Record Reviews

JERZY MILIAN ~ CIRCULATIONS GAD 071 (Barcode: 5901549197969) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1966 - 1969 Released: 2018 This is the seventh 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 recordings from mid to late 1960s, done in Belgium with the Belgian (Radio & TV) BRT Jazz OrchestraFind albums by this artist, directed by Etienne VerschuerenFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, three of which are three part suites, all composed by Milian. Milian would of course return to work with the BTR Jazz Orchestra in the 1980s, which is documented on the third installment of this series. The music is a wonderful orchestral Jazz, which at the time was considered as part of the searching Third Stream, which was supposed to merge Jazz and contemporary Classical Music, as initiated by the American composer Gunther SchullerFind albums by this artist in the late 1950s and had many sympathizers among leading American Jazz musicians in the 1950s and 1960s, but never became part of the mainstream of Jazz per se. Milian did not follow the Third Stream conventions by the letter, but his complex compositions and Jazzy improvisations by the orchestra on top of the scores can be without doubt associated with the idiom. In some respects Third Stream was an attempt to Europeanize American Jazz and failed mostly due to the basic cultural incompatibility between mainstream American Jazz and sophisticated European contemporary Classical music, which Americans rejected but some Europeans (Milian included, but also the great Polish composer Krzysztof PendereckiFind albums by this artist and many others) embraced warmly. Milian´s compositions are absolutely brilliant and remain completely valid half a Century later, as if composed today. Sophisticated, elegant, clever and beautifully melodic, in some cases incorporating Polish Folklore sources, this music is alive and kicking as it was at the time it was created. The BTR Jazz Orchestra included many excellent instrumentalists, who performed the difficult music without a hitch. Overall this is an incredible piece of Polish / European Jazz history, which absolutely deserves to be heard and studied. With Milian´s recent passing it is even more important to document his work and bring it to the public. For orchestral Jazz enthusiasts this album is an absolute must!

Updated: 15/04/2018Posted: 15/04/2018

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JERZY MILIAN ~ OPTIMA FIDE GAD 208 (Barcode: 5903068123108) ~ POLAND ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 1968 - 1970 Released: 2022 This is the eleventh 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 recordings from the late 1960s and early 1970s, done in Brussels, with Belgian (Radio & TV) BRT Jazz OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Etienne VerschuerenFind albums by this artist and the BRT Jazz ComboFind albums by this artist conducted by Freddy SunderFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions by Milian and one arrangement of a Classical piece by Polish composer Stanislaw MoniuszkoFind albums by this artist. The compositions include a concerto for vibraphone and Jazz Orchestra and a suite, which gives this album its title. This album is a companion release to the seventh part of this series called “CirculationsFind albums with this title”. The music is a wonderful orchestral Jazz, which at the time was considered as part of the searching Third Stream, which was supposed to merge Jazz and contemporary Classical Music, as initiated by the American composer Gunther SchullerFind albums by this artist in the late 1950s and had many sympathizers among leading American Jazz musicians in the 1950s and 1960s, but never became part of the mainstream of Jazz per se. Milian did not follow the Third Stream conventions by the letter, but his complex compositions and Jazzy improvisations by the orchestra on top of the scores can be without doubt associated with the idiom. In some respects, Third Stream was an attempt to Europeanize American Jazz and failed mostly due to the basic cultural incompatibility between mainstream American Jazz and sophisticated European contemporary Classical music, which Americans rejected but some Europeans (Milian included, but also the great Polish composer Krzysztof PendereckiFind albums by this artist and many others) embraced warmly. Milian´s compositions are absolutely brilliant and remain completely valid half a Century later, as if composed today. Sophisticated, elegant, clever and beautifully melodic, in some cases incorporating Polish Folklore sources, this music is alive and kicking as it was at the time it was created. The BTR Jazz Orchestra included many excellent instrumentalists, who performed the difficult music without a hitch. 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 orchestral Jazz enthusiasts this album is an absolute must!

Updated: 09/10/2022Posted: 09/10/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JERZY MILIAN ~ STRATUS NIMBUS GAD 009 (Barcode: 5901549197099) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 - 1987 Released: 2013 The Polish GADFind albums on this label Records label has become a treasure chest of archival recordings by Polish Jazz and Rock artists and in the short period of time since 2010, when the label released its first album, it established its position on the market as a dedicated and reliable source of interesting material. This album follows the already established pattern and is the third volume of archival material by legendary Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Jerzy MilianFind albums by this artist, one of the forefathers of modern Polish Jazz. The material collected here was recorded over a period of several years in the 1980s by the Belgian (Radio & TV) BRT Jazz OrchestraFind albums by this artist, directed by Etienne VerschuerenFind albums by this artist, which included many excellent players, some known also internationally. Milian worked previously with this orchestra in the late 1960 and this was his second spell with them. He wasn´t the only Polish musician working with this orchestra, as saxophonist / composer Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist also recorded an album with them in 1976 entitled "SkleroptakFind albums with this title". The music, all composed by Milian, includes six orchestral suites of varying length, one of which turns into an oratorio with the addition of a choir, which sings a poem by the American poet T.S. EliotFind albums by this artist. The music is quite impressive, with a firm melodic content and elaborate orchestral arrangements, which allow for solo spots. It is less adventurous material than some of Milian´s earlier compositions, but lacks nothing as far as compositional skills, flair and elegance are concerned. The orchestra performs the music spotlessly and with grace and as a result this is a wonderful Big Band / orchestral album, which reflects well on Milian´s talent and vision. It is also a great example of European Big Band / orchestral sound and style, which varies considerably from its American counterparts. In retrospect these recordings are a sad reminder of the Big Band form, which is almost extinct today in comparison to its hay days. With the impossible economics behind keeping a Big Band performing and touring and a dwindling public funding, most Big Bands, including the one present here, were eventually disbanded. Signs of a disappearing Culture. "Luckily, the recordings remain" concludes Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, the owner of GAD Records, in the booklet and I concur wholeheartedly. With remastered and restored sound and informative booklet (including text in English), this album is definitely worth checking out by any connoisseur of European Jazz, looking for another perspective.

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JAN PTASZYN WROBLEWSKI ~ SKLEROPTAK POLJAZZ / ANEX 301 (Barcode: 5907513047568) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1976 Released: 2009 The material presented on this album was recorded in Belgium but presents the great veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer / arranger / bandleader Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, who contributed his beautiful compositions and arrangements and plays as the principal soloist. He is accompanied by the Belgian (Radio & TV) BRT Jazz OrchestraFind albums by this artist, directed by Etienne VerschuerenaFind albums by this artist, which includes many wonderful players, including internationally known keyboardist Bob PorterFind albums by this artist and drummer Bruno CastelucciFind albums by this artist. Wroblewski, who was also the director of the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist during the years 1968-1978, recorded these compositions earlier with that orchestra, but these new renditions sound quite different from the earlier versions, being more "polished" and "rounded". The Polish orchestra was in fact a collection of top soloist whereas the Belgian orchestra is a full-fledged professional Big Band, which is much more about the overall band sound than individual solo spots. As a result the music captured here is a beautiful example of European Big Band sound, which is quite different from the American counterparts. Overall this is a splendid Big Band album playing excellent music, interesting arrangements and featuring some great solo spots. Although pretty mainstream, this is elegant music, full of European aesthetics, which is completely ageless and sounds now every bit as great when it did at the time of its release. Big Band enthusiasts should have a field day with this excellent piece of music, which is again back in circulation. 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.

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend