Szilárd Mezei Quintet - As You

Donald Elfman, AllAboutJazz

The Serbian Szilàrd Mezei, on viola and a kind of Balkan flute called a kaval, leads his quintet - Albert Márkos on cello, Kornél Pápista on tuba, Ervin Malina on bass and István Csik on drums - through four very open extended compositions in which the leader’s instrument is a powerful solo force but more importantly at the center of the colors and textures that burst out of the ensemble mix. It’s fitting that As You should appear on the Ayler label as the music extends the visceral and often frenetic authority of the late saxophonist and his times.