Waclaw Zimpel Quartet - Stone Fog [For Tune]

Waclaw Zimpel - clarinets
Krzysztof Dys - piano
Christian Ramond - double bass
Klaus Kugel - drums






For Tune 2013

Waclaw Zimpel has appeared on this blog a handful of times already (most recently with the Hera XL "Seven Lines"), the fact, in my ears remain very simple - every single project Zimpel dedicates himself to is an artistic success, there's a vision behind every single one of them, a specific between preparation and spontaneity, between passion and thought, and the results continue to be spot on. 

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:

Resonance day 4 at Alchemia - Krakow Autumn Jazz 22.11

The last of the four days with Resonance at Alchemia, but not the last meeting with music during the week. Polish jazz scene will be presented Saturday evening (Pawel Szpura & Pawel Postaremczak duo; Piotr Damasiewicz Imprographic Quartet). The Resonance orchestra will return on Sunday for the final concert at Manggha to present the results of the rehearsals held during last few days.
A brief summary of friday events at Alchemia:

Day 4

Set I

Per-Ake Holmlander - Tim Daisy
Tuba and drums is definitely not your usual jazz duo, but such boundaries are not really of importance in improvised music. Per-Ake employs his repertoire of bubbling and gurgling sounds and Tim spices it up with some tricks from his own bag (literally, taking out a different set of mallets, pocket radio and else). The most entertaining and surprising part of the set is when Per-Ake treats his tuba as a drumset of his own - a percussive fiesta alltogether with Tim. 

Resonance at Alchemia days 2 and 3 - Krakow Autumn Jazz 20-21.11

The week continues with more powerfull music, more crazy fun dj sets (Tim, Christoff and Ken would control the setlist for the afterparties), more drinks (surprising few mad dogs being drunk this year). Here's a brief summary of the 2nd and 3rd day with Resonance:

Day 2

Set I

Steve Swell – Waclaw Zimpel – Tim Daisy

A dynamic interaction between the three, one that let you appreciate both melodic and hectic side of improvised music.  The melodic - that would be for the most part the domain of Waclaw's clarinet, Steve countered those lines with trombone rambling, but there would be some parts where all three musicians would just kick it up a notch. The adventurous set closes with a primal ethno-passage with both Steve and Waclaw plaing wooden shepeherd flutes.

Resonance day 1 at Alchemia - Krakow Autumn Jazz Festival (19.11)

I've been offline last couple of days but I'll try to catch up quick- Resonance is back in Krakow. A group born 6 years ago on the festival transformed from a festival project into a regular group and a whole matrix of possible musical combinations. 

The alchemia evenings are exaclty that - an (al)chemistry laboratory of improvisation in a way, trying out all the possible combinations of x elements taken from y-large group. Here's the brief round-up of the first night:

Day 1

Set I

Magnus Broo – Mark Tokar – Tim Daisy

Freewheeling session with strong pulse, heavy bass tone and panache flurry trumpet flights. As groovy as abstract (Mark would massage and tap the bass as if it was a drum instrument). You can hear the enthusiasm and joy of meeting but most of all the level of communication between the trio's members (includin a semi-conducted drums-trumpet „cuts” during the monstrous bass solo). Strong set to kick off the week.

Mikolaj Trzaska - Trzaska Gra Roze [Kilogram]

Mikolaj Trzaska - Bb, bass clarinets, alto saxophones
Waclaw Zimpel - alt, Bb, bass clarinets
Michal Gorczynski - Bb, bass clarinets
Mike Majkowski - double bass
Adam Zuchowski - double bass
Pawel Szpura - drums



Kilogram Records 2013

The music on the cd was recorded almost exactly one year ago - at OFF Festival 2012 in Katowice. Mikolaj has been making music for theatre and movie for quite a while now (only the soundtrack for "Dark House" was officially released on a cd) yet "Trzaska plays (the music from) <Rose>" marks a turning-point in this part of his artistic activity.

Jazz Alchemist Radio archives - 02.04.12 Easter Playlist

Given the period we're in, I decided to re-post a particular radio playlist, originally posted on 02.04.2012, focused on music with particular message and goal. 

Three of the albums featured I'd like to give a special attention are:
Undivided - Passion
Piotr Baron Quartet ft. Wadada Leo Smith - Salve Regina
Dennis Gonzalez & Ingebrigt Haker Flaten - The Hymn Project



the playlist is :

1. Marilyn Crispell Trio - Dear Lord (Marilyn Crispell's birthday on 30.03)
2. Dennis Gonzalez & Ingebrigt Haker Flaten - Jeg Rade Vil Alle I Ungdommens
3. Piotr Baron Quartet ft. Wadada Leo Smith - Krzyzu Swiety (O Holly Cross)
4.Hera - Monreale (from "Hera")
5. Ingebrigt Haker Flaten & Hakon Kornstad - Ak, Mon Jeg Staar I Naade
6. Dennis Gonzalez & Ingebrigt Haker Flaten- Eg Veit I Himmerik Ei Borg
7. Peter Gabriel - A Different Drum
8. Undivided - Droga Krzyzowa , Ukrzyzowanie, Smierc (Crossroad, Crucifixion, Death)
9. Ingebrigt Haker Flaten & Hakon Kornstad  - For Himmerigs Land Maa Man Kje
10. The Light - J20, 19-23
11. Piotr Baron Quartet ft. Wadada Leo Smith - Ja Jestem Zmartwychwstanie (I am Resurrection)
12. Undivided - Zmartwychwstanie (Resurrection)
13. Joachim Mencel Trio - Ezechiel

Jazz Alchemist radio 02.04.2012 Easter Playlist by Jazzowy Alchemik on Mixcloud

Mikolaj Trzaska Ircha Clarinet Quartet - Watching Edvard / Zikaron Lefanai [Kilogram]

