Record Reviews

OLIE BRICE ~ IMMUNE TO CLOCKWORK MULTIKULTI MPI 026 (Barcode: 5907796319529) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by a quintet led by British Jazz bassist / composer Olie BriceFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonist Mark HanslipFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Alex BonneyFind albums by this artist, drummer Jeff WilliamsFind albums by this artist and leading Polish clarinetist Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Brice. Brice has been active on the British (mostly London based) Improvised Music scene since a few years and is involved with several ensembles in parallel, some as a leader and others as a band member. He also cooperated with the Polish Jazz saxophonist / clarinetists / composer Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist in the past, expanding the British / Polish Improvised Music interaction, which often produces excellent results. The music is surprising, and contrary to the accepted image of Improvised Music, beautifully lyrical and melody based. The three soloists are featured extensively, playing long and well constructed solo improvisations and collective improvisations. Most notably Zimpel, who plays here more explicitly and vividly than on the Polish albums he lately recorded as a leader, those being more contemplative and less Jazz oriented than this recording. Therefore Zimpel followers can hear some of his the best moments captured in a long time. Brice, apart from being the composer, also sets the overall direction of the album with his solid bass lines, which are the backbone of this music. He sets the tempo variations and the passage between the unisono theme statements, the solos and the group improvisation parts. Therefore he fulfills his role as a leader in full in addition to being part of the ensemble. Williams also deserves praise for following Brice´s moves closely and applying his rhythmic layer with grace and obvious sympathy. Although he does anything but keeping time, the result is well in check, with him keeping time without actually keeping time, a rare gift which only the best drummers can handle really well. In many respects this album sounds a bit retrograde, and I mean it in the most positive sense, bringing back fond memories of the wonderful British Jazz recordings by early Free Jazz / Improvised Music ensembles in the late 1960s. There was the same level of serenity and non-aggressiveness present than, which was almost completely lost over the years with Improvised Music musicians often trying to outshout each other rather than integrate. Overall this album is a beautiful and pleasing listening experience, which serves well the image of Improvised Music at its best. Congrats Olie for doing your thing and selecting the right folk to do it with. Well done indeed!

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DOORS NOT SHUT ~ LUTY AUDIO CAVE 2018/013 (Barcode: 5905669566674) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by the sextet Doors Not ShutFind albums by this artist, which comprises of five veteran Polish Jazz musicians: clarinetist Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist, pianist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist, bassists Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. They are joined by Australian percussionist Philip SouthFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions by the sextet members, mostly co-composed by several of the musicians. The concept of the sextet is pretty loosely conceived, since only Szmanda and South play on all the ten tracks, Swies plays on nine tracks, Dys plays on just three tracks and finally Zimpel and Wojcinski play on five tracks. As a result the entire sextet does not play together on any of the tracks. The music is an interesting amalgam of Ambient Music and Free Jazz, with strong World Music influences, especially on the rhythmic plane. The overall sound and approach are quite minimalist and the music mostly flows slowly, rarely displaying any strictly melodic contents. The bass pulsations (either electric or acoustic) and the ethnic / polyrhythmic drumming are the constant elements of the music, with the piano and clarinet being the only melodic anchors. The entire concept definitely works well, displaying a lot of originality and fascination with rhythm, being quite unique in that area. The drummers get most of the exposure, followed by the bassists, with Dys and Zimpel adding spice and color to the proceedings, but not dominating the concept. The three quartet tracks with Dys are closest to Jazz, while the five tracks with Zimpel are Ambient Improvised Music which listeners familiar with other recordings by Zimpel should find quite recognizable. The remaining two tracks featuring only drums and percussion (with some vocal and spoken word ornamentation) are perhaps the roots of the music. Overall this is a bold and highly innovative concept album, which offers originality and excellent musicianship, as well as intellectual challenge, which is often missing from less ambitious Jazz oriented recordings. This album is recommended for the more adventurous and open-minded listeners, who are ready to embrace new concepts. Although Zimpel plays only on half of the tracks, this album presents some of this most moving work, which is an absolute must to his followers. Highly recommended!

