Szymon Klima Quintet - Folwark (2018)

Szymon Klima Quintet

Szymon Klima - clarinet
Dariusz Rubinowski - tenor saxophone
Jakub Mizeracki - guitar
Adam Kowalewski - double bass
Jakub Miarczyński - drums

Folwark



HEVHETIA 0166

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz quintet led by clarinetist/composer Szymon Klima, which also includes saxophonist Dariusz Rubinowski, guitarist Jakub Mizeracki, bassist Adam Kowalewski and drummer Jakub Miarczyński. The album presents six pieces, which are all interpretations of Polish Folklore in the widest meaning of the idiom, including even Polish Hassidic music, and also include some improvised and inspired motifs created by the quintet members.

In 2017 Klima, as a member of the Improvision Quartet, released one of the best Polish Jazz albums of that year, the fantastic "Free-Folk-Jazz", and this album is in many respects a continuation of the same approach, although the sound is somewhat different. Instead of the wonderful piano parts, which placed the music closer to the Free Jazz milieu, on this album the guitar takes the music more into Free Rock direction. But the basic characteristics of the previous album, which are above all about the intimate conversations between the musicians and the mutual development of ideas, are still here.

The individual contributions by all the quintet members are all superb, and the virtuosic statements chase each other as the music moves forward. Solos, duos, trios and full quintet parts move in and out in a magical flow, which is unstoppable. There is accord and contrast, harmony and discord, all making perfect sense. The "sweet" mellow clarinet sound and the harsh distorted guitar din are able to coexist in perfect coherence and musical logic. The rhythm section is brought up to the level of the other instruments and becomes an integral part of the music, especially in the heat of the group improvisation parts.

It seems that Polish Jazz manages time after time to create innovative and challenging statements when re-examining and re-approaching the Polish Folklore musical tradition, which is broad and rich, probably more successfully that similar attempts on other Jazz scenes around the world. This album is another example of the inspiration that Polish Folklore is able to arouse, stimulate and inspire, taking the amalgamated result into unpredicted and previously uncharted territory.

Overall this is yet another highly successful and rewarding musical experiment by Klima and his cohorts, which delivers excellent music and challenging, but highly rewarding listening experience. For Polish/European Jazz connoisseurs this is a golden nugget and a must have in every serious/advanced Jazz-World Fusion collection. Hats off!