Record Reviews

ADAM BALDYCH ~ LEGEND ANAKLASIS 020 (Barcode: 5907795211855) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with saxophonist Marek KonarskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist, and Polish Classical violinist Agata SzymczewskaFind albums by this artist. The album presents compositions inspired by the music of Polish Classical violinist / composer Henryk WieniawskiFind albums by this artist, nine of which are original compositions by Baldych and one is variation on a composition by Wieniawski. The album was released by the prestigious Polish AnaklasisFind albums on this label label as part of its “Revisions” series. I have followed Baldych’s career closely since his arrival on the scene over a decade ago and even had the pleasure of writing the liner notes for one of his early albums, always believing in his extraordinary talent and proudly watching his amazing achievements over time. His participation in this prestigious series is therefore not surprising at all. The meeting of Jazz and Classical violins is not a completely novel idea of course, but in the past this happened mostly on the lighter side of the music spectrum (see kitsch), whereas here we witness a true connubiality of the two with no concessions whatsoever to the aesthetic meritum of the entire concept. Baldych’s compositions are sublimely melodic, absolutely soaked in the Polish lyricism and melancholy, not far in spirit from the music of this album’s patron. Therefore, the “inspired by” relationship is perhaps the most vivid of all the albums in this series. Even when the music ventures into a more Avant-Garde territory, it still firmly relates to the subject matter, not losing any of its melodicism of even lyricism. The members of the quintet stand up to the challenge with flying colors, providing a full-fledged harmonious base for the two violinist to play solos and duets at lengths. Ojdana, a brilliant Jazz pianist by any standard, is absolutely instrumental to the success of the whole project, showing wonderful restraint and profound understanding of his supportive role, but soloing with class and exceptional fluidity. Konarski adds his saxophone parts also extremely carefully and delicately, sounding somehow like another violin, as outlandish as this might sound. The highly proficient rhythm section is also completely enlisted to the cause, providing the ever so delicate Jazzy heartbeat to the proceedings. Almost anything said about the two violinist might sound completely superfluous, as they are both already established as Masters of their Art. It is very comforting that the initial fears and reservations proved to be completely baseless and everything worked out magnificently well. One can only hope that this duet will meet again soon, and judging by Baldych’s love of the duet idiom, my hopes are high. Overall, this is an absolutely marvelous album, one of the most natural amalgamations of Jazz and Classical Music I have encountered over the years. Everything here breathes music, elegance, dedication, good taste and impeccable performances. What a coincident that I should write these words on Valentine’s Day, as this album is so Romantic it simply melts one’s heart away. Thank you my Friends for another sublime gift of Music!

Updated: 14/02/2023Posted: 14/02/2023

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ADAM BALDYCH ~ POETRY ACT 9939 (Barcode: 614427993922) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the seventh album on the prestigious German ACTFind albums on this label label by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist recorded with his Polish quintet, which comprises of saxophonist Marek KonarskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. Italian Master trumpeter Paolo FresuFind albums by this artist expands the quintet into a sextet. The album presents eleven tracks, ten of which are original compositions by Baldych and one is an arrangement of a song composed by the enigmatic BjorkFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at the fabulous Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, with the usual exceptional sound quality. Following a dazzling career, which developed over the last decade, Baldych emerges as a pillar of the Polish Jazz violin tradition, joining the ranks of the Giants of the generations that preceded his era. This album sets also Baldych’s status as a composer, perhaps more clearly and distinctly than any of his earlier recordings. The collection of his compositions on this album presents a remarkable stylistic clarity and coherence, which, at least for me, sound completely his own, with specific characteristics, which are now clearly distinguishable. The music is beautifully melancholic, brilliantly melodic and superbly lyrical, following the Polish musical tradition on every level, from Polish Folklore, Classical Music and of course the Polish Jazz tradition. There is an elegant restrain and easy pace inherent in all the pieces, which perhaps is a result of the fact that Baldych does not need to prove anything anymore, as far as his violin virtuosity is concerned, and creating music is his only concern. Despite the fact that the music offers seemingly unrelated pieces, the album sounds remarkably as one aesthetically logical continuum. Although Baldych is surrounded here by first class instrumentalists, the album offers very limited soloing, except for the violin parts of course and occasionally subdued trumpet or saxophone soli. The fact that Fresu agreed to take part in this project, with his personal profile barely audible, speaks highly of his respect towards the essence of the music. Nevertheless, the contributions of all the participants are absolutely brilliant, as expected. Sonically the most surprising accent is a very unusual sound produced by the drums, which sound completely different to what one expects in the Jazz environment. Overall, as someone who had the honor to write the liner notes for Baldych’s debut album more than ten years ago, I feel a great satisfaction as a result of following his career closely and witnessing its splendid progress. The music offers a deeply spiritual sonic experience of rare quality and the album is wholeheartedly recommended as one of the most significant Polish Jazz outings of 2021.

