The Sirkis/Bialas International Quartet: Come To Me

Led by drummer Asaf Sirkis and vocalist Sylwia Bialas, the International Quartet is completed by pianist Frank Harrison (a long-time collaborator with Sirkis in Gilad Atzmon's Orient House Ensemble) and bassist Patrick Bettison. Come To Me is the band's debut, a collection of original compositions by Sirkis and Białas that heralds the arrival of a strong and original writing partnership as well as a musically inventive quartet.

The International Quartet is a genuinely multinational ensemble: Sirkis was born in Israel, Białas in Poland, Bettison grew up in Australia and Harrison is British. The quartet recorded Come To Me in England and Germany during 2014—the sound mixes elements of mainstream jazz with East European folk to create music that achieves its impact with an understated grace.

Białas divides her contributions almost equally across the 10 tracks between wordless vocalising ("Orgon" or "Magnolia," for example) and the delivery of her own lyrics, sung in Polish. She's a vocalist of impressive range, both technically and emotionally—"Orgon" features an anguished wail of primal intensity, on "Orbs" she sings with gentleness and fragility of a love ..."strangled by banality," on the more optimistic "Come To Me" she communicates this optimism and positivity with subtlety.

Sirkis, Bettison and Harrison share duties pretty equally as rhythm players, lead players and soloists. Bettison favors the electric bass guitar, his warm-toned and fluid style complementing Sirkis' fluid percussion and Harrison's spacious, lyrical piano. The bassist also contributes chromatic harmonica to four tracks. The addition of this distinctive instrument adds a plaintive quality to the songs when it does appear—his introduction to "Mandragora," in duet with Harrison, sets the scene for one of Białas' most affecting vocalisations.

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