Gdynia Improvisers Orchestra - "Miliony słońc"

Gdynia Improvisers Orchestra

Filip Arasimowicz – kontrabas
Maja Babyszka – pianino
Wojtek Bergiel – saksofon
Stefan Biedronka – głos
Michał Andrys – gitara elektryczna / sampler / noise
Sławomir „Rodriguez” Porębski – perkusjonalia
Tomasz Gadecki – saksofon
Jakub Klemensiewicz – saksofon
Wiktor Klemensiewicz – handpan
Maria Krajk – akordeon
Michał Markiewicz – altówka
Emilia Pollock – głos
Adam Skorczewski – trąbka
Paulina Sidoruk – skrzypce
Piotr Szlempo – trąbka
Grzegorz Aleksander Sycz – perkusja
Zofia Esden-Tempska – głos
Xenia Uranova – handpan / perkusjonalia
Łukasz Żurawski – saksofon
Marcin Bożek – dyrygent

Tytuły albumów: "Plastikowy jednorożec" (2024) i "Miliony słońc" (2025)

Tekst: Maciej Nowotny

Gdynia Improvisers Orchestra gra już 8 lat! Lecz ja – podobnie jak zapewne wielu naszych czytelników – nic o tym nie wiedziałem. A kiedy dotarła do mnie ich druga płyta zatytułowana "Miliony Słońc", czułem się akurat jak ów człowiek "wydrążony" z poematu T.S. Elliota (podaję w przekładzie Antoniego Libery):

"To martwa ziemia, kraina
Kaktusów i kamieni,
Z których się wznoszą posągi,
Do których w błagalnej modlitwie
Pod znikającą gwiazdą
Wznoszą się ręce umarłych".

Marcin Bożek / Marie Takahashi - "Sadoil"

Marcin Bożek / Marie Takahashi

Marcin Bozek - akustyczna gitara basowa
Marie Takahashi - altówka

Tytuł płyty: „Sadoil”

Wydawca: Creative Sources (2024)

Tekst: Maciej Nowotny

Marcin Bożek, magister sztuki gry na gitarze basowej, aż trudno uwierzyć, że ukończył Akademię Muzyczną w Katowicach, skądinąd znakomitą, lecz kojarzoną raczej z ortodoksyjną interpretacją tradycji jazzowej. Jak się jednak okazuje, wszystko zależy od człowieka, bo ścieżka muzycznego rozwoju Marcina od początku była całkowicie indywidualna i raczej z dala od tzw. „trendów”.

W historii polskiej muzyki improwizowanej – i nie przesadzam – na pewno zapisał się trwającą już prawie dwie dekady współpracą z saksofonistą Tomaszem Gadeckim w duecie Olbrzym i Kurdupel. Kolejne płyty tego projektu – od świetnej EP-ki frrrr… (2009), przez Six Philosophical Games (2012), Work (2014) i In Side Shout (2016) – były świadectwem stałego rozwoju tego mini-zespołu oraz jednym z niewielu naprawdę kreatywnych dowodów na to, że duch polskiego yassu wciąż żyje.

Marcin Bożek / Danny Kamins - "Ignorantka"

Marcin Bożek / Danny Kamins

Marcin Bożek – Electric Bass 

Danny Kamins – Sopranino Saxophone

Album's title: "Ignorantka"

Musical Eschatology (2025)

Album's link: https://marcinbozekdannykamins.bandcamp.com/album/ignorantka

Video: https://youtu.be/lYLOFf4CD3E

Review author: Viačeslavas Gliožeris

As for many teenagers of the late 70s, rock music was an extremely important element of my reality. Every new album of Black Sabbath or Deep Purple was a bigger-than-life event in our then-world. It's funny, I still remember many of the popular album covers from that time ( and hardly remember the details of many much more significant events from my life when I was 25 or 35 years old young man). One thing I recall pretty well from my teenage rock rebellion period is “LISTEN LOUD!” stickers on many of the heavy rock albums we then adored. The realization of this recommendation wasn't usually an easy deal, and never made our parents (and neighbours) happy.

Szymon Stępnik w świecie muzyki eksperymentalnej - część I

Autor tekstu: Szymon Stępnik

Kiedy poproszono mnie o napisanie kilku krótkich recenzji albumów z muzyką eksperymentalną, niezmiernie się ucieszyłem. Nie tylko dlatego, że dostanę świeżą porcję ciekawych kompozycji, ale przede wszystkim dlatego, że w końcu będę mógł trochę głębiej zastanowić się nad istotą tego podgatunku muzyki. No właśnie, bo czym w końcu jest ta muzyka eksperymentalna?

