Klawo - Live! (2023)

'Klawo' means 'neat' in Polish, and that's a very accurate way to describe their sound, which has developed brilliantly since their debut album. There has also been a change in numbers - they were a sextet at first and have now grown into a septet. The newest member, Jakub Krzanowski, has been responsible for increased drumming intensity since he joined the band. Speaking of the sound, the trumpet evokes the spirit of the Golden Years of Polish jazz and funk. All of this gives the band’s music an unusual flow and groove, best experienced while they unleash their talents on stage. The sheer multitude of instruments could potentially be overwhelming, yet each one of them sits in its place. Konstanty Kostka lets loose with his woozy solos, Tomasz Rafalski excels with synth and keyboard passages, and Artur Szalsza channels his wild energy into the guitars and hypes up the crowd in his newfound role as an MC. Moreover, there is an exciting novelty: Malina Midera sings and it is absolutely captivating! With a keen musical intelligence, they skillfully guide their music, effortlessly maneuvering through its various moods and tempos. They masterfully blend orchestral arrangements with song-like forms dressed in graceful melodies. Their music comes to life in a live setting, as this fantastic line-up of instrumentalists breathes an even greater sense of organic vitality into their performance than on a record. And sometimes, in a playful twist, they can even weave in Chopin's Nocturne (performed here by Aksel Cetner, a recurring figure in Klawo’s own Extended Universe). There is vibrancy, fun, joy, and a detectable groove on this record, combined with extraordinary musical erudition. This is best encapsulated in the carefree interplay between Alicja Sobstyl's flute and Karol Tchorz's trumpet in "01.06”, the final track whose title refers to a Children's Day. The childlike playfulness, while mature, prevails throughout this record.
- Jakub Knera