The third album of the Polish trio sundial – trumpeter Wojciech Jachna, pianist Grzegorz Tarwid and drummer Albert Karch, adds to this chamber, acoustic unit a like-minded sax player, Irek Wojtczak. He, like Sundial, refuses to surrender in any genre or style conventions. «Sundial III» was recorded live during two performances in Łódź in 2018.

At first, this ad-hoc quartet sounds as treading on familiar, well-structured and harmonious paths. The shared journey of Sundial and Wojtczak begins with the gentle and dreamy-like «Celestially Lights I» where the breathy sax of Wojtczak blend in the singing trumpet of Jachna. The second part and third parts of these brief interludes shift towards more delicate and quiet sound poems. The title piece revolves on their close affinity and let Wojtczak and Jachna dance around each other, conversing in short poetic gestures.

But later this uncharted paths become more demanding. The more improvised «Return of the Hedgehog» suggests a dramatic and colorful cinematic narrative that highlights the strong voices of drummer Karch and pianist Tarwid. But, again, this piece eventually gravitates towards a conversational interplay of Wojtczak and Jachna, this time with clear East-European folk undercurrents. «Sudden Rush Composed» offers another improvised, intense atmosphere that cements Wojtczak’s organic manner of enriching Sundial interplay, now charging Sundial with urgent energies of a free jazz unit. «Sundial Variation III» continues this improvised vein but focuses again on the telepathic interplay of Wojtczak and Jachna, this time in a more compassionate, ceremonial mode.

This adventurous journey concludes with the most powerful piece, «Hymnical», that balances beautifully the well-crafted melodic essence of Sundial with healthy doses of restless, searching energy that Wojtczak introduced to this trio.

Eyal Hareuveni
Wojciech Jachna (tp), Grzegorz Tarwid (p), Albert Karch (dr, perc), Irek Wojtczak (ts, ss)