Hera XL with Hamid Drake - Seven Lines [Multikulti]

Hera 

Waclaw Zimpel - clarinet, alto clarinet, harmonium

Pawel Postaremczak - tenor & soprano sax, harmonium

Maciek Cierliński - hurdy-gurdy

Raphael Rogiński - guitar

Ksawery Wojciński - double bass

Paweł Szpura - drums

and special guest Hamid Drake - drums

Multikulti 2013

It's high time to end the holiday break on jazz alchemist blog and "Seven Lines" is perfect album to do that, for many reasons. the most important being this is possibly some of the most beautiful music released in 2013 (and 'tis the season for the list of various kinds). There's a proven recipe to make great records - just release great concerts, when they happen, and "Seven Lines" is a chance, for those few who were lucky to be there, to get back to the fond memories of one evening in October 2012, at Manggha Museum in Krakow, where IT happened. I wrote ecstatic words afterwards, and today I stand by them with even more conviction:

DKV Trio - Past Present [Not Two]

DKV Trio

Ken Vandermark - reeds
Kent Kessler - double bass
Hamid Drake - drums


Not Two 2012

DKV trio's concert in the course of 2012 Autumn Jazz Festival was a night to remember for many reasons. The trio played up to the promise and delivered. The concert itself, a result of a decade - long logistical struggle to bring together the three at one place and time, was also the release date campaign to a 7cds boxset called "Past Present" that would gather a several of the famed DKV performances done near the end / beginning of each year in Chicago and Milwaukee.

DKV Trio at Manggha (Krakow Autumn Jazz; 1.11)

The bar was set up incredibly high at the first set of the evening by the Hera. Still DKV is like an dream team trio, I've heard legends about their concert 10 years ago in Katowice and Marek Winiarski from Not Two tried ever so hard to bring them in to Krakow in the last years but it proved to be impossible because of the musicians schedule - they've among the busiest people in the world. And it finally happened.

And boy it was worth waiting for. The trio grooved with grittines, swinging soulfully and passionately. Just unresistable ride, joyfull and fun. When they get lyrical it's smooth and lushfull, when they hit it hard it's an instant knock-out, when they want to be rough or abstract, they just do, without ever loosing the grip of the story, all even the most abstract dots connect with each other in a perfect way. There's elegance and energy that rarely meet together, the swag and substance, the heavy groove dances lightly on its toes and the trio is just on fire and your foot is toetapping without a stop.

As good as it gets. Smokin' hot jazz. 

2nd set:
DKV
Ken Vandermark - tenor sax, clarinet
Kent Kessler - double bass
Hamid Drake - drums

Manggha. Krakow Autumn Jazz. 01.11.2012

Hera XL with Hamid Drake (Krakow Autumn Jazz; 1.11)

This was for me, and possibly many others, the most awaited evening of this year's festival. Hera is possible one of the strongest units on the scene and it still evolving band, constantly in search of new and exciting. I invite you to check on the blog the review of their 2nd cd "Where My Complete Beloved Is" as well as the interview with the band's leader Waclaw Zimpel. The quartet met with Hamid Drake in Lublin a year and a half ago, the double bill evening ended in a the wonderfully groovy jam session and they immediately hit it off and the idea to work together in the future was born on the spot.

The Krakow concert is the day that this idea came to reality and the band presented a new series of compositions that show the continuous development of the musical vision. Trance, hypnotic, the music would shine with the rhythmi propulsation provided by the double drums sets behind, with the polyphonic melodies presented by the double front line, with the stead bass groove, with sharp guitar sound and the drones of hurdy gurdy.

Hera

There was something absolutely magical about the performance, complete and total experience of sound, rhythm, melody. Omnipresent, the music would take you in wholly, showing you the paradise world of universal love. I honestly lack word to describe the passionate feeling that the music gave me. Hats off especially to Maciej Cierlinski who just added an entire new universe to the band's music (also the craziest solo of the night, if Jimi Hendrix have played hurdy gurdy, that's how it would sound). It was also the first time I've heard them with Raphael Roginski and his unique sound would enhance so fabulously the constant melodious flow.

To have listened to this band was like to jump into a river, and just keep floating, keep admiring the constance of change around you, and it felt so safe and natural to meet all this with an openess of mind and heart. In the words of Joe McPhee: "fucking amazing".

