Artist: Szilárd Mezei International Improvisers Ensemble
Title: Karszt
Cat Number: SLAMCD550
Year released: 2014
Format: CD & all digital platforms
Barcode: 5028386055020
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The violinist, violist, double bass player and composer Szilárd Mezei‘s biggest project – two and a half hours of music he composed played by twenty-three international musicians. Recorded in Novi Sad, Serbia, Mezei is in complete control with baton and viola, conducting a majestic performance.
On ‘Karszt’ Mezei explores the relationship between improvisation and composition (similarly to Witold Lutoslawski‘s aleatoric music and Anthony Braxton‘s creative music methods), incorporating elements of jazz and authentic folk music as well. The music is monumental in scale, rich in fascinating detail, with arrangements that are influenced by the work of Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus.
Szilárd Mezei: viola, lead
Bogdan Rankoviæ: clarinet, bass clarinet, alto saxophone
Péter Bede: tenor and alto saxophone, tarogato
Gergõ Kováts: tenor and soprano saxophone
Béla Burány: baritone saxophone
Ádám Meggyes: trumpet
Branislav Aksin, Jens Balder: trombone
Laura Lévay-Aksin: flute, piccolo
Gergely Ittzés: flute, alto flute, bass flute, piccolo
Andrea Berendika: flute, alto flute, piccolo
Máté Pozsár: piano
Jon Hemmersam: acoustic guitar
Tijana Stankoviæ: violin
Albert Márkos: cello
Zoltán Csányi, Ervin Malina, Ernõ Hock, Joel Grip: double bass
Ivan Burka: marimba
Jelena Raskoviæ: vibraphone
Hunor G. Szabó, István Csík: drums, percussion
“This album displays a large 23-piece ensemble in an improvisational setting…However, Mezei is not interested in traditional ensemble combinations. His writing explores many interesting sonorities through a series of varying orchestrations. The group pursues a succession of melodic fragments in each composition that often return and are developed throughout each performance. Mezei is truly an innovator as evidenced through his bringing together of this large group of diverse European musicians.” – Dustin Mallory, Cadence
“What could be in other hands a rather cumbersome totality breathes and freely levitates thanks to Mezei’s compositional and orchestrational sensibilities. He handles it all so that both the overall and sectional colorations come to the forefront in ever varying possibilities…First and foremost this is a very worthy example of Mezei the sound innovator, the creator of original big band music that has the free avant elements but are put to use to realize Mezei’s special vision. Karszt shows Szilard Mezei at his best, progressing forward, creating his own momentum with a stylistic clarity and singularity. I very much recommend you listen. As you need to begin somewhere in exploring Mezei’s way, this is a great place to start!” – Grego Applegate, Gapplegate Music Review
“Kéreg delivers a vital, jazz-orchestrated swing that illustrates just how much power there is in this ensemble. It also demonstrates the influence of arrangements by Carla Bley, Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus. Throughout the whole of this imposing work though, the creative authority of Anthony Braxton’s compositional technique has been of the essence. This is a magnificent work, worthy of much of your time.” – Ken Cheetham, Jazz Views
“The opener, “Hep 20”, is the perfect place to start this sonic adventure, this tune has a really strong flavour of orchestral, yet achieves the goal of being fully improvised. My personal favourite track has a bit more leaning towards what you might call “big-band improv”…”Jugoplastika” is one of the most intriguing improvised pieces I’ve listened to in the last five years.” – Rotcod Zzaj Improvijazzation Nation
“Working in an idiom that draws on Jazz-inflected improvised music, reconstituted folklore and echoes of so-called classical music, Karszt’s main reference points are actually itself – or Mezei’s other music. More crucially though, when the exultant sounds produced here are examined, it’s clear that he has created one possible path for advanced 21st century composition…Mezei once again demonstrates his skills as a composer and arranger during the almost 2½ hours of music here. Besides this high quality project, one would hope he has more chances to broaden his canvas in similar fashions in the future.” – Ken Waxman, Jazz Word
“The music is extraordinary and you can tell that this was challenging endeavour…Considering that this two disc set is nearly 2 1/2 hours long, it does take some time to fully appreciate its depth, spirit and layers of creativity. I would hope that some of you take the time explore this major opus, it is an immensely well-crafted masterwork that will reveal more as you dig deeper into its vast world.” – Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
Recorded January 28-29th 2012
Recorded by Lazar Živanac (Studio Vilenjak) and Saša Milankov (Mipla Productions)
Mixed by Szilárd Mezei & Lazar Živanac (Studio Vilenjak)
Mastered by Szilárd Mezei