Translated from Dutch:

«An album by a Swiss quartet named Itakiry, built around singer Chiara Schönfeld, released on the label of vocalist Sanne Rambags. It must be something special, and it is. Schönfeld possesses a clear and powerful voice, and she wrote most of the pieces on this album herself, except for the lyrics of the poem "I Am Not Yours," a poem by Sara Teasdale (1884-1933). In a song like "Sad Again," the singer showcases her full range, with poignant support from pianist Xavier Almeida. This isn't in an up-tempo rhythm ballad but in a slow song with many silences and contemplative pauses. The name Itakiry means 'water from the rocks,' an image we also encounter in the work of Remco Campert. That same melancholic tone resonates throughout this beautiful album. There's no empty gimmickry, just artistic necessity, which Itakiry passionately pursues.»

— by Coen de Jonge

Gentle by Nature

«Released on Sonna Records, the first full-length album by Swiss jazz quartet ITAKIRY (formed in 2019) reached our ears. Swiss-German founder Chiara Nolwenn Itakiry Schönfeld, who also is the band’s primary composer and singer, named the band after her third name. If we could conceptualize the album in two words, we would use ‘Emotions’ and ‘Nature’ which are the most appealing lyrical themes.

The music is very gentle in nature, and the soothing voice of Schönfeld is prominent in all works. Not does she just sing in the conventional way; she uses her voice as an instrument, and mixes her rich melodies with intense improvised passages. The works are unconventional in form, and do invite the listener for many replays to fully digest the beauty of it all. The sound is equally important as the music here, with very bright and punchy double bass by Francesco Losavio, subtle and colorful drumming by Maris Egli and versatile, dynamic piano work with layered intonation, by Xavier Almeida.

Particularly commendable is the time, space and peace that is taken to let the pieces truly breathe and develop organically. The lyrics are of a very mature nature, and reflect on the deeper emotions of the human spirit, with metaphors from nature. Even a poem from the late Sara Teasdale (1884-1933) has been translated to tranquil music, superb melodies and chord progressions.

ITAKIRY delivered a debut of a bejeweling brilliance.»

— Robin Boer

Translated from Dutch:

★★★★

« […] Schönfeld - blessed with a beautiful voice - has a very supple flexible vocal style that could easily be called fluid; in any case, she is as agile as water. The three musicians (piano, bass, drums) follow her seemingly effortlessly in this style. Remarkably, the music often comes across as light yet deeply moving.

Schönfeld admirably stays miles away from any kind of pathos and it is precisely this unadorned pure way of singing that lets her get close to the listener and thus convey the underlying emotion of the songs. And then she also writes beautiful songs that again have something very pure and sincere. Often, like for instance the already mentioned Sailor's Song, they are seemingly simple with melodies that seem to have been plucked right out of the air and which the listener then does not forget.

Usually, Schönfeld keeps it small, but at times she dares to let herself go completely. At those moments, her singing gets something raw, like Bjørk’s, but at the same time it remains intimate in a way that reminds of Dutch singer Sanne Rambags. Either way, it is an impressive record.»

— Mischa Andriessen

Translated from Dutch (p. 10):

«The latest production from SONNA Records, vocalist Sanne Rambags' own label, was made by her soulmate Chiara Schönfeld. Swiss singer-songwriter Schönfeld's songs and the way she sings them are different from Sanne Rambags', but are in the same atmosphere. Schönfeld has a crystal-clear voice and sings with the purity of spring water. It is a joy to hear such a beautiful voice. The rhythm trio of Itakiry, named after her third given name and meaning 'water flowing from the rocks', is also from Lucerne and is fully at her service. The introspection is underlined as the trio moves through the compositions in stocking feet. Bass, drums and piano carefully dot the notes to avoid breaking the fragile structure. Usually Schönfeld sings her own lyrics with words, regularly she also sings textlessly with the sound telling the story. The music meanders slowly, cautiously and sensitively through the songs. The theme is aimed at her peers: people in their twenties and thirties. It is all about love, or rather the problems, expectations and disappointments associated with it. This reviewer has reached an age where he left these themes behind him long ago and knows that that prince on the white horse is not coming and does not exist. But even Chiara Schönfeld knows by now that twinkling eyes are sometimes for show and falling in love is a projection of your own hopes. But everything will work out in the end. Don't despair but enjoy this beautiful music.»

— Tom Beetz

«This is music that I hope will play a role in our musical well-being in the future. […] 


— Jaap van de Klomp

The sound streams start slowly. Thin lines of bass, piano and percussion slowly weave into a resonating sound. The musical materJaap van de Klompial remains limited, with a lot of repetition. Above it Schönfeld’s high, clear, often vulnerable voice hovers with her poetical lyrics. There are also textless passages, supplemented here and there with backing vocals. In both pieces, Tundra and Sailor’s Song, the dynamics slowly increase through a crescendo to a climax – most intensely, even impetuously, in Sailor’s Song. Finally we return to the beginning, ending in silence…»

— Ben Zwanink

Translated from Dutch:

« […] Schönfeld is a true jazz singer who here presents us with a fine selection of listening songs, in which all emotions are well covered. Her three fellow musicians: pianist Xavier Almeida, bassist Francesco Losavio and drummer Maris Egli, fulfil primarily an accompanying role, also in their solos. Take the somewhat sad 'Sad Again', in which we first hear Schönfeld with the theme, after which Almeida gives his reading. Not a groundbreaking album, what Schönfeld does is fully in the tradition, but a very beautiful and tuneful one. And as nice as some more up tempo pieces like 'Sailor's Song' are, she still comes into her own best in those more subdued tracks, like the aforementioned 'Sad Again' and pieces like 'I Am Not Yours' and 'Water Poem'. That is sometimes different for the musicians, the dynamic passage of 'Rooftops' definitely belongs to one of the most interesting parts of the album.»

— Ben Taffijn