Zbigniew Seifert - Man Of The Light (1977/2015) [Official Digital Download 24/88]

Arguably the greatest violinist in modern jazz, Zbignew Seifert was a musician’s musician, a player who is still talked about with a sense of awe. By the time of his death in 1979 at the age of 32, he had an international following and was playing with the jazz world’s elite. This 1976 recording features some of the genre's premiere musicians, including American drummer Billy Hart, considered in the same ranks as such innovators as Elvin Jones and Tony Williams. Bassist Cecil McBee’s credentials include work with Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett. Both Hart and McBee had also played with pianist McCoy Tyner, to whom this album and the title song "Man of the Light" are dedicated.

Starting his brilliant career in late 1960's, Stanko Quartet's alumni Zbigniew Seifert, quickly became leading European Jazz voice and the first violist capable to transcend the spirit of Coltrane music. Among the few worldwide known jazz violinists Zbigniew Seifert stands out as a peculiar figure. Consider that this man allegedly stepped into jazz only by accident, that is “to impress the girls”, as he stated once. Seifert was born in Krakow in 1946 and enjoyed classical training, delving deep into the virtuoso repertoire from Bach to Tchaikovsky. It was still during his academic years that he met his new love. He passed the classical exams more or less as an obligation since he already had other things in mind, i.e. how to create an individual jazz vocabulary on his main instrument. Tragically, his promising American and world career abruptly ended with his death to leukemia in 1979.

”Man of The Light” includes six pieces which showcase Seifert’s playing in a beautiful way. You can clearly distinguish his classical background by listening to both of the duo tracks: In “Stillness”, teaming up with bass player Cecil McBee, he swings in tender overdubs, creating a sort of chamber music as he does to even greater effect in “Love In The Garden”, a reminiscence of his encounter with Jasper van’t Hof in Berlin in 1973. Zbigniew’s other side, that of his following Coltrane and McCoy Tyner, is very much present in “Turbulent Plover” and in the title track for which he praised especially Billy Hart’s work on drums. And certainly we don’t forget to mention the overwhelmingly dynamic opening track “City Of Spring”, in which his partner Joachim Kuehn takes the lead in a breathtaking solo towards the closing part. This piece being dedicated to his fresh Manhattan experiences shows that this guy from Poland was in full speed ahead at this time. What a pity Seifert died too early, in 1979. So this album can only be one of a few masterpieces by Zbiggy.

Tracklist:

01 - City of Spring
02 - Man of the Light
03 - Stillness
04 - Turbulent Plover
05 - Love in the Garden
06 - Coral

Produced by Joachim Ernst Berendt. Engineered by Chips Platen.
Recorded in 1976 at Tonstudio Zuckerfabrik Stuttgart, Germany.
Digitally Remastered.

Musicians:
Zbigniew Seifert - violin
Joachim Kühn - Klavier (on tracks 1, 2, 4, 6)
Jasper Van't Hof - electric piano, organ (on track 5)
Cecil McBee - bass (on tracks 1 to 4, 6)
Billy Hart - drums (on tracks 1, 2, 4, 6)


Thanks to the Original customer!