9/10
Małgorzata Zalewska, harp, and thePodlasie Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra. Dux Recording Producers, 2022.
It was a busy 2022 for Polish harpist Małgorzata Zalewska who released two superb albums focusing on works by jazz trumpeter/composer Gary Guthman. Forced to choose between the two to review, I chose not to choose. Instead, I offer first my congratulations for bringing this stunning repertoire to a wider audience in spectacular style, and second a huge thank you for enlightening our community with a wealth of new music to add to our performance repertoire.
In the concerto album, we begin with Concerto Romantico for harp and orchestra. The first movement “Intrigue” sets the stage with evocative and exacting solos throughout by the excellent Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra. It flows straight into a Latin-inspired dance narrative in which displays Guthman’s facility in popular styles. Zalewska is one of only a handful of musicians who plays equally well on myriad instruments and in differing styles. She makes light work of the jaunty, yet virtuosic coolness of her solo line, while always leading the charge of the ensemble, especially in the come-hither dreaminess of Dalliance, where Zalewska tackles complex phrases with ease and a fresh buoyancy.
An absolutely delightful extra on the disc is a wee ballade For Harp, Trumpet, and Orchestra. Sultry with a bit of density on the side, the pair locate luscious common ground in their tonal language.
