Record Reviews

ANDRZEJ DABROWSKI / ALL STARS ~ LIVE FOR TUNE 0154 (Barcode: 5906395808700) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 - 2021 Released: 2022 This is a live album by veteran / iconic Polish Jazz vocalist / drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded during a concert celebrating his 80th Birthday. He is accompanied by a formidable sexted comprising of top Polish Jazz musicians: trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, pianist Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Marcin JahrFind albums by this artist. Dabrowski sings nine songs, seven of which are American standards and two are Polish ones, written by Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and Agnieszka OsieckaFind albums by this artist. A bonus track, the symbolic “My Way” (sung in Polish), recorded at the Polish Radio three years later with different musicians, is added to complete the set. Dabrowski has been a part of the Polish Jazz scene since its inception and this album is a loving tribute to his lifetime contribution to the Polish Jazz scene and its achievements. Considering the age of the protagonist of this recording, any attempt to say anything about his performances are completely irrelevant, and would simply miss the point by a mile. The musicians gathered here all pay tribute to their colleague, with obvious respect and adoration, and that is all that matters. Overall, the For TuneFind albums on this label label should be congratulated for releasing this loving tribute, which is a wonderful document of the Polish Jazz scene history. The respect paid to Culture is always highly appreciated. Side Note: This For Tune release initiates the new graphic layout of the label’s releases, which combines the decade-long tradition of consistent elegance and class. The move to digipak from the traditional jewel case is a sign of commitment to the collectors, many of which own the entire output of this excellent label, now numbering 155 releases – a true treasure of Polish Jazz.

