LUCIAN BAN / JOHN SURMAN / MAT MANERI - Transylvanian Folk Songs
Sunnyside Records
Lucian Ban: piano; John Surman: baritone and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; Mat Maneri: viola, violin
Bela Bartok is one of the key composers of the twentieth century, his ‘Concerto for Orchestra’ and his ‘Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta’ are played frequently by orchestras across the world. His six string quartets extended the vocabulary of quartet writing. In the early part of the last century Bartok discovered the folk music of Romania. He then spent years recording and cataloguing the music that he discovered. In all, he collated six catalogues amounting to over three thousand pieces. Bartok gained a great deal from his investigations of folk music access Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania and they influenced all his composing giving his music a particular edge and vivacity.
The news that Ban, Maneri and Surman were excavating some of the same archives was exciting and there was hope that might create a jazz equivalent of Bartok.
Transylvania, in Romania is a multicultural region with music that shows influences from East and West. Pianist Lucian Ban grew up in Transylvania before he emigrated to the States, Mat Maneri has established the viola and violin in jazz and improvised music.
John Surman’s playing, both on baritone and soprano, has a bleak austere beauty. On this album, he adds bass clarinet which has its own serious sonority. Surman’s range of interests is inspiring and on the first track, ‘Dowry Song’, Surman dominates and rides over the churning rhythm.
Surman reminds us that there are few instruments more beautiful than the bass clarinet as played by John Surman in ‘Up There’. Violin and piano enter with the yearning qualities that underpin all folk music.
Anyone who has heard Bartok’s Fourth String Quartet (fourth movement) will recognize the power of the violin. ‘Violin Song’ features the violin against and over a latticework of sound from both Ban and Surman.
The circular theme of ‘The Mighty Sun,’ frees each player to approach the theme in their own way. In ‘What a Great Night’, the playing at first is tentative and then gradually emerges a beautiful song. Surman and Maneri work so closely together that their sounds merge and it is difficult to separate the instruments.
The closing ‘Transylvanian Dance’ is close to what many would expect from eastern European folk: a slow build to a mighty climax. It was probably used as the finale to the concert in Timisoara with the audience roused and applauding vigorously.
This is a brave attempt in the mighty shadow of Bela Bartok to capture some of the music of the region. It swirls, pounds yearns and is by turns wistful and subtly lingering. Folk music is forthright and intensely rhythmic and some of those enduring qualities are captured here.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
Sunnyside Records
Lucian Ban: piano; John Surman: baritone and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet; Mat Maneri: viola, violin
Bela Bartok is one of the key composers of the twentieth century, his ‘Concerto for Orchestra’ and his ‘Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta’ are played frequently by orchestras across the world. His six string quartets extended the vocabulary of quartet writing. In the early part of the last century Bartok discovered the folk music of Romania. He then spent years recording and cataloguing the music that he discovered. In all, he collated six catalogues amounting to over three thousand pieces. Bartok gained a great deal from his investigations of folk music access Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania and they influenced all his composing giving his music a particular edge and vivacity.
The news that Ban, Maneri and Surman were excavating some of the same archives was exciting and there was hope that might create a jazz equivalent of Bartok.
Transylvania, in Romania is a multicultural region with music that shows influences from East and West. Pianist Lucian Ban grew up in Transylvania before he emigrated to the States, Mat Maneri has established the viola and violin in jazz and improvised music.
John Surman’s playing, both on baritone and soprano, has a bleak austere beauty. On this album, he adds bass clarinet which has its own serious sonority. Surman’s range of interests is inspiring and on the first track, ‘Dowry Song’, Surman dominates and rides over the churning rhythm.
Surman reminds us that there are few instruments more beautiful than the bass clarinet as played by John Surman in ‘Up There’. Violin and piano enter with the yearning qualities that underpin all folk music.
Anyone who has heard Bartok’s Fourth String Quartet (fourth movement) will recognize the power of the violin. ‘Violin Song’ features the violin against and over a latticework of sound from both Ban and Surman.
The circular theme of ‘The Mighty Sun,’ frees each player to approach the theme in their own way. In ‘What a Great Night’, the playing at first is tentative and then gradually emerges a beautiful song. Surman and Maneri work so closely together that their sounds merge and it is difficult to separate the instruments.
The closing ‘Transylvanian Dance’ is close to what many would expect from eastern European folk: a slow build to a mighty climax. It was probably used as the finale to the concert in Timisoara with the audience roused and applauding vigorously.
This is a brave attempt in the mighty shadow of Bela Bartok to capture some of the music of the region. It swirls, pounds yearns and is by turns wistful and subtly lingering. Folk music is forthright and intensely rhythmic and some of those enduring qualities are captured here.
Reviewed by Jack Kenny
