This is a solo piano album by
Polish Jazz pianist/composer/arranger Krzysztof Herdzin, who is a highly
respected musician on the local scene, known for his professionalism and
perfectionism. The album, which is Herdzin's first solo piano venture, presents
nine improvised pieces, which as the album's title and the liner notes
describe, are highly personal reflections of his musical life's experiences,
impulsively created on the spur of the moment.
In the last few years of his
career Herdzin gradually moved away from Jazz towards other musical areas,
mostly contemporary Classical Music and stage music. This album follows the
same pattern, perhaps subconsciously, but it has very little to do with Jazz
per se, and is much closer to Classical forms of expression. Although the
melodic content is very fragmented, the overall mood is mostly lyrical and
romantic, often quite minimalist. Herdzin uses mostly single notes and chords
are being used sparingly, which creates tension and anticipation, but on the
other hand makes the music somewhat difficult to follow after a while.
Overall this is an interesting
experiment, which offers a unique glimpse of Herdzin's complex musical
personality. His customary listeners might find this music a tad too difficult
to swallow, surely in the initial attempt, but this album grows on the listener
in time. Herdzin is unquestionably a highly talented composer and performer,
but he is often more appreciated by his peers than by the general public. It is
good to see him let go of his disciplined approach and indulge in
improvisation, even if the improvisation is somewhat imprisoned by his
subliminal sense of order. I hope this album gets the exposure it deserves, and
music connoisseurs will discover another facet of Herdzin's music. Recommended!
This is an album by a Polish
Jazz trio led by drummer/composer Rafał Gorzycki, who also plays piano, with
flautist Tomasz Pawlicki and guitarist Jakub Ziołek, both of which employ also
electronics. The album presents ten original compositions, eight of which are
credited to all the trio members and two are by Gorzycki. This album is a
second part of a triptych of trio recordings by Gorzycki, continuing the
"Playing" album released a couple of years earlier. The music was
excellently recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Łukasz
Olejarczyk.
The music is an esoteric
mixture of various elements, acoustic and electronic, combining modern
Classical Music vistas with improvisation and Ambient music and creating a
magical impressionist aura of anticipation and mysticism. There are also
elements of Serialism and Minimalism, all wonderfully weaved into a coherent
but hard to pinpoint continuity, which tends to flow as if propelled by its own
will. This music is more about form and sound than about melody or harmony,
very abstract and almost involuntarily creating images of impressionist
paintings before the listener's eyes.
Pawlicki stands in the very
epicenter of this music, since his magic flute produces most of the directly
audible sound, creating short melodic threads and swirls, all of which are
simply irresistibly beautiful. In complete contrast the guitar played by Ziołek
sounds nothing like a guitar, producing a plethora of sound layers and ambient
noises in the background, which is the foundation upon which the flute parts
float, similar to a wind which carries the golden autumn leaves. Gorzycki also
hardly ever plays any straightforward rhythms and his pulses are more pointers
than actual rhythmic patterns. His piano parts are also quite atypical and
serve as accents rather than harmonies.
There is no doubt that this
album constitutes a new stage in the long and prolific career of Gorzycki,
taking him into a new realm unlike anything else he attempted earlier, although
definitely being a logical extension of his earlier works. This music is more
complex and more abstract than his earlier efforts but also much more
concentrated and expressive. It is definitely much closer to cotemporary Classical
Chamber Music than to Jazz, and will probably be received as such by the
listeners. Absurdly perhaps, it is also more accessible and universal than many
of his earlier efforts.
Overall this is a stunning
piece of music, which offers novel approach to music making, unusual usage of
the instruments and explores unchartered territory as far as improvisation and
composition are intertwined and is additionally spiced with the sensational
flute playing, altogether offering a sensational musical experience. Wholeheartedly
recommended!
This is the debut album by a
duo comprising of veteran Polish Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader /
entrepreneur Krzysztof Kobyliński and French trumpeter Erik Truffaz. The album
presents nine original compositions, all by Kobyliński.
