Peter Brotzmann & Defibrillator at Alchemia (Krakow Autumn Jazz Opening) 03.10

I promised you yesterday that the 7th edition of the Krakow Autumn Jazz festival would start with a bang and there was no doubt about it. Every time you see Peter Brotzmann on stage it means loud things will happen.

Brotzmann, age 71 and counting, presented Krakow's audience with his new project, in a company of a young trio whose name suggests a match made in heaven (or in hell, given that one of his nicknames is Behemoth of saxophone). And the Defibrillator sure hits it hard and heavy with the wise master from the very beginning - the gritty, distorted electronic feedback noises, the metal sort of heavy drumming, the psychodelic fuzzy trombone.

What I always loved about Brotzmann's presence on stage is the fact that his powerfull, distorted even brutal sound seemed to me always a maniftestation of some kind of primal, natural force. While it would be hard to call his way of playing emotional, nevertheless I always found his heavily vibrated sound filled with emotional substance that strikes somehow the essence of being in the moment.

As much as I admire his will to search for new paths and idea of challenging himself with an unusal sound enviroment I was hard put to find a correspondence between the primal nature of the sax's timbre and sci-fi, high-tech electronic wall of sounds. Which surprised me becasue I had expected that the noise, grind-core roots of the trio's sound would be a perfect fit for Brotzmann, instead I found it quite hermetic, out of sync with the emotional substance of the leader's music. In fact I preferred the group when the trio played without the Brotzmann's assistance, moments in which the overall sound's vision, dark and psychodelic, became much more cohesive.

That all being said, during the lenghty 1-hour continous performance, there were passages of dynamic interplay where the band created some real sparks. Like the thunderous drumming against the gritty tenor cries, intriguing distortions along the circular tarogato lines and last but not least the atmospheric encore where Brotzmann's deeply lyrical tenor was on full display, surrounded by the mysterious array of electronic clicks and ticks and subtly resonating plates. Which was the moment I clearly heard the soul in the machine.

As you take my account into consideration keep in my mind my unfairly high expectations. I'd say the music was highly intriguing but didn't entirely convince me. 

What is more important, my dear readers, is that I can officially announce: 7th Krakow Autumn Jazz has begun and we're all in for a plenty of musical excitement! And it all started with a bang, as promised.

Peter Brotzmann - alto, tenor, tarogato
Defibrillator:
Sebastian Smolyn - electronic trombone
Artur Smolyn - electronics
Oliver Steidle - drums

7th Krakow Autumn Jazz
Alchemia. Krakow. 03.10.2012  

Friendly reminder - Cracow Autumn Jazz festival starts tomorrow with a bang!

Krakow Autumn Jazz Festival starts tomorrow with a big bang. Peter Brotzmann & Defibritalor - sounds like it will be loud, doesn't it? :) Hope to see you all there.

On that note, the program has been updated, many additional concerts on the schedule that will take place in places like Barka and Literki has appeared, plus a couple of film sreenings, check the main post about the festival in here.

03.10.2012. ALCHEMIA godz.20:00

PETER BRÖTZMANN & DEFIBRILLATOR

Peter Brötzmann (Germany)	reeds
Sebastian Smolyn (Switzerland)	electronic trombone
Artur Smolyn (Switzerland)	electronics
Oliver Steidle (Germany)	drums

LINKs

offical Brotzmann's site

Coat Cooke & Rainer Wiens - High Wire [NOW Orchestra]

Coat Cooke - saxophones
Rainer Wiens - guitar + thumb piano



NOW Orchestra Records 2012

What comes to your mind when I say "Vancouver"? I'll bet it's not jazz and/or improvised music (it wasn't mine guess) but here's a chance to venture into Vancouver's jazz scene. NOW* Orchestra Records is a local label dedicated to the promotion of improvised music which gives us a glimpse of what's happening on Canada's West Coast (as far as creative music is concerned). 

