Maciej Obara Quartet: Unloved
Author: Robert Shore
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Musicians: |
Ole Morten Vågan (b) |
Label: |
ECM |
Magazine Review Date: |
February/2018 |
Catalogue Number: |
5764562 |
RecordDate: |
January 2017 |
This is Polish saxophonist and composer Maciej Obara’s ECM debut – though his ninth album as leader in total – and his delicate, crepuscular palette fits right in with the label’s aesthetic. Obara’s lyrical blowing is beautifully supported by the rest of the quartet, not least pianist and fellow Pole Dominik Wania; the pair first met while working with Tomasz Stafiko on his ‘New Balladyna Quartet’ project. The other two members of the group are Norwegian: bassist Ole Morten Vågan and drummer Gard Nilssen. Together they make delicate assemblages of sounds, as on the ballad ‘Joli Bord’ or, when the mood takes them, raise the tempo and thoughtfully prod at the speed limits, as on ‘Sleepwalker’, which features spectacular interplay between Obara’s sax and Wania’s keyboard work. All the tunes were cooked up by Obara except for the title cut, which was written by Polish film composer and jazz pianist Krzysztof Komeda.
Jazzwise Full Club
- Latest print and digital issues
- Digital archive since 1997
- Download tracks from bonus compilation albums throughout the year
- Reviews Database access
From £9.08 / month
SubscribeJazzwise Digital Club
- Latest digital issues
- Digital archive since 1997
- Download tracks from bonus compilation albums during the year
- Reviews Database access