Pawel Kaczmarczyk Ethno Sextet at Alchemia (15.06)

Paweł Kaczmarczyk is a representant of a very prolific generation of piano players in Poland (Marcin Wasilewski, Leszek Mozdzer, Slawek Jaskulke come to mind) and a sign of appreciation towards his music is the fact that his latest cd ("Complexity in Simplicity"; 2009) was released by an internationally recognised ACT label. 

Although his piano playing and the compositions are firmly based in hard-bop/post-bop roots, he's actively searching to expand his musical vocabulary, on a hunt for new inspirations (one of only few musicians I know that often can be spotted in the audience, especially when it comes to more mainstream side of jazz) and expanding his Audiofeeling Band (a piano trio) into the ethno - sextet gave him exactly the opportunity to do that - add a new perspective, an extra layer to his pieces as well as engage in more freely improvised dialogues, exploring the reign of world music.

Vojtech Prochazka Trio at Piec'ART (25.05)

It would be great to listen to music without having any kind of expectations. I've recenlty been proven wrong assuming Piec'ART is exclusively a mainstream jazz venue (I guess it's still mostly mainstream but it's a big difference). I recently reviewed inspiring performance by JazzTrio Trabant and Adrian Myhr's coming back to Piec'ART was a big reason that I wanted to be there again. Still, I assumed it could very well be another modern-jazz-post-bop piano trio (something I tend to dislike strongly) but I was proven wrong again. And I love surprises like that.

First good omen was when Vojtech Prochazka, while introducing the band, said that it would be a concert of 'improvised music'. Second good omen happened when instead of taking a seat he bent over the piano looking inside and started playing on piano strings with mallets. In fact it's hard to think about this performance as a piano trio as during the extended improvisation that filled the first set (around 40 minutes) Vojtech barely touches the keyboard, instead he plays on strings with drumsticks, mallets, metal objects, ducktape, bare hands. The piano sounds like harp, toy, marimba, machine .... the spirit of John Cage was definitely somewhere near the place. The trio engages in dialogue that is beyond any genre of music, beyond most traditional views on what is called music actually. Evoking eerie moods with unusual sounds, minimal, barely audible hushes, scraping the strings and drums, bowing the plates. With incredible focus and attention to detail. Abstract yet cohere, going into the rabbit hole, right into the logic of madness, where texture, structure, harmony, note, lenghth, tempo become all non-sense terms.

The entire performance (including the second set improvisation - another 40 minutes) was also absolutely egoless, almost no soloing (in sense of making a single statement that proves the musicall prowess on the instrument) - instead a playing that follows the feeling of the moment, the natural (and irrational) flow of the music, without any clear leading part (or, if anything, one provided more often by the bass, not the piano). All three musicians display considerable skills playing both conventional and (for the most part) unconventional ways. Dark, mysterious, full of rising tension, focused performance demanding a focused listening but absolutely rewarding. 

With music as intriguing and deserving as much attention as any, much more popular, names in the field of improvised music it seemed wrong that such concert was appreciated by the audience only slightly larger that the number of the musicians on the stage. I strongly hope those musicians will get the recognition they deserve.

ps 1. After the break Vojtech talked again bit more (although I think the audience present had already understood that) that, nonetheless they're playing in a 'jazz club' their music is not jazz at all and it's much better to call it 'just music', a fitting term indeed.

ps 2. Whilre writing the post I'm listening to the "Amoeba's Dance" cd by this trio and I have to admit I feel bit cheated as it is exactly what I feared the concert would be - a piano trio recording (no extended improvisation, no sonic experiments, no prepared piano). In fact it was called by the group 'their best shot so far at playing jazz music' and while it's not bad at all (brings back some compositions by Herbie Nichols, a great cover of Ornette's "Una Muy Bonita" tune and couple of nice originals) the music is not nearly as compelling, gripping and thrilling as the live performance they've just delivered. Which makes me hope that they will record an improvised session soon.

Vojtech Prochazka - piano, prepared piano, whistle, mouth organ, objects
Adrian Myhr - double bass
Tore Sandbakken  - drums

Piec'ART. Krakow. 25.05.2011

Ha Tichona Trio (Trzaska / Brice / Sanders) at Alchemia (24.05)

by Krzysztof Penarski

 It's hard to say what makes the free improvisation a successful one, what notes make the difference between poor, good or great. Yet sometimes everything seems just right.

