Record Reviews

BARTOSZ DWORAK ~ LIVE AT RADIO KATOWICE PRK 0130 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz violinist Bartosz DworakFind albums by this artist recorded live with his quartet which also includes pianist Piotr MatusikFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub DworakFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. They perform six compositions, two of which are original compositions by Bartosz Dworak, one is by Piotr Matusik, two are by Polish Jazz composers Slawomir KulpowiczFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist and the remaining one is by Joey CalderazzoFind albums by this artist. Bartosz Dworak is the winner of the 1st International Zbigniew Seifert Jazz Violin Competition, which took place in Poland in 2014 and is considered as one of the top young Polish Jazz violinists who continue the glorious legacy of Jazz violin in Poland established by such luminaries as Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, Zbigniew Seifert, Krzesimir DebskiFind albums by this artist, Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist and others. From the very first notes of this record it is pretty obvious that Dworak is a Polish violinist, as he has the same unmistakable "Polish sound" that characterizes his predecessors and other contemporary Jazz violinist in the country. In his case this specific sound, which floats somewhere between Slavic folksy fiddle and virtuosic lyricism is clearly identifiable. And of course there is the individualism and the virtuosity, which are obviously in their early stages but already clearly noticeable. From the strength of the two original compositions it is immediately apparent that Dworak should concentrate on playing his own material. His interpretations of the compositions by other musicians are less impressive, except that of his band mate Piotr Matusik. The entire quartet plays smoothly and dynamically, with the rhythm section supporting the two soloists with taste and elegance. Matusik is one hell of a player and steals a significant part of the show in his favor, deserving every bit of it. I´m waiting anxiously to hear his first solo album. Considering that this is a debut recording one can simply envy these young musicians their talents and obvious musicality. Hopefully Dworak will develop his skills as a composer and engage in more ambitious / challenging adventures when his career takes off, which will inevitably happen. In the meantime this is definitely a most impressive calling card.

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BARTOSZ DWORAK ~ POLISHED HEVHETIA 0091 (Barcode: 8588005257336) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the second album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Bartosz DworakFind albums by this artist and his quartet, which also includes pianist Piotr MatusikFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub DworakFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The quartet performs nine original compositions, four by Bartosz Dworak and five by Matusik. Several of these compositions already appeared on the quartet´s debut album, which was a live recording, and get here a more polished (tongue-on-cheek) version. Dworak proudly joins a long list of Polish Jazz violinists, which keeps growing as the years go by, and includes such luminaries as Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, Krzesimir DebskiFind albums by this artist, Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist and young lions like Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist. This wonderful legacy can be of course quite overwhelming and daunting, but Dworak seems to have no inferiority complexes whatsoever and gallantly steps into their shoes, doing his own thing. Although Dworak is the leader of this quartet, the compositional and soloing duties are split quite equally between him and Matusik, who wrote about half of the music and plays superb piano parts, both supporting the violin parts and soloing himself. The rhythm section plays along with the two soloists supporting them amicably but staying mostly in the background, which in this specific music is probably all for the best. The music is all pretty straightforward melodic mainstream, although at some moments the quartet ventures, albeit only partly, into a less clearly defined set of parameters. Of course, as usual with Polish Jazz violinists, the music is soaked in melancholy and lyrical folkloristic undertones, which brings fond memories of the material recorded by those musicians listed in the second paragraph. All nine tunes are beautifully melodic, which surely opens this album to a very widespread range of audiences, even those beyond the Jazz idiom. In many respects this album could be considered as a debut, since the semi-formal live recording released earlier was really just a teaser of things to come. And as a debut it certainly is a very impressive effort, in every respect, which keeps the hopes for a new generation of Polish Jazz musicians in general and violinists in particular at their highest. Personally I simply can´t wait for the next album, which will be the decisive proof of maturity. In the meantime we can all enjoy this gem!

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BARTOSZ DWORAK ~ REFLECTION HEVHETIA 0171 (Barcode: 8588005258401) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the third album by young and upcoming Polish Jazz violinist / composer Bartosz DworakFind albums by this artist, recorded with the same quartet that was featured on the two earlier recordings with pianist Piotr MatusikFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub DworakFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, four by the leader, two by Matusik and one co-composed by Dworak and Matusik. The music continues the path set by Bartosz Dworak´s earlier recordings, presenting highly melodic and very lyrical compositions, kept well within the mainstream Jazz convention, with strong Polish Folkloristic influences. The music is slightly more open this time, with a lot of breathing air, which allows the rhythm section to become fully involved in the improvisational process, and as a result enables the listener to appreciate the splendid bass parts played by Jakub Dworak and tasteful drumming by Madej. But the soloing and front position is of course reserved for Bartosz Dworak and Matusik, who take care of the melodic contents. Dworak uses the synthesized violin on a couple of tracks, which adds another variation to his sound. The compositions by Dworak are more up tempo and have a distinct Rocky character, whereas those by Matusik are more romantically inclined which balances the overall content of the album and keeps the listener interested. All these four young musicians perform splendidly throughout, which of course is quite usual for young Polish Jazz musicians, who are well schooled and experienced, today better that ever before. Overall the album is a very solid and well balanced effort, which offers beautiful music and superb execution from start to finish and should satisfy most Jazz enthusiasts, especially Jazz violin connoisseurs. It does not break any new ground as far as Jazz or Jazz violin is concerned, but offers a splendid listening experience, which is definitely worth investigating.

