Przemyslaw Straczek

Jazz Forum magazine 6/12 about Evans album Two guitarists undertook the difficult task of interpreting maestro’s work. They raised the bar incredibly high and simultaneously decided on an ascetic form of a guitar duo. To render an intimate language of Evans into a guitar language seems to be a complicated task to perform, but so is the very conception of a duo. However, a private formula, the lightness with which young artists handled the works of a classic, as well as peculiar instrumentation contributed a little to freeing Evans from a magic spell: they were able to preserve a melancholy mood, and simultaneously infused plenty of freshness and youthful heart into this music … They splendidly complement each other, creating a harmonizing duo: Strączek, playing gently and softly, sets up a base for his overseas friend’s dynamic and confident play

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Jazz Forum magazine 6/12 about Evans album Two guitarists undertook the difficult task of interpreting maestro’s work. They raised the bar incredibly high and simultaneously decided on an ascetic form of a guitar duo. To render an intimate language of Evans into a guitar language seems to be a complicated task to perform, but so is the very conception of a duo. However, a private formula, the lightness with which young artists handled the works of a classic, as well as peculiar instrumentation contributed a little to freeing Evans from a magic spell: they were able to preserve a melancholy mood, and simultaneously infused plenty of freshness and youthful heart into this music … They splendidly complement each other, creating a harmonizing duo: Strączek, playing gently and softly, sets up a base for his overseas friend’s dynamic and confident play. The musicians do play together, listen to each other attentively and respond instantly. They managed not to deprive those beautiful compositions of its magic and ambience; and yet, at the same time they brought life and confidence to them. Figuratively speaking, they were able to open thewindows in the room, open the drapes and let the air and sunshine in a bit … by Konrad Żywiecki tr. Sławomir Apel Bridge Music (Scotland) If Przemyslaw Straczek wasn’t the name on everybody’s lips after this auspicious Glasgow debut, then it’s probably down to the fact that few of those present, even now, can pronounce it. Alternatively, the Polish guitarist did have competition as the star of his own show as the pianist he brought with him, Michal Werba, proved to be quite a find and the drummer who stepped in just the night before, our own Alyn Cosker, made a startling contribution in negotiating the music’s detailed accents, differing contours and dynamic variety. Straczek seems to find much inspiration in the Steely Dan and Crusaders albums that featured Larry Carlton, although Pat Metheny’s optimistic, wide-screen fusion of world music influences and jazz guitar history also suggested itself and he has no shortage of ideas of his own too. He writes tunes with a sense of narrative, such as the dramatic Last Train and a later soul ballad that had something of the hymn about it, and while they’re arranged in some detail, calling for navigation skills as much as musical ones from Cosker and double bassist Francesco Angiuli who had considerable acreages of manuscript paper on their music stands, he leaves plenty of space for self-expression. by Rob Adams, The Herald, September 29, 2014.

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