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sobota, 3 września 2011

Jak dałem pierwszy w życiu autograf czyli weekend z jazzową awangardą

 


Ponieważ jazzowa awangarda to muzyka, która stawia wszystko co znane na głowie to i ja zacznę ten tekst… od końca. A ów weekend z awangardą skończył się w niedzielę krótko przed północą, tuż obok olśniewającego budynku Centrum Nauki Kopernik, gdzie stałem przechylony przez barierkę i gapiłem się jak pusta butelka płynie brudną Wisłą, a obok ludzie puszczają małe balony z zapalonymi świeczkami w środku, które szybko unoszą się ku niebu i nikną w chmurach, by tam się spalić.

Nad brzeg przyszedłem z Cudu Nad Wisłą, modnej ostatnio warszawskiej knajpy, położonej tuż nad rzeką, z maleńką scenką w przerobionym kontenerze i z publicznością rozłożoną na europaletach pokrytych sztuczną trawą, kocykami i poduszkami. Ta publiczność to głównie młodzież z położonego w pobliżu Uniwersytetu, uśmiechnięci, lekko zblazowani, eleganccy, wręcz wykwintni, nowi młodzi piękni dwudziestoletni. Na tym targowisku próżności, na którym snobizm mieszał się w wyrafinowany sposób ze skrajną dezynwolturą, miał zabrzmieć free jazz najczystszej wody i trudno było o miejsce bardziej odpowiednie i równocześnie nieodpowiednie.

A grali: legenda polskiej awangardy saksofonista Mikołaj Trzaska i młody, obiecujący kontrabasista Jacek Mazurkiewicz. Koncert zakończył się bisem, który był zasłużony, bo muzycy rozgrzewali się w miarę grania. W tej drugiej części Trzaska czarował swoim chropawym, pełnym intensywności altem i klarnetem przypominającym jako żywo brzmienie Jimmy’ego Giuffre z wyraźną jednak klezmerską nutą, a Mazurkiewicz nie ustawał w udowadnianiu, że gra na kontrabasie to zupełnie inny sport od tego, który uprawiali Scott LaFaro, Dave Holland czy Gary Peacock.

Nie chcę przez to powiedzieć, że pierwsza część koncertu była nieudana, chociaż słychać było, że muzycy dopiero szukają wzajemnego porozumienia. To jest wszakże całkowicie zrozumiałe w tym czystym jak łza free, gdzie niemal nic nie jest z góry zaplanowane. Zresztą na początku publiczność zupełnie nie wspierała artystów – ktoś czytał książkę, ktoś podrywał dziewczęta, ktoś śpiewał 100 lat solenizantce, ktoś jeździł dookoła na rowerze (teren jest dość duży).

Przed koncertem miałem okazję porozmawiać o muzyce tak z Mikołajem Trzaską jak i z Jackiem Mazurkiewiczem. Mikołaj Trzaska zaskoczył mnie stwierdzeniem, że gra jazzowy mainstream, a Jacek Mazurkiewicz – zapowiedzią swojej płyty nagranej z Pawłem Osickim i – uwaga! -Andrzejem Przybielskim. Więcej o tym koncercie i rozmowie z artystami w artykule, który ukaże się wkrótce…

Przenieśmy się teraz do warszawskich Złotych Tarasów, które poprzedniego, sobotniego wieczora opuszczałem z głową pełną sprzecznych uczuć. Z jednej strony nie mogłem wyjść z zachwytów nad pięknem inspirowanych folklorem sefardyjskich Greków pieśni Jorgosa Skoliasa i klasą gry sekcji rytmicznej tworzonej przez Bartłomieja i Marcina Olesiów. Z drugiej strony nie mogło chyba być publiczności bardziej obojętnej na to co się działo na scenie. Letnia bowiem scena w Złotych Tarasach mieści się wprost na patio modnej galerii handlowej w Wawie pośród stolików mających tam miejsce pięciu restauracji. Przy jednym ze stolików, tuż obok mnie, siedział łysy osiłek, obwieszony złotymi łańcuchami, którego ręka miała większy obwód od obwodu mojego uda. Znajdowaliśmy się może 5 metrów od sceny, przy czym on odwrócony był plecami, ale ani razu się nie obejrzał na grających muzyków! Przez cały ten czas z bardzo znudzoną miną dłubał w zębach srebrną wykałaczką, a ja nie mogłem wyjść ze zdumienia, bo przecież nawet małpa w ZOO obróciłaby się choć raz, z ciekawości!!!

