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2010-04-20
7:30PM
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"One of the world’s most original and inventive jazz trumpeters."
- The New Yorker
"The tone of Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko catapults you into reflection."
- The New York Times |
[ Complete Show Schedule... ] |
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FEATURING:
Tomasz Stanko: trumpet
Alexi Tuomarila: piano
Jakob Bro: guitar
Anders Christensen: bass
Olavi Louhivuori: drums |
Tomasz Stańko was 20 and a graduate of the Cracow Music Academy when he formed his first band, the Jazz Darings, with pianist Adam Makowicz in 1962. Inspired by early Ornette Coleman and the innovations of Coltrane, Miles Davis and George Russell, the group is often cited by music historians as the first European group to play free jazz, but for the trumpeter its importance was eclipsed by the invitation to join Krzystof Komedaís quintet the following year. Stańko toured for five years with Komeda, appeared on eleven albums with him, and also made contributions to all of the films scores that Komeda realized in Poland.
During the 1980s Tomasz Stańko explored many approaches to improvisation. He traveled with Vesala to India and recorded trumpet solos in the Taj Mahal; again with Vesala, he hooked up with Chico Freeman and Howard Johnson in New York. He worked extensively with Cecil Taylor in large ensemble contexts, and led a number of groups of his own, such as COCX, which deployed post-Bitches Brew rock-rhythms, and Freelectronic, an ahead-of-its-time exploration of electro-acoustic options. Bluish, a trio recording with Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen preceded a return to ECM.
Since resuming his association with ECM with Matka Joanna in 1994, Tomasz Stańko has reached a new audience with his work. Two recordings with his international quartet were followed by a highly successful tribute to film music composer and mentor Krzysztof Komeda in 1997. Stanko's Litania project became a popular fixture on the international festival circuit. In 1998, producer Manfred Eicher assembled a trans-idiomatic band around the trumpeter for From The Green Hill, a recording which pooled the talents of Dino Saluzzi, John Surman, Michelle Makarski, Anders Jormin and Jon Christensen. The Green Hill album won the coveted German Critics Prize (Deutscher Schallplattenpreis) as Album of the Year in 2000.
All of the above had been, as it were, events on the main stage. Concurrently, however, Tomasz Stańko maintained a Polish quartet, which now became a priority for him. Pianist Marcin Wasilewski, bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and drummer Michal Miskiewicz were already working together as a (very) young trio when Stańko first heard them at the beginning of the 1990s, and in 1994 they began to work together, initially on theatre music, some of which was recorded for the Polish Govi label. They quickly developed into his band of choice for all Polish engagements, working with him on theatre and film music initially. Pianist, bassist and drummer have also built up a reputation as a unit in their own right, working under the name Simple Acoustic Trio. Soul of Things is the quartet's first record release.
There is a "timeless" feel to Soul of Things that relates to Stańko's roots as a player; this forward-looking trumpet player is also looking back here. His all-inclusive music on this occasion seems to connect with early influences. While sounding unmistakably like himself he also triggers memories of his first heroes. |
