Jachna, Mazurkiewicz & Buhl - [...] (Audio Cave, 2023)

By Stef Gijssels

This is the third album by the trio of Wojciech Jachna on trumpet and cornet, Jacek Mazurkiewicz on double bass and electronics, and Jacek Buhl on drums and percussion. Somehow we got it too late for our recent "Trumpet Trios" update, which allows us to give it some more dedicated attention. 

The trio's music is adventurous and welcoming at the same time. Even if fully improvised, some forms emerge, possibly due to the long-standing collaboration of the trio, and possibly snippets of sound that remain from long rehearsals and collaborations. Jachna's tone is warm and clear, and Mazurkiewicz electronics add a distinct colouring to the sound without being too obtrusive, although I prefer his work on the double bass. Buhl's percussion work is loose, supple and inventive. Some pieces, such as the third one - "O" - start with a clear and recognisable theme that quickly dissolves into further improvisation. 

The single letters that are used as the titles of the five tracks of the album form the word "emotions" when read in sequence, an indication of what their music is all about. 

In the liner notes, Jacek Mazurkiewicz explains that the band had more material that they recorded over the years, but they threw it away because they were not too satisfied with it. They went back into the studio for two days with this album as the result. 

As listeners we can only appreciate their sense of self-criticism, which obviously also increased the quality of the album itself. 

Fans of small ensembles with trumpet, bass and drums will surely fully appreciate this album. 

Listen and download from Bandcamp.

Watch a video of the first track "E".