Politika, 23. November 2019
Searching for the Eastern Star
The Eastern Star album represents the natural evolution of Stanisavljević's artistic essence, following the trio's path through the mainstream of modern jazz, but with new wind instrument colors that give the artist space to express his arranging skills, and to cross over his playing skills with those of other soloists in the band.
The list starts with the track He Exactly, dedicated to the legendary drummer Ratko Divjak. Following a solo piano introduction, a mid-tempo quintet gets in, the wind instruments announce the theme and the soloists Matković, Simon and Stanisavljević take turns, instantly showcasing their playing prowess and ease of improvising. It is a decidedly New York sound, with controlled expression - avoiding instant consumption, except that after the repetition of the last theme, a rhythmic fragment is obsessively circulated in order to let Milutinović swing a little bit.
The medley Pulsar radiates the full light of Stanisavljević's artistic maturity. Cradle Song, Ethera, and Eastern Star sections are linked by the same rhythmic pulse (hence the title of the medley) exchanged by the piano, bass, and drum. The first piece (Cradle Song) has a birth context, with a trumpet that carefully paints the opening picture together with the right-hand piano pulse. The pulse is taken over by the bass in Ethera, and the quintet's music oscillates between the collective tension of Henry Threadgill, the harmony wonders of Maria Schneider and more relaxed solo sections in the neo-bop style. For a moment, everything falls apart until the pulse returns with the Eastern Star. Again the pulse is on the piano, and we hear a new inspiration, Vijay Iyer's Accelerando, staggering and hesitating, until the soloists, first Matković, then Stanisavljević and Simon, resume the search for the Eastern Star in calmer waters.
The track Weight of Thought has the most powerful groove. Exchanging the Latin polyrhythm and swing, it is vaguely reminiscent of Kenny Dorham's Lotus Blossom. The bass starts, the other two rhythm players take over, and then the sax, trumpet, and piano, each in its own character, unleash great solos - greasy, screaming, then soothing. The wind instruments in the theme sound like they are twice as many in action, and the piano bass notes push the entire thing forward so irresistibly that you find yourself unable to restrain your feet as the track runs towards its end.
Faith is the sole calmer track, though not a classic ballad. It actually has a fluttering three-quarter meter, to an extent possessing the character of Coltrane's experience in My Favorite Things. Following a catchy theme shared by the saxophone and the trumpet, the ambience becomes perfect for one of the rare Matošič solos on the album. Stanisavljević continues, which provides the opportunity to feel how he works in the trio, and only in the second part a saxophone player, Boštjan Simon appears, skillfully playing around the main parts of the beat, cool and then moderately hot.
The final theme, The Echoes Of A Wounded Soul possesses the spirit of a true finale. It starts off in a quite restrained manner, by exposing an elegiac melody, especially in the second part, to a quite lazy rhythm, like in a rock ballad. And then they stop, followed by the double bass announcing a different way of play. The rhythm becomes hot, with the three lead soloists exchanging the last, released notes - sax, trumpet, piano x 2 - which we could imagine further multiplying at concerts, with the solos continuing to expand.
Eastern Star is an exciting musical trip that confirms great expertise of musicians from this region, and, in particular, Milan Stanisavljević, in all aspects of creative action. Somehow, a beautiful truth about the history of jazz in the Hilly Balkans has found its place in this sole dedication to Ratko Divjak - the masters of music created since the fifties to date need not worry, listening to their heirs fulfill (and surpass!) their dreams.
Vojislav Pantić, art director Belgrade Jazz Festival