Power Of The Horns - Alaman (For Tune, 2013) ****½

By Stef  

Big band free jazz ... wow, what a feast. A group of young Polish jazz musicians revive the spirit of the early seventies jazz scene, think of Human Arts Ensemble or other jazz loft bands, or Bengt Berger's Bitter Funeral Beer, which are all rhythm and structure, yet entirely mad and chaotic at the same time, full of majestic power and instruments blending in for grand themes, then taking a lead voice until pushed back by other soloists adding ideas and power and volume only to be drawn back into some strong unison lines for a few bars until the mayhem kicks in again.

The band is Piotr Damasiewicz on trumpet and voice, Adam Pindur on soprano sax, Maciej Obara on alto sax, Marek Pospieszalski on tenor sax, bass clarinet, flute and growl, Pawel Niewiadomski on trombone, Dominik Wania on  piano, Max Mucha on double bass, Jakub Mielcarek on double bass, Wojciech Romanowski on drums, Gabriel Ferrandini on drums, and Tomas Sanchez on percussion.

The band is truly fantastic, blending really as one team, in front of a more than enthusiastic audience, with all soloists improvising strongly, with the horns playing strong counterpoint themes against the African polyrhythmic foundation.

This is nothing else but jubilating sounds, full of great musical joy, majestic and solemn at the same time, wild and ecstatic.

A record to play a zillion times and guaranteed to bring you in high spirits. Highly recommended!