The music is all based on the
strongly melodic themes, which are Kobyliński's trademark, full of typical
Polish melancholy and lyricism and often reflecting references to Polish
Folklore. Some of these compositions appeared on earlier recordings by
Kobyliński, but this intimate duo setting puts them in a different light and
mood, and makes them worth revisiting.
Most of the improvisational
artistry on this album is naturally performed by Truffaz, who is a proven
Master of his instrument. On this album Truffaz demonstrates a mellow, melodic
mood, as appropriate for the circumstances, but his playing is full of artistry
and sensitivity. Kobyliński stays mostly in the background, accompanying the
trumpet lead amicably, taking occasional solos as well. The duo works together
well and manages to create a full musical experience, proving that the unusual
piano / trumpet instrumentation is completely viable and artistically
convincing.
Overall this is a enjoyable
album, which emphasizes the gentle side of the Jazz idiom, well within the
mainstream tradition, but offers an unusual instrumental setting and deeply
melodic contents, which is accessible to a wide range of Jazz and Jazz related
listeners.
Tomasz Pawlicki - flet Kuba Ziołek - gitara Rafał Gorzycki - perkusja
29 listopada, godz. 20:00, COK Perełka, Gliwice
Bilety: 20 zł przedsprzedaż/25 zł w dniu koncertu
Ensemble Tuning tworzą wyjątkowi muzycy: Tomasz Pawlicki - flecista i kompozytor, jeden z największych instrumentalistów w Polsce, koncertmistrz Opery Nova w Bydgoszczy, oraz Kuba Ziołek – laureat Paszportu Polityki 2016, lider wielu ważnych projektów i zespołów z pogranicza muzyki eksperymentalnej, elektronicznej i improwizowanej – multiinstrumentalista, obsługujący tutaj elektronikę . Lider projektu i perkusista, kompozytor – Rafał Gorzycki, jest zaliczany do grona najważniejszych i najbardziej twórczych, płodnych artystów współczesnego jazzu oraz kameralistyki w Polsce. Nagrał do tej pory 22 autorskie albumy i jest laureatem wielu nagród, wyróżnień oraz stypendiów. Założeniem tria jest praca nad brzmieniem, jego transformowanie i ekspozycja jako głównej składowej muzycznej kreacji. Pierwsze koncerty formacji odbyły się jesienią 2017 roku.
Paweł Szamburski - clarinet
Michał Górczyński - contrabass clarinet
Tomasz Pokrzywiński - cello
Marcin Masecki - piano (7)
Promitat Eterno
LADO C/25
By Piotr Wojdat
Klarnecista Paweł Szamburski po znakomitym solowym "Ceratitis Capitata", które było ukłonem w stronę tradycyjnej muzyki sakralnej różnych religii basenu Morza Śródziemnego, wraz z wiolonczelistą Tomaszem Pokrzywińskim i klarnecistą Michałem Górczyńskim porusza kolejne ciekawe wątki muzyczne. Tym razem popularyzuje średniowieczne utwory Piotra z Grudziądza - postaci, która do 1975 roku nie była znana muzykologom. Dopiero czeski naukowiec Jaromír Černý odkrył jego imię zaszyfrowane w jednym z poematów.
Piotr z Grudziądza to postać tajemnicza i wciąż niewiele na jego temat wiemy - w dużym uproszczeniu może oprócz tego, że sporo podróżował i napisał kilkadziesiąt utworów. Na szczęście z roku na rok twórczość kompozytora staje się coraz bardziej popularna, o czym może świadczyć fakt, że utwory jego autorstwa można usłyszeć na Festiwalu Muzyki Dawnej w Grudziądzu, który jest jemu poświęcony. Zresztą koncerty w ramach tego wydarzenia odbywają się nie tylko w rodzimym mieście artysty, ale też w innych regionach Polski. Cegiełkę dokłada do tego Bastarda, czyli trio, które podchodzi do tematów Piotra z Grudziądza z dużym poszanowaniem dla ich charakteru. Jednocześnie Paweł Szamburski, Tomasz Pokrzywiński i Michał Górczyński nadają im współczesny sznyt, co tylko dodaje kompozycjom kolorytu.
