Wojtek Traczyk - Free Solo [Multikulti]

Wojtek Traczyk - double bass



Multikulti 2012

Wojtek Traczyk name might sound familiar to you from The Light trio with Waclaw Zimpel and Robert Rasz, "Free Solo" is his debut solo cd. Solo performance is possibly one of the most difficult and daring musical tasks one can undertake. One remains bare, completely exposed. No instrumental gimmicks and trickery is allowed. Extreme honesty and commitment is the only way.

Dave Rempis solo at Alchemia (Krakow Autumn Jazz; 28.11)

Dave Rempis played in Alchemia a lot. That's a fact. But Krakow's audience had never yet had a chance, as I daresay few did before, to see him play a solo concert.

There are few things in music as demanding as a solo performer. To be able to fill the entire space, to create the entire musical narrativa with just a single voice and, from the audience's perspective, to be have to focus on one person on stage, it can be exhausting, it can be weary, it usually is in fact, it happens to be also extremely satisfying.

And so was this concert. Dave filled the space with fluid alto lines and shattered sounds. The range of ideas was impressive as their depth. The performance was not only intimate and extremely personal, which is usual for a solo setting, it had also an intricate logic and sense of direction that are much rarer.

The music flowed and streamed, inspired and inspiring. Thank You Dave.

Dave Rempis - alto sax
Alchemia. Krakow Autumn Jazz. 28.11.2012

for the encore, Dave played soulfully digging his teeth into this classic:

 

Zlatko Kaucic at Alchemia (Krakow Autumn Jazz 2012; 29.10)

The idea of solo performance on drums and percussion must seem revolting to any mainstream kind of music audience. I mean in the end one can get to accept the lack of vocals (no lyrics?) but the idea of drums on stage seem to present all kinds of doubts (no melody?) till the point it might seems that it isn't enough to create music. A big mistake. Not only rhythm is the most basic manifestation of music but it's the innate base life. There's no life without it, and no story to tell.

Zlatko Kaucic who played with the entire who's who of european improvised scene is the kind of drummer whose playing I perceive as based upon that idea - that life is rhythm, and there would be no story to tell if it wasn't for that simple truth. He's a shaman who narrates the fables of ancient ghosts and poerform rituals to cast off the demons.

And sounds are means to tell the story, with the immagination being the only limit. He'd play the set of small frame drums, gongs, plates, cymbals, pots as well as toothbrushes. And it seemed like this and other objects were always intended for that kind of use. The sound and the idea - that's what you need to create music.

No gimmicking, no cheap trickery, just good storytelling - that's what makes the difference between true a wizard and the magician.

Zlatko Kaucic - drums, percussion, objects, voice

Alchemia. Krakow Autumn Jazz. 29.10.2012

Martin Kuchen - Hellstorm [Mathka] / Martin Kuchen at Alchemia (17.10)

I remember seeing Martin Kuchen in Alchemia couple of years back with another solo performance. A  most memorable performance which  stuck with me for all this time. It wasn't exclusively about the music - Kuchen would utter sounds playing on the saxophone's body with an electric toothbrush, a shortwave radio, I think there was also a ping-pong ball involved. 

Kuchen's music is woven with sinusoidal lines of sounds that are hardly recognizable. While the occasional melodic line appears (scattered and distorted), most of the times there is none, but rather all the  usually circumstancial aspects become the real substance - you will hear, as clear as if it were inside your head - a tap of the fingers, a slap of the tongue, a whisper, a hiss, a purr, a cry, a squeal, a stream of air flowing through the rusty metallic textures of the instrument, muted and resonated by the conic tubes (which on the occasion of the yesterda's concert in Alchemia were the only additional accessory).

Martin Kuchen - Hellstorm [Mathka 2012]

Strapped and bare, the sounds circle in a oscillating cycles, creating abstract black and white landscapes. This is a solitary music of an eremite, a sorrow cry in a wilderness, a song of a deserted landscape where everything stays pretty much the same while all kinds of internal variations occur at the micro or even nano-level.

Kuchen builds an acoustic enviroment around the silence, and it seems that there's nothing in the middle except white noise or looped whispers, while all kind of phenomenons are happening around, under, over and beside. It's a wanderer's music that let's your mind wander and drift along.

The concert in Alchemia was also an occasion to introduce his new LP released by Krakow - based Mathka label and I invite you wholeheartedly to have a listen to a piece presented below as well as the the one included in the previous radio playlist. 