Trudno znaleźć słowa odpowiednie by opisać jakość muzyki tworzonej przez Jorgosa i braci Olesiów, bo jest tam wszystko by długo nie wyjść z zachwytu: wielka muzykalność, żywy element etniczny, mainstreamowa przystępność i awangardowa odwaga. A to wszystko łączy się w spójną całość dzięki niezwykłej technicznej maestrii tak grającego na kontrabasie Marcina Olesia, jak na perkusji – Batłomieja Olesia, a nadto głosu Jorgosa Skoliasa, który osiągnął ten najlepszy wiek w życiu artysty, gdy dojrzałość wyraża się w swobodzie improwizacji . Udowodnił to w drugiej części koncertu, gdy w jednym z utworów połączył w jeden zapierający dech w piersiach wokalny popis pieśń sefardyjską, włoską piosenkę („Nel blu dipinto di blu” Domenico Modugno) i amerykański rap!

Zbliżamy się do końca mojej relacji, proszę zatem przeczytajcie, co zdarzyło się w przerwie między pierwszą i drugą częścią koncertu, gdy udało mi się zamienić z Marcinem Olesiem parę słów. Dowiedziałem się od niego iście sensacyjnych rzeczy, bo oto wiosną przyszłego roku ukaże się płyta braci Olesiów z Theo Jorgensmannem w prestiżowym wydawnictwie HatHut Records, a możliwe jest także wydanie innego materiału nagranego z tym samem muzykiem i z Chrisem Dellem dla kanadyjskiego Red Toucan Records. Doczekamy się także być może nowej płyty braci w duecie, po tym jak ich wydana kilka lat temu płyta DUO wielkie uznanie zyskała u smakoszy jazzowej awangardy. Kto wie może ziszczą się też plany nagrania materiału z saksofonistą Gregory Tardym, a jakby tego było mało już w listopadzie bracia wchodzą do studia oczywiście z Jorgosem Skoliasem , a ich płyta ma być wydana przez legendarne wydawnictwo Tzadzik Records . Natomiast jeśli zmaterializują się plany nagrania płyty z genialnym Matthew Shippem, który to projekt realizuje Matusz Walerian, to po prostu będzie to wydarzenie jakiego nie było w polskim jazzie od lat!!!

Podczas tej jakże interesującej pogawędki podeszła do nas młoda niewiasta i zażyczyła sobie od Marcina autograf, a potem ku wielkiemu mojemu zdziwieniu poprosiła i mnie o to samo! Chciałem oczywiście wyprowadzić ją z błędu tłumacząc, że pomyliła mnie z Bartłomiejem Olesiem, z którym wspólny mamy jedynie wysoki wzrost, design okularów i fryzurę (a raczej jej brak). Ale Marcin powstrzymał mnie władczym ruchem ręki i powiedział: „Dziecku się nie odmawia”. Po odejściu dziewczynki siedzący przy stoliku artyści bezwzględnie zaczęli się ze mnie natrząsać, a Bartłomiej Oleś stwierdził, że skoro za niego rozdaję autografy, to w takim razie bardzo proszę, oto jego pałeczki i marsz do perkusji, na sławę trzeba zarobić! „Ależ panowie!” – krzyknąłem w przerażeniu – „zrobię wszystko co chcecie tylko oszczędźcie mi tego!”. Marcin Oleś mrugnął do brata, a ja domyśliłem się jak mogę wykupić się z grania na Bartłomiejowej perkusji…

Na koniec posłuchajcie jak to brzmiało -jakość nienajlepsza, ale myślę, że jednak warto posłuchać, aby odczuć atmosferę:


Autor: Maciej Nowotny
Fot. Blanka Tomaszewska


Yanina - Free Wave (MTJ, 2011)

Yanina Free Band
Janusz Yanina Iwański - git, rain
Łukasz Kluczniak - as
Marek Pospieszalski - ss, ts
Marcin Lamch - bass
Przemek Pacan - dr

Yanina Free Wave (MTJ, 2011)



I hope this CD will be noticed as by our critics as by audience since it is yet another venture (after last year "Shhh!" by Nigel Kennedy Quartet) when well-known artist until now associated with other musical genre goes JAZZ and does it with a success! Nigel Kennedy has splendid career in classics and pop while Yanina is significant figure in history of Polish big beat, pop and first of all rock music. One must also realize that Yanina is a bit more ambitious since Kennedy chose mainstream language while Yanina explores fringes between mainstream and free jazz aesthetics. This is indeed daring move, very very seldom taken by mature artists and Yanina earns my great respect for it!