Co ciekawe, nigdzie nie ma oficjalnej definicji. Tych kilka artykułów, które spróbowały zmierzyć się tematem, łączy jeden wniosek — z muzyką eksperymentalną nieodłącznie związana jest wolność. Artysta nie boi się konsekwencji łamanych konwenansów teoretycznych i praktycznych, jak choćby w przypadku wykorzystania jakiegoś instrumentu w sposób nietypowy. Harmonia, melodie (czyli to, co w dla mnie jest de facto najważniejsze) schodzą tu na dalszy plan, a bardziej istotnym staje się właśnie ów eksperyment — próba zrobienia czegoś nowego. Niestety, łatwo w ten sposób popaść w groteskę i stworzyć dzieło, które w ogóle trudno nazwać będzie jakąkolwiek muzyką.

Na szczęście propozycje, które dostałem do recenzji, okazały się intrygującym, niezmiernie ciekawym doświadczeniem. Każdy z nich poruszył mnie w sposób inny i wywołał różne emocje. Bardzo dziękuję więc wszystkim osobom, które brały udział w tworzeniu poniższych albumów. Odwaliliście kawał naprawdę świetnej roboty!

Antek Cholewiński — Kotek (2020)

Wydawca: Pawlacz Perski

Nagranie przepełnione jest natłokiem syntezatorów w niskich rejestrach, często przypominających ścianę dźwięku, przez którą trudno się przebić. Nie można tej koncepcji odmówić jednak braku przemyślenia. Melodie bez wątpienia tutaj są, aczkolwiek trudne do usłyszenia, leniwe i ledwo dostrzegalne. Często miałem wrażenie obcowania z instrumentami smyczkowymi, choć silnie zniekształconymi i przesterowanymi. Nic dziwnego — autor jest wykształconym wiolonczelistą, więc brzmienie jest mu dobrze znane. Same struktury melodyjne stoją na nieco większym poziomie, niż wśród większości znanej mi muzyki eksperymentalnej.

Kompozytorowi udało się osiągnąć psychodeliczny, przerażający klimat. Gdyby rzeczywiście istniał szpital psychiatryczny Arkham Asylum z uniwersum Batmana, myślę, że “Kotek” byłby soundtrackiem na kasetach magnetofonicznych rozdawanych pacjentom. Co ciekawe, inspiracją dla powstania nagrań była fascynacja różnorodnymi syntezatorami głosu. To bardzo ciekawy koncept, choć żałuję, że ilość nałożonych efektów skutecznie uniemożliwia zrozumienie wypowiadanych słów. Tytuły poszczególnych utworów, jak choćby tu es mon cliche préféré (jesteś moim ulubionym frazesem) po prostu intrygują i ciekawią, co autor miał tu na myśli. Tak obrany styl przypomina mi trochę postać potwora pojawiającego się w filmie “Króliki” w reżyserii Davida Lyncha. Tam również, zdaje się, najważniejsze dla całego dzieła słowa wypowiedziano w przerażający, choć niezrozumiały sposób.

Bardzo ciekawa jest również okładka, która wyjątkowo chyba komponuje się muzyką znajdującą się na kasecie. Widzimy na niej podarte kartki papieru. “Wejdź między rozdarcia, poczuj pod palcami szorstkości papieru – analogowa projekcja trwa”. Zaiste, nie da się przejść obojętnie obok takich dźwięków. Jeżeli wejdziemy w nie, tak jak chce tego jej kompozytor, zaznamy doświadczenia, które nie może nam dać żadna muzyka popularna.

Marcin Bożek — Basssolo

Wydawca: Tmrwlabel 

Jest taki żart o zespole muzycznym, który wpadł do studni. Najpierw krzyczy wokalista i to jego, jako pierwszego, wyciągnięto z dna. Potem przyszła kolej na gitarzystę i perkusistę.

- Nie zapomnieliśmy o kimś? - zastanawiają się między sobą

- No tak! Zapomnieliśmy o basiście — w końcu stwierdzają — ale jego przecież i tak nikt nie słyszy.

Prawda jest jednak taka, że brak basisty jest bardziej odczuwalny, niż jego obecność. Słuchając jakichkolwiek piosenek bez sekcji basowej, czujemy pewne niedopełnienie, wręcz brak profesjonalizmu w nagraniu. Bas, choć z pozoru niesłyszalny, robi ogromną robotę w każdym nagraniu.

