Record Reviews

ED CHERRY SPECIAL TRIO ~ SZOSTA PO POLUDNIU FOR TUNE 0064 (Barcode: 5902768701661) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is a live recording at Warsaw´s club Szosta Po Poludniu (hence the album´s title) of a trio led by veteran American guitarist Ed CherryFind albums by this artist with a Polish rhythm section: bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist. The trio performs six tunes, five of which are standards and one is a Pop song. The music is a standard mainstream, completely unimaginative, uninspiring and honestly boring to tears. Although Cherry has an impressive musical history, his contributions in the last decades are not very impressive or noteworthy and his playing here unfortunately sounds like a third rate imitation of Wes MontgomeryFind albums by this artist and is sadly embarrassing. The rhythm section, although quite professional, is not able to save this gig from disaster. This kind of music is still played in clubs all over the US, but on the European scene it is utterly out of place in view of the creativity and excellence displayed by musicians in any European country today. One can only wonder why this gig was recorded and released in the first place and speculate about the inferiority complex some Europeans still suffer from, based on the assumption that anything in Jazz done by Afro-Americans is superior to European Jazz, which is simply not true for at least half a Century. The usually excellent Polish For TuneFind albums on this label label, which released dozens of superb albums in the last few years, made a real blunder with this album. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come.

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IMPROVISION QUARTET ~ ANONYM POLSKIE RADIO 2442 (Barcode: 5905610870560) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2020 Released: 2023 This is the second album by Polish Jazz Improvision QuartetFind albums by this artist, comprising of clarinetist Szymon KlimaFind albums by this artist, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist. Whereas their debut album from 2017 “Free-Folk-JazzFind albums with this title” presented their interpretations of Polish Folklore, this time they offer interpretations of Polish music by anonymous composers from the Medieval period. The album presents seven tracks, with three of the tracks credited to Wania, one to Klima, one to Kowalewski, one co-credited to Klima and Wania and finally one left uncredited, referring to the title. The music, although based on some melodic / composed themes, is mostly Freely improvised, leaving the challenge of identifying the original music to the listener, if need be. The performances are all, no surprisingly, phenomenal, and I personally have a great affinity to the clarinet playing by Klima, who is certainly one of the most underappreciated Jazz players on the Polish scene. Of course Wania is a magician whose piano parts keep the music wonderfully together, and the rhythm session drives it intelligently forward. This is “well organized” Free Jazz, which makes perfect sense for the entire duration, challenging the listener but staying coherent and brilliantly focused. It took a while for this music to be released, as it was recorded in the midst of the pandemic, but it makes me very happy to see it finally out. This is the first Jazz album featuring Klima released on a Polish label, since his previous recordings were released by the wonderful Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label, now sadly dormant. If anyone deserves more exposure, it is definitely him, Chapeau bas to Polskie RadioFind albums on this label label for releasing this superb piece of music. Overall, this is a challenging but highly intelligent example of Polish Free Jazz, which deserves to be heard by all followers of the genre worldwide. Brilliant musicianship, musical depth and a true feast to the ears!