But it all would be impossible without excellent young musicians who surround him on this album: Łukasz Kluczniak on alto saxophone, Marek Pospieszalski on soprano and tenor saxophones (you can find him also on very good "Smells Like Tape Spirit" by Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet) and high quality rhythm section from Maciej Tubis Trio (check their "Live In Luxembourg") -  Marcin Lamch on bass and Przemek Pacan on drums. Those are young lads but they do swing as hell and Yanina finds in them perfect background for maturity, depth and sombre tone of his rocking guitar.

As for music it made very good impression on me: coherent, unhurried and rich improvisations one minute after another reveal itself before ears of astonished listener who up to this moment knew Yanina only from much more popular and simpler projects. With this band he shows talent and sensitiveness going well beyond those narrow limits and I can only wholeheartedly welcome him on Polish jazz scene where he not only clearly belongs but to which he may contribute a lot in years to come... My congratulations and recommendation! 

Check how excerpt from fine gig given by this band...


or the whole album on soundcloud: 


Author: Maciej Nowotny


piątek, 2 września 2011

Krzysztof Fetras - Caravan (Polonia Records, 1997)

Krzysztof Fetraś - guitar

Polonia Records, 1997

Krzysztof Fetraś has already recorded three albums: "Night In Praha - Live", "Impresje" and "Caravan" but is relatively unknown on Polish scene. He somewhat vanished from it few years ago although he from time to time appears in Tygmont Club in Warsaw or recently in Harris Bar in Cracow where he played with excellent rhythm section of Paweł Kaczmarczyk in persons of bassist Maciej Adamczak and drummer Dawid Fortuna (more about it here). He also took part in few jazz festivals like Jazz Jamboree or Letni Festiwal at Piwinica Pod Baranami but it was long ago. I also never was able to listen to any of his record so he was kind of tabula rasa for me. But, as I mentioned above, he recently has become active again and I deciced to learn more about his music which revelead to be original and more than satisfactory.

After listening to this record I do not wonder that it passed reletively unnoticed. It's not that it's bad - on contrary - it is interesing but for two reasons it is not easy to apreciate it. First, it starts with version of famous jazz standard "Caravan" that do not fit at all with rest of music on the album. From second tune  one track after another we go deeper and deeper in a world of very delicate and sesitive solo guitar playing by Krzysztof Fetraś. His voice is inspired by classical guitar which is however treated in typical spontaneuos and indiviual jazz way bringing music always melodic and very, very lirical. This poetic moments are by far the best on this album and I must say that starting from 5th track titled "Time for Children" and up to the end of this album (11 tracks altoghether), this music becomes so involving, misterious, dreamlike that I can only described it as brilliant. It's a pity that whole album is not kept in the same mood as it would gain on artistic unity. All the same I find this recording as rewarding one, keep on returning to it and I am happy that its author has plans for future as he is definitely one the most talented guitarist in Polish jazz...

Check 7th tune on this album titled "Czy pamiętasz 29 czerwca" (Do You Remember 28th June). Intriguing indeed...


Author of text: Maciej Nowotny

środa, 31 sierpnia 2011

Leszek Kulakowski Quartet feat. Eddie Henderson - Cantabile In G-Minor (Multikulti, 2011)


Leszek Kułakowski Quartet feat. Eddie Henderson
Leszek Kułakowski - piano
Eddie Hederson - trumpet
Piotr Kułakowski - doublebass
Jacek Pelc - drums

Cantabile In G-Minor (Multikulti, 2011)



Right now in Hollywood all kinds of pre-quels are trendy and this CD is kind of such project not from one but even from two perspectives. First, although released by Multikulti label in 2011 it was actually recorded in 2006. It therefore evidences an earlier stage in Kułakowski artistic development before magnificent "Code Numbers" (2010), the album where he ventured on very subtle and personal dialogue with modern avantjazz aesthetics. This CD however is wholesome mainstream effort with all spatiality and demureness of late ECM style augmented by bop notes from time to time coming from Eddie Henderson's trumpet.