Kuchen's vision is incredibly coherent, his approach to the solo performance so unique that it's difficult to give any kind of an evaluation.
I don't know if his process will convince you the way it did convince me, but I can gurantee you it's as singular and intriguing as possible. A one of a kind. You have to hear for yourself if it's the kind you like.

the LP is present in this radio playlist.

Martin Kuchen - alto sax, baritone sax
Alchemia. Krakow Autumn Jazz 2012. 17.10.2012

Mikolaj Trzaska at Alchemia on 09.10 (Krakow Jazz Autumn) preview

Mikolaj Trzaska, photo by K. Penarski

Mikolaj Trzaska appears often on this blog, I've already praised his solo concerts on the occasion of Poznan Tzadik Festival 2011, the Midrasz Lab at Cheder Cafe as well as summed up briefly the evening that ended the last year's edition of the festival. 

I don't want to repeat too often how much I appreciate Trzaska's music, so there won't be any post-factum review, instead I'd like to invite you wholeheartedly to come this tuesday to Alchemia and listen.

As a preview I invite you to check the interview I did with Mikolaj on the occasion of the last year's concert at Alchemia:

bi-lingual version : part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6

audio excerpts

the interview will be also re-pubslihed for polish readers on jazzarium.

Jazz Alchemist radio with solos and orchestras

In the last months a few reviews were concerned with the two possibile extremes of the musical statement - a solo recital and an orchestra concert.
That being said both orchestras as well as solo performers searched their own place on other bipolar "scale" of creative music - between jazz-rooted improvisation and the struggle for individual, "non-idiomatic" (or pluri-idiomatic) expression known as (for the lack of better term) free-improv. The playlist makes the four ends of the spectrum meet, hope you'll like it.

Steve Lacy; photo Guy Le Querrec

1. Piotr Orzechowski - Scherzo V (from "Pianohooligan")
2. Tomek Choloniewski - United (from "Un")
3. Paul Hubweber - Albartz Lark's Tongues (from "Loverman (Tombone Songs)")
4. Matthiaz Ziegler - Stop N' Go (from "La Rusna (Music for Flutes)")
5. Jeremiah Cymerman - Lateral Semicircular Canal (from "In Memory of the Labirynth System")
6. Royal Improvisers Orchestra - Burocratie (from "Live at Bimhuis")
7. Aardvark Jazz Orchestra - Sumner : a Biography in Jazz (from "Evocations")
8. Steve Lacy - Weal (from "Avignon and After")
9. Royal Improvisers Orchestra - His Composition (with Han Bennink) (from "Live at Bimhuis")
10. Tomek Choloniewski - Untitled (from "Un")
11. Paul Hubweber - Lover Man (from "Loverman (Tombone Songs)")
11. Royal Improvisers Orchestra - Imigratie Walk (from "Live at Bimhuis")
12. Matthiaz Ziegler - ContraBasics (from "La Rusna (Music for Flutes)")
13. Jeremiah Cymerman - Superior Canal (from "In Memory of the Labirynth System")

Jazz Alchemist Radio 24.09 with solos and orchestras by Jazzowy Alchemik on Mixcloud

Solo Albums 5 - Steve Lacy, Jeremiah Cymerman

 Another set of solo cds, a true classic of the genre, an impressive statement that retained its power over the years, and a ultra post-modern try that extends the idea of solo performance in quite an unique way



Steve Lacy - soprano saxophone 

Soprano Saxophone solos in Avignon and after - vol. 1

Emanem 2012

Once you think about jazz solo performances it's impossbile to forget about Steve Lacy's input to the genre. This release not only brings back the previously available classic performance from Avignon in  1972 (lp "Weal  & Woe") but completes it with half-of-cd worth of previously unreleased material (part of it coming from the same concert(s), the other one from Berlin 1974).

Solo Albums 4 - Paul Hubweber - Loverman (Trombone Songs) [Cadence]

Paul Hubweber - trombone

Loverman (trombone songs)

Cadence Jazz Records 2011

Ever wondered how a crazy bebop tune like "Anthropology" would sound slowed down to a ballad tempo, played on a solo trombone?

Well, frankly the idea never occured to me, but it did to Paul Hubweber, and I can just say it sounds pretty great if you like trombone. Hubweber's glissando's are pure fun, his roaring tone a pleasure, his polytonal abilites impressive.

Solo albums 3 - Matthias Ziegler - La Rusna (Music for Flutes) [Leo Records]

Matthias Ziegler - alto flute, bass flute, contrabass flute

La Rusna (Music for Flutes)

Leo Records 2012

I have to admit the idea of a solo flute record didn't seem to exciting at first but once I hit the play button I had to re-evaluate quickly my position. 