Ferrian's Nutimbre - Risk [dEN]

Ferrian's Nutimbre:
Stefano Ferrian - soprano / tenor saxophone
Luca Pissavini - double bass
Vito Emanuele Galante - trumpet
Simone Quatrana - piano
Fabrizio Carriero - drums

dEN records 2012

Italy has been for often a safe haven for jazz music, if it were not for the labels like Soul Note or Black Saint work of the many jazz innovators would be left undocumented. Ironically enough on this blog were recently reviewed albums recorded by italian groups but released by british Leo Records. It's time for the italian group, presented by an italian label and here where Ferrian's Nutimbre and dEN records label come to play with it's conceptually packaged cd(white paper sleeve with black leaflet that correctly inserted inside displays the band's name on the outer cover). Nevermind the packaging though, what is inside is kind of music that with its first notes lets you know: this is jazz. this is fun.

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

Ullmann/ Dahlgren/Thomas - BASSX3 - Transatlantic [Leo]

BASSX3:
Gebhard Ullmann - bass clarinet and bass flute
Chris Dahlgren - double bass and objects
Clayton Thomas - double bass and objects



Leo Records 2012






It used to be usually the pride of any musician (vocalist) to get the highest note possible on the instrument, clear and crisp. The idea of assembling together three low-register instruments might not be revolting today but nevertheless it's not something you meet too often. Which is but one of the reasons BASSX3 project should attract your attention.

Edward Ricart Quartet - Ancon [Slam]

Herb Robertson - trumpet, little instruments
Jason Ajemian - bass
Andrew Barker - drums
Ed Ricart - guitar




SLAM Productions 2012

I've never heard before of Ed Ricart but the idea of the quartet with guitar and trumpet on the fron immediately caught my attention. And this particular quartet in equally immediate way reward the attention with the storming rock energy of "Celestial Mechanics" with its heavy riffs, dense grooves and refreshing spontaneity.

Olbrzym i Kurdupel - Six Philosophical Games [Electric Eye]

Olbrzym i Kurdupel:
Tomek Gadecki - tenor saxophone
Marcin Bozek - bass guitar



Electric Eye Records 2012

The story is: the two musicians met at a jam session in polish Tri-City and there was supposed to be also a drummer on stage, but he didn't show up and the pair started playing and they continue to do so, a duo - Olbrzym ("giant") and Kurdupel ("shorty") is another example that polish jazz scene is well. "Six Philosphical Games" is their first longplaying cd (the EP "frrrr..." was released in 2009).

Jazz Alchemist Radio with Elifantree, Swedish Mobilia, Pink Freud and Viktor Toth

This time I'd like to present you four of the albums I've written about in the last few summer months. There's mix of energetic rock and melodic nu-jazz by Pink Freud "Horse and Power", the improvised heavy progressive rock by Swedish Mobilia "Knife, Fork and Spoon", the dynamic and energetic free bopping fun by Viktor Toth's Quartet from "Popping Bopping" and, last but not least, for something completely different, the undefined crazy and fun mixture of genres spiced with joyfull enthusiasm by Elifantree from "Time Out". Hope you'll like it.

1. Viktor Toth - Pocket-Ticket

2. Elifantre - Tic Toc

3. Pink Freud - Tickets, Buttons and Flyer

4. Swedish Mobilia - Knife Fork and Spoon

5. Viktor Toth - -39C Sunny / +29C Humid

6. Elifantree - The Eye

7. Swedish Mobilia - Pop-up Toaster

8. Viktor Toth - A Ballad for White Flowers

9. Elifantree - Puppet Show

10. Pink Freud - Pink Hot Loaded Guns

11. Swedish Mobilia - Moka

12. Swedish Mobilia - Preparation - 12 sec

13. Elifantree - How About a Little Love

14. Pink Freud - Zero Ending Story

15. Elifantree - Time Out

Jazz Alchemist radio 17/09/12 with Elifantree, Pink Freud, Swedish Mobilia & Viktor Toth by Jazzowy Alchemik on Mixcloud

Theo Jorgensmann & Oles Brothers at Harris (15.09)

Bartlomiej, Theo and Marcin (from the right)

This trio has shares a special spot in my heart. Their concert at May 23rd 2006 in Alchemia was as I recall it my first direct, live contact with free music. It seemed to me at that time that fire was running through musicians veins and every note was driven by some kind of passion and I could see hunger and excitement in their eyes. All of those only partially are transferred into the cd recording "Alchemia" released some 2 tears later by acclaimed Hat Hut Records. And I was hooked, I wanted more of this hunger and excitement. I wanted to jump with excitation after every single note.

