NOW! by Marek Pospieszalski Octet & Zoh Amba

Brand new studio album from Marek Pospieszalski Octet featuring Zoh Amba.

„This band turned our to be an effective working unit from day one,” Pospieszalski admits. „Its musical concepts leave a lot of space for creative playing and that’s why I decided to use the Octet as a platform open for outside participation. One of the musicians I considered for this purpose was Zoh who is well recognized for her direct and limitless approach to music. And this opportunity came on the occasion of our concert at NOSPR concert hall in Katowice. The next day we visited Emil Berliner Studios where the album was recorded,” he explains.

For most of the music recorded here, sheet music is treated only as a guideline, a rough entry point, and it’s only thanks to collective improvisation that “NOW!” sounds as good and coherent as an album. “And that’s one of the reasons why I decided to add titles only once the music got recorded,” Pospieszalski says. “And despite the fact that I am being really direct here, I prefer to have listeners interpret the album’s message on their own. Individual context is key here – place, time and most importantly, personal emotions.”

Leading a 9-person band may seem like a challenge on a lot of levels but Pospieszalski prefers to treat it as a set of new opportunities instead. “Although everything here is focused on my artistic vision, it wouldn’t sound as good if it weren’t for other musicians involved,” he admits. “Each member of the group has their influence over the final result of our collective playing. I tend to give them direction but it is up to them to interpret it.”

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