May 2002

Tomasz Stanko
Soul of Things
ECM Records

By Larry Appelbaum

Polish trumpeter-composer Tomasz Stanko often works more with tonal colors and textures than strict theme and variation. He takes a painterly approach to sound and his Soul of Things (ECM 1788; 74:55) is evocative, darkly shaded and impressionistic. This is Stanko's first recording with pianist Marcin Wasilewski, bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and drummer Michal Miskiewicz, his Polish quartet of the past seven years. They provide a canvas of subtle, sensitive support for the 60-year-old Stanko. Only a few of the 13 pieces are medium or uptempo; the rest are beautifully rhapsodic, free-floating melodies that highlight Stanko's big, dreamy sound. If only my dreams sounded like this.