Updated: 27/04/2018Posted: 27/04/2018

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KLARA CLOUD & THE VULTURES ~ VAUNA CHALLENGE 73476 (Barcode: 608917347623) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz ensemble Klara Cloud & The VulturesFind albums by this artist which comprises of vocalist Sylwia Klara ZasempaFind albums by this artist, violinist Bartosz DworakFind albums by this artist, pianist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam TadelFind albums by this artist and drummers Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist and Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. Legendary guitarist Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents ten tracks, eight of which are original compositions mostly by Zasempa and some created with the help of the entire ensemble (the two instrumental tracks) and finally two are traditional. Most of the lyrics are also by Zasempa. The subject matter of the album refers to Nature, wildlife and harmonious coexistence. The music was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sound quality. The music offers a fascinating concept, combing Jazz-World Music Fusion with Free Jazz, which is quite striking. Although Polish Jazz often sources Slavic music, typical Polish melancholy and Polish Folklore, amalgamating it usually with original mainstream Jazz, but rather rarely so with more adventurous forms, which makes this music immediately outstanding. This does not mean that the music loses contact with melody per se, but the improvisations offer a wide range of freedom, both rhythmically and harmonically, which are not usually found within the Jazz-World Fusion idiom. Dworak and Gaweda, who are amongst the most celebrated young Polish Jazz players, have plenty of opportunity to show their chops on this album, standing up to the expectations in full. The reinforced rhythm section, with the polyrhythmic double drums (in stereo) and solid bass pulsations, pushes the music steadily forward and serves as an anchor for the listener to keep his bearings. The guitar solo by Anthimos on the final track is simply divine. Of course the vocals are the epicenter of this music and Zasempa stands up to the challenge with flying colors. She keeps to the basics, avoiding unnecessary theatrics and meanderings, and invests directly in the delivery of the lyrics, often improvising in the process. She does not use vocalese extensively, preferring to "play with the words" rather than with the sounds, but when she does, it works perfectly and hopefully will be used more in future projects. Zasempa is a "total" musician, being obviously the leader, the composer, the lyricist and the main soloist – Woman power incarnate. Overall this is a beautiful piece of music, excellently put together and executed, original, ambitious and intelligent. Definitely one of the most interesting Polish Jazz releases of 2019. It is also the fifth album by young Polish Jazz musicians to be released on the prestigious Dutch Challenge label, which proves that this music is being recognized beyond the local market and steadily captures the position it truly deserves. Well done Lady and Gentlemen!

Updated: 10/11/2019Posted: 10/11/2019

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PIOTR MATUSIK ~ INDEPENDENCE SOLITON 688 (Barcode: 5901571096889) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Piotr MatusikFind albums by this artist recorded in a piano trio setting with bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Patryk DoboszFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Matusik. Matusik debuted about five years earlier with an album dedicated to the music of Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist, which I sternly criticized at the time. In the meantime his career developed well as a member of the quartet led by violinist Bartosz DworakFind albums by this artist and participation in occasional other recordings and his music matured over time, as this album, which should be really considered as his artistic debut, clearly proves. His compositions offer melody based themes, which are laced wit the typical Polish Jazz melancholy and the execution is open enough to allow space for extended improvisations by all three musicians. The intimate piano trio format is perfect to expose the excellent interplay between the musicians, which is the strongest virtue of this album. As usual in a piano trio setting, Matusik is the prime soloist, performing lengthy piano parts, superbly supported by the rhythm section. It is however Wykpisz, who offers a truly refined musicianship on this album, with wonderful solo parts and sublimely sensitive accompaniment behind the piano. Dobosz is also excellent, keeping the time precisely and inventively, using a versatile arsenal of percussive trickery. Overall this is an ambitious effort, which shows a clear step forward in Matusik´s development. Jazz trio piano enthusiasts should find this album an educational experience as far as the role of the rhythm section is concerned. Definitely worth investigation!

Updated: 30/05/2020Posted: 30/05/2020

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MATEUSZ PLINIEWICZ ~ WARSZTAT DZWIEKU POLSKIE RADIO 2055 (Barcode: 5907812249670) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz violinist Mateusz PliniewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with keyboardist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin JadachFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live in the Polish Radio Lutoslawski Studio (in Warsaw) and presents eleven original compositions, seven of which were composed by Pliniewicz, two were co-composed by all four quartet members, and one each was composed by Jadach and Kolodziejczyk. The music is not focused stylistically and moves between melodic mainstream pieces and more adventurous / atmospheric vistas, but is overall quite original and interesting. The strongest compositions are soaked in the typical Polish melancholy, which is a trademark of Polish Jazz since many years. The music develops very slowly and sometimes sounds a bit hesitant, but eventually the beauty of the melodies wins the listener over, even if he has to wait for it for a long while. Pliniewicz plays beautifully and movingly, somewhat "old fashioned" like early Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, but with great charm and feeling. Kolodziejczyk supports the violin amicably and plays several well built solos. His acoustic piano playing is perfectly compatible with the overall atmosphere of the music, but his synthesizer parts sound somewhat out of place. The rhythm section does a good job pushing the music forward and setting the rhythmic layer behind the acoustic sound of the violin and piano, without dominating it. Jadach plays several interesting bass parts and is certainly worth following. Madej, who plays the drums also for another great young Polish Jazz violinist Bartosz DworakFind albums by this artist, is perfectly at home in this setting. Overall this is a very impressive debut, which brings to light another hero of the Polish Jazz violin, which in turn seems to enjoy a great renaissance lately. I am looking forward to the first "proper" studio album, which hopefully will fulfill all the hopes this album manages to raise. Well done!

Updated: 04/12/2016Posted: 04/12/2016

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