JEFF BUJAK
(Spiritual/New Age, Dance/Electronic)
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PEACES OF MAN AND MACHINE - John Book, The Run-Off Groove, Washington State (12-11-06) www.musicforamerica.org
The unexpected is what I like. The front cover of Jeff Bujak's Peaces Of Man And Machine (Lizardflag Recordings) is a simple photo of a robotic hand about to touch a rose. It immediately brings to mind thoughts of the natural with the electronic, the warmth with the unspoken. Yet by looking at the cover, and only knowing a rough idea of his assigned "genre", I didn't know what Jeff Bujak's music would sound like.
When I popped the CD in and saw that it was 78:42 in length, I said "WHOA!" Let me repeat that for emphasis, I said "WHOA!" Okay, if you're going to do an album that long, then I best be entertained. Or in truth, I want to hear some good music that justifies me sitting down for that long to hear it in full. The simply titled "I" has Bujak (a classically trained pianist) introducing himself with a pretty melody, and it could go anywhere. It could be country, it could be blues, there are also some poppy sensibilities. A minute later, the voyage begins with "Cake" and his piano playing is surrounded by percussion and subtle electronic sounds. The man can play, and my immediate thought was Bruce Hornsby, due to the way they courageously play to create a mood and play towards a goal. This goes on for about ten minutes, where Bujak moves to the keyboards every now and then, only to return to the piano.
Upon track three, I hear... oh damn, is this true? I hear... vinyl crackle. I'm smiling, and it's not just crackle layered over for texture, it's used rhythmically. One minute into the song and we hear his voice for the first time and another name comes to mind: Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode. Not only that, but the music suddenly moves from simplicity to exquisitely complex, with textured strings and the kind of overall production that sounds more like a finely tuned band than that of a one-man show. The song then segues immediately into "Puzzle" and for twelve minutes he goes deep into foreign territory, this time with funky beats and the kind of quirky sounds that will sound familiar to fans of Bjork.
Five of the album's tracks are over nine minutes, and yet not once does it get boring or stale. The textures, and the durations he takes to paint his picture, reminds me of Jazzanova, Jaga Jazzist, or Japanese pianist Hajime Yoshizawa. Bujak is a brilliant musician who does not hold himself back from playing within different styles. He utilizes his talent to simply create music without boundaries, and one is perhaps able to hear a part of him in these songs. The songs where Bujak steps up to the mic to sing almost serve as links between each segment of the album, and by the time the listener reaches the end, one can turn around and see how far the journey has taken them. It is a journey worth taking, and his music is sure to be more adventurous as time goes on. -- lizardflag
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