Updated: 11/11/2021Posted: 11/11/2021

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ADAM BALDYCH ~ SACRUM PROFANUM ACT 9881 (Barcode: 614427988126) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is an album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with Polish Jazz musicians: pianist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. It is the first album recorded by Baldych with Polish musicians released on the prestigious ACTFind albums on this label label, which released several earlier albums by Baldych, recorded with international partners. The album presents ten tracks, five of which are original compositions by Baldych, three are medieval / baroque sacred music pieces arranged by Baldych and Dys, one is an ancient Polish hymn and one is by contemporary, deeply spiritual Tatar-Russian avant-gardist Sofia GubaidulinaFind albums by this artist. The album´s title refers to the "concept" which Baldych wishes to present to the listener, based on the philosophical / religious conflict between the sacred and the profane worlds, in which we, human beings, exist simultaneously. The trivial interpretation of that concept would be of course to consider the five sacred pieces as the Sacrum facet of the music and the original pieces as the Profanum, but the truth is way more complicated than such simplistic approach. Baldych obviously treats Classical Music and Jazz with the same measure of spirituality and his life and musical path so far are a classical example of the rite of passage between the diverse musical idioms, which results in his own compositions being certainly no less spiritual / sacred than those a priori designated as such. The entire musical contents of this album can be therefore considered as an amalgamation of the lofty, spiritual ingredients of music and its earthly embodiment, which we are able to actually hear; the notes, harmonies, pulses and melodies. The overall atmosphere is deeply lyrical and spiritual of course and since Baldych personifies the Polish melancholy more profoundly than most, the resulting music is both deeply Polish as it is Universal. The inclusion of the Gubaidulina piece will hopefully awaken interest in the work of this exceptional composer among new listeners, as it is truly amazing. Although obviously deeply involved in Jazz improvisation, this music should be of interest to a wide audience of music connoisseurs, those from the Jazz side of the spectrum, Classical and Sacred Music enthusiasts and all true lovers of great music. It is, as already stated, completely universal and boundless, and as such able to touch the listeners both spiritually and intellectually. Following Baldych´s musical path over the last decade has been a true revelation. Being blessed by enormous talent and unprecedented skill is often not quite enough to ensure an Artistic triumph, but in his case he is also hard working, disciplined and open minded, which enables him to achieve the two fundamental goals leading to Artistic accomplishment: consistency and constantly coherent course of progression. As a result his international career keeps blossoming and his collective recording précis to date is unblemished. Overall this is an amazing piece of Artistry, splendidly conceived, put together and executed by the finest musicians on the Polish Jazz scene, which should be an essential part of any serious music collection. Absolutely not to be missed!

