Szilárd Mezei is a contemporary European violinist, violist, double bass player, composer and leader of various formations; he is perhaps the greatest hope of European jazz violin since the tragic death of Polish violin master Zbigniew Seifert in 1979. Szilárd Mezei was born February 12th, 1974 in Senta, Serbia (then Yugoslavia) as a member of the Hungarian minority in the multiethnic region of Vojvodina. He completed his violin studies in Senta and Subotica and studied composition for four years at the University of Arts in Belograd under prof. Zoran Eric. He plays contemporary improvised music, mostly performing his own compositions. As a composer, Mezei is interested in exploring the relationship between improvisation and composition (similarly to Witold Lutoslawski's aleatoric and Anthony Braxton's creative music methods), incorporating elements of jazz and authentic folk music as well. As a young musician he followed the path of B.Bartók and Gy.Szabados. Mezei is also very actively involved in composing scenic music and plays authentic Hungarian folk music on genuine folk instruments (koboz and oud). He leads the Szilárd Mezei Trio, Szilárd Mezei Quintet (/ Sextet / Septet / Octet), and plays in many formations (duo, trio, etc.) for improvising music (among others, in duet with György Szabados, and with his own orchestra MAKUZ, The Fonda/Stevens Group. This CD presents live performance of his 2006 Piano Quartet captured at Magyarkanizsa.
Szilárd Mezei is a contemporary European violinist, violist, double bass player, composer and leader of various formations; he is perhaps the greatest hope of European jazz violin since the tragic death of Polish violin master Zbigniew Seifert in 1979. Szilárd Mezei was born February 12th, 1974 in Senta, Serbia (then Yugoslavia) as a member of the Hungarian minority in the multiethnic region of Vojvodina. He completed his violin studies in Senta and Subotica and studied composition for four years at the University of Arts in Belograd under prof. Zoran Eric. He plays contemporary improvised music, mostly performing his own compositions. As a composer, Mezei is interested in exploring the relationship between improvisation and composition (similarly to Witold Lutoslawski's aleatoric and Anthony Braxton's creative music methods), incorporating elements of jazz and authentic folk music as well. As a young musician he followed the path of B.Bartók and Gy.Szabados. Mezei is also very actively involved in composing scenic music and plays authentic Hungarian folk music on genuine folk instruments (koboz and oud). He leads the Szilárd Mezei Trio, Szilárd Mezei Quintet (/ Sextet / Septet / Octet), and plays in many formations (duo, trio, etc.) for improvising music (among others, in duet with György Szabados, and with his own orchestra MAKUZ, The Fonda/Stevens Group. This CD (part one of two) presents his 2005 Piano Quartet.
Szilárd Mezei (http://www.szilardmezei.com) is a contemporary European violinist, violist, double bass player, composer and leader of various formations; he is perhaps the greatest hope of European jazz violin since the tragic death of Polish violin master Zbigniew Seifert in 1979. Szilárd Mezei was born February 12th, 1974 in Senta, Serbia (then Yugoslavia) as a member of the Hungarian minority in the multiethnic region of Vojvodina. He completed his violin studies in Senta and Subotica and studied composition for four years at the University of Arts in Belograd under prof. Zoran Eric. He plays contemporary improvised music, mostly performing his own compositions. As a composer, Mezei is interested in exploring the relationship between improvisation and composition (similarly to Witold Lutoslawski's aleatoric and Anthony Braxton's creative music methods), incorporating elements of jazz and authentic folk music as well. As a young musician he followed the path of B.Bartók and Gy.Szabados. Mezei is also very actively involved in composing scenic music and plays authentic Hungarian folk music on genuine folk instruments (koboz and oud). He leads the Szilárd Mezei Trio, Szilárd Mezei Quintet (/ Sextet / Septet / Octet), and plays in many formations (duo, trio, etc.) for improvising music (among others, in duet with György Szabados, and with his own orchestra MAKUZ, The Fonda/Stevens Group. This CD (part two of two) presents his 2005 Piano Quartet.