The title track that starts the cd is a 20 minutes long meditation that will transport you into an otherwordly sonic reality of echoes, drones, evershifting, interchangeable, trembling, vibrating sounds coming from a deep ancient well. Surreal, gripping. Matthias Ziegler presents an unique palette of sounds, making use not only of wide range of flute types and extended techniques but also augmenting the sonic possibilites, or the perception of the sound objects with carefully placed microphones.

Solo albums part 1 - Piotr Orzechowski, Tomek Choloniewski

After a set of orchestra albums it's turn for the other side os the spectrum - a solo performance. This specific kind of act where the artist has to dialogue with the space, the instrument but, mostly, with his inner self, to provide all the musical structure and substance is necessary for the music to work.


Piotr Orzechowski

Pianohooligan

Piotr Orzechowski - piano

I've written recently a few times about how special talent this guy is, and it is on full display on this cd.

Orzechowski plays a piece by Bach ("Preluda a"), Keith Jarrett ("Coral"), Schostakovich ("Fugue a") and a series of Scherzos of his own. Brilliant technician, subtle and immaginative and sensitive artist. Plays short, coincise pieces bursting with ideas (a suite of sort as some of the themes appear more times throughout the cycle). The inclusion of three composers in the tracklist is a manifest of influences and describes well enough Orzechowski's singular style, and he already posesses a voice of his own, mixing jazz (both traditional and modern), concert piano music (both history and modern), gospel infused chordings (clear influence of Jarrett) and impeccable sense of melody. He confronts the huge history of solo piano music with lightness and bravado.

Piotr Orzechowski / Inner Spaces with David Dorouzka at Manghha (26.04)

Next to the last concert in this year's edition of jazz festival Starzy i Młodzi. I have written recently often about Piotr Orzechowski (couple of pieces from his solo cd can be heard in our last radio playlist) yet it was first time I could hear his solo recital live. Orzechowski is pure talent, as confirmed by al the prizes he got already, he has keen ear and it's clear he's searching for his own kind of expression, drawing on the vast inspirations from film music, jazz, classical. 

Mikołaj Trzaska at Alchemia (29.11)

It was a final concert of this the 6th edition of Autumn Jazz Festival in Krakow and a worthy closure to a series a great concerts. Mikolaj's music has been an important part of Alchemia's jazz stage for as long as I remember and a festival without his performance would feel somehow incomplete.

Ken Vandermark - Mark in the Water [Not Two]

Ken Vandermark - tenor sax, Bb clarinet, bass clarinet

Not Two 2011

This Ken Vandermark's second solo cd (the first one - "Furniture Music" was released on Okka in 2003). 10 pieces of music selected from the concert he played on November 29th of 2010 in Alchemia. I've been there, I've written about it and I still remember that evening.

Quite often when you hear a live record of a concert you loved you get disapointed, without the aura of the stage, without the sense of community between the artist and the audience, the magic, the energy is gone and the recording seems just "ok".  Well, this is not the case.

Henrik Mukeby Norstebo - Solo [Creative Sources]

Henrik Munkeby Norstebo - trombone

Creative Sources Recordings 2011

Henrik Norstebo played in recently in Krakow with two fellow countrymen Adrian Myhr and Tomas Jarmyr. Non-musical circumstances didn't allow me to fully absorb the music but the playing was undeniably intriguing and Henrik Norstebo's contribution to music that evening was really inspiring. 

I always say a solo album is a risky thing. Too often it's a vain statement of virtuosity, an awe-inspiring performance (on given instrument) which is appreciated only by other musicians (who play on the instrument). This is definitely not the case.

Veryan Weston, Leo Svirsky, The Vociferous Choir - Different Tessellations [Emanem]

Different Tesselations
Veryan Weston - composer
Tesselations I
Leo Svirsky - piano
Tesselations II
The Vociferous Choir:
Anush Apoyan, Eris Ederer, Annette Giesriegl, Dorthea Jaburek, Sofija Knezevic, Siruan Kung, Franz Schmuck, Patrick Thurner, Veryan Weston

Emanem 2011

This release is something very uncommon. Veryan Weston is obviously a very accomplished improviser and piano player but here he presents two extended compositions, and he doesn't even play the piano in here as he invites another piano player to perfrom one ot those, while the other one is executed by an a'capella choir with Veryan among them. The Tessalations are both based on a progression of 52 pentatonic scales, with one note going up by one step with each progression. Sounds quite fascinating and, also, bit scary - as it could easily turn out to be an intellectual and overtly academic research more than a music work. So I have to admit I had my doubts when approaching this cd but they were quickly solved.