Updated: 01/03/2019Posted: 01/03/2019

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ADAM BALDYCH QUINTET ~ PORTRAITS IMAGINARY MUSIC 003 (Barcode: 5905817210039) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the 2nd album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer / bandleader Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist, released on his Imaginary MusicFind albums on this label label. The album was recorded in a quintet setting with pianist Sebastian ZawadzkiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marek KonarskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. Vocalists Kari SalFind albums by this artist and Piotr OdoszewskiFind albums by this artist guest on one track, which uses the lyrics written by poet Krzysztof Kamil BaczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents sixteen tracks, all but one composed by Baldych and one composed by Zawadzki. The album’s extended booklet features a liner note by Jacek SolkiewiczFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. MirrormanFind albums by this artist). In his liner note Baldych states his reflections about the meaning of music in human life, especially in face of brutal reality. He refers to the fate of the Polish Jewish violinist / composer / author Szymon LaksFind albums by this artist, who is known for his role as the head of the inmate’s orchestra in the Auschwitz concentration camp, which Laks described in his memoirs. The absurdity and inhuman cruelty of the orchestra performing twice a day in the midst of the Auschwitz inferno is definitely something to ponder about, especially as the Holocaust Remembrance Day is just four days away. The music is full of deep melancholy and reflection, gently intertwining Jazz and Classical (mostly Medieval) as well as World Music influences, with profoundly lyrical and even at times gloomy themes. Baldych’s renaissance violin fits perfectly to the tonal structures and his virtuosity of expression is able to project the entire aesthetic atmosphere clearly and vividly. I have followed the work of Baldych since his early steps on the music scene and I am happy so he that he matured extremely well, as his recent work, and this album in particular, takes him to the pedestal of exemplary musical personalities, well beyond just the Jazz scene. All the music on this album sounds like one coherent continuity, and the division into tracks is simply a technical matter, as I can’t imagine listening to any part of this music separately. Baldych’s team comprises of some of the best Polish Jazz musicians, so the ensemble performances are, not surprisingly, sublime. There is limited soloing herein, not because of lack of ability, but obviously since this music is an ensemble effort, not a showcase of individual abilities, other than those by the leader of course. But when solos do appear, they are truly brilliant, albeit being relatively short. Overall, this is a true Masterpiece of an album in every possible sense: the compositions, the performances, the team effort of the ensemble, the interplay, the dynamics, in short everything just fits perfectly in place. It is Baldych’s most mature work so far, which will be extremely hard to follow, but he has proven time and again that he can be full of surprises. Congratulations are in order!

Updated: 23/01/2025Posted: 23/01/2025

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CRACOW JAZZ COLLECTIVE ~ NO MORE DRAMA FOR TUNE 0093 (Barcode: 5902768701692) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz ensemble Cracow Jazz CollectiveFind albums by this artist, an octet led by pianist / composer Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, one of the most notable upcoming Polish Jazz musicians in recent years. The rest of the ensemble consists of other young and upcoming Polish Jazz musicians: trumpeters Cyprian BaszynskiFind albums by this artist and Dominik MietlaFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Marcin SlusarczykFind albums by this artist, Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist and Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr PoludniakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents three expanded compositions, all originals by Gaweda. The music embodies an amazing amalgam of contemporary Modern Jazz, which moves stylistically between swinging melodic themes and collective group improvisation with elegance and grace. The sound of the octet is typical of much larger ensembles and is no less powerful than a Big Band at times. The arrangements, which call for unisono brass parts and almost Rock like rhythmic riffs, create a fat sound, which is extremely effective. All these contribute to the fact that this is one of the most quite recordings on the Polish scene lately. The extended pieces offer plenty of opportunity to show the individual talents of the ensemble members, which are all very impressive, but also emphasize the ability of the musicians to sub-divide the lineup into sections, which play in a variety of combinations from unisono to individual improvised statements. The majority of the music is however very "well behaved" and follows strictly wonderfully arranged scenarios. This album reveals a much lesser known side of Gaweda, who so far is mostly known as a piano virtuoso of highly individual style, who plays mostly Free Jazz and Improvised Music, whereas here he symbolizes the Jazz tradition not only as the composer and arranger but also as a player, which can be followed through out this album. Perhaps the fact that this music was recorded a couple of years before it was released, portrays Gaweda at that time, which is not what he does now, but I certainly hope he will make more music as majestic and skillfully arranged as this one in parallel to his explorations of the Free realms. There is little doubt as to the fact that music is such complexity on one hand and perfect execution on the other is the proof of the incredible level of the young generation of Polish Jazz musicians, who are slowly taking over the local scene into their capable hands. In fact it is so good that it should studied by other young musicians as a model of what Jazz is all about. Definitely a shining gem of an album!

