Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Bojan Z: Xenophonia

281

Bojan Z: Xenophonia

By

Sign in to view read count
Bojan Z: Xenophonia
Bojan Z's latest release for Label Bleu is perhaps his most satisfying work to date, showcasing his considerable compositional skills whilst allowing equal representation to the fine musicians who excel throughout.

The opening track, "Ulaz, is a definite highlight. Hypnotic drums, however gentle, with brushes and washing cymbals, a heavily plucked acoustic bass pulse, and a kaval (a Balkan flute) float ethereally in the background like some ancient spirit being evoked. It is not until a minute and forty seconds later that the splash of three piano notes arrives like the first drops of rain. A string of thick, damped notes are followed by a trickle of lighter notes which gather momentum and then softly peter out. This is classic Bojan—shadow and light. And then the unexpected finale. The song recalls the mood of Spirit of Eden (EMI, 1988) by Talk Talk.

On the mid-tempo gem "Zeven, Bojan allows himself more room to maneuver. Ben Perowsky's drums and Bojan's piano propel each other along, then they swap roles and the drums take up the narrative while the piano marks time.

"Wheels and "Biggus D both feature the xenophone, or customized Fender Rhodes. The former, an in-your-face irreverent blues, has an Indians-on-the-warpath vibe and could be the bastard child of Frank Zappa and Jon Lord. "Biggus D" has moments of dissonance, great beauty and an unforgettable motif.

There are two non-originals on Xenophonia. The first, a tender, heartfelt rendition of David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes, is the surprise. The leader dedicates it to his father, who died this last year. In recent years Brad Mehldau has shone as the most original interpreter of contemporary tunes, inspired perhaps by Herbie Hancock's The New Standard (Verve, 1995). On the evidence of "Ashes to Ashes, this material could be equally fertile ground for Bojan Z to explore.

The second interpretation is Horace Silver's "The Mohican and the Great Spirit, a logical choice. The music of Horace Silver and Bojan Z both exhibit a wide range of musical styles, no doubt the result in both cases of colorful personal identities. Both artists write memorable compositions with a strong line in harmony, and both inject a dose of fun into their playing. Horace Silver perhaps represents what Bojan Z refers to as "one of the lost colors in contemporary piano playing.

"Pendant le temps, chez le general is easily the most abstract and challenging piece, with its fractured rhythms and fiery runs. "CD Rom, a tongue-in-cheek tribute to the music pirates in Belgrade, is as breathless as it is brilliant, and the virtuoso kaval playing of Krassen Lutzkano is a delight.

This is Bojan Z's sixth record in thirteen years as a leader. There are many more prolific artists, but not so many who consistently produce such quality. If another Bojan Z record of similar standard requires two to three years to see the light of day, then I for one will not complain.

Track Listing

Ulaz; Zeven; Wheels; Biggus D; Ashes to Ashes; Pendant Ce Temps, Chez Le General; Xenos Blues; The Mohican and the Great Spirit; CD Rom; Izlaz.

Personnel

Bojan Z
piano

Remi Vignolo: double bass; Ari Hoenig: drums (2-4,8,10); Ben Perowsky: drums (1,5-7,9); Bojan Zulfikarpasic: piano, Fender Rhodes, xenophone; Krasen Lutzanov: kaval (Balkan flute) (1,9).

Album information

Title: Xenophonia | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Label Bleu

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.