It was the first day of this trio's tour and one could see the excitement those musicians felt about the opportunity to play together. And it did transfer into the music, and it was passed to the audience. I really don't know what to begin with. Mikolaj sound on alto is mesmerizing, even at most lyrical ther's the inner tension in the timbre, you could hide entire planets in there, even at his most expansive and screaming, there's something intimate and emotional to what he plays. Olie Brice had a keen ear, able to find notes that were both logical and surprising. And Mark Sanders absolutely brilliant, dense and light at the same time, embedding the sax and bas with polirhythmic clouds of of sounds (lot of plates) that were both rhythmic and melodic, his attention to details unbelievable.

But everyone who knows those musicians know that they can play. Good improvisation needs to be a whole that is more than the sum of its parts, and that was the case. The reactions immediate enough that it was close to telepathy, following instantly the instrument that would assume the leading part (usually the alto, but still that was a very democratic development). The ability to sustain a long, free-form narration, make the development seem natural and organic, through builds and breaks, duo and solo sections. Through moments of pure screaming wild expression and hushed whispers, echoes of swing and soul or abstract jumps and coulurful, textural plays. Until the serene and beautiful encore that seemed like a gospel hymn, with gentle melody (slow, full of air tone on bass clarinet, great harmony chords laid down on bass) and fragile and delicate accents on the plates. With the audience in complete silence and the trio frozen on the stage after the music was over, hanging on to the last echoes of the last sounds, making sure there was no more coming before breaking into the applause.

I know that this texts seems a lot like a repetition of jazz / improvised music cliches. But frankly I don't know what else can I write, the energy, the passion (I challenge anyone for a duel who insists that free improvisation is merely an intellectual workout), the musicianship, the heart, soul and mind being all united in the moment - it was all there. The first set blew me away, the second one kept me in the stratosphere - one of the very best concerts I've seen this year. 

If this trio is playing anywhere near you in the next days of the tour - don't miss it.


Ha Tichona Trio:
Mikolaj Trzaska - alto sax, bass clarinet, duduk
Olie Brice - double bass
Mark Sanders - drums

Alchemia. Krakow. 24.05

Free Jazz Alchemist Radio with archival birthday playlist for something completely different

Today, at the usual time (8pm CET) and the usual place (www.radiofrycz.pl) a bit unusual playlist. Found deep hidden in my vaults a program that was originally aired on 20.04.2009. Which was close to a date that the program was born, there was a special guest in the studio to chat and sing 'happy birthday' with, lot of unusual songs (blues, latino, mainstream, some alternative rock music too). In short - a lot to enjoy!

As I hope you will. Though I will be stuck elsewhere (which is the reason a live program with a new songs can't be done) I will be available on the facebook chat which is where I hope to catch you all.


1. Ella Fitzgerald - Slap that bass (birthday on 25.04)
2. Charles Mingus - Better Get Hit In Your Soul (birthday 22.04)
3. Gonzalo Rubalcaba Trio - Caravan (he was about to play in Krakow)
4. Tito Puente & India - Fever (Tito's birthday on (birthday on 20.04)
5. The Complainer & The Complainers -  (alternative band that just had played a concert during the OFF OFF Festival, I was literally addicted to their cd after that concert)
6. The Complainer ft. Urkuma & Usonia - Animulae
7. Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass - I Ain't Got Nothing But The Blues
8. Tito Puente & India - Love for Sale
9. Charles Mingus - The Clown
10. Tiziano Tononi - Ecclesiastics
11. The Complainer & The Complainers - Substytuty
12. The Complainer & The Complainers - Pasja i Uraz
13. The Complainer & The Complainers - Metka            (you see what I meant? :) )
14. Maceo Parker - Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (was about to play in Warsaw)
15.

Samuel Blaser solo & Jam Session at Piec'ART (13.05)

Second evening in a row at Piec'ART for me and another good concert. This time my expectations were high (I did see Samuel Blaser already on stage, I do know his cds) but not necessaraily very clear. Because what can you expect from a solo trombone concert? It's a cliche to say, but somehow very true, that a solo recital can be treated as the most difficult form of performance - both for the artist and the audience.

