Record Reviews

LUDO KOTLAR ~ HANGIN` HUDOBNY FOND 8588006417197 (Barcode: 8588006417197) ~ SLOVAKIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by young Slovak pianist / composer Ludo KotlarFind albums by this artist, recorded with his trio: Polish bassist Tymon TrabczynskiFind albums by this artist and already established Slovak drummer Marian SevcikFind albums by this artist. Slovak trumpeter Lukas OravecFind albums by this artist and American (Born in London) saxophonist Wayne EscofferyFind albums by this artist guest on four tracks, transforming the classic trio into a classic quintet. The album presents eight compositions, five of which are original compositions by Kotlar, two are by Oravec and one is a standard. The music is all melodic mainstream Jazz, with solid compositions but very little challenge as far innovation and contribution to the idiom is concerned. The way the music is performed is also very conventional and although highly professional, it lacks inspiration or flair. The album is very similar to thousands of American mainstream Jazz albums, which were all made as if from one mold. The music lacks any European aesthetic or Folkloristic influences, and is therefore just a copy of the American tradition, which stopped developing since the days of Bebop. The individual statements by the musicians are all flawless of course and Kotlar plays very well technically, but lacks originality. Of course this is just my opinion and many mainstream Jazz lovers could probably enjoy this album immensely. For me it is all just déjà vu.

Updated: 10/04/2018Posted: 10/04/2018

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ROBERTO MAGRIS / EUROPLANE ~ FREEDOM IS PEACE JMOOD 026 (Barcode: 736649929821) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is a live album by Italian Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader and my Friend Roberto MagrisFind albums by this artist, recorded with his reunited (after a twenty years break) ensemble EuroplaneFind albums by this artist, with includes Hungarian saxophonist Tony LakatosFind albums by this artist, Austrian saxophonist Florian BrambockFind albums by this artist, Slovak trumpeter Lukas OravecFind albums by this artist, German bassist Rudi EngelFind albums by this artist and Slovenian drummer Gasper BertonceljFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, five of which are original compositions by Magris, one is by Israeli songwriter Boaz SharabiFind albums by this artist, one is by South African pianist / composer Hotep Idris GaletaFind albums by this artist, and finally one is by Andrew HillFind albums by this artist. The music is highly energetic mainstream Jazz, passionately performed by all the members of the ensemble, who are all highly experienced and with impressive recording legacies under their belt. All the compositions are solid and the arrangements by Magris are perfect for this lineup, emphasizing the optimal musical effect at every given moment. Overall, this is a wonderfully entertaining mainstream album, which although does not break any new ground, presents mainstream Jazz with a dose European sophistication and elegance, which makes listening to this music a great pleasure for the entire duration.

Updated: 16/04/2026Posted: 16/04/2026

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