Utwory, które zostały wybrane na potrzeby albumu "Promitat Eterno", tworzą atmosferę pełnego skupienia i nastrój lekkiego oderwania od rzeczywistości. Artyści artykułują długimi dźwiękami, więc muzyka wybrzmiewa powoli. Czasami dwa klarnety i wiolonczela tworzą mocniejsze frazy, pojawiają się też wyciszenia, ledwo słyszalne szmery - to wszystko układa się jednak w przekonującą całość i tak naprawdę trudno rozpatrywać tę płytę w kontekście poszczególnych utworów.
W muzyce Bastardy słychać echa nie tylko muzyki dawnej, ale też tego, co Szamburski i Górczyński proponują słuchaczom w kwartecie klarnetowym Ircha. Można też mieć skojarzenia z muzyką filmową Mikołaja Trzaski, która przykuwa uwagę nieprzegadanymi motywami. A z solową płytą Pawła Szamburskiego Bastardę łączy z kolei oszczędność brzmieniowa oraz surowy, pozbawiony ozdobników charakter prezentowanych kompozycji. Przez cały czas trwania albumu jesteśmy pogrążeni w mroku i melancholii. Ze średniowiecznej otchłani wydobywa nas jednak ostatni utwór na płycie, w którym gościnnie pojawia się pianista Marcin Masecki. To bardzo ciekawy kontrapunkt dla muzyki Piotra z Grudziądza w interpretacji Bastardy, a zarazem doskonałe zwieńczenie bardzo udanego wydawnictwa.
This is the debut album by
young European Jazz ensemble Living Things, which comprises of Danish
saxophonist/composer Sven Dam Meinild, Polish trumpeter Tomasz Dąbrowski,
French pianist / vibraphonist Paul Wacrenier and a Dutch rhythm section:
bassist Casper Nyvang Rask and drummer Rune Lohse. All five musicians are also
credited for playing the flute. The album presents fourteen original
compositions, nine composed by Meinild and five by Wacrenier.
The music is based on composed
themes, which serve as basis for individual and collective improvisations. It
is very open and unconstrained, obviously geared towards improvisation and
individuality, like all the albums released by the Copenhagen based Barefoot Records collective,
owned by the musicians who record on the label and which is home to some of the
most fascinating young European Jazz and Improvised Music.
Traces of many diverse musical
influences can be found in this music, from contemporary Classical to World Music
and Folklore, via the Jazz tradition, which is treated here very open-mindedly.
There are also many superb individual statements by all the musicians involved.
Dąbrowski, as usual, creates many heart-wrenching trumpet solos, which repeatedly
give evidence to the fact that he is one of the leading European trumpet
players today. But to be fair also Meinild and Wacrenier contribute many
enchanted vistas on their respective instruments, and the rhythm section, which
plays anything but rhythm of course, glues the music together.
There young European lions are
so creative and so productive/prolific, that it becomes almost impossible to
follow the avalanche of releases produced by them across the continent. Jazz/Improvised Music is experiencing an incredible Renaissance, which creates an
unprecedented surge of new music, new talents and new musical horizons, of
which this music is a commendable representative. Well done!
This is a live recording by a
quintet led by Polish Jazz saxophonist/composer Irek Wojtczak, which also
includes trumpeter Tomasz Dąbrowski, pianist Piotr Mania, bassist Adam Żuchowski and drummer Kuba Staruszkiewicz. The quintet plays music that was
recorded by the "American" quintet led by Wojtczak, which recorded
the splendid "Folk Five" album for the For Tune label slightly over a
year before this music was recorded. As the title suggests, this recording is
another attempt to play almost the same music that was recorded for the
"Folk Five" album, but this time by an all-Polish quintet. The album
presents eight tunes, all originating in Polish Folklore and arranged by
Wojtczak, six of which were already recorded on "Folk Five" and two
are new tunes used here for the first time.