Updated: 08/12/2023Posted: 08/12/2023

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IMPROVISION QUARTET ~ FREE-FOLK-JAZZ HEVHETIA 0159 (Barcode: 8588005258227) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish ensemble called Improvision QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of clarinetist Szymon KlimaFind albums by this artist, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist. The album presents six improvisations based on Polish musical Folklore, arranged by the quartet. The album offers an unprecedented high quality recording sound, definitely one of the best I came across this year (2017). The music, as already mentioned above, consists of Free Form improvisations based on Polish Folklore songs, some of those being well known and others completely obscure. The quartet offers a remarkable ensemble work, which presents a coherent and clear artistic vision, consistently developed throughout the album, deeply rooted in Free Jazz / Improvised Music tradition, but also astonishingly minimalistic, focused and full of breathing space. There is a beautiful atmosphere of relaxation and complete lack of pressure to state anything beyond the necessary. In some respects this album is the continuation of the "Lutoslawski RetunedFind albums with this title" album recorded three years earlier, but the statements are much bolder and refined this time. The individual contributions by these virtuosi musicians are all absolutely brilliant from start to finish. The minimalistic approach allows for many solo / duo / trio and eventually also quartet statements, which expose each of the participants in complete "nakedness". Not surprisingly they all manage to come victorious from the challenging circumstances, which present to the listener some of the best moments these musicians ever put on record. Wania´s contributions are definitely stellar and for me personally probably they are his best playing ever so far. His wondrous ability to say so much with just a few touches of the keyboard is simply miraculous. But Klima, Kowalewski and especially Jarosz also contribute amazing moments, with the latter producing some of the most amazing percussive effects I had the pleasure to hear. This is definitely one of the finest hours of Polish Jazz in 2017, although it will probably not achieve the praise it deserves, as usual on the Polish scene, where often some pretty dismal albums get all the distinctions, prizes and attention. Well, life is not fair and people are stupid and deaf. This is an amazing album from start to finish, which redefines the contemporary Free Jazz idiom, again emphasizing the fact that sublime things in Jazz happen only in Europe. One needs to be born in Poland and suck the Polish Culture from one´s mother´s breast, to be able to play like that and create music like this one. Luckily the Art aesthetic is universal and anybody on this Earth of ours, with some soul and musical ears should be able to enjoy this music on the deepest level. Absolutely brilliant!

Updated: 03/11/2017Posted: 03/11/2017

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JANCZARSKI & MCCRAVEN QUINTET ~ LIBERATOR FOR TUNE 0132 (Barcode: 5906395808427) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018 This is the second album by the Polish / American quintet co-led by Polish saxophonist Borys JanczarskiFind albums by this artist and American drummer Stephen McCravenFind albums by this artist, with Polish pianist Joanna GajdaFind albums by this artist and bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and American trumpeter Rasul SiddikFind albums by this artist. Together they perform seven tunes, five of which are originals (three by Gajda and one each by Janczarski and McCraven) and two standards, one each by Woody ShawFind albums by this artist and Billy EckstineFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live at Warsaw´s 12 on 14 Jazz Club and another venue and has a superb sound quality. The music is a continuation of the direction established on the quintet´s debut album, i.e. straightforward mainstream American Jazz, very well played and presenting solid composition, but hardly innovative or challenging. It seems that although the majority of the quintet members are Polish musicians, the spirit of the music is completely enthralled within the American traditionalism, which changed very little since the heyday of Bebop half a Century ago. But innovation aside, this is still a perfectly enjoyable Jazz album, with highly professional playing, which is much more relaxed and less constrained that on the debut album, and full of joy and energy. Considering the fact that mainstream Jazz has a large following the world over, this album should be appealing to many Jazz lovers. It also proves that European musicians are able to play Jazz as well as any American musician, even within the mainstream idiom, and the "White Man Can´t Jump" is a lot of bull. It is good to see that the quintet gives more exposure to the compositions by Gajda, who is undoubtedly a very skillful and talented composer. Her piano solos are also amongst the most interesting moments on the album. Overall this is a nice mainstream effort, which should be very enjoyable to a wide range of mainstream Jazz audiences, which presents well woven tunes and heartfelt performance as well as superb sound quality.

Updated: 08/05/2018Posted: 08/05/2018

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JANCZARSKI & MCCRAVEN QUINTET ~ TRAVELLING EAST WEST FOR TUNE 0081 (Barcode: 5902768701876) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is an album by the Polish / American quintet co-led by Polish saxophonist Borys JanczarskiFind albums by this artist and American drummer Stephen McCravenFind albums by this artist, with Polish pianist Joanna GajdaFind albums by this artist and bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and American trumpeter Rasul SiddikFind albums by this artist. Together they perform eight tunes, seven of which are originals (three by Janczarski, two by Gajda and one each by McCraven and Siddik) and one is a standard by Woody ShawFind albums by this artist. The music is standard mainstream Jazz, with nice compositions and eloquent execution, but sadly not remarkable in any way. Except for the singular Siddik´s tune, which has an interesting World Music motif, the rest of the material is well within the Bebop or even Swing tradition, which has been already exploited to death decades ago. The musicians are all professionals, but one can find hardly anything out of ordinary by any of them on this album. Siddik´s presence in these proceedings seems completely accidental, considering his past musical path. Of course many Jazz enthusiasts still like this kind of music, especially in America, where it still rules, but honestly it contributes nothing to the development of Jazz nowadays and recording such music, especially in Poland, as good as it might be, does not make much sense. Overall it is a pleasant, well played mainstream album, which surely will please many mainstream listeners, but is definitely not something I´d play again after enjoying it once.

Updated: 22/02/2016Posted: 22/02/2016

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KLIMA / WYLEZOL / KOWALEWSKI ~ LUTOSLAWSKI RETUNED HEVHETIA 0114 (Barcode: 8588005257664) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz trio comprising of clarinetist Szymon KlimaFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist and bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist. Veteran Polish Jazz musician Piotr Baron guests on one track playing bass clarinet. The album´s music was all composed by the contemporary Classical Polish composer Witold LutoslawskiFind albums by this artist, and includes his five dance preludes (composed in 1954 as a five-parts suite) and a sixth unrelated composition, which was initially published under a pseudonym. What prompted to rearrange (or retune) these composition for a Jazz environment was probably the Lutoslawski Year celebrations in 2013 (his 100 Birthday), which were a big cultural event in Poland and brought the composer to the attention of a much wider audience, including many young Jazz musicians. As a result a long list of Polish Jazz albums, like this one, paid tribute to the great composer; for example "Inspired By LutoslawskiFind albums with this title" by Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, "BukolikiFind albums with this title" by High Definition QuartetFind albums by this artist, "AtomsphereFind albums with this title" by Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist and many others. The dance preludes suite, which was originally composed for clarinet and piano, was later twice (1955 and 1959) re-orchestrated for larger ensembles, but Klima based his Jazzy approach on the original intimate version, which remains intimate under the new arrangement. As almost always with Lutoslawski, his music is deeply rooted in the Polish Folklore, and these "dances" all bear resemblance of the characteristic folklore melodies and harmonies, at least to people who are acquainted with that music. Klima, both as arranger and player, oscillates between the Classical and the Jazz idioms, as his clarinet tone and phrasing are almost completely Classical whereas his improvised parts are of course Jazz related. Of course Wylezol and Kowalewski are bona fide Jazz musicians, and their contributions have a decisive weight to turn this music into a wonderful Jazz-Classical Fusion. The intimacy of this music, the virtuosi performances, the elegant and respectful treatment of the original inspirations all add up to a superbly balanced and delightful musical adventure, which should prove pleasing and satisfying to all connoisseurs of good music. Hopefully some of the listeners will try to find out how the music sounds in its original Classical incarnations, and perhaps venture into more fabulous music created by Lutoslawski, other might wish to explore other recordings by Wylezol and Kowalewski, also released by the excellent HevhetiaFind albums on this label label. If so everybody wins, both of the Classical and the Jazz enthusiasts. This album is a great example of a cross-genre exploration, which treats the origins with respect and love, creating a new, perfectly valid amalgamation, which manages to preserve the aesthetics of its origins. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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SZYMON KLIMA ~ FOLWARK HEVHETIA 0166 (Barcode: 8588005258395) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz quintet led by clarinetist / composer Szymon KlimaFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonist Dariusz RubinowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jakub MizerackiFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jakub MiarczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six pieces, which are all interpretations of Polish Folklore in the widest meaning of the idiom, including even Polish Hassidic music, and also include some improvised and inspired motifs created by the quintet members. In 2017 Klima, as a member of the Improvision QuartetFind albums by this artist, released one of the best Polish Jazz albums of that year, the fantastic "Free-Folk-JazzFind albums with this title", and this album is in many respects a continuation of the same approach, although the sound is somewhat different. Instead of the wonderful piano parts, which placed the music closer to the Free Jazz milieu, on this album the guitar takes the music more into Free Rock direction. But the basic characteristics of the previous album, which are above all about the intimate conversations between the musicians and the mutual development of ideas, are still here. The individual contributions by all the quintet members are all superb, and the virtuosic statements chase each other as the music moves forward. Solos, duos, trios and full quintet parts move in and out in a magical flow, which is unstoppable. There is accord and contrast, harmony and discord, all making perfect sense. The "sweet" mellow clarinet sound and the harsh distorted guitar din are able to coexist in perfect coherence and musical logic. The rhythm section is brought up to the level of the other instruments and becomes an integral part of the music, especially in the heat of the group improvisation parts. It seems that Polish Jazz manages time after time to create innovative and challenging statements when re-examining and re-approaching the Polish Folklore musical tradition, which is broad and rich, probably more successfully that similar attempts on other Jazz scenes around the world. This album is another example of the inspiration that Polish Folklore is able to arouse, stimulate and inspire, taking the amalgamated result into unpredicted and previously uncharted territory. Overall this is yet another highly successful and rewarding musical experiment by Klima and his cohorts, which delivers excellent music and challenging, but highly rewarding listening experience. For Polish / European Jazz connoisseurs this is a golden nugget and a must have in every serious / advanced Jazz-World Fusion collection. Hats off!

