Record Reviews

QUESTION MARK ~ EXSESSIONS RG 105 (Barcode: 002018111112) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is an album by Polish Progressive Rock / Jazz-Rock Fusion group Question MarkFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, which also includes violinist Robert BielakFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek DolegaFind albums by this artist and drummer Marek MatuszewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen compositions, six of which are main extended pieces and the other seven are shorter connecting pieces, which are intertwined around the main pieces and together they all present a musical continuum. The music was co-composed by the group members (five of the main pieces), or co-composed by Raatz and Bielak (six of the connecting pieces) and the remaining two pieces were composed by Raatz. The album is beautifully packaged in an elegant metal case. The music is different from the earlier material recorded by the group and has a distinct industrial / minimalist / ambient sound and feel, where the extended improvisations are developing over a steady drone like rhythmic pattern and the guitar and violin sound more like a synthesizers. The metamorphosis is quite dramatic and if not for the name on the packaging, the connection to the earlier recordings would have been difficult to recognize. Regardless of the change of direction, the music is again very impressive and fascinating. The improvisations are well structured and enable the listener to enter a trance like state of intensive listening. It is rare to see a group to undertake such a bold direction change and keep the level of musicianship unchanged, achieving such a thrilling result. With this new direction the music might find a new audience, perhaps a bit younger, than the traditional Prog / Fusion fans, which are sadly mostly quite advanced in their years. But all open-minded music connoisseurs should be able to develop an affinity to this music, as it as much challenging as it is rewarding. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 17/02/2019Posted: 17/02/2019

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

QUESTION MARK ~ LA TERRA ROSA QM 003 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is an album by Polish Progressive Rock / Jazz-Rock Fusion group Question MarkFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, which also includes violinist Robert BielakFind albums by this artist, Russian keyboardist Michael OgorodovFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek DolegaFind albums by this artist and drummer Marek MatuszewskiFind albums by this artist. Flautist Timothy SanfordFind albums by this artist guests on a couple of tracks and vocalist Jaroslaw PijarowskiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents a fourteen-part suite, composed by the participating musicians. The music is beautifully put together, combining superb melodic themes with Funk, Groove and World Music, which overwhelms the listener with its passionate execution. The consecutive parts of the suite are intertwined by solo violin parts called "impressions", creating a wonderful flow of the entire piece, which has no dull moments whatsoever. The group uses a rich palette of sounds and instruments to create an ever-changing tapestry of sound, which is coherent and perfectly balanced. All the musicians involved are first rate instrumentalist of superb technical skills, but Raatz manages to create a barrage of guitar virtuosity which should leave the listeners completely stunned. His proficiency and technique are truly extraordinary and his musicality is profound. He manages to shun all gimmickry and show off, simply playing his heart out. The rhythm section kicks ass and has a great feel of pulse. The violinist pulls some virtuosic stunts of his own. Together they simply fly! Overall this is an amazing album, which was sadly overlooked at the time of its release. With contemporary Prog and Fusion being almost completely lifeless, this album shows that not everything is lost yet. Both Prog and Fusion connoisseurs should be able to enjoy this album to the max and hopefully it will be discovered worldwide, as the group honestly deserves to be heard. Guitar freaks – prepare to weep!

Updated: 17/02/2019Posted: 17/02/2019

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

QUESTION MARK ~ LABORATORY QM 002 (Barcode: 5901448276925) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This is an album by Polish Progressive Rock / Jazz-Rock Fusion trio Question MarkFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist and including also bassist Jacek DolegaFind albums by this artist and drummer Marek MatuszewskiFind albums by this artist. Violinist / guitarist Robert BielakFind albums by this artist guests on most of the tracks and the legendary trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents twelve original instrumental compositions by the trio members, three of which are three-part mini suites. The music introduces some basic themes, which are then used as basis for extended instrumental improvisations, mostly by guitar and violin. The violin improvisations are more Jazz / Fusion oriented and the guitar improvisations are more Prog oriented, so the album is overall quite diverse and multifaceted. The rhythm section is very Rock oriented, which sets the rhythmic patters somewhat towards Heavy Rock, but not overwhelmingly so, which still leaves the instrumental improvisation to be the center of this music. The track with Przybielski is of course outstanding and one can only regret that the entire album was not recorder with him, which would have turned it into a remarkable album. But at least we can hear the amazing trumpet work on one track, which of course is good enough reason to have this album. Przybielski had the chameleonic ability to feel completely at ease in any musical environment, from extreme Avant-Garde to commercial Pop, and Fusion / Rock suited him as well as anything else, which is evident here. The violin work is also quite impressive and people interested in Fusion violin sound should find this album fascinating as well. This album is pretty obscure even on the Polish scene, so perhaps people reading these lines will make an effort to look it up now, as it is definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 07/11/2016

