Record Reviews

AGA ZARYAN ~ A BOOK OF LUMINOUS THINGS BLUE NOTE 5099908449825 (Barcode: 5099908449825) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011 This is the 6th album by Polish Jazz vocalist Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist and her second release on the legendary Blue NoteFind albums on this label label (she is the first Polish Jazz artist to release albums on that label, and so far the only one, which is altogether disheartening, considering the level of musical artistry readily available in Poland). Any reference to this album as yet another vocal Jazz release would be completely off the track. This is much more than just one more vocal Jazz album; it is an artistic statement, which encompasses different Art disciplines – in this case music and poetry – amalgamating them into an aesthetic whole, which becomes more than the sum of its parts. This kind of (music & poetry) format, which has an established tradition on the Polish cultural scene, continues the superb Jazz & Poetry movement, which has its roots more that half a century ago in the Beat generation. Zaryan created this concept work around the works of Polish Nobel laureate, poet Czeslaw MiloszFind albums by this artist, and three poetesses, which Milosz admired. Of the twelve songs presented on this recording, six are based on poems by Milosz and the other six are by the three poetesses, each with two poems. To complicate things a bit further, all the texts are in English, although most were written originally in Polish. Milosz, who lived in the US since 1960, firmly believed that he should write poetry only in his Mother tongue (i.e. Polish), and only later translated his own poems into English. He also translated the poems by the Polish poetess Anna SwirszczynskaFind albums by this artist. The other two poetesses: British-born American Denise LevertovFind albums by this artist and American Jane HirshfieldFind albums by this artist wrote their poems in English of course. As to the music, the list of credits is no less impressive. The basic tracks were recorded in a quartet format with musicians, who cooperated with Zaryan on earlier recordings: pianist / composer Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, who also composed almost all the music, guitarist Larry KoonseFind albums by this artist, bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and percussionist Munyungo JacksonFind albums by this artist. The basic tracks were then ornamented by rich orchestral arrangements, written by Tokaj and performed by the Polish Radio String Orchestra, which was directed by another Polish Jazz celebrity, pianist / composer Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist. If all this is not confusing enough, the basic tracks were recorded in the US and the orchestra in Poland. But what really counts is of course the final result, and in this case in spite of the intellectual complexity looming in the background and the musical intricacy involved, the overall result is a delicate, almost reserved and unpretentious little gem of an album. There is nothing flashy and overbearing here, just an intimate dialogue between Zaryan, her cohorts and the listener. Yes, it takes some effort to plunge deep beneath the surface and yes it takes a few listening sessions to discover some of those wonderful details veiled behind the sounds. I´d be surprised if Zaryan would´ve wanted it any other way; after all subtlety and modesty were always her distinctive gifts. Her vocal performances here, mystical and sensuous, reveal her struggle with the lyrical content, which is often devilishly convoluted. Yet everything sounds seemingly effortless and natural, as if no sweat was spilled in the process. These are true star qualities, in the best possible meaning of the idiom and in complete contrast to what are commonly conceived as star qualities these days. Although the album does not break and new musical ground, it certainly manages to create a unique atmosphere and climate, proving once more that intelligent, meaningful and non-trivial music combined with an obvious love and conviction leading the Artist are the essential ingredients needed to create true Art. Zaryan´s Polish listeners will probably impatiently await the Polish language version of this album, which should be available very soon, but it is this version which might bring some listeners in Europe and the US closer to the treasures of the Polish Cultural Heritage, which unfortunately remains mostly completely unknown beyond its own ghetto. Thank you Aga for your vision and conviction: chapeau! kudos! and respect!

Updated: 01/01/2016Posted:

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AGA ZARYAN ~ LOOKING WALKING BEING BLUE NOTE 5099963139020 (Barcode: 5099963139020) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 - 2009 Released: 2010 This is the 5th album by Polish Jazz vocalist Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist and her first release on the legendary Blue NoteFind albums on this label label, a first ever by a Polish artist. This album marks a new stage in Zaryan´s career, characterized by performing original material especially composed for her by pianist / composer Michal TokajFind albums by this artist (six of the twelve songs on the album) and Czech guitarist / composer David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist (four songs), both actively playing on this album. One additional song was composed by guitarist / composer Larry KoonseFind albums by this artist, who accompanied Zaryan on her earlier recordings and another one is by the great and sadly recently departed Polish bassist / composer Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist. Apart from Tokaj and Doruzka the other accompanying musicians include bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist and percussionist Munyungo JacksonFind albums by this artist. Zaryan also takes charge of writing the lyrics for seven of the album´s songs with the remaining five being poems by the marvelous British-born American poetess Denise LevertovFind albums by this artist. The lyricism of Zaryan´s texts and the intricacy of Levertov´s modern and deeply moving poetry give the album a clear artistic direction, which draws from the beautiful tradition of combining music and poetry, especially the Jazz & Poetry movement, which flourished in the 1960s. The music is a perfect match to the complex lyrics, fluidly and gently carrying the singer´s words on the waves of sound. It is mostly lyrical as well, reflective and introvert, but energetic enough to prevent an overall morose atmosphere, which many "serious" musical projects suffer from. Obviously this kind of music requires serious and repetitive listening to uncover its complex content and allow intimate contact, but its obvious beauty is quite obvious from the very first exposure to it. This is both intellectual and emotional music, a rare quality indeed, especially these days. Zaryan´s performances as well as the accompaniment are both an absolute bliss. As usual she cooperates with her musicians on levels rarely achieved elsewhere, making the best of their respective talents and abilities. Doruzka, who is the main soloist, plays some of the finest guitar I´ve heard in a long time and Zaryan´s obvious love for the guitar is commendable, as most singers prefer to use the piano as the main supportive instrument. The album, which was recorded in Warsaw and Los Angeles over a period of several months, displays an overall level of musicianship and recording / production as well as sonic quality, which are simply extraordinary. There is no doubt that Zaryan and her cohorts deserve an honorable place on the Polish Jazz scene as much as being a part of world´s Jazz elite with the Blue Note as their home base. Buying this album is definitely a no brainer and I can´t imagine money better spent that this. A must!

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