Updated: 30/04/2018Posted: 30/04/2018

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ADAM KOWALEWSKI ~ FOR YOU HEVHETIA 0068 (Barcode: 8588005257053) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a duo setting with pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist. It presents eight compositions, five of which are originals by Kowalewski, one is an original by Wylezol and the remaining two are standards. The album was released on the Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label and was one of the first Polish Jazz albums released by that label, to be later followed up by numerous others. Kowalewski recorded a plethora of albums as a sideman before he recorded this album, which means that he was already an established name on the local scene and the purpose of this album was obviously to present Kowalewski also as a composer apart from his abilities as a bass player. He cooperated with Wylezol earlier on playing bass on Wylezol´s debut piano trio album and therefore the choice of partners is hardly accidental. The music presents a series of melodic tunes, well within the Jazz mainstream, which are played by the duo with a lot of space and mutual respect, allowing both musicians plenty of breathing space. As expected in such circumstances, the volume of the bass is higher up in the mix than normal, which allows the listener to hear exactly every note played by the instrument. The problem with bass / piano albums is of course that the piano, which plays all the melody lines, "steals" the listener´s attention and only the most experienced listeners are able to split their attention between the two instruments on an equal basis. However, those able to listen to both instruments in parallel will discover a beautiful dialogue and a supportive collaboration, which is elegant and graceful. Acoustic bass buffs will of course have a field day with this album, and considering the good sound quality of this recording, it is quite suitable to test top range Hi-Fi equipment for balanced bass / midrange response. Personally I´m looking forward for the next album by Kowalewski, to discover more of his melodic gems!

