Zone C
Live in Bansko ‘99
IT IS truly amazing the depths musicians yearn to in their desire to make their music heard. If the existing setup for recording, publishing and distribution is poor, they will always find their own way of reaching the audience.
Publishing music which is anything other than pure mainstream is not yet considered a worthwhile business in Bulgaria – but there are some fascinating new sounds on the market, due precisely to these personal labours.
So the album from the Zone C jazz formation is not the first homemade CD reviewed in this space. If not the photocopied cover, then the opaque greenish surface of the disc gives it away that what you hold in your hand has never seen the inside of a CD factory. The appearance of the CD might be simplistic but who cares if the music is right?
Zone C do what Bulgarian musicians do best. Mould their Balkan folk heritage into Western formats. If you take the sound of this quintet out of context, you hear a Western jazz recording from the mid-eighties. The synth and the midied guitar lines might sound outdated, and the sometimes decidedly cool saxophone sound makes you double-check the leaflet for a “Tribute to the great Scandinavian saxophone school” note. (A personal note for better understanding: the soprano saxophone’s natural harshness makes my ears fall off, even if the Norwegian Jan Garbarek himself is playing it.)
Overall, however, the sound is distinctive thanks to a bold, and highly successful, effort to include traditional Balkan folk instruments, such as the tupan or the tamboura. Even better, Zone C feature not only folk instruments, but a wide palette of folk elements, from folk tunes to traditional playing styles. They might be playing jazz, but their hearts beat to a folk rhythm.
Considering that the CD is an unedited live recording (listen for some subdued microphone feedback whistling), the formation sounds extremely organised with remarkable individual performances. Duo Improvisation, for example, builds on an uptempo version of the Bumblebee tune – played on a guitar! Atesch Khan’s acoustic guitar solos, in general, are quite remarkable, combining breathtaking technique (i.e. cosmic finger speeds) with emotionally charged expressive power.
The six tracks are original pieces (except for Zeybek, a traditional melody) and are finely composed with some notably ear-pleasing details, such as the charming Oriental vocal line embedded in “Travel Expenses,” or the elaborate dynamic contrasts in the opening track.
The Zone C album is recommended for those who have an open ear for either jazz or folk. If your musical interest spans both genres — drop the paper and rush to the DM store to leave your order asap.
Live in Bansko ‘99
IT IS truly amazing the depths musicians yearn to in their desire to make their music heard. If the existing setup for recording, publishing and distribution is poor, they will always find their own way of reaching the audience.
Publishing music which is anything other than pure mainstream is not yet considered a worthwhile business in Bulgaria – but there are some fascinating new sounds on the market, due precisely to these personal labours.
So the album from the Zone C jazz formation is not the first homemade CD reviewed in this space. If not the photocopied cover, then the opaque greenish surface of the disc gives it away that what you hold in your hand has never seen the inside of a CD factory. The appearance of the CD might be simplistic but who cares if the music is right?
Zone C do what Bulgarian musicians do best. Mould their Balkan folk heritage into Western formats. If you take the sound of this quintet out of context, you hear a Western jazz recording from the mid-eighties. The synth and the midied guitar lines might sound outdated, and the sometimes decidedly cool saxophone sound makes you double-check the leaflet for a “Tribute to the great Scandinavian saxophone school” note. (A personal note for better understanding: the soprano saxophone’s natural harshness makes my ears fall off, even if the Norwegian Jan Garbarek himself is playing it.)
Overall, however, the sound is distinctive thanks to a bold, and highly successful, effort to include traditional Balkan folk instruments, such as the tupan or the tamboura. Even better, Zone C feature not only folk instruments, but a wide palette of folk elements, from folk tunes to traditional playing styles. They might be playing jazz, but their hearts beat to a folk rhythm.
Considering that the CD is an unedited live recording (listen for some subdued microphone feedback whistling), the formation sounds extremely organised with remarkable individual performances. Duo Improvisation, for example, builds on an uptempo version of the Bumblebee tune – played on a guitar! Atesch Khan’s acoustic guitar solos, in general, are quite remarkable, combining breathtaking technique (i.e. cosmic finger speeds) with emotionally charged expressive power.
The six tracks are original pieces (except for Zeybek, a traditional melody) and are finely composed with some notably ear-pleasing details, such as the charming Oriental vocal line embedded in “Travel Expenses,” or the elaborate dynamic contrasts in the opening track.
The Zone C album is recommended for those who have an open ear for either jazz or folk. If your musical interest spans both genres — drop the paper and rush to the DM store to leave your order asap.
