Short Reviews [Srdjan Ivanovic Blazin' Quartet - 2021 - "Sleeping Beauty"]

Although it may seem at first glance that what we have is a quartet, here they are operating as a quintet with the addition of Magic Malik (Ivory Coast, flute). Bosnian born and Paris, France, based drummer, keyboard player, composer, arranger, and educator Srdjan Ivanovic is the band leader, and the line-up is completed by Andreas Polyzogopoulos (Greece, trumpet), Federico Casagrande (Italy, guitar), and Mihail Ivanov (Bulgaria, double bass). As one can see, this is a truly cosmopolitan outfit, here all working in the common language which is jazz, yet all bringing in their own references and experiences. Recorded in just two days, all the tracks were written by Ivanovic (alongside one co-write with Polyzogopoulos) apart from two numbers from none other than Ennio Morricone. One of these, “Man With a Harmonica”, was the theme for Sergio Leone’s ‘Once Upon a Time in the West’ (Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson), and the trumpet is incredibly poignant as Srdjan allows himself to sit right at the back and let his band provide delicate backing to Polyzogopoulos. The other Morricone number is “A l'aube du cinquieme jour”, from the 1969 Giuliano Montaldo movie of the same name, which is new to me. As with all albums released on the Moonjune label, here there is a group of musicians in total control of their instruments who are taking music in new and wondrous ways. Created in 2008, this is the fourth studio album from the band, who produce incredibly layered and strange music which touches on elements of free jazz, yet can also be found somewhere in the mainstream, and one never knows where the music is going to lead. It can be breathy and ferocious, delicate and restrained, clear or packed with dissonance, all to take us on a journey of excitement and discovery. This is yet another essential release from Moonjune for lovers of jazz which is often different to the norm.