The musical concept is of
course quite clear: Jazz-World Fusion which transfers some of the treasures of
Polish Folklore into the Jazz idiom, an idea that is quite common in Polish
Jazz since its Genesis. As usual, some efforts dealing with this concept worked
out better than others, but overall the seven or so decades of Polish Jazz
produced a sizable and highly original amount of superb music created under
this moniker. The aforementioned "Folk Five" album was definitely one
of the highlights of that idiom and the attempt to try and repeat the magic
that happened on that album was a bold and audacious undertaking. I am happy to
say that Wojtczak and his cohorts not only managed to recreate the magic, but also
managed to take the music to a higher plane.
There is of course no doubt as
to the quality of the music or the level of the execution, they are both simply
extraordinary. Therefore the comparison between the two versions of the music
must touch upon the fundamental differences between American and European Jazz,
of which these two albums are a textbook example or even a paradigm. One might
of course say that such comparison is a priori unfair, as the Polish Jazz
musicians are way more familiar and culturally accustomed to the Polish
Folklore element of the music than their American counterparts. But such
argument is simply irrelevant, as these two albums clearly show. These albums
are different not because the lack of familiarity with Polish Folklore by the
American musicians, but by the intrinsic attitude towards improvisation and
even more broadly towards music making, between the American and the European
Jazz musicians.
As a result of these
fundamental differences "Folk Five" remains an excellent, very well
played album, whereas "Play It Again" shows where the same music can get
to, when played without the restrictions the American Jazz tradition imposes
even on the best musicians. The flair, elegance, imagination, feeling and openness
present on this album takes it to a completely new level of awareness and creativity.
But comparisons aside, this is
above all a masterpiece of modern Polish/European Jazz, which takes the
Jazz-World Fusion idiom light years ahead in comparison to its rather humble
beginnings, clearly showing that Polish Jazz is a stronghold of originality, imagination
and musical ingenuity. This is an absolute must to
every Polish Jazz fan and a supreme gem of an album for all seasons. Hats off!
Piotr Wojtasik - trumpet
Viktor Tóth - alto saxophone, flute
Sylwester Ostrowski - tenor saxophone
Bobby Few - piano
Joris Teepe - double bass
John Betsch - drums
This is an album by the veteran
Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader / educator Piotr Wojtasik,
recorded by an international sextet, which features alongside Wojtasik also Hungarian
saxophonist/flautist Viktor Toth, Polish saxophonist Sylwester Ostrowski,
Dutch bassist Joris Teepe and American (resident in Europe)
pianist Bobby Few and drummer John Betsch. The album, which was recorded in France, presents
eight original compositions, all by Wojtasik.
The music explores the roots of
Jazz and stretches between Blues influenced early Jazz through familiar Bebop
mainstream and towards more open/Free oriented music, but stays within well
defined boundaries. The compositions are diverse and interesting, clearly
showing Wojtasik as a mature and focused composer, who is able to weave nice
melodic themes and expand them into a fully structured ensemble pieces.
Both Wojtasik and Ostrowski
consistently drift towards American Jazz and obviously prefer to play and
record with American musicians, but they do it on an equal footing with the
Americans, completely devoid of the inferiority complex that characterized
whole generations of Polish Jazz musicians for decades. The music on this album
clearly shows that they are able to stand shoulder to shoulder with their
cohorts.
The album is full of strong
personal statements by all the participants, as appropriate for such endeavor,
with the leader exploring his extensive arsenal of trumpet magic, moving with
ease between raw and fully powered statements and delicate balladry. His unique
and very personal style remains as one of the most distinctive voices of Polish
Jazz trumpet, equaled by but a very few.
