Vladimir Samardzic: Catching the Wind

It is amazing that after 30 years as a bassist for various jazz, blues, and various other combos (most notably the Vasil Hadzimanov band), composer, bassist, and educator Vlada Samardzic has released his debut album under his name rather than using a band title. Catching the Wind showcases the kind of magic that appears when the right people, with the right skills and communication, come together at the right time to play on the right material.

As an album, Catching the Wind is stitched together from multiple creative directions. There are many sides to this record, which combines two different trio formations and a duet and there are special guests featured. All of this contributes to a variety of different feels and dynamics but under a single umbrella. In Samardzic's hands, the bass guitar is a formidable weapon but as a skilled composer, player and arranger, he opts to demonstrate how the bass guitar can fill a song with both percussive and melodic qualities and more. . Each of Catching the Wind's compositions is unique and treats us to Samardzic's talents. Deep undertow and breath-taking techniques have found a home in his bass playing. But the core of this record's compositions lies in the creative interplay between the bassist and the drummer Dado Marinkovic. Evidently, drummer Dado Marinkovic and Samardzic have a connection that is based not only on sound logic but on the true spirit of amity. Further, their mutual interplay turns the bands into entities that can shift at will.

The album starts with a brief theatre-like piece where vocalist Thana Alexa uses her voice to create an enchanted mesh of voices on a piece titled "Intro to Grisignana" which soon morphs into "Grisignana Part I (Night) where Alexa uses her voice as a melodic instrument against a beautiful early Return to Forever kind of tune with soft Brazilian fusion overtones. All but one of the 11 tracks were written by Samardzic and two tracks were co-written with guitarist Marco Antonio da Costa who constitutes one of the trios on this record. The other trio features guitarist Nenad Gajin who adds a different feel in contrast to the other section of the record. Consequently, the performances have the feeling of a captivating live date and the musicians breathing in life, fire, and a healthy dose of fun into every track.

As a result, the album is a tour de force. The ideas and the variety of sounds flow freely among the musicians and it's as if it is a mixtape rather than strictly styled and cut compositions. The trio with guitarist Marco Antonio da Costa excels at creating music with a distinctly Brazilian feel to it. Da Costa plays with a simpatico authority which is generous and open. On tracks such as "Grisignana 2 (Day)" and "Magic People Dance," he sweeps guitar lines up, down, and around as he feels them, releasing soulful sounds along the way. On the playful "Magic People Dance," Samardzic and da Costa often double, expanding the harmonic range of their instruments, and creating a joyful synthesis.

The mood and the tempo change with the title track. While de Costa plays acoustic guitar and adds his soulful harmonies, Nenad Gajin plays electric guitar and there is a distinct classical 1970s fusion sharpness to it. The compositions that follow are of different tempos but the guitar playing is the polar opposite of the previous trio and expresses strength and confidence.

But the glue that binds this varying collection of works is the bass and percussion duetting between Samardzic and Andreja Krstić, "African in Vienna" and "Remembering Sienna." These duets showcase the same empathetic spirit that permeates every corner of this record and contributes to its unified feel despite the varied combos. As a whole, Catching the Windd conveys interesting and varied narratives and unrestrained expressiveness.

Comments