The concert started with some timbral explorations, lot of playing with the mute and wah-wah effect. Definitely intriguing but also very demanding piece. But it only got better with each piece. It's definitely unexpected to write about harmonic depth when describing a solo trombone concert, but it was there indeed, and the level of control of those multiphonics techniques is what makes Samuel's playing really impressive (and gets him, deservingly,  all the Albert Mangelsdorff comparisons). Sometimes it almost sounds like an african choir chant, somehow it reverberates through all the brass material, Blaser is making it seem easy which is a great talent.

Even better, it makes the music surprisingly accessible, as he manages to create an engaging rhytmic structure anchoring the groove in a returning bass note, keeping the time with his foot. His actually very fond of blues, and his jubilant and roaring lines are downright humorous. Those rhythmical bluesy tracks (like "Solo Bone", "Lonely Blues" or "Finally Alone" which ends the concert) are for me definite highlights of the night.

For a bis Samuel plays "Mood Indigo" by Duke Ellington and his take on this classic shows both adventorous spirit and respect towards the jazz history.

If you think that solo trombone jazz concert can't be fun Samuel Blaser is there to proove you wrong.

Samuel Blaser

Piec'ART. Krakow. 13.05

After the concert there was a jam session (well, sort of) and I have admit I feared it a lot, expecting same old cliche, elegant mainstream but I was enormously surprised. The (sax - piano - bass - drums) quartet with the first track really blew my mind as they played this free-from post-bop jazz, indebted definitely to John Coltrane Quartet, but with a sesne of urgence, with a very raw energy and clear passion that was infectious. The music was adventorous and quite wild, the solos would dig deep, the interplay was apparent as the quartet would break into smaller groups (into a piano trio to begin with but then the sax-piano, piano-bass or bass-drums duos. An ankle breaking drum&bass indebted drums solo was among the highlights, the sax player experimented a lot with distorted sound and influence of free and avant-guarde techniques was very clear, the pianist was storming through the keys. 

The second track wasn't that wild, some jazz standard, the reading of the theme almost elegant if it wasn't for the distorted sax sound (some nice unaccompanied saxophone passages on this one too) and the piano solo started bit too conservative, but then it would through history, getting back even to ragtime and the band would play the theme like it was a soundtrack to a slapstick Charlie Chaplin movie (which puts a big smile on my face immediately).

After the break (with a change on the drummer's spot) the band plays a strange tune with a hypnotic salsa rhythm, led by a saxophone player using both tenor and alto and they were joined by Samuel for a lenghty solo on this one. They (quintet now) end the evening with simple blues, having a lot of fun.

While the first track promised more than they eventually delivered I'm still very positively surprised by that part of the evening. While, in private conversations with other jazz fans in Krakow, the theme of bad jazz education returns quite often (the system produces very capable musicians with almost no sense of individuality) the things might be actually better than I'd have thought and those young guys made me a beliver again. Beware! Youth is coming!

unfortuantely I did manage to write down only two names:

Slawe Pezda - tenor sax, alto sax

Pawel Orzechowski - piano

Andrzej Przybielski & Oles Brothers - De Profundis [Fenommedia]

Andrzej Przybielski - trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, pocket trumpet
Marcin Oles - double bass
Bartlomiej Brat Oles - drums

Fenommedia 2011

The significance of some releases transcends the music. Such is this case. This cd is, and will be, the last one recorded by Andrzej Przybielski. A true artist if there ever was one, legendary if somewhat obscure character of polish jazz, always underrecorded, never caring much about publicity, recording deals. Hero of whole ton of anectodes, unpredictable musician who would thrive in improvised situations, didn't like the recording studio, hated rehearsals, didn't care about the 'professional' side of music making but lived as freely as free was the music he loved.

Here he's introduced by a Oles brothers rhythm section as they share in the liner notes some the experiences they had with Andrzej Przybielski. He played as a guest with their first band - Custom trio, he recorded with them the first ever session as a leader (released as "Abstract" on Not Two in 2005, he was 61 at that point!). It was his wish to record this concert, while Oles brothers hoped to do a studio session to present Przybielski's new compositions. This, unfortunately, will never be done.

