Marcin Masecki - Polonezy (2013)

Marcin Masecki

Marcin Masecki - conductor, piano
Maurycy Idzikowski, Filip Mazur - trumpets
Michał Górczyński, Tomasz Stawiecki - clarinets
Bartek Smorągiewicz, Tomasz Duda - saxophones
Michał Tomaszczyk, Piotr Wróbel – trmbones
Jerzy Rogiewicz – drums

Polonezy (2013)

By Maciej Nowotny

Marcin Masecki - still young, in his thirties, a graduate of famous Berklee College of Music - has already gathered experience so unbelievably rich that it makes him personality absolutely unique on Polish music scene. In his teens he presented himself to the audience as prodigiously talented pianist employed by some of Polish best jazz musicians. He collaborated with such great players as Andrzej Jagodziński or Zbigniew Wegehaupt of older generation and also some of most successful of jazz musicians from younger one like Grzegorz Piotrowski (Alchemik's "Dracula in Bucharest") or Wojtek Mazolewski (Pink Freud's "Alchemia"). He summed up this period by releasing in 2006 the album "Live at Mińsk Mazowiecki" in so-well known jazz trio format with Garth Stevenson on double bass and Ziv Ravitz on drums which was easily one of the best mainstream recordings in last decade in Polish jazz.

After he had built for himself position on local jazz scene that many could only dream of, still being very young in his twenties, he became disillusioned with so-called mainstream and turned himself entirely toward avantgarde with - yet another surprise - occasional excursions toward indie or even pop music (Paristetris). Of particular interest are his piano solo projects ("Bob", "John" and "Die Kunst Der Fuge") and works for orchestra.

The first of latter was "Chopin Chopin Chopin" (2011) in which as in the lens were focused all features which makes music of Masecki so extraordinary: superb level of performance, child-like enthusiasm but first of all a total originality of his musical ideas which he builds upon as much jazz as classical music foundations. "Polonezy" could be justly seen as continuation to this very successful project. The size of orchestra has become a bit expanded but musicians taking part in recording of "Chopin Chopin Chopin" were kept on crucial positions. But most importantly the music on "Polonezy" retained the adventurous spirit of this first record.

No labels can describe appropriately what awaits you upon listening to this disc. The mixture is so bizarre, yet simultaneously so fresh and coherent that the listener can only choose between love and hate towards this music. For Masecki  there is no way in-between, no compromises, no prisoners taken. But if you are ready to check how would sound Chopin when played by Monk accompanied by auto-ironic swinging military band then you will probably end up being as much awed as I am after the consecutive rehearsals of this outstanding material.

Clockwork + Poprawski - Myopic (2011)

Clockwork (duo)

Maciej Wrobel - drums

Szymon Orlowski - bass
+
Lukasz Poprawski - saxophone

Myopic (2011)

When before wedding Giovanni Sforza for the first time saw his bride Lucretia Borgia he said: "You can fool one's mind or one's heart but you cannot fool one's eyes. This girl is as vicious as beautiful!" The same may be said about debut recording by Clockwork duo consisting of drummer Maciej Wróbel and bass guitarist Szymon Orłowski. They both supply dark, oneiric and ecstatic pulse into which Lukasz Poprawski adds on his saxophone lines of innocence, beauty and wonder worthy of every praise. 

Poprawski is already a significant player on Polish jazz scene. He took part as a sideman in many valuable projects of which few are described on this blog like Dominik Bukowski "Times get change" and, most of all, Paweł Kaczmarczyk "Complexity in Simplicity". Up to this moment I knew him as virtuoso and mainstream player but with this recording Popławski shows his ears are wide open and although he retains his rich articulation and impeccable phrasing he added freedom and openness to his play. I want wholeheartedly congratulate him on the performance displayed on this album. It was bold and intelligent move from Wróbel and Orłowski to invite him but their contribution is no less significant to the success of the whole enterprise. They both are accomplished musicians and what is important they have been playing together for many years. In consequence they both sound as one instrument which is characteristic only for best rhythm sections. 

Music itself is using electronics, rock and first of all jazz languages with strong groove playing the main part. But there is so much creativity and spontaneity here that I can only say that it is world in itself worthy to explore by lovers of all kinds of good music with particular emphasis on modern avantjazz. My only small complaint is that with its 35 minutes of music it's too short for my taste. But putting aside this small objection I regard this album as very succesful and I recommend it warmly to readers of this blog!

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