Filing The Profile

"I'm not the master of the sax, George Garzone is." No one less than the great Michael Brecker calmly made this statement. It demonstrates the respect, which not only he, but also Garzone´s students would say without restrictions: Joshua Redman, Branford Marsalis, Mark Turner – just to name a few. It will certainly remain a secret why Garzone has not become as well known as the cited colleagues. When you mention that to him, he just shrugs it off. Relaxed, he points out that he has been able to play with almost all the big names in jazz his age or younger; a list of them would go beyond the context of this text. Reference to the fact that he was able to bring home a Grammy with Joe Lovanos Nonett should suffice. And that his contributions are by far not only in demand in jazz; the list of the bands, who have requested his services, ranges from Aerosmith to New Kids on the Block. He is currently teaching at the renowned Berklee School of Music, among other places. He is also the originator of a special improvisation concept, the "Triadic Chromatic Approach" with corresponding teaching manuals. Jacek Kochan, born in Poland, emigrated to America at the beginning of the 80s searching for personal and musical freedom. He first lived in New York and took lessons from Jaco Pastorius and Mike Clark, among others. Then he moved to Canada where he continued his studies. His focus was not only on drums, percussion and vibraphone, but also further studies in the areas of composition and arrangement. During his time in Montreal, he played with Oliver Jones and Michael Donato, among others, and increasingly with Jerry Bergonzi, John Abercrombie, Kenny Wheeler and many more after he moved to Toronto in 1990. He finally returned to Poland in 1995 and has used his innumerable contacts since then to play concerts in Poland and the rest of Europe at the highest level. And not to forget, he is also a composer and arranger much in demand, including in contemporary classical and theater music. In addition, more than a dozen CDs have been produced with him as leader; the list of his sidemen includes names such as Gary Thomas, Jerry Bergonzi, Cuong Vu, Dave Tronzo, Greg Osby, Franz Hautzinger and more. Dominik Wania is someone that you should not lose sight of, someone who really deserved to be listened to. He is still only known in small circles (who appreciate him all the more; among others, he has played with Tomasz Stanko, Dave Liebman, Gary Thomas, George Garzone, Eddie Henderson, Nguyen Le and Don Byron!), but he is perhaps the Polish jazz musician who has won the greatest number of prizes. If you would like to know details, check out his website. However, it also suffices to listen to his contributions to the music of this recording: You seldom hear such concentrated dynamic variety, richness of melodic ideas and unusual, inspired rhythms from a pianist; his is a name you shouldn't forget. Andrzej Swies is one of the young, up-and-coming bassists in Poland, who has also attracted attention beyond the borders of his country and has played alongside Lee Konitz, Adam Pieronczyk and Zbigniew Namyslowski Fellow musicians have frequently praised his attentive and perfect but never obtrusive accompaniment, and this recording confirms this once again. The quartet demonstrated how well it harmonizes at numerous performances in renowned European clubs and festivals. The band recorded in a studio for all those who could not experience them live. And we are very pleased that we now can listen to the result: music from one mold, composed by an amazing drummer and with unparalleled ensemble playing. The musicians seem to be bound by a far-reaching spiritual kinship, so that in phases of almost free improvisation, nothing sounds as if it were by chance or at random, but instead you can almost feel the will of a common expression. Regardless of whether intensive, lyrical passages, fiery eruptions, thoughtful sound collages, eruptive solos or swinging interludes, all is embedded in the common will of the creation.