Record Reviews

HERA ~ WHERE MY COMPLETE BELOVED IS MULTIKULTI 016 (Barcode: 5907529223161) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011 This is the second album by Polish Avant-Garde ensemble HeraFind albums by this artist, led by multi-instrumentalist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist, one of the most important representatives of the European Improvised Music scene in the last decade. The album comprises of four extended pieces (three of which have a duration of about 20 minutes), as appropriate for this kind of music, where space and freedom are of the essence, which were recorded live. The first piece was composed by Zimpel, the following two are credited as group compositions and the last is a Russian folk song. Zimpel plays bass clarinet and harmonium and the ensemble includes also saxophonist Pawel PostaremczakFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel SzpuraFind albums by this artist. Guest musicians include Sara KaluznaFind albums by this artist, who plays tampura on one track and Maniucha BikontFind albums by this artist, who sings the vocals and plays harmonium on the last track. The music of Hera completely escapes any attempt of classification and is so incredibly rich and amalgamated that expanding on the subject would be pretty futile. After all music is intended to be listened to, not written about, and great music has a tendency to slip through words trying to encapsulate it. There is no doubt that the atmosphere and modus operandi of the ensemble is influenced by Indian and other Far East Cultures, where extended improvisation and contemplative treatment of musical pieces is a way of life, with time playing little or no role at all. The music starts and continues and comes to an end when it naturally concludes its intrinsic message. Naming the pieces after titles of poems written by the Indian mystic poet Kabir are ample evidence as to the intended aesthetic prevailing herein. The meditative / contemplative nature of the music does not mean it lacks excitement, quite on the contrary, it is full of passionate improvisations, which appear on a separate plane, as if floating above the firm recurring basis, complementing the overall result. This is truly a music of the "higher spheres", which requires total attention and acquiescence from the listener joining the musicians in the process of aural communication. Absolutely brilliant stuff wholeheartedly recommended to bold souls with refined taste!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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SAAGARA ~ SAAGARA 2 INSTANT CLASSIC 059 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by the Jazz-World Fusion ensemble SaagaraFind albums by this artist led by Polish clarinetist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist and including several traditional Indian musicians. On this album Zimpel again cooperates with the Berlin based producer moorycFind albums by this artist, who mixed the album. The album presents eight original compositions, all composed by Zimpel except one which was co-composed by him, mooryc and Sara KaluznaFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded in India. This album marks a change of direction for the ensemble and in contrast to the debut album´s traditional Indian Music orientation this album tries to create an amalgam with more Western Music involvement. As a result it is overall more Jazz oriented and certainly much more open to a wider music-loving audience. Although Zimpel certainly did not invent the concept of interaction between Indian and European Music, which has already been attempted by many excellent musicians since the early 1960s, his approach to the process of amalgamation is in many respects much more organic, and as a result the music on this album does not sound like an artificial effort to force two dissimilar musical traditions to coexist, but more like a new music born in the process. Zimpel, who has always displayed an affinity or even an obsession with drone-like repetitive musical elements, finds a gentle version of these reverberations which are an intrinsic element of Indian music, and uses them most effectively. His Jazzy solos and melodic improvisations feel also completely at ease with the rest of the instruments. Overall this is a superb World-Jazz Fusion album, definitely one of the best such endeavors on the Polish scene in the last few years. It is also one of the best Zimpel´s recordings as a clarinetist in a while. It is a delightful musical experience from start to finish and has a tendency to keep growing on the listener with each listening session. Most warmly recommended!

Updated: 21/04/2017Posted: 21/04/2017

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