Maciej Trifonidis Bielawski - Trifonidis Free Orchestra : ... be like a child ...[Slowdown]

...be like a child...

Trifonidis Free Orchestra:

Maciej Trifonidis Bielawski - tenor sax; 

Daniel Polkowski - alto sax; Ray Dickaty - tenor sax; Louis Nubiola - alto sax; Kamil Szuskiewicz - trumpet; Kacper Szroeder - trumpet; Piotr Janiec - tuba; Wojtek Traczyk - double bass; Pawel Szpura - drums

Slowdownrecords 2009

Another big group, my favourite position in the slowdownrecords catalogue - not really surprising if You notice the 'free' word both in the band's name and in this blog's title. While still a set of composed pieces this one allows much more room for improvisation and brings You also the most balanced instrumental line-up - with 2 tenors, 2 altos, 2 trumpets, a tuba and the rhythm section.

Maciej Trifonidis Bielawski - Downtown Project / Tricphonix Street Band [Slowdown]

Maciej Trifonidis Bielawski could be known to some of You as the bass player in Horny Trees trio - clarinet-bass-drums band led by Pawel Szamburski which released its first cd on Kilogram Records - Mikolaj Trzaska's label. But he's also a multi-instrumentalist, producer, composer, working in and leading his own projects in very different musical enviroments, from raw freejazz improvisation (would love to hear his upcoming trio concert with Pawel Szpura and Ksawery Wojcinski - rhythm section from Hera) up to large groups with strings, accordions, brass, horns, playing mostly composed, strictly arranged music, balancing classical and popular influences (the biggest of those - Trifonidis Orchestra - is 16 men strong). His recent releases on his own Slowdownrecords label testify to his vast talents and multiple skills. And while I'm not that big a fan of such orchestral ventures, the sonic richness those can offer and many of the simply charming melodies he delievers are definitely not to be missed because of such a prejudice.

so here are some thoughs about two  recent albums, both big groups, first one clearly outside the jazz genre, the second one mixing it with all kinds of popular influences. The best is yet to come as the third review will be posted (most probably) tomorrow.