Updated: 29/12/2018Posted: 29/12/2018

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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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HERA / HAMID DRAKE ~ SEVEN LINES MULTIKULTI 030 (Barcode: 5907796319512) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the third album by Polish Ethno-Jazz ensemble HeraFind albums by this artist, led by saxophonist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. The album contains a live concert recording by the ensemble, with featured as special guest the American drummer Hamid DrakeFind albums by this artist. The participating ensemble members are: saxophonist Pawel PostaremczakFind albums by this artist, hurdy-gurdy player Maciek CierlinskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Raphael RoginskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel SzpuraFind albums by this artist. The music consists of five pieces, four of which are over fifteen minutes in duration, all of which are based on World Music ethnic riffs and melodies, partly composed or arranged by Zimpel and in one case including a melody contributed by Drake. Except for Drake´s chanting his own melody, the rest of the music is instrumental and mostly improvised. It is much easier to say what this music isn´t than to say what it actually is, but that is hardly relevant as music is basically created in order to be listened to and not to be written about. Nevertheless one can try one´s best. So this is definitely not Jazz as most people conceive it, not even Jazz-World Fusion, as it goes well beyond the usual boundaries of that sub genre. Yes it is mostly improvised, but so is much of Ethnic music, which after all begot Jazz in the first place. The closest definition that I can come up with is Spiritual Music, a kind of collective trance induced by repeated rhythmic patterns and a feeling of sharing and togetherness, which inspires the musicians involved. However, the problem with such music is that is works absolutely divinely live, but translates less efficiently into albums. Of course in this case the actual music is strong enough to carry on a potent impression, but probably much is also lost in the process. This music is also definitely not for everybody. Conventional Jazz listeners will find it not Jazzy enough; others might find the strong Ethnic influences outlandish and unfamiliar. Only listeners with a highly developed open-mindedness and readiness to accept what is different will discover the true delight of this music. The individual performances are of course blissful as always in Hera´s case. Zimpel and Postaremczak weave some beautiful snaky improvisations; Roginski rocks things up with a great guitar solo and the expanded rhythm section transports the music into a different universe. Overall it is quite a musical experience, which should not be missed. People familiar with the two earlier albums by Hera are of course already hooked for good. I always wonder where Zimpel will take the ensemble next. I guess we´ll all have to wait until the next album appears before us. Until then, may the spirits of music be with you all.

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IRCHA ~ BLACK BONES KILOGRAM 031 (Barcode: 5907577284305) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the fourth album by the iconic Polish clarinet quartet IrchaFind albums by this artist, led by Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist and also including Michal GorczynskiFind albums by this artist, Pawel SzamburskiFind albums by this artist and Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. These four players are all ensemble leaders on they own right and are among the undisputed leaders of the Avant-Garde Polish Jazz / Improvised Music scene in the last decade. But above all they are superbly talented musicians and creative personalities, who turn Ircha into a supergroup of legendary proportions. This album is in fact a twin album, not a 2CD album, but two separately packaged albums recorded just three months apart, one in a studio and the other one live, presenting almost completely different musical material. The studio album presents thirteen pieces (collected into ten tracks), some traditional Sephardic and Hasidic Jewish songs, others composed by Trzaska and yet others composed by the quartet. The live album presents also thirteen pieces (collected into eight tracks), with just a few of them being the same ones as those on the studio album, also being traditional Jewish songs, others composed by Trzaska or by the quartet. The live album was recorded at the Falenica (a Warsaw suburb) train station, during a concert I had the immense pleasure to attend and meet Mikolaj and the quartet in person for the first time. My warm applause is therefore captured for posterity on that album. Although including only clarinets, Ircha is capable of producing an almost symphonic wall of sound, which can be immensely impressive. The various clarinets cover a wide range of the audible spectrum and compliment each other beautifully. The overall sound produced by Ircha is therefore a completely unique and incomparable sonic experience, which combined with the deeply spiritual music, has an overwhelming impression on the listener, reaching deeply into the soul and completely transfixing the mind. Of course the music of Ircha is also a symbol of the rebirth of Jewish music in Poland, where it originally existed for almost a millennium, before being eradicated by the Holocaust. The fact that Polish musicians, regardless of the fact if they have a Jewish background or not, take traditional Jewish music into the next millennium, and into a new dimension, is truly astounding and uplifting. The entire phenomenon, which involves a surprisingly large group of Polish musicians, many of them from the Jazz idiom, is simply miraculous. There is no doubt that Ircha is amongst the cream of the crop of these musicians / ensembles, and perhaps the most important amongst them aesthetically and artistically. The music of Ircha is a bridge between styles and cultures, freedom and discipline, emotion and intellect. Such a complex arsenal of stimuli is able to reach a diverse public, from many different backgrounds, ages and personal tastes, and this is its true forte. This is why each and every listener of their music receives a different input and generates a different reaction; exactly what great Art is all about.

