Impressions on Mark Viļenskis’s debut mini-album «Moon, Jazz, Romance»

«Moon, Jazz, Romance» — a mini-album by the multi-instrumentalist Mark Viļenskis

«Moon, Jazz, Romance» is a jazz music album comprising five compositions, presented by the local multi-instrumentalist Mark Viļenskis through various concerts in October 2023. Despite being a classical cellist by profession, Mark has been passionate about jazz music for some time. As he confesses in his interview with «JAZZin» magazine, his interest in jazz music emerged during his Erasmus+ study period in Portugal, where he persuaded one of the teachers to provide him with private piano lessons. It is quite interesting to see the paths that lead musicians from the world of classical music to jazz. In this case, the artist, after getting acquainted with jazz, began playing it immediately on two instruments (piano and cello) and also started singing. A couple of years back, inspired by jam sessions at «M/Darbnīca,» Mark realized he wanted to form his own trio, thus resulting in his ensemble «The Old World Blues,» which led to the creation of this small album. In this album, Mark is joined by colleagues from «The Old World Blues»: double bassist Toms Timofejevs, guitarist Jānis Pastars, and a special guest on drums — Kaspars Kurdeko.

Let’s get right to it and examine the five compositions that Mark recorded with his fellow musicians!

The album kicks off with the 1932 composition «It’s Only a Paper Moon» from Harold Arlen’s repertoire. Initially, we hear the full theme being played, featuring a small etude for piano and guitar supported by double bass, sounding quite captivating and playful with unexpected accents at times that naturally grab attention. It’s immediately noticeable that piano playing is not new to Mark, although his active and sometimes aggressive style is typically encountered in people who are just beginning to explore the profoundly deep world of jazz music. With an understanding of swing rhythm, Mark handles it well, maintaining the traditional stylistic elements from the past. Then the vocals come in — Mark’s voice is charming. The velvety notes immediately reveal Mark’s temperament and passion for what he does. Indeed, he grasped the nature of the song and played with words and intonations. Yes, the first vocal passage may not be the most successful, in my opinion, when analyzing the vocal technique so intricately, but if everything sounds good overall, it could be considered a matter of taste. Mark’s singing style is not one hundred percent jazzy but rather reminiscent of old-time musicals. It is not in vain; with all its techniques and tricks, his voice recalls the famous actor and singer Gene Kelly. Perhaps Mark chose this piece because its original version was indeed written for the Broadway show «The Great Magoo,» which was canceled after just 11 performances. The song became popular a year later when it was included in the film «Take a Chance,» performed by June Knight and Charles Buddy Rogers.

Following the first theme is the next section of the composition — a piano solo played in a double-time feel style where Mark demonstrates his piano skills. Aside from one unexpected and, in my opinion, unjustified pause towards the end of the solo that would be well-received in a live concert but sounds unfinished in a recording, this section is a rather fresh and interesting moment in the composition. Mark returns to the vocal performance with the second part of the theme, and the piece ends with another well-crafted section. Overall, a pretty good start to the album — playful, lighthearted, and pleasant to listen to.

The next composition is also a 1932 production, this time from Duke Ellington’s repertoire — «Sophisticated Lady,» which was initially intended as an instrumental piece (Mitchell Parish had written lyrics, which Ellington described as: «Wonderful — but not entirely fitted to my original conception»). This piece is also instrumental in this album, with the main role entrusted to the cello. At the very beginning, there’s a dedication to the world of classical music. The piece starts with a Bach-style improvisation where Timofejevs on the double bass forms a stable foundation, and Viļenskis shines on the cello. This is followed by the theme of the composition, which Mark plays at times polyphonically, at times monophonically, in a rather free rhythm, with Timofejevs following him wonderfully. Melodic variations include explicit blues motifs that fit well in the performance; the stylistic execution continually switches between classical and bluesy cello sounds. Overall, it is a successful and interesting interpretation of the string duet.

The third composition on the album is Samuel Hopkins Adams’ 1939 piece «Comes Love.» The piece is performed in a swing style, at a moderate tempo, with all three members of «The Old World Blues» collective participating — Mark plays cello and sings, Jānis Pastars plays guitar, and Toms Timofejevs on double bass. Speaking of the vocals, the singing has an actor-like quality, which sounds very successful in Mark’s rendition. Throughout the sung theme, parallel melodic lines are present in the cello performance, which may sometimes disrupt the perception of the vocals. After the theme, a cello solo follows, although this moment, in my opinion, is not the most successful as in terms of sound, the cello remains in the background, and the solo lines sometimes sound more like accompaniment and too similar to what was played alongside the vocals in the theme. The short solo passage plays out, and then the voice returns; this time, part of the theme is presented not in a sung manner but spoken, as if it is genuinely a story of unrequited love. Towards the end of the theme, another cello solo part sounds, characterized by an inching symbiosis between classical music stylization and motifs from early 20th-century romances. Overall, despite all my critiques, the piece turns out successful and enjoyable.

Continuing with the album is a ballad from the other side of the previous century — Michel Legrand’s piece «You Must Believe in Spring.» It is not a simple ballad when considering it in a musical context — it requires good listening and control since Legrand was famous for taking the melody and harmony in unexpected directions. Mark excellently handles the theme, performing it as a duet with Pastars on guitar, and both technically and artistically, the singing is very enjoyable. After the theme, Pastars’ solo follows, with the addition of a double bass. The minimalist solo passage unfolds, and the cello takes on the leading role, also with a solo part, showcasing Mark’s romantic side. Returning to the theme, Mark sings again, and this time, the singing is delicate and airy, as if the story hidden behind the lyrics has truly moved the performer. The penultimate note made me pause momentarily and ponder — is there really no resolution to follow as that unstable degree almost dissonates? The resolution eventually rings out, establishing harmony in the ears. Although this piece is not the brightest in the album, it is the most successful since it is closer to the music genres with which Mark is most familiar.

And so, we come to the last composition on the album — Dizzy Gillespie’s composition from the early 1940s — «A Night in Tunisia» with lyrics by Raymond Levin. Here, the invited guest on drums, Kaspars Kurdeko, appears, whose solo part shines in this composition. Following Kaspars’ solo is a brief piano interlude, where Mark showcases his skills, and then Mark joins in with his vocals. The performance of the initial theme sounds very convincing, leading to another brief dedication to the beginnings of Mark’s musical career — a stylistically different bridge section that he performs classically, romantically, in a half-time style, where the famous passage, with variations, is performed solely by the cello accompanied by the piano. This is followed by a swinging piano solo that sounds very convincing and interesting. Finally, a solo part is given to the double bass, where Timofejevs also demonstrates how a classical bassist can seamlessly transition into a jazz musician. Returning to the vocal theme, the piece nears its conclusion, allowing us to enjoy a few more stylistically diverse musical moments. Overall, it can be said that the piece is very richly arranged, which is also interesting. Traditional sharp endings elegantly punctuate the album, leaving a pleasant aftertaste.

Summing up my impressions about this album, I can say this — Mark has great potential to become a leader in Latvian vocal jazz, as there is a painful lack of male vocalists in this genre. He has everything he needs to achieve this — a velvety voice with a wide range, a good musical ear, a passion for work, and a love for «old» music. Yes, he lacks experience and perhaps some non-strictly formal but polished training directly in vocal music, but if he sets his sights on conquering the profession of a jazz singer — he will succeed. This doesn’t mean he’s not succeeding now — he is, and very well, but if he continues to develop in this direction and keeps playing with such great musicians (which will definitely influence his growth), he will be irreplaceable. The album, though small, brings joy.