Levity Trio & Toshinori Kondo - Chopin Shuffle (2010)

Levity Trio & Toshinori Kondo

Jacek Kita - fortepian, pianet, syntezatory, samplery

Piotr Domagalski - kontrabas, gitara basowa, szklanka, papier, odglosy paszcza
Jerzy Rogiewicz - perkusja
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Toshinori Kondo - trabka elektryczna
Gaba Kulka - spiew (8)
Grzegorz Uzdanski - recytacja (9)
Raphael Roginski - gitara elektryczna (6)
Tomasz Duda - saksofon barytonowy (12-A, 10-B)

Chopin Shuffle (2010)

Levity is Jacek Kita (keyboards), Piotr Domagalski (basses) and Jerzy Rogiewicz (drums). They started playing together in 2005, when Kita and Rogiewicz met during their composition studies at Academy of Music in Krakow. Their debut, self titled album released in 2009 by buoyant label Lado ABC was exploring the boundaries of improvisation within the schemes of classical jazz song form. All pieces written by Levity, ranged from ethereal „scandinavian” sounding lyricism to complex, polytonal broken beats played with punk energy. 

Their second, double album „Chopin Shuffle” (Universal 2010) presented the band extending their sound with synthesisers, electric basses, effects, samples and top notch production. It is also a concept album with all the pieces based on Frederic Chopin’s cycle of 24 preludes op.28. A special guest on „Chopin Shuffle” is Toshinori Kondo – legendary Japanese avantgarde trumpet player. Moreover the album features Gabriela Kulka (vocals), Grzegorz Uzdanski (poetry), Raphael Roginski (guitar) and Tomasz Duda (baritone sax).

„On Chopin Shuffle a weel trained ear may hear politexturalism of John Zorn, Jamie Saft’s serenity, rhythmic combinations of Autechre and Aphex Twin, naivity of polish cartoons from the sixties, hardcore noise, gentleness of a good song. And Chopin? Not too much, but that’s the strenght of Levity – they made Chopin’s preludes they own pieces. „Shuffle” is the most adventurous up to date attempt of creative use of Chopins music.” 

Tracklisting: 

CD 1: 1. The Funniest Joke; 2. Canis Major; 3. Fashion Victims; 4. Ticking Love; 5. Kolberger; 6. Grave; 7. Riff?49 (Chant Of The Plants); 8. Sans Voix; 9. Cieplo; 10. Tempus Fungus; 11. Elephant Vs Lion; 12. 16 Tons?

CD 2: 1. Humans; 2. Keya; 3. Take Me To The Woods; 4. Hommage A Emil Zatopek; 5. A Miracle; 6. Mchy; 7. We Also Have Snow In Poland; 8. In C; 9. Hennessey; 10. Passacaglia - Animals; 11. Interludium; 12. Finale - Spirits

By Jacek Hawryluk
Polish Radio