Marcin Bożek oferuje z kolei inne, nieco bardziej intymne doświadczenie z tym instrumentem. Właściwie nie proponuje on nic innego, poza właśnie gitarą basową. Jeżeli oczekiwać będziemy klasycznych melodii, popełnimy ogromny błąd. Marcin udowadnia, że gitara potrafi wydać naprawdę wiele ciekawych, intrygujących odgłosów o którą nawet byśmy jej nie podejrzewali.

Niestety, na dłuższą metę słuchanie takiej muzyki staje się strasznie męczące. Choć doceniam kreatywność, brak wyraźnych struktur harmonicznych jest ścianą, przez którą trudno się przebić mojej wrażliwości. Gdy jednakże ujrzałem nagrania Marcina w formie filmików video, zupełnie zmieniłem swoje podejście. To, co ten człowiek potrafił zrobić ze swoim sprzętem, ten błysk pasji w jego oczach, skutecznie spotęgowały przyjemność ze słuchania jego twórczości. To nietypowe wykorzystanie instrumentu zdecydowanie zyskuje, gdy możemy zobaczyć je na własne oczy.

Krakow Improvisers Orchestra - KIO At Cricoteka (2020)

Krakow Improvisera Orchestra

Paulina Owczarek - alto saxophone, conduction

Malwina Kołodziejczyk - tenor saxophone
Marcin Bożek - french horn

Patryk Zakrocki - viola

Liliana Zieniawa - vibraphone

Adam Stodolski - double bass

Tomek Chołoniewski - percussion

and others

KIO At Cricoteka

MW 1002-2

By Piotr Wojdat

Saksofonistka Paulina Owczarek to jedna z najbardziej ciekawych i barwnych postaci krakowskiej sceny muzyki jazzowej, współczesnej oraz improwizowanej. Z pewnością należy też do grona artystek odważnych - cały czas szuka nowych pomysłów, sprawnie porusza się w obrębie różnych stylistyk i działa interdyscyplinarnie. Znamy ją doskonale, m.in. z takich projektów jak Sambar (duet z saksofonistą Tomaszem Gadeckim), Uncharted Territory czy z saksofonowego żeńskiego kwartetu Saksofonarium. Współpracowała też z ważnymi postaciami światowej sceny muzycznej. Dla przykładu można tu wymienić japońską pianistkę Satoko Fuji czy szwedzkiego saksofonistę Martina Küchena.

Krakow Improvisers Orchestra to być może najważniejszy jej projekt, który powstał już w 2012 roku. To właśnie Paulina Owczarek jest pomysłodawczynią orkiestry, dyrygentem i jego siłą sprawczą w jednym. Po latach koncertów, które odbywały się w Krakowie, innych miastach i na festiwalach muzycznych w rodzaju Ad Libitum czy Krakowskiej Jesieni Jazzowej przyszła pora na debiutancki album tej formacji. Ze zrozumiałych względów nie jest to dzieło studyjne. Wypełnia je muzyka, która została zarejestrowana na żywo w 2018 roku w Cricotece przez Rafała Drewnianego i wydana przez wytwórnię Not Two.

Inspiracją dla KIO wydają się być zespoły mające duże doświadczenie i wprawę w improwizacji dyrygowanej. Można w tym przypadku wymienić chociażby London Improvisers Orchestra, z którą Paulina Owczarek współpracowała, czy duże składy, na których czele stoi kontrabasista Barry Guy. To właśnie tym tropem na "KIO At Cricoteka" podąża krakowska formacja i obiera podobny kierunek, co bliźniacza Warsaw Improvisers Orchestra saksofonisty Raya Dickaty’ego.   

Na płycie znajdują się trzy kompozycje. Każda z nich opiera się na improwizacjach dyrygowanych. Paulina Owczarek, która prowadzi orkiestrę, ma dużą swobodę działania. Dyryguje na podstawie partytur graficznych, w trakcie utworów dzieli orkiestrę na mniejsze składy, a czasami nie daje artystom żadnych wskazówek, co uwalnia potencjał trzynasto-osobowego ansamblu do swobodnej improwizacji.

