snobb On ancient maps there were unknown territories signed as "Hic Svnt Dracones"(here are dragons). Polish-born Germany raised sax player Angelika Niescier leads her all-female non-convential sax / cello / drums trio towards "beyond dragons" territories.

There is not much of Polish cultural influence in Angelika's music - no beautiful tunes, no melancholy, no spiritual atmosphere at all. Having grown up in Germany from the tender age of 11, Niescier sounds much more like Peter Brötzmann than Adam Pieronczyk (or Tomasz Stanko, if you want). The trio's other member, American cellist Tomeka Reid, is a significant figure on the international contemporary jazz scene, she adds a lot of creative vibes to the album's music. Third member, lesser known NYC-based drummer Savannah Harris, holds her own and does not descend below her better known collaborater's musicianship.

The album's music, which sounds free from first touch, actually contains Angelika's compositions mixed with improvisation, all under strict Niescier control. Quite heavyweight and teutonically-brutal by nature, "Beyond Dragons" is still not a radical assault attack in Brötzmann's fashion, more a well calculated, but creative product of German engineering. Not really often such music is produced by young female trio hands.