Updated: 26/08/2020Posted:

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IRCHA ~ WATCHING EDVARD KILOGRAM 022 (Barcode: 5907577284206) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011 This is the second album by Polish clarinet quartet IrchaFind albums by this artist, founded and led by Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist, which also includes Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist, Pawel SzamburskiFind albums by this artist and Michal GorczynskiFind albums by this artist. The quartet members play a range of different instruments belonging to the clarinet family and create a completely unique sonic experience, which is unparalleled and completely original. This album consists of sixteen short pieces, which include original compositions by the entire quartet or by individual band members. The pieces vary in length from a minute and a half to over six minutes and could be conceived together as a continuous improvised suite. Although obviously a part of the Polish Improvised Music camp, Ircha is quite unique in many respects. Seemingly limited by the fact that the musicians use only clarinets, an instrument usually not associated with highly developed improvisational environment (with few remarkable exceptions of course), the group proves that limitations are only present in humans, not in the instruments, and with dedication, talent and virtuosic ability all limitations can be simply triumphed over. Together the quartet offers such a depth of sonic layers and emotional vistas, that the listener completely forgets the fact that there are only clarinets involved. The music firmly belongs to the Improvised scene, but there is an element of obvious careful planning involved, which defines the ground rules and the overall order of things. The purely melodic element is of course deeply hidden beneath the improvisational approach, but it is there for those who listen carefully. The level of cooperation between the quartet members is their innermost strength, upon all this music is firmly based. This is not four individuals making music together, but a higher-class group spirit of combined consciousness, which presides herein. Since this is a studio recording, there is no interaction with the audience, which in Improvised Music is often essential. Nevertheless this album, as opposed to many other of its kind, works very well under these circumstances, perhaps because the overall atmosphere of serenity, relaxation and above all mutual respect. There are no attempts to prove who can outplay anybody else, who can play the fastest or the most astounding solo, etc. on the contrary almost all of the music is a dialog, trialog or a quatrolog, and therefore a cooperative effort. Overall this is an excellent piece of Free Jazz / Improvised Music, which should fully satisfy even the sternest connoisseurs of the genre, and yet at the same time be accessible to many open-minded listeners beyond any specific genre classification.

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IRCHA ~ ZIKARON LEFANAI KILOGRAM 024 (Barcode: 5907577284220) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is the third album by Polish clarinet quartet IrchaFind albums by this artist, founded and led by Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist, which also includes Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist, Pawel SzamburskiFind albums by this artist and Michal GorczynskiFind albums by this artist. The quartet members play a range of different instruments belonging to the clarinet family and create a completely unique sonic experience, which is unparalleled and completely original. This album was recorded live and consists of seven pieces, which combine original compositions by the entire quartet or individual band members with traditional folkloristic themes from different cultural backgrounds, like Gypsy, Armenian and of course Easter European Jewish music. Ircha is one of several different ensembles that Trzaska leads or participates in, which in the last decade greatly contributed to the so called "New Jewish Music" which is being created in Poland, being also a part of a general Renaissance of the Jewish Culture in Poland. This quite surprising phenomenon seems to sweep the Polish cultural landscape like a tsunami, but a highly productive, rather than destructive one. Many of these attempts to create a new, contemporary face of the Jewish Culture is created by Jazz and Improvised Music Artists, like Trzaska, and many are released by the KilogramFind albums on this label Records label, owned by Trzaska and his charming wife. It is quite difficult to imagine that just four clarinets can create such complex and emotionally overwhelming music. I had the pleasure to attend a concert by Ircha recently and the experience was simply awe-inspiring and spiritually enlightening. Of course Improvised Music is usually easier to absorb live than by listening to records, as the presence of the musicians and the visual element contribute to the immediate contact between the musicians and the audience. A concert recording is, after all, only a "second hand" experience. And yet sometimes the strength of the performance can overcome the barrier of lack of personal contact and reach the listener directly and powerfully, with this album being a perfect example of this. Although mostly improvised, this music is based on very strong melodic elements, as well as atmospheric ventures, which make it much more accessible and immediate to a much wider audience than the usual Improvised Music crowd, which is a priori quite limited. With deeply melancholic and lyrical melodies and delicate, mostly quite low-volume performances, this music embraces the listener and extends a warm welcome, inviting and enchanting. Of course there are many levels by which the listener can relate to this music; it can be enjoyed on the purely emotional level, or the aesthetical level, or the intellectual level or perhaps all the levels simultaneously. The fact that this music is able to work on so many level is what makes it so remarkable, special and unique. This album is a beautiful bridge between many artistic directions undertaken by Jazz and Improvised Music creators. It has a fair amount of many different elements, like melody, collective and individual improvisation, folkloristic influences, spontaneity and premeditation, innovation and tradition. This wonderful amalgam, which only happens quite rarely, is fully achieved here, making it an exceptional piece of High Culture.

