Jacek Kochan & musiConspiracy - Parentes (2017)

Jacek Kochan & musiConspiracy

Fabrizio Brusca - guitar
Zbigniew Chojnacki - accordion
Łukasz Poprawski - saxophones
Mateusz Smoczyński - violin
Wiesław Wysocki - bass clarinet, baritone saxophone
Michał Kapczuk - bass
Jacek Kochan - drums, percussion, electronics

and others

Parentes

HEVHETIA 0158

By Adam Baruch

This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz drummer/composer Jacek Kochan, recorded in a quartet setting with young virtuoso accordionist Zbigniew Chojnacki, Italian guitarist Fabrizio Brusca and bassist Michał Kapczuk. Ten additional musicians (brass and string sections) play on some tracks. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Kochan.

The music is dominated by odd meters and irregular rhythmic patterns as well as World Music motifs and Rock/Fusion excursions, with strong Jazz affiliations but not really Jazz per se; altogether pretty weird and intriguing mixture of styles and influences. The melodic content is ragged and difficult to follow for an average listener. The overall result is quite a challenge to the listeners, but also offers plenty of opportunities to find a connection with fairly uncommon music.

The individual performances are all excellent with Chojnacki stealing the show with his incredible sensitivity and layers of melodic revelations. Brusca is more proficient in the Rock/Fusion environment than within the Jazz idiom. Kapczuk plays well and provides a solid bottom that holds the music together. The leader's assertive drumming dominates the proceedings taking no prisoners. The occasional orchestral arrangements do not change the character and outcome of the music significantly.

Overall this is an interesting and challenging album, which may require several listening sessions to win the listener over. Kochan does not stay still and constantly tries out new ways to express his musical ideas and doing his own thing, for which he deserves to be praised. This is not easy stuff, but definitely worth investigating.