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JAN HOCEK JazzPort.cz

New úsvit of Polish jazz?

Kotwica 1
CZ

New úsvit of Polish jazz?

Yes tohle them debut s velkým D! Polish soubor AMALIA UMEDA QUARTET vydal on April's own album the first album under the title "Nowoświt". Nahrávka was realized with the help of Polského Rádia 2 and the intermediary program Footprints Europe 2021.

Houselistka and skladatelka Amalia Umeda Obrębowska, as zní celé její jméno, začala hrát na housle v seven letech. O many později pocítila nutkavou, neodbytnou need to improvizovat, věnovat se riskantní hudební formě, if it would obohatila herí componovanou tvorbu, enabled development and rozšiřování obzorů in hudbě. Amalia Umeda k tomu říká: „V hudbě si cením především možnosti operovat s prostorem, reflektovat různé emocionální stavy, budovat napětí a ilustrovat to, co se nedá popsat slovy.“ Měla příležitost si zahrát s plejádou výtečných improvizátorů a osobností progresivního jazzu, včetně Macieje Obara, Jim Black, Milese Perkina and Atom String Quartet. It's one of the six best umělců pro mezinárodní program Footprints Europe 2021, díky němuž vydalo her quarteto this album and a podnikne summer tour in Norsk and further scandinavian lands. Footprints are the expansion of the Jazz Connective project, which in the summer of 2018-2020 implemented the European lands (Rakousko, Nizozemí, Norsko, Slovinsko, Francie and Polsko), to inform the vision, support and mentorship program and other active agents and organs .

 

Debutové album kvarteta, v němž hrají ještě Franciszek Raczkowski (piano), Michał Aftyka (kontrabas) a Michał Szeligowski (bicí), přináší vpravdě ilustrativní improvizovanou hudbu inspirovanou silou a krásou přírody, emotivností, syrovostí a autenticitou lidové hudby a různými emocionálními stavy člověka. Čtveřice improvizátorů se navzájem poslouchá, inspired by mental and physical hloubky, inspires congenial works with dynamic, vukomalbou, structural and textural progressive compositions. All skladby vycházejí totiž z pouhého nástinu, ba yen letmého nástřelu authorčiny thought či subjectu, so that the quartet will make it possible to proměňovat tvar, character and form skladeb při each vystoupení v závislosti na aktálním okomžiku, straight energy concert.

 

Při nahrávání alba was quarterly očividně ve výtečném rozoložení. Each of the deseti skladeb has vlastní vůni and armpits. Vůní jsou folklórní motivy, nesoucí melancholii a sad ("The other side of a dream", "Three chapters about a certain straw feeling"), pachem pak zneklidňující freejazzové rozvolnění ("Atonal"), změť vášní ("Potion"), syrový, živočišný nářek ( "Lament") či vše in one strhujícím, vzrušujícím a proměnlivém toku ("Snakes", "Podans"). Instrumentální výkony jsou vyzrálé, dynamicky and výrazově bohaté. Vévodí samozřejmě lídryně; plnokrevný, impresemi and emotionally saturated zvuk houslí, čerpající from Polish folklore and moderního jazz výraziva včetně free jazz, občas doplňuje souzvučnou či contrapunktikou vokální linkou, tu pensive, onde dravě, s vášní. V její hře se skrývá essence ženství. The pianist gained plnými hrstmi and neo-byčejn citliva from minimalism, Chopin, hard bop and free jazz, přičemž výraz never nepřepálí. Rhythmic tvoří flexibilní polyrhythms, when and bicí dokáží křehce i třeskutě strengthen hudební krebu; double bassist přitom hraje často smyčcem, also sustains harmonickou hustotu.

