Record Reviews
15 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | STAN BORYS ~ …PISZE PAMIETNIK ARTYSTY
POLSKIE RADIO 1323 (Barcode: 5907812243234) ~ POLAND ~ Special Products
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010
Polish singer / actor / composer / poet Stan BorysFind albums by this artist is one of the most flamboyant and iconoclastic figures on the local scene with almost five decades of artistic achievements behind him. He was a founding member (with guitarist Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist) of the legendary group BlackoutFind albums by this artist, the first Polish Rock group to incorporate lyrics written by a poet, in this case by Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist. Following his departure from Blackout the group morphed into the no less legendary BreakoutFind albums by this artist, the great precursors of Blues-Rock in Poland, who continued to cooperate with Loebl as their exclusive lyricist, while Borys joined another group called BizonyFind albums by this artist.
Since the early 1970s Borys embarked on a solo career, which continues to this very day. In 1975 Borys left Poland and immigrated to the US, but remained faithful to his deep cultural bonds with his native country. Since 2004 he returned to perform regularly in Poland, where he maintains a solid fan base, both as a singer and actor. Although mostly renowned for his musical activities, Borys was always deeply interested in theatre and poetry. His deep knowledge and profound understanding of literary works turn him into a unique voice of the Polish literary tradition, which is especially evident on this recording.
In 1983 Stan Borys created a one-man-spectacle based on the poetry written by the 19th Century Polish poet Cyprian Kamil NorwidFind albums by this artist, one of the country’s greatest and most astounding literary forces, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the poet’s death. Five years later the spectacle was recorded and released on CD in the US. In 2010 Borys re-recorded his spectacle, which was finally released in Poland. The album consists of a series of Norwid’s poems recited by Borys, accompanied by ambient musical collages, as well as poems to which Borys composed full musical scores, which are sung by him. The overall effect is truly an electrifying and both deeply emotional as well as highly intellectual experience. The tormented, convoluted and diabolically complex Norwid’s poems suddenly become coherent and beautifully lucid thanks to the incredible interpretation and theatrical delivery by Borys, who masterly controls his voice and diction. It’s abundantly clear that Borys not only knows these poems intimately, but also feels deeply for the messages conveyed in them. For many, this might be the first opportunity to comprehend how prophetic these poems are, especially now.
Although the political circumstances at the time when these poems were written are no longer a reality, the underlying values and principles of freedom (both individual and collective), humanity, honesty, idealism and even patriotism are still the building stones of any decent society, but alas they are still being hold in deep contempt by contemporary, post-modern society led by false prophets, crooked politicians, fanatic clergy and fools. Hundreds of years of enslavement and suffering by Poles, as expressed by Norwid’s masterly poetry, who in retrospect conveyed these messages more eloquently than any of his contemporaries, seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Therefore these poems, as presented by Borys, are filled with grief and tragedy, desperation and anxiety, perhaps even more so than originally intended.
It´s interesting to follow the many parallels between these interpretations of Norwid’s work with the ones created by another Polish genius, NiemenFind albums by this artist. Niemen’s “obsession” with Norwid’s poetry was an integral part of his life’s work, which deserves to be regarded as one of the ultimate highlights of Polish cultural heritage. Stan Borys now joins Niemen on the pedestal of Polish seers, in many ways continuing the same mission of spreading the words of the Prophet. This album is a masterpiece of epic proportions and an invaluable addition to the Polish culture, although the question if it will be recognized as such by his fellow countrymen remains still open. Since the Bible teaches us that "no prophet is accepted in his hometown", I remain skeptical…
| | Updated: 25/06/2016Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | STAN BORYS ~ IKONA
POMATON 825646281428 (Barcode: 825646281428) ~ POLAND ~ Sung Poetry
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014
This is an album by veteran Polish vocalist / songwriter / poet Stan BorysFind albums by this artist, which presents eleven beautiful songs, performed by Borys, who in spite of his age seems to be completely untouched by time and displays his usual extraordinary charisma and artistic ability. Borys wrote the music of two songs present here and the lyrics of four others. On the other songs Borys uses mostly poems written by Polish poets such as Adam MickiewiczFind albums by this artist, Agnieszka OsieckaFind albums by this artist, Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist and others. The album was recorded in different studios in Poland and US and features different musicians, but presents a very consistent and tight contemporary sound and features excellent musicianship and polished production. Some of the songs are new arrangements of older songs by Borys and others make their debut on this album.
As usual with Borys, he manages to achieve the best possible balance between excellent melodic themes and intelligent, moving lyrics, consistent with the uniquely Polish "Sung Poetry" idiom. Therefore the album stands above almost everything else recorded today on the Polish market in the Pop / Rock category, which sadly, as everywhere else in the world, is characterized by trivial music and moronic lyrics. Sadly for Borys and fans of quality music, such albums are completely ignored by the media, which seems to concentrate on turning the young generation into cultural zombies.
Although this album presents, as already mentioned, a contemporary sound and production characteristics, musically it belongs to the Rock music, which ruled the world in the 1960s and 1970s, i.e. the "Golden Decade", when writing a song meant that the songwriter has something to say, both musically and ideologically. Therefore this music might have been written five decades ago, or from a different perspective preserves the quality of songwriting established then and now sadly forgotten. Each of the songs on this album has a solid melody, a memorable riff and tells a story with a moral. If we didn´t know better, Borys sounds five decades younger that his chronological age, which can be said about only a handful of other vocalist from that period who still perform today. How he does it is a miracle.
Although the Polish lyrics limit the exposure of this album mostly to the Polish scene, many international listeners should be able to enjoy it, even those who are not Polish speakers. Great music is able to transcend language barriers, and this album is one of those rare universal creations. This album also proves that veteran artists should not by a priori dismissed and some of them definitely preserve the ability to stay contemporary and often shoe the young artists how great music is made.
Albums like this one keep the faith that not everything is lost in Pop / Rock, and excellent contemporary music is possible, even if it has to be made by Masters, who already served the Art for many generations. A true gem!
| | Updated: 25/06/2016Posted: 25/06/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ 70A
MUZA 989 (Barcode: 5907783499890) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2005
2nd album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included bassist / pianist Józef SkrzekFind albums by this artist (future member of NiemenFind albums by this artist´s groups and later SBBFind albums by this artist) and drummer Józef HajdaszFind albums by this artist. The fifth member of Breakout was the great Polish saxophonist / flautist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, the first Polish Jazz musician, who combined the Jazz and Rock genres and of course was an early pioneer of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but the presence of Nahorny and the contemporary Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. This album is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ BLUES
MUZA 940 (Barcode: 5907783499401) ~ POLAND ~ Blues-Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2005
3rd album by Polish group BreakoutFind albums by this artist is one of the most influential albums, not only in Poland but in the entire Easter European music scene. Separated from the West by the Iron Curtain, Eastern European musicians and fans alike had little opportunity to hear album released "on the other side" and therefore relied primarily on whatever was available to them. Poland led the way in music in the 1960s and 1970s not only in Jazz, which flourished there, but also in Rock and Blues-Rock, as well as early Progressive Rock. Albums by NiemenFind albums by this artist, Poland´s most influential Rock / Prog / Jazz-Rock Fusion figure and later on also this album, served as the "musical bible" for generations of Eastern European musicians to study, copy and be inspired by. Breakout, led by vocalist / guitarist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist, included also lead guitarist Dariusz KozakiewiczFind albums by this artist, harmonica player Tadeusz TrzcinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Jerzy GoleniewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Józef HajdaszFind albums by this artist. The lyrics were written by Polish poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who was the band´s resident lyricist. This album is a superb example of Blues-Rock, with absolutely stunning guitar work by Kozakiewicz, which resulted in it being referred to as the Polish version of the legendary John MayallFind albums by this artist´s "Bluesbreakers With Eric ClaptonFind albums with this title" album, being surely as influential as that seminal release. In retrospect the album lost absolutely nothing of its power and beauty and hopefully some Rock-Blues enthusiasts around the world will discover it eventually. Absolutely essential!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ KAMIENIE
MUZA 944 (Barcode: 5907783499449) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2005
7th album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. This new lineup of the group also included guitarist Winicjusz ChrostFind albums by this artist, bassist Zdzislaw ZawadzkiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech MorawskiFind albums by this artist. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. This album, taking them back to the basic quartet lineup, was their most successful release in their native country. In retrospect this is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ KARATE
MUZA 942 (Barcode: 5907783499432) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2005
5th album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group also included harmonica player Tadeusz TrzcinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Jerzy GoleniewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Józef HajdaszFind albums by this artist. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. This album, taking them back to the basic quartet lineup, was their most successful release in their native country. In retrospect this is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ MIRA
MUZA 941 (Barcode: 5907783499418) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2005
4th album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included harmonica player Tadeusz TrzcinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Jerzy GoleniewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jan MazurekFind albums by this artist. The sixth member of Breakout was the great Polish saxophonist / flautist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, the first Polish Jazz musician, who combined the Jazz and Rock genres and of course was an early pioneer of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but the presence of Nahorny and the contemporary Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. This album was intended as Mira´s debut solo album, but in time it was accepted by fans and Rock historians as the group´s fourth album. Sadly, it was the last Breakout album, which featured Nahorny´s Jazzy ornamentation. In retrospect this is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ NA DRUGIM BRZEGU TECZY
MUZA 988 (Barcode: 5907783499883) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1969 Released: 2005