Alexey Kruglov & Jaak Sooaar Trio - Karate [Leo]

Alexey Kruglov - alto sax, soprano sax, bassethorn, recorder, declamation
Jaak Sooaar - guitar, live electronics
Mihkel Malgand - double bass
Tanel Ruben - drums

Leo Records 2011

Could be simply the fact that I didn't follow the subject close enough, but a lot of very promising new music is coming our way from Eastern Europe, often via polish jazz-soil as a bridge (Mark Tokar, Ilia Belorukov). Obviously it's no news to Leo Feign as Leo Records introduced western audiences to a considerable number of artists coming from post Soviet Union countries, starting a long time ago with the famous Ganellin Trio. Alexey Kruglov is a mojor discovery (it's his third cd for Leo in just a year) and not only a continuator of Ganellin Trio tradition (he has played with all three members of the trio) but also one of the main figures of Moscow improvising scene.

Keir Neuringer & Rafal Mazur - Jazz at Bomba vol. 3 (28.04)

Jazz at Klub Bomba series continues. 

I've expressed my appreciation of Rafal Mazur's playing a couple of times lately (as he has played in Bomba on the occasion of both previous concerts) so let me just say that he was his usual great - deep sound, blurried lines, focused and attentively listening, never forcing himself on the front, comfortable at providing background that would put the spotlight on his partner, though not afraid to introduce new , surprising suggestions and slighly changing the direction of the music.

The collaboration with Keir Neuringer, once a student in Krakow, started in 1999 and lasted and developed through years, resulting last year in their first cd ("Unison Lines" on Not Two). I thoroughly enjoed the music on the cd so I was looking forward to this evening which was to be the first time I'd see Keir on stage.

The Rempis Percussion Quartet - Montreal Parade [482 Music]

The Rempis Percussion Quartet
Dave Rempis - alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax
Ingebrigt Haker Flaten - double bass
Tim Daisy - drums
Frank Rosaly - drums

482 Music 2011

I love bands with some sort of expanded rhythm section (two bass players or, like in this case, two drummers) - it makes the music so rhythmically dense and textured. Percussion Quartet led by Dave Rempis is a good example of that as it proved clearly enough on their previous recordings. Obviously the sound of the group is in large part based on the interaction between the two drummers, the second point of departure is that, even as a long time working group, this band does only play improvised music, no compositions whatsoever. After a long and fruitfull run Dave Rempis decided to shake the things up a little bit and changed the lineup of the band with Ingebrigt Haker Flaten taking on the bass spot (after Anton Hatwitch).

Free Jazz Alchemist Radio tonight at 8pm with a bunch of guys and girls

Tonight at 8 pm we redo the playlist that was supposed to go on air last week. We'll get back to Rempis / Rosaly duo concert, birthdays of whole lot of historic jazz figures and we'll also talk about the concert coming this week.

8pm CET at www.radiofrycz.pl
waiting fo you to on-line and chat through facebook.

1. Freddie Hubbard - Blue Frenzy (Freddie's birthday on 7.04)
2. Dave Rempis & Frank Rosaly - In Plain Sight
3. Noah Howard - Ole Negro (Noah's birthday on 06.04)
4. Gerry Mulligan / Chet Baker Quartet - I got rhythm (Gerry's birthday on 6.04)
5. Billie Holiday - Georgia on my mind (Billie's birthday on 07.04)
6. Evan Parker - Chicago solo (4) (Evan's birthday on 05.04)
7. Dave Rempis Percussion Quartet - Larks and Loons
8. Alexander Von Schlippenbach Monk's Casino -Nutty
9. Alexander Von Schlippenbach Monk's Casino -Criss-Cross (Alex's birthday on 07.04)
10. Thelonious Monk Quartet - Well You Needn't (Charlie Rouse's birthday on 06.04)
11. Horace Tascott Pan African People's Arkestra - Coltrane Medley (Horace's birthday on 06.04)
12. John Coltrane - Giant Steps (Art Taylor's birthday on 06.04)
13. Evan Parker / John Edwards / Mark Sanders - Winter VI
14. Alexander Von Schlippenbach Monk's Casino - Rhythm-a-Ning

Dave Rempis & Frank Rosaly Duo at Alchemia (06.04)

The sax-drums duo could easily be my favourite line-up in free jazz territory. The recording by Coltrane & Ali was the first free-jazz I listened to and fell in love with. And some excellent releases coming from recent years (Paal Nilssen-Love with Vandermark or Brotzmann or McPhee, Vandermark with Tim Daisy ...) keep my appreciation for this set-up well and alive. It's rhythm & melody, plain and simply. Basic. But it's also punch & scream (I stole this one from the liner notes to "Born Broke" by Brotzmann & Uuskyla) - a primal expression, the first music that was created. With Dave Rempis (an old friend of Alchemia who played in Krakow countless times) and Frank Rosaly (been here before with Rempis Percussion Quartet) you get all of that.