Muzyka zawarta na "KIO At Cricoteka" powinna przypaść do gustu słuchaczom orkiestr improwizowanych i awangardowych. Dla pozostałych prawdopodobnie będzie to ciekawe, odświeżające doświadczenie, które jednak nie zapadnie na dłużej w pamięci. Formacji nie można odmówić tego, że są niepowtarzalni i oryginalni w tym, co robią. Tworzenie tego typu muzyki niesie jednak ze sobą duże ryzyko i radość ze słuchania może szybko przejść w znużenie. "KIO At Cricoteka" to album nierówny, z lepszymi i gorszymi momentami. Warto mu jednak poświęcić trochę uwagi i trzymać kciuki za zespół, w którego składzie znajdziemy całą plejadę znakomitych instrumentalistów z liderką na czele. 

Olbrzym I Kurdupel & Willi Hanne – In Side Shout (2016)

Olbrzym I Kurdupel & Willi Hanne

Tomasz Gadecki - tenor saxophone
Marcin Bożek - bass
Willi Hanne - drums, objects

In Side Shout

REQUIEM 106


By Adam Baruch

This is the fourth album by Polish Avant-garde/Improvised Music duo Olbrzym I Kurdupel, or saxophonist Tomasz Gadecki and bassist Marcin Bożek, this time expanded to a trio with the inclusion of German drummer Willi Hanne. Together they perform twelve improvised pieces, not credited and therefore assumed to be created spontaneously by the participants.

The music on this album is quite different from the earlier recordings by the duo, not because of the presence of the third partner, but because it is significantly more relaxed and stretched than before. Whereas the earlier recordings were characterized by their intensity and ferocious interplays, this time the concept involves a lot of silence incorporated within the music, sporadic bursts of energy followed by delicate and very quiet passages.

Of course the duo remains to be one of the most interesting phenomena on the Polish scene, which refuses to stay in one place and constantly searches to break new barriers and expand the idiom of musical expression. The addition of the drummer enables a more diverse arsenal of sounds, but does not change the basic modus operandi, which means in this case that they have found a brotherly spirit in Hanne.

This album might prove to be slightly more difficult to enjoy, even for the experienced Improvised Music buffs, as it requires total attention and concentration in order to follow the spirit of the music. Nevertheless it is another superb achievement, which represents the European Avant-garde with pride. As always highly recommended to adventurous listeners who have no pre-conceptions are willing to accept the unexpected.

Olbrzym i Kurdupel - Work (2014)

Olbrzym i Kurdupel

Tomasz Gadecki - tenor saxophone
Marcin Bożek - bass guitar

Work

1KG 028




By Dirk Blasejezak

I was very enthusiastic about the last album by the duo ("Six philosophical games"), an album that was really fun to listen to and above all one that made me want more! When I received this CD and listened to the first 10-15 minutes, I switched it off and didn't put it on for almost two weeks. I simply was disappointed! After those 2 weeks I've once again ventured, simply because I could not believe that Tomek Gadecki and Marcin Bożek could create something that I really wouldn't like. So I waited for a moment when I really felt like listening to their music and I was bound and determined to listen until the end this time ... and it was worth it.

I'm still not particularly fond of the first two pieces, in particular Part I is just too bulky. It reveals itself only with great difficulty. And not only because of the length, but also because of the many substantive motive changes, those come along more like several independent pieces put together into one. As presented here Part I clearly seems too long.

It also seems at the first listening of Part I and II as if the two do not as closely interact with each other as they could, there are many more solo parts - in Part II Marcin Bożek steps in to the background so much that I initially thought this is a solo part for saxophone. Undeniably, every piece shows their technical brilliance, their uniqueness as a duo unfortunately emerges only from Part III onward though.

In Part III their rhythmic interplay is much more intense - a powerful inferno! This part or the following one would be my recommendations as a first listening. Part IV sounds almost filigree compared to Part III, with finely nuanced breaks, showing how close the interplay between the two is after all. This is also reflected in the two following Parts: Part V, the petite elegy giving the listener time to take a deep breath and dream a bit, and Part VI, the almost serene end which finally reconciled me with this album and showed me that the two are not only having fun for themselves, but also give it to the listener.

Overall, beginning with Part III the album is even more catchy than its predecessor - if only the entry wouldn’t be so difficult. In Parts I and II two soloists shine at the highest level, but only from Part III onward two congenial musicians play together as a duo! So my conclusion is somewhat mixed, but I’d still say this is a very good album!

