“Review from June 2023 in the periodical MuMag, with feedback by Francesco Peluso.

Goethe described architecture as “frozen music.” Inspired by this notion, Katia Fiorentino (piano), Stefano Compagnone (bass), and Maurizio De Tommasi (drums) created *Tears and Light*, a project that explores form by embracing both the languages ​​of contemporary jazz avant-garde and the ethereal atmospheres typical of Northern European musical traditions. Joined on three tracks by Valerio Daniele (guitar), Giorgio Distante (trumpet), and Francesco Massaro (electronics), the trio engages in a multi-voiced dialogue; a democratic distribution of space and time highlights their unique musical vocabulary within a collective landscape that is abstract, dreamlike, and intimate. The Salento-based group—which has chosen to perform exclusively in museums, cultural centers, festivals, and historical or art venues—delivers a range of emotions across the album’s eight tracks: from the delicate unfolding of “Sheets From Afar” to the captivating flow of “Wood,” and from the fiery guitar work of Valerio Daniele on “Tears And Lights” to the melodic essence of Giorgio Distante’s trumpet on “If You Want.” A cyclical succession of rhythmic-melodic motifs alternates with expansive formal stretches, allowing the dynamic Yugen Trio’s signature style to shine through. Reflecting a mysterious, chiaroscuro-like identity in its very name, the trio presents an original architectural structure in *Tears and Light*—a musical form that breaks the mold, where Katia Fiorentino’s compositions are imbued with palpable, compelling emotion thanks to the contributions of her bandmates.