Yelena Eckemoff - 2026 - Rosendals Garden

(88:00; L & H Production)






















This is only the second album I have come across from Russian pianist Yelena Eckemoff, but this is her 23rd since 2010! Born and raised in Russia, Yelena’s mother was a professional pianist and teacher, so she started playing by ear from a very early age. Yelena became a classical concert pianist yet after graduation from the Moscow State Conservatory she kept looking for new styles and played piano in progressive rock and jazz-rock bands. She stopped playing to have a family, and then emigrated to rural North Carolina, and with her children growing up she returned to music.

This album was recorded over two days in Benny Anderson’s (yes, ABBA) studio in Sweden and is co-credited to the other two musicians who were involved, Svante Henryson (cello, double bass, electric basses) and Morgan Ågren (Karmakanic, ex-Devin Townend-live, ex-Magma-live) on drums and percussion. Yelena provided all compositions and arrangements, played all piano and keyboards, and even painted the artwork used on the cover. The last time I heard her I felt it was progressive mixed with classical, and while that is still true with this one, there are also a huge number of jazz influences with Ågren doing far more than just provide rhythm and time as he contributes to the melody and Henryson providing wonderfully warm fretless melody which both contrasts and underpins the piano, while keyboards are used sparingly and generally just to provide backdrop.

It is an album which for the most part is relaxing, and I certainly feel it captures in music the feeling of walking through a large garden and finding different beauty and patches of sunlight as one strays from the path. It is an album which demands attention as it is only then that the hidden layers and nuances really come to light, as otherwise it just becomes background noise, and it deserves far more than that. When Henryson bows the cello it takes on a whole new perspective and Eckemoff allows the other musicians to clearly demonstrate their skills, allowing them into the foreground when the time is right. This is yet another incredibly interesting and fascinating release from Yelena as she continues to seamlessly blend different musical styles. 

Kev Rowland, July 2026

Links:
https://yelenamusic.com/
https://landhproduction.com/

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