Komeda ACT ****

Composer Krzysztof Komeda, a seminal figure in Polish and European jazz who wrote the music for most of Roman Polanski's early films and died suddenly at 38 in 1969, has already been saluted in Tomasz Stanko's 1997 septet classic, Litania. Leszek Mozdzer's solo piano hommage to Komeda isn't in that league, but his stunning, classically honed technique gives it a different feel without obscuring his daring as an improviser or his respect for the source. Mozdzer's responses to Komeda show an appreciation of the music's beauty, depth and complexity, particularly the emotional polarities of Sleep Safe and Warm(from the film Rosemary's Baby) and Night- Time, Daytime Requiem. And the rich and diverse harvest brilliantly reaped by the pianist here includes the celebratory dazzle of Svanteticand the warmth of Ballad for Berntand Crazy Girl.Impressive. See actmusic.com