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KEEFE JACKSON / LIKELY SO ~ A ROUND GOAL DELMARK 5009 (Barcode: 038153500924) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 Chicago´s iconic experimental Jazz scene is one of the last frontiers of challenging and adventurous music happening in the US in the 21st Century. With dozens of active local musicians, festivals and venues the Improvised Music / Free Jazz / Avant-Garde are still thriving there and draw many other musicians from around the world, who are attracted to it like moths to light. It is therefore hardly surprising that the Polish Avant-Garde scene, which is the strongest and most versatile in Europe at the moment, also developed many different connections with the Chicago scene, with visiting musicians performing and recording in both countries and records being released, documenting such cooperation, in US and in Poland. Chicago´s veteran record label, DelmarkFind albums on this label Records, which consistently records music made by the local scene, already documented such US / Polish projects several times in the past and this album is another example of such collaboration. It presents an all-reeds septet led by saxophonist / composer Keefe JacksonFind albums by this artist, called A Round GoalFind albums by this artist, which features as one of its members the Polish clarinetist Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist and as a result the ensemble consists of three Americans, a Pole and three Swiss. The music, all composed by Jackson, was recorded live in Switzerland. Although Jackson knew the Swiss players earlier on, he never met Zimpel in person and knew his playing only from his albums, which was apparently impressive enough to get invited to join the ensemble. The music, although free spirited and unrestricted stylistically, is quite structured most of the time, with clear melody lines and rhythmic patterns easily traceable along the way. Of course there is plenty of space and improvised interplay as well as extended solo spots, but this is very much an ensemble effort, rather that a collection of individual contributions. Of course the level of performances by all the musicians involved is nothing short of spectacular all the way through. It is great to see the American Avant-Garde still being able to re-invent itself, albeit with considerable help from the Europeans, and take the music forward again. This music is intellectually challenging and aesthetically pleasing at the same time, which is already a major success. For connoisseurs of large all-reeds ensembles, this is an absolute must. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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LAM ~ LAM INSTANT CLASSIC 048 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish Improvising Music trio LamFind albums by this artist, which comprises of veteran Polish Avant-Garde activists: clarinetist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist, pianist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist and drummer Hubert ZemlerFind albums by this artist. Berlin based producer moorycFind albums by this artist, who was involved with the production, adds some electronic sounds. Together they present seven original compositions, all composed by Zimpel, two of which were co-composed by mooryc. Listeners familiar with the music of Zimpel will find this album closely following his usual concept of contemplative, meditative music, which develops painfully slowly and progresses on a very limited emotional level, almost like the music of Far Eastern cultures, which serves mostly for meditation and prayer. This music has a restricted melodic content, with short melodic themes, which are then repeated in an endless cycle, changing only marginally within each piece. Of course serial, cyclic, minimalistic and repetitive music techniques exist also in the Western Classical Music idiom, but Zimpel´s music has more affinity to the folkloristic directions. Personally this is not a kind of music I´d listen to intentionally, as usually I find it rather limited and annoying. Nevertheless this particular album is an exception, as I quite enjoyed the music herein and listened to the entire album with interest and pleasure. Zimpel´s highly emotional and expressive playing on one of the pieces is the absolute highlight of the entire album and justifies getting a copy of it. Dys, who is a brilliant piano virtuoso, sadly has little opportunity to show his super technique and exceptional ability, staying mostly in the background. Same applies to Zemler, who is a very creative drummer but this music hardly allows him to show his entire arsenal of possibilities. But all the limitations are balanced by a tight correlation between the musicians and the aesthetics of the musical concept, which inspires calm personal introspection, which perhaps is the main purpose of this music. Not for everybody of course, but Zimpel has many fans on the Polish scene, who will welcome this album openheartedly, which is always a good thing. Personally I´d love to hear Zimpel playing other kind of music for a change, perhaps more Jazz oriented, but I respect his consistency and obvious talent.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 08/11/2016