Tesselations I is performed by Leo Svirsky, a piano player with classical education and an impressive resume, only 21 (!) at the time of this performance, active also in the field of alternative music and improvisation. The extended performance relies heavily on fast arpeggios, repetitive lines that grow from the exploration of the scales. While Leo Svirsky becomes a co-composer of the piece it is quite difficult to say how much of the music is improvised and which parts are strictly written (or maybe there was just a sketchy outline of how to play the music) but does it really matter?

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

John Wolf Brennan - The Speed of Dark (solopiano/nonsolopiano) [Leo]

The Speed Of Dark

John Wolf Brennan

Steinway piano, Yamaha piano, arcopiano, prepared piano, tamburopiano, framepiano, indian harmonium, accordion, hohner melodica, pizzicatopiano, irish whistle...

Leo Records 2009

I've been struggling to put my finger on it for quite a while. This is a piano player solo cd, that has little to do with a solo piano recording. During 23 short pieces of music you'll hear piano interlayered with field recordings, whistles, accordion, melodica, or another piano. You'll hear piano played with a fishing string, with drum mallets or a piano prepared with metal objects, you'll hear its natural voice distorted in many strange ways. 

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.

John Edwards - Volume [PSI]

John Edwards - double bass

PSI 2008

I've been planning to write about this for some time now. And the story that can tell more about the music than the actual review (that follows) goes like this:

John Edwards played in Krakow recently with Phall Fatale band (great concert, I'm crossing my fingers for their first release, to come out in 2011) and he was the only one to bring any cds to the gig - two copies of his solo outing "Volume". I was reluctant at first, biting my nails for many reasons. I have only a couple of solo bass records in my collection, solo performance is not only particularly difficult to play, but quite often hard to listen to. It turns into impressive technique show-off that serves mainly as and educational presentation for other instrumentalists, or into sonic exploration that, while still impressive,  is too hermetic to really get into, leaving the listener cold, or yet again is so full of abandonment and exhibitionism that it lacks any kind of self-control on the part of musician. And, while improvised music doesn't really care for those standards, solo record being made on an instrument that plays usually supportive role in the music doesn't really make it easier.

The first set of the concert was good and I gradually started to take seriously the idea of getting the cd, half jokingly bargaining with my friend on who should get it and whether it was or not the case of overinvesting before the other concerts coming soon (during the break the other copy was bought so there was only one remaining). All those worries were instantly erased when John Edwards played his solo in the middle of the 2nd set. I jumped off my seat over the row of chairs, run to the bar and make sure the remaining copy goes to me.

My impulsive reaction was definitely rewarded. While it is as demanding as one could imagine, it is also a total sound experience. John plays, bows, plucks, strums, bangs not only on strings but uses the entire body of the instrument, often drumming with his fingers on it, and he's not afraid of anything to get the sound he wants, may it be squeeky, screeching, swooshing, metallic, wailing, reverbing, echoing, in fact may it be almost anything You can imagine. His virtuoso technique is as commanding as is his immagination. His use of extended techniques is awe-inspiring, but what is more important is the sense of direction, the narrative line, dramatic, even theatrical in his sound gestures. The improvs can be light in sound, with harp-like sound ("Pin Drop"), or full of down-to-earth, woody sound of powerfully plucked strings ("Sprung") where spontaneously created groove is quite infectious, but this is obviously oversimplyfied description as "Sprung" moves freely within dynamic range and features parts where traditional walking and plucking disappears completely to make space for other modes of expression. John can sound like two players at once, playing with both hands on the neck of the instrument, or playing over simultanous drum-line (like in "Saddle" where his aliquot stringing sounds like a thumb-piano). Shrilling sounds of enourmous, vibrating and boiling with overtones (incredible how many shades can one tone have) arco playing in "Tunnel" will have Your less-inclined-to-free-sound-flatmates running.

This recording, while extremely personal and demanding (and deserving of) a focused listen, is also worthy of highest recommendation. It is spirited (even when playing is physical), it is intense and powerful (even when notes are spare and tone is light), it's extremelty sincere and uncompromising. It's a presentation of musical adventure where musicianship of highest order (Edwards is indeed a virtuoso of the instrument) is met by limitless imagination to create improvisations of striking power. Hipnotic and captivating, if sometimes quite scary. If You can appreciate this video, this cd belongs in Your collection.

Ken Vandermark solo - Alchemia 29.11.2010

by Krzysztof Penarski

Solo concerts could be considered very demanding. Both for the audience and, especially, for the artist. Nowhere to hide, no distractions, everything stripped to basics, naked.

