Charlie Mariano & Vitold Rek
Opus Absolutum

Label: Taso Music, 2004
Catalogue No: TMP CD 509
Format: CD

Tracks:
1.Opus absolutum
2.Baghdad
3.Arietta misterioso
4.Sweet & short - Duo
5.Sweet & short
6.Players and wishes
7.Hey you - drumming
8.Hey you
9.... ou la musette
10.Shuff stuff
11.Back where I belong
12.For good and all

Performed by:
Charlie Mariano - Alto Sax & Flute
Vitold Rek - Double Bass
Vladislav Sendetzki - Piano
Martin France - Drums

Recorded:
23rd and 24th of February, 2003 at Loft Studio Cologne, Germany

About:
Charlie Mariano creates an unbelievably intimate atmosphere with its intensive, sensitive play over far distances. Particularly impressively to hear with "sweet & short duo", where he is accompanied only by Rek at the bass, and with "arietta misterioso", where it exchanged its old saxophone for the flute. "Opus Absolutum" is a contemporary jazz album with that deepness you look for on other recordings, but in vain. Congratulations! (Peggy Thiele , Jazzdimentions, Nov.2003)

The eleven compositions written by Vitold Rek along with one by Vladislav Sendetzki, (p.) must be one of the most beautiful birthday presents received by Charlie Mariano on the occassion of his 80th birthday. Michael Naura is in rapture over the „divine pulse“ and the stimulating „gravitational force“ of the „bass-bear“ Rek. In penetrating warmth do Vladislav Sendetzki’s lyrical poetry and Martin France’s keen agility on the drums form themselves along with the profound creative power of Mariano’s passionately earthed improvisational art around Rek’s sensitive groove. In the cobweb-fine flute tones of a „arietta misterioso“ lies all the tenderness of silence, „prayers and wishes“ flow in gentle energy, „baghdad“ looks into the seething abyss, „shuff stuff“ pays homage to modal playing and „sweet & short“ to the living strength of simplicty. Without a doubt: an absolute masterwork! Rating: * * * * * (Tobias Boecker, Jazzzeitung, November 2003, Germany)

The 80 year old saxophone & flute player Charlie Mariano is a living legend and the double bass player Vitold Rek is one of the most expressive and sensitive European virtuosi of his instrument. On „opus absolutum“ they are accompanied by piano & drums, and the singular, relaxed atmosphere of this jazz album is fascinating. A perfect interplay.(LJEifel, Gitarre & Bass, January 2004)

Charlie Mariano's career can easliy be divided into two. Early on he was a fixture in Boston, playing with Shorty Sherock (1948), Nat Pierce (1949-50) and his own groups. After gigging with a band co-led by Chubby Jackson and Bill Harris, Mariano toured with Stan Kenton's Orchestra (1953-55) which gave him a strong reputation. He moved to Los Angeles in 1956 (working with Shelly Manne and other West ... Read MoreCharlie Mariano's career can easliy be divided into two. Early on he was a fixture in Boston, playing with Shorty Sherock (1948), Nat Pierce (1949-50) and his own groups. After gigging with a band co-led by Chubby Jackson and Bill Harris, Mariano toured with Stan Kenton's Orchestra (1953-55) which gave him a strong reputation. He moved to Los Angeles in 1956 (working with Shelly Manne and other West Coast jazz stars), returned to Boston to teach in 1958 at Berklee and the following year had a return stint with Kenton. After marrying Toshiko Akiyoshi, Mariano co-led a group with the pianist on and off up to 1967, living in Japan during part of the time and also working with Charles Mingus (1962-63).
The second career began with the formation of his early fusion group Osmosis in 1967. Known at the time as a strong bop altoist with a sound of his own developed out of the Charlie Parker style, Mariano began to open his music up to the influences of folk music from other cultures, pop and rock. He taught again at Berklee, traveled to India and the Far East and in the early '70s settled in Europe. Among the groups Mariano has worked with have been Pork Pie (which also featured Philip Catherine), the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble and Eberhard Weber's Colours. Charlie Mariano's airy tones on soprano and the nagaswaram (an Indian instrument a little like an oboe) fit right in on some new agey ECM sessions and he also recorded as a leader through the years for Imperial, Prestige, Bethlehem, World Pacific, Candid (with Toshiko Akiyoshi in 1960), Regina, Atlantic, Catalyst, MPS, CMP, Leo and Calig among others. (Scott Yanow, All Music Guide)

Vitold Rek - double bassist, composer, educator, was born in 1955 in Rzeszow; south-east Poland . He studied classical double bass at the Cracow Academy of Music when Krzysztof Penderecki was Rector. His playing unites jazz influences with classical music and East European folk elements, with a focus on live performance and composition. Festival appearances include Montreux in 1988,Jazz North Sea / Den Haag in 1990, Willisau in 1991 and the Berlin Jazz Festival in 1992. John Tchicai, Albert Mangelsdorff, Karl Berger, Tomasz Stanko, Dom Um Romao, Peter Giger, Emil Mangelsdorff, Gerd Dudek, Ralf Hübner, Vladislav Sendecki, Christof Lauer, Dave Liebman, Charlie Mariano feature among his key musical partners.
He teaches jazz double bass at the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz and Hochschule für Musik, Frankfurt/Main, Germany.