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MILOBEDZKA / ZIMPEL ~ TYLE TEGO TY MALTAFUNDACJA 9788393420230 (Barcode: 9788393420230) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This album is a wonderful example of the Polish Jazz tradition of combining music and words in what is usually known as the Jazz & Poetry movement. That tradition continues almost uninterruptedly since the early days of the modern Polish Jazz history and reflects the intellectual approach, which sees music, poetry and other Art Forms as different facets of the phenomenon we call Culture. Over the years Polish Jazz produced many remarkable recordings of quite different manifestations of the Jazz & Poetry sub-genre and this beautiful album is an example of how it can be taken into new areas and cover new ground, keeping it alive and relevant. The album is packed in an elegant box, which also includes a book with all the lyrics. Polish poetess Krystyna MilobedzkaFind albums by this artist recites twenty one of her extraordinary poems and is accompanied by music composed by Polish Jazz clarinetist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. The music is performed by a trio comprising of Zimpel, who plays clarinets, flutes and harmonium and German musicians: bassist Christian RamondFind albums by this artist and drummer Klaus KugelFind albums by this artist. Together they manage to create a beautiful lyrical atmosphere, balancing between the somewhat hesitant, obviously weakened by her age, delicate voice of the author and the music, which is partly based on the Japanese gagaku tradition and partly reflects contemporary Improvised Music. Jazz & Poetry projects are often considered problematic due to the obvious language barriers, in this case between those listeners who understand the Polish language and those who don´t. But as in some extraordinary cases, this album transcends those barriers with ease and every sensible, Cultural human being is still able to experience an aesthetic epiphany when listening to it, regardless if he understands the words or not. The trio manages to create an entire universe of music, which surrounds the lyrics, engulfing them and symbiotically joins them, creating a new entity. Zimpel is in charge of the melodies delicately presented in slow motion. Ramond is the pulse of this virtual world, which gives it its fourth dimension. Kugel ornaments the reality with a myriad of percussive details, which in a way conduct a dialogue with the recited words. Obviously this is not something which a casual listener can comprehend or appreciate. But for those who can, this is simply a masterpiece. It is comforting to witness such extraordinary projects being realized in the stone cold reality that surrounds us. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 01/01/2016Posted:

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PURUSHA ~ COSMIC FRICTION FOR TUNE 0067 (Barcode: 5902768701685) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio PurushaFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Pawel PostaremczakFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech TraczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel SzpuraFind albums by this artist, all three known to Polish Jazz followers as members of the large ensembles led by Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist (HeraFind albums by this artist and others). The album presents six original pieces, four of which were composed by Traczyk and two are co-credited to all three members of the trio. The music of Purusha is a "classic" Free Jazz venture, which is its biggest drawback. Free Jazz exploded in the mid 1960s and this music sounds almost exactly as if recorded at that time, i.e. about 50 years ago. With all due respect to the cradle of Free Jazz, Albert AylerFind albums by this artist and everything else, the clock keeps ticking. This of course might bring on reflections as to the possible path of Free Jazz in general, which may lead to a conclusion that Free Jazz only truly existed for a brief moment in the 1960s and everything done in that idiom since is simply ripples of that Big Bang? But aside from the basic problem of being sort of "outdated", the music of Purusha is quite excellent within the boundaries of the Free Jazz idiom. Dominated by the saxophone, as usual in saxophone trios, it explores the various stages of expression between fury and tranquility, exemplifies the group interplay and allows for personal displays of instrumental ability, which are all top notch. Postaremczak is obviously a highly talented soloist and his approach to the tenor saxophone is very personal and unique. In his hands the saxophone turns into many different instruments, often sounding exotic, weird and wonderful, which of course is very unusual. The rhythm section stands shoulder to shoulder with Postaremczak, both expanding and complimenting his journeys with obvious empathy and spirit of shared goal. Overall this is a very good Free Jazz album for diehard fans of the genre, which although does not innovate, keeps the tradition and legacy alive and kicking. Definitely worth investigation!

