EABS back to the roots, reinventing Tomasz Stańko’s Purple Sun 

2023 was a breakthrough year for EABS in many ways. It was all thanks to the well received, fully self-produced album entitled In Search of a Better Tomorrow, recorded in collaboration with the Pakistani band Jaubi. The record provided the opportunity to tour in France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and China. It was praised by media outlets such as Le Monde, L'Echo, Politis, Stern, Bandcamp and Gazeta Wyborcza, while The Guardian included the release in its 'The Best Global Albums of 2023'. EABS' forthcoming sixth album is a return to their roots – literally and figuratively. It is an in-depth study on rhythm, which materialised in the form of the album titled Reflections of Purple Sun.

The back to the roots part not only manifests itself in the lack of guest instrumentalists, but also in a renewed focus on the history of Polish jazz. The band's debut album Repetitions... was dedicated to Krzysztof Komeda. This time, the band picked up the entire Purple Sun album, which Tomasz Stańko recorded half a century ago. From the POV of Purple Sun fans, a hard-to-find and somewhat forgotten album, it may seem like a doomed undertaking. However, in order to pay tribute to one of the most iconic figures of Polish jazz, it was worth embarking on this mission and attempting to engage in a non-verbal conversation with the Slavic spirit that Master Tomasz Stańko undoubtedly was.

What was the essence of Purple Sun? Tomasz Stańko's record relied heavily on rhythm, one could even say that it was its central element. The EABS version is thus a study in rhythm. In other words, it is a reflection on rhythm. Therefore, the metaphor hidden in the word Reflections appears in the title, referring to the reflection of light – a reflex, representing a different energy enclosed in time and space, but half a century later.

The material recorded on 9 March 1973 at the Munich Conservatory under the watchful eye and ear of Ulrich Kraus made up the final album of the legendary Stańko's quintet, released on vinyl in a rather limited edition a few months later on the small German label, Calig. The album produced by the EABS ensemble came nearly exactly 50 years later and is titled Reflections of Purple Sun. The concept of the recording had been brewing among the EABS members since as early as 2017, yet the band had their final rehearsals between 23 and 25 March 2023 to play a preview concert at Wrocław’s National Forum of Music on 26 March. The energy that had been accumulating within the group over that short period of time reached its peak a few days later, when on the 5th and 6th of April the musicians got together in Rozbrat Street in Warsaw, where Tomasz Stańko’s flat used to be, and where the foundation named after him has its headquarters today – to build a home studio there and record tracks. In retrospect, it is hard to believe that the album was made on such a round anniversary of the recording of Purple Sun.

The low-ceilinged flat in which the trumpeter lived, donned with an assortment of carpets, now lingers in a hushed ambiance, as if he had momentarily stepped out for errands. Sadly, he never returned. His recent musical, literary, and cinematic influences linger palpably in the aftermath of his passing, revealing a distinct imprint on the space he once inhabited. The piano he played and composed on still stands in the living room, with a small practice room where he kept his trumpet collection adjacent. Marek Pędziwiatr decided to use the available piano, and Jakub Kurek picked one of the trumpets.

It’s worth taking a moment to spotlight the trumpet chosen by Jakub Kurek. Kuba says: The trumpet I went with is the last one Tomasz Stańko picked for his collection – the Monette XLT+. I found this trumpet the most interesting and inspiring because of its lively and spacious sound, and its technologically developed construction. It was also conceptually suitable for playing pieces based on the music from the Purple Sun album, recorded 50 years ago, which in the EABS interpretation took on an electronic character within the context of contemporary instrumental music. Tomasz Stańko intended to use this instrument in his work. He started working with it, but did not actually make any recordings using it. [...] I’ve also chosen this trumpet from among others because of its timbre, which has not yet been identified with the expression of Stańko’s strong artistic personality.

You can learn more about Reflections of Purple Sun through the comprehensive booklet accompanying the record. Astigmatic Records will unveil the album in digital, CD, and LP formats, available in both standard and limited editions. The cover art was created by the label's regular collaborator, Animisiewasz, whose design pays tribute to Pia Burri's original Purple Sun concept. Pre-sales begin on 5 April and the release date is 10 May 2024.