A trio that reimagines silence, risk, and beauty, because freedom takes time and beauty requires trust. No set guidelines and free improvisation that transcends all jazz clichés through the reduction of melodic material. The desire to play only what is actually heard.

With “Probably Possible,” German saxophonist and flutist Heinrich von Kalnein presents a freely improvised album characterized by enchanting melodic beauty, plenty of space, and tremendous musical dynamism and variety. The Kalnein | Herbert | Krizanic trio—aka “Polycrisis”—founded by the young, exceptional drummer Jan Samson Krizanic from Graz, is rounded out by the Austro-Japanese rising star and winner of last year’s Austrian Jazz Award on guitar Kenji Herbert.

Heinrich von Kalnein recounts:

“The story of this band began in August 2024, when Jan invited me to a concert featuring his trio, ‘Polycrisis.’ As part of a festival of free improvised music in Graz, Austria, the three of us played a 45-minute set without rehearsing, which was memorable for me for several reasons: For one thing, even while we were playing together, I could sense a wonderful and very harmonious sense of ease among the three of us, as well as creativity that spurred each other on and a sense of equality—which isn’t something to be taken for granted in bands with such different generations and levels of experience.

On the other hand, our stage was located right next to the city’s waste-to-energy plant, and on that mild August evening, the wind direction kept changing unexpectedly, blowing the smells of all the big city’s waste right into our faces.

For me, there was an almost unspoken understanding between us from the very beginning about what the music could be—and what it shouldn’t be; that’s always a sign of good chemistry within a band. Then we rehearsed for a few months, always improvising freely and listening back together afterward. In the process, a unique DNA almost inevitably develops. After a festival performance at the Jazz Redoute in Graz, Austria in January 2025, it was clear that we were going into the studio.

Perhaps a few words about my two young colleagues, guitarist Kenji Herbert and drummer Jan Samson Krizanic: Kenji is of Austro-Japanese descent and grew up in Japan. After studying at Berklee College of Music, he first moved to New York City for 10 years and then to Vienna, where his uncle—the bassist Peter Herbert, who is well known in the music scene—quickly introduced him to the scene. Like all great musicians, Kenji is extremely versatile and flexible, which makes each of his ensembles sound great. In the fall of 2025, he deservedly won the Austrian Jazz Award for his latest trio album.

I’d had my eye on Jan for quite some time because of his studies at the Jazz Institute of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz. From the very beginning, I was drawn to his artistic openness, which also inspires him to collaborate with visual artists and actors. But of course, it’s his outstanding drumming, combined with an almost carefree street vibe, that makes him so appealing to me. Throughout, he always maintains both prudence and the courage to pause at times or even radically change the groove. This gives our trio an incredible dynamic—ranging from very soft and delicate to a musical explosion.

I myself have been exploring the topic of achieving the greatest possible coherence in my improvisational language for quite some time now: There are too many clichés in jazz improvisation that are often excused as part of “jazz language.” To me, this blurs the lines between musical content and musical expression—and even confuses the two. Musical clichés that are inherent to a particular style are by no means a guarantee of a viable compositional or improvisational idea!

The reduction of the melodic material, as well as my own commitment to playing (and being able to interpret) only what I actually hear, best define my concept of free improvisation, which I consider to be the most complex form of jazz improvisation. I think I've come very close