Updated: 09/06/2022Posted: 09/06/2022

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DON ELLIS / WOJCIECH KAROLAK TRIO ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.02 POLSKIE RADIO 1590 (Barcode: 5907812245900) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1962 Released: 2013 This is the second installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The material presented here was recorded in 1962 during the 5th Jazz Jamboree and features American trumpeter Don EllisFind albums by this artist, accompanied by a Polish rhythm section consisting of pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. All the six tracks were recorded live during the Festival, the last of which is an extended suite composed by Polish pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist presented as part of a concert dedicated to the Third Stream (early Jazz-Classical Fusion initiated by American composer Gunther SchullerFind albums by this artist in the late 1950s). On that track the quartet is accompanied by the Polish National Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. Of the five shorter Jazz pieces, two are original compositions by Ellis and the remaining three are standards. Ellis was the second US musician who opted to play with a local rhythm section, following Stan GetzFind albums by this artist who did so two years earlier (as captured on the first volume of this series). Although he was just 28 years old at the time, he already had a lot of experience and quite a reputation as a result of playing with many top American Jazz acts in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His Polish partners: Karolak (aged 23), Dylag (aged 24) and Dabrowski (aged 24) sound like veterans, obviously ready and able for the occasion. Ellis was the ideal choice as a performer of the orchestral piece by Trzaskowski, as he was one of the musicians / composers involved in this genre from its early stage. There is a clear division between the first part of this album, which includes the five Jazz pieces and the orchestral suite, which is quite Avant-Garde and geared more towards Classical music listeners. Both parts are excellent, each presenting different merits of course. The fact that Trzaskowski composed the orchestral suite at that time is quite astonishing, considering the limited information about contemporary musical trends and developments that managed to cross over from behind the iron curtain. Obviously he was a man of great vision beyond his obvious talents as a player and composer. The wonderful ambience of the hall and the remastered sound quality are spectacular, worm and natural, leaving many contemporary recordings way behind, even though they were done 51 years ago using quite primitive equipment. The only note of criticism about this new edition is the lack of a proper booklet with proper liner notes, photographs and other well deserved details, which this monumental music truly deserves. Polish Radio really should have made an effort there. A pity! In retrospect this is a great document of the era and an integral part of the Polish Jazz saga, which deserves to be told and studied. The presence of the orchestral suite makes this an absolute must for collectors of Polish Jazz albums and Third Stream followers.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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STAN GETZ / ANDRZEJ TRZASKOWSKI TRIO ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.01 POLSKIE RADIO 1567 (Barcode: 5907812245672) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1960 Released: 2013 This is the first installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The material presented here was recorded in 1960 during the 3rd Jazz Jamboree and features American saxophone Giant Stan GetzFind albums by this artist, accompanied by a Polish rhythm section consisting of pianist Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. Nine of the twelve tracks included here were recorded live during the Festival and the additional three tracks were recorded in the same hall but late at night, without any spectators being presents. All the music comprises of Jazz standards. This recording was made before Getz reached the superstar popularity as a result of his Bossa Nova recordings a couple of years later, but he was already a much respected saxophonist with a very impressive record behind him, although he was just 33 years old at the time. The story about why Getz opted to play with a local rhythm section has many versions. Most Polish sources quote some vague statements indicating this as being a conscious decision made "in recognition of the talent of the young Polish Jazz musicians". That version has very little support in reality. One should bear in mind that Getz was living at the time in Scandinavia and did not have a steady group he performed with in Scandinavia, where he actually arrived from to play at the Jazz Jamboree (not from the USA). When I talked to Getz about his first visit in Poland (he was there again in 1974 and 1980), he told me that he heard just a little about Jazz in Poland before he arrived there, thanks to the early relationships between the Polish and the Scandinavian scenes, which was about to be expanded in the years to come. His willingness to play with the young Poles should be rather credited to his open-mindedness and general good nature, with always characterized him as a person. Also let us not forget that the logistics and costs involved with bringing an entire quartet from the USA at that time were quite beyond the capabilities of the festival´s organizers. As to the music, there is actually no need to say much about it. Getz plays divinely, as usual, with his unique tone and virtuosity and the sweetest saxophone sound ever. Obviously enjoying himself enormously, he allows the rhythm section to stretch out, playing relatively long solos. The young Poles: Trzaskowski (aged 27), Dylag (aged 22) and Dabrowski (aged 22) sound like veterans, obviously uplifted spiritually by the event. The music is simply perfect, from start to finish. The wonderful ambience of the hall and the remastered sound quality are spectacular, worm and natural, leaving many contemporary recordings way behind, even though they were done 53 years ago using quite primitive equipment. In short everything about this album is simply miraculous. The only note of criticism about this new edition is the lack of a proper booklet with proper liner notes, photographs and other well deserved details, which this monumental music truly deserves. Polish Radio really should have made an effort there. A pity! No wander that this material (in one form or another) was bootlegged countless times and the original vinyl release ("Stan Getz W PolsceFind albums with this title") reached outrageous sums on the collectors´ market all over the world. Now they are available in the best sounding quality ever for the price of a regular CD, so don´t even dare to think about this twice. This is an absolute must!

