Record Reviews

LOVE ~ E BIK DANGAM LAN LOVE & BEAUTY 03 (Barcode: 5707471051313) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garge Pop Recorded: 2016 - 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by the ensemble LOVEFind albums by this artist, led by Polish (resident in Denmark) saxophonist / composer Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, who is also a member of the Love And Beauty SeekersFind albums by this artist trio. The ensemble includes two additional Polish musicians: bassist Tomo JacobsonFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist and three Scandinavian musicians: vocalist Lo ErsareFind albums by this artist, tuba player Rasmus Kjaergard LundFind albums by this artist and pianist Petter RylenFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the leader. The music is an amalgam of contemplative chants / songs and passages of Jazz improvisations based on the basic melodies. The unusual instrumentation and overall stylistic aesthetic creates a dreamlike continuity, which moves from one track to another, with long quiet passages which build up to a crescendo eruptions and then return again to more melodic and quiet moments. The music has some characteristic of a religious / spiritual ceremony and the poems used as part of the lyrics emphasize that atmosphere. The problem with albums like this one is that it might appeal to a very limited audience, as it falls between categories: it is not a Jazz album per se and it is not a meditation / relaxation album as well. In short, only open-minded listeners, who like surprises and adventure in the music they listen to, might love listening to it. Personally I´ve had a great fun listening to this album and recommend it to my fellow unconventional music lovers. Based on his recording activity Lagodzinski clearly emerges as a versatile composer / instrumentalist and is certainly worth being closely watched in the future, as his output so far is definitely very promising.

Updated: 26/05/2017Posted: 26/05/2017

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PIMPONO ENSEMBLE ~ HOPE LOVE PEACE FAITH LOVE & BEAUTY 02 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is a brilliant debut album by an international Jazz ensemble from Copenhagen, called Pimpono EnsembleFind albums by this artist, led by young Polish drummer / composer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Pimpon), who is also a member of the excellent Polish trio Love And Beauty SeekersFind albums by this artist. The other members of the ensemble, which is a nonet, includes also the two remaining members of Love And Beauty Seekers, saxophonist Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, as well as another Polish bassist Tomo JacobsonFind albums by this artist and Scandinavian musicians: trumpeter Gustav BjerreFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tobias PfeilFind albums by this artist, tuba player Rasmus Kjaergard LundFind albums by this artist, guitarist Emil PalmeFind albums by this artist, and a third bassist Lui Severin FalkentorpFind albums by this artist. Three guest musicians appear on selected tracks. The ensemble performs eight original compositions, all by Gasiorek. The music is a fascinating amalgam of modern influences, wildly diverse and ranging from Minimal Music to Free Jazz / Improvised Music, combined coherently and skillfully by the composer, who also makes a brilliant use of the large ensemble, which is sadly very rarely done these days. It is truly amazing to find such a mature piece of music conceived and executed by such young musicians. The music changes moods and atmospheres from one piece to another and also within each piece and the listener is unable to predict what might happen next, which of course turns this into a fascinating listening experience. This album demonstrates the power of expression and the sophistication of music written and executed by large ensembles, which enables a wide sonic spectrum, a stylistic diversity and of course the inclusion of many soloists playing often in parallel, improvising concurrently. There is of course place for beautiful melodic themes and harmonic arrangements, but these are not the core of the music, only a part of the palette the composer uses to build up his sonic world. Although this might sound a bit of an overstatement, this album could serve as a text book example of what modern Jazz composition for large ensembles is all about. Therefore my wholehearted recommendation for musicians involved in this area is to get a copy of the album ASAP. Connoisseurs of modern Jazz, who are open-minded and love adventurous music, should find this album a stunning listening experience. Kudos!

Updated: 13/01/2017Posted: 13/01/2017

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