Yordan Kostov Ensemble: Intertwining a Fugue

Globally, in these currently troubled times, jazz music is obviously challenged as commerce but it truly thrives as art. An unprecedented number of unknown artists, that come from all corners of the globe, are making excellent records. Sometimes the vitality of a certain art form is demonstrated not only by big records by major artists but by unassuming projects from people who are not known—yet. Macedonian accordion player and composer Jordan Kostov's Intertwining a Fugue is where various forms of avant-garde jazz and classical music coalesce and commingle. As a composer, Kostov has long been thriving in borderless lands, which is in full evidence in this recording.

The COVID-19 pandemic gave many musicians time to complete projects that were on hold due to constant touring and many other obligations. As a result, Kostov has been writing and recording new music as if running on a treadmill. This was his second major release for 2021 among other projects he executed during that year.

Intertwining a Fugue is Kostov's most ambitious one to date and is a testament to the accordionist's longstanding love for avant-garde music. Kostov writes compositions that are light in touch but whose arrangements continuously evolve into intricate designs. Expertly executed by a band that includes 9 brilliant young musicians on the Macedonian jazz scene Kostov's compositional acumen rings clear and true through these 12 wide-ranging compositions. But the way the group moves from motif to motif only provides ample evidence about their internal chemistry i.e. the shared flow, communal mechanics, and the ways they expand the composer's creative options. Throughout, the voice of poetess Anna Michaels-Gaudreau can be heard as she reads excerpts of her poetry intertwining with the music.

Intertwining a Fugue offers a challenging listen, but one that rewards close examination.