Few is also a charmer with his
highly idiosyncratic piano vistas, which can be heard all along the album's
duration and come to a climax in the short solo piano piece showcasing his
abilities and dedicated to him by the leader/composer. The excellent rhythm section is
a bastion of strength and stability which keeps the music in check and moving
along the desired chronometry, completely at ease with whatever is required at
each given moment. Joris gets also a solo spot in another short piece dedicated
to him. An artistry of time and pulse…
Overall this is an excellent
album by any standard and although it offers contemporary Jazz of the American
flavor, rather than European Jazz which one expects to hear from European Jazz
musicians, it is perfectly executed, interesting and inspiring, full of great
ideas and obviously highly engaging. Wojtasik deserves admiration and praise
for consistency, which characterizes his entire career, and most importantly
for doing his thing regardless of trends and fads of fashion. Keep swinging
Maestro!
Jan Małkowski - saxophones
Dominik Mokrzewski - drums
Riders From The Ra
CREATIVE SOURCES 545
By Andrzej Nowak
Pod intrygująca nazwą Skerebotte Fatta kryje się duet młodych polskich improwizatorów – saksofonista Jan Małkowski i perkusista Dominik Mokrzewski. Obydwu tych dżentelmenów powinniśmy kojarzyć z Warsaw Improvisers Orchestra, a także z jej równie udaną "small version", czy kwintetem Infant Joy.
Na krążku dumnie nazwanym "Riders From The Ra" (cała historia rocka i jazzu leży u ich stóp), z pełną odwagą rzucają się na klasyczny idiom free jazzu, czyli "sax & drums", i wychodzą z tej nierównej walki prawdziwie zwycięzcy. Przyznaję bez cienia wątpliwości, iż tak dobrej, klasycznie free jazzowej płyty nie słyszałem w wykonaniu polskich muzyków od lat. Do tego wszystkiego wydawcą jest portugalski Creative Sources, co niezależnie od wszelkich uwarunkowań ekonomicznych tego faktu, jest dla młodych improwizatorów dalece nobilitujące. Zajrzyjmy zatem do środka i sprawdźmy, co też dzieje się w trakcie ośmiu utworów zawartych na płycie (muzycy, nieco przekornie, nazwali swe dzieło „all compositions”).
Startujemy w towarzystwie masywnego, krzykliwego saksofonu (tenorowego?) i mocnego, opartego na agresywnym pulsie stopy, zestawu perkusyjnego (niczym Tom Bruno). "Hey bebop!", czyli przykład free jazzu, jakiego nie gra się zbyt często na Wisłą i Odrą. W kolejnej, już nieco bardziej rozbudowanej kompozycji, napotykamy na dynamiczny, progresywny "drumming", wokół którego tańczy i swawoli saksofon (sopranowy?). Rytm, ekspresja i precyzja. A wszystko podane z niemal punkrockową bezkompromisowością i ładnie wykończone po wybrzmieniu. Trzeci odcinek startuje niemal z poziomu ciszy i płynie niczym delikatnie rozwichrzona ballada free, z której niebanalnie wyłania się zwinny, "aylerowski" hymn. Czwarty, wzorem prologu, to kolejna petarda – prawdziwy "psycho attack"! Saksofon w estetyce "harsh" i doom-metalowa perkusja! Piąty utwór koi emocje, nerwy i pot na czole - stylowy, wyrazisty, "mały" saksofon na tle talerzy.
Wreszcie tytułowa, niemal 18 minutowa, epicka free jazz drama. Muzycy zaczynają w pozycjach sonorystycznych – aktywny "drumming", zadumany "dęciak". Nie tylko żywioł free – jest struktura, dramaturgia, nieśpieszna, precyzyjna narracja. Mokrzewski znów czuwa nad całością, niczym Tom Bruno nad szaleństwami Sabira Mateena i Daniela Cartera w kwartecie Test. Obok piękna ekspozycja Małkowskiego, konsekwentna i spójna. Klasyka free jazzu potrzebuje takich nagrań, zwłaszcza 50 lat po śmierci Coltrane’a. W środkowej części utworu zwinne i przebiegłe solo perkusyjne. Po nim sopran Jana szybuje w poszukiwaniu klasycznej melodyki jego wielkiego poprzednika. Melodyka, rytm, dramaturgiczna pieczołowitość. A na finał eksplozja w samym środku tuby saksofonu.
