“I will take my rage and use it for love.“

The Leipzig based quartet Pauline Réage charges into fresh ground, armed with raw energy and a voice that sings in multitudes. Réage is just one letter away from Rage. Passion, unrestraint and a socially critical agenda are at play here, often following philosophical rather than musical instructions while asserting their place in jazz.

"In the current social context, jazz remains a powerful tool for driving change. We just need to hold it accountable," proclaims Munka, who named the quartet after the pseudonym of French writer Anne Desclos, whose work "The Story of O" continues to challenge normative gender roles.

Anne Munka, singer and initiator of the project, describes their music as "dramatic, empathetic, and lyrical" a reflection of her own artistic evolution. Just a few years ago, she was primarily engaged in literature, sound art, and radio drama. Collaborations with artists like Marcel Beyer, Rabih Lahoud, Nora Gomringer, and Günther "Baby" Sommer have not only given her a broad artistic basis, but also laid the foundation for her jazz quartet Pauline Réage.

Pianist Olga Reznichenko met Munka through an improvisational encounter at a small Free Jazz festival. Both share a love for genre-bending, a product of their cultivated musical versatility. In 2022, they formed the quartet, joined by drummer Maximilian Breu and bassist Robert Lucaciu. Their combined backgrounds span a cappella, noise, metal, indie pop, classical modernism and - jazz. While this may seem like a random list, each genre finds its place on the album, with no element merely added for flair. Munka expertly integrates the band members’ preferences and strengths, providing Reznichenko and Lucaciu room to shine while Breu’s unpretentiously expressive drumming provides the necessary drive.

Their debut album is a testament to diversity. Pop culture references intermingle with the idioms of jazz, creating a tapestry of complex harmonies, rhythmic structures, free improvisations, written solos, and simple song forms. Munka’s melodies are arrestingly catchy, shifting from innocent simplicity to intricate sophistication, creating a cohesive narrative through contrast.

From the very first track, the listener is pulled into a panorama of "extended songwriting." Following the lead voice, one is quickly immersed in a glossolalia of scat, spoken word, and polyphony — the instrumentalists also use their voices. A haunting Bukowski setting and a composition by Reznichenko with Munka’s lyrics further enrich the album’s emotional depth.

Munka’s work is laced with humor and a touch of melancholy. In one track, she wishes to become a "happiness machine," a sentiment buoyed by the band’s response: "This machine does self-care." As she explains, “Programmatic aspects and dramaturgy are crucial in my compositions, even though I love the wild, the playful, and the accidental.” She draws on poetry, original recordings, and even scientific texts to give her jazz singing a contemporary relevance.
With dedication, Pauline Réage defies expectations for a vocal-fronted jazz band. You get nothing sketched nor hinted with them. There is only the full package!
However, the eclectic quartet always remains consistently poetic and balances intensity with a desire for gentleness — "Gentle Destruction" is perhaps exactly what we need.