1st set:
Hera XL:
Waclaw Zimpel - clarinet, contralto clarinet
Pawel Postaremczak - tenor, soprano sax
Raphael Roginski - guitar
Maciej Terlinski - hurdy gurdy
Ksawery Wojcinski - double bass
Pawel Szpura - drums

Hamid Drake - drums

Manggha. Krakow Autumn Jazz. 01.11.2012

Krakow Autumn Jazz 2012 Festival Program - November and December

As promised here's the latter half of the program. First day will finish a 5-day long marathon. And there's another residency at Alchemia with Barry Guy New Orchestra - 3 nights in Alchemia and one in Manggha (which will coincide with the release date of the Not Two documenting their first run in Krakow on 2010 Festival which, incidentally, was the very moment that this blog was born). The Festival will end after two months with classic eropean trio The Ames Room, almost exactly 2 months after it's beginning. This is going to be a great autumn, don't you think?



November:

Thursday 01.11.2012. MANGGHA

DKV TRIO

Ken Vandermark (USA) tenor sax, clarinets

Kent Kessler (USA) bass

Hamid Drake (USA) drums, percussion

HERA XL feat. HAMID DRAKE

Wacław Zimpel (Poland) clarinet, bass clarinet
Paweł Posteremczak (Poland) soprano and tenor saxes
Ksawery Wójciński (Poland) double bass
Paweł Szpura (Poland) drums

Rafael Rogiński (Poland) guitar

Maciej Cierliński (Poland) hurdy-gurdy

Hamid Drake (USA) drums, percussion

Niedziela 04.11.2012. Literki godz.20:00

Film presentation

Musician (Ken Vandermark)

reż. Daniel Kraus (60 min.)

Monday 05.11.2012. Barka godz.20:00

STEFANO FERRIAN / SIMONE QUATRANA DUO

Thursday 12.11.2012. Literki godz.20:00

Film presentation

Soldier Of The Road (Brotzmann)

Reż. Bernard Josse (90 min)

Czwartek 15.11.2012. Literki godz.20:00

RAFAŁ MAZUR / KEIR NEURINGER DUO

Niedziela 17.11.2012. Kino Agrafka godz.20:15

CONCERT FOR FUKUSHIMA

Peter Brötzmann Chicago Tentet + goście:

Toshinori Kondo

Michiyo Yagi

Otomo Yoshihide 

Akira Sakata

-

screening of the concert registered during the Music Unlimited 2011 in Wels.

Dir.Pavel Borodin  (Germany/Austria 2012, 105 min.)

Tuesday till Friday 20 – 23.11.2012. (20-22) ALCHEMIA

BARRY GUY NEW ORCHESTRA (23) MANGGHA

Barry Guy (Anglia) bass, composer, director

Agusti Fernandez (Hiszpania) piano

Evan Parker (Anglia) tenor & soprano saxes

Mats Gustafsson (Szwecja) baritone & tenor saxes, fluteophone

Hans Koch (Szwajcaria) tenor & soprano saxes, clarinets

Herb Robertson (USA) trumpet

Johannes Bauer (Niemcy) trombone

Per Åke Holmlander (Szwecja) tuba

Paul Lytton (Anglia) percussion

Raymond Strid (Szwecja) percussion

Maya Homburger (Szwajcaria) baroque violin

Trevor Watts (Anglia) alto sax

Wednesday 28.11.2012. Barka

REMPIS / ZIMPEL / TRACZYK / SZPURA

Dave Rempis (USA) saxes

Wacław Zimpel( Polska) clarinet

Wojtek Traczyk (Polska) bass

Paweł Szpura (Polska) drums

Thursday 29.11.2012. ALCHEMIA

BOUGE

Johannes Bauer (Niemcy) trombone

Luc Ex (Holandia) guitar

Isabelle Duthoit (Francja) clarinet, voice

December:

Sunday 02.12.2012. ALCHEMIA

THE AMES ROOM 
Will Guthrie (Australia) drums
Clayton Thomas (Australia) double bass 
Jean-Luc Guionnet (Francja) alto sax

The Cool Runnings Orchestra - Tribute to Marley [BMC]

