Gerard Lebik – tenor sax, contra alto clarinet |Artur Majewski – trumpet | Jakub Cywinski – bass |Wojciech Romanowski – drums
All music by Lebik/Majewski/Cywinski/Romanowski. Recorded on August the 11th, 2007 (tracks 1,3) and July the 23rd, 2008 (tracks 2,4,5,6). Recorded by Artur Majewski. Mastered by Marcin Cichy at plugaudio.eu Produced by Gerard Lebik and Artur Majewski. Executive producer: Marek Winiarski. All music recorded on 2 (tracks 1,3) and 3 (tracks 2,4,5,6) microphones. Cover photo: Bartek Szewczykowski – yetiyeti.pl Cover design: Ewelina Turkot. Thanks to: Marcin, Bartek, Ciupi, Kupicz, Ewelina.
Tracklist: 1. One [13:21] 2. Two [06:27] 3. Three [11:04] 4. Four [10:51] 5. Five [15:05] 6. Six [02:27]
F O T O N
group came into existence as a result of a monochromatic heliography process. The appliance of this process on an acoustic jazz quartet playing original improvised music lead to creating a new conception of sound and form granting equal rights to both improvisations and permanent elements of composition.
…There is nothing like pure and free musicality
flowing notes moving slowly forward, embracing one another in a common one-directional stream, yet totally unpredictable like the water sliding between rocks in a mountain river. So is this music. The band is Gerard Lebik on tenor sax and contra alto clarinet, Artur Majewski on trumpet, Jakub Cywinski on bass, and Wojciech Romanowski on drums. And yes, you’re right: yet again another stellar band from Poland. Both horn-players were recently reviewed in separate duo settings, but hearing them together is a pure joy. The music reminds of “Other Dimensions In Music” because of its small band coherence and freedom, or more recently “Nuts”, or “Les Fées Du Rhin”, and the “Collective 4tet”, bands that combine great musical adventure with fragile sensitivity, and albums that received top-ratings. The most stunning aspect of the music is its great natural and organic sound, as if every note grows out of the previous one, without the need to demonstrate skill or use special effects or to be different in form. And the end result is skillful, and special, and different … as the result of talent and creative vision. Extremely beautiful! The year has only just begun, and this is to me already a strong contender for the best of the year lists. — freejazz-stef.blogspot.com | 2011-01-22
…sometimes I wonder
just how many gifted improvisers known & unknown are there around the world… hundreds? thousands? even more? There seems like an endless supply as more independent label emerge and release so many interesting discs. Take this disc, for instance… strong, careful, minimal, acoustic avant jazz with tenor sax, trumpet, acoustic bass and drums. This could be a quiet section from an Art Ensemble disc or a Henry Cow album or any other acoustic improvisers showing a good deal of restraint. All four members of the quartet are of even ability and temperament. Is that Don Cherry or Nate Wooley or someone new & as yet unknown? There is something very natural and righteous about this music. On the second unnamed track, the sound is still subdued with moments of joyous dreamy groove-like blends. It is actually that calm center that makes this so magical at times. In a blindfold test, you would certainly come up with numerous more famous musicians but you wouldn’t be too far from this does sound like. — Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
CD version (incl. shipment cost world-wide)