Dave is a beast on stage. He would play a phrase, repeat a couple of times, until it verged on obsession, then slowly changed it, introduced new elements, new notes, new rhythm patterns. Mutation? Evolution? And then the idea, completely deconstructed or expanded, exploded. And it's time to look for a new one. His playing wa dynamic, the tone full and energetic.

Frank likes to play loud and fast, there's rock energy to the way he plays, and even while creating a cloud of sounds all over the place, he maintains the pulse in an incredible way. He listens closely and pushes the music forward, in constant journey, always looking for the new. The instant reactions between the two players showed a deep understanding and long partnership as they've been playing together (in duo and other settings) for a long time now.

That was the first set and the second one was even better. The musicians were warmed up, so was the audience. Dave started with a cookin' solo going up and down the saxophone's scale (his agility on the instrument is impressive), also had a beautiful short sax-only spot, with soft sounds, delicate chord structures (I know it's a melodic not harmonic instrument, but there was a chord structure in what he was doing, putting the base line with just a hit on the keys, adding notes that were more air than notes actually). Second set also gave more solo space to Frank, who would rock it hard or play gentle and abstract, impressive in both cases.

It was definitely highly satisfying to attend this concert. You may have listened to a lot of sax-drums duos, you may have seen Dave Rempis and Frank Rosaly on stage before, whatever the case is it doesn't make their playing together any less impressive and the music they do any less passionate and fresh. 

The duo is still on the tour so check if you can still get to see them.
More photos from the concert as provided by Krzysztof Penarski to be found here.

Dave Rempis - alto sax, tenor sax
Frank Rosaly - drums

Alchemia. Krakow. 06.04.2011

Free Jazz Alchemist Radio with Little, Scott and Frank

Tomorrow we will remember Scott LaFaro and Little Booker - two incredible musicians that died at a very young age. Also birthday of Frank Gratkowski.

radiofrycz.pl at 8pm CET. see you :)

1. Bill Evans Trio - Gloria's Step (take 2) (Scott LaFaro's birthday on 03.04)
2. Booker Little - We Speak (Booker's birthday on 02.04)
3. Frank Gratkowski Quartet - Annaherungen III (Frank's birthday on 30.03)
4. Max Roach - Freedom Day
5. Bill Evans Trio - Jade's Vision
6. Eric Dolphy - Fire Waltz
7. Frank Gratkowski Trio - Senga
8. Ornette Coleman - The Alchemy of Scott LaFaro
9. Frank Gratkowski Trio - Three Vegetables for Double Happiness
10. Bill Evans Trio - Some Other Time
11. Booker Little - Man of Words
12. Bill Evans Trio - My Romance (take 1)

Rob Brown & Daniel Levin Duo - Jazz @ Alchemia (23.03)

After the concert by Mihaly Dresch Quartet was cancelled, this one started the series of interesting concert events that have to take place in next 2 months at Alchemia. Rob Brown & Daniel Levin played together a series of improvised duos which is only a simply and easy to put description of a creative act that is far from simply and easy.

No sense in trying to descript the particular phrases, parts or pieces as this was music of constant change, where one keeps the other alert and ready, constantly on the toes. Music could go from hushed to ecstatic, from beautifully fluent lines (Rob Brown's agility and mastery of the instrument's language is impressive) to dotted pizzicato sounds (so is Daniel Levin's). They could go low and high, moving forward, far outside, deep inside but never back. Constant interaction and fearless creation.