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RESONANCE ENSEMBLE ~ DOUBLE ARC NOT TWO 936 (Barcode: 5901549185980) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is a live recording by the Resonance EnsembleFind albums by this artist, an international gathering of Free Jazz / Improvised Music players led by American saxophonist / clarinetist / composer Ken VandermarkFind albums by this artist, which in this case comprises of eleven musicians, including two top Polish improvisers: saxophonist / clarinetist Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist and clarinetist Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. The music, all composed by Vandermark, is en extended two-part suite, each of the parts being split into eight and six sub-parts respectively. The music was recorded at the Manggha Culture Center in Krakow, Poland. In his liner notes Vandermark describes this music as a summary of his career and a reflection of the many musical influences he has absorbed over time, which according to him can be heard in the specific sub-parts of the suite. He dedicates this album to the great Polish contemporary Classical composer Witold LutoslawskiFind albums by this artist. Personally I find this music rather cold and unrelated to any specific musical associations, which is a typical American contemporary Free Jazz, which just is there to be there, i.e. has sense only during a live performance but repeated listening of the recorded music has almost zero chance to happen, as the music simply does not make a statement. I must be suffering from a very serious Vandermark overdose, but honestly there is not much revealing music here, which propagates the Free Jazz / Improvised Music (more or less composed), to a new dimension or uncharted territory. Even the usage of the electronic "lloopp" is not interesting enough to save the day. The large ensemble parts present here should be compared to the stuff that British and European composers / bandleaders like Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist, Trevor WattsFind albums by this artist and others already perfected in the 1960s and 1970s. There are of course brilliant individual statements as these musicians are all well seasoned improvisers and first class composers themselves, but their efforts with their own ensembles are much more impressive IMHO. Overall this album will be definitely of interest to the many Vandermark aficionados and other Free Jazz / Improvised Music fans, but considering how many recordings of similar musical language are being released in the last decade, it will simple blend into the background pretty soon.

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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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DOMINIK STRYCHARSKI CORE 6 ~ CZOCZKO FOR TUNE 0072 (Barcode: 5902768701708) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 In the last couple of years the burgeoning Polish Jazz / Improvised Music scene re-discovered Polish Folklore and a long series of albums, which amalgamates these two genres into contemporary Jazz-World Fusion, have been recorded. As usual in such circumstances some of these albums are truly phenomenal and others are distinctly less so. On this album Polish flautist / recorder player Dominik StrycharskiFind albums by this artist presents a series of nine compositions inspired by Kashubian folk songs, arranged and transformed into the Jazz / Improvised Music environment. Three of these pieces are performed by a duo comprising of Strycharski and clarinetist Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist and the remaining six pieces are performed by a sextet which features a double rhythm section: bassists Zbigniew KozeraFind albums by this artist and Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Hubert ZemlerFind albums by this artist and Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist; all of them are top representatives of the Polish Improvised Music milieu. As much as I respect all these musicians, it is completely beyond me why they would invest time and energy into this project, which honestly is simply completely banal and meaningless in my opinion. None of the aims expected form the amalgamation of World Music and Jazz are achieved here; the folkloristic themes remain bare and simple and the Jazz additions plainly don´t stick to them. The double rhythm section is bombastic and overbearing, being mostly contra productive and the overall proceedings are simply pointless and boring. Polish Folklore and Jazz have a proven record of working together wonderfully, both in the early Polish Jazz history in the 1960s and 1970s and currently with brilliant projects, many of which were released by For TuneFind albums on this label Records. This one is sadly a miss. Of course this is only my personal view and others might disagree with me, as usual. The musicians will probably not like these words either, but hey this is what I hear…

