Philippe Lemm was the first Dutch drummer to earn a master’s degree at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music in New York. His background as a dancer is a theme on the album First Steps, which appeared in the spring of 2021. The compositions were partly inspired by traditional dance styles, and partly by the impact of the pandemic. The overall message is to ‘keep moving, keep flowing, be flexible.’

The music of the Philippe Lemm Trio radiates the energy and urgency of New York and its many cultures. After ten years of collaboration, pianist Angelo Di Loreto suddenly passed away in October 2020. First Steps, one of his last recordings, is dedicated to him. Alongside original music, the album contains works by Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel, and the Argentinian classical composer Alberto Ginastera.

Philippe Lemm drums, Sharik Hasan piano, Jeff Koch bass