Krzysztof Fetras Quartet – Odpust (2015)

Krzysztof Fetras Quartet

Krzysztof Fetras - guitars
Tomasz Król - guitars, accordion
Marcin Fidos - double bass
Jarosław Gas - drums

Odpust

GM 002



By Adam Baruch

This is the fifth album by polish guitarist/composer Krzysztof Fetras, recorded in a quartet setting with guitarist Tomasz Król, bassist Marcin Fidos and drummer Jarosław Gas. It is a second album by the rather unusual double-guitar fronted quartet and continues the path set four years earlier by the "Different Guitar" release. The album presents nine compositions, all originals by Fetras, which were also arranged by him.

Both guitarists play acoustic and electric guitars interchangeably, but the overall ambience of this album is completely "acoustic", as no reverb or echo is used during the recording process. Such natural guitar sound is very rare these days, when guitars are usually recorded using a plethora of electronic effects and devices. This clean approach enables the listener to hear the instruments exactly the way they were played and concentrate on the musical content rather than on sound effects.

The music that Fetras writes is very melodic, relaxed and honest. It develops slowly from the initial themes, which are then improvised upon by the guitarists, each supporting the other in tandem, and eventually brought to an anticlimactic finale. This formula works beautifully and any excessive pyrotechnics would have simply demolished the delicate perfection.

Both guitarists are of course excellent players, who respect each other and listen attentively to each other. The bass provides a superb support for the guitars, being right there behind the solo efforts and the drummer carries the music forward with his energetic, but restrained rhythmic support, always remaining unobtrusive.

Overall this album is a wonderful extension to its predecessor and establishes Fetras as one of the top guitar players on the Polish scene. Although it does not offer any flashy guitar extravagances, it is something both guitar fans and guitar players should carefully listen to, in order to grasp how the "less is more" concept is being applied intelligently and effectively. Well done!

Krzysztof Fetraś Project & Tomasz Król – Different Guitar (2012)

Krzysztof Fetraś - guitar, acoustic guitar BSG

Tomasz Król - electric & acoustic guitar, banjo
Jarek Gaś - drums
Mikołaj Nowicki - double bass

Different Guitar (2012)

Polish guitarist / composer Krzysztof Fetraś and his trio, which consists of bassist Mikolaj Nowicki and drummer Jarek Gas, are joined on this album by the young guitarist Tomasz Krol, creating together an unusual double-guitar quartet, which plays quite differently from what listeners usually associate with guitar led Jazz music. The album includes eight tracks and the music is almost entirely original, with the exception of one tune by Ornette Coleman, and was composed by Fetras or co-composed by him and his wife Iwona Fetras, with one tune credited solely to Iwona and another credited to Krol, Fetras and Nowicki. 

Although the guitarists use both electric and acoustic guitars, the sound of the guitars is not that much different from each other, as the session has largely an acoustic ambience. The melodies are stated usually quite overtly at the start of each track, to be followed by extended improvisations by both guitarists, some straightforward and other quite free. The guitarists play mostly together, accompanying each other on their respective solos, with the acoustic and electric guitars blending together harmonically and textually and there is plenty of inspired interplay. Both guitarists offer quite excellent phrasing, playing around the melody lines and sometimes flirting with time, wrapping things up nicely by the end of each tune. The rhythm section provides a solid and mostly delicate background, which is essential for the soloists to be able to soar above it. Their playing is elegant and imaginative, without being obtrusive on one hand and over-ornamental on the other.

It is a relief to find people who treat the guitar differently from what the fashion dictates, i.e. flashy Fusion oriented doodling, which makes little sense and provides no challenge whatsoever. The music you'll find here keeps the listener on his toes at all times, either in order to follow the complex improvisations or the multilayered ambient atmosphere the music evolves into at times. Overall this is an album guitar lovers everywhere should listen to attentively, as it presents a unique and quite unusual guitar playing, which offers a pleasant listening experience without being trivial or simplistic. Warmly recommended!

Krzysztof Fetras Trio - Night in Praha Live (2005)

Krzysztof Fetras - guitar & guitar synthesizer, composer 

Piotr Żaczek - fretless bass guitar
Grzegorz Grzyb - drums

Night in Praha Live (2005)

I wrote more about Krzysztof Fetras music when describing his debut recording 'Caravan'. This is his third album which brings much more mature music. Located firmly in mainstream jazz it brings sense of equilibrium, internal coherency, almost therapeutic effect. Unfortunately after recording this CD Krzysztof Fetras has had a break in his career lasting few years. Fortunately lately he announced his first new album in more than 6 years for Spring this 2012 year. I am waiting impatiently to see what it will bring to us. In a meantime please enjoy sounds from his last recording...  

Track listing:  1. Krzysztof FetrasFew Warm Notes 00:58; 2. Krzysztof Fetras Treaty of Joy 08:45; 3. Krzysztof Fetras We Are Together Today 07:47; 4. Krzysztof Fetras Mr. Kaz 15:38; 5. Krzysztof Fetras Night in Praha 08:26; 6. Krzysztof Fetras Don’t Go Away Now 11:51

By Maciej Nowotny
http://kochamjazz.blox.pl

Krzysztof Fetras - Caravan (Polonia Records, 1997)

Krzysztof Fetraś - guitar

Polonia Records, 1997

Krzysztof Fetraś has already recorded three albums: "Night In Praha - Live", "Impresje" and "Caravan" but is relatively unknown on Polish scene. He somewhat vanished from it few years ago although he from time to time appears in Tygmont Club in Warsaw or recently in Harris Bar in Cracow where he played with excellent rhythm section of Paweł Kaczmarczyk in persons of bassist Maciej Adamczak and drummer Dawid Fortuna (more about it here). He also took part in few jazz festivals like Jazz Jamboree or Letni Festiwal at Piwinica Pod Baranami but it was long ago. I also never was able to listen to any of his record so he was kind of tabula rasa for me. But, as I mentioned above, he recently has become active again and I deciced to learn more about his music which revelead to be original and more than satisfactory.

After listening to this record I do not wonder that it passed reletively unnoticed. It's not that it's bad - on contrary - it is interesing but for two reasons it is not easy to apreciate it. First, it starts with version of famous jazz standard "Caravan" that do not fit at all with rest of music on the album. From second tune  one track after another we go deeper and deeper in a world of very delicate and sesitive solo guitar playing by Krzysztof Fetraś. His voice is inspired by classical guitar which is however treated in typical spontaneuos and indiviual jazz way bringing music always melodic and very, very lirical. This poetic moments are by far the best on this album and I must say that starting from 5th track titled "Time for Children" and up to the end of this album (11 tracks altoghether), this music becomes so involving, misterious, dreamlike that I can only described it as brilliant. It's a pity that whole album is not kept in the same mood as it would gain on artistic unity. All the same I find this recording as rewarding one, keep on returning to it and I am happy that its author has plans for future as he is definitely one the most talented guitarist in Polish jazz...

Check 7th tune on this album titled "Czy pamiętasz 29 czerwca" (Do You Remember 28th June). Intriguing indeed...

Author of text: Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html