Beamo Leszek Możdżer, Lars Danielsson, Zohar Fresco

• 1 Ambio Bluette 04:16
• 2 Cattusella 05:37
• 3 Beamo 03:05
• 4 Kurtu 05:17
• 5 Linkability 05:14
• 6 Brim On 04:22
• 7 Gilado 03:53
• 8 Appropinquate 03:46
• 9 Decaphonesca 02:39
• 10 Feu d'Or 04:30
• 11 Jacob's Ladder 04:59
• 12 Eilat 03:39
• 13 Enjoy the Silence 05:53
• Total Runtime 57:10

Info for Beamo

In July 2004, when Leszek Możdżer, Lars Danielsson, and Zohar Fresco performed together for the first time in Warsaw, few could have predicted that this trio would evolve into one of jazz’s most enduring and celebrated ensembles. Now, 20 years later, they return with “Beamo” - an album that not only reaffirms their mastery but also opens a bold new chapter in their musical story.

At the heart of “Beamo” is an extraordinary experiment in tonality. Leszek Możdżer redefines the conventions established by 17th- and 18th-century masters like Bach and Rameau, breaking free from the equal temperament system, which divides the octave into 12 equal intervals. While this system has dominated music for centuries, Możdżer challenges its limitations, describing it as “a painful pixelation of music, reduced to twelve obligatory tones.” For “Beamo”, Możdżer employs three grand pianos with unique tunings: one at the modern standard of A = 440 Hz, one at A = 432 Hz, and a third in a decaphonic tuning, dividing the octave into 10 equal intervals. This approach doesn’t abandon tonality but reshapes it, creating a tonal instability that is both intriguing and profoundly beautiful.

Lars Danielsson masterfully navigates this new soundscape, weaving these distinct tonalities together with the deep, resonant voice of his double bass. His improvisational brilliance is further showcased when he plays the viola da gamba on tracks like “Decaphonesca”, adapting its frets to align with the decaphonic tuning. Meanwhile, Zohar Fresco provides a rhythmic foundation of extraordinary depth and complexity, his percussion work glistening with intricate details that form a world of their own.

According to Leszek Możdżer the album title is “a game, a code and it’s up to the listener to decode its’ hidden message... It could be a reference to the Latin word „amo” representing the qualities of love, or a “beam” - symbolizing a ray of light. It’s a riddle, a multidimensional manifesto - and the shortest poem possible.” Each track on “Beamo” is a unique narrative. In “Kurtu”, deliberate detuning creates a sense of emotional tension, while “Ambio Bluette” explores dual tonalities through the interplay of Możdżer’s left and right hands. "Catusella" pays homage to Danielsson’s iconic composition "Asta" on the trio's debut album "The Time", blending two differently tuned pianos in a seamless dialogue.

Despite its experimental nature, “Beamo” remains rooted in the trio’s signature style - marked by European lyricism, classical sound quality, and the interplay of virtuosic solos. Yet, there’s an added dimension, an echo of Early Music’s rich and imperfect tones, reminiscent of clavichords and spinets. This synthesis of historical resonance and modern innovation is unparalleled in contemporary jazz. “Beamo” dazzles, surprises, and inspires, offering listeners a sound that feels both mysterious and familiar. It’s more than an album - it’s a transformative musical experience that reimagines what jazz can be.

Leszek Możdżer, Fazioli piano (A = 440 Hz equal temperament), Steinway piano (A = 432 Hz equal temperament), Östlind & Almquist piano (A = 440 Hz decaphonic tuning)
Lars Danielsson, double bass, cello & viola da gamba
Zohar Fresco, frame drums, percussion & vocals

Recorded 18-22.09.2023 at Monochrom Studio (Poland) by Piotr Taraszkiewicz, assisted by Ignacy Gruszecki (Mono-chrom Studio) Additional cello parts recorded 12.12.2023 at Tia Dia Studios, Mölnlycke (Sweden) by Piotr Taraszkiewicz
Brim On & Jacob’s Ladder were performed at A = 432 Hz equal temperament Decaphonesca was performed in dec-aphonic tuning
Enjoy the Silence was performed at 440 Hz tuning
All the other music was performed with the simulta-neous use of two or three tunings mixed together (440 Hz, 432 Hz and decaphonic tuning)