It should be mentioned that this is a live recording from February, 24th 2013 taken in the "Alchemia" club in Krakow and that concert is even as a video in parts. The section below shows that Tomek Gadecki and Marcin Bożek offer an extraordinary live experience - and I would most likely have enjoyed the first two parts much better, if I had been on the spot. Very often in Free Jazz the music only reveals its full potential live, so have a look for yourself.

Marcin Bozek – Affair With Art (2014)

Marcin Bożek

Marcin Bożek - bass guitar

Affair With Art

NASZE NAGRANIA 006






By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by the Polish bassist/composer Marcin Bożek, recorded solo using electric bass. The album includes just three tracks, the longest of which is almost half an hour in duration. The music is all spontaneously improvised.

Since the day I've heard Barre Phillips' "Journal Violone" in 1968 (and later on Dave Holland's "Emerald Tears" almost a decade later) I have learned not to take anything for granted, especially so solo bass albums, which in some cases emerged as cornerstones of modern music, Jazz or otherwise. However, there is always also a possibility that a solo bass album might simply turn out to be a worthless masturbation.

One must always admire the boldness of an artistic statement, such as this album. Regardless if one is able to connect to this music or not, one should at least respect the inner urge of an artist to express his emotions. After all nobody is forcing anybody to listen to a particular album after all.

This music suffers from the same problem that other avant-garde explorations also often suffer from; it is a total statement completely disregarding the listener, a self-concentrated satisfaction of an urge rather than an attempt to communicate. Therefore it remains mostly uncommunicative, and probably unable to make the listener to enjoy the experience. Notwithstanding however, art is not always meant to be pleasurable, en contraire, some best examples of artistic expression are deliberately non pleasurable, in order to shock and subvert.

To put it plainly, this is not music for everybody, or even better put it is music for very few listeners, who are able to take the plunge with the artists into the unknown, regardless of the result. Avant-garde is here to stay, and this is avant-garde at its boldest. If only because of that, I'm all for it.

Olbrzym i Kurdupel - Work (2014)

Tomek Gadecki - tenor saxophone
Marcin Bożek - bass

KILOGRAM 028









By Adam Baruch

This is the third album by Polish Avant-garde/Improvised Music duo Olbrzym i Kurdupel, or saxophonist Tomasz Gadecki and bassist Marcin Bożek. It captures a live performance by the duo at the legendary Alchemia club in Kraków, which is edited into six separate parts, but the entire performance can be seen as a musical continuum. Although not specifically attributed as such, the music is obviously co-created by the duo members. Gadecki is a very active and prolific member of the Polish Avant-garde scene and takes part in several other small experimental ensembles, like 250 KG, TRC Trio and Sambar.

The duo has been playing together for about six years now, a period of time which was definitely sufficient for them to develop their own specific stylistic mannerisms and approach to collective improvisation, which by now is pretty recognizable. This is quite an achievement, as Improvised Music may sound pretty undistinguishable in most cases. The staccato bass pulsations and dramatic saxophone cries are most effective tools to capture the listener's attention and create an emotional upheaval.

Improvised music is of course above all a team effort, and as a team they are simply "as one man", no pun intended. I have always admired the intimacy of their almost telepathic sharing of ideas and on this album it is more strongly evident than ever before. Additionally their music is completely non-aggressive, almost "romantic" at times, and as absurd as it might sound, it is pleasurable and comforting; definitely not a typical paradigm in Improvised Music.

The Polish Avant-garde scene is obviously quite en extensive field of activity, still growing against all odds. Dominated mostly by relatively young musicians, it is vital and impressively creative. I find Olbrzym i Kurdupel to be a perfect personification of that wonderful phenomenon, always looking forward to their new work. I can only wish that their music will be discovered by as many open-minded music listeners as possible, as it certainly deserves it.

Olbrzym I Kurdupel – Frrrr… (EP) (2008)

Tomasz Gadecki - saxophone
Marcin Bozek - bass guitar

PRIVATE EDITION







By Adam Baruch

This album the debut recording by the Polish Avant-Garde Jazz duo Olbrzym I Kurdupel or saxophonist Tomasz Gadecki and bassist Marcin Bozek. It includes six original pieces, which time in total just under half an hour and therefore counts as an EP, although it also includes a video of a live performance by the duo, which also times at about half an hour hence one could call it an enhanced EP.