The Cool Runnings Orchestra :
Carsten Daerr - piano, organ, fender rhodes, melodica
Hamid Drake - drums
Manu Codija - guitar
Christophe Monniot - alto, baritone and sopraniono saxophone
Michael Schiefel - voice, electronics
Matyas Szandai - double bass
Viktor Toth - alto saxophone

BMC (Budapest Music Center) Records 2011

How does Bob Marley's music fit with jazz? I don't really know, yet it is not surprising to see Hamid Drake involved in such a project. He has played reggae music over the years and his physical presence (dreadlocks and all) suggests strongly an affinity for rasta culture and the sunny music of Jamaica. An affinity which he shares, as this album proves, with other jazz musicians.

Rob Wagner, Hamid Drake, Nobu Ozaki - Trio [Valid Records]

Rob Wagner - clarinet, tenor & soprano saxophone
Hamid Drake - drum kit & frame drum
Nobu Ozaki - bass

Valid Records 2007

It's almost too easy to focus on Chicago and New York when thinking about jazz music "made in USA". In which case this album serves as a good reminder of a place called New Orleans, so crucial to the jazz history, so painfully experienced in the last years. Recorded December 2005, shortly after the Katrina,  this album's story is much more about the place and the people who create it than your regular comfy studio session.

Fank Gratkowski & Hamid Drake - S/T [VALID]

Frank Gratkowski - alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet
Hamid Drake - drums and percussion

Valid Records 2010

Sax(reeds)-drums duos are among my favourites, this format is a vehicle that allows the musicians the freedom to go any direction they want, while providing the means to play simply just the two elements that are primal to music - rhythm & melody.

Add to that premise the presence of Hamid Drake who brings light and life to the music anytime he plays and is one of the busiest drummers in the field - it's a true joy to see him live on stage whatever the group he's playing  with as he makes the drums set dance and sing and play. 

Hamid Drake & Pasquale Mirra - III Lublin Jazz Festival - day 1, concert 2

Hamid Drake started this concert with a speech, saying how much he enjoyed the Hera concert, about his experience of meeting Don Cherry, about Cherry's vision of life and music. How they are not separate, and how little is needed in both - love and kindness, compassion. A beautiful and simple message

Drake is undoubtedly one of the most gifted drummers around, versatile in all kinds of ethnic traditions, a true master of the rhythm. He played with joy, with creative spirit, openeness that is touching and inspiring. You kind of expect him to amaze you.

The real surprise was Pasquale Mirra - vibraphone player form Italy, whom I never heard before. He would be a perfect foil to Hamid in this partnership. Fantastic melodic touch, fast and mesmerizing arpeggios instead of chords, very original attitutude toward the instrument, lot of variety there - different mallets, drumsticks or just palm and fingers on the keys. But technical prowess is just a medium, the goal is to create music that is free, passionate, gentle and wild. The way the duo would play together (as in really together) was awe-inspiring, listening closely to each other, they would react instantly to any of the new ideas thet kept flowing - why not to flow from Don Cherry, through tango, towards reggae? I tell you - if you want to have the groove (just hi-hat and the snare drum) Hamid is the best I've seen. 

Propably the most effective moment of the concert was when both players would just stomp their feet, dance rhytmically, Pasquale using his body as the instrument, Hamid with shakers in his hands. Joyfull and touching music. Lot of energy got echanged, in the spirit of Don Cherry, whose melodies would appear throughout the evening, like this one that, fittingly, ended the concert:



Pasquale Mirra - vibraphone
Hamid Drake - drums, frame drum, percussion, vocal

Radio Lublin Studio; Lublin; 15.04

To end the evening Hera and Hamid Drake as a quintet would start the jam session in the festival club. It was something unbelievable. Behind the double push of the two drum sets (and Ksawery on the bass) the quintet would just take us for a beatiful ride, 50 (yes! fifty!) minutes of incessant drive, wild and relentless. With fantastic soloing by all of the players (Pawel Postaremczak hit the roof with his one). Some of the most energizing playing (and clearly the players did enjoy themselves) I've witnessed live. Free-jazz at its best.

Czarna Owca (Black Sheep) Club; Lublin; 15/16.04
Hera & Hamid Drake