1.a way to begin [6:46]
2. algo-rhythm [3:16]
3. south of the north [5:59]
4. counter reset [4:08]
5. prelude v [4:51]
6. salt and sugar [5:26]
7. fantaskig [5:00]
8. f [2:54]
9. unsaid, and passed by [9:29]
10. no hope [4:07].
Total time: [53:00]
Ira Mogilevsky: Piano, Jonas Knutsson: Saxophones,
Clas Lassbo: Bass, Tuomas Ojala: Drums &
Percussion.
No recording details given
Describing their music as
"…an organic mixture of musical styles,
influenced by contemporary jazz, modern classical
chamber music, free improvisation and avant
garde" Gushpanka (which Hebrew word "Gushpankah"means
"the seal" or "imprint")
is an international Israeli-Swedish-Finnish
band and this is its debut disc. This is a
good example of how experimentation can lead
to something worthwhile (see my review of
John Stevens and Evan Parker’s two disc set
The Longest Day and Corner to Corner). Fifteen
minutes into listening to this disc and the
time had simply melted away rather than proving
a difficult listening task. Have a listen
to track 3: South of the North, to get an
idea of where this band is coming from. There
is some beautiful playing on this disc from
all four musicians but Jonas Knutsson is especially
lovely to listen weaving arching melodic lines
from his saxes, underscored by Ira Mogilevsky’s
tuneful pianism. Both bass and drums form
a solid base for the two leaders with some
really intelligent and class playing from
them both. Fantaskig (track 7) is a really
beautiful tune and I shall be playing it often
I’m sure of it with Jonas introducing the
theme before passing it to Ira. These are
highly talented musicians with a lot to offer
and I’m sure they have a great future ahead
of them – consider the fact that on their
debut disc all the tunes are written by either
Ira (1-6,9) or by Tuomas (7,8,10) and you
get some idea of the talent on show. Jazz
has a great future when it resides in hands
like these. I recommend this disc wholeheartedly.
Steve Arloff
CD Reviews
Apart Records APCD 009
[53.00]