Updated: 15/07/2016Posted: 15/07/2016

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HIGH DEFINITION QUARTET ~ BUKOLIKI FOR TUNE 0074 (Barcode: 5902768701760) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the second album by the Polish Jazz outfit called High Definition QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Mateusz SliwaFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr OrzechowskiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. PianohooliganFind albums by this artist), bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist (who replaced Patryk DoboszFind albums by this artist). The album presents five pieces related to the five piano miniatures by contemporary Polish Classical composer Witold LutoslawskiFind albums by this artist based on Polish Folklore tunes from the Kurpian region and called "Bukoliki". Orzechowski, rather than using the pieces by Lutoslawski, found the original Folk tunes that Lutoslawski used as his inspiration and rearranged them into his own version of "Bukoliki", later transforming it into the Jazz quartet version heard here. As the year 2015 swiftly approaches its ending it becomes apparent that the Polish Jazz scene this year was dominated by two parallel trends: the re-discovery of Polish Folklore and the re-discovery of Polish contemporary Classical Music by Polish Jazz musicians / composers. The most impressive releases by Polish Jazz artists in 2015 are either related to one or another of these trends and in some cases, like this album, to both of them simultaneously. Orzechowski, who is obviously the most dominating personality in this team, has already a rich history of tackling with Folklore ("15 Studies For The OberekFind albums with this title") or Classical Music ("Experiment: PendereckiFind albums with this title") and this album is a natural development as far as his musical path is concerned. What is less natural and much closer to "supernatural" is of course his immense talent to transpose pieces of music between genres or rather to transform them into his own universe, which is completely unique and unparalleled by anybody else. But it takes a team work, like the one presented here, to make this transformation complete. Sliwa, Wykpisz and Fortuna, all brilliant representatives of the young generation of Polish Jazz musicians, play along Orzechowski completely free of any inferiority complexes and sound like young semi-Gods performing in Pieria at the foot of the Olympus Mountain with Zeus and the rest of the Godly pack grinning madly and the Muses dancing along as if possessed by the sounds floating in the air. From the very first notes heard on this album it becomes immediately apparent that this is one of the best pieces of music produced in the Jazz sphere this year, not only in Poland, but worldwide. The intensity, elegance, flair and above all European aesthetic is omnipresent here, creating a true artistic masterpiece. I am not going to name it the "best" album of 2015, not because it does not deserve the title, but simply because I don´t believe art is a competition. It is brilliant and deserves to be heard by every music connoisseur on this planet, before the barbarians take the world over or our idea of Culture implodes upon itself. Absolutely essential!

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PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING TRIO ~ SOMETHING PERSONAL HEVHETIA 0100 (Barcode: 8588005257411) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. This rhythm section is also known as the rhythm section of the New BoneFind albums by this artist ensemble. The album presents seven tracks, all of which are original compositions by Kaczmarczyk. It was mixed and mastered by the great Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and released on the Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label, which releases lately a significant amount of Polish Jazz albums, opening new opportunities for Polish Jazz musicians, who face a very tough and crowded local recording market. Kaczmarczyk stormed the Polish Jazz scene over a decade earlier as a young prodigy, winning awards from every possible competition and later recording and releasing three excellent albums as a leader. But the initial impact somewhat subsided over time and although he was visible on the scene quite recurrently, almost six years passed between the release of his last album and this one. No doubt these were years of reflection and reassessment of his musical attitude, as this album clearly proves. The return to the piano trio format and the much less complex arrangements of his compositions signal a kind of return to the roots. Kaczmarczyk was always a great songweaver, and the collection of his new compositions confirms that status again. Wonderfully melodic, deeply lyrical and always full of grace, his music, presented here in a very basic down to earth form, is most effective exactly as it appears here. Gone are the elaborate and intricate rhythmic complexities, instrumental shenanigans and other tricks of the trade; instead we get Kaczmarczyk almost naked musically, but finally mature and truthful to himself. Of course Kaczmarczyk is also a brilliant pianist and on this album, which is modest and very personal, there are limited possibilities to shine as a virtuosic performer; and yet Kaczmarczyk manages to pull this off, playing some amazingly sweet and inspired piano performances. The experienced rhythm section plays along tightly and supportively, being always there when needed. Adamczak plays several nice solos and stands by the leader both harmonically and rhythmically. Fortuna is a very busy drummer, but at all times stays in the background not disturbing the delicate trio balance. In many respects this album could be seen as Kaczmarczyk´s "return", an older, and more mature and focused version of the young star from a decade earlier. The lost charm of excitement and surprise was replaced by musical depth and developed compositional as well as performing skills. It was definitely worth the time we had to wait for this album and hopefully another long lingering will be spared. Welcome back! Side Note: The promo version of this album includes also seven tracks, but two of them are different than those included on the formal album, which of course makes the demo a most desirable collector´s item!

