Confusion Project: IDENTITY

What does it sound like when a jazz trio looks to its own cultural roots to define where it is going next? For Polish trio Confusion Project, the answer is Identity-an expansive, cinematic project that brings contemporary jazz together with fusion, progressive elements, and the rhythmic character of the Polish mazurka.

The trio consists of Michal Ciesielski on piano, Piotr Gierszewski on bass, and Adam Golicki on drums. They have spent more than a decade developing their musical language, and with Identity, that evolution takes a distinctly Polish turn. The album explores both the group's identity as contemporary jazz musicians and their cultural identity as Polish artists.

At the center of that exploration is the mazurka, a traditional Polish dance and musical form generally associated with triple meter and distinctive rhythmic accents. Confusion Project takes this familiar foundation and places it inside a contemporary jazz setting, allowing folk tradition, sophisticated harmony, improvisation, and modern rhythmic ideas to coexist.

The album opens with "Identity," beginning with minor-key passages that immediately create a dramatic entrance. Layered keyboard progressions build on top of one another, giving the opening considerable depth. At times, the arrangement becomes distinctly cinematic, almost as though the music belongs in a film. The minor harmonies establish tension before the layered keys and rhythm section begin expanding the composition.

Jazz fusion becomes increasingly apparent as the piece develops. "Identity" is also expansive, giving the trio room to develop its ideas rather than rushing toward a conventional song structure. The kick drum becomes particularly effective toward the end, adding a burst of rhythmic intensity. The extended length of the track is representative of the album as a whole; many of the compositions allow considerable space for instrumental development.

"Mazurek 1" introduces another dimension to the project through its visual presentation. The accompanying animated video uses simple, hand-drawn folk-art- inspired illustrations, featuring flowers, birds, a small house, trees, and patterned decorative figures. The imagery has the appearance of painted or cut-paper folk art, with individual illustrations moving through different sections of the video. The simplicity is part of its appeal. Rather than relying on elaborate animation, the video creates movement from uncomplicated shapes and traditional-looking motifs. The result is different, unconventional, and surprisingly captivating. It provides a visual connection to the Polish folk tradition at the heart of the music while giving the piece a contemporary presentation.

Musically, "Mazurek 1" is equally bright and animated. The piano moves through energetic ascending and descending progressions while vibrant jazz keys remain prominent throughout. A strong percussion section provides the rhythmic drive, giving the traditional mazurka framework a lively contemporary energy.

"Mazurek 2" begins with a strong jazz-fusion feel. A fast piano progression immediately pushes the piece forward, creating a much more upbeat character. There is even a subtle hint of neo-soul in the groove, demonstrating how comfortably Confusion Project allows modern influences to enter a composition rooted in Polish tradition.

"Mazurek 4" shifts the instrumental balance, bringing the upright bass further forward. The increased presence of the bass gives the piece a warmer, more grounded character and highlights another aspect of the trio's interplay. Across the album, piano, bass, drums, and guitar each contribute distinct textures, with the arrangements leaving room for the instruments to interact rather than simply accompany one another.

That interplay is one of the album's defining characteristics. The musicianship is consistently strong, but the technical ability serves the compositions rather than overshadowing them. Dramatic minor-key passages give way to bright keyboard runs, colorful harmonic movement, and increasingly forceful percussion. The result is music that can feel both intricate and visual.

The cinematic quality heard in "Identity" also becomes a recurring thread. Some passages suggest movement, atmosphere, and even narrative, as though the listener is moving through a series of scenes. The longer compositions allow those scenes to develop gradually, with new instrumental colors appearing along the way.   

What makes Identity particularly compelling, however, is the relationship between its contemporary jazz language and the mazurka. Confusion Project isn't simply reproducing Polish folk music: they are taking a form connected to their cultural history and reshaping it through jazz fusion, progressive textures, sophisticated keyboard work, and adventurous percussion.

Identity ultimately feels like exactly what its title suggests: a statement of where Confusion Project comes from, where they have traveled musically, and who they have become along the way. It is ambitious, richly instrumental, and often cinematic, a project that demonstrates how cultural heritage can remain firmly rooted in tradition while continuing to evolve through contemporary jazz.