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KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ LIVE IN BLED 1965 GAD 279 (Barcode: 5903068125096) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1965 Released: 2023 The archival material presented on this album is a highly important document of the Eastern European Jazz scene, which thrived behind the Iron Curtain in the 1960s. It sheds light not only on the pioneering work of pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, the Godfather of Polish Jazz, but also on the entire Jazz scene that managed to exist against all odds under the Socialist Regime, including the presence of Jazz clubs, festivals, concerts and even recordings released by the State owned record labels. The music, which is all previously unreleased, was recorded in June 1965 at the 6th edition of the International Jazz Festival in former Yugoslavia, one of the Eastern Bloc countries that boasted a booming music scene and was considered as the most liberal and Western oriented country behind the Iron Curtain. The festival, which was inaugurated in 1960, was held at the picturesque Slovenian town of Bled, and was one of the biggest such festivals, hosting both local and international Jazz musicians. Polish Jazz musicians were a permanent feature of the festival, including the Polish quartet led by pianist Andrzej KurylewiczFind albums by this artist with singer Wanda WarskaFind albums by this artist in 1962, the quintet / trio led by pianist Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist in 1963 and the Polish Jazz QuartetFind albums by this artist in 1964, before the concert by Komeda and his quintet in 1965. The lineup of the quintet included, alongside Komeda, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and the performance consists of just two extended pieces: “Kattorna” (17:20) and “Svantetic” (21:32), both composed by Komeda and both appearing on his Polish debut album “AstigmaticFind albums with this title”, recorded some six months later and released as part of the legendary “Polish Jazz” series, an album which is often considered as the most iconic Polish Jazz recording of all time. For every Komeda follower, the comparison between this recording and the “Astigmatic” album is absolutely called for and unavoidable. The obvious differences are as follows: the three different musicians present on the studio recording: saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Gunter LentzFind albums by this artist and drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist, the much shorter versions of the compositions (7:20 and 15:50 respectively) and last but not least the spontaneity and sense of Freedom prevailing on this recording, as opposed to the tension and rigidity present on the studio recording. This, combined with the much better sound quality this recording offers, results simply in a much more striking version of “Astigmatic”, which of course is a sensational discovery, considering the fact that this music was hidden in the vaults for almost sixty years. The individual performances by the musicians are also quite different. Stanko is way fierier, Komeda soloes more extensively, and the Polish rhythm section of Dylag / Dabrowski is absolutely more inventive and interesting than the German / Swedish one, in short, again, this recording is simply a superior version of “Astigmatic”. Listeners less familiar with Komeda and his musical world, will find here a musician / composer fascinated with the revolutionary Jazz developments, which happened across the Atlantic, mostly those involving the prophetic work of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. Komeda, perhaps like no other East European Jazz musician, managed to amalgamate the African spirituality, which obsessed Coltrane in the last feverish period of his life, with the European spirituality of lyricism and romanticism, creating a new form of expression, which although existed for a relatively brief period of time, managed to upturn and revolutionize Polish Jazz forever and overflow the borders of his country across the whole of Europe. Every new piece of recorded material by Komeda, which reveals a previously unknown window into his creativity and Art, is a true Holy Grail of European Jazz. But when it is as significant as the music presented here, it becomes an instant classic and a true treasure of Jazz history, important not only to Polish Jazz but to the entire Jazz universe, being a guiding light, which no true Jazz enthusiast can afford to miss. Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 21/02/2024Posted: 21/02/2024

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JERZY MILIAN ~ FOUR HATS GAD 294 (Barcode: 5903068125348) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1965 - 1966 Released: 2024 This is the 12th installment of the archival series released by GADFind albums on this label Records, which presents the work of Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer / bandleader Jerzy MilianFind albums by this artist. This chapter is dedicated to Milian´s early trio and quartet recordings. The first four tracks present the quartet with pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in 1965 in Brussels at the BRT Studios. One composition is by Milian, one by Karolak, one is credited to all four musicians and finally one is an arrangement by Karolak of Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist’s composition. The next four tracks present the trio with bassist Janusz MarianskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz GierlowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in 1966 in Poznan at the local Polish Radio studio. Saxophonist Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist plays on two tracks. Three of the compositions are by Milian and one is by Wroblewski. The music is a classic mainstream Jazz, strongly influenced by the Cool stylistics, but also very much Milian’s own, full of his idiosyncrasies and Third Stream tendencies. Milian’s vibraphone playing is concise and precise, but filled of his intrinsic flare and unique sense of humor. The compositions are all excellent, as always, and reflect the incredibly high level of Jazz behind the Iron Curtain, which is on all levels as good as anything done in the “West” at the time. Despite the fact that the recordings originate from Milian’s private archive, the sound quality is absolutely perfect, which makes listening to this music a true pleasure. As usual one has to admire the dedication and consistency of the GAD Records label for bringing these treasures back to life. Overall, this is an incredible piece of Polish / European Jazz history, which absolutely deserves to be heard and studied. With Milian´s passing it is even more important to document his work and bring it to the public. For Polish Jazz enthusiasts this album is an absolute must!