Updated: 27/09/2016Posted:

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PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING TRIO ~ VARS & KAPER DECONSTRUCTION HEVHETIA 0126 (Barcode: 8588005257817) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 - 2015 Released: 2016 Three years ago I initiated a series of concerts / recordings as part of the Singer Jazz Festival, of which I am the artistic director, of music by the great "American" composers: Victor YoungFind albums by this artist, Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, all three of which are in fact Polish Jews, who immigrated to the US at some stage of their life. The fact that they had Polish / Jewish roots is almost completely unknown not only to the American public (which is not surprising), but sadly also to Polish public. The main purpose, therefore, of these concerts / recordings was to bring their Jewish / Polish roots to the attention of music lovers. The music was performed and recorded by my friend, the excellent Polish Jazz pianist Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist and his trio, and the entire series was hugely successful. Neither Kuba nor I anticipated the fact that our project would also influence the entire Polish Jazz scene and produce a huge renewed interest in these three composers, which also produced a string of recordings, of which this album is an example. Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist is of course one of the most brilliant Polish Jazz pianist, who took the local scene by a storm and during the last decade established himself as a one of its central figures. This is the second album with his trio which includes bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. Together they perform nine songs composed by Henryk Wars (four songs) and Bronislaw Kaper (five songs, two split into two parts). In addition to the trio the DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist) adds turntablism and electronics. The trio performs beautifully, as expected, playing the classic compositions with the usual flair and technical brilliance. The turntablism, electronics and other sound effects like vintage voice recordings, suit the music well and are non intrusive, but don’t really add anything substantial to the subject matter, beyond being a novelty of sorts. The usage of the term "deconstruction" in the album´s title is however quite problematic. Personally I can´t hear anything being deconstructed in the music played on this album? These are just pretty standard interpretations of the classic songs, but deconstructions? The philosophical / aesthetic meaning of deconstruction is certainly absent here and in general this term is being used (or misused) way to often these days. Overall this is an excellent piano trio recording, with brilliant Jazz performances, as expected. Just forget the somewhat pretentious title and enjoy the music!

Updated: 27/09/2016Posted: 27/09/2016

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NEW BONE ~ DESTINED CM 1019 (Barcode: 5904259353564) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the 3rd album by the Polish acoustic Jazz quintet New BoneFind albums by this artist, founded and let by trumpeter Tomasz KudykFind albums by this artist, who also composed all the music included herein, and including in its current lineup saxophonist Marcin SlusarczykFind albums by this artist, pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. Two guest musicians: saxophonist Tomasz GrzegorskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jan PilchFind albums by this artist participate on most of the tracks. All these young musicians are excellent players with a proven record and evident abilities, but the music they perform here presents them with no real challenges. It is mainstream Jazz with strong Afro-Cuban rhythmic tendencies, which sounds good at all times but disappears from one´s mind the minute the sound is over. It seems that New Bone tries very hard to sound exactly like an average American Jazz ensemble, which they definitely manage perfectly, rather than search for a unique identity, which is characteristic of most Polish Jazz. I´m sure many listeners, perhaps even the majority, will enjoy this music immensely, but honestly we should expect more from an ensemble of such high potential. Hopefully they´ll do better next time.

