Record Reviews

NOVI ~ BOSSA NOVA (POLISH JAZZ VOL.13) MUZA 0913 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1967 Released: 2004 This is a reissue of the debut album by the sensational vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, which was one of the greatest Polish Jazz acts in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Continuing the tradition of Jazz vocalese groups like the French Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, NOVI expanded the borders further on into more experimental areas and used more instrumental backing, provided the best Polish Jazz musicians at the time. The quartet was led by singer / arranger / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist and included also the incredible female vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist and two additional male vocalists Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. All the singers were also capable instrumentalists. Together they created beautiful vocal harmonies of exceptional sophistication and unique style, unparalleled to this day. On this album they performed all original material composed by Kawka, Mych and Parzynski, with Kawka responsible for six of the fourteen tunes and the incredible arrangements turning everything into a distinctive NOVI vocal signature. This is definitely one of the most unique Polish Jazz ensembles and an absolute must for every vocal jazz connoisseur!

Updated: 13/10/2016Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

NOVI ~ CHOPIN MUZA 1295 (Barcode: 5907783422959) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2010 This is a reissue of the third album by Polish Jazz vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, led by vocalist / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist and including vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. The album, originally entitled "NOVI Sing ChopinFind albums with this title", presents eleven compositions by the Polish National composer Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist, arranged for the vocal quartet singing a cappella. Obviously following in the footsteps of The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, who recorded arrangements of music by Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist and other Classical composers, NOVI undertook this difficult and very ambitious project to sing Chopin´s music in a similar Swing fashion and against all odds succeeded beyond all expectations. This recording immediately achieved a status of a cult album, and although not really a Jazz album per se, was warmly embraced by the Jazz community as part of its milieu. In many aspects the album symbolizes the Polish Culture, as it embodies the idea of Polish Music, which became a part of Polish Cultural Heritage, transforming in time and staying contemporary regardless the changing frame of reference, in this case the Jazz idiom. The vocal performances on this album are absolutely brilliant and remain unmatched by any other vocal group since attempting to tackle Chopin´s compositions, not only on the Polish scene, but globally. This reissue is well remastered from the original studio tapes and presents a wonderful sonic quality, especially in view of the challenging task of recording human voices. It does not correct, unfortunately, the lack of information that has been associated with this album since day one as to the arrangement credits and the name of the bass player who accompanies the vocal quartet (i.e. the album is not strictly an a cappella recording as the vocals are accompanied by a bass player on eight tracks). This is a timeless classic of course and an absolute must have for any Polish music fan, Jazz or otherwise! Side Note: After some intensive investigations I do have now all the missing discographical information, which is mentioned above. The bass player that accompanies NOVI is Pawel JarzebskiFind albums by this artist. As to the vocal arrangements, eight are by Parzynski, two by Mych and one by Kawka. Of course I am not disclosing my sources ;)

Updated: 12/01/2017Posted: 07/01/2017

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

NOVI ~ FIVE, FOUR, THREE GAD 025 (Barcode: 5901549197310) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1974 - 1975 Released: 2015 This is a reissue of the fifth album by the Polish Jazz vocal ensemble NOVIFind albums by this artist, recorded after the ensemble´s founder / leader / primary composer / arranger Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist left Poland for the greener pastures of the Big Apple, following a whole wave of his compatriots, like Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist and others. Kawka´s departure seemed to have little impact on the remaining three members of the ensemble: Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. They immediately embarked upon the recording of this album, which as usual included original material, composed by Parzynski (seven of the nine compositions on this album) and Mych (the other two compositions). Three of the compositions included also lyrics (in English). The ensemble was accompanied by an instrumental combo, which featured top Polish Jazz musicians: keyboardist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel JarzebskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, and the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. In addition to the original album, this remastered edition includes four bonus tracks, two of which feature the vocalist Tomasz OchalskiFind albums by this artist, who expanded the ensemble to the original quartet lineup for a brief period. The original album was released only three years after it was recorded, which was an example of how political bureaucracy dictated the fate of musicians behind the Iron Curtain. Musically this album was a continuation of the fantastic work they did on the previous releases, but the stress of loosing their leader and the confusion that followed is pretty obvious. The selection of material and inclusion of songs is obviously a step towards commercialism, but the album still presents several top-notch numbers, beautifully and skillfully executed, which stand up to par with their earlier work. But overall the glory days of NOVI were over and although they would record a couple of additional albums, they were moving further away from the revolutionary and innovative vocal achievements of their early days. Considering the fact that this music has been unavailable for such a long time this is definitely another project by GADFind albums on this label Records, which deserves to be praised. NOVI fans will find this an indispensable part of their collection and hopefully we will get a complete set of NOVI reissues sometime in the future.