ImproGraphic at Alchemia (12.09)

Piotr Damasiewicz is a young polish trumpet player whose interest in music is to bring mathemathical methodical approach of some of the modern music toward the unpredictability of free jazz improvisation (for more of that, check his ambitious debut album "Hadrons").

Concert in Alchemia was a part of a short tour with his new quartet starring Gerad Lebik, Jakub Mielcarek and Gabriel Ferrandini, the tour is to result in a cd realese.

Elifantree - Time Out [Eclipse Music]

Elifantree:
Anni Elif Egecioglu - vocals, glockenspiel, cello and grand piano
Pauli Lyytinen - tenor saxophone, effects, synthesizer and toy piano
Tatu Ronkko - drums, percussive and aqua drum

Eclipse Music 2012



Elifantree was brought to Krakow for a concert by Opalinska & Whates for a double bill concert in Piec'ART on 24.08.12 (basically a week ago from writing this post) and I've been hooked with their music ever since (which is one week). Dynamic trio of voice , saxophone and drums (with occasionall piano, synth and glockenspiel) swept the stage with their energetic mix of I've lost count genres of music and captivated the fortunate few in the audience with contagious energy, sense of humour and ,well, just a hint of madness.

Jazz Alchemist Radio - lyrical summer reminissances

It's still a couple of weeks till the radio's gates (a figure of speech) open again and I'll be able to meet live with through the web audio stream. Still, with all the great things coming up (Krakow Autumn Jazz Festival!) and so many fine cds reviewed during those summer months I decided to gather some of the music I've written about recently and had not yet have chance to present it and put it together for your pleasure and anjoyment. So here's the first program in which the focus is on lyrical and melancholy (summer's over which could be a reason for mourning but that only means that Krakow Autumn Jazz Festival is closer, so don't be too sad about it).

1. Mira Opalinska & Douglas Whates - Cinema Paradiso (from the "Lumiere")
2. Wislawa Szymborska / Tomasz Stanko - Metafizyka (from "Tutaj")
3. Adam Pieronczyk / Tomasz Gajcy - Schodzac (from "Gajcy")
4. Anto Pett & Bart van Rosmalen - Playwork 1 (from "Playwork")
5. Reverie Duo - Reverie (from "Stagioni")
6. Adam Pieronczyk / Tomasz Gajcy - Modlitwa na rzeczy (from "Gajcy")
7. Reverie Duo - Baci e Ferraglia (from "Stagioni")
8. Wislawa Szymborska / Tomasz Stanko - Nieczytanie (from "Tutaj")
9. Mira Opalinska & Douglas Whates - A Short Film About Love (from the "Lumiere")
10. 4tet - Different Song - Cafe Longtemps (from the "Step into the Future")
11. Adam Pieronczyk / Tomasz Gajcy - Czarne Okna (from "Gajcy")
12. Tomek Choloniewski - Unit (from "Un")
13. 4tet - Different Song - Water Lily (from the "Step into the Future")
14. Theo Jorgensmann & Oles Brothers - Per Rata
15. Reverie Duo - Il Resto delle Cose (from "Stagioni")

Jazz Alchemist Radio 10.09.12 lyricism and poetry for summer by Jazzowy Alchemik on Mixcloud

Opalniska & Whates - Lumiere [Natural Studio]

Mira Opalinska - piano
Douglas Whates - bass



Natural Studio Records  2012

I've had recently a chance to see the duo play in Krakow and it was a beautifull evening (thank you to Opalinska & Whates and Elifantree about which in the next post in a couple of days). While during the concert the duo played as well their own compositions the "Lumiere" cd presents exclusively their readings of film music.

Swedish Mobilia - Knife, Fork and Spoon [Leo Records]

Swedish Mobilia:
Andrea Bolzoni - guitar + live electronics
Dario Miranda - bass + live electronics
Daniele Frati - drums + percussions





Leo Records 2012

It's a funny world where to get to know what's going on with Italian jazz scene one need to follow a british label but so it seems to me recently. I've had a distinct pleasure of writing about

Apart from my personal interest in Italy (I'm an almost pd in italian philology) what caught my interest about the cd is the band's name and cd's title. Swedish Mobilia? Knife, fork and spoon? Just for this kind of "and now for something completely different" you've got to get some credit. But there's much more to give the credit for.