Ludo Kotlár Trio – Hangin' (2017)

Ludo Kotlár Trio

Ľudovít Kotlár - piano
Tymon Trąbczyński - bass
Marian Ševčík- drums
Lukáš Oravec - trumpet

Wayne Escoffery - saxophone

Hangin'




HUDOBNY FOND 8588006417197

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by young Slovak pianist/composer Ludo Kotlár, recorded with his trio: Polish bassist Tymon Trąbczyński and already established Slovak drummer Marian Ševčík. Slovak trumpeter Lukas Oravec and American (Born in London) saxophonist Wayne Escoffery guest on four tracks, transforming the classic trio into a classic quintet. The album presents eight compositions, five of which are original compositions by Kotlár, two are by Oravec and one is a standard.

The music is all melodic mainstream Jazz, with solid compositions but very little challenge as far innovation and contribution to the idiom is concerned. The way the music is performed is also very conventional and although highly professional, it lacks inspiration or flair. The album is very similar to thousands of American mainstream Jazz albums, which were all made as if from one mold. The music lacks any European aesthetic or Folkloristic influences, and is therefore just a copy of the American tradition, which stopped developing since the days of Bebop.

The individual statements by the musicians are all flawless of course and Kotlár plays very well technically, but lacks originality. Of course this is just my opinion and many mainstream Jazz lovers could probably enjoy this album immensely. For me it is all just déjà vu.