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

RAATZ / BIELAK / MACKIEWICZ ~ MUTUAL INFLUENCES RG 108 ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio comprising of guitarist Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, violinist Robert BielakFind albums by this artist and percussionist Daniel MackiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live in the studio and presents three original compositions uncredited on the album’s artwork and assumably co-composed by the three participants. Raatz and Bielak cooperated earlier as members of the group Question MarkFind albums by this artist, Bielak appeared on the first three albums by Light CoorporationFind albums by this artist and Mackiewicz played for many years in Sing Sing PenelopeFind albums by this artist and with Raatz in Ritual Art OrchestraFind albums by this artist. In short these are highly experienced and talented musicians. The music is mostly improvised, based on sketchy melodic framework, which serves as the basis for extended improvisations by the trio, which float between World Music and Fusion climates. The lengthy tracks, especially the opening one, which last for over twenty-two minutes, is an epic journey moving between relaxed quiet stretches and peeks of intense soloing by the guitar or violin, accompanied by percussive Eastern rhythmic pulsations. The jam session atmosphere that prevails throughout the album offers a trans-like sonic adventure that is fascinating to follow, completely engulfing the listener in the process, inviting to sink deeply into the flow. But of course one can also follow the intricate details of the improvisations, if so inclined. Overall, this is a highly emotional musical experience for the open-minded listener, involving superb instrumental performances and strong group improvisations, which are much more inviting than most such excursions. Both World Music and Fusion fans should find this music very agreeable. Highly recommended!

Updated: 31/07/2022Posted: 31/07/2022

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

BOGUSLAW RAATZ ~ EXZYSTENCJE RG 104 ~ POLAND ~ Electronic & Ambient Recorded: 2013 - 2018 Released: 2018 This is an album by Polish guitarist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, which presents the music which was part of a multimedia project combining an Art exhibition of paintings by Lukasz WodynskiFind albums by this artist and musical accompaniment by Raatz. The album presents a five part suite lasting under half an hour, performed by Raatz using guitars and synthesizers and percussion instruments played by Daniel MackiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album is beautifully packaged in a metal case and includes a booklet with some reproductions of the paintings by Wodynski. The music is mostly Electronic / Ambient, with limited melodic content, but with strong emotional character. Progressive Rock listeners might also find this music quite interesting, especially the longest (fourth) piece of the suite, which is closest to the Progressive Rock idiom. Although initially intended as illustrative music for the exhibition, it holds its own ground as a piece of Ambient music and is an intriguing listening experience. This album is not just a piece of plastic intended to be a means of distributing music, but a piece of Art in itself, and should be viewed as such and an example of European aesthetics. Definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 26/09/2018Posted: 26/09/2018

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RITUAL ART ORCHESTRA ~ ATMOSPHERE RG 103 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2017 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by the Polish ensemble Ritual Art OrchestraFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. R-A-OFind albums by this artist), which already released an album under an earlier moniker (Ritual Duo). The current lineup of the ensemble consists of American violinist / composer Steve KindlerFind albums by this artist and Polish multi-instrumentalist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist and percussionist Daniel MackiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, five by Kindler and four by Raatz. The music is an interesting amalgam of Ethnic / World Music elements, Electronic / Ambient influences and Jazzy improvisations. Although performed by just three musicians, it is heavily overdubbed and often reaches orchestral proportions. The Ethnic influences originate from many different Cultures, like Middle Eastern and Far Eastern, Balinese, African and others, which makes the music diverse and avoids the repetition and sameness that many projects of this kind suffer from. All three members of the ensemble display their individual talents, which although are quite dissimilar, work very well together. Kindler uses a 9 string violin, which has a very unique sound. Raatz plays guitars and a plethora of ethnic instruments like oud and sitar, each contributing a unique layer to the overall sound tapestry. Mackiewicz adds the rhythmic layer, again using several different instruments, which also enriches the overall sound. The music is very well recorded and the album offers excellent sound quality. Overall this is a musical journey around the world, which Jazz-World Fusion enthusiasts should find quite interesting and entertaining. It offers many improvised passages and subtle melodies, with a certain New Age flavor, which characterized recordings of this kind in the 1990s. It is definitely worth listening to by people who like this kind of music already, but also an opportunity for others to discover this idiom.

