Drummer/composer Mareike Wiening finds joy and hope during troubled times on Reveal, her third album for Greenleaf Music

As she set out to conceive the music for her third album as a leader, drummer/composer Mareike Wiening glanced around and discovered a wealth of potential inspirations in the tumultuous events of recent years. Of course, there were the global upheavals that we’ve all watched unfold with bated breath: the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, political divisiveness in the U.S., Europe and beyond.

Realizing that such heady subjects could result in a decidedly stark and somber album, Wiening chose not to react but to re- veal, searching inward for the warmth and spirit that connected her with music in the first place. On Reveal, her third album for Greenleaf Music, Wiening has crafted her richest and most deeply personal music to date.

Reveal reunites Wiening once again with her longtime working band: tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, pianist Glenn Zaleski, guitar- ist Alex Goodman, and bassist Johannes Felscher. They are joined on three tracks by esteemed trumpeter and Greenleaf founder Dave Douglas, a fervent supporter throughout Wiening’s career. Multi-faceted and intriguing, moving and exhilarating, the album is ultimately exactly what the title promises: a revelation.