Bergcrantz-Ostrowski Unit and Krystyna Stańko step-up for Poland’s Szczecin Jazz Fest

At the close of February, Szczecin Jazz flew out of the traps early, being the first European hybrid liveflesh/livestream festival of 2021. This followed the Brussels Jazz Festival and Sons D’Hiver, in Paris, which had both transformed into solely online versions. Suddenly, the Polish virus regulations were eased in some departments, including a return to 50% audience capacity performances, even if only for a few weeks. Festival organiser, saxophonist and general jazz crusader Sylwester Ostrowski organised his first livestreamed gig way back in 2002, with a university workshop by Stateside saxophonist Billy Harper, so he was certainly primed to act swiftly once the governmental go-ahead was given.

Ostrowski was born in the city, explaining his full immersion in its cultural scene, launching Szczecin Jazz in 2016, and running events throughout the year, besides the festival itself. Szczecin lies in the north-west of Poland, only two hours’ drive from Berlin. This year, less likely venues were sought out, those that were able to handle the situation, in terms of both streaming set-ups and virus-regulation preparedness.

In early March, Ostrowski played on the festival’s last night, co-leading a septet with the Swedish trumpeter Anders Bergcrantz, which mostly addressed the latter’s own compositions. Technically, it was a filming session, not a livestream, to be edited and presented two days later, but an audience of 25 was allowed down into the basement Jazzment Klub, Szczecin’s leading beatnik-haunt. The Bergcrantz-Ostrowski Unit also included an international roster: guitarist Jakub Mizeracki (from down in Katowice), pianist Sven Erik Lundeqvist (Sweden), Dutch bassman Joris Teepe and drummer Howard Curtis (USA via Vienna).

A long-held Bergcrantz note introduced his opening solo salvo for ‘Playground’, delivered with a hard bop steeliness, the combo possessing a gleaming confidence, despite their brief rehearsal time. Ostrowski spoke with a tough tenor loquaciousness, revealing a soft abrasiveness to his sound. Mizeracki made an acrid guitar flood, his prickly notes inhabiting a standard structure, even if avoiding tonal soothing. Bergcrantz switched to flugel for ‘Simplicity’, followed by the glorious title track from his new album, ‘Elevate’. A compulsive theme made its purposeful hike, hinting at cop chases (or bullfighting), his first solo supported by drum cluster-rolls. Rubberised overblowing made way for Ostrowski’s solo, which found a serene path, although it eventually climbed higher, issued with a very vocalised delivery. A guitar shot made three fine solos in a row, emitting a focused howl. This outfit’s voices matched very well, with their individually cutting and enfolding ways...

Polish singer Krystyna Stańko offered the festival’s mellow set, in the first of two gigs at the Radio Szczecin studios. She’s no relation to trumpeter Tomasz. Joined by Gdańsk dwellers Dominik Bukowski (vibraphone) and Piotr Lemańczyk (electric and acoustic basses), she avoided jazz standards, instead interpreting folkish material from Poland, re-inhabiting a sparse, improvisational space. At first, Stańko sang while seated at a small percussion set-up, with tom tom, two cymbals, chimes, darbouka, and a frame drum with loose grains (or bath salts) inside its sealed body. She also operated gentle electronic effects on her voice. Sometimes her wordless singing was akin to Sami vocalisations from the far north. Stańko achieved fair propulsion via subtle brushwork, on cymbals and thighs, and there were also ample solos from her sensitised cohorts.

Unleashed Cooperation played in the same studio the next night, a trumpet-saxophone-bass-drums quartet from Poznań, featuring pianist Patryk Matwiejczuk, from Szczecin. Their compositions veered from contemplative to scampering, often within the same number, mixing mini-fanfares, deep bowing, sudden dispersals and abstract interior piano work from Matiejczuk. They pecked around until a trumpet ascension curve was found, tenor joining an increasing miasma of sonic generation. Their fourth tune began in piano trio form, with a free-er aspect, drums tightly sprung behind a rippling tenor solo, with soprano saxophone also appearing a couple of times before the close.

The Opera At The Castle theatre venue hosted Dutch tenorman Alexander Beets and his quartet, expanded by guest trumpeter Ellister Van Der Molen. Beets specialises in a big-hearted, richness-enfolding warm-bop, blending his originals with a fine selection of tunes by Hank Mobley, Stanley Turrentine (‘June Bug’), and Benny Golson (‘Whisper Not’). Highly significant composers, yet not so often selected for inclusion by most outfits. Beets and company played very well, the saxophonist not quite honkin’, but certainly keenin’ and mewlin’, but it was music that made your scribe yearn for an intimate club setting, cluttered tables and spontaneous dancing. Soon, perhaps?

All of the artists achieved some level of greatness, with the sudden opportunity to play in public heightening a special frisson. In the two months prior to the UK’s planned full opening of music venues, this hybrid presentation style can be a successful way of building towards rejuvenation. Let’s hope that the slumbering (or even apathetic) UK can follow the creatively constructive examples already laid down last summer and early autumn around most mainland European countries.

See the April issue of Jazzwise for an additional Szczecin Jazz review featuring a different selection of artists...

Martin Longley