Updated: 31/05/2024Posted: 31/05/2024

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NOVI ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.24 POLSKIE RADIO 1670 (Barcode: 5907812246709) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 - 1971 Released: 2016 This is the twenty-fourth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The thirteen tracks collected here were recorded during three separate occasions by the sensational Polish Jazz vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist Singers: a Polish Radio Studio session from 1968 (four tracks), a live performance at the 1969 Jazz Jamboree Festival (five tracks) and finally a live performance at the 1971 Jazz Jamboree Festival (four tracks). NOVI, formed in 1964 by Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist, included also Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. During the studio session they were accompanied by an orchestra of unknown lineup, during the 1969 concert they were accompanied by a trio comprising of organist Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and finally during the 1971 concert they were accompanied by a Big Band which included trumpeters Stanislaw MizeradzkiFind albums by this artist and Bogdan SkawinaFind albums by this artist, trombonist Stanislaw CieslakFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Jan JarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Tadeusz GogoszFind albums by this artist and drummer Kazimierz JonkiszFind albums by this artist. The material is mostly original with five compositions by Kawka, two by Parzynski and one by Mych. Three tracks are standards, one was composed by Namyslowski and one is an arrangement of a Classical piece by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist, which the quartet performs a cappella. Inspired by such vocal groups like the French Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, also originally formed in France, NOVI took the vocal group artistry a notch further, presenting a wide and ambitious repertoire ranging from arrangements of Classical Music via complex Jazz compositions, mostly original, featuring advanced vocal shenanigans and finally arrangements of Pop material. They used lyrics in some of their material but were absolutely at their best when singing wordless vocalese, which they brought to perfection. This particular album had the potential of being one of the most interesting releases in this series, since live material by NOVI is almost completely absent from their recorded legacy, but sadly it suffers from some problems, which make it much less attractive that it should have been. Firstly the tracks recorded during the three separate sessions have been sequenced here quite randomly, rather than being presented grouped together by session. Secondly the recording quality is sadly very problematic on most of these tracks and even the careful restoring and remastering was not able to make them sound better. Of course the human voice is the most difficult recording challenge and considering the limitations present at the time the quality should be judged leniently, but in this case the sound quality seriously hinders the listening experience. Thirdly, as usual for this series, there is no background information about the artists, historic background, etc. which recordings of such importance truly deserve. Nevertheless all things considered, this is still a very important document of the Polish Jazz legacy and considering the importance of this material this album immediately becomes another must have for all Polish Jazz fans and collectors of Polish Jazz recordings.

Updated: 17/07/2016Posted: 17/07/2016

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POLISH JAZZ QUARTET ~ MEETS STUDIO M-2 GAD 054 (Barcode: 5901549197709) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 - 1966 Released: 2017 This is a sensational archival album presenting the recordings by one of the formative modern Polish Jazz ensembles, the Polish Jazz QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprised of saxophonist / composer Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, pianist / composer Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. The music included herein was recorded at the Polish Radio Studio M-2 with the studio orchestra conducted by Boguslaw KlimczukFind albums by this artist. Twelve wonderful pieces of early modern Polish Jazz are included on this album, seven of which are original compositions by Wroblewski, two are original compositions by Karolak and the remaining three are by other Polish composers, arranged by Wroblewski or Karolak. This album is the only source of recorded material by the Polish Jazz Quartet other than their debut album released in 1965 as the third volume of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series. The fact that the album does not include any American standards is extremely significant and points the way towards the development of the newborn Polish Jazz scene, which from its early days tried to create music different from the Jazz tradition, breaking away from the limitations and exploring new avenues, combining Jazz with the European musical tradition, local folklore and other influences, which eventually were to produce the "Polish Jazz Sound", which became an integral part of the Polish Cultural heritage. Stylistically the music moves between Swing, Bebop and Orchestral Jazz, still very much rooted in the American Jazz tradition, but already clearly trying to break away from it, which can be heard especially in Wroblewski´s masterful arrangements, which are very different from the American Big Band convention. The melodies are also much more sophisticated and diverse that the standard Bebop tunes, which served as vehicles for improvisation, whereas in the tunes present here the melodic contents has a much larger presence and position. The performances by all the musicians involved in these sessions are brilliant and one would never guess that this music was recorded beyond the Iron Curtain, where Jazz was in its early stages of development (at least on the National scale) and the musicians involved had very limited access to recorded material or performing experience. Listening to this album feels like taking a time machine trip five decades back in time, in order to visit the early childhood of modern Polish Jazz and the experience is truly magical. As usual the fact that this music is available for us to enjoy is by no means trivial and only thanks to the efforts of Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, owner of the GADFind albums on this label Records label, it became a reality. Polish Jazz connoisseurs should be ever so grateful to this man for his unprecedented work.

