Record Reviews

ASIA CZAJKOWSKA ~ PIANISSIMA NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 - 2023 Released: 2024 This is the 2nd album by Polish vocalist / songwriter Asia CzajkowskaFind albums by this artist. Ten years in the making, the album presents a very unique project of recording songs with nine different pianists, all hailing from the beautiful Polish medieval town of Torun, the city of Nicolaus Copernicus, but also of music. Finally, the result is in, nine songs by nine pianists / composers: Sebastian ZawadzkiFind albums by this artist, Bartosz StaszkiewiczFind albums by this artist, Mateusz SobiechowskiFind albums by this artist, Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, Michal MaciudzinskiFind albums by this artist, Tomasz LewandowskiFind albums by this artist, Andrzej FrolowFind albums by this artist, Igor NowickiFind albums by this artist and Jacek CichockiFind albums by this artist. Czajkowska wrote the lyrics to five of the songs and co-composed one of them. On all the songs Czajkowska is accompanied by the respective composer playing acoustic piano. Although not Jazz per se, the overall musical setting of the album combines many genres with strong Jazzy undertones and the vocals use techniques familiar within the Jazz idiom. But it is entirely up to the listener to decide what king of aesthetics this music sets out for him. What is most important of course is the fact that the quality of the music and the performances are all absolutely brilliant from start to finish and the dedication, energy and determination involved in creating this album are all impeccable. One has to admit that the days when a singer appears on stage supported just by a skilled pianist are long time over, and today singing without a wall of synthesizers and a loud band behind is almost unthinkable. Therefore, Czajkowska shows a lot of courage doing it here without any hesitation, proving she has all the skills necessary to pull it off, as well as the talent to do it with class. Of course the fact that all nine songs are wonderfully composed and the lyrics are intelligent, helps to make the entire project such a success. Overall, this is a truly delightful album, full of great songs, performed with heartfelt dedication, good taste and obvious talent. Czajkowska manages to confront the difficulty of singing accompanied just by a piano, doing it elegantly and confidently. The dedication needed to complete such a long-term project is admirable and the result is a wonderful example of calmness, good taste and grace in a world of havoc we live in. You did well my Lady, hats off!

Updated: 23/03/2024Posted: 23/03/2024

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ASIA CZAJKOWSKA / L.A. TRIO ~ MY JAZZY VALENTINE NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is the 3rd album by Polish Jazz vocalist Asia CzajkowskaFind albums by this artist, this time recorded with a classic piano trio consisting of pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist and drummer Jozef EliaszFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, a mixture of international Jazz standards and Polish songs. What does it take to be a Jazz singer? Well, this is the million-dollar question, which many have tried to answer before, mostly unsuccessfully. If you ask me, the answer is very really very simple – all you need to do is listen and you immediately know the answer, since you feel it deeply in your guts. Yes, it is all about feeling and when all the elements fall into place, like vocal abilities, interpretation, intelligence, etc. you stop analyzing it, you simply FEEL it, because it is all about feeling after all. So in vocal jazz it is perhaps not “if it ain’t got that swing…” but rather if it ain’t got that feeling, and Asia definitely has more than plenty of it! And when the voice is splendidly supported by a classic piano trio, everything just melts the listener’s heart. 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: 07/12/2024Posted: 07/12/2024

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BOGDAN HOLOWNIA / WOJCIECH PULCYN ~ HENRYK WARS SONGBOOK HOBO 009 (Barcode: 5907527959093) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 The great Polish (of Jewish origin) composer Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Henryk WarszawskiFind albums by this artist) was one of the most important music personalities of the interwar Polish music scene. He wrote music for many Polish films made during that period and composed countless popular songs, which were performed by the top Polish singers. He was also the musical director of the first Polish record company Syrena RekordFind albums on this label, which produced many thousands of recordings during the period. In addition he also wrote several Classical compositions and was one of Poland´s Jazz pioneers. Wars survived the WWII as a member of the Polish Army and after being demobilized in 1947 he emigrated to the USA, where he continued his music career, mostly as cinematic composer and songwriter until his death in 1977. Polish Jazz musicians: pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist present a selection of nine evergreens composed by Wars, with words by the best lyricists of the time, including the sublime poet Julian TuwimFind albums by this artist, which during the interwar period were smash hits on the local scene. In an intimate duo format and stripped from the lyrics, these performances emphasize the melodic sensitivities of the composer, which undoubtedly stand up to all other popular music composers of that period, who produced the inexhaustible source of musical gems, called "standards" in Jazz. The performances by the duo are all kept in a low key and the improvisation is kept to a minimum, concentrating on the delivery of the melodic contents. Therefore as a Jazz album it is relatively limited, but as an important document of the Polish popular music history and a tribute to the great composer it´s invaluable. The album will surely bring on some nostalgic moments from the older generation of listeners (sadly almost gone) and its primary role is to introduce this wonderful music to the younger generation, which should not forget the tradition, which is so full of musical treasures. Definitely worth investigation! The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, which of course means that the sound quality is super as always in such case.

