Label: ECM Records, 2023
Personnel - Maciej Obara: alto saxophone; Dominik Wania: piano; Ole Morten Vagan: bass; Gard Nilssen: drums.
Polish saxophonist and composer Maciej Obara released Frozen Silence, featuring his working quartet with fellow countryman Dominik Wania on piano, and a Norwegian rhythm team consisting of Ole Morten Vagan on bass and Gard Nilssen on drums. Obara, known for his adaptability, is also a member of the drummer’s Supersonic Orchestra, but the propulsive energy and buoyant spirit of that ensemble contrast with what you'll experience with this third album for ECM. Written during the pandemic, these compositions have a direct relationship with nature and isolation, exposing the introspective side of the composer.
Bathed in contemplative expression, “Dry Montain” shimmers into the atmosphere with crystalline prose and profound intimacy. Finding space, the instrumentalists contribute beautifully to the whole, but it’s Obara's intonation and racing phrases that stand out, sometimes evoking the spirit of Charles Lloyd.
However, he acknowledges some inspiration from trumpeter Bill Dixon on “Black Cauldron”, a disconsolate chimera that pairs well with the rubato reflection of “High Stone”. There’s deep drama, even melancholy, in Obara’s music, yet “Twilight” finds hopeful rays of light in the dusky landscape. Immersed in a luxurious repose, the piece is enhanced by Nilssen’s excellent mallet drumming.
The title track, “Frozen Silence”, stands as one of the album’s glorious achievements. It’s set in motion with a dancing bass figure around which everything else revolves and gravitates. Wania speaks hybrid idioms - made of folk and jazz elements - with extraordinary clarity, and introduces “Rainbow Leaves” with a classical touch, after which a glaring 4/4 rhythm is established with the help of the remaining members of the rhythm section. The dynamics shift along the way, building toward its creative peak and then receding again to reinstate the early composure. This latter piece was co-written with pianist Nikola Kolodziejczyk.
Hardly revolutionary, Obara’s new album has moments of transcendent beauty, showcasing remarkable interplay.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Dry Mountain ► 03 - Frozen Silence ► 05 - Rainbow Leaves