Updated: 13/10/2016Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

NOVI ~ NOVI IN WONDERLAND MPS 2541 (Barcode: 4988005209900) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 Released: 1998 This is a Japanese reissue of the legendary album by the no less legendary Polish Jazz vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, led by vocalist / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist, which also included Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist and Janusz MychFind albums by this artist. On this album they are accompanied by a rhythm section, which comprises of Polish pianist Adam MatyszkowiczFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist) and bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and American (resident in Europe since 1964) drummer Billy BrooksFind albums by this artist. American trumpeter Idrees SuleimanFind albums by this artist and Polish saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist participate on selected tracks. The album presents five original compositions, three by Kawka and two by Parzynski, and four standards, three arranged by Parzynski and one by Kawka. The album was produced by my Friend and Mentor, Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, and was recorded at the celebrated SABA studio in Villingen, Black Forest, where so many of the great European Jazz albums were recorded between mid-1960s and late 1970s. It was one of the first recordings of a Polish Jazz ensemble made outside is their country and across the Iron Curtain, which was a sensational occurrence at the time. Berendt, who was an avid Polish Jazz lover and supporter, helped the Polish Jazz scene tremendously during its hard times. Sadly he is rarely remembered today, which is of course a crying shame. Musically as well and sonically this is definitely one of the best recordings by NOVI, recorded at their creative peak. Chronologically this was their second album, but since it was not released in Poland (and still is not available there) it is not usually counted as part of their Polish discography. Both the vocal and the instrumental parts are absolutely perfect and are part on the vocal Jazz canon, created earlier on by the French vocal Jazz ensembles Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist. The original vinyl copy of this album is a mega-rare collectors´ item and is priced accordingly. This Japanese reissue is also pretty rare these days. For Polish Jazz collectors and faithful fans, this is an absolute must of course. Side Note The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet. In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker. Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace. In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically. Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 14/07/2017

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

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

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

NOVI ~ RIEN NE VA PLUS (POLISH JAZZ VOL.82 DELUXE) MUZA 1082 (Barcode: 5907783420825) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1973 Released: 2005 This is a reissue of the fourth album by the sensational vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, which was one of the greatest Polish Jazz acts in the 1970s. Continuing the tradition of Jazz vocal groups like the French Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, NOVI expanded the borders further on into more experimental areas and used more instrumental backing, provided the best Polish Jazz musicians at the time. The quartet was led by singer / arranger / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist and included also the incredible female vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist and two additional male vocalists Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. Together they created beautiful vocal harmonies of exceptional sophistication and unique style, unparalleled to this day. The performed a mixture of original material, mostly composed by Kawka, and standards or contemporary Pop material, but the incredible arrangements turned everything into a distinctive NOVI vocal signature. On this specific album they are accompanied by an all-star band, led by saxophonist Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, which includes such luminaries as saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and many others. This is definitely one of the climax moments of the Polish Jazz in the 1970s and an absolute must for every vocal jazz connoisseur! Side Note: This is one of those Polish Jazz albums, released by the Polskie Nagrania / MuzaFind albums on this label label, which should have been released as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series at the time, but somehow never made it. From the historic perspective it definitely deserved to be a part of that series and this was partially corrected by this edition, as it is one of the items in the expanded "Polish Jazz Deluxe" series of reissues.

Updated: 13/10/2016Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

NOVI ~ TORPEDO (POLISH JAZZ VOL.87 DELUXE) MUZA 1087 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1970 Released: 2006 This is a reissue of the second album by the seminal vocal group NOVIFind albums by this artist, one of the most acclaimed Polish Jazz acts in the 1960s and 1970s, and one of the most influential vocal ensembles of all times. Led by the charismatic vocalist / composer / arranger Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist, the group also included the sensational female vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist and two more male vocalists / composers / arrangers: Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. Following the formula set by their sensational debut album, they perform original music composed and arranged by Kawka, Mych and Parzynski (except for one Classical piece). The vocal quartet is accompanied by a superb instrumental team, which includes some of the best Polish Jazz musicians at the time, including pianist Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist, drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist and many others, as well as the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist, led by Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. The rich instrumental arrangements were one of the differences between NOVI and the earlier European Jazz vocal ensembles like Les Double SixFind albums by this artist or The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist. This album, as all early recordings by NOVI, is absolutely immune to the tides of time and sounds today as magnificent as it was at the time of its recording. NOVI definitely left a mark on the Jazz vocal idiom, setting an incredibly high standard, which sadly was later on followed by only very few similar ensembles. Side Note: This is one of those Polish Jazz albums, released by the Polskie Nagrania / MuzaFind albums on this label label, which should have been released as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series at the time, but somehow never made it. From the historic perspective it definitely deserved to be a part of that series and this was partially corrected by this edition, as it is one of the items in the expanded "Polish Jazz Deluxe" series of reissues.

Updated: 13/10/2016Posted: 13/10/2016

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