Here you can hear what Steve Lacy did mean saying that. This CD is dedicated to his memory. Even if we spent just short periods together I always kept a great memory of him in my heart: I'll always miss you, Steve. (Andrea Centazzo) Tao #3
Once again the music, though having broad spaces for improvisation, makes use of compositional structures to underline the soloist skills of the musicians, and organizes the sound situations into ensembles, trios, duets and solos. (Andrea Centazzo) O Ce Biel Cisiel Da Udin
Woodwind legend Bennie Maupin, best known for his work with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Horace Silver, The Headhnters, and many others, follows his highly acclaimed 2006 CD Penumbra, with Early Reflections, a beautiful recording of Maupin s European quartet featuring Polish musicians including pianist Michal Tokaj, and guest vocalist Hania Rybka. Early Reflections features a brilliant new version of Maupin s classic composition, The Jewel in the Lotus.
This beautifully realized set includes six separate CD's from Polish Jazz Masters: JAN PTASZYN WROBLEWSKI,KRZYSZTOF SADOWSKI, ANDRZEJ KURYLEWICZ, WOJCIECH KAROLAK, JERZY MILIAN and JANUSZ MUNIAK
This beautifully realized set includes six separate CD's from Polish Jazz Masters: KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA, TOMASZ STANKO, ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI, ADAM MAKOWICZ, MICHAL URBANIAK and ANDRZEJ KURYLEWICZ.
This beautifully realized set includes six separate CD's from Polish Jazz Masters: MICHAL URBANIAK, WOJCIECH KAROLAK, JAREK SMIETANA, TOMASZ SZUKALSKI, CZESLAW BARTKOWSKI, KAZIMIERZ JONKISZ and the band SUN SHIP.
Three well-versed jazz musicians congregated at a ranch house basement recording studio on Beatrice Street in Livonia Michigan to document all of my original tunes (all at that time) by performing them without rehearsals, without second takes, without any audio enhancements, and improvising solos based on the feelings created in the moment.
This disc features the late Roy Brooks on drums and Ray McKinney on bass. The collection contains a combination of earlier released albums: The Bob Szajner Triad, a 3-record set and released individually as Jazz Opus 20/40, Sound Ideas, and Afterthoughts. This is unrehearsed, live jazz played without retakes. It results in a highly improvised, spontaneous, but still very cohesive musical undertaking. Very enjoyable if you can do without fancy sound engineering and other audio enhancements. This CD is straight up acoustic jazz with some excellent solos throughout.
In 2007, approaching the end of his musical endeavors and wishing to leave a record of everything he ever recorded, Bob Szajner revived his label RMS007 Records and released his complete discography on seven CD's: Jazz Opus 20/40, Sound Ideas, Afterthoughts, The Lost Tapes, The Best of Triad, Center//Cuts and Loose Ends.
Take a gloomy night in May 1981, plus a room not meant for recording, plus a piano destined for the "keyboard cemetery", plus a sound engineer unfamiliar with the finer aspects of recording and add to this three talented jazz artists playing original material and you have a strange concoction indeed. If sound quality is all you want in a jazz recordings, please DO NOT listen to this album. But, if you are a curious adventurous soul willing to look and listen past the technical imperfections of the recorded production on the underlying artistic talent and unique content of these improvised vehicles patterned after '50s-'60s "classic" jazz genre, then this is for you to review and hopefully enjoy!!
Center\Cuts is a collection of bop and hard bop tunes recorded live at the Detroit Jazz Center World Stage in 1981. Marked by easy, infectious melodies and grooves, and steady swinging basslines, this disc features some nice solos and exchanges between musicians. Especially of note is track #3, which features a twanging and swift-fingered bass solo, and upbeat, snappy drums. Arrangements are straight-forward and simply structured. The true essence of jazz improvisation is displayed here. A good listen.
The Complete CD set of Ken Vandermark on NotTwo includes: two (2) multi-CDs box-sets: 'Alchemia' and 'Resonance' plus two (2) single CD: 'Ideas' and 'Annular Gift'.
The Complete Vandermark on NotTwo set includes: three (3) vinyl releases: 'Four Sides to the Story', 'Light on the Wall' and 'Resonance'; plus two (2) multi-CDs box-sets: 'Alchemia' and 'Resonance'; plus two (2) single CD: 'Ideas' and 'Annular Gift'.
