Marek PASIECZNY | SEVEN JAZZ PIECES (Full Set) for Solo Guitar
Channel: Marek Pasieczny
Date: 2022-04-16

SEVEN JAZZ PIECES ◾ Marek PASIECZNY

0:00 I. African Sketch · Skecz Afrykański
1:54 II. (The Other) Milonga · (Inna) Milonga
4:33 III. For Sylvia (Jazz Vals) · (Dla Sylvi (Jazz’owy Walc)
5:57 IV. Tom’s Blues · Blues Tomka
7:43 V. (Afro) Samba · (Afro) Samba
9:32 VI. Lyle’s Maze · Labirynt Lyle’a
10:55 VII. Until Then (Jazz Ballad) · Dopóki (Ballada Jazz’owa)

FULL SCORE / ALBUM / STREAM: http://li.sten.to/SevenJazzPieces

Marek Pasieczny plays on 'Mehliana' op. 377 by Philip Woodfield 
strings: D'Addario EJ46FF
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◾composer's notes◾

In my work as a composer, I try to consciously and consistently return to writing pedagogical and functional pieces intended for developing adepts of the guitar art. This time, I was not only led by the element of harmony, the aspects of melody or rhythm, but also the form. A form that predetermines the shape of a given composition, in this case: a specific miniature. Therefore at the very beginning of the composition process, forms such as blues, milonga, waltz, ballad and samba first arose.

I started working on this series by writing several miniatures simultaneously. The order in which they are performed is totally optional.

◾ African Sketch - a miniature in the form of a simple song, inspired by my travels to South Africa. The ostinato rhythm and percussion effect I applied resemble the simple, primitive percussion instruments often made from aluminium cans that can be heard on the streets of African cities and villages.

◾ (The Other) Milonga - a musical form of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, derived from dance. This miniature is shaped by an expressive syncopated rhythm, intertwining the character of the habanera and the waltz. The 2/4 meter is typical of milongas, as are eight-bar phrases.

◾ For Sylvia (Jazz Waltz) - inspired by two types of the Venezuelan waltz: popular and hall. Often performed on traditional stringed instruments such as bandola or cuatro, accompanied by a violin. The melodic factor is the dominant and integrating component here. The constantly recurring four-bar phrase seems to draw listeners into a peculiar whirling musical dance.

◾ Tom's Blues - typical ABA blues with a written improvisation (walkin’) in the middle. The 12/8 time-signature most closely resembles the proper feel of the blues form, which in its nature is simply not written down, but rather improvised. In a natural way, this time signature is swinging 'in three' while maintaining the natural pulse of the blues 'in four'.

◾ (Afro) Samba - a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early twentieth century, often called 'carioca samba' (Rio samba). The title of the miniature is inspired by the legendary album from 1966 by the Brazilian guitarist Baden Bowell.

◾ Lyle's Maze – a work in memory of the jazz pianist and composer, Lyle Mays, who passed away in February 2020. The entire miniature is shaped by a meticulously planned harmonic structure. The composition is based on twenty-four major chords (with alterations) arranged in a fixed sequence, with one chord per measure (24 measures in total). Starting from a central chord (A major in this case), the sequence of chords moves in a chromatic fashion, first downwards (A-flat) then upwards (A-sharp) from the central chord. Cycling through this down-up pattern and moving incrementally away in semitones from the central chord (G then B then G-flat then C etc.), the sequence continues through all available chords until it once again returns to A major. It is a labyrinth with A major at its entrance and exit.

◾ Until Then (Jazz Ballade) - a simple four-bar melody based on an ostinato consisting of a descending bass line (counterpoint), harmonically enriched with each successive repetition. The middle section is a written-out improvisation based on the ostinato counterpoint. The piece ends with a cadence rich in harmony.

This series was commissioned by and is dedicated to my friend, professor of physics and guitar lover Tomasz POLAK.

MAREK PASIECZNY
April 2022 ◾ Leeds, United Kingdom