Executive Overview
In the dynamic landscape of contemporary improvised music, debut recordings rarely arrive with the fully formed maturity, narrative cohesion, and orchestrational daring found on Somehow It Will Be. Released to critical acclaim, this remarkable debut is helmed by Perth-based composer, arranger, and accordionist Kirsten Symczycz. Rather than opting for the standard, well-trodden pathways of a jazz quintet or a massive, wall-of-sound big band, Symczycz has chosen the rare and challenging medium of the undectet—an eleven-piece ensemble that occupies the fertile, liminal space between chamber jazz and full-scale orchestral swing.
Somehow It Will Be is not merely a collection of charts designed to showcase technical facility; it is an immersive, deeply cinematic journey shaped by memory, geography, and personal reflection. Spanning impressionistic textures, driving rhythmic pulses, and moments of staggering spaciousness, the album introduces a composer whose musical identity is remarkably assured from its very first note.
This review and in-depth analysis explores the genesis of Symczycz’s undectet, the architectural brilliance of her arrangements, the standout compositions that define the record, and the broader implications of this release for the trajectory of modern large-ensemble jazz.
Detailed Chronology and Artistic Genesis
From the Western Australian Academy to the Undectet
The intellectual and creative roots of Somehow It Will Be trace back to Symczycz’s formative academic and artistic years at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). It was within those institutional walls that the young accordionist and composer first encountered the legendary Art Pepper + Eleven arrangements crafted by Marty Paich.
Paich’s historic 1959 recording demonstrated how a medium-sized ensemble—incorporating horns, reeds, and a dynamic rhythm section—could achieve the textural variety of a much larger big band while retaining the intimacy, agility, and improvisational freedom of a small combo. This revelation ignited a creative spark in Symczycz. She began to envision an ensemble format that could serve as a vehicle for complex, narrative-driven storytelling without sacrificing emotional accessibility.
Navigating the Idiomatic Landscape
Developing an eleven-piece ensemble requires a deft hand, particularly when reconciling disparate musical backgrounds. Symczycz brought to the project a rich tapestry of experiences, including deep immersion in free improvisation alongside collaborative work with prominent ensembles such as the Artemis Orchestra and Salama.
Rather than treating the undectet as a rigid acoustic machine, Symczycz utilized her background in improvised music to foster an environment of responsive listening. The resulting compositions do not force players into predetermined boxes; instead, they establish broad emotional and harmonic parameters within which individual musicians can breathe, react, and shape the unfolding narrative. Somehow It Will Be stands as the culmination of years of quiet experimentation, refinement, and artistic self-discovery, capturing the exact moment an emerging voice stepped firmly into the light.
Musical Architecture: Instrumentation, Textures, and Dynamics
The Power of the Eleven-Piece Palette
The choice of an undectet presents distinct compositional challenges. With eleven musicians on stage, the temptation for clutter is ever-present. Unskilled arrangers often succumb to the "more is more" philosophy, filling every bar with counterpoint and dense harmonies simply because the personnel is available. Symczycz avoids this pitfall entirely through an extraordinary command of dynamism and restraint.
The instrumentation of the ensemble is carefully curated to maximize coloristic possibilities:
- The Low-End Anchor & Textural Depth: The inclusion of baritone saxophone and low brass instruments provides a rich, dark foundation, establishing a warm acoustic floor that grounds the upper voices.
- Unique Voices: The integration of the French horn and Symczycz’s own accordion introduces a European, folk-infused chamber-jazz aesthetic that diverges sharply from standard American big-band paradigms.
- The Fluid Core: A responsive rhythm section featuring piano and guitar maintains forward momentum, ensuring the music remains fluid, agile, and perpetually alive.
Balancing Ensemble Writing with Individual Expression
Throughout the album, the interplay between collective orchestration and individual soloing is executed with surgical precision. Symczycz understands that silence is just as valuable as sound. Melodies are allowed to breathe, harmonies evolve with patient deliberation, and every solo feels genuinely earned rather than shoehorned into a mandatory 32-bar form.
The musicians—who clearly share a profound trust in the composer’s vision—bring warmth, personality, and deep sensitivity to the material. They approach the charts not as distant executants, but as active co-conspirators in a shared sonic memoir.