 Ircha Clarinet Quartet:
Mikolaj Trzaska - bass, Bb metal clarinets
Michal Gorczynski - Bb, bass clarinets,
Pawel Szamburski - Bb, bass clarinets,
Waclaw Zimpel - alt, Bb, bass clarinets and tarogato

Watching Edvard - Kilogram Records 2011
Zikaron Lefanai - Kilogram Records 2012

Ircha Clarinet Quartet is truly an unique band. I wholeheartedly reccomend their first cd "Larks Uprising" recorded with Joe McPhee, but it did not really represent the band's music as it really is. The Quartet share double musical interest, first of which is the ritual jewish music heritage, secondly each member of the group compose their own music for the quartet and those compositions, delicate, poetic, minimalistic share the qualities of modern music by the likes of Steve Reich or Philip Glass rather than jazz or klezmer.
The Quartet second and third release present together an honest picture of the group's musical vision as the first cd "Watching Edvard" showing their "modern composition" side and the latter one "Zikaron Lefanai" focusing on their interpretation of the jewish heritage. What remains intact through the two albums is the band's wonderfully unique collective sound and sense of unity.

Robinson/ Zerang/ Roginski/ Zimpel - Yemen (music of the Yemenite Jews) [Multikulti]

Perry Robinson - clarinet, ocarina
Waclaw Zimpel - bass clarinet, clarinet
Raphael Roginski - guitar
Michael Zerang - drums, frame drum, darabuka

Multikulti 2012



The music on the cd was first presented as a special project, part of the Vth Tzadik Poznan Festival. As most of the material is taken directly from the live recording (with just one track from a session recorded the following day) I'll remind the review I wrote after that evening:

A special project of the festival ws presented on the final evening - a band created on the occasion of the festival , to present music of the Yemenite Jews. Reconstruction from archival notations of songs 5000 years old.

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

Ken Vandermark Resonance Ensemble - What Country Is This? [Not Two]

Resonance:
Ken Vandermark - baritone sax & Bb clarinet
Dave Rempis - alto & tenor sax
Mikolaj Trzaska - alto sax & bass clarinet
Waclaw Zimpel - Bb & bass clarinet
Steve Swell - trombone
Magnus Broo - trumpet
Per-Ake Holmlander - truba
Devin Hoff - double bass
Michael Zerang - drums
Tim Daisy - drums

Not Two 2012

I've written very briefly about this band's performance in the beginning of the year and you can check the old post for a bit of background history. "What Country Is This?" is basically is a result of the third meeting of the band, recorded in Chicago studio session after busy small-groups concerts and rehearsal schedule. If you know the previous recordings (especially the last year's "Kafka in Flight") you know more or less what are you going to get, which means you shouldn't hesitate to take another round.

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

Waclaw Zimpel & Wolfgang Reisiger at Klub Re (27.02)

My admiration for Waclaw Zimpel's way of playing is no secret and there are lot of posts here on the blog that exemplify this on the blog. Which is why I'll be as brief as possibly - the duo concert with Wolfgang Reisinger brought to Klub Re music that was soulfull and immaginative. Wolfgang proved to be an excellent partner, continuator of european tradition, strongly focused on the melody of drums, adding to that some nice electronic touches. While Zimpel played passionately and with conviction, whether investigating delicate chamber moods or launching some fiery explosions.

The playing was focused but the atmosphere relaxed, the last concert of the small tour, musicians comfortable with each other. Short, yet satisfying set that plus the encore which show even more clearly how Waclaw and Wolfgang enjoyed the stage - a romping and stomping blues by Charles Mingus (can't get the title though), a piece they enjoyed so much they decided to play it twice. And the audience, me included, couldn't be more pleased. 

Waclaw Zimpel - clarinet, bass clarinet, basset horn
Wolfgang Reisiger - drums, electronics

Klub Re. Krakow. 27.02.2012

Interview with Waclaw Zimpel - part III

Waclaw Zimpel at Alchemia. 26.02.2008

Here's the last part of the interview with Waclaw Zimpe, the most casual part of our conversation. You can find Part I and Part II in the previous posts.  

8. The Light, Undivided, Hera - to Twoje najbardziej aktywne zespoły, jakie inne projekty jeszce prowadzisz i planujesz?

The Light zagra z pianistą Jimem Bakerem. To nowa sytuacja i bardzo się cieszę na to okazję. Z Klausem Kugelem myślimy o tym, żeby utworzyć jeszcze jeden zespół, nie mamy dokłagnego pomysłu na skład ale prawdopodobnie będzie to kwartet. Mamy też szerokie plany jeśli chodzi o Undivided, następna płyta będzie w jeszcze rozszerzonym składzie, ale na razie za wcześnie żeby o tym mówić więcej.

Te projekty, które istnieją, są da mnie na dzisiaj wystarczające. W każdym mogę poświęcić się innemu aspektowi tego co mnie w muzyce interesuje. Undivided, Hera, The Light to są zespoły, z którymi faktycznie i na bieżąco pracuje, w szczególności Hera, bo wszyscy mieszkamy w Warszawie i to jest taki prawdziwy working band. ale i Undivided i The Light to są zespoły z którymi chcę cały czas pracować i poszukiwać nowych przestrzeni.

Gram też w orkiestrze Kena Anderman Resonance, w Reed Trio, w kwartecie klarnetowym Mikołaja Trzaski - IRCHA i to są też niesamowicie inspirujące doświadczenia. Teraz coraz częściej gramy w duo z Michaelem Zerangiem. Trochę tych projektów jest.

The Light, Undivided, Hera – those are your most active bands, what other projects are you currently a part of?