Search - Tomasz Stanko :: Litania

I can never think of a good title.....

Paul Graziano | Burlington, VT United States | 10/04/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album was an impulse buy. I was familiar with Stanko and Komeda by name only, saw it in the store and thought "why not?" And I've now spent the past week listening to it over and over. All the compositions (the music is highly compositional with only brief solos) have a nocturnal feel. The adventurous "Night-Time" suite sounds like a drunken odyssey through darkened city streets (hmmm...I meant that as a compliment). The title track is some of the loneliest music I've ever heard, with a particularily powerful solo by Stanko. The three different arrangements of "Sleep Safe" are eerily soothing , while "The Witch" is just simply eerie. So, like the reviewer before me, I'd say this album has a definite "haunting" quality that sticks with you for a long time, heavily atmospheric, with reserved, introspective performances that frequently flare up passionately in intense passages. Highly recommended."

Haunting Beauty

Kurt Harding | 12/15/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The melodies on this CD are beautiful. This CD presents the music of Krzysztof Komeda, best known for his score for Rosemary's Baby. I had never heard of him, now I want to hear all his music. "Night-time, Day-time Requiuem" has some superb tenor sax work. Terje Rypdal has some strong guitar in "Sleep Safe and Warm". All the arrangements are beautifully done. My favorite song is "Ballada": you follow Tomasz Stanko's trumpet as it takes you away to a tranquil place. Stanko paints beautiful soundscapes with Komeda's music. Late at night it's a journey of haunting beauty..."