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  | GRZEGORZ ROGALA PROJECT ~ POLISH PSALTER VOL. 2
ARS SONORA 5903855701854 (Barcode: 5903855701854) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023
This is the second volume of psalms recorded by Polish Jazz trombonist Grzegorz RogalaFind albums by this artist and his ensemble, which includes soprano singer Barbara RogalaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Szymon BonkowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Witold JaniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal RutkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Kamil MiszewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are based on Biblical David’s psalms, loosely translated into Polish language by 16th Century poet Jan KochanowskiFind albums by this artist, with music by his friend, composer Mikolaj GomolkaFind albums by this artist.
The music is an amalgam of the original pieces, sung by Barbara Rogala and then expanded into instrumental parts with Jazzy arrangements, performed by the instrumental ensemble, resulting in a characteristic Jazz-Classic Fusion. The album manages to create a fusion of the original Renaissance music with Jazz, which works splendidly, despite the obvious Centuries long time gap between them.
It takes a while to get used to the transitions between the two musical spheres, there and back, but once over that hurdle everything works smoothly and the music is quite delightful. Most of the splendid soloing within the Jazzy parts is performed by Janiak, whose delicate arpeggios fit the spirit of the project perfectly, but all the instrumentalist play excellently in both domains. The soprano vocal parts are of course the anchor of the entire project, and are performed with confidence and clarity.
Overall, this is a very original undertaking, which demands open-mindedness and skill to pull off. The excellent arrangements and obvious dedication demanded from all the participants pays off and the resulting music is deeply moving and highly aesthetic. Although unusual and somewhat challenging, it should keep most Jazz lovers happy, especially those with affinity to vocal Classical music and the Renaissance period. Very well done indeed!
| | Updated: 08/03/2024Posted: 08/03/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
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