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KSAWERY WOJCINSKI ~ THE SOUL FOR TUNE 0041 (Barcode: 5902768701401) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut solo album by the Polish Jazz bassist / composer Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist, best known for his work on the vibrant Polish Avant-Garde scene and his role in the HeraFind albums by this artist ensemble, led by Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. On this album Wojcinski plays bass, piano, guitar, drums and sings. The album comprises of thirteen tunes, eleven of which were composed by Wojcinski, one was co-composed by him and the sound engineer Michal KupiczFind albums by this artist and the remaining one is a traditional song. As much as I like musical experimentation and unconventional excursions, the music on this album leaves me completely cold. Although the album´s liner notes speak about a dialogue between the musician and the listener, personally I hear just a bunch of self indulgent ditties, which lack any consistence, don´t convey any musical message and make no aesthetic sense whatsoever. There is no doubt that Wojcinski is an excellent bassist, which he had plenty of opportunities to prove, and a sensitive musician. Somehow this music simply does not make any sense to me nor is it satisfactory on any of the planes I relate to music, like melody, harmony, improvisation, compositional depth and virtuosic performances. None of the above is present here as far as I am concerned. Of course solo albums are particularly difficult and perhaps Wojcinski is simply not ready yet to take such a heroic plunge? Or perhaps it is only me not getting it? I have no idea, but this is not something I´ll consider listening to again in the foreseeable future.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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ZIMPEL / ZIOLEK ~ ZIMPEL / ZIOLEK INSTANT CLASSIC 063 (Barcode: 5902693140955) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by the Polish duo comprising of Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist and Jakub ZiolekFind albums by this artist, two prominent names on the Polish / European Avant-Garde scene since years. Zimpel produced a plethora of recordings in various musical environments like Jazz and World Music and Ziolek is predominantly known as a member of the Innercity Ensemble and other Rock oriented projects. On this album both musicians play a multitude of instruments each: Zimpel various clarinets and keyboards and Ziolek guitars, synthesizers as well as performs the vocals. The album presents just four compositions, three of which feature English lyrics (i.e. are songs of sort), one composed by Ziolek and three co-composed by Zimpel and Ziolek. The music is much more tamed, melodic and "conventional" than one might expect from these two musicians. Heavily soaked in World Music, with Far East and Mediterranean sonic vistas dominating the proceedings, the complex multilayered musical fabric is gentle and as usual with Zimpel based on cyclic repetitions a la serial music and minimalism. The resulting kaleidoscope of sounds is breathtakingly beautiful and absorbing, meditative and enthralling. Zimpel plays several exquisite clarinet solos, which sound superbly evocative backed by layers of synthesized reverberations. His power of expression is stunningly articulated throughout and is one of the key foci of this music, but certainly not the only one. This music works so well since it is a sum of many different ingredients, some acoustic and other electronic, which magically complement each other, creating a result that is greater than the sum of these parts. Ziolek sings the vocal parts like some of the Progressive Rock heroes of the 1970s, with a reverberating (almost) falsetto. These vocal parts and the synthesizer work in the background, as well as the overall feel of this music would have earned it a prominent place on the Prog scene, if this album was recorded fifty years earlier. Perhaps this is the true New Prog, not the dreadful Neo-Prog that some people are trying to create? This album is a very powerful musical experience, in every respect. It has taken me by surprise, which happens very rarely, and I am sure many other people will share this opinion as well. It is definitely one of the strongest musical statements of 2017, way beyond any genre classification or attempt to describe it. It is in fact so powerful and meaningful, that my puny attempt to convey the meaning of this music is somewhat pathetic. Just get this wondrous album ASAP and dive in unreservedly!

Updated: 21/09/2021Posted: 28/10/2017

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WACLAW ZIMPEL ~ LINES INSTANT CLASSIC 042 ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the first solo album by veteran Polish Jazz / Avant-Garde clarinetist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. He plays different clarinets and keyboards and performs six pieces, five of which are his original compositions and one is a renaissance cannon. The music is almost entirely written, as opposed to Zimpel´s usual modus operandi, which primarily involves improvisation. The affiliation with minimal music is felt very strongly and familiar patterns appearing in the works of American composers like La Monte YoungFind albums by this artist, Terry RileyFind albums by this artist, Steve ReichFind albums by this artist or Philip GlassFind albums by this artist can be also heard here. This does not imply of course that Zimpel uses ideas created by others, but the resemblance, both aesthetically and sonorically, is very audible. The music is also very contemplative and monotonic, which of course is rather difficult for listeners not familiar with this musical idiom. Zimpel´s usage of several overdubbed instruments to create an almost orchestral effect is the most interesting aspect of this album, which is fully explored in the title track. All of the tracks use the same technique of overdubbing, which is of course possible due to the fact that the music is written and not spontaneously improvised. One has to respect Zimpel for his consistency and desire to create his own unique music, even if this means that his audience will be rather limited. Also the support he gets from small independent labels, like Instant ClassicFind albums on this label which released this album, is very significant to his career and development. Overall this is an album intended to be listened to by connoisseurs of minimal music or people looking for adventurous and unusually sounding recordings. With certain open-mindedness this music can bring many surprisingly pleasing musical moments amid its weirdness.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 02/01/2017