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LESZEK KULAKOWSKI ~ KOMEDA VARIATIONS FOR TUNE 0148 (Barcode: 5906395808632) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is an album by veteran Polish pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Leszek KulakowskiFind albums by this artist. It presents a live concert recording of Kulakowski´s arrangements of film music by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, for a Symphony Orchestra. These arrangements were originally written by Kulakowski in 2001 and performed the same year by the Lodz PhilharmonicFind albums by this artist with the participation of the brilliant Polish Jazz trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist as a soloist. Almost twenty years later the concert was repeated and recorded, this time with slightly changed arrangements featuring a Jazz quartet with Kulakowski on piano, bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomasz SowinskiFind albums by this artist, and the sadly departed Stanko replaced by three trumpeters: Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and German Christoph TitzFind albums by this artist, playing with the Sinfonia BalticaFind albums by this artist Philharmonic Orchestra, directed by Radoslaw DronFind albums by this artist. The genius film music by Komeda is of course a wonderful subject matter, and in Kulakowski´s hands (or rather mind) it metamorphoses into its Classical form gracefully and "willingly", proving the greatness of both the composer and the arranger. The transformation sounds absolutely naturally and manages to bring to light many aspects of the original compositions, which often remain hidden in their Jazz interpretations. Although the arrangements may appear bold and "invasive" in some ways, they are absolutely justified and artistically coherent. The performances are also absolutely brilliant from start to finish. The balance between the orchestra and the quartet is perfect all along the way and the focus on the trumpet soli is holding the internal tension and creates a superb continuity, which keeps the listener mesmerized. Having three trumpeters, each with his idiosyncratic approach, adds another layer of diversity to the entire project. Kulakowski spices the proceedings with his superb piano solos, full of delicate touches and melancholic twists. It is a well known fact that Komeda´s music has been abused and mistreated many times by Polish Jazz musicians, thinking that by playing his music they would be automatically immune from criticism. It gives me a great joy to see (and hear) Komeda treated with respect and love, and mastery and imagination, which he truly deserves, like in this case. Overall this album is an instant classic, a must have by Polish Jazz fans and Komeda admirers all over the world and a sublime example of Polish / European Jazz ingenuity, which does hesitate to reach boldly beyond the obvious. Well done my Friend!

Updated: 22/12/2020Posted: 22/12/2020

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BEATA PRZYBYTEK ~ I`M GONNA ROCK YOU FLID 001 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 - 2012 Released: 2012 This is the fourth album by the Polish vocalist Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist and her debut as a singer / songwriter. After releasing three consecutive albums between 2003 and 2005, Przybytek took almost seven years to come up with this album, which presents sixteen songs written by her to lyrics (in English) by Alicja MaciejowskaFind albums by this artist (thirteen songs) and her own (the remaining three songs). She is accompanied by a wonderful ensemble of gifted and sympathetic instrumentalists, which includes the keyboardist / arranger Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, who is responsible for the truly excellent and highly skilled musical settings created for her songs. Other players include guitarist Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist, pianist Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist, bassists Tomasz KupiecFind albums by this artist and Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist, drummers Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof DziedzicFind albums by this artist and Filip MozulFind albums by this artist and percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians also appear, among them trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Bernard MaseliFind albums by this artist, organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and others. Przybytek started her career as a Jazz vocalist, but her last album ("WonderlandFind albums with this title"), which comprised entirely of songs by Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist, saw her already flirting with Pop, Soul and Rhythm And Blues. This album, which focuses on her songwriting as much, if not more, as on her performances, takes her into new territory, which in a beautiful amalgam of Pop, Blues, Gospel, Soul and Jazz. The artistic level of her songwriting is formidable and these sixteen songs are all jewels in their own right, quite diverse and beautifully full of character. I must admit that at first hearing I could hardly believe my ears as I haven´t heard such a sublime collection of new songs in a very long time. The vocal performances are also first-class, somewhat similar to the mannerisms of Etta JamesFind albums by this artist / Amy WinehouseFind albums by this artist, but with a wonderfully warm tone and total control of timbre and expression. It´s a pity she chose to sing in English as I personally am quite convinced that if she sang these songs in her native language the result would have been even more stunning. Well, one can´t win them all. Still this is one of the best albums of its kind that I´ve heard in a very long time. The instrumental parts are, as already mentioned, simply delightful. Each song gets quite a different treatment, which keeps the album changing mood and ambiance often, as well as the instrumentation. The guest musicians get to deliver their respective solo spots and it sure looks like a great time was had by all during the recording sessions. This album is also a wonderful example of high quality music, which can be overtly accessible, without compromising even an iota of its intrinsic value. Every music lover should have a field day with this brilliant piece of music. Hats off, Beata! Silesia rulez again!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted:

