Home » Jazz Musicians » Pavel Wlosok Discography

Respectfully Yours

Pavel Wlosok

Label: New Port Line
Released: 2017
Duration: 55:03
Views: 1,036

Tracks

1. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes 2. When You Wish Upon A Star 3. Lush Life 4. Sea Journey 5. Windows 6. Tones For Jones Bones 7. Wild Flower 8. Prelude To A Kiss 9. In A Mellow Tone 10. When Sunny Gets Blue 11. Reflections 12. Time Remembered 13. Czechmate 14. I Remember Clifford

Personnel

Pavel Wlosok

piano

Additional Personnel / Information

Pavel Wlosok - piano

Album Description

When the pianist Pavel Wlosok made his lifetime decision to leave his native country for the one where Jazz originated, he arrived as an already well prepared musician. After studying classical music at Czech conservatories and performing with various improvisatory ensembles, he welcomed the opportunity to study at UNT in Denton (1995–2000) and took full advantage of what it had to offer – a participation in their famous One O’Clock Lab Band – an ensemble whose level of musicianship is legendary. dent in his complex graduation piece in three parts entitled “Reflections Suite“. His piano and accompaniment skills were put to use performing with his talented classmates, as well as, UNT’s own jazz faculty whose names are known to most jazz fans World-wide. After leaving UNT, he has continued to perform and record with many jazz greats, while teaching jazz full time at the university level. Fast forward over two decades in the States, and Pavel has put together a solo jazz piano album, which pays homage to his jazz composer heroes. By recording this album in his own home studio, there was no seduction into the music brought in a public exhibition. Therefore, this album represents the purest form of expre- ssion, a single musician with his instrument. In his opening title “The Night Has A Thousand Eyes“ the pianist reminds us of a beautiful, not so often performed standard by Jerry Brainin performed here in a tasteful style. Rarely does he deviate from his interpretation here, which we could describe as peaceful, experienced, and filled with a few rubatos and properly used spacing between notes. In “When You Wish Upon A Star“ which we don’t hear too often either, Pavel showcases his brilliant technique, so that no one is in doubt about his true professionalism. The next in line is a famous and rather difficult song by young Billy Strayhorn entitled “Lush Life”, whose two-part formal structure keeps listeners’ attention at all times, primarily due to rich and unpredictable harmonic connections. This piece serves as a nice introduction to the more advanced and also unpredictably sounding music of Chick Corea, whose three selections of “Sea Journey”, “Windows”, and “Tones For Jones Bones” sound familiar here and yet fresh. And from here, the journey continues with a piece by Miles Davis’s sideman Wayne Shorter entitled “Wild Flower” which is surprisingly concise and independent. At this point in the album, we enter the realm of the true master composer of the highest caliber whose melodies are loved by many, Mr. Duke Ellington with his two selections “Prelude To A Kiss” (1938) and “In A Mellotone” (1940). Even 67 here Pavel finds his own concept and refuses to conform to the traditional per- forming ways, which is to his benefit. In the following ballad “When Sunny Gets Blue” he recalls distant memories of learning about jazz in his own cities of Cesky Tesin and Polish Cieszyn. The author of this wonderful song, Mr. Marvin Fisher resembles his father, Fred Fisher’s, own experiences as a composer of just one hit song “Chicago” in 1922. The fact that Pavel didn’t leave the music of Thelonious Monk out, performing his “Reflections” truly showcases how complex and broad Pavel’s concepts of Jazz interpretation really are. And from here we move to the music of one of the most admired jazz trio pianists of all times, Mr. Bill Evans with the song entitled “Time Remembered” first recorded in 1962 and performed last during his final concert in NYC’s Fat Tuesdays, five days before his death. It is good to hear Pavel’s interpretation here right before he plays his own composition, “Czechma- te”, with which he proudly reminds us of his heritage. First recorded on Pavel’s quartet album with Joel Frahm, the harmonic concept of “Czechmate” is playful, yet genuine. The final and certainly well-thought out selection is not only known to the vast majority of jazz aficionados since it’s been composed by one of the most original and greatest living composers, Benny Golson, but it also pays homage to the legacy of the legendary hard-bop trumpeter Clifford Brown. So it comes as no surprise when the final sounds of “I Remember Clifford” are over, that we feel a bit sentimental from the fact that our listening experience has just ended. And the only cure in my opinion is to push the play button again and listen to the entire album from the start to finish. With this music, Pavel Wlosok has been able to express everything fundamental using relatively simple statements while leaving more than enough space for imagination and fantasy to enter any listener’s mind, regardless of age and experience. Jan Dalecký, August 2017

< Previous
Storyteller

Next >
Smile Baby Smile