I must say that I was most impressed by Levin's playing (first time I saw him on stage) who becomes completely united with the cello, whether he's shredding the strings with the bow or plaing gently, whether he's taking the bass role, or singing like a violin (espiecially once he goes completely acoustic in the 2nd set), or just tapping the body of the instrument with his fingers. While he's assuming the more accompanying role quite often, he plays also a few unaccompanied solos that are really mindblowing. Raw, passionate, rich and immaginative. He's the fire in this mixture, he has this mad look, completely gone inside the world of sound, while Rob face is more focused, his playing is more intellectual maybe. Obviously all simplyfications as there are no easy rules nor possible ways to put words around it.

Together they create music that is intense and passionate, that, following all the possibilites given and created is incredibly demanding, almost exhausting, but also very satisfying.

The concert was/is also a part of small tour that promotes their duo released late last year by Not Two - "Natural Disorder" and this title fits great their music, there's natural flow to their playing that is so energetic and limitless that it is very much like lookig for an order in the nature's caos or disordering the nature's order.

some photos from the concert available here.

The duo has still to play in Poznan and Wuppertal in the next days so if you live nearby - don't miss it.

Rob Brown - alto sax

Daniel Levin - cello

Alchemia. Krakow; 23.03

Jacek Kochan & Dominik Wania - One Eyed Horse at Piec'ART (17.03)

Piec'ART is a mostly mainstream jazz venue but I wander there from time to time quite happily. This time it was Jacek Kochan's project which caught my eye. A very active composer and agile drummer, working mainly within a formula that he called AJIEE - Acoustic Jazz in Electronic Enviroment - his compositions use extensively post-bop language while he adds layers of electronic noises, loops and rhythm patterns beneath (around? over?) created on the laptop. I'm not a big fan of electronics in jazz music but I always appreciated his drums skills - keep that in mind as these preexistent oppinions clearly conditioned a lot my feelings about the concert.

With Dominik Wania, a very capable keyobard player, they start off hard and that is how both the sets will go on. Kochan plays drums like the Lord commands - loud and fast, he's playing precise patterns with ankle-breaking speed, keeping it all clean and tight. I really like it especially when he lays this phat funky groove. Wania adds a lot of brewing on the keys (moving beetwen piano, fender piano or moog sounds) and he adds very nice bass touches with the left hand. Make it a drum'n'bass era version of "Bitches Brew".

While the compositions aren't bad, there's too much similarity between them, cohesity of the material and closed formula become quite monotonous. The electronic enviroment feels quite redundant in this case, limiting musicians instead of expanding the possibilites. I quite miss the horn section or at least one other instrument to fly over the dense and thick structures produced by the keyboard-drums duo (hope I don't hurt the laptop's feeling by omitting it). 

Fortunately what lacks in variety is made up, at least partially, with the energy level. Wania contributes some strong, searching solo statements in the 2nd set and things are really cookin' when they both hit the high gear - making for a nice headbanging and foot-tapping invitation. And the last track is possibly the strongest of the night, making the appreciative, if small audience call for 'one more' (which they get).

Enjoyable if not exactly stellar performance. I have seen better by these musicians (in slightly larger groups) and I hope to do so in the future. On the other hand, it wasn't that bad at all. 

ps. What is surprising (given the fact that it's just a duo and one led by a drummer) there were no drum solos (not one), positive sign (as in: it shows Kochan's egoless conception of the music) and actually bit dissapointing (as in: I'd like to hear at least one).

Dominik Wania - el. piano

Jacek Kochan - drums, laptop

Piec'ART; Krakow. 17.03.2011

Mikolaj Trzaska - Rafal Mazur Duo at Klub Bomba (12.03)

by K. Penarski

I've been long waiting for a serious free-jazz concert and here it was. Two amongst my favourite musicians, intimate do setting, what else to desire? The problem is that Bomba is a very specific place, not exactly fit for live music venue, with just a small improvised stage, no real audience space. While listeners filled the floor around the musicians and stairway, there were also many people around not really interested in the music, chattering, laughing, drinking, disturbing those who came specifically to see the concert.

by K. Penarski

I had a hard time focusing on music, taking notes and trying to nevermind the chattering noise,  but the musicians delved right into the world of sound and managed to create somehow of a parallel reality, coexisting, completely autonomic. Only when I stopped taking notes I managed to separate myself from the casual sounds around and focus on the music delievered from the stage.