And this is that second perspective as brought into recording by powerful Henderson presence who took lessons from legendary Louis Armstrong and had personal relationship with such luminaries of bop era trumpet as Miles Davis or Lee Morgan. Henderson saturates this recording with deep and wide legacy of Blue Note golden years  which sounds surprisingly fresh though more than 50 years has passed since its peak!

In the end this album, like best Hollywood pre-quel movies, though definitely predictable and nothing-new, still is executed with such mastery, maturity and musicality that few mainstream recordings of this year 2011 could withstand comparison with it! The high level of muscianship it owes not only to above mentioned Eddie Henderson's trumpet or Leszek Kułakowski's piano but also to extremely timely and sensitive pulse as supplied by Piotr Kułakowski's double-bass and Jacek Pelc drums.

Speaking shortly, this one swings like hell and if you love mainstream jazz you should not let this CD pass unlistened to.  

Check concert version of tune titled "Taniec świetej krowy" (Dance of holy cow"). Great music!


Author: Maciej Nowotny

poniedziałek, 29 sierpnia 2011

Robotobibok - Instytut Las (Vytvornia Om, 2003)

Robotobibok
Artut Majewski - trumpet
Adam Pindur - saxophon, Moog
Adam Bączyk - guitar, ARP Oddysey
Marcin Ożóg - doblebass
Kuba Suchar - perkusja

Vytvornia Om, 2003
(Editor) Few years has passed since this album was released but music is still fresh and I see now Robotobibok as one on the most important bands in Polish jazz history. If you want to continue from this point check Mikrokolektyw ("Revisit"), Slug Duo ( "Organic Stone") or Foton Quartet ("Zomo Hall")...

It's been a while ago since I heard such a great new jazz record! The last album I reviewed for KindaMuzik was the latest from Roy Hargrove. At the time quite enthusiastic, relatively quick came the feeling that it was all a bit to soft, a bit to smooth. 'Real' jazz should be rougher and more radical, I felt.

But then come this second album by Polish jazz-formation Robotobibok. A while ago I saw this band at the Sergey Kuryokhin International Festival in Berlin and already there I was seriously impressed. "Not with a 'standard' jazz-line-up, but with trumpet, saxophone, piano, two Moogs, guitar, bass and drums, they succeeded in developing this music and at the same time staying at a safe distance from over-consciously hip jazz-beats projects," I wrote in the article to this festival. Having said all this, I did not expect this album to make such an impression. I feared they might use to many electronics (read: Moog) and end up with an average electrojazzmix. Nothing could be further removed from the truth however. Jazz, jazz, and jazz is what you will find here! The first song starts with a creaking that reminds you of the intro to Michael Jackson's Thriller, but then suddenly shifts to swingbop. Not for long however, you wouldn't want to be caught dead listening mainstream jazz of course. Instead, let's throw the Moog in and add some saxophone-layers for good taste!

Through all this, a light psychedelic groove organizes the whole. What does this mean? It means that you are constantly being wrong-footed and yet never annoyed with the amount of experimentation. It means that you listen amazed to the complexity of freaking going on and still are able to submerge yourself in some sort of repetitive groove. It means that we are dealing here with an album that often border on the genius. It means that it's about time that we can enjoy this band live in the Netherlands. And it means that this album really should be picked up by a distributor in Holland. 

(Editor) Check hi-octane title "Wymiana tlenu na stacji Mir" (The exchange of oxygen at station Mir) from this album:



Author of text: Bas van Heur

sobota, 27 sierpnia 2011

Piotr Melech / Fred Lonberg-Holm - Coarse Day (Multikulti, 2011)

Fred Lonberg-Holm - cello, electronics
Piotr Mełech - clarinet

Coarse Day (Multikulti, 2011)

This is full-throttle avant-garde duo of quality as good as any great free jazz duos of the past or present times. Mature, deep and resonant this music is indeed "coarse" since it is wholesome, edgy, massive. It has all irritating qualities of modern free jazz that it is difficult, ambitious, even repulsive at first. But I keep returning to this CD over and over again while many other nicer and well-trimmed albums though more attractive at first listen are already long gone from stack of CDs I keep close to my Marantz CD player for daily use.

Musicians standing behind this recording are cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and clarinetist Piotr Mełech. Lonberg-Holm is a well known figure on American free jazz and improvised scene. He studied at Julliard School  and later was taught by Anthony Braxton. His bio abounds in great names of musicians with whom he cooperated: Joe McPhee, Peter Brotzmann or Ken Vandermark. Among his many projects stands out the Valentine Trio where he plays together with Jason Raebke (bass) and Frank Rosaly (drums), both excellent players.