Track-by-Track Breakdown & Compositional Highlights
1. Jakość to będzie ("Somehow It Will Be")
The album opens with its title track, introducing listeners to a world of understated optimism. Rendered in Polish, the phrase Jakoś to będzie translates roughly to "somehow it will be"—an idiom capturing a resilient, hopeful fatalism in the face of uncertainty. The ensemble writing here is masterfully judged. Shifting instrumental colors emerge organically from the arrangement, avoiding any sense of overcrowding. The textures created by the French horn, low brass, and accordion weave seamlessly around the foundational piano and guitar, establishing an atmosphere of quiet confidence.
2. Leaving
Moving deeper into the album’s emotional core, Leaving carries a palpable yet restrained weight. Rather than relying on dramatic crescendos or overt sonic outbursts, Symczycz utilizes sparse voicings and lingering harmonies to evoke the bittersweet nature of transition and departure. The piece highlights her gift for emotional economy, proving that a medium-sized ensemble can convey profound vulnerability.
3. Giant Black Butterflies
Standing as the structural centerpiece of the record, the thirteen-minute epic Giant Black Butterflies is the album’s boldest and most ambitious statement. The composition unfolds like a multi-movement tone poem, full of dramatic dynamic contrasts and wildly imaginative orchestration. Here, the influence of free improvisation is most evident; the ensemble stretches out, navigating sudden tonal shifts, turbulent rhythmic passages, and moments of fragile, hovering stillness with absolute assurance.
4. One For Jim
Demonstrating the versatility of the undectet format, One For Jim introduces vocalist Sarah Ramsey to the mix. Ramsey’s warm, highly expressive vocal delivery adds an entirely new layer of emotional resonance to the album’s palette. Her voice merges with the horn lines as if it were simply another reed or brass instrument, demonstrating Symczycz’s integration of text and texture.
5. Broken Hill
The album reaches its natural and deeply satisfying conclusion with Broken Hill. Evoking the vast, sun-baked expanses of the Australian interior, the composition relies on an expansive sense of space and harmonic resolution. It is a masterclass in pacing, gently bringing the listener out of the immersive journey that began forty minutes prior.
Supporting Context, Metrics, and Critical Reception
| Metric / Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Artist / Composer | Kirsten Symczycz |
| Primary Format | Undectet (11-piece jazz/chamber ensemble) |
| Geographic Base | Perth, Western Australia |
| Key Influences | Marty Paich (Art Pepper + Eleven), Free Improvisation |
| Collaborating Artists | Sarah Ramsey (Vocals), Artemis Orchestra, Salama |
| Standout Tracks | Jakość to będzie, Giant Black Butterflies, Broken Hill |
Critical consensus surrounding Somehow It Will Be has been overwhelmingly positive. Jazz critics and contemporary music curators have highlighted the release as a vital reminder that large-ensemble jazz does not require the bombast of a traditional big band to make a profound statement. By scaling the orchestra down to eleven members, Symczycz has achieved a sweet spot of acoustic clarity, allowing critics to trace every individual voice within the collective polyphony.
Furthermore, the album’s cross-pollination of chamber jazz, European folk sensibilities (via the accordion), and contemporary free improvisation has positioned Symczycz as an artist capable of bridging disparate stylistic communities.
Future Outlook: A New Standard for Contemporary Composition
As Somehow It Will Be continues to find its audience across international jazz and contemporary music platforms, it establishes a high watermark for debut recordings in the genre. Kirsten Symczycz has proven herself to be a triple threat: a composer with a singularly distinctive voice, an instinctive orchestrator who understands the nuances of medium-sized ensembles, and a narrative storyteller capable of transforming intimate, localized experiences into art of universal resonance.
Looking forward, the jazz community will be watching closely to see how Symczycz develops the undectet concept. Will she expand the ensemble further, or continue to mine the infinite tonal shades available within eleven players? Whatever path she chooses, Somehow It Will Be guarantees that her next steps will be met with eager anticipation. Contemporary large-ensemble jazz is evolving in bold, unexpected directions—and in Kirsten Symczycz, the genre has found one of its most compelling, assured, and exciting new champions.