Mikolaj has long been one of my favourite sax players, tremendously agile, adventorous, completely free at his playing. And with thise sense of melody that is really quite unique. His playing is now completely mature, a sign of a true master, whether screaming, whispering, playing with this emotional delicacy, gentle cry, raw power and jazzy swagger. Rafal is an extremely gifted musician, fabulous cohort, closely listening, he underscores the lineage of sax melodies, he can play dense and blurry lines, powerfull riffs, as much as distinct and selective bass lines. He's almost telepathic when it comes to reacting to the musicians around him.

Together they create music that is intense, focused, free yet with a strong sense of cohesity, of direction. That travels effortlessly within a dynamic range of scream and whisper, and within the musical traditions of a jazz standard, jewish song, hushed lullaby, raging war song, free jazz and free improv.

This duo has developed a clear chemistry. I had seen their first concert (summer last year if I recall correctly), the trio concert with Tim Daisy (written about it here). And I'm hoping to see them again soon, possibly with a new cd in hand.

Rafal Mazur - electro-acoustic bass guitar

Mikolaj Trzaska - alto sax, tarogato

Klub Bomba; Krakow. 12.03

the video comes from the very first concert of Rafal Mazur and Mikola Trzaska together.

John Wolf Brennan - Triangulation : Whirligigs [Leo]

Bruno Amstad - voice, subcontrabass voice, loops
Christy Doran - electric & acoustic guitars, loops & fx
John Wolf Brennan - piano, organ, e-piano, clavinet, melodica, accordion & indian harmonium
Patrice Heral - percussion, loops, voice

Leo Records 2010

After a series of reviews concerning very serious music, big orchestras, whole sections of strings, modern chamber sensibiltiy etc. this one serves as a great antidote.

Call it a mash-up, call it eclectic, call it whatever you like, this is one of the strangest mix I've heard in a while.

Chlopcy Kontra Basia Trio at Lokator (12.02)

I wrote recently about this group here (although the previous performance was done in a duo setting) so just a quick resume.

Jazzed up and hip and modern take on folk tradition with voice / bit of clarinet, bass, percussion. Groovy and catchy bass lines, witty and sexy folk-culture-inspired lyrics (surprising how the 'folk' and 'sexy' can be used in the same sentence). Compared to a duo performance, this did have more kick, more drive to it, very high foot-tapping factor. It is after all, in the essence, drum & bass music and drum&bass drumming is sped up funk rhythm.  The repertoire essentially the same as on the last concert so no point in repeating myself about it, just check the other post. Folk can be fun folks. And it is quite refreshing.

Basia Derlak - voice, clarinet

Marcin Nenko - double bass

Tomasz Waldowski - percussion set, piano

Lokator, Krakow; 12.02.

Trio Brain + Bartlomiej Chmara at Alchemia (11.02)

Brain Trio
Mateusz Walerian - alto sax
Sławomir Janicki - double bass
Qba Janicki - drums and percussion, no valve trumpet

Bartlomiej Chmara - guitar

Alchemia, Kraków; 11.02.2011

I've been concert hungry for a while and this concert I was looking forward to. Qba (Kuba) Janicki made a great impression playing with Rafal Mazur Electro-Acoustic Quartet, Slawomir Janicki is a strong presence of Bydgoszcz and Tri-city scene since the yass revolution. Mateusz and Bartlomiej I did not know before. 

The concert was dedicated to Andrzej Przybielski who passed away two days before and it started with an array of small bells, introducing the meditative atmosphere, joined by drones and ambient, blurried background noises by guitar, and lots of small repetitions by sax and bass. Long notes, slow lines, somehow esoteric, and the sonic palette is augmented with the brass sound, reinforcing the Przybielski reference. The concert is divided into two extended improvisations, changing often between otherwordly mood and energetic drive. 

