Record Reviews

ECHOLYN ~ MEI VELVETEEN 2009 (Barcode: 837101058957) ~ USA ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 2002 Released: 2002 7th album. EcholynFind albums by this artist not only refuse to die, but they continue to develop their mastery from one release to the next. This album is a magnificent opus, a tour de force of rare proportions. The entire album is one piece of music! No more separate songs, even if those were part of a concept album - this is the ultimate concept album. There is so much music here that rather then reading about it, just listen to it!

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ MEINE SUSSE EUROPAISCHE HEIMAT: DICHTUNG UND JAZZ AUS POLEN ANEX 401 (Barcode: 5907513047957) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 1967 Released: 2012 This is not just an album; for people who love Polish Jazz and Polish Culture, this is a monumental piece of Art and History… And for Polish Jazz this is probably the most important recording ever made, surely as far as international exposure of Polish Jazz is concerned. This album was devised, planned and eventually completed thanks to the efforts of Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, a German writer, critic, producer (and my dear personal Friend and Mentor), one of the most important figures on the European Jazz scene during its formative years. Berendt, a devoted intellectual, was an enthusiastic supporter of early multi-media collaborations involving Jazz, especially in the Jazz & Poetry realm, fell in love with Polish Jazz from the moment he heard it during the groundbreaking second Sopot Jazz Festival in 1957, which he attended accompanying a delegation of German Jazz players. The plans to make this album were planted in his mind then and there, but unfortunately the Iron Curtain, the invisible great divide splitting Europe in two during the Cold War era, was stronger than the goodwill of the people who wanted to make it happen. It took a whole decade until Berendt was able to invite pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist and his group, which included trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist, to his SWF radio studio in Baden-Baden to finally record the music. In parallel Berendt invited the German translator Karl DedeciusFind albums by this artist, who was the most important and pioneering translator of Polish and Russian literature and poetry into the German language, to select and translate the poems, which were to be combined with Komeda´s music and recited by actor Helmut LohnerFind albums by this artist. Dedecius made a brilliant job, obviously a labor of lave for him, both as a translator and editor, selecting twenty four poems by Polish poets, many of which were at the time relatively obscure and politically "problematic" for the Socialistic regime. In retrospect two of these poets: Wislawa SzymborskaFind albums by this artist and Czeslaw MiloszFind albums by this artist were eventually to be awarded the Nobel Prize in literature – not a bad guess indeed. By the time this album was recorded Komeda was of course already the undisputed Godfather of modern Polish Jazz, as well as a world-famous composer of film music, most notably those directed by Roman PolanskiFind albums by this artist, but also many others. His quintet was one of the best European Jazz ensembles at the time, which of course is clearly evident on this recording. Komeda´s themes are perfect companions to the poems, full of lyricism and deep emotions, expressive and often quite free form, enabling the soloists to expand the basic structure into improvised passages. The album was originally released in West Germany by EMI / ColumbiaFind albums on this label in 1967 and the original vinyl is a super-rare collectors´ item. This new edition adds as bonus tracks three of the themes used on the original album, recorded in extended instrumental versions by the same quintet, which are of course sensational. The album is beautifully packaged in a book-like digipak, which includes the original liner notes by Berendt and many splendid photographs. The texts (both Polish and the German translations) of the poems are unfortunately not included (except one), which is a pity, but obtaining all the copyrights was probably too much of a nightmare. An extended essay about this album should have also been appropriately written. The fact that this album was not available (at least in a proper form) for forty five years is a shame and this new edition falls under "better late than never" category. Polish Jazz connoisseurs should of course be delighted, finally being able to savor this timeless piece of Art. I can´t imagine any serious Polish Jazz enthusiast not having this album in their collection. I think I can see the late Joachim Berendt smiling, somewhere in the "higher sphere", seeing his brain-child resurrected…

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

STOFFNER / LOVENS/ MAHALL ~ MEIN FREUND DER BAUM WIDE EAR 032 (Barcode: 7640172461921) ~ SWITZERLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is an album by the European Improvising Music trio comprising of Swiss guitarist Florian StoffnerFind albums by this artist and German drummer Paul LovensFind albums by this artist and clarinetist Rudi MahallFind albums by this artist. The album presents four tracks with improvised music credited to the trio members. The music is typical of European Avant-Garde, which creates numerous opportunities for musicians form different countries to play together and try to find a common langue, like in this case. The question always arises if this language is understandable or emotionally relevant to people outside of the circle of participants in the conversation. In cases like this one, where there is completely no melody, harmony or rhythm in the conventional sense, the contact is extremely limited to a miniscule group of Improvised Music enthusiasts. But Artistic freedom and the search for new forms of expression is a Holy Grail of Culture and therefore regardless of how detached or unconventional the music might be, it is always relevant by the very reason that it was created, recorded and released on record, i.e. being part of a process of documenting the endless diversity of human communication via music. Listeners interested in the European Improvised Music will of course be familiar with Mahall and Lovens, who are veterans of the genre and are both highly regarded. Stoffner is perhaps a less familiar, but he stands shoulder to shoulder with his partners on this album, contributing on an equal level. The trio manages to create a wide spectrum of intensity, dynamics and sonic elements, which keeps the listener on his toes. Overall this is a difficult but interesting effort, which is worth investigating by Improvised Music followers, obviously requiring an open-minded attitude by the listeners.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 01/03/2018

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