NOW! by Marek Pospieszalski Octet & Zoh Amba

 

Marek Pospieszalski who has had quite an experience as a band leader, navigating his compatriots through diverse waters of modern composition on the verge of wide and deep ocean of jazz for quite a while. His newest album - ''NOW!'' proves those points and many more.

As usual: the array of the musicians that he convinced to work on this material is not just impossibly excellent but when you think of how he was able to use their talents of expression, using their tools and individual voices is not only rare but just impressive. 

What is the key to understand and enjoy this album?

You can approach it on many different levels:

- modern jazz with distinct accentuation on the rhythm which is not only generated by the rhythm section as such but also through the work of Marek himself and Piotr Chęcki. Their melodic approach intertwine and cross across Max Mucha and Qba Janicki's rhythm section as a continuous dialogue and strategy which is both intuitive and resilient to platitudes strategy. 

- minimalism and contemporary composition: in this field what's important is the place and space that is given to Grzegorz Tarwid and Tomasz Sroczyński. They create a thorough and dense soundscape that uses the rhythmic foundation to emphasize the whole cinematic landscape that the whole album lays out.

This album is not only pushing the boundaries of the modern jazz composition amalgam a little bit further. It shows an important moment where influences of individual musicians are processed in the whole collective and individual creative narrative towards a new quality. 

And apart from that, at the end of the day - it's an enjoyable listening experience that makes you want to come back to this album and study its details and counterpoints.

Marek Pospieszalski: soprano & tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute & tape

Zoh Amba: tenor saxophone

Piotr Chęcki: tenor & baritone saxophone

Tomasz Dąbrowski: trumpet

Tomasz Sroczyński: viola

Szymon Mika: electric guitar & acoustic guitar

Grzegorz Tarwid: piano

Max Mucha: double bass

Qba Janicki: drums & soundboard

All compositions by Marek Pospieszalski

Recorded by Juan Moreno at Emil Berliner Studios, November 2023

Mixed and mastered by Jeremy Loucas

Produced by Marek Pospieszalski

Artwork by Macio Moretti

Project financed by a scholarship from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage "Młoda Polska" & Katowice City of Music UNESCO

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