Variants Vincent Rein

• 1 City Of Nokia 06:17
• 2 Windmills 08:38
• 3 Farwell 07:56
• 4 Unexpected 07:57
• 5 Be Flat 06:37
• 6 A Lovely Mirage 05:53
• 7 Variants 07:34
• Total Runtime 50:52

Info for Variants

Dornbirn-based bassist and composer Vincent Rein steps confidently into the spotlight with Variants, a new album that bridges past and present, tracing the arc of his musical journey while pointing toward uncharted territory. Across seven tracks, the Vincent Rein Quintet explores a sound that is open, modern, and full of life – sometimes reflective, sometimes playful, always instinctive.

“I may never be the best, most virtuosic player on the planet, but I think my musical voice is worthy of being heard,” says Rein. That voice drives Variants, a record that blends older compositions with fresh material, balancing structured songs with improvisatory freedom. Tracks like Farwell, written for Rein’s late teacher Paulo Cardoso, honour formative influences, while newer pieces such as Unexpected and the title track Variants signal a new chapter in the quintet’s musical exploration.

The ensemble brings together musicians from two key corners of Rein’s life: longtime friends from his Munich studies, Michael Salvermoser and Max Hacker, and Austrian collaborators Konstantin Kräutler-Horváth and Fabio Devigili. A single rehearsal and one live concert were enough to select the strongest material, leaving space for spontaneity and fresh interpretations in the studio.

Rein’s path to the upright bass began at 21, after years on electric bass, and was shaped by intensive study in Munich with Patrick Scales, Paulo Cardoso, Martin Zenker, and Henning Sieverts. As a sought-after sideman, he has toured across Europe, South Africa, and Mongolia, performing in projects spanning jazz, pop, and beyond. With Variants, Rein fully asserts his voice as a bandleader, letting his compositions – and the quintet’s interplay – speak for themselves.

The album is both retrospective and forward-looking: a document of Rein’s musical journey that honours his influences while opening new sonic territory. The quintet listens, reacts, and creates together, producing a vibrant and instinctive soundscape where every member contributes equally to the evolving dialogue.

Recorded with an emphasis on ensemble chemistry and sonic clarity, Variants captures a group attuned to one another, where each player’s individuality enhances the collective sound. The album’s blend of old and new, structure and improvisation, creates a listening experience that feels intimate, immediate, and unforced.

Vincent Rein, double bass
Fabio Devigili, tenor & soprano saxophones
Michael Salvermorser, trumpet, flugelhorn
Max Hacker, piano
Konstantin Krautler-Horváth, drums

Vincent Rein
lives in Dornbirn, Austria, and received his musical training in Munich. There, he studied electric bass with Patrick Scales and double bass with Paulo Cardoso, Martin Zenker, and Henning Sieverts.

A sought-after sideman, he has participated in numerous projects and toured South Africa and Mongolia. His musical range spans from jazz and pop to a variety of other genres, drawing on extensive stage experience.

He also makes his mark as a bandleader and composer with his own ensemble, the Vincent Rein Quintet (VRQ). Alongside this, he teaches at music schools in Bregenz and Dornbirn.

This album contains no booklet.