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DOROTA MISKIEWICZ ~ PIANO.PL UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 602557206852 (Barcode: 602557206852) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is a live recording of a gigantically ambitious project conceived by Polish Jazz vocalist Dorota MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, which pays tribute to the Polish Jazz piano school, which spans several generations and is a sublime example of Polish / European Jazz tradition. The album presents twelve songs, one original by Miskiewicz and eleven "Polish standards" composed and written by the best Polish composers and lyricists, each performed by Miskiewicz accompanied by a different pianist and on eight of them also accompanied by the renowned Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist. The list of the pianists reads like the who´s who of Polish Jazz: Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, Lutoslawski Piano DuoFind albums by this artist, Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist, Piotr OrzechowskiFind albums by this artist, Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, Grzegorz TurnauFind albums by this artist (who also briefly sings) and Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist (Dorota´s Father) guests on one song. The DVD (filmed during the concert), included in the package, adds the concert´s intro, outro and a couple of songs not included on the CD. I am happy to say that I managed to have a more modest (with just three pianists) version of this project perform at the 2018 Singer Jazz Festival, which was extremely successful. As expected, all the performances are absolutely wonderful, a typical example of European haute Culture, where music, words and stage performance are combined to deliver an overall experience, which is more than just a sum of its ingredients. The album moves between Jazz & Poetry and highly lyrical popular music, all expertly arranged and brilliantly executed, especially in view of the fact that it was captured live. This album delivers exactly what it promises: an extraordinary panorama of Polish Jazz piano, full of elegance, virtuosity and flair. Miskiewicz moves with ease from one song to another, with a chameleonic change of moods and emotions, as appropriate for a great performer. For lovers of Polish Jazz in general and Polish Jazz piano in particular, this album is a superb introduction to the subject. Even for listeners beyond the Polish language sphere, this music easily penetrates and language barriers and should be completely accessible to every music lover.

Updated: 14/09/2018Posted: 14/09/2018

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PIOTR RODOWICZ ~ RAZEM NA TEJ ZIEMI SOLITON 1008 (Barcode: 5903684230082) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz bassist / composer Piotr RodowiczFind albums by this artist recorded with a bunch of "friends" like pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, flautist Ryszard BorowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jaroslaw BothurFind albums by this artist, guitarist Mark WaggonerFind albums by this artist and drummer Kazimierz JonkiszFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original pieces (one in two versions), seven composed by Rodowicz and three by Holownia. The music is all strictly melodic mainstream Jazz, on the lighter side of the idiom, but the compositions are solid and well crafted, and in the hands of these veteran performers they are all also splendidly executed. Although this is not the kind of Jazz I tend to listen to on an everyday basis, I firmly believe that it is a legitimate part of the genre, especially since it is accessible to a much wider audience than just the hardcore Jazz buffs. As long as the music has an intrinsic artistic value, is honest and professionally executed, it is fine with me, regardless of what the Jazz snobs my say. Overall this is a lightweight, pleasant listening experience, with Jazzy flavor and a solid entertainment value. Recommended for listeners with such inclinations!