Ken Vandermark has already a solo recording ("Furniture Music" Okka 2003) on which he presents his various inspirations ranging from music of all kinds (jazz, free improv, blues, classic) to modern visual arts or cinema. On this particular evening he took us to travel with him through all jazz history and it was simply put an amazing lesson.

First piece (tenor) was dedicated to Coleman Hawkins who was the first to record solo saxophone music. And it starts with this soulful, smoky and elegant tone, true spirit of jazz, and you instantly know that this evening will be special. Ken presents the story of jazz through spectrum of his personal inspirations on each particular horn. With third piece he introduces bass clarinet and Eric Dolphy, fifth piece finds him playing the clarinet and is dedicated to John Carter. Each piece is like a portrait, or a nucleon of idea, based on some timbre, or technique, gradually expanded upon, sometimes moving in circles, sometimes very linear. The sitxth piece is slow and solemn and simply beautiful, it makes me think of some old religious songs (could be dedicated to Jimmy Giuffre if not for the fact that Jimmy would get his portrait in 2nd set).  After two pieces on each horn he gets back to bass clarinet and dedicates next one to Peter Brotzmann draws inspiration in Peter's raw, passionate and always full of tension sound. But, if stripped of all the over(under,side)tones, this piece is very melodic (like many Ayler's marches) which is an aspect of Brotzmann's music one so easily oversees. He ends the first set on tenor with "Sweet Dragon" by Joe McPhee.

2nd set starts with dedication to already mentioned Jimmy Giuffre on clarinet. In its course Ken will pay his respect also to Anthony Braxton (bass clarinet), Evan Parker (tenor), Steve Lacy (clarinet) and finish the main part of the concert with a composition that (his words) seems to suit well these 'screwed up times' - "Love Cry" by 'the Jackson Pollock of saxophone' Albert Ayler, who completely changed the language of the saxophone playing and to whom pretty much all the players of the avant-garde are hugely indebted. Ken called on all the spiritual passion and power of Ayler's playing.
Obviously the very attentive and appreciative audience would call him Ken back on stage for an encore piece - an emotional clarinet dedication to Anna "Czarna" Adamska (the spirit-movens of Alchemia for many years, now in Sanok). And after that for another one - tenor piece again by Joe McPhee (missed the title). After which everyone remained silent looking for words for quite a while.

I apologize for this kind of 'listing' so far but there would be no point in describing all of the pieces, nor it would be possible since I stopped taking any notes by the beginning of the 2nd set, trying to follow the music without thinking about what I could write about it after. There was in this music everything one could expect from a player of this stature and this genre. Imaginative soloing, some extended techniques, both solemn and lyrical or wild and out playing. A great, elegant tone, and those moments when you can fell the sound is trying to explode and escape the notion of 'note' in every way possible, packed with all kinds of overtones, sidetones, undertones, body of the instrument clapping and so on. When you try to wrestle with the sound trying to get inside it as deep as possible.
Most of the pieces in 1st set would have some kind of rhythmic pattern or bass-line phrase (or use of breath-cycle as a rhythmic base) that would return, with Ken keeping the time tapping his foot or moving his body (he puts this inner rhythm structure in his playing that makes his duos with drummers such a great listening). 2nd set could be considered more abstract (not very surprising when you re-check the 'portraits'' heroes) although that is obviously a huge oversimplification. But that is all somehow on the surface, on the outside, that was not what this evening was about.

What (I feel) it was about, although I struggle now mightily trying to put in writing, was the deeply emotional and honest playing. The setting was incredible intimate, with audience right beside the musician and the music, the playing heartfelt and full of warmth, the concept of sharing some kind of a musical autobiography so open, true and personal. Never copying or emulating but drawing inspiration from all those great musicians of both past and present. This concert was not about any particular technique or master skills (although Ken has that in abundance). It was about the close and deep relationship with this music, and this place.
Stunning, beautiful and emotionally exhausting. Yet so rewarding.



Thanks a lot to Ken, Alchemia and to Marek Winiarski who pushed Ken to do this (the concert was recorded, members of the audience will negotiate but Ken doesn't want to hear about a double cd :)
Thanks a lot to Jarek who played Coleman Hawkins piece before the concert which ticked the whole concept of the performance. Gil Evans and James Brown after the concert were great too and it was inspiring to see Ken so passionate about the music both as a musician and listener.
Next concert today :)
and after that party with Ken as a DJ, going to be funky :)

btw
birthdays of Johny Dyani, Sylvie Couvoisier and Eivind Opsvik (some links on facebook)  :)