Na ostatniej prostej dwie zgrabne, nieprzegadane numery. Najpierw spokojna "meta" ballada, niestroniąca od sonorystyki, grana swobodnie, na dużym luzie, z której błyskotliwie wyłania się pełna ekspresji narracja. Zaś sam finał płyt jest ostry, drapieżny i dynamiczny. Czyniona przy świetnej komunikacji wzajemnej, intensywna wycieczka po "złote runo". Brawo!
This is an album by the Polish
(resident in Germany)
pianist/composer Vladyslav Sendecki, who is accompanied by the highly
esteemed Polish Atom String Quartet (violinists Mateusz Smoczyński and Dawid
Lubowicz, violist Michał Zaborski and cellist Krzysztof Lenczowski). The album
presents ten compositions, five of which are original composition by Sendecki,
two were composed by his brother Stefan Sendecki, one was composed by Krzysztof
Komeda, another one by Polish Classical composer Karol Szymanowski and finally
one was composed by the German composer Wolf Kerschek. Three of the
compositions were arranged by the great British composer/arranger Michael
Gibbs.
The music focuses on relatively
little known facet of Sendecki's activity and is mostly dedicated to
contemporary Classical music, with relatively limited Jazz references. The
piano/string quartet setting suits this musical direction ideally of course
and the chamber atmosphere prevails throughout. The piano concerto "My
Polish Heart" was composed especially by Kerschek for Sendecki and was
performed by him with the NDR Big Band, of which he is the resident pianist. The
intimate version of this wonderful piece present here includes only part of the
entire composition, but reflects the spirit of the work perfectly. All the
pieces on the album are full of the characteristic Polish melancholy and
lyricism, which can be found in all Polish music regardless of the genre: Classical,
Jazz, Rock or Folklore.
The most Jazz oriented piece on
the album is of course the "Komeda Hommage", which is a medley of two
Komeda's compositions, brilliantly combining the Jazz and Classical idioms
thanks to the unique arrangement by Sendecki and the Atoms and taking a form of
a beautiful suite.
This album requires very serious
listening with attention to details and patience, as it offers a wealth of
musical thrills in every aspect. The compositions, arrangements and
performances are all loaded with deeply emotional content and are full of
virtuosic performances, which are very difficult to be absorbed all at once.
Each listening experience promises new discoveries of course. Overall this is a wonderful
album full of great music, which offers a Jazz-Classical Fusion of the highest
caliber. Lovers of Polish music, regardless of style and fashion, should be
delighted by what this album has to offer.
This is the second album by young Polish Jazz violinist/composer Tomasz Chyła, recorded with his quintet which also includes saxophonist Piotr Chęcki, pianist Szymon Burnos (also in charge of the electronic effects), bassist Krzysztof Słomkowski and drummer Sławomir Koryzno. The album presents fifteen relatively short original compositions, all of which were collectively composed by the quintet members, grouped into three "circlesongs".
In complete contrast to the
debut album, the music on this album is a cosmic jump into Avant-garde, Free
Jazz and Improvised Music, which comes as an overwhelming and complete
surprise. One can expect development and progression, sometimes gradual and in
other cases quite rapid, but taking such a dramatic and drastic step, like in
this case, is almost unheard off.
As a result the music almost
completely shuns any effort to be described. "Making love via
telephone" comes to mind in this case, as words are simply inadequate to
express the essence of this music, surely not adequately. So what can be said?
There is almost no melody, at most short bursts of a few consecutive notes, no
steady rhythm, but rather drone like passages, little dynamics and no soloing
in the traditional sense. At times the music sounds like contemporary
minimalist music, at others like Free Jazz group improvisation, and yet at
others like Avant-garde soundscapes of cinematic or theatre music.
But enough of trying to
describe the music; which is an a priori futile attempt anyway. The most
important thing is that this innovative and courageous approach works out
amazingly well and the music is simply astounding. It manages to drown in the
listener completely and entangle his attention like a spider's web. The
continuity and constant development creates a natural flow, which when
succumbed to, takes the listener on a phantasmagorical journey into the
unknown. Listening to the music for the first time is a shocking experience but
consecutive listening sessions have the power of addiction.