Janicki is towering over the group, both with his huge posture behing the double bass and musical experience, his tone is deep, raw, his playing powerfull, whether it's a simple repetitive three-notes base or speedy free walking. His solo, played with both hands clapping all over the strings as much as on the body of the instrument, somehow reminded me of the passion of flamenco music, probably the most impressive singular statement of the night. Qba Janicki has a very rebelious look and attitude, his playing subtle and impressionistic during the slower parts, but his direct, energetic and punk-driven beats moves the group through most captivating ensemble playing of the night. Mateusz Walerian is a new name for me, his tone is light and sweet, his playing warm, very melodic, while not being afraid of some tone and timbre explorations. Fresh and inspiring is the contrast between the free-jazz boiling section behind him and his cool, thoughtfull lines and very jazz phraseology, moving from blues, bebop, free-bop up to some not too extreme free improv. Bartlomiej Chmara's presence is the most problematic, his playing, mostly experimental, provides interesting ambient textures to more pensive moments, his full of noise effects solo intriguing, yet the electronic effects often disturb the cohesity of the ensemble's sound. I'm surprised myself to say this but I'd like less experimental attitude, more punk-rock kick with the guitar.

Overall, really good performance, and very promising talents, which makes me proud of young polish improvising scene, and I hope to hear more from these musicians soon.

Szilard Mezei - Mint Amikor Tavasz [Not Two]

Mint Amikor Tavasz

Szilard Mezei - viola, double bass

Not Two 2009

While both his recent releases (orchestral double cd "Bot" also on Not Two, quartet lp "February Fadontes" on No Business") are really good, I decided to get back to his solo outing which I feel is something really special.

Szilard Mezei, both as composer and performer, manages to create link between folk melodies and sophisticated avant-jazz or chamber methods and strategies of composition and execution. Here, in a solo setting, his musical vision is displayed as clearly as ever.

Kayo Dot / Jeremiah Cymerman (interview) at Klub Re (29.01.2011)

Saturday at Klub Re, rounding up a small, three concerts tour in Poland, played Kayo Dot (a band I've never heard about before) with Jeremiah Cymerman (whose "Under a Blue Grey Sky" I recently reviewed).

The music was weird, anything from orchestrated ambient (two saxes, trumpet, clarinet and electronics) up to heavy high-screaming metal (with two guitars and a keyboard). First set mixed idyllic passages with mellow and moody songs (enormous delay on the mic makes the voice sound unhuman, uneasy), played almost entirely without the drums, it finishes with a thunderous drums solo (which reminds me immediately about the difference about jazz and rock drumming - it's all power and speed and the kicking bass drum is massaging my stomach). With Jeremiah adding his touch (extended techniques and lo-fi static noises). He sits out for the second set.

Once again I have to say it -weird music. With metal and ambient, and nicely arranged horns section, strange vocal. A music that is full of contrasts and torn apart between high-pitched singing and heavy bass. You can hear there darkness, heavy, jazz-rock (little jazz in it), ambient, echoes of grunge. Kayo Dot does to metal what Zappa did to rock, but with Dead Can Dance sense of humour (meaning none of it) - as the delayed vocal resonates like we were in an empty church, adding extra-temporal dimension to the music. Kinda freaky and quite disturbing, definitely very interesting, although not exactly my cup of coffee.

Stiil the main reason for me to be there was a chance to meet Jeremiah Cymerman and I did a short interview with him - here's what I asked about and what he said:

(it might take a moment before the players load, if any file is not working, please let me know)

1. First thing that came up (before the interview actually started) were Jeremiah's polish roots so I asked him to tell more about it:

2. I asked also about the origins of "Under a Blue Grey Sky" - a piece originally commissioned by Roulette, the release that got me introduced to his music.

3. With a lot of electro-acoustic improvisation, a classical string-quartet composition and collaboration with bands like Kayo Dot under his belt Jeremiah is crossing a lot of boundaries. The question was - are there any musical barriers left in New York music scene?

4. New York, New York. About its influence on Jeremiah - both on personal and artistic levels. Does the city create more opportunities or competition?

5. About how do the electro- and -acoutic elements relate to each other in his work

and a follow up to the question - whether electronic enhancement is Jeremiah's way of finding a personal voice on the instrument.

6. A performing improviser, but also a composer. How does the composing and improvising elements relate?

7. About his influences on clarinet.

8. About the music he listens to.

and whether it is mainly what would commonly be called 'sad' music (both "Under a Blue Grey Sky" and the music played by Kayo Dot are not particularly joyful) [although my theory was just disproven earlier with the mention of Beach Boys]

when I asked whether it could be about discharging those emotions, Jeremiah continues:

and that's all folks :)

many thanks to Jeremiah for the interview (hope I did ok for the first time) and to Luke Mosling from Porter Records who put me in touch with him.