Michel Szeligowski / Mateusz Gramburg / Piotr Narajowski / Przemysław Chmiel

Daniele Martini Quartet

Impermanent

el NEGOCITO Records eNR 096

Two European takes on the classic reeds/piano/bass/drums combo show off the mature compositional skills of the saxophone/leader, but never edge too far past or out of the modern mainstream. Celebrated in his native Poland, Warsaw-based soprano and tenor saxophonist Przemysław Chmiel has recorded with Natalia Kordiak, but gets to demonstrate his writing and playing skills on Witchcraft, aided by other young players, pianist Mateusz Gramburg, bassist Piotr Narajowski and drummer Michał Szeligowski. More cosmopolitan and more experienced, the Belgium-based quartet on Italian tenor saxophonist Daniele Martini’s disc, include not only the leader who has played with the likes of Nate Wooley, but also fellow Italian bassist Manolo Cabras, Portuguese drummer João Lobo and pianist Bram De Looze, the only native Belgian.

Slight deviations between the two sessions are sonic rather than geographical. Conceived in a climate of cooperation, the six tracks on Martini’s session provide space for solo leeway from each musician, while Witchcraft’s eight tracks are more closely plotted. Oddly enough, or perhaps because Chmiel was hedging his bets, it’s the final and title track which is most outside. On it the concentrated reed/keyboard double counterpoint expressed on many of the preceding tracks is complemented with vibrating sul tasto rubs from Cabras, leading to harder split tones and bites stretching to near-inaudible squeaks from saxophonist as well as unexpected rolls and pops from Szeligowski. Other than that Witchcraft’s tracks are pretty much of a piece. Besides balladic modes, atmospherically emphasized with slurs from one or another of Chimel’s horns, tracks like “Dear Wayne” and “Metropolis and Mental Life” set up a groove with, on the former, harsh cymbal slaps and wooden bops, downwards reed flutters and Gramburg’s parts moving from low-pitched rolls to high-pitched clips to build up the drama. “Metropolis and Mental Life” in turn projects metronomic keyboard power, eventually harmonized with tempered reed vibrations that themselves turn into a nearly endless display of saxophone techniques.

Exhibiting as much rhythmic freedom as on the other disc, the Martini quartet is more democratic in space allocationon Impermanent with solo or quasi solo spots for each player. Establishing collective parameters on the first couple of tracks, the four maintain them to later add intense or relaxed motifs when needed. With an a capella saxophone emphasis at the top “Cells” is Martini’s feature, where his flutters and vibrations break the exposition into smaller bits as he pushes it forward backed by stop-time key clips from the pianist. De Looze’s turn comes on “Auroshika” where the saxophonist’s smooth timbres attain Cool Jazz inferences when coupled with the pianist’s concentric and colored chording, Still modernist though, the saxophonist’s strategy moves between oozing tone spreading to sprightly high pitches. Meeting Martini’s spetrofluctuation, flattement and split tones and De Looze’s plinking keyboard patters with expressive string sweeps, scrapes and strops, Cabras establishes his identity on “Born Work Sad Hungry”. Meanwhile the energy expressed on “Fang Song Song” is the result of Lobo’s drum rumbles, pops and rebounds that encourage undulating reed slurs and double powered piano chords.

Each of these discs serves as a proper definition of the respective groups and the leader’s ability to craft respectable Jazz compositions. Neither CD breaks any new ground, but each suggests anticipation that more exploratory work may be in the future for any combination of the eight players.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Quartet: 1. For Those 2. Impermanent 3. Cells 4. Auroshika 5. Fang Song Song 6. Born Work Sad Hungry

Personnel: Quartet: Daniele Martini (tenor saxophone); Bram De Looze (piano); Manolo Cabras (bass) and João Lobo (drums)

Track Listing: Witchcraft: 1. Jurassic Park 2. Dear Wayne 3. False Prophets 4. Metropolis and Mental Life 5. Improvisation II 6. Mirkwood 7. You Know Nothing, Jon Snow 8. Witchcraft 8

Personnel: Witchcraft: Przemysław Chmiel (tenor and soprano saxophones); Mateusz Gramburg (piano); Piotr Narajowski (bass) and Michał Szeligowski (drums)