Baranski, Michal - Masovian Mantra - Vinyl LP = RSD2023

Polish Jazz vol. 88, the newest title in the series; ''Masovian Mantra'' is a selection from at least three different fields, which the musicians led by Baranski have attempted to integrate in the same space: the music of India, Polish folk tradition, and the sound of modern jazz with its models looking back to the 1970s. If we were to compose Baranski's musical portrait out of his recordings, it could include, in a nutshell, such projects as
Triology trio's ''Presence'' featuring his mentor Brad Terry (2000, with Mateusz Kolakowski and Tomasz Torres), ''Assymetry'' with Zbigniew Namyslowski's ensemble (2006), Aga Zaryan's ''Umiera piekno'' (''Beauty Is Dying'', 2007), ''Early Reflections'' with the Bennie Maupin Quartet (2008), and ''Sacrum Profanum'' with Adam Baldych Quartet. Baranski's biography, one should add, includes collaborations with nearly all the key personalities in Polish jazz, such as the already mentioned Zbigniew Namyslowski, as well as Tomasz Stanko and Michal Urbaniak. Baranski has recent studied the Carnatic music of India and demonstrated Indian vocal percussion in his performance practice. The double bass and bass guitar, his principal instruments, became for him a key to the exploration not only of jazz history, but also of its essence, which invariably lies in timing, interaction, and improvisation.