoven in the fabric of life.

“I sit down at the piano and play everything off my chest. Beautiful and sad experiences, observations, feelings – writing music is my way of thinking about life,” he explains.

What characterizes Stories of Life musically are progressive structures that constantly vary in style, tempo and mood; that are sometimes loud or quiet, dreamy or powerful. They are designed to send the listener on a veritable journey by creating a series of powerful soundscapes.

“When I compose, I always intend to tell stories with my music. That's what touches people the most,” says Schüler.

On Stories of Life, he and his bandmates – Tobias Schulte (drums) and Omar Rodriguez Calvo (bass) – continue to evolve their signature sound: a melodic, atmospheric blend of world beat, folk music, rock and pop.

“This is music created in a classic jazz format – piano, bass and drums – but we go far beyond what conventional jazz typically implies. I am interested in strong melodies, clear song structures, and a focus on the essential,” explains Bernhard Schüler.

Not only is the song Dear Rainer dedicated to the painter Rainer Hoffmann — the entire album Stories of Life is a special memorial to him. His painting Badere vid Ingetoprsjön (Bathers at Lake Ingetoprsjön) features on the cover artwork and the booklet contains ten more paintings by the artist – each one thematically linked to one of the songs.

“Unfortunately, my uncle's art never got the attention and recognition it really deserved,” says Schüler. “But he led a very exciting life and was a true adventurer who moved to the Swedish wilderness at an early age and travelled the world to paint.”

He didn’t care about anything else. This passion for art – no ifs, ands or buts – fascinated me even as a little boy, and when he told stories from his life back then, I would sit in front of him with wide eyes.

Schüler draws on one of these stories in Marrakesh Swing – a flirtation with the culture of a city that he has never visited, but brings vividly to life in his composition. The listener experiences it in their mind's eye – in all its facets, colours and vibrancy.

With Tamina's Lullaby, a solo piano piece appears on a triosence album again after a long hiatus. A nod to the past also closes the circle of stories on Stories of Life: a new instrumental version of Like The Wind, originally recorded with American singer Sara Gazarek for the album Where Time Stands Still, marks the album’s conclusion.