Record Reviews

ALEKSANDRA KUTRZEPA ~ NO ONE KNOWS WHERE… NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the third album by Polish Jazz violinist / vocalist / composer Aleksandra KutrzepaFind albums by this artist and her quartet, with guitarist Bartlomiej GarczynskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal StudniarekFind albums by this artist and drummer Robert KutrzepaFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Anna GadtFind albums by this artist guest on one track and saxophonist / bass clarinetist Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist guests on three tracks. The album presents six original compositions, all by the leader. This album offers a significant departure from the formula dominating the first two albums, and almost completely leaves the melodic / lyrical tendencies and Jazz-Rock Fusion stylistic in favor of almost completely Avant-Garde / Free Improvised music, which of course is a welcomed development testifying as to the need of searching for new paths. The choice of the two guest musicians complies with this new direction, as both are associated with the Polish Jazz Avant-Garde scene. Kutrzepa also expands her role in the music making by using her vocals extensively, in addition to her violin playing, which obviously shows new aspects of her musical personality. Her vocalese, which is used more as a background rather than main feature of the music, but adds a most appropriate element to the result and works our splendidly. The soloing is now mostly performed by the leader and the guests, with the guitar playing a more restricted role on this album in comparison to the earlier work, and remains a clear link to the past, still sounding rather Fusion like. The rhythm section follows the new direction without a hitch, but tends to remain somewhat subdued, which altogether serves the new ambience rather well. Overall this is an excellent and fascinating album, which proves Kutrzepa is here to stay and slowly structures her individual voice and position on the local scene. Due to the fact that her approach to violin is completely different from the traditional Polish Jazz violin school, her work deserves to be noticed and surely watched in the years to come. Perhaps not the easiest album to listen to, it is definitely an eye (ear) opener. Well done!

Updated: 24/12/2022Posted: 23/08/2021

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