Record Reviews

GRZEGORZ ROGALA PROJECT ~ POLISH PSALTER ARS SONORA 5903855701052 (Barcode: 5903855701052) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is the first volume of psalms recorded by Polish Jazz trombonist Grzegorz RogalaFind albums by this artist and his ensemble, which includes soprano singer Barbara RogalaFind albums by this artist, German saxophonist Roman OttFind albums by this artist, Swedish bassist Anders GropFind albums by this artist and American drummer Frank ParkerFind albums by this artist. Theorbo player Filip ZielinskiFind albums by this artist guests on three tracks. The album presents seven tracks, all of which are based on Biblical David’s psalms, loosely translated into Polish language by 16th Century poet Jan KochanowskiFind albums by this artist, with music by his friend, composer Mikolaj GomolkaFind albums by this artist. The idea is continued on the second volume of this project, presented on a separate album, recorded by a different lineup (except for the Rogala couple) three years later. The music is an amalgam of the original pieces, sung by Barbara Rogala and then expanded into instrumental parts with Jazzy arrangements, performed by the instrumental ensemble, resulting in a characteristic Jazz-Classic Fusion. The album manages to create a fusion of the original Renaissance music with Jazz, which works splendidly, despite the obvious Centuries long time gap between them. It takes a while to get used to the transitions between the two musical spheres, there and back, but once over that hurdle everything works smoothly and the music is quite delightful. Most of the splendid soloing within the Jazzy parts is performed by Ott, whose playing fits the spirit of the project perfectly, but all the instrumentalist play excellently in both domains. The presence of the theorbo strengthens the link to the original sound of the music. The soprano vocal parts are of course the anchor of the entire project, and are performed with confidence and clarity. Overall, this is a very original undertaking, which demands open-mindedness and skill to pull off. The excellent arrangements and obvious dedication demanded from all the participants pays off and the resulting music is deeply moving and highly aesthetic. Although unusual and somewhat challenging, it should keep most Jazz lovers happy, especially those with affinity to vocal Classical music and the Renaissance period. Very well done indeed and wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 25/05/2024Posted: 25/05/2024

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend