Album of Atom String Quartet: SEIFERT
Seifert is our fourth CD: the third to be recorded in the studio, the second to come from the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for music in Lusławice, and the first to be monographic, devoted to the works of one composer.
The idea to record the album has taken long to mature – as musicians say - the direct impulse came in the concert we played as the Atom String Quartet at the 9th Summer Jazz Academy Festival in Wytwórnia club in Łódź in August 2016. An occasion for which we prepared a special programme solely devoted to Seifert’s music.
In the general mind of jazz fans, Zbigniew Seifert is mostly a virtuoso of the violin. Hardly any attention is paid to his compositions that nonetheless were as much decisive for the characteristic “Seifertian” style of his music as his mastery of the instrument.
As the Atom String Quartet we decided to refresh the memory of the Maestro’s the works that were originally intended for a jazz combo. They were filtered through the musical language of a jazz string quartet, which seems close to the values professed by the composer. Both the way how Seifert played and what he composed prove how important he found introduction of elements characteristic of jazz music to the classical performance.
Our interpretations can be surprising for audiences familiar with the original versions of the music. We approach them in a creative manner: on the one hand we play pieces that are but a pretext to improvisation, on the other there we rely on extended compositions with the narrative carefully planned by the composer that we hope gain an entirely different context in a different arrangement.
Atom String Quartet is one of the most intriguing string quartets in the world, and also one of best Polish jazz bands. The group combines the capabilities of a string quartet (i.e. two violins, viola and cello) with improvisation in its broad sense. The set of instruments of a chamber music ensemble, which is most classic and firmly established in music tradition, enables the artists to search for new sound and formal achievements. It is difficult to define, in an explicit way, the music style of the group. Its music output, besides jazz, shows sources of inspiration coming from Polish folk, music of various regions of the world, and also contemporary and classical music.
Zbigniew Seifert (7 June 1946 Kraków – 15 February 1979 Buffalo, US), jazz violinist, jazz saxophone player, composer
Zbigniew Seifert is an icon of Polish jazz. The man behind the original, characteristic, recognisable, and unique violin style. Although it’s been 38 years since his death, his compositions continue to amaze with their freshness and originality; they are in inspiration for many musicians practising improvised string music and more. To quote Tomasz Stańko, he is our national treasure.
Promotional concert is in 12on14 Club in Warsaw on 27th of May.
Co-finansed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
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