Therefore Piotr Mełech may count himself fortunate to have such a powerful, creative and charismatic partner. However he met the challenge and to no surprise: his recent streak of recordings is impressive indeed! Check at least those two described on our blog: "W Pustyni i w puszczy" (2010) by Yazzbot and "Love Communication" (2011) by Tfaruk. In both these projects he played significant role but this album as well as CDs by his band called Enterout Trio (review of albums by this band soon on our blog) may serve as best examples of his great talent. 

Speaking shortly, certainly not a easy morsel to swallow this one is like late love: complicated, troublesome but shall leave your music soul "shaken not stirred"...

Check fantastic tune from this album titled "Mildrew Gourmet"... 


Author: Maciej Nowotny

piątek, 26 sierpnia 2011

Great news from Marcin Oles!!!

Thanks do direct info from Polish top avant-garde double-bassist Marcin Oleś we may inform you about his new projects that are really breathtaking!!!

First, quite soon in Spring 2012 we may expect new album titled "Transgression" recorded by Oles Brothers & Theo Jörgensman which will be released by excellent HatHut Records.

Second, again with Theo Jörgensmann with Oles Brothers but in quartet a CD is planned for Canadian label Red Toucan Records. This CD will feature as well Chris Dell but a date of its issuing is not yet set...

Third, Oles Brothers also think about new album as Oles Duo plus they also plan project with Gregory Tardy. But both ideas are still in early stage...

Best news however we saved for the end of this note! Marcin Oles plans new recording sessions in near futore: one with Jorgos Skolias for November and, listen carefully, the other one with Matthew Shipp again for HutHut Records!!!

We keep fingers crossed for safety landing of all these projects with emphasis on last one of course...;-)

Check music of Theo Jörgensmann Quartet music featuring Oleś Brothers and Chris Dell ....


Author: Maciej Nowotny

czwartek, 25 sierpnia 2011

Leszek Mozdzer – Komeda (ACT, 2011) by Adam Baruch

Leszek Możdżer - piano

ACT, 2011








Adam Baruch (check his music boutique www.jazzis.com) finds some flaws in universally acclaimed newest Leszek Możdzer CD...

Polish pianist / composer Leszek Mozdzer enjoys a superstar status in his country and his albums are listened to not only by the hardcore Jazz enthusiasts, but by a wide music-loving audience, which otherwise avoids listening to Jazz recordings. Mozdzer keeps changing his stylistic and aesthetic approach to music in general and Jazz in particular, expanding the boundaries of the genre, often quite dramatically, with excursions into ambient, neo-romanticism and new age, which of course results in much broader circles of potential listeners. But in spite of his chameleonic nature, his abilities as a piano player are beyond reproach: he is a virtuosic and exceptional player in every sense. The instrument seems to surrender itself completely to him and his hands on the keyboard often make an impression of belonging to a superhuman four-armed Shiva. 

This album finds Mozdzer interpreting the music of another Polish Jazz Legend, pianist / composer Krzysztof Komeda. He performs eight of the better known Komeda's compositions, alone at the piano, which for him is a well-proven setting. He successfully repeats his dazzling achievements, with deeply personal rendition of Komeda's legacy, which surely will again find many enthusiastic listeners and overall acclaim. 

However, as much as I like Mozdzer as a musician and this album as a showcase of superb solo performance, I must admit that his interpretation of Komeda's music is in my opinion completely misguided. As far as I understand Komeda and his work, it is all about essence and spirit, almost minimalistic in nature, allowing for the intellectual interpretation to fill the gaps and build upon the skeletal outlines. Traditionally, Polish Jazz musicians interpreting Komeda, tried to stick to the basics, for what they were: pure essence, with Komeda's cohort Tomasz Stanko leading the way as prominently evident in his recordings of Komeda's music. Mozdzer almost completely covers up Komeda's brilliant simplicity by dressing the music with layer upon layer of musical adornments and trinkets, which overwhelm the listener, but suffocate the essence. But again, that is only my opinion, which I'm sure will be quite different from what most people think. All things considered, this is still a grand solo piano album!