Updated: 15/04/2017Posted: 15/04/2017

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KRZYSZTOF SADOWSKI ~ AND HIS HAMMOND ORGAN (POLISH JAZZ VOL.21) MUZA 1021 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1970 Released: 2006 This is the first album on the legendary Polish Jazz series, which is dedicated to the Hammond organ, the godfather of the electronic keyboards and probably the most significant new instrument, which dominated Jazz and Progressive Rock in the late 1960s and early 1970s (although available since the 1930s). Keyboardist Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist belongs to the first post WWII generation of Polish Jazz musicians, debuting in the 1950s and active on the local scene for many years. He combined his love of Jazz and Rock, playing with the leading ensembles of both genres with equal dedication and success. This album presents his Hammond organ performances in two different environments: Side A of the original LP captures him accompanied just by drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and the duo moves through a Rocky set, which includes a BeatlesFind albums by this artist medley. Side B finds him accompanied by the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist, led by saxophonist / composer Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and featuring top Polish Jazz players, among them saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist, drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and many others. This set is much closer to Jazz and features a beautiful version of Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist´s ballad from "Rosemary´s Baby".

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ANDRZEJ TRZASKOWSKI ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.05 POLSKIE RADIO 1609 (Barcode: 5907812246099) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1962 Released: 2013 This is the fifth installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The material presented here presents the iconic figure of the post WWII Polish Jazz pioneer, pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist. Of the twelve tracks on this album, first five are live recordings from the 1962 Jazz Jamboree Festival and the remaining seven are studio radio recordings from the same year. The material was recorded by three different lineups: The WreckersFind albums by this artist quintet (which alternated bass players), which included saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, bassists Roman DylagFind albums by this artist or Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam JedrzejowskiFind albums by this artist, the Andrzej Trzaskowski Quintet, which had the same lineup as The Wreckers, except for drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and the Andrzej Trzaskowski Trio, which included bassist Roman Dylag and drummer Adam Jedrzejowski. The material includes both original compositions by Trzaskowski (four of the five live tracks) and modern Jazz standards. Listeners familiar with the Polish Jazz history will of course notice immediately that the core of Trzaskowski´s group (Namyslowski and Urbaniak) was also the core of the soon to be formed revolutionary ensemble led by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, and Dylag already played with Komeda as a member of his trio at the very same Jazz Jamboree 1962 Festival. This brings on the issue of the buried controversy as to who was in fact the pivotal Godfather figure of the Polish Jazz, Andrzej Trzaskowski or Krzysztof Komeda. Komeda (born 1931), who was a couple of years older from Trzaskowski (born 1933) but they both definitely belonged to the same generation, both dominated the scene in the late 1950s and early to mid 1960s and both were breaking new ground with their music, as performers and composers. Of course Komeda will go down in history as the overall winner of this little debated contest, due to his enormous international success as composer of film music, which Trzaskowski also dealt with but with a much lesser success. Considering the fact that Trzaskowski´s recorded legacy is lamentably limited, this album is a superb addition to his heritage, especially in view of the top-form performances and fantastic remastering work, which makes the music herein sound fresh, clear and vibrant. Namyslowski and Urbaniak fans will also have a field day with this music, which documents the early days of their illustrious careers. This album is therefore a "must have" for any Polish Jazz fan, old and young alike, as this music is ageless and its historic significance is priceless.

