Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Marcin Masecki: Meat

137

Marcin Masecki: Meat

By

Sign in to view read count
Marcin Masecki: Meat
Polish-born Marcin Masecki might have come to the US to further his jazz studies, but he found his muse among his continent's more experimentalist improvisers (though many of his supporters identify Pennsylvania-born Keith Jarrett as one of his influences). Much of what he plays is improvised on the spot, whether performing solo or with Trio Taq (Garth Stevenson, bass; Ziv Ravitz, drums), which came into existence during his time at Berklee College.

His talent is showcased on this recently released disc, which he recorded in his London flat using nothing more than a Wurlitzer piano and a synthesizer. On the disc, he seems to be developing ideas for later use on stage. He opens with his take on Charlie Parker's "Donna Lee," used as fodder for his improvisations; the rest of the disc is mostly the kind of material he does live, drawing inspiration from the moment and his surroundings. The disc goes from slow, almost inaudible synth sounds all the way to far more aggressive riffs, ending the short set (the disc runs for about twenty minutes) with a quick sample of a recording by Delta bluesman Robert Johnson.

At his appearance at New Yrok's Joe's Pub in December, 2006, he came with Taq and both mesmerized and confused many with the music, which was a literal attack on the senses; after the concert, one audience member said that he still had to "figure out if he enjoyed it or not.

The trio began following Masecki as he pounded his Wurlitzer's keys and then suddenly stopped as if to recoup his energy; Stevenson and Ravitz, however, just went on as a duo. Masecki then stood up and reached into the acoustic piano's strings, scratching them until there was a cacophony of sounds. At one moment, a subway train rumbled under the club and the band reacted by hitting their instruments in unison, seemingly adding the feel of the mass transport to the music.

In another moment, the band began a soft melody in which the pianist used both the Wurlitzer and the acoustic. Unexpectedly what could be described as a musical dream evolved into a nightmare—Stevenson ran the bow over his bass strings while muffling them with his left hand and Ravitz went into a wild series of drum sounds, adding as many percussive elements to his drum kit as he possibly could.

Track Listing

Donna Lee; Mieso; Metn; Blus; Nie Ma Chleba (There is No Bread).

Personnel

Marcin Masecki: synth and Wurlitzer piano.

Album information

Title: Meat | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Unknown label

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Fiesta at Caroga
Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fellowship
David Gibson
Immense Blue
Olie Brice / Rachel Musson / Mark Sanders

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.