Igor Khoma. Ukrainian jazz. /digi-pack/.

One needs a really good reason to without ceremony name a disc "Ukrainian Jazz" – and the reason is there. For long time ago Igor Khoma created the first in Lviv and, in general, one of the first in the post-war Ukraine jazz big bands, "Medikus" – thus, he has all the right to be considered one of founders of Ukrainian jazz as such. At that – specifically Ukrainian one, because "Medikus" played authors' music based exactly on the local national melos, including improvisations based on themes of our folk songs and melodies. Even today not too much of such music is being created in Ukraine – to say nothing about the middle of the last century. Then and there playing jazz – and especially national jazz – was, to say the least of it, a very bold step. The more respect and attention are inspired by this music – surprisingly qualitative, bright, expressive. Maybe, not always complicated, but far from being primitive. Truly live – you can hardly call it just a part of history. "Medikus", if it had a chance, could obviously be a deserved competitor to the best western big bands – for, in spite of anything, till now these plays sound colorful, interesting. And they were recorded, by the way, 30-50 years ago! Igor Khoma managed to involve really wonderful musicians into his band – the rhythm sections, the winds, the strings and the keys in various plays pleasantly surprise each in its own way with concerted performance and the ability to elaborate saturated, "delicious" solo. But still the most striking thing is the authentic Ukrainian spirit of the music represented here. If I wore a hat now – I would take it off...