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VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.15 POSKIE RADIO 1665 (Barcode: 5907812246655) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1961 - 1962 Released: 2014 This is the fifteenth installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The material collected here presents the second volume of recordings made in 1961 and 1962 by Polish Radio in several Polish cities, presenting Polish Jazz ensembles performing American Jazz standards. Although played well, this music presents very few challenges as far as Jazz development is concerned, but from a historical perspective that stage of development was an important step towards a the creation of a new voice in modern Polish Jazz, which was just around the corner. Playing standards prepared these musicians for the challenges that were in store for them when the music made a decisive leap forward towards the new Polish / European Jazz. The album includes sixteen tracks, by two ensembles, playing as mentioned earlier standards, in a manner still very similar to their American models. The ensembles are: Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist (saxophone) Jazz RockersFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, pianist Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam SkorupkaFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej ZielinskiFind albums by this artist (thirteen tracks) and Andrzej KurylewiczFind albums by this artist (piano / trumpet) quintet with saxophonists Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist (bassist Jan ByrczekFind albums by this artist plays on one track) and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist (three tracks). Stylistically the music is based on mostly Bee Bop and Hard Bop standards, played with obvious talent and affinity, but lacking any originality. Of course this is still an important document of the era and fans of mainstream Jazz and Polish Jazz history should be happy with it. The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.

Updated: 12/06/2018Posted:

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VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.20 POLSKIE RADIO 1872 (Barcode: 5907812248727) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 Released: 2015 This is the twentieth installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The ten tracks collected here were recorded during the seventh Jazz Jamboree Festival, which took place between October 24 and 26 1964 in Warsaw. The music was performed by four different ensembles, which are: a quartet led by the German brothers Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist on clarinet and Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist on piano with Polish rhythm section consisting of bassists Tadeusz WojcikFind albums by this artist or Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist (here misspelled as Julian) and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist (four tracks), a trio led by Hungarian bass virtuoso Aladar PegeFind albums by this artist with Polish pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej Dabrowski (also four tracks), a quintet led by Polish pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist with trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek OstaszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam JedrzejowskiFind albums by this artist (one track only) and finally a trio led by Dutch pianist Pim JacobsFind albums by this artist with his brother Ruud JacobsFind albums by this artist on bass and guitarist Wim OvergaauwFind albums by this artist (also one track only). Most of the music consists of standards and the only original material is one piece by Rolf Kuhn and the only track by the Trzaskowski quintet, which was composed by Stanko and which is absolutely the best and most interesting track on this album. The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.

Updated: 02/12/2016Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.22 POLSKIE RADIO 1874 (Barcode: 5907812248741) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 Released: 2015 This is the twenty-second installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The ten tracks collected here were recorded during the seventh Jazz Jamboree Festival, which took place between October 24 and 26 1964 in Warsaw. This is the third part of the Jazz Jamboree 1964 recordings. The music was performed by four different ensembles, which are: the Italian Flavio Ambrosetti All StarsFind albums by this artist (five tracks), led by saxophonist Flavio AmbrosettiFind albums by this artist with trumpeter Franco AmbrosettiFind albums by this artist, Swiss pianist George GruntzFind albums by this artist, Polish bassist Tadeusz WojcikFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Pierre FavreFind albums by this artist and three Polish Jazz ensembles, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist Quintet (one track) with trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, Polish Jazz QuartetFind albums by this artist (two tracks) led by saxophonist Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist with pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist Quartet (two tracks) with pianist Wlodek GulgowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Tadeusz Wojcik and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski. This is by far the most interesting of the three volumes of the Jazz Jamboree 1964 recordings, as it presents the modern Polish Jazz about to explode into modernism, which will shape its destiny for generations to come. Stanko, Urbaniak, Wroblewski, Bartkowski are still active on the Polish scene, fifty years latter, carrying the fire which was first sparkled around the time these recordings were made. The Ambrosetti set is also interesting, as it allows a glance at two legendary Jazz figures: Gruntz and Favre, at their early days. Most of the music performed on this album is original. The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.