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BEATA PRZYBYTEK ~ TODAY GIRLS DON`T CRY FLID 003 (Barcode: 5908254159718) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Soul Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2017 Released: 2017 This is the long anticipated fifth album by Polish singer / songwriter Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist. It presents twelve original songs composed by Przybytek, nine of which feature English lyrics by Alicja MaciejowskaFind albums by this artist, two feature Polish lyrics by Dariusz DuszaFind albums by this artist and one features Polish lyrics by Grzegorz WasowskiFind albums by this artist. There is also a bonus track (lucky thirteen) written by Polish poet Andrzej PoniedzielskiFind albums by this artist and guitarist / composer Jakub ChmielarskiFind albums by this artist. The recording of the album lasted for almost two and a half years, spans several recording studios and features some of the best Polish Instrumentalist, many of them associated with Polish Jazz. Keyboardist Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist is again in charge of the arrangements and production and other musicians involved include keyboardists Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist and Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, guitarists Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist and the a/m Jakub Chmielarski, bassists Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist, Robert SzewczugaFind albums by this artist and Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist, drummers Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist, Filip MozulFind albums by this artist and Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist, percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Marek PodkowaFind albums by this artist and Mariusz MaczkaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Sebastian SoldrzynskiFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Beata BednarzFind albums by this artist guests on one track. About five years ago the previous album by Przybytek ("I`m Gonna Rock YouFind albums with this title") landed accidently on my desk and my enthusiastic review expressed my delight and joy experienced while listening to it, heralding her as one of the great hopes of the Polish vocal scene, despite the fact that she was almost completely unknown at the time. After a long wait it is even more delightful to hear that my "discovery" proved to be spot on and Przybytek delivered another masterpiece, not only on the Polish scale, but surely on a world scale as well. There are only a handful of other singer / songwriters active today who are able to write such wonderfully heartfelt songs and deliver them with such passion, conviction and seductive magnetism. Each and every one of these songs is an absolute gem, with no weak moments on the entire album. Although rooted in Jazz, Przybytek made a very conscious and in retrospect astute decision to move towards Soul, Rhythm And Blues and sophisticated Pop, which suit both her warm, sexy voice and obviously also her musical inclinations better than the Jazz idiom she started with. It takes a lot of intuition and self-confidence to make decisions like that, which in Przybytek´s case paved the way for her spectacular success. She truly "found herself" perfectly on this album, which directly projects on its quality, making it as "perfect" musically as albums get. Of course Przybytek´s vocals are more polished than on her earlier recordings, luckily not destroying her natural vocal qualities, which are still convincing and heartbreaking. Although I prefer her singing Polish lyrics (as usual in my case) her delivery of the English lyrics are spotless and completely natural. The instrumental work by all the musicians involved is absolutely stunning, as expected. My personal favorites are the organ parts played by Tomaszewski, who is superb as always, but the overall level of performances is simply extraordinary. This is obviously one of the best Polish albums released in 2017, regardless of what other critics may say. Over the years I have completely lost confidence in the Polish music awards scene, including the "Fryderyki", which have become a complete farce, but if any Polish album deserves the title of album of the year 2017, this is it! Przybytek is the epitome of talent and professionalism, which sadly are not in high esteem any more. Personally I wish to thank you Beata for fulfilling my belief in you, for writing such beautiful songs, for singing them so exquisitely and for making this dark, sad world a better place, even if only for some fifty six minutes and twenty two seconds ;) Go Women!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 24/12/2017