Recorded a short time after the duo met and started to play together, this album is less adventurous than the material they recorded later on for their next full album, with the pieces based on predetermined themes, but already explores the ideas of spontaneous improvisation and composition. Saxophone and bass (electric bass in this case) are quite an unusual pairing, with few examples that one can draw comparisons to, which is all for the best, as they are quite an unique phenomenon. Gadecki plays very much in the early Free Jazz tradition with long, convoluted lines and progressions, while Bozek adds series of rapid pulsations during the up-tempo numbers or reserved bass chords on the more lyrical pieces. There is still a strong melodic feeling, although melodies are not played per se.

There is an obvious empathy and mutual respect, which make this music tick, apparent in the way the two musicians listen to each other all the time with great sensitivity and complement each other musically. It is certainly heartwarming to find such amount of open-mindedness and experimentation these young musicians are blessed with. Olbrzym I Kurdupel is just one of many Avant-Garde Jazz ensembles active in Poland and the fact that such music is thriving there is truly amazing considering that the world at large is steadfastly plunging into moronic anti-music.

Definitely worth exploring, although quite difficult to find as it was not commercially released. Free Jazz buffs will have a field day listening to this one!

Olbrzym i Kurdupel - Six Philosophical Games (Electric Eye, 2012) by Dirk Blasejezak

Olbrzym i Kurdupel (duo)

Marcin Bożek - bass guitar
Tomek Gadecki - tenor saxophone

Six Philosophical Games (Electric Eye, 2012)

By Dirk Blasejezak

I have to admit that I didn’t play all the philosophical games on this record … but most. If you only read the track titles - i.e. the game instructions - you most probably get the impression that it’s not meant too seriously, and I wouldn’t call those game “philosophical” either. But the whole concept of the album raises one truly serious philosophical question and that is the one regarding the role of the observer in any art and in music that of the listener in particular. Music is the most transient of arts, it only exists in the moment it’s played - so how you “consume” it makes a difference and this is what the two are probably up to with this record.

Most of the games you have already played - intentionally or not. Everybody listens to music with someone he or she knows well most of the time. And most people have already listened to music in the bath tub or a cosy armchair or danced to it - but did you try that with free jazz or any other form of improvised music? Dancing in particular is fun ...

The game I love most is their first game, although I doubt that many of the listeners are able to fulfill it. I have an e-drum kit at home where I can loop-in any music, and indeed I quite often use it exactly for this “game”. You get a deeper understanding of the music when you try to play along, to become a part of it, because you have to listen differently - is there a beat, who’s leading, what are the others doing, where is the music going, etc. So if you ever get the chance to play this game try it out!

But the music on this album is not only demanding in terms of the tasks the listener has to fulfill, it’s also demanding when it comes to the music itself. Tomasz Gadecki on the baritone saxophone and Marcin Bożek on the bass guitar play some heavy stuff here. What first hits the ear is of course the saxophone. It’s powerful with a warm note, and what separates Tomasz Gadecki from many other free jazz saxophone players is his melodic approach. Only seldom he overblows to the roof or “brötzes”, instead he uses the wide tonal range of his instrument to create appealing music - as free as it gets. 

What I miss a bit especially in the first two games is the bass. When Marcin Bożek is to be heard more in the later tracks you immediately know why these two are happy together as a duo: they accompany each other in a way you won’t achieve easily with more musicians. And one shouldn’t assume that Marcin takes the runt part because of his skills (Olbrzym i Kurdupel means Giant and Runt in Polish), his speed and variability are astonishing. And his understanding for the situation and the direction of play makes him the perfect duo partner for Tomasz Gadecki.

So if you aren’t afraid of some humour in music and like to actively listen to some nice but free music, this album is definitely worth your time! 

Video with interview:



A live recording:

Tracklisting: Game 1 play with us a drummer; Game 2 get into a hot bath and listen with your ...; Game 3 sit comfortably in a cosy armchair, let ...; Game 4 listen to the whole part after a long run; Game 5 listen with someone You know well; Game 6 let's dance solo or in pairs

Olbrzym i Kurdupel - Six Philosophical Games (Electric Eye, 2012) by Adam Baruch

Olbrzym i Kurdupel (duo)

Marcin Bożek - bass guitar
Tomek Gadecki - tenor saxophone

Six Philosophical Games (Electric Eye, 2012)

This is the 2nd album by Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music duo Olbrzym I Kurdupel ("Giant And Tiny" in Polish, referring to their physical appearance), which comprises of saxophonist Tomasz Gadecki and bassist Marcin Bozek. Their debut, recorded in 2008, was an EP, which was warmly received at the time. The album includes six improvised pieces, co-credited to the duo members.

