Konrad Wiszniewski / Euan Stevenson

“New Focus On Song”

(Whirlwind Recordings WR4690)

“New Focus On Song” is the second album from the Scottish musicians Euan Stevenson (piano) and Konrad Wiszniewski (tenor & soprano saxes, clarinet, low D whistle). It represents the follow up to their successful 2012 Whirlwind release “New Focus”, a chamber jazz recording that was initially inspired by the influential 1961 orchestral jazz album “Focus” by the great saxophonist Stan Getz. 

“New Focus” has now effectively become a group name and this latest offering again features many of the musicians who made its predecessor so successful and distinctive. The Glasgow String Quartet return albeit with a slightly different personnel of William Chandler (violin 1), Lorna Rough (violin 2), Ian Budd (viola) and Betsy Taylor (cello). All four are members of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra but they are also adept at the art of improvisation and adaptable enough to work with players from different musical disciplines.

Also returning is harpist Alina Bzhezhinska who features alongside newcomer Nicola Wiszniewski (wife of Konrad), appearing here on flute. As well as the classical musicians the album also features the sounds of a jazz quartet including drummer Alyn Cosker and bassist Andrew Robb, the later taking over from Michael Janisch who appeared on the first New Focus album.

“New Focus On Song” follows a similar format to its companion as Stevenson and Wiszniewski again skilfully blend jazz and classical forms. The first album also added the influence of traditional Scottish folk music to Getz’s legacy and this aspect is perhaps even more pronounced this time round.

Stevenson and Wisniewski are both highly versatile musicians whose credits encompass a variety of musical genres. Wiszniewski is perhaps best known for his work with the brass ensemble Brass Jaw but he also leads his own small groups and is a member of the acclaimed Scottish National Jazz Orchestra directed by fellow saxophonist Tommy Smith. He has also worked extensively with rock and pop artists including Hue and Cry and the Brand New Heavies.
Stevenson has a foot in both the jazz and classical camps with influences ranging from Errol Garner and Oscar Peterson to Claude Debussy, Erik Satie and Maurice Ravel. He leads his own jazz trio but has also written large scale works for both jazz and classical ensembles.

Ten of the thirteen tracks on “New Focus On Song” are by Stevenson with the other three coming from the pen of Wiszniewski. Opener “Air In D Minor” features the entire ensemble with Stevenson’s writing skilfully blending the sounds of the string quartet, flute and harp with those of the jazz players. Particularly effective is the blend of Konrad Wiszniewski’s soprano with his wife’s flute. It’s a charming introduction to the album but seems to fade out rather early, leaving the listener slightly frustrated and awaiting further developments.

Apparently “Green Park” is named for a location in Pitlochry rather than London, which may explain the pronounced folk element which finds expression through the warm, melodic sound of Wiszniewski’s tenor and his later solo on low D whistle. Flute, harp and strings also feature, and there’s powerful rhythmic performance from Cosker at the kit.

The romantic lyricism of the lovely “Destination Unknown” represents the first of three successive items composed by Wiszniewski. Ironically it’s the saxophonist’s piece that provides Stevenson with his first real solo, the pianist displaying a delightful lightness of touch and a thoughtful melodicism.
Performed by the jazz quartet only the piece also features the composer’s assured saxophone soloing, capably supported by Robb and Cosker.

“Sophia’s Song” re-introduces the folk influence and showcases the composer’s versatility with Wiszniewski appearing on both tenor sax and low whistle. It’s another beautifully melodic piece with lyrical piano interjections from Stevenson while Cosker’s low key but colourful hand drumming provides subtle rhythmic propulsion.

Wiszniewski’s final offering, “Little Allegory” sees the return of the string quartet and seems to bring all of the album’s influences into focus together as the ensemble congregate around an arresting motif cum riff. There are snatches of Celtic melody, alternately swirling and jagged classical style strings and, most significantly, strong jazz performances with a sparkling piano solo from Stevenson, authoritative tenor from Wiesniewski and some powerful drumming from Cosker.

Stevenson takes over the compositional helm for the rest of the album and his writing is more frankly into forging a synthesis between the jazz, classical and folk strands. “Braeside” is a good example of this process, deploying the entire ensemble and featuring lush, rich colours and textures, glimpses of folk inspired melody and just enough jazz grit to keep the music the right side of saccharine. Nicola Wiszniewski’s flute and Taylor’s cello are prominent in the arrangement while Stevenson and Wiszniewski solo lyrically and succinctly. 

The punningly titled “Corea Change” - and let’s face it, Chick himself is no stranger to musical hybrids- still features the strings but is much more jazz orientated with its brisk rhythms and bright, lively piano and sax solos. It’s to the credit of the GSQ that they manage to find a space for themselves within all this activity, their sharp, spiky bowing blending in very effectively with the jazz elements.

“Ascension” begins with the gloomy sound of Taylor’s cello which features alongside the other strings plus harp and flute. The gentle addition of piano, bass and brushed drums does little to alter the melancholic elegance of the mood until Stevenson embarks upon a lyrical piano solo which cheers things up a little. Subtly supported by the strings plus Robb and Cosker this eventually segues into “Piano Interlude”, a Satie-esque passage for solo piano that constitutes rather more than a mere cameo.

“Fourth Ostinato” raises the energy levels again with its jagged, angular ensemble passages and extended jazz soloing as Wiszniewski and Stevenson’s feverish and inventive sorties are fuelled by Cosker’s busily relentless drumming. The other musicians drop out as Cosker excels on a typically explosive drum feature shortly before the close.

“Ascension Reprise” revisits the earlier theme but with Wisniewski’s soprano sax now coming to prominence in the arrangement alongside Taylor’s cello and Stevenson’s piano. Flute and harp also feature but the mood of melancholic elegance remains.

It’s only the core jazz quartet that feature on the penultimate “Flora” but the piece fits seamlessly into the fabric of the album as a whole with its gently melodic theme, lyrical sax and piano soloing and subtle rhythmic accompaniment. Indeed, it’s refreshing in its unadorned simplicity.

The album concludes with a second solo piano piece, appropriately titled “Epilogue”, in which Stevenson channels those Satie, Debussy and Ravel influences.

“New Focus On Song” represents another impressive offering from the team of Stevenson and Wiszniewski. If anything the synthesis between the three different strands of jazz, classical and folk is even more successful this time round with the strings now less cloying and more fully and organically integrated into the ensemble sound. The project is clearly a labour of love, particularly for Stevenson, and his writing is consistently inventive and imaginative but always unfailingly melodic. Recorded to high technical standards it’s a highly accomplished piece of work with the potential for considerable cross genre appeal. One suspects that the New Focus project still has plenty of mileage in it and will remain an ongoing concern, particularly for Stevenson.

In the meantime Stevenson and Wiszniewski will be touring the New Focus project during August and September 2016 with the majority of the performances taking place in their native Scotland. Schedule detailed below;

  28 August – The Jazz Bar, Edinburgh
9 September – The Swallow Theatre, Wigton
16 September – Cupar Music Club
17 September – Craiglockhart Parish Hall, Edinburgh
8 October – Gartmore Music Club
3 November – The Blue Lamp, Aberdeen
4 November – The Tollbooth, Stirling

 

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