Karolina Styła | My Favourite Songs | Not Two Records

I am a Polish singer and I love music. I have been singing for some time, at the age of 18 I recorded my debut cd which you can listen to here, with the top Polish musicians such as Joachim Mencel, Andrzej Cudzich, Lukasz Zyta, Piotr Wojtasik, Leszek Szczerba, Ryszard Styła. With this band I had a lovely time performing at different places, among which the most important Era Jazzu Festival in Poznan 2000 as a support to Archie Shepp. Then I spent 3,5 years at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria, where I studied under Jay Clayton, Mark Murphy, Stjepko Gut, Fritz Pauer, Renato Chicco, Laurie Antonioli and others. Since then a few years have passed and I’m again in Krakow, still singing, hoping to do more in music. Continue reading

Leszek Kułakowski | Eurofonia | Not Two Records

At the 4th Komeda Jazz Festival in 1998 Leszek Kulakowski presented his project and symphonic score called EUROFONIA. This is not his first attempt to combine symphony music with jazz. The compositions “Chopin And Other Songs” are examples of such combinations. EUROFONIA is the pure invention of Leszek. This is a very colourful composition in which a refined symphonic orchestra is the background for a swinging jazz band accompanied by a soprano singer. This is a victory for the universal values of music and most of all a great victory for Leszek Kulakowski. — Anna & Carlos Sanchez Continue reading

Illàchime Quartet | I’m Normal, My Heart Still Works | fratto 9

Illàchime Quartet is an instrumental ensemble based in Naples (Italy) that joins electronics and acoustic instruments. It gathers sounds and noises from the surroundings as well as scattered fragments of acoustic memories, which form the texture for the interventions of the musicians along rough and terse lines, often improvised. Final target: to intrigue and to seduce the audience by means of an unconventional, highly kinematic sonic experience. This new album contains six tracks and a ghost track. Continue reading

Jealousy Party | Live | fratto 9

Jealousy party, active Florentine ensemble from 1995, rape the suggestions of the free music (jazz and not only), avant-rock , the disturbed and unsociable electronics, squirts of songs, saxs, laptop and CDs in flames and histrionic vocal manipulations. The mutant project expresses with delirium and de-structured transparency the synthesis among creative abstract-ism, expressive urgency, mad avant-gardist, theatricality and punk attitude. Continue reading

Karmel & Xabier Iriondo | Gianni Mimmo | Cristiano Calcagnile’s Nibiru Ensemble | Airchamber 3+4 | Claudio Fasoli & Mario Zara | Pierfrancesco Mucari | Angelo Contini & Federico Cumar | Francesco Cusa & Shirin Demma | NovoTono | ON WAR | Amirani Records

Asked by amirani records, many musicians, each one with their own project, are here involved in the conceptual investigation of the confictual relationship among human beings. All tracks are original compositions for this goal. Amirani’s intent is to moove or provoke artists to compose and perform around social issues. Relationships and communication with all muscians involved in this adventure has been excellent and Amirani is thinking about a second volume for the next year. Each artist/composer/performer has been requested to explain his piece, to introduce his proceeding, to describe his way to approach to concept “War”. So in the booklet one can find an explanation for each piece directly from the musician. To extend the communication, to enhance the perspective, to create more possibilities of relations each piece has been completed with a marvellous photo by Elda Papa. So be confident to find here a nice, fresh, intense Amirani style work. Continue reading

Anthony Braxton Quartet | Standards (Brussels) 2006 | Amirani Records

Anthony Braxton’s periodical incursions in standards repertory are always a new way to think classical structures. His style is immediately clear: pixeling notes, sudden fastness, stretched sentences. A live recording with all the freshness one needs to be in deep touch with creativity and joyous interplay. Italian partners provide a vivid sustain, an evocative tone palette, a great rhythmic support and sincere brilliant solos.

An elegant cardboard 6 CD box (Decca style) including a 26 pages booklet with three little essays by Italian poet and writer Erika Dagnino Continue reading