Album vrcholí poslední trojicí skladeb, v nichž se výše changed attributes propojují v perfect jazz synthesis. Ačkoli převažuje baladičnost, je v them tolik emocí a vášnivosti, that they must suffocate. Tím ale vzniká obrovské pnutí uvnitř hudební materia, if se při poslechu mění v napětí až hmatatelné. Energies so nepůsobí výbušně, but as chvějící se proud, which vplouvá to nitra nejen ušima, but hlavně heart. „Echoism“ mísí minimalismus, folklór a seifertovské exprese, „Młynarsis“ zase romantismus a houstnoucí dramatičnost (připomínající v případě houslí a vokalizování naši Ivu Bittovou), aby vše vyvrcholilo na více než desetiminutové ploše skladby „Modlitwa“, vpravdě až podprahově výbušné, ale here is a suggestion and a zároveň opojnější. Střet tklivosti, křehkosti, třeskutosti, zlověstného ticha, lonely, meditating, blouznění, vrásnění, hutnosti and tragic…

I am happy that with the debut of Amalie Umeda's quartet, a new dawn of Polish jazz has begun!

source: https://jazzport.cz/2022/06/03/novy-usvit-polskeho-jazzu/

PL

A new dawn of Polish jazz?

 

So this is a debut with a capital D! The Polish band AMALIA UMEDA QUARTET released their first album in April at their own expense under the ubiquitous title "Nowoświt". The recording was made with the help of Polish Radio 2 (co-producer) and the international program Footprints Europe.

Violinist and composer Amalia Umeda Obrębowska, as her full name is, began playing the violin at the age of seven. Many years later, she felt a pressing, unavoidable need to improvise, to devote herself to a risky musical form that would enrich her compositions, enabling her to develop and broaden her musical horizons. Amalia Umeda says: "In music, I especially appreciate the ability to manipulate space, reflect on various emotional states, build tension and depict what cannot be described in words." She had the pleasure of playing on stage with such musicians as Maciej Obara, Jim Black, Miles Perkin and Atom String Quartet. She is one of six artists selected for the international program Footprints Europe 2021, thanks to which her quartet released this album and will go on a summer tour in Norway and other Scandinavian countries. Footprints is an extension of the Jazz Connective project, implemented by six European countries (Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, France and Poland) in 2018-2020 to provide an educational program, support and mentoring and a range of other activities for selected artists, agents and organizers

The debut album of the quartet, which also features Franciszek Raczkowski (piano), Michał Aftyka (double bass) and Michał Szeligowski (drums), contains truly illustrative improvised music, inspired by the power and beauty of nature, emotions, rawness and authenticity of folk music and various emotional states of man . The four improvisers listen to each other, perceive mentally and physically, inspire each other and work brilliantly with the dynamics, sound painting, structure and texture of the gradually emerging compositions. All compositions are based on an outline of an idea, even a cursory depiction of an original idea or theme, so the quartet allows you to change the shape, character and form of the pieces in each performance depending on the current moment, mood, acoustics of the concert space and the energy of the audience.

 

The quartet was obviously in a great mood during the recording of the album. Each of the ten songs has its own aroma and smell. Smells are folk motifs, bringing melancholy and sadness ("On the other side of the dream", "Three chapters about a straw feeling"), the disturbing smell of free jazz relaxation ("Atonal"), a mess of passion ("Mixture"), raw "Lament") , which is all in one captivating, exciting and changing flow ("Snakes", "Podans"). Instrumental performances are mature, dynamic and expressive. The leader obviously dominates; the full-blooded sound of the violin, saturated with impressions and emotions, drawing from Polish folklore and contemporary jazz expressions, including free jazz, sometimes complements a harmonious or contrapuntal vocal line, pensive, wild and passionate. The essence of femininity lies in her game. The pianist plays "full handful" and is extremely sensitive to minimalism, Chopin, hard bop and free jazz, and expression never burns out. The rhythms create flexible polyrhythms where even the drums can enhance this musical image in a delicate and explosive way, the double bassist often plays the bow, intensifying the harmonic density.

The climax of the album are the last three tracks, in which the above-mentioned attributes combine into a perfect jazz synthesis. Although ballads predominate, there is so much emotion and passion in them that the quartet sometimes has to master them. However, this creates a huge tension in the musical matter, which during listening turns into a tangible tension. The energy does not look explosive, but it is like a quivering current that flows inward not only through the ears, but mainly through the heart. "Echoism" combines minimalism, folklore and Seifert's expression, "Młynarsis" romanticism and dense drama (reminiscent of the violin and vocalization of Ivy Bitt) to end with "Prayer", subliminally explosive, but all the more suggestive and intoxicating at the same time. A clash of bitterness, fragility, sadness, ominous silence, loneliness, meditation, delirium, furrows, density and tragedy...