Leszek Mozdzer
(pronounced Mozhdzher), is one of the most prominent keyboard talents in the Polish music scene. He was born in 1971 and has been playing piano since he could play it at age five. After developing his jazz interest at the age 18 in high school, he graduated from Stanislaw Moniuszko Conservatory of Gdansk in 1996. Although he started his career in jazz with Emil Kowalski’s band, he believes that his true musical development occurred with the Milosc Band of 1991. He received an individual citation at the Jazz Junior 92 International Competition in Krakow a year later. This was followed by numerous other prizes including the Krzysztof Komeda Prize 1992 in Poland from the Polish Culture Foundation, First Prize in the International Jazz Improvisation Competition Katowice 1994, the Mateusz Swiecicki Prize in Polish Radio 3 in 1994, the Mayor of Gdansks medal for outstanding artistic achievements and the Fryderyk Prize 1998 for Jazz Musician. It was the most well-known jazz group in Poland during the six years Mozdzer helmed Milosc. Six albums were recorded with the group, two of which were with Lester Bowie, an American trumpeter. He was also a main attraction for the Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet. Mozdzer has performed alongside many great Polish jazz musicians including Janusz Muniak (1 and Four), Tomasz Stanko (2 Farewell to Mary), Piotr Wojtasik (3 Lonely Town, Quest), and Janusz Muniak (4 One and Four). Mozdzer has collaborated with international stars such as Buster Williams (one and four), Joe Lovano, Billy Harper, Archie Shepp, and Buster Williams. Mozdzer has released 30 CDs, four of them under his own name. The best-known is Chopin Impressions. Leszek Mozdzer gave concerts in France, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. His jazz interpretations of Chopin’s pieces were praised at the Chartres Piano Festival. He has been a frequent collaborator with Zbigniew Prixner since 1992, participating in the recording many of the composer’s film scores. 10 Easy Pieces For Piano was a collection of piano improvisations that Preisner created especially for Mozdzer.

Lars Danielsson
Bassist, cellist, composer and arranger Lars Danielsson has become one of the most important voices in European jazz in recent years: alongside international stars such as Michael Brecker and Randy Brecker, John Scofield or Charles Lloyd, with his own quartet, as producer of Caecilie Norby, Viktoria Tolstoy or the Danish Radio Orchestra, but especially with his five ACT CDs under his own name. They also show the unmistakable signature Danielsson has found, as well as the astonishing openness and breadth of his work. He is not only one of the most lyrical and warmest bassists, as a composer he is a master of atmosphere, subtle tension and the perfect balance between simple melodies and the highest possible degree of improvisation.

Zohar Izhak Fresco
is known as the pioneer of the Tof Miriam, a frame drum from the Middle East that is more than 3000 years old. He was born in Israel into a family with Turkish roots as a descendant of Tamburi Izhak Fresco, a well-known Jewish-Turkish composer (18th/19th century). Zohar was attracted to music from a very young age and the strong influence that the music of his ancestors had on him became apparent early on. Fresco understood the great value and musical range of the Tof Miriam and dedicated his life to developing a new finger technique and a unique musical language called MANEGINA. Fresco created his own style of drumming and became a mentor for many musicians from all over the world, and his Turkish roots soon bore fruit in his encounter with the music of the Middle East. In his countless original compositions, Zohar Fresco expresses a new oriental style.

Seine Inspirationen zieht er aus der Zusammenarbeit mit Musikern aus Asien, dem Mittelmeerraum sowie auch aus Projekten mit Musikern vieler verschiedener Kulturen. Als herausragender Liveperformer präsentiert er in Soloauftritten seine eigenen Kompositionen, die eine Kombination aus Gesang und Trommel sind.Zohar gehört zudem zu den Mitbegründern des bekannten arabisch-jüdischen Ensembles Bustan Abraham. Auf musikalischer Welttournee war er mit einem internationalen Jazztrio mit Leszek Mozdzer und Lars Danielsson.Frescos umfassende Beschäftigung mit der Musik, seine große Erfahrung, gepaart mit der Hingabe an seine Kunst, machen ihn zu einem Meister der Perkussion und einem der meist gefragtesten Kursleiter in musikalischen Workshops. Er wird regelmäßig an Schulen, Universitäten und Musikzentren eingeladen, um seine Musiktheorie und Spieltechnik zu lehren.

Booklet for Beamo