Lo and behold, the second and final part of the diptych from the unusual free improvising quartet featuring two New York-based viola players Mat Maneri & Tanya Kalmanovitch, and Copenhageners Tomo Jacobson on double bass & Kresten Osgood on drums, is finally here!
This time, we enter into a darker, fiercer, seemingly telepathic exchange - a powerful finale to an unprecedented musical journey.
Press quotes for 'Variations On No Particular Theme - Part 1':
"A mode of collective expression in service of finding a unified voice."
(BBC RADIO 3 - Corey Mwamba - UK)
'Best of 2021: Honorable Mentions' & featured in 'Picks of the Week'
(Avant Music News - USA)
"A delightful string play, contrapuntal, abstract, and especially vivid."
(Jazz Special #11, 2021 - Allan Sommer - Denmark)
"This multinational group may be an atypical string-oriented quartet, yet the multiple textures offered for sound explorations push aside any ambiguity about its role."
(Musicworks Magazine #141 - Ken Waxman - Canada)
"An interesting study in bold, yet even-tempered music making."
(All About Jazz - Mark Corroto - USA)
"Four beautiful and exceptionally well-listening voices that intuitively know when to say something and when to shut up."
(Nettavisen - Tor Hammerø - Norway)
"Unquestionable Masterpiece"
(Maciej Lewenstein - Polish Jazz Recordings and Beyond - Poland)
Mat Maneri needs no introduction, he is probably the most respected and celebrated jazz and improv string player alive. Tanya Kalmanovitch is a Canadian violist, ethnomusicologist, the Associate Professor at The New School in NYC. She and Mat released in 2016 an insanely beautiful highly acclaimed duo album ‘Magic Mountain’. Kresten Osgood is one of the most versatile drummers we know, who played with pretty much anybody from Roscoe Mitchell, and Paul Bley, to Brad Mehldau, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Last but not least, Tomo Jacobson, the youngest of the four, with over 30 albums to his credit has proven himself to be an adventurous improviser on numerous occasions over the years.
See the music videos:
Variation no. 5 :
youtu.be/Gw6g9mTIgt4
Variation no. 13 :
youtu.be/lol6GtI0dSM
Listen to 'Variations On No Particular Theme - Part 1':
gottaletitout.bandcamp.com/album/variations-on-no-particular-theme-part-1
released October 21, 2022
Mat Maneri - viola
Tanya Kalmanovitch - viola
Tomo Jacobson - double bass
Kresten Osgood - drums
All music by Maneri / Kalmanovitch / Jacobson / Osgood
Recorded at The Village Recording by Thomas Vang
Mixed and mastered by John Fomsgaard
Cover art by Mi Jacobson-Grabowska
Layout by Tomo Jacobson
This album was supported by Koda’s Cultural Funds
GLIO50LP
Released by Gotta Let It Out in 2022
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Album reviews:
"One of the most fascinating assemblies in a long time"
(New York City Jazz Record #12, 2022- Tyran Grillo - USA)
Among 11 Best Jazz Albums of 2022
(Donos Kulturalny - Poland)
“Full of life and nerve!”
(Seismograf - Kristoffer Møllegaard - Denmark)
"Extremely intriguing music characterized by absolutely unconventional instrumentation and virtuosic performance."
(JazzPress #12/2022 - Maciej Krawczyk - Poland)
"Excellent and fascinating album!!!"
(Maciej Lewenstein - Polish Jazz Recordings and Beyond - Poland)
“A step towards album perfection”
(Spontaneous Music Tribune - Andrzej Nowak - Poland)
"An exciting and interesting "second round" with four musicians who really found their sound on this recording."
(Salt Peanuts - Jan Granile - Norway)
"Variations on No Particular Theme demonstrates that any musical instrument, or combination thereof, can be employed as a tool to express the freedom and egalitarian ideals of collective improvisation."
(Poison Pie Publishing House - David Keffer - USA)
"Connecting heart and mind, body and soul."
Free Jazz Discovery of the Year
(Polish Jazz - Maciej Nowotny - Poland)
"This is music that doesn't shy away from feeling."
(Bad Alchemy #116 - Rigobert Dittmann - Germany)
“Highly original”
(The Soundtrack of My Life - Adam Baruch - Poland)
"This music promotes a revival of zest for life and courage."
(Jazz Special #183 - Denmark)
'Tune of the day' : Oct 27, 2022
(A Jazz Noise - Dave Foxal - USA)