 

I dare say that with the debut of Amalia Umeda's quartet came a true new dawn of Polish jazz!​

ENG1

The new dawn of Polish jazz?

 

So this is a debut with a capital D! The Polish ensemble AMALIA UMEDA QUARTET released their first album on April at their own expense under the pervasive title "Nowoświt". The recording was made with the help of Polish Radio 2 (co-producer) and the international program Footprints Europe.

Violinist and composer Amalia Umeda Obrębowska, as her full name sounds, started playing the violin at the age of seven. Many years later, she felt an urgent, inescapable need to improvise, to devote herself to a risky musical form that would enrich her composed work, enabling the development and broadening of horizons in music. Amalia Umeda says: "In music, I especially appreciate the opportunity to operate with space, reflect on various emotional states, build tension and illustrate what cannot be described in words." Obara, Jim Black, Miles Perkin or the Atom String Quartet. She is one of six selected artists for the international program Footprints Europe 2021, thanks to which her quartet released this album and will undertake a summer tour of Norway and other Scandinavian countries. Footprints is an extension of the Jazz Connective project, implemented by six European countries (Austria, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia, France and Poland) between 2018 and 2020 to provide an educational, support and mentoring program and a range of other activities for selected artists, agents and organizers. .

 

The quartet's debut album, which also features Franciszek Raczkowski (piano), Michał Aftyka (double bass) and Michał Szeligowski (drums), brings truly illustrative improvised music inspired by the power and beauty of nature, emotion, rawness and authenticity of folk music and various emotional states of man. The four improvisers listen to each other, perceive in mental and physical depth, are inspired and work congenially with the dynamics, sound painting, structure and texture of gradually emerging compositions. All compositions are based on a mere outline, even a cursory shot of the author's idea or theme, so the quartet allows you to change the shape, character and form of the songs in each performance depending on the current moment, mood, acoustics of the concert space and audience energy.

 

The quartet was obviously in a great mood when recording the album. Each of the ten songs has its own scent and smell. The scents are folk motifs, bearing melancholy and sadness ("The Other Side of Dreams", "Three Chapters About a Straw Feeling"), the smell then disturbing freejazzový loosening ("Atonal"), a mess of passions ("Potion"), raw "Lament") or all in one captivating, exciting and changing flow ("Snakes", "Podans"). Instrumental performances are mature, dynamically and expressively rich. The leader, of course, dominates; full-blooded, impression and emotion-saturated sound of the violin, drawing on Polish folklore and modern jazz expressions, including free jazz, sometimes complements the harmonic or counterpoint vocal line, the thoughtfully, the wildly, and the passionately. The essence of femininity lies in her game. The pianist is full of handfuls and extremely sensitive from minimalism, Chopin, hard bop and free jazz, while the expression never burns. Rhythms create flexible polyrhythms, where even drums can amplify musical drawing in a fragile and explosive way; the double bass player often plays the bow, so he emphasizes the harmonic density.

The album culminates in the last three songs, in which the above-mentioned attributes combine into a perfect jazz synthesis. Although ballads predominate, there is so much emotion and passion in them that the quartet has to suffocate them. However, this creates a huge tension within the musical matter, which changes in tension to even tangible when listening. The energy does not look explosive, but like a trembling current that flows into the interior not only through the ears, but mainly through the heart. "Echoism" mixes minimalism, folklore and Seifert expressions, "Młynarsis" romanticism and thick drama (reminiscent of the violin and vocalization of Iva Bitt) to culminate in more than ten minutes of "Prayer", really subliminally explosive, but all the more suggestive and intoxicating at the same time. The clash of bitterness, fragility, sorrow, sinister silence, loneliness, meditation, delirium, wrinkles, density and tragedy…

I dare say that with the debut of the Amalia Umeda Quartet, a truly new dawn of Polish jazz has come!

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