Record Reviews

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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OLES BROTHERS / THEO JORGENSMANN ~ TRANSGRESSION FSR 2016/04 (Barcode: 5905279364103) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2016 This is the fifth album by the trio which unites Polish Jazz and Improvised Music twin team of bassist / composer Marcin OlesFind albums by this artist and drummer / composer Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist, collectively known as Oles BrothersFind albums by this artist, and German clarinetist / composer Theo JorgensmannFind albums by this artist. The music included on this album was recorded in 2010 and originally intended for release as their second album on the Swiss Hat HutFind albums on this label Records HatologyFind albums on this label Label, but for a variety of reason was delayed and eventually released on the Polish FSRFind albums on this label label. It includes eleven original compositions, three of which are by Marcin Oles and four each by Bartlomiej Oles and Jorgensmann. The album marks a culmination of a ten years period during which the trio recorded and performed together intensively. As a result their work here is remarkably coherent and organic and the musical unity they demonstrate is truly marvelous. The music flows flawlessly between solo, duo and trio statements, with the rhythm section being elevated to a status of frontline performers. The telepathic conversation between all three musicians is staggering, as usual, and the trio becomes a complete, undividable unit. The album also marks a path towards more composed and less freely improvised music, which has characterized the trio´s progression over time. That does not mean of course that the music is restrained in any way, but the composed structures are plainly hearable and strictly adhered to, notwithstanding the enormous degree of freedom applied in the performances themselves. In retrospect this is definitely a brilliant closing chapter to the trio´s activity, which was certainly one of the most interesting European Jazz units at the time. Of course for Oles Brothers this was definitely a period of establishing their position as one of the most talented leading European rhythm sections in parallel to their ever growing career as composers. It is great to have this album finally available, thanks to the persistence of the Oles Brothers and of course Maciej KarlowskiFind albums by this artist of FSR, who finally managed to bring this saga to a happy end. The album includes the liner notes by American critic Art Lange, which were written for the intended release on Hatology in 2011, so even that piece of the puzzle was saved. Enjoy!

Updated: 02/01/2017Posted: 02/01/2017

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OLES BROTHERS / THEO JORGENSMANN ~ ALCHEMIA HATOLOGY 646 (Barcode: 752156064626) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 This is the fourth album by Polish Improvised Music heroes, brothers Marcin OlesFind albums by this artist (bass) and Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist (drums) collectively know as Oles BrothersFind albums by this artist, with the German clarinetist / composer Theo JorgensmannFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live at the legendary Alchemia club in Krakow, which in the first decade of the new Millennium served as one of the epicenters of the Polish Avant-Garde scene, and includes five original compositions: two composed by Jorgensmann, one each by Marcin Oles and Bartlomiej Oles and one co-composed by them both. This music was recorded just two months after the live recording that produced the "Live In Poznan 2006Find albums with this title" album and covers mostly the same material and yet these two dates are quite dramatically different. The Alchemia concert is a pinnacle of this trio´s cooperation at the time, summarizing a process of development from the first encounter to the close intimacy achieved herein. The relaxed and contemplative atmosphere of this session and the expanded versions of the compositions, which are present on this album, create a magic moment which was encapsulated for eternity. The special ambience of the club itself might be also responsible for the extraordinary amalgam achieved here by the trio. This music is also much more "organized" than that presented on the earlier recordings, with a clear emphasis on the compositions and structures rather than the on improvised parts that dominate the earlier recordings. Of course there is plenty of improvisation and wonderful expanded solo sections, but the music, at all times, stays within clearly defined melodic and rhythmic patterns, even at the very climax and up-tempo frenzy. This wonderful balance between the freedom of improvisation and the structure, mostly imposed by the rhythm section, is absolutely stunning. Of course the individual abilities of these extraordinary musicians are at full display throughout this album, as always. It´s worth to listen to this album several times, each time concentrating on just one of the participants in order to be able to fully absorb their individual contributions. But of course only the glorious threesome achieves the full synergy, and the proper way to listen is to try and absorb this synergy into our brains. This is surely one of the finest examples of the European Avant-Garde scene at the time it was recorded and a true gem of an album, which has but a few equals. The fact that the prestigious Swiss Hat HutFind albums on this label label decided to include it in its roster is surely an acknowledgment of eminence, which in this case was fully earned. The hearsay has it that Hat Hut has another Oles Brothers session in their vaults that remains unreleased – now that is a crying´ shame!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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