Marcin Hałat (violin) and Maciej Garbowski (bass), both b.1981, have known each other for a long time, having first started to explore the intricacies of jazz and improvisation together as students in Katowice. Years later, they reunited to make recordings as The Owl, a band they co-founded with drummer Krzysztof Gradziuk. They recorded two albums under this name, including one featuring guest pianist Pablo Held.
Their latest release showcases the music born from their third collaboration—this time as a duo in a completely improvised setting. The recordings – 18 ‘Dialogues’ for violin and double bass – were recorded nearly four years ago in December 2021. The two-CD album has almost 80 minutes of music.
The titles of the individual tracks and the album as a whole are straightforward: the same word, “Dialogue” followed by a Roman numeral. Yet this simplicity reflects the essence of the project: a straightforward dialogue between two equal instruments, unfolding in a spirit of camaraderie. ‘A conversation with a friend who understands you without words,’ as Maciej Garbowski has aptly, beautifully described it in the liner note. This is an exchange of thoughts, memories, experiences, discoveries. Both musicians draw on improvisation while also embracing stylistic inspirations from their artistic journeys—folk, classical, contemporary, and chamber music. And repeated listening reveals new layers and details contained in ‘Dialogues’.
The tracks on The Dialogues really do resemble conversations between friends. They are remarkably natural, emotionally diverse, but never go beyond the boundaries of dialogue, avoiding musical clashes or competition. These conversations can be slightly languid (Dialogue I), melancholic (Dialogue VII), sublime (Dialogue XII), but also full of passion (Dialogue VIII) and energy (the final part of Dialogue V). This is sophisticated music, yet played with effortless ease. Simply outstanding.
