Ecstasy Project Trio
Realium

Label: Polish Jazz, 2006
Catalogue No: CD089
Format: CD

Tracks:

1. Realium 1
2. Realium 2
3. Realium 3
4. Realium 4
5. Realium 5
6. Realium 6
7. Realium 7
8. Realium 8

Line-up:
Rafal Gorzycki – drums, electronics
Lukasz Gorkiewicz – violin, guitar, piano
Patryk Weclawek – bass, double bass

Recorded:

January 2003, mixed September 2003 at PiK Studio, Bydgoszcz by Michal Czerw

What the critics say:
Although its name conjures a trippy techno soundtrack, Ecstasy Project Trio crafts lilting melodic music that has more to do with the arty ECM label than rolling on ecstacy at an all-night rave. “It is a retreat from the avant-garde,” drummer-composer Rafal Gorzycki says of the Polish band’s engaging blend of modern jazz, chamber music and rock aesthetics.

On Realium, Ecstasy Project Trio’s second recording, electronics are used subtly, providing an aural bed for Lukasz Gorewicz’s gorgeous violin, which weaves through Gorzycki’s compositions — all titled “Realium” and numbered 1 through 8. While a leaden organ sound reminiscent of Deep Purple or Iron Butterfly is a bit cheesy and dated on the opening track, Gorewicz’s melancholy bowing and chiming piano leaven the proceedings about midway through the relatively short piece. From there on, however, the music becomes increasingly rewarding.

Despite his earlier protestations, Gorzycki doesn’t exactly run away from avant-garde leanings. While most of the music here is thoroughly melodic and composed, some interesting things happen when the band slips the tether, as it does on the rather abstract “Realium 4.” Gorzycki, who opens the piece with a rumbling solo intro, is fully engaged with his bandmates as he drives the action from behind his kit, never slipping into the monotonous timekeeping that usually powers pop or dance music.

“Realium 3” displays a lilting, sprightly quality akin to the playful melodicism of some of Chick Corea’s Return to Forever compositions. While you’d never guess it from his light touch and marvelous tone, bassist Patryk Weclawek also plays bass in a heavy metal band. Like the Swedish-based E.S.T., the trio puts its own spin on centuries-old native traditions of folk and classical music, infused by the pop, rock and electronic influences upon which they no doubt were raised.

Bob Weinberg, "Jazziz" - USA (07.2006)

While many of the CDs in this batch fall into the worlds of ambient and electronic new music, let’s start off with the more Jazz related items first...

From Poland the ECSTASY PROJECT TRIO makes the most of an unusual ensemble too. On REALIUM (Polish Jazz 89) this trio uses violin and electronics to get an impressive range of sounds out of so few performers (Rafal Gorzycki, d, elec.; Lukasz Gorewicz, g, p, vln; Patryk Weclawek, b. January 2003, Bydgoszcz, Poland).

With tasteful overdubbing, and clever composing, the trio often sounds like a much bigger ensemble, though Gorewicz’s violin is generally the solo voice.

Often draping the violin in organ-like sounds, evoking Bach at one moment and Larry Young the next, Gorewicz fills the recording with a flow of melody hinting at some gypsy heritage, but never with empty pyrotechnics. This one deserves a careful listen.

Cadence Magazine

If the Ecstasy Project Trio recorded for a label along the lines of Thirsty Ear rather than Polish Jazz, the group would surely garner some worthwhile press attention in the US. Nonetheless, with releases like Realium this may be a mute point before too long.

Featuring instrumentation that varies from moment to moment but centering around violin, bass, and drums, Lukasz Gorewicz, Patryk Weclawek, and Rafal Gorzycki create music that may not be as stylistically “out” as many Thirsty Ear projects are--however, they do achieve a similar musical amalgamation that bridges modern musical aesthetics with an established medium.

Gorzycki describes the project as “the way to peace and harmony. A retreat from the avant-garde” and the music achieves this aesthetic but does not rest there. These players are well aware of where different genres of music have been and what they have accomplished. They are also well aware of where they are interested in taking their style of music and how to utilize these various elements to achieve it.

Although Gorzycki provides all the compositions, classically trained violinist/guitarist/pianist Gorewicz provides a lot of the calculated aural impetus. His keyboard playing can easily be identified as a relative of electronic chill music or drum 'n' bass--as can many of the bass parts--and his violin playing usually provides a lyrical arc that exemplifies the moods of Gorcycki’s compositions, from heartfelt elongated tones to dissonant passages.

The key to success here, though, is the way the recording is layered and the way it uses space between instruments and passages in a fashion similar to the so-called ”ECM sound.” And in the end, the compositions entitled “Realium 1-8,” carry the weight of all these references beautifully.

The album is a journey, opening with a dirge-like organ sound that builds like an electronic piece of music to “Realium 5,” which opens with strummed guitar backed by snare rolls that provide a light propulsive groove. As the music moves forward, the violin enters to state a theme, followed by a wah-wah guitar solo that never betrays the time or feel of the song but seemingly lifts the track and lunges it forward. Gorewicz is leading here once again, featured on both guitar and violin, and he does so with grace and vigor.

Throughout, the band bridges silence, avant leanings, and unabashed lyricism, pacing and molding a consistently engaging and thoughtful album. Gorzycki took over a year to craft this recording, and the results reflect a shifting landscape of sound that can be identified as part of numerous musical contexts.

Even within the same song, instruments flow to and from the foreground with a sense of pacing and spatial design. And while the settings are varied, Gorzycki's violin provides the real arc, sometimes plaintive, other times dissonant, but always reflective of his surroundings.

Ultimately this is a unique album which ought to be particularly rewarding for listeners interested in discovering what jazz and its many variants have to offer outside of the US.

Michael McCaw, All About Jazz

..jazz, ambient, new age, whatever, it has much beauty.

The drumming percussion is fantastic, very pretty, and the bass is great, lots of atmosphere, very visual, and it has the special Polish magic that draws me in.

If people could hear this, they would like it. There is tons of stuff like this out there on the market with crappy drum machines and overdone bass and effects, but this is the real thing.

I think it is a winner. Its different, but very nice, not jazz, but something that transcends the jazz genre....

Mike Keefe, Polish Jazz