Record Reviews
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  | EXTRA BALL ~ AKUMULA-TORRES
POLJAZZ / ANEX 215 (Barcode: 5907513047445) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1983 Released: 2006
Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion band Extra BallFind albums by this artist was the best and most dominant ensemble on the local scene in the late 1970s. Founded by the best young Polish Jazz musicians at the time, members of the second generation of the country´s splendid tradition, they displayed an amazing level of individual talents both as players and composers. Led by guitarist Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, the initial incarnation of the band also included saxophonist Andrzej OlejniczakFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Wladyslaw SendeckiFind albums by this artist. Although the band practically ceased to perform and record by the end of the 1970s, Smietana organized an ad-hoc lineup for the recording of this, the last album by the legendary band, recorded live at the Warsaw Aquarium Jazz club. The lineup includes trumpeter Adam KawonczykFind albums by this artist and bassist Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist from the last active incarnation of the band, with drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist and Cuban percussionist Jose TorresFind albums by this artist, who lives in Poland. Saxophonist Henry MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and conga player Adam KawonczykFind albums by this artist guest on the album. Stylistically this album marks a more percussive approach to music mixed with traditional Jazz elements, but is excellent in every sense, as everything the band recorded. An absolute must!
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  | JAROSLAW SMIETANA ~ FROM ONE TO FOUR
POLJAZZ / ANEX 328 (Barcode: 5907513047834) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1986 Released: 2009
This is the second album as a leader by the fabulous Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, who died recently tragically prematurely, succumbing to cruel illness. Smietana was one of the most active players on the local scene and contributed enormously to its development over the years. This album presents him, as the title suggests, in different settings: solo, duo, trio and quartet, playing with some of the best Polish Jazz musicians active at the time: saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist, bassists Krzysztof ScieranskiFind albums by this artist and Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist. They perform eleven compositions, five of which are originals: three by Smietana and one each by Scieranski and Pelc, and the rest of the material is all standards.
This is one of the Jazziest albums recorded by Smietana, with fewer Fusion ventures, and his beautiful Jazz sensitivity is especially apparent herein. But all the other players also contribute very fine examples of intelligent, intimate musical conversations with the leader. Scieranski´s bass and Baron´s saxophone are simply delightful. Smietana experiments with the guitar synthesizers and performs on three quite distinctly sounding guitars, with his delicate touch being definitely one of the finest ever. Also the three duets with veteran saxophonist Janusz Muniak are among the album´s most enchanting moments.
In retrospect this is a very strong album from start to finish with no weak moments or unnecessary "fillers", and a superb legacy which Smietana left for all of us to enjoy. A must for all Polish Jazz fans!
Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label / MuzaFind albums on this label and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums on this label reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.
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  | JAROSLAW SMIETANA ~ SOUNDS & COLORS (POLISH JAZZ VOL.73)
POLSKIE RADIO 0533 (Barcode: 5901448115330) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1987 Released: 2005
This is an excellent album by Polish guitarist / composer Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, his first recording under his name in the legendary Polish Jazz series, although he already released two albums with his group Extra BallFind albums by this artist a decade earlier. Undoubtedly the best Polish Fusion guitar player, Smietana is also a great tunesmith; this album includes six of his wonderful compositions (and one standard), performed by a superb quartet, which includes side by side with the leader saxophonist Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist (one of future best Polish sax players), bassist Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist. The music is very similar to what one might expect from the best Fusion groups around at the time, especially Weather ReportFind albums by this artist, which is a clear model. The guitar (and occasional keyboards) - sax exchanges could be very easily mistaken for another Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist / Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist dialog. But there is enough originality here, both in the compositions and the performances, to dismiss any accusations of plagiarism. These excellent musicians are not to be taken for granted and overall this album is as good, if not better, that any other Fusion album recorded anywhere on this planet. Fusion fans will definitely enjoy this album with no reservations, but the general Jazz loving public should be able to have a great time with it as well. It lost nothing of its charm over time!
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  | JAROSLAW SMIETANA ~ TALKING GUITAR (POLISH JAZZ VOL.93 DELUXE)
MUZA 1093 (Barcode: 5907783420931) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1984 Released: 2007
This is an excellent debut album as a leader by Polish guitarist / composer Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, presenting a set of ten original compositions performed by a superb team of musicians, including his ex-cohorts from the Extra BallFind albums by this artist ensemble. The list of names reads like a who’s who of the local scene at the time and includes keyboardist Wojciech GroborzFind albums by this artist, bassist Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist, percussionist Jerzy BartzFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew JaremkoFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Henryk MajewskiFind albums by this artist and Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist (father and son), trombonist Roman SyrekFind albums by this artist and flautist Jan BaytelFind albums by this artist. The music is all Fusion oriented, with great melody lines. Smietana plays some excellent solos and is well supported by his partners. Overall this is mainstream Fusion, which ruled in the 1980s, so one must not expect complexity and innovation in what is supposed to be “good time” music, which it certainly is. The level of professionalism and talent expected from Polish Jazz are certainly there. Recommended to Fusion fans!
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