Updated: 26/06/2018Posted: 26/06/2018

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

WARM TRIO ~ MOUSE PARADISE RG 107 (Barcode: 5902693143468) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is the second album by the Warm TrioFind albums by this artist, which comprises of Polish guitarist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, bassist Grzegorz KorybalskiFind albums by this artist and American drummer Calvin WestonFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, including one bonus track that does not appear on the LP edition of this album. All the music was co-composed by the trio members, except one track which features American violinist Steve KindlerFind albums by this artist, who is also listed as co-composer. The trio offers a phenomenal “power trio” Fusion, based on excellent melodic themes and superbly hard driven performance by all three musicians. The guitar is obviously fronting the line, with a sound every Hard Rock group would wish to call their own, but which these days hardly ever happens. The powerful rhythm section drives the music mercilessly forward, with a power of a nuclear submarine. The resulting wall of sound effect is simply overwhelming, in the best sense of course. Overall, this is superb follow up to the debut album and a great piece of music for listeners who want their music loud and hard, but intelligent and diverse enough to keep them interested for the duration. Fusion on steroids and an absolute must to guitar lovers, who might need resuscitation along the way.

Updated: 01/05/2022Posted: 01/05/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

WARM TRIO ~ WARM TRIO RG 101 (Barcode: 20151010) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is an album by Dark Rock / Fusion group Warm TrioFind albums by this artist comprising of Polish guitarist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, bassist Grzegorz KorybalskiFind albums by this artist and American drummer Calvin WestonFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original instrumental compositions, nine of which were co-composed by the trio members and one each by Raatz and Weston. The music moves between typical guitar power trios Heavy Rock riff oriented pieces and more Fusion oriented material, with extensive improvisations. The focus is obviously on the guitar pyrotechnics, which Raatz is a Master of, but there us also a lot of melodic contents and ambient atmosphere. The rhythm section supports the leader amicably and holds the pulse firmly, which is exactly what this kind of music needs. In contrast to most recordings of this type, the music on this album is diverse enough to keep the listener interested over the entire span of the album, but it is undoubtedly very specific and will appeal to Rock fans who like their music heavy, loud and intense. For guitar aficionados this album is a treasure chest of technical tips how to use the instrument to the max, without being excessive and boring. Definitely an ear opener!

Updated: 18/02/2019Posted: 18/02/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

WITKACY TRIBUTE ENSEMBLE ~ WISTOSC RZECZY RG 109 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2020 - 2021 Released: 2022 When we think about “universality”, we intuitively mostly think in just three dimensions, but relating to WitkacyFind albums by this artist and his multi-disciplinary legacy, the most important thing is the fourth dimension, i.e. time. From the perspective of a Century, his philosophy, writing, Art theory, painting, photography and even composition are completely time unrelated, being as relevant, and perhaps more relevant today, than they were at the time of their creation, mostly due to the fact that Witkacy was simply way ahead of his contemporaries, in every possible dimension. The mysticism, sensationalism and misinterpretation of his Cultural legacy is usually a result of ignorance and a rigid attempt to fit his heritage into later time period norms and social frameworks, which of course are completely opposed to his transcendental free-spirited universe. Witkacy was not a drug-consumed hippie, as many would like to portray him, or a social misfit. He was a genius trapped within the restrains of mediocrity, stupidity and conformism, that rule this world. The person in charge of the concept behind this project is of course Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, who wrote most of the music, assembled the musicians and defined the ambitious boundaries and Artistic credo of this project. It offers a wealth of authentic works by Witkacy, carefully assembled and encrusted in the musical layer, creating a whole that is way beyond just a sum of its parts. This is of course not the first attempt to create a musical tribute to Witkacy; the pioneering album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, recorded in 1986, called “Peyotl - WitkacyFind albums with this title”, is an obvious reference and the hypnotic trumpet duet of Stanko and Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist on that album remains a classic of that era. A Nation is only as strong as its passion for its Cultural heritage. Thank God some people are still able to channel their energy into pursuing this motto. This album is certainly an evidence of exactly that. 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: 30/04/2022Posted: 30/04/2022

CD 1 Box Set Recommend To A Friend