Wojtasik's trumpet and flugelhorn sound floats, taking on various shades and colours and carrying along a wealth of jazz storytelling - drama and tenderness, flashes of strength and subtlety - a truly human message.
Piotr Wojtasik
Hope
Label: PowerBros, 2003
Catalogue No: PB00181
Format: CD
Tracks:
1. Hope Play
2. Quest
3. Village
4. Taurus People
5. Rose Tattoo
6. Believe, For It Is True!
Line-up:
Piotr Wojtasik - trumpet, fluegelhorn
David Liebman - tenor sax
Leszek Mozdzer - piano
Clarence Seay - bass
Ronnie Burrage - drums
Recorded:
Recorded at Studio S-4, Warsaw, Poland between May 31 and June 1, 2001
About:
Revelations seldom happen and if they occur they usually get lost in the multitude of loudly advertised events. Only few realize consciously their presence, but the only thing they can do is to bring people's attention to the phenomenon. PIOTR WOJTASIK is a genuine revelation of Polish jazz. No doubt about this. It could also be obvious to those lucky ones who witnessed, or watched on TV, the extraordinary jam session, when Wynton Marsalis and Piotr Wojtasik joined in a prolongued, improvised exchange of calls and responses. Wynton, by that time touring Poland (November '94) with the series of lectures, was visibly delighted to discover such unexpectedly brilliant partner. Ten years ago, the musical personality of Wojtasik, translated into trumpet and flugelhorn sounds, has been taken for granted by the friendly circles at the Katowice Academy of Music, where he'd been studying at the Jazz Department. Nobody called him revelation then. It took Willie Thomas' visit and his open admiration to realize the caliber of Wojtasik's talent. Thomas, the well known jazz clinician and himself an excellent trumpet player, was genuinely surprised and full of praise for the astonishing art of young student. The year was 1986. Piotr was 22 and, besides playing in Academy's big band, he cooperated with such groups like After Action Satisfaction, Rotunda Big Band, Blues Session and already famous Young Power. There was still a long way toward his own LP, so the traces of his playing could be found on Young Power LP only. Admired by fellow students Wojtasik graduated from the Academy in 1987. His diploma was a milestone, marking the beginning of a fruitful period in his musical career. Now he could really spread the wings of his rich and creative musical imagination, backed by virtuoso mastery and magnificent sound. The Academy, realizing his potential, asked him to teach trumpet and improvisation at the Jazz Department, and so he joined the faculty. This step very quickly proved beneficial for his students. Even more important was his joining W. Niedziela's group New Presentation, which also enjoyed the cooperation of the phenomenal vocal Lora Szafran. In the fall of that same year, 1988 the group scored a real triumph during Warsaw Jazz Jamboree. The appreciation for the mastery and moving beauty of Wojtasik's art was getting wider and wider. The invitations to cooperate and record started to come. First, he recorded two very well received albums with New Presentation, the one CD with Eryk Kulm's Quintessence, then "Ballads" with Jarek Smietana and a CD with the Travelling Birds Quintet. Teaming with Krzysztof Popek (who once led the Young Power group), flutist, composer and producer, brought further successes highlighting the dimensions of trumpeter's possibilities. In the fall of 1992 Wojtasik joins the Volker Greve - Krzysztof Popek Quintet and records "Places". Reviewing this CD in Jazz Forum, Piotr Iwicki states: "Wojtasik reaffirms his superiority in our country; his playing puts him at the very forefront of European jazz".
This present CD brings to life Krzysztof Popek's idea of giving Wojtasik the partners, background and setting, his artistry deserves. Above the background of strings created by them, Wojtasik's trumpet and flugelhorn sound floats, taking on various shades and colours and carrying along a wealth of jazz storytelling - drama and tenderness, flashes of strength and subtlety - a truly human message.
*****
David Liebman was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 4, 1946. He began classical piano lessons at the age of nine and saxophone by twelve. His interest in jazz was sparked by seeing John Coltrane perform live in New York City clubs such as Birdland, the Village Vanguard and the Half Note. Throughout high school and college, Liebman pursued his jazz interest by studying with Joe Allard, Lennie Tristano and Charles Lloyd as well as taking a leading role in organizing musicians into a cooperative, Free Life Communication-all part of the lively New York "loft" jazz scene. Upon graduation from New York University (with a degree in American History), he began to seriously devote himself to the full time pursuit of being a jazz artist.
After some time spent with Ten Wheel Drive, one of the early jazz fusion groups, Liebman secured the saxophone/flute position with the group of legendary Coltrane drummer Elvin Jones. Within two years, Liebman reached the zenith of his apprenticeship period when Miles Davis hired him. These years, 1970-74, were filled with tours, recordings and the incredible experience gained by being on the band stand with two masters of jazz. At the same time, Liebman began exploring his own music-first in the Open Sky Trio with Bob Moses and then with Richie Beirach in Lookout Farm. This group recorded for the German based ECM label as well as A&M;/Horizon and toured India, Japan and Europe. In the U.S., Lookout Farm was recognized as number one in the category Group Deserving of Wider Recognition in the 1976 Downbeat International Critics' Poll.
