3275kg Orchestra – 1 (2015)

3275kg Orchestra

Maciej Trifonidis - leader, production, percussion
with 30 musicians

1

BCK 2015




By Adam Baruch

This is another interesting project by Polish Jazz musician/composer/visionary Maciej Trifonidis, who leads here an orchestra of thirty musicians, which performs thirteen original compositions by Trifonidis and other members of the orchestra. The sheer scale of such a project and its musical and logistical complexity clearly proves that Trifonidis is a genius and a dreamer, who manages to pull off projects, which nobody else dares even to think about.

Although separately titled, the thirteen pieces serve musically as a continuous musical suite, which stylistically freely moves between styles and genres, amalgamating Jazz with contemporary Classical, Pop, Rock, Musical and World Music. The themes are clearly melodious and harmonious, with the improvisations and orchestral arrangements being all well within the musical mainstream, which is quite surprising considering Trifonidis' previous association with much more adventurous musical forms. This music is definitely accessibly to all music lovers, even the most conservative ones.

Of course such complex ensembles are extremely difficult to being properly recorded and this album does suffer from many sound problems with the overall ambience being muffled and the separation nonexistent. In case where this music would have been properly recorded, it would probably sound infinitely more attractive.

Nevertheless it is a very ambitious, unusual and daring project, which deserves admiration and support and it is encouraging to see it being actually brought into existence. One can only thank Trifonidis for not giving up and consistently producing works of great musical merit. This album is wholeheartedly recommended to all listeners who are ready to reach beyond the obvious. Well done Maestro!