Robert Kusiolek, Anton Sjarov, Ksawery Wojcinski, Klaus Kugel - Nuntium

Kusiolek / Sjarov / Wojcinski / Kugel
Nuntium

Label: Multikulti Project, 2011
Catalogue No: MPCC002
Format: CD

Tracks:

1. Chapter 1   6:00
2. Chapter 2   8:33
3. Chapter 3   5:16
4. Chapter 4   5:53
5. Chapter 5   8:15
6. Chapter 6   7:14
7. Chapter 7   6:06

Line-up:

Robert Kusiolek - accordion, electronics
Anton Sjarov - violin, voice
Ksawery Wojcinski - double-bass
Klaus Kugel - drums, percussion, sound-objects

Recorded:

July 2010, Minden, Germany

Liner notes:

Discovering the architecture of sound, and intimate communication with every individual member of the group must be really challenging for accordionist and composer Robert Kusiolek. His group is called into existence by very progressive and at the same time rather archaic worlds of sounds. NUNTIUM crosses the borders, intersects free improvisation and feeling for structure, jazz tradition and world as well as modern music. In this way it creates vivacious, receptive, European , improvised music. Imagination, individualism and creative power are the most distinguishing features of the group.

About:

Robert Kusiolek - accordion player and composer. Accomplished the Academy of Music of Poznan in Professor Jerzy Kaszuba's classical accordion class with first grade honors. Since 2007 he is studying Solo-Klasse at the HMTMH by Professor Elsbeth Moser. He is classed as a broad spectrum musician. For many years he has been keenly interested in contemporary and avantgard music and has developed his unique way in joining the classical musical traditions with new style. It goes without saying that he feels there to be no contradiction between the two. His own music has a timeless and yet highly original quality to it. Needless to add that he use masterly his instrument with an extraordinary virtuosity. 2006 - scholarship from the MLODA POLSKA foundation, initiated by the Polish minister of culture. 2007 - German government grant from the DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service.

Review:

Of all kinds of avant-garde, minimalistic approach appeals to me the least, but this album proves that with great music even such a skeptic as I am could be convinced. The main actor on this recording is silence: all sounds produced by musicians are only intended to underline silence inner energy and its power to transcend. I remember from school Latin proverb: "Ne nuntium necare" which translates into English "Don't kill messanger". Therefore I assume that title of the album points out towards musicians and message they want to deliver to audience. Let me then ask: who are those modern era "jazz messengers"?
Robert Kusiolek was up-to-this-moment a figure completely unknown to me: he graduated from Poznań Music Academy and is now studying in Hannover Music Scholl in prof. Elsbeth Moser class. He is accordionist and composer focused mostly on modern chamber music but on this album his musical ideas do fit very well with those of avantgarde jazz. The latter are represented by Wójcinski, the double bass player, who is one of the the brightest stars on Polish free jazz scene, collaborating already with Waclaw Zimpel or Mikolaj Trzaska, and Klaus Kugel, a German drummer whose filigree and delicate style is perfect complement for general mood of this music. Finally on violin Bulgarian Anton Sjarov appears, who is young musician with excellent classical music background, but open to experimental music whose play saturates music on this album with the sound of utmost refine and beauty.
Summarizing, this is deep and challenging album containing highly original jazz message from great players indeed. Essential position in Polish jazz catalogue of year 2011 and perhaps one of first contenders for album of the year title.
Let me also add that it is another great issue from Multikulti after last year "Hera" and "Passion" which makes them one of the most significant labels in Polish jazz along with Not Two Records.

(review courtesy of Maciej Nowotny, polish-jazz.blogspot.com)