In 1977, Liebman did a world tour with Chick Corea and by 1978 formed the David Liebman Quintet with John Scofield, Kenny Kirkland and Terumasa Hino as featured sidemen. After several world tours and recordings by the quintet over three years, he reunited with Richard Beirach. They began performing and recording as a duo, as well as forming the group Quest, in 1981. Beginning with George Mraz and Al Foster, the group solidified when Ron McClure on bass and Billy Hart on drums joined in 1984. Through 1991, Quest recorded seven CDs, toured extensively and did many workshops with students worldwide.
In the 1990s, the Dave Liebman Group, with Phil Markowitz on keyboards, Vic Juris on guitar, Jamey Haddad on drums and Tony Marino on bass recorded several CDs, toured Europe, Japan and Israel and pursued a very eclectic, contemporary style. As of 2000, the present lineup includes Juris, Marino and drummer Marko Marcinko.
Over the past several decades, Liebman has often been featured with top European musicians such as Joachim Kuhn, Daniel Humair, Paolo Fresu, Jon Christensen, Bobo Stenson and in the World View Trio with Austrian drummer Wolfgang Reisenger and French bassist Jean-Paul Celea. His reputation in Europe has led to big band and radio orchestra performances, such as with the WDR in Koln, the Metropole Orchestra and the new music "Klang Forum" in Vienna, Austria playing music especially commissioned to feature Liebman's unique soprano saxophone style. He has consistently placed in the top five of the Downbeat Critics' Poll since 1973 in the soprano sax category.
Liebman has several books published on a variety of subjects, instructional videos, published chamber music and has contributed regularly to various periodicals such as the Saxophone Journal and the Jazz Educators' Journal. His teaching activities at universities and in clinic settings have taken him literally around the world, primarily because of his varied musical interests, expertise on several instruments and ability to articulate the intricacies of the jazz language, aesthetic and technique. Over the years, he has regularly received grantees to study with him funded by the NEA (U.S.), the Canadian Arts Council, as well as Arts Councils of numerous countries. Liebman himself has received two NEA grants for composition (1980) and performance (1991).
In 1989, he founded and serves as Artistic Director of the International Association of Schools of Jazz, an organization dedicated to networking educators and students from international jazz schools through periodic meetings, exchange programs and newsletters.
In 1997, Liebman received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from the prestigious Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland.
In 1998, David was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Jazz Solo for the recording of "My Favorite Things" from Thank You, John (Arkadia).
In 2000, Liebman was inducted into the Hall of Fame of The International Association of Jazz Educators for his contributions to jazz pedagogy.
In 2001, he received the Fred Waring Award from COTA, which organizes a yearly festival in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania where he resides with his wife Caris and daughter Lydia, for outstanding contributions to the arts and community.
As of the present, David Liebman has been featured on nearly 300 recordings, of which he has been the leader and/or co-leader on over 100. Well over 200 original compositions have been recorded. His artistic output has ranged from straight ahead to chamber jazz; from fusion to avant garde. This diversity has always been marked by its conviction, singular approach and a sense of adventure highly valued in Liebman's aesthetic.
(text courtesy of UpBeat)
*****
Leszek Mozdzer (pronounced Leshek Mozhder) is one of the greatest keyboard talents in the Polish music scene today. Born in 1971, Mozdzer has been playing the piano since he was five. He graduated from the Stanislaw Moniuszko Conservatory in Gdansk in 1996, having developed his interest in jazz at the age of 18 at high school. He started his jazz career by joining the band of clarinet player Emil Kowalski, but he considers that his true development began with the Milosc Band in 1991. A year later, he received an individual citation from the Jazz Junior '92 International Competition in Krakow, followed immediately by many other prizes including the Krzysztof Komeda Prize 1992 from the Polish Culture Foundation; the First Prize of the International Jazz Improvisation Competition in Katowice in 1994; the Mateusz Swieicki Prize from Polish Radio 3; the Mayor of Gdansk's medal for outstanding artistic achievements; the Fryderyk Prize for Jazz Musician of 1998; as well as many citations in the magazine Jazz Forum, including being nominated six times as Best Pianist between 1993 and 1998.
During the six years in whoch Mozdzer led Milosc, it became the most popular jazz group in Poland. He recorded six albums with the group, including two with the American trumpeter Lester Bowie. At the same time, he was a star attraction of the Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet. Mozdzer has performed with many of the outstanding Polish jazz musicians, including Tomasz Stanko (Farewell to Mary), Janusz Muniak (One and Four), Michael Urbaniak (Live in Holy City), or Piotr Wojtasik (Lonely Town, Quest). He has also collaborated with such international stars as Arthur Blythe, Buster Williams, Billy Harper, Joe Lovano, Archie Shepp, Dave Libman and Pat Metheny. Mozdzer has recorded 30 CDs, including four under his own name, the best known of which is Chopin Impressions.
Leszek Mozdzer has given concerts in Italy, Germany, Spain Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, USA, Hungary and France. At the prestigious Piano Festival in Chartres, his jazz interpretations of Chopin's pieces received a standing ovation.
(text courtesy of Preisner.com)
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