Please listen to Możdżer's interpretation of famous "Sleep Warm And Safe" from Roman Polański's movie "Rosemary's Baby":


Author: Adam Baruch

środa, 24 sierpnia 2011

Daktari - This Is A Last Song About Jews, vol. 1 (Multikulti, 2011)

Daktari
Olgierd Dokalski - trumpet
Mateusz Franczak - tenor saxophone
Miron Grzegorkiewicz - guitar
Maciej Szczepański - bass
Robert Alabrudziński - drums

Multikulti, 2011



This is a debut album of band named Daktari led by young trumpeter Olgierd Dokalski accompanied by Mateusz Franczak on tenor saxophone, Miron Grzegorkiewicz on guitar, Maciej Szczepański on bass and Robert Alabrudziński on drums. One must admit that they are talented instrumentalists and bright future probably lays ahead of them. On this record they showed courage, free spirit and dedication to avantgarde music. I very much appreciate it!

However as far as music is concerned it has all typical advantages and disadvantages of debut recordings. It definitely sounds attractive, it's energetic and spontaneous. Moreover it is coherent showing that Dokalski has had clear artistic vision for Daktari: it's music is comfortably meandering between modern klezmer, noise, rock and indie pop aesthetics. It therefore may sound very attractive especially for less experienced ears of popular music lovers. I believe this may be one of the reasons why this CD got almost unanimously (for rare exception check this one by Bartek Adamczak) positive reviews all over Polish musical blogosphere. But although I share many authors sympathy for this recording I want to stress that from jazz point of view, jazz understood as improvised and free music, this recording is promising yet far from being mature, advanced or complete.

It shares all sins of recent disc ("Ghostwriter's Joke") by famous Contemporary Noise Sextet to which it is very, very similar. All that separates Daktari from CNS is its Tzadik-like Jewish-like component which is unfortunately rather duplicate and so often used all around Poland that it may be called anything but fresh and creative. In fact if I assessed Dakatari so high at the beginning of this text it's for those moments which are probably the least appreciated by artists themselves since those moments are well too rare and first of all too short. These are unhurried, unconstrained, unbound dialouges between instruments, especially between Dokalski trumpet and Grzegorkiewicz guitar, aptly counterpointed by infra-red Szczepański bass (check "Greetings From Ashood" the best track on this album). Were it not for these splendid moments I would call Daktari CNS-clone and advise to skip it...

Please listen to second track from this album titled "Zanussi":


Author of text: Maciej Nowotny

wtorek, 23 sierpnia 2011

Maciej Fortuna Quartet - Lost Keys (2010) by Adam Baruch

Maciej Fortuna Quartet
Maciej Fortuna - trumpet
Przemysław Raminiak - piano
Andrzej Święs - doublebass
Frank Parker - drums






Adam Baruch's (check chis music boutique www.jazzis.com) review of this successful project by Maciej Fortuna, one of the most talented young trumpeters in Polish jazz...

This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz trumpeter Maciej Fortuna, recorded with his quartet, which comprises of pianist Przemyslaw Raminiak, bassist Andrzej Swies and American drummer Frank Parker. Fortuna has been one of the recognized talents on the local Jazz scene for a few years and this recording serves as the "formal" act of entering the major league of Polish Jazz musicians. The quartet performs nine original compositions, seven of which are credited to all four band members; of the two remaining one is by the pianist and the other by the bassist. The music fits perfectly the modern Jazz mainstream, but is very interesting and aesthetic, with beautiful melodic themes and perfect arrangements.

The execution is also absolutely first class, from start to finish. Most solos are performed (not surprisingly) by the leader and the pianist, but the rhythm section is firmly present throughout, playing confidently, accurately and with a lot of imagination. Pianist Raminiak is definitely one of the best among the young generation of Polish Jazz players, which erupted in the last couple of years forcing its way towards the top and his other recordings (with his RGG trio) are all worth investigating. As to the leader, his playing is both beautiful and perfect in every respect, with great sense of melody and technical proficiency.

Stylistically  Fortuna is still distilling and purifying his personal and unique voicing, with his many influences even now quite apparent – mostly Miles Davis and other American Bop players, but also several notable Europeans. Of course every young Polish trumpeter is expected to follow and is judged by comparison to the mentor of Polish trumpet – Tomasz Stanko, which of course is not fair and quite absurd. Even if Fortuna should in the future lean more towards less structured music, his voice and sound will be his own, so let's give him a fair chance. It definitely sounds as we'll hear quite a lot about him in the future. This is definitely a brilliant debut album, which should make all the participating musicians proud. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Check this squad playing material from this CD recently during in concert:
  

Author of text: Adam Baruch

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