It makes no sense to write
about the individual contributions by the quintet members, as this album is a
classic team effort. My praise goes to the leader, who keeps his playing on the
same level, and perhaps even more modest, that his cohorts, which in this case
is the most sensible decision. These players have already proved their chops on
numerous other recordings, and this music is all about unison.
It is not often that a new
genre/idiom/form is created in music, especially so in Jazz (in its broad
meaning), but this album definitely is an eye (ears) opener in many aspects.
Many of the elements used here have been tried out earlier on, but placing them
together in this specific climate, order and context is completely innovative,
even for the Polish Jazz scene, which bursts with innovation. One can not
predict the future of course, but this album is definitely a Giant Step as far
as Polish/European Jazz are concerned and only future will tell of its
influence on the genre. It epitomizes everything that European Jazz stands for:
innovation, inventiveness, boldness, open-mindedness, elegance and beyond all
musical aesthetics, which exists only in Europe.
To put things boldly: this is a
fucking great album (excuse my French) and you better believe it! As far as I am concerned, this
album is already the winner of the best Polish Jazz album for 2018 and it will
take a miracle to change my mind. I am not so sure if the usual bunch of Polish
Jazz "critics" will be able to swallow this music so easily, but who
gives a damn. Hopefully they will, as usual, follow my lead, even when they
hate the music.
This is a live recording by a trio comprising of American drummer/multi-instrumentalist Calvin Weston and two Polish musicians: bassist/guitarist Krzysztof Majchrzak and violinist Henryk Gembalski. The album presents eight original pieces, all spontaneously improvised by the trio and co-credited to them.
The music is an amalgam of
influences but basically comes down to Avant-garde Jazz-Rock Fusion, which
although improvised has a clear melodic backbone, which serves as the underlying
element for the extended improvisations. The unusual instrumental lineup
creates a very effective ambience and the use of violin brings fond memories of
early Fusion ensembles that featured the violin, like Flock, Hands and others.
Gembalski, one of the most
underappreciated Polish Jazz figures, clearly proves that he is as good as any
of his contemporaries, but his association with the Polish Avant-garde prevented
his recognition in the mainstream Jazz circles, which is a great pity. Majchrzak drives the trio with
his full bodied bass lines, which provide the continuity needed to avoid total
mayhem. He is a perfect link between the stratospheric violin parts and the
down to earth rhythmic layer provided by the drums.
Weston, a veteran improviser
who played with some of the most important American Jazz innovators, turns out
to be a gifted trumpeter as well, and his tribal drumming is exactly what this
music needs. Overall this is a very
interesting musical adventure, different stylistically and aesthetically from
the usual Fusion outings, full of excellent solo parts and superb cooperation
between the participating musicians, especially in view of the fact that the
music was improvised live. For connoisseurs of the violin in Jazz / Fusion,
this is a revelation.
This is the debut album by young
Polish Jazz quintet led by pianist/composer Mateusz Sobiechowski with
saxophonist Marcin Kaletka, guitarist Szymon Mika, bassist Adam Tadel and
drummer Grzegorz Pałka, all representatives of the excellent young Polish Jazz
generation. The album presents nine pieces, eight of which are original
compositions by Sobiechowski and one is a standard. The album was released by
the prestigious Dutch label Challenge Records, which recently entered the
Polish Jazz realm. The recording was engineered my Maciej Stach and offers a
superb sound quality.
The music is typical
contemporary Polish/European mainstream Jazz, based on excellent compositions
and performed with elegance and passion. Most of the themes are low key, full
of characteristic Polish melancholy, which seems to be omnipresent on the
majority of Polish Jazz recordings. The compositions are excellently
structured, diverse and interesting enough to produce a fascinating continuity
which keeps the listener on his toes.