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ANNA SERAFINSKA ~ GADU GADU (SPECIAL EDITION) POMATON 5099944044626 (Barcode: 5099944044626) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2005 - 2012 Released: 2012 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz / Pop singer Anna SerafinskaFind albums by this artist. It includes fourteen songs, all of which feature the lyrics by the great Polish poetess and lyricist Agnieszka OsieckaFind albums by this artist. The music was composed mainly by Seweryn KrajewskiFind albums by this artist (ex-Czerwone GitaryFind albums by this artist), one of Poland´s most remarkable songwriters. The other composers include several leading Polish Jazz figures like Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and others. The music was arranged by Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, who also plays piano and other musicians include bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist (who plays some mean fretless bass parts), drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist and many others, as well as a string quartet. The original album was released in 2006 and this special edition, released in 2012, adds two songs newly recorded with Anna´s new group called Groove MachineFind albums by this artist. The album has a great potential and seemingly all the right ingredients: first-class songs, wonderful lyrics, skilful arrangements and excellent musicianship, and yet although it is pleasant and overall enjoyable, it is also quite forgettable. Stylistically it sort of "sits on the fence" between Pop and Jazz, being both too close to Pop to be considered Jazz and too Jazzy to be a straightforward Pop. Herdzin´s arrangements push it consistently towards Latin grooves and mainstream Jazz settings, but the result is all over the place and feels somehow uneasy. I understand that Serafinska has quite a following in Poland, but this is the second album of hers that I listened to and she leaves me stone cold. Fortunately she sticks to Polish lyrics on this album, avoiding the problems of struggling with a foreign language, but her vocals simply don´t do it for me, which of course is completely my fault. In my ears her vocal range is somewhat limited and the emotional expressiveness just doesn´t cut it for me (again), although she does have a good feel for groove, which explains what she does with her new band. Of course there are some superb moments here and the album is a nice listening experience, which can be enjoyed by many listeners across the genre borders. I sort of hoped it would be more than that.

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LORA SZAFRAN ~ EWA DEMARCZYK: INSPIRACJE POLSKIE RADIO 2444 (Barcode: 5905610871109) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz vocalist Lora SzafranFind albums by this artist, supported by a formidable team of instrumentalists, fronted by pianist / arranger Milosz WoskoFind albums by this artist, drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and others. She also invited three guest: vocalist Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and accordionist Jaroslaw BesterFind albums by this artist, who appear on selected tracks. The album presents ten tracks, all being songs associated with the repertoire of the Polish Diva Ewa DemarczykFind albums by this artist, six of which were composed by the legendary Zygmunt KoniecznyFind albums by this artist, two by Andrzej ZaryckiFind albums by this artist and the remaining two by others. The lyrics are mostly by renown Polish Poets, like Julian TuwimFind albums by this artist and others. Any attempt to touch an icon / legend / idol of the class of Demarczyk is a highly risky and virtually impossible task. Although the new arrangements of these songs, which are taken more into the Jazz environment, rather than the original chanson / theatrical idiom created matchlessly by Demarczyk, the comparisons are inevitable, and sadly come out rather oddly in the ears of anybody familiar with the original. Of course one has to give credit to the new arrangements and the excellent work by the instrumentalists involved, as well as Szafran’s vocal abilities and the throaty coloring of her voice, all of which are truly admirable. Still, the mind does not allow to separate oneself from the deeply seeded impressions and memories of the original. Some things are obviously better left alone… Overall, this is an impressive production / arrangement / execution in every respect, but I am simply too old to let my personal memories be forgotten, which is apparently needed in order to enjoy this album, beyond appreciating the effort. Of course these songs are still absolute treasures of Polish Culture.

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 29/12/2023

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PIOTR WYLEZOL QUINTET ~ LIVE NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This is a live recording by Polish Jazz quintet led by pianist / composer Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonist Adam PieronczykFind albums by this artist, Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof DziedzicFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions (one repeated twice as a bonus track), five of which were composed by Wylezol and two by Doruzka. The music is all within the mainstream Jazz idiom, based on solid melodies, and as usual with Eastern European composers with a distinct share of melancholy. There is little drama on this album with the tunes flowing gently one after another, leaving the listener in a state of blissful relaxation. The individual performances are all excellent, as expected from musicians of this class. Pieronczyk is one of the top Polish saxophonists with a vast experience and Doruzka is one of top European guitarists, in addition to the talented and also very experienced leader and the excellent rhythm section. There is nothing but professionalism and elegance herein. On the other hand considering the strength of the lineup, one might expect a somewhat more exciting and fulfilling result. Overall this is a nice live mainstream album, which should keep most Jazz listeners happy, but which in retrospect joins a long list of albums that go gently into that good night and remain consequently desolate.

Updated: 04/05/2017Posted: 04/05/2017

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend