Piotr Melech / Fred Lonberg-Holm - Coarse Day (Multikulti, 2011)

Fred Lonberg-Holm - cello, electronics

Piotr Mełech - clarinet

Coarse Day (Multikulti, 2011)

This is full-throttle avant-garde duo of quality as good as any great free jazz duos of the past or present times. Mature, deep and resonant this music is indeed "coarse" since it is wholesome, edgy, massive. It has all irritating qualities of modern free jazz that it is difficult, ambitious, even repulsive at first. But I keep returning to this CD over and over again while many other nicer and well-trimmed albums though more attractive at first listen are already long gone from stack of CDs I keep close to my Marantz CD player for daily use.

Musicians standing behind this recording are cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and clarinetist Piotr Mełech. Lonberg-Holm is a well known figure on American free jazz and improvised scene. He studied at Julliard School  and later was taught by Anthony Braxton. His bio abounds in great names of musicians with whom he cooperated: Joe McPhee, Peter Brotzmann or Ken Vandermark. Among his many projects stands out the Valentine Trio where he plays together with Jason Raebke (bass) and Frank Rosaly (drums), both excellent players.

Therefore Piotr Mełech may count himself fortunate to have such a powerful, creative and charismatic partner. However he met the challenge and to no surprise: his recent streak of recordings is impressive indeed! Check at least those two described on our blog: "W Pustyni i w puszczy" (2010) by Yazzbot and "Love Communication" (2011) by Tfaruk. In both these projects he played significant role but this album as well as CDs by his band called Enterout Trio (review of albums by this band soon on our blog) may serve as best examples of his great talent. 

Speaking shortly, certainly not a easy morsel to swallow this one is like late love: complicated, troublesome but shall leave your music soul "shaken not stirred"...

Check fantastic tune from this album titled "Mildrew Gourmet"... 

Author: Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html