Record Reviews

PIOTR BARON ~ SALVE REGINA CELESTIS ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 Music and religion go hand in hand since the early days of human history and religion has always been a major force and inspiration for artistic activity, musical and otherwise. But as far as Jazz is concerned, the obvious links between religion and music have been, more often than not, hidden either subconsciously or purposefully. Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist is one of the few Jazz artists who wears his religion on his sleeve, openly and consistently voicing his Christian belief, both as a person and an Artists, which is beautifully demonstrated by this album. As the title suggests this album presents three versions of the "Salve Regina" antiphon, tracing its development over time, starting with its earliest 11th Century incarnation via a 16th and lastly 18th Century ones. In addition the album also includes two traditional religious hymns and two original compositions by Baron, which open and then close the album, both kept in similar spiritual mood as the rest of the album. But if the subject matter of this music is highly unusual, the actual performances are even more astounding, since the music was recorded in the USA and features a quartet, which also includes the Polish (but resident in US) bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and two American Free Jazz heroes: trumpeter Leo SmithFind albums by this artist and drummer Marvin SmithFind albums by this artist (not related to each other). Nolan ShaheedFind albums by this artist, who was the sound engineer on this recording, plays cornet on one track. This Polish-American quartet is one of the very few of its kind, which features musicians form two continents and from completely different backgrounds playing highly improvised music, which requires a unity of soul and mind of a higher sphere, which evidently was achieved herein. This music, although mostly highly improvised, originates in the religious music, stating the melody at the start of each of the tracks and then moves away into the free spirit zone, where the musicians stretch out and make their individual statements as well as improvise collectively. The level of individual performances is obviously stellar, but Baron respectfully takes a step back from the position of the leader, allowing the trumpeter to be the dominant soloist on this album. Oleszkiewicz is simply brilliant, carrying the music almost single-handedly as the steady chord and rhythm indicator, allowing the other players complete freedom. His beautiful tone and solos are simply breathtaking. The drummer also keeps a low profile most of the time, as appropriate for this spiritual music, which has not an iota of aggression or unnecessary haste. When Baron does solo, his superb sound and fluidity wholly complete the music, respectfully wondering in the lyrical plane, which reflects his devotion. Although not an easy piece of music, this is brilliant artistic experience, which true Jazz connoisseurs should be delighted with anytime anywhere and a superb example of music, which has a meaning way beyond the actual sounds. Thank you, as usual, Mr. Baron!

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ANTHONY BRAXTON ~ CREATIVE ORCHESTRA (KÖLN) 1978 HATOLOGY 644 (Barcode: 752156064428) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1978 Released: 2009 This is a long overdue reissue of the legendary album by American musician / composer / bandleader Anthony BraxtonFind albums by this artist, one of the most iconic figures of the late 20th Century Free Jazz and Avant-Garde music scene and probably the most important Jazz pioneer in the post John ColtraneFind albums by this artist era. The album captures a live concert, recorded in Germany (Braxton was always an icon in Europe, and hardly ever taken seriously at home), with Braxton conducting a huge orchestra performing his compositions. The orchestra includes some of the most important and celebrated Free Jazz players, such as trumpeters Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist and Leo SmithFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Vinny GoliaFind albums by this artist and Marty EhrlichFind albums by this artist, trombonists Ray AndersonFind albums by this artist and George LewisFind albums by this artist, pianist Marilyn CrispellFind albums by this artist, bassist John LindbergFind albums by this artist and many others. The sound and overall effect of the orchestra performing this music is simply magnificent, and leaves the listener completely dazed. The music just rolls on all over one´s mind, constantly entering new territory both sonically and rhythmically. People familiar with Braxton´s music need no encouragement to plunge into this masterpiece, and those less familiar should definitely try this one in particular, as it might prove to be more accessible. Definitely a masterpiece!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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BARTLOMIEJ OLES / TOMASZ DABROWSKI ~ CHAPTERS FENOMMEDIA 012 (Barcode: 5907604327128) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 Trumpet / drums duo recordings are a very special chapter in Jazz history and they include some fascinating interplays recorded over time by American Jazz musicians, such as the legendary Don CherryFind albums by this artist / Ed BlackwellFind albums by this artist or Max RoachFind albums by this artist / Dizzy GillespieFind albums by this artist recordings. Some American / European trumpet / drums duos are also worth mentioning, such as the Leo SmithFind albums by this artist / Gunter SommerFind albums by this artist, Dave DouglasFind albums by this artist / Han BenninkFind albums by this artist or Bill DixonFind albums by this artist / Tony OxleyFind albums by this artist, documented on their respective recordings. On the contemporary Polish Jazz scene this relatively rare pairing of instruments seems to be quite favorable, with such excellent examples like Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist / Jacek BuhlFind albums by this artist, Artur MajewskiFind albums by this artist / Kuba SucharFind albums by this artist and others. Trumpeter / composer Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist already has one trumpet / drums album under his arm, recorded with the American drummer Tyshawn SoreyFind albums by this artist and now he joins the brilliant drummer / composer Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist in a new trumpet / drums duo, captured on this album. Bartlomiej Oles is of course known to all Polish Jazz connoisseurs as half of the Oles Brothers rhythm section, which in time achieved a legendary status as one of the best modern Jazz rhythm sections around, but this album focuses on his work as composer. Of the ten pieces presented on this album, Oles composed eight, and co-composed one with Dabrowski, with the remaining piece, which closes the set, being a Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist composition. In comparison to the trumpet / drums albums listed in the opening paragraph, this recording is definitely the most lyrical and deeply melodic of them all. Oles demonstrated his lyricism and love of melody over the years in the numerous compositions he contributed to the vast Oles Brothers recorded legacy. Additionally, his treatment of the drums as a melodic instrument has always been his particular trademark, as he almost never simply sets a rhythm but rather plays the drums in par with his musical partners in various ensembles. The intimacy of just two instruments is an ideal opportunity to place these compositional and performance qualities at the center of the listener´s attention. Dabrowski, whose meteoric rise to fame is fully justified, seems to be an ideal partner aiding Oles to achieve his goals. His virtuosic attack, combined with the intrinsic lyricism, turn his trumpet into a seemingly unlimited tool able to express an enormously diverse set of emotions, from whisper to shout, anger to joy, despair to mellow melancholy. Playing side by side with Oles, who is of course more experienced and mature, pushed Dabrowski really hard to reach and than cross his limits, which resulted in the best performance of his life so far. Oles managed to catalyze and crystallize Dabrowski´s unique style and mannerism, molding them into a perfect musical entity. There is so much music on this album that a true comprehension and appreciation of it requires several listening sessions even for the most experienced music lovers. Peeling off the layers of aesthetic and emotional essence captured herein by these two Masters is a delightful and rewarding experience. There is no doubt that this is a monumental achievement in every sense and a model of lofty, almost spiritual communication between an Artist and his audience. Personally I have a deep satisfaction from the fact that I have always considered these two musicians as representatives of what is best about Polish Culture in general and Polish Jazz in particular: honesty, consistency and a proper usage of a God given talent. Thank you both for such a wonderful gift!

Updated: 02/01/2017Posted:

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