East Meets East

Nigel Kennedy's second wife, Agnieszka, is Polish and they spend a lot of time in Kraków, where Kennedy is the Artistic Director of the Polish Chamber Orchestra. In summer 2001, Kennedy, who had previously known Jerzy Bawoł, Tomasz Kukurba and Tomasz Lato separately at jam sessions in the jazz clubs of Kraków,[2][3] and Kroke meet during a concert tour in Cornwall. Kennedy immediately presented the group a cooperation offer. The result was East Meets East.[4]

East Meets East was recorded between May 2002 and January 2003 at NLD and S-5 recording studios in Kraków, and at The Town House and Abbey Road studios in London. The album was consequently mixed on the following May by Andy Green, Dariusz Grela and Hugo Nicholson at Eden, Metropolis, Town House and Mayfair studios in London, and mastered by Ian Cooper at Metropolis studio.[5] The album, published by Oriente Musik and internationally distributed through the classical music label of EMI from June 2003, was produced by John Stanley and Jaz Coleman. East Meets East has been top of the classical charts since its release,[6] Kroke was nominated for the BBC Radio 3 award in the World Music category,[1] and both Kroke and Kennedy played together at numerous European festivals for promoting it and received enthusiastic applause. After East Meets East, Kroke released Ten Pieces to Save the World",[4] and Kennedy next record saw a return to "Vivaldi" with his 2004 album Vivaldi II.[7]

The 14-track album features seven original tracks composed by Nigel Kennedy and the three Kroke, Jerzy Bawoł, Tomasz Kukurba and Tomasz Lato, and seven traditional songs all arranged by them. The album is a stylistic and topical potpourri of music fusion that features elements of Folk and World music with influences from the East European and Arabic music, inspired by the music of the Balkans, Romani and Gypsy people, and Jewish music, with klezmer and sephardic modes and scales. There are also elements of the Western music such as free jazz and rock, as well as the traditional music of Poland, polonaise, polka and mazurka. Because of this mixture of different elements and traditions, and the experimental nature of this work, its tone frequently turns from the desperate sadness to the extreme joy.[7]

The opening track, "'Ajde Jano" is a Serbian kolo folk dance song. The vocals, sung in South Slavic languages, are provided by Natacha Atlas, a Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and Western electronic music.[3][8] The second track, "Lullaby for Kamila", is the first piece of the album entirely composed by Jerzy Bawoł, Nigel Kennedy, Tomasz Kukurba, and Tomasz Lato. This klezmer piece, along with "One Voice", is considered one of the best pieces of the entire album.[8] "T 4.2" is an original composition by Kennedy and Kroke. This klezmer piece showcases Kennedy's electric violin in a very sonically interesting setting, while electric bass is provided by Mo Foster, and additional percussion by Miles Bould.[8] "Eden", original title "The/A Garden of Eden", is a traditional klezmer song composed by American clarinetist, bandleader, and one of the pioneers of modern klezmer music Harry Kandel.[9]

The following two tracks, "Dafino", original title "Dafino vino crveno" (Macedonian: Дафино вино црвено; Red Wine Dafina), and "Jovano Jovanke" (Macedonian: Јовано, Јованке, Bulgarian: Йовано, Йованке, Serbian: Jovano, Jovanke) are two traditional folk songs from the region of Macedonia, both very popular in the Balkans. "Ederlezi" is an "exquisitely refined"[3] instrumental version of a popular folk song of the Romani minority in the Balkans. The effect produced by the four "is bittersweet as opposed to saccharine, which it might have become in the hands of lesser players."[3] "Kazimierz", a traditional Polish song, is dedicated to the historical district of Kraków in Poland, best known for being home to a Jewish community in Kraków from the 14th century until the Second World War. "One Voice" is a klezmer piece composed by Bawoł, Kennedy, Kukurba and Lato. The track, which features additional percussion played by Miles Bould, and additional strings played by the Kraków Philharmonic Orchestra, is a showcase for the three widely varying violin styles of Kennedy, Kukurba and guest violinist Aboud Abdoul Aal.[3] It is, along with "Lullaby for Kamila", not only one of the loveliest performances of Kennedy's recorded career, it is also one of the most gently affecting compositions committed to tape in any genre in recent memory.[8]

"Tribute to Maria Tănase" is a traditional song dedicated to the renowned Romanian singer of Romanian folk music Maria Tănase. "Time 4 Time" is a klezmer song composed by Bawoł, Kennedy, Kukurba, and Lato. Additional percussion are provided by Miles Bould, while Kukurba provides a non-verbal falsetto.[3] "Vino", composed by Bawoł, Kennedy, Kukurba and Lato, features elements of "Dafino vino crveno" and "Ederlezi". The electric bass is provided by Mo Foster, additional percussion by Miles Bould. "Lost in Time", composed by Bawoł, Kennedy, Kukurba and Lato, is an unaccompanied solo track where Kennedy's fine and expressive playing is in no way overcooked.[3][10] The album's closing track, "Kukush" is a klezmer song composed by Bawoł, Kennedy, Kukurba and Lato that showcases Kennedy's electric violin in a very sonically interesting setting.[8]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[10]
Artistdirect	[8]
BBC Music	(favourable)[3]
Muza	[11]

Nigel Kennedy's version of Vivaldi's Four Seasons, released in 2002, is the best-selling classical record of all time. East Meets East is a further musical experiment and another shift away from the classical music with which Nigel Kennedy is normally associated, and is reflective of his career, which has seen him experiment with so many types of music.[7] Jon Lusk wrote in his review of the album for BBC Music that "The balance of upbeat and reflective material is well judged and sequenced. It's also nice to hear Kroke once again playing to their strengths."[3]

The album was highly recommendedand by critic Rick Anderson, who wrote that it is an "eerily lovely collection of new compositions and folk tunes drawing on Polish and other Eastern European traditions. Teamed up with the Krakow band Kroke [...], Kennedy delivers a set of tunes that are, by turns, dramatic, soothing, emotionally tormented, and romantically yearning."[8] Allmusic reviewer, Blair Sanderson, described the album as "an exploration of Eastern European music, presented in a fusion of popular styles without pandering to the classical audience with crossover concessions. [...] The musicians play well as an ensemble, perhaps most successfully in the vigorous dance style that reaches maximum frenzy in Kukush" giving the album eight stars out of ten.[10]

The album was well received and has also hit the United States charts. The success of the album, along with its promotional tour, led Kroke to be nominated for the Europe category at the BBC Awards for World Music in 2004.[1]