Record Reviews

ASCETIC ~ ASCETIC AUDIO CAVE 2023/008 (Barcode: 5908298549667) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz quartet AsceticFind albums by this artist, led by clarinetist / saxophonist Mateusz RybickiFind albums by this artist, and also including pianist Tomasz KaczmarekFind albums by this artist, bassist Ju GhanFind albums by this artist and drummer Jan SlowinskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, which although based on ideas suggested by the leader, are all co-credited to the four members of the quartet. One of the tracks is based on a 15th Century traditional song. The music was excellently recorded at the Monochrom Studio. The music is an absolutely classic Jazz quartet recording, which offers an atmosphere and tonality of the Polish Jazz sometime in the late 1960s, when modern Polish Jazz was born. The delicate, almost hypnotic melodies, the relaxed, as if intentionally slowed down tempi, the wonderful clarinet / saxophone soli, which avoid unnecessary complexity and showing off, but push the melody to the very edge, the excellent harmonic support by the piano, the solid, stable bass pulsations and supportive but not overbearing drumming – it is all there to make the music just perfect from start to finish. I often complain that the young Polish Jazz musicians are not taking enough risks lately and seem somewhat out of steam, but perhaps reexamining the classics can be every bit as inventive, as breaking new ground, which is exactly what is happening here. The clarinet, which sadly has been pushed aside so often, proves that in the right hands it can be as innovative and daring as all the saxophone family, and with its specific tonality it is surely more heartwrenching. It would be trivial to compare this music to the music of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist or Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist (which I have already noticed in the scribblings by my colleagues), since naturally every Polish Jazz musician is inadvertently influenced by these Giants; it is important to see what these young musicians have to say beyond the tradition, even when they pay “in the tradition”. And they certainly have a very individual and personal statements to offer, all of which are present herein, for those willing to listen. Overall, this is a brilliant debut recording, by any standard, and a surprising attempt to re-construct / de-construct the classic Jazz quartet statement, on an unprecedented scale, even if the musicians are not aware consciously of what emerged as a result of their creative effort. When the dust settles, this album is certainly here to stay as one of the most significant statements on the Polish Jazz scene this year, if not beyond. Time will tell, but in the meantime my warmest thanks to you Gentlemen, for your talents and determination. Hats off!

Updated: 29/07/2023Posted: 28/07/2023

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MAZZ BOXX ~ MAZZ BOXX AUDIO CAVE 2021/009 (Barcode: 5908298549322) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion Recorded: 2008 - 2011 Released: 2021 This is an archival album recorded live in 2008 by various ensembles led by Polish Avant-Garde clarinetist / composer Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist and including contributions by pianist Joanna DudaFind albums by this artist and Piotr RachonFind albums by this artist, bassist Ju GhanFind albums by this artist, drummers Piotr PodgorskiFind albums by this artist and Filip DanielakFind albums by this artist, percussionist Tomasz AntonowiczFind albums by this artist and others. In 2010 Mazzoll gave the recorded materials to producer Igor BoxxFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Igor PudloFind albums by this artist) to select an album’s worth of material, but Boxx took the job much further and deconstructed / manipulated the material in 2011 into a new shape and form, which resulted in ten tracks based on the original compositions by Mazzoll and which are presented herein. The material waited for ten years to be finally released by the excellent Audio CaveFind albums on this label label. Personally I’d love this album to be a double, with one album including the original recorded material, before it was electronically manipulated, and then the material presented here appearing on the second album, but alas this did not happen. Therefore, I can only imagine how the original material sounded. Mazzoll is a Free Jazz / Improvised Music icon on the Polish scene, and as a result the ambient music present on this album is a bit difficult to be directly associated with his image. Especially since it is much beautified / simplified in its current shape, sounding almost like New Age music at times. Mazzoll’s virtuosic clarinet performances are almost completely hidden and the looping effects and distorted sounds fit electronic Pop and Ambient music much more effectively than doing a service to Mazzoll’s music. Overall, this album is of interest to Ambient / Electronic music fans rather than Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde listeners, which of course does not mean the music has no merit, it is simply oriented for different audiences than Mazzoll’s output so far.

Updated: 15/09/2021Posted: 15/09/2021

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MOON HOAX ~ MOON HOAX TKLIWI NIHILISCI ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is an excellent debut album by young Polish Jazz / Fusion ensemble Moon HoaxFind albums by this artist, co-founded by guitarist Michal KarbowskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Ju GhanFind albums by this artist. The lineup is completed by trumpeter Klaudiusz KlosekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Michal BakFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist / electronic sounds creator Marcin CiupidroFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw BorowieckiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Karbowski. The music of Moon Hoax is a modernized and updated version of Brass Rock / Jazz-Rock Fusion movement represented by a plethora of bands active in late 1960s and early 1970s, like Blood, Sweat & TearsFind albums by this artist, ChicagoFind albums by this artist, IfFind albums by this artist, DreamsFind albums by this artist, ChaseFind albums by this artist and many others. If any of those bands would have been active today, they would probably sound quite similar to Moon Hoax, but since Brass Rock is a lost Art Form, this album is a true delight, not only as a kind of retro trip down the nostalgic lane, but as an ass-kicking splendid piece of music, which is fresh and excellent in every respect. Based on solid melody lines, which are then arranged for the entire ensemble, the music balances between the Jazzy brass section (which sounds much "bigger" than it actually is) and the Rocky guitar, with the vibraphone and electronic sounds filling the spaces and adding the contemporary layer. The rhythm section rocks steadily, but with finesse and great respect for the soloists. There are very few contemporary ensembles which are able to produce such invigorating music of such quality, which puts this album in a class by itself. Hopefully Moon Hoax will find a way to take this music into the future and find new directions, without loosing the charm. It will be hell to create another such great album as that one; you have been warned! In the meantime let´s celebrate and enjoy this little gem, as such miracles happen rarely. This is definitely a stunning debut!

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