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Maciek Hrybowicz - Single Review: Mr Ponsonby

17 Aug 2020 // A review by malexa

As far as introductions go, Poland-born composer and guitarist Maciek Hrybowicz has left quite the impression with this calling card.

Mr Ponsonby is taken from his 2019 album AWA, a collection of pieces inspired by the beauty of his adopted home land New Zealand.

As the title suggests, it references an afternoon spent driving around the suburb of Ponsonby in Auckland and captures the somewhat sophisticated (of course, that would be a matter of perception!!!), laid-back, cafe dynamic of the area.

Hrybowicz, who has honed his craft in multiple genres but most notably with jazz singer Carol Grimes, has a technique and style that’s evocative but understated.

Mr Ponsonby shuffles along at a gently brisk pace with precise and fluid guitar lines, a delicate flourish of horns, a woozy solo that never overplays itself and smooth shifts in time signatures.

It’s the kind of track I would have expected to have heard on Rattle Records, where, as a reference point, he would not be out of place as an artist.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ ( 4 / 5 )
 
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About Maciek Hrybowicz

Maciek is a New Zealand guitarist born in Poland. After spending much of his life in London he moved to New Zealand where he lives with his wife. He currently composes and records his own music, produces records for Kiwi artists, plays live music in and around Aotearoa and has performed at several jazz and blues music festivals.

Maciek’s performance at the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival led to this 2015 quote from Sam Edwards of Waikato Times: “…delivering a virtuoso and musically informed lesson in guitar”. More recently, in 2020, a review by Mike Alexander (www.muzic.net.nz) described Maciek as having “…a technique and style that’s evocative but understated” with his recent single , Mr Ponsonby having “precise and fluid guitar lines… and a woozy solo that never overplays itself and smooth shifts in time signatures.“

Maciek’s solo album AWA, inspired by the beauty of his adopted home Aotearoa New Zealand and indigenous M?ori culture, will awaken your senses and become your soundtrack for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Maciek Hrybowicz

Releases

AWA
Year: 2019
Type: Album

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