POWER BROS

Duets are rather rare instrumental jazz combinations. Two instruments' partnership poses some serious, unique problems: proportions in improvising, solo-accompaniment shifts, various dialogue possibilities, the sound adjustment etc. To the better known piano-bass duets belong the recordings by Duke Ellington-Jimmy Blanton, Oscar Peterson - Jiri Mraz, Hank Jones - Charlie Haden and also Mal Waldron - David Friesen or Denny Zeirlin - David Freisen. The very combination of piano and bass calls for the superior technical and creative qualities of both partners. Leszek Mozdzer and American bassist David Friesen got together in concert for the first time in 2 April 1996, and few days later the present recordings were done - a testimony of two vivid imaginations merging in the truly creative act. Leszek, discovered barely five years ago, is by now an admired and fairly experienced pianist: several excellent records and the First Prize at the International Competition of Jazz Improvisation - Katowice '96. Some thirty years his senior, David Friesen is an established and exceptional artist even among the most famous American bassists. Known literally around the world, Friesen played with the names in modern jazz: Paul Horn, John Scofield, Joe Henderson, Clark Terry, Chick Corea, Michael Brecker... He has cut some three - dozen albums under his own name or as co-leader, and is also active in jazz education. The music on this CD is based mainly on their own compositions seven by Friesen and two by Mozdzer, the only standard tune being Shorter's ?Nefertiti" Their compositions reveal their spiritual affinity, but more important maybe is their unbelievable mutual feeling and understanding, that steer the development of musical fabric". Some themes themselves determine such development to a considerable degree" Both Mozdzer compositions, ?Facing the Wind" and ?Kamilla" are ballad - like impressions revealing a poetic nature that is joined wholly by Friesen" ?Nefertiti" is simply beautiful in their rendition, so different from many existing ones". The up-tempo Friesen's numbers /"Double Take", ?Upon the Swing" / combine the jerky bop phrasing with the piano runs and neo-classical toccata-sections" The jazz idiom is especially distinct in medium-tempo pieces /"True Blue", ?In the Times Past"/ in which the beats not merely implied but articulated". Throughout the recordings both artists experience an evident joy stemming from emphaty and the happy moments of culmination - the mysterious alchemy of improvised musical adventure".

POWER BROS

DAVID FRIESEN & LESZEK MOZDŻER "Facing the wind"