Record Reviews

SEBASTIAN STUDNITZKY ~ MEMENTO CONTEMPLATE 15001 (Barcode: 4050486924266) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is an album by German pianist / trumpeter / composer Sebastian StudnitzkyFind albums by this artist recorded in a trio format with bassist Paul KleberFind albums by this artist and drummer Tommy BalduFind albums by this artist. Percussionist Rhani KrijaFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The trio is accompanied by the Pforzheim Chamber OrchestraFind albums by this artist. Together they perform nine original compositions, all by Studnitzky, who also wrote the orchestral arrangements. The album is a beautiful example of Jazz-Classical Fusion symbiosis which presents an interesting crossover of genres. The melancholic and wonderfully melodic themes are ideal vehicles for gentle improvisations, which Studnitzky performs equally skillfully on the piano and the trumpet. The whole album has a coherent atmosphere and could be seen as a long suite subdivided into nine parts. I had the opportunity to hear this music live with a string quartet (in place of the orchestra), and it worked equally well. This music is not about flashy Jazz exhibitionism, but rather about the more contemplative, almost Nordic character of the idiom, which of course has many fans. It is accessible to a wide circle of music connoisseurs and proudly represents European aesthetics, which is more relaxed and introvert. Although definitely less complex than hardcore Jazz recording, it is nevertheless full of emotion and intrinsic beauty, without crossing over to kitsch, which many similar attempts often suffer from. Overall this album is definitely worth investigating for all fans of Jazz-Classical Fusion and melodic Jazz, looking for an hour of serenity among the havoc that usually surrounds us.

Updated: 01/11/2016Posted: 01/11/2016

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WDR BIG BAND ~ JAZZ AL` ARAB BIGBAND 1001 (Barcode: 4250459910016) ~ GERMANY ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2012 This is an album by the German WDR Big BandFind albums by this artist from Cologne, dedicated to Maghreb (the western part of North Africa, including Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) Jazz motifs. The Big Band is conducted by British composer / conductor / arranger Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist. The guest soloists are Maghrebian musicians: Karim ZiadFind albums by this artist, Aziz SahmaouiFind albums by this artist, Mehdi AskeurFind albums by this artist and Rhani KrijaFind albums by this artist, all of whom contribute vocal and percussion parts. The album presents nine tracks, a mixture of traditional and original compositions by Sahmaoui, Ziad and others, arranged by Gibbs. The WDR Big Band is one of several German Big Bands, such as the NDR Big BandFind albums by this artist (from Hamburg) or the HR Big BandFind albums by this artist (from Frankfurt), which function side by side with the regional state broadcasting corporations active in Germany, being decentralized by law and remaining as one of the last bastions of independent publicly sponsored cultural organizations, adding a tremendous input into European Jazz in particular and European Culture in general. The musicians employed by these Big Bands have ideal working conditions and are free from economic struggles, which take a heavy toll on most freelance musicians. Also many projects, like the one documented on this album, would have never happened in a purely unsponsored commercial environment and the existence of these bands is simply a cultural miracle. The music is a brilliant amalgam of the Orchestral / Big Band Jazz and Jazz-World Fusion idioms, which combines the best of the two worlds. The Maghreb music is a wonderful treasure chest of music, especially the Berber and Gnawa traditions, and it produced some world-famous figures, like my Friend Majid BekkasFind albums by this artist, and had some influence on the European Jazz scene over time, but a meeting with the Big Band environment is relatively rare, and this is a splendid opportunity to enjoy it to the max. It should be noted that Maghreb music, like all Middle Eastern musical traditions, includes intrinsically the element of improvisation, which of course makes it more open to Jazz than most European musical traditions. Especially so in the vocal music, which is almost entirely improvised and at times can last as long as half an hour, improvising just on one basic tune. Overall, this is a truly delightful piece of music, which can be enjoyed by a wide audience of Jazz listeners. Of course Big Band lovers, especially those of the European Big Band variety, will be completely smitten by the virtuosity of the performances and the depth of the music found on this album. Gibbs’ arrangements are especially charming, and deserve to be listened to with attention and admiration.

Updated: 10/10/2024Posted: 10/10/2024

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