Updated: 08/07/2020Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.26 POLSKIE RADIO 2058 (Barcode: 5907812247119) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1965 Released: 2016 This is the twenty-sixth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The tracks presented here were recorded live in December 1965 during the eighth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the first volume of a collection of tracks from that event. The first five tracks present the great British vocalist Annie RossFind albums by this artist, who revolutionized the vocal Jazz idiom as a member of the legendary trio Lambert, Hendricks & RossFind albums by this artist, which she left in late 1962 to start her solo career. She is accompanied by a trio consisting of Polish pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist. All the songs are Jazz standards. The next four tracks present the great Polish vocal ensemble NOVIFind albums by this artist in their earliest incarnation as a quintet, which includes in addition to their leader Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist also Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist, Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist and Aleksander GluchFind albums by this artist, who left the ensemble before they recorded their debut album Bossa NovaFind albums with this title in 1967. NOVI modeled their vocal style on earlier vocal Jazz ensembles like Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, and their tracks appearing immediately following the Ross´s tracks is symbolic. NOVI are accompanied by pianist Adam MatyszkowiczFind albums by this artist (Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist), bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. All the tracks are vocal arrangements of Jazz standards. The next three tracks present a quartet led by legendary Polish Jazz pianist / trombonist / composer Andrzej KurylewiczFind albums by this artist with guitarist Janusz SidorenkoFind albums by this artist, bassist Edward DylagFind albums by this artist (older brother of Roman DylagFind albums by this artist, who is mistakenly listed here) and drummer Jerzy BartzFind albums by this artist. The rare appearance of Kurylewicz playing the trombone is one of the highlights of this album. They perform a couple of adaptations, one of a classical piece by Polish composer Stanislaw MoniuszkoFind albums by this artist and the other of a folk tune and finally one original composition by Kurylewicz. The last two tracks present a quartet led by legendary Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist with pianist Wojciech Karolak, bassist Juliusz Sandecki (here misspelled as Janusz), and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. They perform on original composition by Wroblewski and an extended version of a Miles DavisFind albums by this artist classic. The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.

Updated: 03/12/2016Posted: 02/12/2016

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JAN PTASZYN WROBLEWSKI ~ FLYIN` LADY (POLISH JAZZ VOL.55) POLSKIE RADIO 0534 (Barcode: 5901448115347) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1978 Released: 2005 This is an excellent album by Polish veteran Jazz saxophonist / composer / arranger / bandleader Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. One of the great pioneers of the Polish Jazz movement since the 1950s, Wroblewski remained very active on the local scene in many capacities, which included leading his own ensembles, directing the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist and teaching generations of Polish Jazz musicians. Wroblewski always firmly stood for the Jazz tradition, keeping the mainstream Jazz in Poland on a very high level. He was rarely associated with the Polish Jazz modernists and avoided Free Jazz excursions, even when these were fashionable. Nevertheless his unique and innovative approach to Jazz composition and virtuosic ability as a player make his very extensive legacy an infinite source of superb Jazz moments. This album presents six original compositions by Wroblewski, superbly performed by a quartet, which includes guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Witold SzczurekFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. Blizinski should be noted as one of the greatest Polish guitarists and perhaps the Jazziest one, who avoided getting into Fusion at all costs, keeping his sound in the Wes MontgomeryFind albums by this artist / Barney KesselFind albums by this artist tradition. Altogether this is a great example of the versatility of the Polish Jazz scene and its excellence, regardless of the specific sub-genre in question. Highly recommended!

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