Roger Cicero: A Great looking for the "Where"

In a far-reaching consensus with most music connoisseurs I might find myself with the statement that Roger Cicero not only has an excellent voice, but also a finely nuanced, always stylistically musical sense, can shine with fantastic entertainer qualities, in short, is a artist, as it exists in terms of its undoubted skills very few (!) in the German-speaking countries.
Nevertheless, his new album "Whatever comes" for me so far the only represent, that leaves me a little perplexed. Voice, phrasing as said of style are on the usual high level; the production is perfect and polished. You can feel that a lot of work and even more fine-tuning in this stuck result that the singer's heart and soul into the matter - and yet, this album can not fully satisfy. Can not completely satisfactory, since it lacks the wit, the Cicero of his time reussierte fulminant, for long stretches and hardly brilliant melodic arcs holds, can not really excite as it partially trying balances to cope with the recently experienced private turmoil musical. Although perfectly legitimate, sacrificing the joy of playing, the spark which so far skipped all previous albums as well as the ease in niveauvoll settled that Roger had (not just for me) advised the exception.

To avoid misunderstandings: Every artist has to evolve, if he does not want to risk stagnating and totzureiten a formerly successful scam. This danger, he would have succumbed to "Artgerecht" certainly with a 1 to 1-continuation of the airy-cracking big band style, but spun the more distinctive elements of the first-fruits in very similar ways. Therefore I also have "at this moment", has been set for the first time on quieter, jazzy sounds with, joyful and pleased welcomed - is it but a coherent body album, sometimes melancholically profound, sometimes the joy of life bursting and full of wit, but always stilvereinend, floating melodic, "round".

Die-hards Cicero fans (and of which I am aware) will punish me with contempt and the corresponding "clicks". Still, I'm conscious of all subjectivity not avoid the following conclusion: "Whatever comes" can give this feeling of unity, miss this "round" in the versatile, for the Roger Cicero previously like no one else was, and certainly want to continue figuring. In addition, I can not I the impression that he is looking for a new direction in his musical future, not help. Seen on its own, the current disc will be described as a success. In the context of the predecessor but it is weakening.

"Do not ask where" is the title of the last song, a uncommonly touching-intimate, piano-dominated ballad, with the voiced Cicero - withdrawn here behave - is able to meet every feeling could end human beings in the midst of the soul - perhaps the signpost right in the direction?