The performances are also top
notch, obviously highly professional, but more importantly heartfelt, artistically
inclined and highly aesthetic. All three front line players offer excellent
soloing and the rhythm section does a perfect job all the way through, being supportive
but not obtrusive. Personally I find the contributions by Mika to be slightly
more focused and inspired than those of his peers, but that said, and as
already stated, everybody plays splendidly. Sobiechowski solos relatively sparingly
for a leader, which is much respected, as it contributes to the overall quintet's
team spirit and creates a coherent ensemble statement.
Overall this is a very
impressive debut, which offers both superb compositions and elegant execution,
which would not shame veteran Jazz musicians anywhere on this planet. It is
another manifestation of the strength of the Polish Jazz scene and its continuous
development, which is now being recognized beyond the country's borders. Warmly
recommended to Jazz connoisseurs the world over!
Ola Mońko - piano
Jerzy Małek - trumpet
Maciej Sikała - tenor saxophone
Michał Barański - bass
Eric Allen - drums
Wherever You Are
SOLITON 846
By Krzysztof Komorek
Podwórko w bocznej uliczce. Niepozorne drzwi, które prowadzą do niewielkiego hallu i schodów w dół. Zejście do piwnicy z ceglanym sklepieniem. Niewielka przestrzeń. Bar. Stoliki. Sala na 100 osób. Scena z występującym na niej zespołem. Jazz. "Rozbrzmiewające w powietrzu dźwięki same układają się w melodię, tak jak dym z papierosa w niebieskie smugi" [Antonio Munoz Molina, "Zima w Lizbonie" w przekładzie Wojciecha Charchalisa, Wyd. Rebis, Poznań 2016]. Takie oto wrażenia oferuje wydana niedawno płyta Aleksandry Mońko-Allen.
Pianistka i kompozytorka zdobyła wykształcenie w katowickiej Akademii Muzycznej im. Karola Szymanowskiego. Naukę kontynuowała w nowojorskim City College Of New York oraz University Of The District Of Columbia. Przez ponad dekadę pracowała i mieszkała w Stanach Zjednoczonych. Wśród swoich muzycznych mistrzów wymienia między innymi Krzysztof Komedę, McCoya Tynera, Horace’a Silvera i Arta Blakeya. Jest dwukrotną laureatką Międzynarodowego Konkursie Kompozytorskiego im. Krzysztofa Komedy w Słupsku. Oba wyróżnione utwory: "I Will Not Fall In Love With You" i "Ocean", można usłyszeć na opisywanej tu płycie.
Album zawiera dziewięć nagrań: osiem kompozycji pianistki oraz standard "Almost Like Being In Love". Wystarczy lekko przymknąć oczy i uruchomić wyobraźnię, by podczas słuchania przenieść się w przywołaną na początku atmosferę jazzowego klubu. Muzyka wybrzmiewająca na "Wherever You Are" to bowiem jazz w najczystszej postaci. Muszę przyznać, że kompozytorskie nagrody Aleksandry Mońko zdają się być w pełni zasłużone. Oryginalne utwory świetnie wpasowują się w stylistykę Wielkiego Śpiewnika Amerykańskiego, a bez zerknięcia w metryczkę płyty można by sądzić, że zespół gra tu zbiór klasyków. Ów dym z papierosa z cytatu rozpływa się tu dość szybko, bowiem na albumie dominują kompozycje dynamiczniejsze.
Oczywiście nie zabrakło także typowych jazzowych ballad, a kończący album utwór tytułowy to wyróżniający się fragment całości, pięknie podsumowujący godzinne spotkanie z kwintetem. Każde z nagrań trwa wystarczająco długo, by dać solistom – przede wszystkim liderce i instrumentom dętym – dość czasu na indywidualne popisy. Pianistce towarzyszą znakomici muzycy. Maciej Sikała na tenorze, Jerzy Małek na trąbce oraz sekcja rytmiczna Michał Barański/Eric Allen. Instrumentaliści doświadczeni, z obyciem studyjnym i koncertowym, przydający zagranym utworom niewymuszonego luzu. Prawdziwa radość ze słuchania.
Krzysztof Herdzin
