Sza / Za (Szamburski, Zakrocki) - Przed Południem, Przed Zmierzchem (Lado ABC, 2009)

SzaZa (band)

Paweł Szamburski - violin, viola, drums

Patryk Zakrocki - clarinets, voice

Przed Południem, Przed Zmierzchem (Lado ABC, 2009)

One of the most astonishing albums recorded in recent years in Polish avantgarde music is little known in Poland, with only few and positive in the country and with virtually no reviews abroad. It's beyond me! Where all these people, critics included, have their ears? How can pure beauty go near them but they remain deaf when it sings for them? This text is my humble and certainly inappropriate attempt to change this state of affairs.

Duo Sza / Za is arguably the best Polish avantgarde duo along with Mikrokolektyw (check their "Revisit") or Jachna / Buhl ("Unfinished Books"). This music is so original, so fresh, so innovatory that no labels may well described it. Only for the reason it puzzles, it disorientates, it pushes boundaries forth it may be called jazz but otherwise it has few if any features of typical jazz music that you might know up to this moment. What is it then like?    

I would compare it to moments of day-dreaming, in minutes of greatest August haze at midday or when twilight comes and all people look suddenly terrified by something unknown and odious. What is most astonishing is that these splendid two CD albums contain music composed for two theater performanes "Before Noon, Before Dusk" (album's title translated) and "Sentimental Piece for 4 Actors" both directed by Paweł Cieplak. But very rarely as in this case thetare music stands entirely for itself and separated from stage communicates so well with a listener. There is not any scratch, cut, roughness which will indicate that this music was rearranged and adjusted to needs of a double CD.

Let us finally ask most important question: who are those artists resposible for such a heavenly music? Paweł Szamburski and Patryk Zakrocki - rememer their names - as they at all probability will be in years to come most original vioces in Polish contemporary music. In fact they already have impressive streak of projects and records they took part in. Szamburski's clarinet may be found on such excellent albums as "Branches Of Dirty Delight" (2009), "Itstikeyt / Fargangenheit" (2010) or "Lark Uprising" (2010). As for Zakrocki's violin on this blog you find him on recording by Tupika (2006) but he is very well known as animator of Warsaw avantgarde and underground scene with more then 10 albums he already appeared in.

Magic music, great muscians, powerful jazz. All is in this music to be wholeheartedly recommended!

Pure magic...check it ot please...

Author of text: Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html