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NEW BONE ~ FOLLOW ME CM 1023 (Barcode: 5904259354417) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz ensemble New BoneFind albums by this artist, led by trumpeter Tomasz KudykFind albums by this artist and also including bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist, who has been with the ensemble from day one, excellent young drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist, who played also on their previous album and two new members: saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist (Prucnal and Fortuna are also members of the NSI QuartetFind albums by this artist) and the fabulous pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, one of the biggest stars on the polish scene at the moment. The album presents seven new arrangements of film music written by two Polish (of Jewish origin) and later American composers: Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist and Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist. The arrangements are all kept in the middle of the road mainstream Jazz, making sure nobody is offended but also providing very little intellectual or aesthetic reward to the listener. Although pleasant on the ear and sweetly melodic, this music is simply forgotten as soon as it stops playing. Of course there are some excellent players involved in making this music, so it has its moments. Wania couldn´t be boring even if he tried very hard and his contributions are splendid, but by far not enough to save this album from its blunders. Prucnal doesn´t get an opportunity to show his chops until the fifth track, by which time I was already yawning. Hiring great musicians to play on an album always presents the problem that their performances stand out even more dramatically. Definitely not my cup of tea…

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NEW BONE ~ LONGING CM 1030 (Barcode: 5907996083732) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the sixth album by Polish Jazz quintet New BoneFind albums by this artist founded in 1996 and led by trumpeter / composer Tomasz KudykFind albums by this artist and including in its current lineup saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, eight by Tomasz Kudyk and one by his late father Jan KudykFind albums by this artist, who was one of the pioneers of Polish Traditional Jazz, trumpeter / composer and founder / leader of the Jazz Band Ball OrchestraFind albums by this artist. The music of New Bone was initially characterized by strict mainstream Jazz tendencies, but with the arrival of Wania in 2013 it took a slow but consistent turn towards more modern approach, which on this album reaches an apogee of bravado and creativity. Still firmly based on melodic themes, full of melancholy and typical Polish lyricism, the music now ventures into much more complex, both harmonically and rhythmically, explorations, moving even further away from the old-fashioned customary mainstream doodling. Kudyk weaves beautiful themes, which on this album reflect his feelings resulting from his Father´s passing, which are sometimes heartwrenching, and which is completely understandable. All five members of the band are clearly experienced and highly talented musicians, who mange to maximize the qualities of the themes, stretching them into beautiful mini suites. The soloing by Kudyk and Prucnal is stronger than ever, highly inspired by the collective input of all the players, producing a well structured and attractive result time after time. Wania is, as always, the alpha and omega of everything that happens around him, taking the music into another dimension (or more than one for that matter), playing wonderful accompaniments all along the way and wondering into stratosphere when soloing. He is one of the most unique players today on the European and every album in which he takes part is irresistible. The rhythm section does a wonderful job supporting the soloist and providing a steady flow to the music, all this without being obtrusive, which probably is the best compliment one can offer to a rhythm section. Overall this is by far the best album by New Bone so far, miles ahead (pun intended) of everything recorded previously and an enormous promise as far as their future is concerned. As much as I was sorry in the past to criticize the band for conventionality, it gives me an enormous pleasure now to praise them now for their success. This is Polish Jazz at its best!

Updated: 11/07/2020Posted: 11/07/2020

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NEW BONE ~ TEATR WITKACEGO OD-JAZZ-DOWO NOT ON LABEL 060 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the fifth album by Polish Jazz quintet New BoneFind albums by this artist, led by trumpeter Tomasz KudykFind albums by this artist and including saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. It presents seven compositions by Jerzy ChruscinskiFind albums by this artist, the resident composer of the WitkacyFind albums by this artist Theater in Zakopane, which were scored for seven different spectacles produced and performed by the Witkacy Theater over time and are now dressed up as Jazz pieces arranged by the members of New Bone. Although Wania, who joined the quintet just before they recorded their previous album, upgraded the overall level of their playing considerably, the quintet struggles from day one with their tendency to copy American Jazz from the 1960 and stay safely within the mainstream idiom, which was a waste of their potential. This album comes as a surprise in some respect, since New Bone make for the first time a serious effort to step up their antiquated approach and move into modern Jazz, still within the mainstream guidelines but at least using wider and less constrained tools to make the music more interesting, thanks more often than not to Wania´s superb playing. The arrangements work very well transforming the compositions, which were initially not meant as Jazz compositions, into the Jazz milieu, and are all good examples of the incredible importance and strength of a good arrangements. The performances are also quite excellent, vigorous and well rounded, as appropriate for musicians of such statue. Wania plays a myriad of small accents, chords and little ditties, which add a whole new dimension to this music and which would have sounded much less excitement without them. Prucnal gets at last an opportunity to show his chops and plays some exciting solos, although does not follow Wania in the "thinking beyond the box" approach. The rhythm section does a good job supporting the soloists and keeping the rhythmic dynamics working, but again avoids any attempt to try innovative rhythmic techniques. Overall this is definitely the best album recorded by New Bone, which finally shows hope that they might make it after all into an exciting and interesting musical unit, which they deserve to become. Let´s hope for the best.

