LABIRYNT

..A collaboration among musicians from Poland, France & Oregon. Common language: Improvisation. Common currency: Virtuosity. Common goal: Cross boundaries, musical and otherwise.
Labirynt is a Euro-American quintet who perform and record original music that spans the musical and cultural divide between Poland, France, and the USA. With a range of influences that includes jazz and classical music; Eastern European folk rhythms and melodies; progressive rock and world fusion; the band has forged a unique and powerful sound that is playful, passionate, and exhuberant. Labirynt was formed as a trio by Krzysztof Majchrzak , Henryk Gembalski, and Michal Zduniak in 1994.

An encounter between Majchrzak and Tom Bergeron in 1997 at a fateful jam session in Lyon, France, led to the configuration of saxophone, violin, bass, and drums. The group's first CD as a quartet, Labirynt, dates to that year. After several tours of Poland and France, the group met up once again in 2004 to tour and record their second CD, Exit. In 2006, Labirynt undertook their first US tour and recording session. During this tour Keller Coker (trombone) joined the group. The CD from this session, Motion Tissue, was released in 2007.
In June, 2007, the band returned to Poland for a concert at Rondo Sztuki in Katowice. A film of that concert is in post-production, and will be released in late 2008.
PRESS REVIEWS;
“This evening will remain in the history of the theatre, as an invitation to the travel in a universe where jazz, contemporary harmonic research, Polish popular melodies and electric music are constant sources of original and inspired improvisation”LA TRIBUNE – LE PROGRES
....... when I’m listening it, I have a deep feeling that this music is more complex and that it has a kind of unit and a more profound sense.. Perhaps that comes from the conception of that music, which is moving by a permanent will to create new sounds, or from the form of the recorded pieces building an astonishing musical labyrinth. JAZZ FORUM
« Exit is Bergeron’s latest recording with Labirynt, a trio of fine Polish jazzers on violin, bass and drums and this time featuring a guest trumpeter. Fuelled by propulsive drumming and, often, Eastern European rhythms, this band plays like the 1980s hard bop counterrevolution never happened, happily indulging in fusion textures that Weather Report and electric Miles fans will welcome. "EUGENE WEEKLY"
” This quartet sounds so much although we do not feel the lack of another harmonic instrument, also thanks to the fact that the violin carries out a bottom of the agreements. During the concerts the participation of the violin undoubtedly brings much of effect. The music presented on this disc is very varied, the musicians convinced me that they play very well…. “Tango Polskie” it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful pieces than we ever found on the discs of the Polish jazz…” Ryszard Borowski "JAZZi MAGAZINE"
“Bassist Krzysztof Majchrzak composed many of the pieces they performed. They were all deep, complex, and in your face. He plays with such delight and joy, it draws the audience in and you gradually understand the emotion of the piece, which is a collection of sounds unheard before by this avid listener. He has an original approach to the electric bass guitar that is entirely compelling”.Jim Corcoran (jc) "JAZZ SOCIETY of OREGON "- 2006
“Strange meters, like 7/4, then jumping to 4/4, just to keep you on your toes, it seemed. Icebergs by Krzysztof Majchrzak -- beautiful and very challenging. All the pieces I heard in the set and a half that I was there for, were in this manner of work, sometimes more than a little atonal, or multi-tonal, still extremely organized and expressive”. Jim Corcoran (jc) "JAZZ SOCIETY of OREGON" 2006
Music of this group is the quintessence of best electric fusion jazz Tomek Wybranowski "Wiadomosci Swietokrzyskie" 12/04/1999
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