Spark of Life

The fourth ECM album for the Wasilewski Trio adds a special guest, the lyrical Swedish saxophonist Joakim Milder, whom the Poles came to know through performances with Tomasz Stankos Litania project. Amongst other affinities, the players share a love of Krzyzstof Komedas music, and Komedas Sleep Safe and Warm theme, written for Polanskis Rosemarys Baby make a reappearance here. As ever, the Wasilewski group balances original material - intensely melodic new tunes by Marcin (including two variations of the beautiful title track) - with a daring range of covers, embracing Herbie Hancock, the Polices Message In A Bottle and Slawomir Kurkiewiczs arrangement of a composition by Grazyna Bacewicz, and reinforces its status as one of the most resourceful groups around. This is the trios second ECM appearance this year, following on from sterling work as Jacob Youngs rhythm section on Forever Young.

Spark of Life was recorded in Lugano in March 2014, and produced by Manfred Eicher.