1st album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included bassist Michal MuzolfFind albums by this artist and drummer Józef HajdaszFind albums by this artist. The fifth member of Breakout was the great Polish saxophonist / flautist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, the first Polish Jazz musician, who combined the Jazz and Rock genres and of course was an early pioneer of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but the presence of Nahorny and the contemporary Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. This album is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ NOL
MUZA 990 (Barcode: 5907783499906) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1975 Released: 2005
8th album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included on this album keyboardist Bogdan LewandowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Zbigniew WypychFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej TylecFind albums by this artist. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. In retrospect this is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ OGIEN
MUZA 943 (Barcode: 5907783499432) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2005
6th album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included harmonica player Tadeusz TrzcinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Jerzy GoleniewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Stefan PlazaFind albums by this artist. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. This album was intended as Mira´s second solo album, but in time it was accepted by fans and Rock historians as the group´s sixth album. In retrospect this is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ ZAGIEL ZIEMI
MUZA 992 (Barcode: 5907783499920) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1979 Released: 2005
10th and last album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included on this album bassists Krystian WilczekFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew WypychFind albums by this artist and drummer Marek SurzynFind albums by this artist. The album was recorder in parallel with "ZOLFind albums with this title" and is a concept work intended to be performed at the ill-fated 1980 Moscow Olympics. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but the presence of Nahorny and the contemporary Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time, but on this album the lyrics were written by Piotr TrojkaFind albums by this artist. In retrospect this is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ ZOL
MUZA 991 (Barcode: 5907783499913) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1979 Released: 2005
9th album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included on this album bassist Krystian WilczekFind albums by this artist and drummer Marek SurzynFind albums by this artist. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. In retrospect this is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | DOROTA MISKIEWICZ / HENRYK MISKIEWICZ ~ NASZA MILOSC
AGORA 5903111495572 (Barcode: 5903111495572) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021
This is an album by Polish Jazz vocalist (and violinist) Dorota MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and her Father, saxophonist / composer Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded with an excellent team which includes pianist Piotr OrzechowskiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. PianohooliganFind albums by this artist), bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and another member of the Miskiewicz clan (often fondly referred to as the “Polish Jazz Royal Family”), Dorota’s brother Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. Kurkiewicz and Miskiewicz are the rhythm section of the Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist Trio (previously Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist). The album presents eight original compositions, all composed by Henryk Miskiewicz or co-composed with his two offspring. Seven of the compositions feature lyrics by Polish Poets and one features Dorota singing wordless vocalese.
The music is absolutely beautiful, kept well within the Classic Jazz convention and presenting superb melodies and spotless aesthetics, as well as perfect and truly virtuosic performances. All the five musicians, each in his own specific field, contributes to the final result, which emerges as more than just a sum of its parts.
Dorota masterfully utilizes her velvety voice and her sensitivity to the lyrics, which she interprets splendidly. Henryk ideally emphasizes the romantic atmosphere and proves to be both a great accompanist and a soloist. Piotr adds the spark and fantasy, with his virtuosic piano parts, proving that he can be as imaginative and inventive in mainstream Jazz as he is in more complex Jazz idioms. And the rhythm section is a dream come true, supporting the music firmly and elegantly.
Overall this is a superb vocal Jazz experience, which combines lofty compositions, intelligent and elegant lyrics and classy Jazz, that is an absolute marvel from start to finish. Although perhaps not a classic Jazz & Poetry project per se, it has many common characteristics with my beloved High Art idiom, shedding some light on the romantic side of the poetry of Ewa LipskaFind albums by this artist, and returns to the splendid work of Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, Wojciech MlynarskiFind albums by this artist, Grzegorz TurnauFind albums by this artist and Andrzej PoniedzielskiFind albums by this artist, all being true wizards of words. Absolutely delightful!
| | Updated: 20/10/2021Posted: 20/10/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | TADEUSZ WOZNIAK ~ TADEUSZ WOZNIAK (ODCIEN CISZY)
MUZA 1289 (Barcode: 5907783422898) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2010
This is the 2nd album by Polish singer / songwriter Tadeusz WozniakFind albums by this artist, one of the greatest representatives of Polish Progressive Rock / Folk-Rock scene in the late 1960 / early 1970. Wozniak wrote some incredible melodies to the words of contemporary Polish poets (among them Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist who also cooperated with BreakoutFind albums by this artist) and performed them accompanied by his own exceptional acoustic guitar. On this album he is supported by some of the best Polish Prog musicians at the time, as well as a string quartet and the female vocal group AlibabkiFind albums by this artist. This album is much more advanced than the debut and includes a 14 minutes long piece, which gives the album its title. In retrospect this music represents some of the best sounds of the incredible Polish music scene at the time. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
|