Updated: 10/09/2020Posted: 10/09/2020

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PIOTR RODOWICZ ~ ZAPOMNIENI KOMPOZYTORZY POLSCY SOLITON 1325 (Barcode: 5903684233250) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Piotr RodowiczFind albums by this artist, recorded with pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, flutist Ryszard BorowskiFind albums by this artist and guitarist Mark WaggonerFind albums by this artist. It is the 2nd release in a series, which commemorates the legacy of Polish / Jewish composers, who perished during the Holocaust and their work is sadly mostly forgotten. The album presents eight tracks, composed four each by Artur GoldFind albums by this artist and Leon BorunskiFind albums by this artist, both of which were highly active in the early Polish Jazz scene. During the period between the two World Wars, Polish Jews contributed a vast share of the Polish Culture, in Poetry, Literature, Theatre, Cinema and of course Music. Tragically, all those who did not manage to escape the Holocaust, perished with the rest of Polish Jewry, with most of their legacy lost forever. The music presents Jazzy interpretations of the original music, elegantly recorded in an intimate acoustic quartet by experienced musicians, and the result is a highly melodic, pleasant listening experience on the lighter side of the Jazz spectrum, but full of respect to the original compositions. Overall, this is a wonderful tribute to forgotten heroes of the Polish / Jewish composers / musicians, who are truly worthy of being remembered. The life story and musical legacy of both these composers, whose music is included here, is a fascinating part of Polish Cultural legacy, and I am thankful to Piotr Rodowicz for keeping the flame alight.

Updated: 04/01/2024Posted: 04/01/2024

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LORA SZAFRAN / BOGDAN HOLOWNIA ~ WARS SZPILMAN WASOWSKI – I TAK SIE TRUDNO ROZSTAC… POLSKIE RADIO 2177 (Barcode: 5907812247904) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is a live recording by Polish Jazz vocalist Lora SzafranFind albums by this artist accompanied by a quartet led by pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, which also includes trumpeter Robert MurakowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve Polish evergreens (often called Polish standards), composed by three renowned Polish composers: Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, Wladyslaw SzpilmanFind albums by this artist and Jerzy WasowskiFind albums by this artist and featuring lyrics by celebrated Polish poets and lyricists. The music holds no surprises to the Polish listeners, as these are songs that the older generation is very much familiar with and which have been around for many years being clearly an integral part of the Polish Cultural heritage. Of course, as such, they have all been performed and recorded many times before and as a result this album offers nothing new in this respect. Szafran and the instrumentalist are all veteran performers and professionals, so this material offers no challenge whatsoever, especially in view of the fact that it was meant as entertainment and a nostalgic revisit of this material, rather than a Jazz event. Of course the performance was first class from start to finish. Overall this is a nice tribute to beautiful Polish songs, which offer wonderful music and intelligent, sensitive lyrics, and as such is sadly a symbol of how the values of popular music changed over time from artistry to trash.

Updated: 22/10/2018Posted: 22/10/2018

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IDA ZALEWSKA ~ STORYTELLING HEVHETIA 0118 (Barcode: 8588005257725) ~ POLAND ~ Blues Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the third album by Polish vocalist / songwriter Ida ZalewskaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a quartet comprising of pianist Kuba PluzekFind albums by this artist, who also arranged all the songs, guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub DworakFind albums by this artist and drummer Damian NiewinskiFind albums by this artist, all of them representatives of the young generation of the Polish Jazz scene. The album presents ten original songs, six of which were co-composed by Pluzek and Zalewska, three are by trumpeter Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist and one is by pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist. Zalewska wrote the lyrics to seven of the songs and Joanna MajorkiewiczFind albums by this artist to the remaining three; five of songs have Polish lyrics and the other five have English lyrics. Although the album is somewhat jazzed up, mostly by the presence of the Jazz musicians, Zalewska is body and soul oozing the Blues, with her deep, sensual voice and vocal mannerisms all originating in the Blues idiom. There is none of the typical Polish lyrical melancholy and Slavic mysticism here (well almost); it is all one or another form of the Blues. Pluzek, as the composer, arranger and main accompanist took the bull by its horns and produced a diverse but consisted body of music, which is built around Zalewska´s capabilities. The instrumental work on this album is relatively modest, and except for Pluzek, who carries most of the weight on his shoulders, the rest of the quartet is rather subdued. Mika plays a few very nice solos, but on a Blues album one would expect a much more dominant guitar presence. The rhythm section has little more to do than to keep time, which they do pretty straightforwardly. Pluzek contributes some nice solo parts and serves the role of the accompanist amicably. Overall, although not really my cup of gumbo, this album is definitely something fans of Soul drenched American Blues will enjoy a lot. The biggest problem this album presents to me is with the lyrics: the English lyrics are fine but Zalewska´s pronunciation is a bit off, the Polish lyrics sound really unnatural in this environment and don´t fit the music very well. I guess Blues was not meant to be sung in Polish. Anyway these are minor points and I guess this music can do very well live, much better than in a sterile studio environment.

Updated: 28/02/2016Posted: 28/02/2016

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