7th Lublin Jazz Festival invitation

There's plenty of happening in Krakow this week due to the Starzy i Mlodzi Jazz Festival which will be covered on the blog in a more detailed way.

Before I pass to that I'd like to invite you as well to Lublin Jazz Festival, I have some very fond memories of it's edition few years back (documented on the blog as well). The festival has a very intriguing line-up including the dynamic scandinavian unit Atomic, the funkiest band I've ever seen live The Apples or Jazzpospolita playing the material from the masterpiece of polish jazz "Winobranie" by Zbigniew Namysłowski (who will appear himself as well).

more on the festival's website.
http://lublinjazz.pl/en/

Wolfgang Reisinger, David Boykin Trio, Igor Boxx - III Lublin Jazz Festival day 3

Wolfgang Reisiger Solo

 In the mystic and spiritual aura of a church Wolfgang Reisiger from Vienna played a solo concert on drums - definitely not an easy feat. Starting with rattling noise of shells and theatric gesture he'd invite us to a specific world where rhythm should be melody. Acoustic resonance would be accompanied by electronic enviroment, (sometimes and odd beat, sometimes electronic  sci-fi sounds, sometimes ambient texture) and an electronic drum (which would sound like anything the artist needed it to be, in the most surprising, and to my ears, effective moment - like a piano - interesting to see a drumstick hit the drum and hear a piano key, somehow bends your mind nicely). The attention to detail was commendable, brushes in the air, palms, mallets and so on. But I failed to get the big picture of this solo statement as the music would wander a bit at times. Also it was definitely to long - I can't imagine any solo drum set to be able to attract the undivided attention for a 70+ minutes continous play. Definitely an exaggeration, overachievement and I think it would be a much more succesfull try on the drums recital if cut down by a half.

Wolfgang Reisiger - drums, percussion, laptop
Holy Trininty Church; Lublin; 17.04

David Boykin Trio
The second concert was of the day was David Boykin Trio - a representant of the rich Chicago jazz scene, presented by Wojciech Juszczak (director of the Made in Chicago festival that takes place every year in Poznan). In short it was nice. Strong compositions including post-bop influences, hip-hop, lightly and nicely grooving. David Boykin is versatile on the sax, his playing based in the Coltrane tradition, modal, sometimes venturing to more free ways of saxophone expression. The rhythm section tight and somehow over-conservative I guess, giving the strong platform for the leading instrument but not adding anything extra to the mix, just going through the riffs. I'd love to see them go wilder (as they prove in the final freer moments that they can), I think especially about the drummer whose just lacks dynamic touch, nice and solid, complementing well the sound of the trio, but I'd like something more surprising. 

Two hip-hop songs showcase a flowing stream of worlds (nice rhyming structures although it was too hard for me to follow the lyrics closely) and add a modern, funky aura. But otherwise, while it's all cool and enjoyable, you get the feeling that it was too laid-back also.

David Boykin - tenor sax, rap
Josh Abrams - double bass
Marcus Evans - drums

Warsztaty Kultury; Lublin; 17.04

Igor Boxx

Igor Boxx is a half a of a very succesfull Skalpel duo, electronic masters who with their debut cd would sample classic polish jazz recordings and they are under the wings of prestigious Ninja Tune label. Mazzoll did play a huge part in the revolutionary yass move in the 90s that stirred nicely the stagnated polish jazz scene of the era. So, while not a big fan of electronic music, I still was interested to see this one. But I was hugely dissapointed, loud and fast techno-driven beats, sometimes danceable, usually dull, left me completely indifferent. Almost no solo space for Mazzoll (the one he got was the most interesting moment of the concert by far). Maybe I don't know much about music and this was actually great but not for me. Fact is the only thing that kept me seated were great visualisations - very original, apocalyptic and scary cartoons about World War II.

Igorr Boxx - electronics, turntable
Magierski - laptop, keys
Mazzoll - clarinet, bass clarinet
Vj Spectribe - visuals

Warsztaty Kultury; Lublin; 17.04

Dave Douglas Brass Ecstasy - III Lublin Jazz Festival Day 2 Concert 2 (16.04)

I always loved brass ensemble sound, so joyfull and positively vibrant, festive. Dave Douglas Brass Ecstasy is clearly inspired by Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy and the first song is indeed dedicated to Lester - "Spirit Moves". I'm really mad that the "Spirit Moves" cd doesn't contain (surprising isn't it?) the song that bears the same title. But this piece is incredibly beautifull, and ensemble just pours those sweet, warm harmonies of this spiritual-influenced melody. 

The band revives the New Orlean's traditions playing charmingly through Douglas originals that show both knack for harmonic depth and cinematic storytelling. Solid soloing, even better ensemble sound and playing, great scores, great contact with an audience - all ingredients of an ole jazz fun. And what a fun it was! In the final piece Dave Douglas plays solo intruduction filled with humorous twists and quotations from music history (pop, classical, jazz), Marcus Rojas on tuba lays the groove with Nasheet Waits. Luis Bonilla and Vincent Chancey are definitely no slackers but my greatest appreciation goes right to Nasheet Waits, lightly swinging, drumrolling, lightly funking. In fact Waits is not doing anything spectacular but the way he doesn't do it is spectacular. Some of the most classy, elegant and delightfull drumming I've watched on stage in a while. And the tuba-drums duo groove deliciously.

Fun and joyfull in the nicest way possible, nothing ear or mind shattering obviously, nothing really surprising or spectacular, but what a pleasure for ears!

the photo was made by fellow listener Pawel Pawlowski - thanks a lot for submitting it.

Dave Douglas - trumpet

Louis Bonilla - trombone

Vincent Chancey - french horn

Marcus Rojas - tuba
Nasheet Waits - drums

Studio Radio Lublin; Lublin; 16.04

actually there are good quality videos of the band on youtube. This one starts with "Spirit Moves" as the concert in Lublin.

Mikolaj Trzaska & Clementine Gasser - III Lublin Jazz Festiwal day 2 concert 1 (16.04)

Mikolaj introduced this concert with a reflection that would sum it up better than anything else. He met with Clemetine in 2004 and they play together every now and then since that moment. Sometimes with other musicians, sometimes (as in this case) in duo setting. In between they work on other projects, they develop new ideas, independently, they grow, they become new persons in a way. So every time they meet again it's like meeting an old friend, but have a lot of new stories to tell each other. 

They start intense, Mikolaj on alto with a lot of agressive extended techniques, making the instrument breath and heave in circles. Clementine's tone on cello is sharp and edgy, poignant. While keeping the tension high, Mikolaj also displays his melodic sensibility, the ever-evident post-romantic, slavic soul. The playing is intense, focused, demanding on all three sides - Mikolaj, Clementine, the audience. Even the softer moments, fragile lines are powerfull. Whether playing softly on sopranino (I think) or deep and dark like the ocean on bass clarinet Mikolaj brings detail forward, the musicality of his solo playing is immense - in fact I think he should do a solo recording soon. With the presence of Clementine on the cello - dominant and equally wild, the duo creates music that is abstract and demands total attention, but can also be very rewarding and It's impossible to ignore the passion within.

(photo by K. Penarski from a concert in Alchemia in March 2007)

Mikolaj Trzaska - alto sax, sopranino, bass clarinet

Clementine Gasser - cello

Studio Radio Lublin; Lublin; 16.04

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