The New Cool – David Helbock

The New Cool is an album by Austrian pianist and composer David Helbock, released by ACT Music in 2021 with guitarist Arne Jansen and trumpeter Sebastian Studnitzky.

Working without bass or drums, the trio builds its language around piano, guitar, trumpet and a subtle use of electronics. The project draws on principles associated with cool jazz —melodic clarity, space, restraint and attention to timbre— while placing them within a contemporary setting shaped by jazz, rock, pop and classical music.

The repertoire combines compositions by Helbock, Jansen and Studnitzky with reinterpretations of music by Benny Golson, Frédéric Chopin, Jack Bruce, Cyndi Lauper, Matt Dennis and Peter Madsen. This breadth allows the trio to work with material from very different traditions while maintaining a cohesive sonic identity.