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WACLAW ZIMPEL ~ STONE FOG FOR TUNE 0009 (Barcode: 5902768701098) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the debut recording by the quartet led by Polish Jazz clarinetist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist with his countryman pianist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist and two German musicians: bassist Christian RamondFind albums by this artist and drummer Klaus KugelFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight compositions named using lines from poems by the US poetess Laura Winter. Three of the compositions are credited to Zimpel and the remaining five are group compositions. Despite his young age (he was 29 years old when this music was recorded) Zimpel is already considered as one of the most important upcoming Free Jazz / Improvised Music figures on the European scene. In the scope of the last decade he managed to cooperate with many first-class musicians from Poland and abroad, play many concerts and record quite a few albums as a leader and as sideman, most of which were received enthusiastically by the critics. The clarinet, Zimpel´s "weapon of choice", is sadly a much neglected instrument in contemporary music, Avant-Garde and Improvised Music included, and therefore his contributions are especially important, keeping the clarinet tradition alive. Except for the older generation clarinet Giants, like American Perry RobinsonFind albums by this artist, Israeli Harold RubinFind albums by this artist, French Louis SclavisFind albums by this artist, Italian Gianluigi TrovesiFind albums by this artist and a handful of others, Zimpel´s young voice is a fresh breath of air in this particular niche. As to the music on this album, I find it slightly less exciting personally in comparison to his earlier recordings with ensembles like UndividedFind albums by this artist or HeraFind albums by this artist. Not that this album lacks anything in quality and power of expression, but perhaps it is less based on incorporating World Music motifs, which Zimpel excels at. This album firmly belongs to the "traditional" Free Jazz / Improvised Music milieu, if the word "traditional" applies at all in such cases. But regardless of my personal preferences, this is excellent music from start to finish, performed with passion and masterly ability, by all four musicians involved. The rhythm section provides exceptional backing, moving swiftly between almost swing to free form, Dys on piano spreads layers of twisted harmonic structures and Zimpel, as usual, plays the role of the of Hamelin´s Pied Piper, snake charmer and a Hassidic Klezmer, all in one. Most connoisseurs of Free Jazz will find this music very interesting and aesthetically enchanting. The album was released by a new Polish label called For TuneFind albums on this label, which seems to be specializing in "unconventional" musical projects, like this one. All the releases on the label have a distinct graphic design, which appears to be copying the early ECMFind albums on this label, Hat HutFind albums on this label and other Avant-Garde labels following this path. Polish Avant-Garde Jazz fans know that this label is of course not the first of its kind, but the more the merrier. There is always place for good music and I wish the label a lot of success.

Updated: 12/10/2024Posted:

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WACLAW ZIMPEL TO TU ORCHESTRA ~ NATURE MOVES FOR TUNE 0036 (Barcode: 5902768701340) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz clarinetist / composer / bandleader Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist and his nonet called To Tu OrchestraFind albums by this artist (the name is probably a wink in the direction of the legendary Warsaw club Pardon, To Tu), which includes saxophonist Pawel PostaremczakFind albums by this artist, flautist Dominik StrycharskiFind albums by this artist, hurdy-gurdy player Maciej CierlinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Jacek KitaFind albums by this artist, bassists Wojciech TraczykFind albums by this artist and Mike MajkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Pawel SzpuraFind albums by this artist and Hubert ZemlerFind albums by this artist. The album includes six original compositions, arranged into three mini suites, of one, three and two parts respectively. The music is in many respects a continuation of Zimpel´s earlier work with the group Hera, which combines elements of Avant-Garde, Jazz and contemporary Classical music with World Music from all over the world. The strongest influence on this album is minimal music pioneered decades earlier by Philip GlassFind albums by this artist, Steve ReichFind albums by this artist, Terry RileyFind albums by this artist and others, which Zimpel embraces, most evidently in the first of the three mini suites but in fact throughout the entire album. The repeated structures returning cyclically, typical in minimal music, which are normally produced by electronic or acoustic orchestral patterns, are created here by World Music patterns, like Balinese gamelan music, slowly changing and intensifying until they reach a massive sound, but do not reach an expected crescendo. Minimalism continues to be present in the rest of the compositions, simply changing the geographic colorization, using Japanese, Middle Eastern and other folkloristic influences. Zimpel is undoubtedly a master of atmosphere and building tension, which accompany his earlier work as well, but come to a fruition and perfection on this album. The large ensemble allows him to "paint" much denser multilayered vistas, which move freely in the World Music universe. The music does not actually get into Jazzy improvisation until the very last piece on the album, so listeners anticipating that facet of Zimpel´s music are in for a disappointment. What emerges here is a new type of minimal music which amalgamates the earlier forms of minimalism with World Music, creating a World Minimal Music. Zimpel evidently had a great fun creating this music and it is also very listenable, but the fundamental question as to what Zimpel wanted to achieve remains open, at least in my case. I have not been overwhelmed neither by the aesthetics nor by the musical result, which after all simply states nihil novi sub sole. But it is very well done for sure!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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