Maciek Pysz Trio
Insight
33 Jazz ***1/2
Familiar as two thirds of the Gwilym Simcock trio, bassist Yuri Goloubev and drummer Asaf Sirkis join guitarist Maciek Pysz here for an album that announces a major new presence on the jazz guitar scene. Nine tracks that make sense within the overall picture, complementary parts of an impressive whole, Pysz’s sound is in the Dominic Miller and Antonio Forcione mould yet his approach moves their sound along via genuine improvisational flair enveloping the excellent tunes. The tunes speak to you. Inspired variously by the sea, the sky, Chick Corea, Sting (inevitably and directly in ‘Lost in London’), and a painting by Rothko, the danger here is that the musical direction could disappear down into a New Age bunker and never find its way out. It doesn’t, thankfully as there’s no glossy production but there is real musicianship as in the quality of the guitar solo on 'Moody Leaf'. Even Pat Metheny would be proud of this one. An arresting talent, Pysz has a contemporary sound that just goes to show no one has to sell their soul to the smooth ones lurking in the overly lush bushes to make great music even if it’s grounded in the naturalistic and new melodic and resembles instrumental pop as Insight does. The Polish-born player has found soul brothers in Goloubev and Sirkis and Insight is also beautifully recorded and mixed by an artist in all but name, Stefano Amerio.
The Maciek Pysz trio play the Ealing Jazz Festival in London on 28 July. www.marlbank.net/news/740-arun-ghosh-xanton-blacqs-fewture-and-oriole-for