This album presents another glimpse at the Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene, which is thriving in the last decade. Musicians all over Poland perform in clubs and art centers, which are dedicated solely to this kind of music, release many albums and play with top international artists. Such vigorous activity is absent almost completely from the contemporary scene in other countries.

The music is intensive and complex, demanding total dedication from the listener in order to achieve the same level of intensity as the musicians. Both musicians converse constantly, exchanging ideas on the fly and try to compliment each other rather than compete with each other. The bassist uses the bass guitar exclusively, which enables him to be much more flexible and versatile that upright bass players. The saxophonist has a wide tonal range and well developed improvisation skills. Together they create music, which is absorbing and rewarding to listeners willing to make the effort this kind of music requires.

This album is definitely worth investigation for listeners of Free Jazz / Improvised Music, especially those living in places that these genres are almost nonexistent on the local scene.

By Adam Baruch
http://www.adambaruch.com/

Tracklisting: Game 1 play with us a drummer; Game 2 get into a hot bath and listen with your ...; Game 3 sit comfortably in a cosy armchair, let ...; Game 4 listen to the whole part after a long run; Game 5 listen with someone You know well; Game 6 let's dance solo or in pairs

Olbrzym i Kurdupel - Six Philosophical Games (Electric Eye, 2012) by Maciej Nowotny

Olbrzym i Kurdupel (duo)

Marcin Bożek - bass guitar
Tomek Gadecki - tenor saxophone

Six Philosophical Games (Electric Eye, 2012)

This is second album by duo of Marcin Bożek (bass guitar) and Tomek Gadecki (saxophonist) after very interesting EP titled "frrrrrr" (2009). Most of what I wrote about their previous recording applies as well to this disc. It is typical avant jazz duo that is as stark, rough and coarse as authentic, spontaneous and creative. Honestly I love this kind of jazz more and more with years passing. There is no fad  in it, no artificiality or false affectation. Just raw sounds flowing from souls touched by music. It makes my soul and heart resonating. Will it make you feel the same? It is definitely worth checking out...

Game 1 play with us a drummer; Game 2 get into a hot bath and listen with your ...; Game 3 sit comfortably in a cosy armchair, let ...; Game 4 listen to the whole part after a long run; Game 5 listen with someone You know well; Game 6 let's dance solo or in pairs

By Maciej Nowotny
http://kochamjazz.blox.pl

Olbrzym i kurdupel - frrrr... [EP] (OiK, 2009)

Olbrzym i kurdupel (duo)

Marcin Bożek - bass

Tomek Gadecki - tenor sax

frrrr... (OiK, 2009)

This is very good EP indeed!!! It really surprised me very positively and I had loads of fun while listening to it. I really did not expect such a interesting sounds from those two musicians as they are almost unkown on Polish jazz scene yet.  As for Olbrzym (tranl. "giant") that is saxophonist Tomek Gadecki I listened to him recently during this year Warsaw Summer Jazz Days when he substituted for Tomek Glazik in Contemporary Noise Sextet. Surprisingly he made excellent impression on me, not trying to copy Glazik's sound buy speaking with his own voice. Honestly he somehow sounded more fresh and challenging than other players of so famous CNS and I was astonished by such a situation. He has outward, masculine, unrestrained tone. Unlike many virtuoso saxophonists so abundant among Polish young generation he rather concentrates on pure emotions, on directness and on authencity of his message. He leaves behind all unnecesary ornaments and embelishments so typical for those who put too much stress on "how" instead of "what" in jazz. With this EP his talent is confirmed and it's obvious that good show he gave at WSJD was not an incident but that he simply is musician of significant capacity about whom we shall hear much more in future.

As for Kurdupel (tranl. "short") that is bassist Marcin Bożek he comes as even bigger surprise for me. I know virtually nothing about him except he has beautiful tone on his bass guitar, distinct, elegant, perfect to emphasize wholesome tenor licks by Gadecki. His mind is open and like Gadecki he made good impression on me. Summarizing, these two birds are singing so well that regardless that it is their debut recording and just EP I believe that if they continue on this road they might soon be counted among best horn & bass duos in Poland like Keir Neuringer & Rafał Mazur ("Unison Lines") or Piotr Mełech & Fred Lonberg-Holm ("Coarse Day"). 

Sample of music from this EP:

Author: Maciej Nowotny
http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html