Updated: 30/04/2022Posted:

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NSI QUARTET ~ INTRODUCING FONOGRAFICA 5903292106045 (Barcode: 5903292106045) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz NSI QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of trumpeter Cyprian BaszynskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist, American bassist Mike ParkerFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions; four by Prucnal, two by Baszynski and one co-composed by them both. As usual with those debut albums appearing on the Polish Jazz scene the first impression is always that of astonishment and awe, considering the age of the contributors and their relatively limited experience. But apparently one has to get used to expect the unexpected, when listening to those releases time after time. Obviously this quartet leaves a strong impression and introduces new faces, which are about to become a part of the local scene for years to come, and considering their abilities as of now, no one can predict how far they will go eventually. Musically however, NSI Quartet are quite different from other emerging young Polish Jazz ensembles, arriving on the scene in the last couple of years, primarily for the reason that they sound completely "non Polish" or even "non European", if such stylistic concept makes sense at all. If I had listened to the album blindfolded, I´d have never expected it originates in Poland or in Europe, as it sounds completely American in every respect; it is a semi-free kind of post Bebop, very popular on the USA scene, mostly among the Chicago-based AACM ensembles, in the late 1960s and 1970s. NSI Quartet´s music has the same kind of urgency, edge and even aggressiveness in it. But compared to the other Polish ensembles, it suffers on the melody front, emphasized even more strongly by the lack of a pianist in the group. Sure enough all this is intentional and of course completely acceptable, but the question "where is the melody?" did pop up in my mind from time to time while listening to this album. Of course these young lions can play and play they do – with vigor and seemingly endless energy. Technically everything is top notch and all the ensemble members display their effortless powers of Swing. Baszynski dominates the overall sound and his frequent solos are all on fire. Personally I find his playing a bit too busy, but it must be the youthful eagerness to show what he can do. Prucnal on the other hand simply makes his statements elegantly, without further ado. The rhythm section is also rather on the busy-side, but this type of music justifies this kind of relentless drive, even it is somewhat heavy on the ear to the average listener. Overall it´s still a damn good album, even if the music is a bit stuck in the past and the playing becomes somewhat over the top at times. These talented musicians will learn and keep surprising us in the future, that is for sure. Kudos for kicking off your career with a blast!

Updated: 01/06/2018Posted:

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NSI QUARTET ~ THE LOOK OF COBRA AUDIO CAVE 2017/005 (Barcode: 5905669566308) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz ensemble NSI QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of trumpeter Cyprian BaszynskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The quartet is joined by the excellent pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist on several tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, four by Prucnal, two by Baszynski and one co-composed by them both. The music tries to get away form the stylistic direction initiated on their debut, which used to concentrate on up-tempo post Bebop mainstream Jazz, based on simple melodic themes. This time the music is more open structurally and offers moments of almost Free improvisation and extensive exchanges between the musicians. The unusual sound of the quartet, which lacks a harmonic instrument, is not easy to get used to and therefore the tracks featuring Wania are much more balanced, with his input dramatically influencing the overall result. However, the fact that the ensemble expanded its basic conceptions proved to be problematic, causing the music to lose some of its coherence and sense of direction. The music is more interesting intellectually, but almost completely loses its sense of melody and harmony, creating an emotional void. The best example of this can be found the long trumpet / saxophone duet track, which simply goes nowhere. This album is a classic example of music played by excellent musicians, who are obvious professionals and talented individuals, which somehow fails to make an impact it could potentially reach. It is hard to pinpoint what exactly does not work here, and of curse this is just my very personal opinion. Perhaps the attempt to play less restricted music simply is beyond these particular musicians (excluding Wania of course) and sticking to the well paved roads is less problematic, as evident on the debut album. In short this album left me cold, without being able to make spiritual or emotional contact with the music it offers. Obviously well played, it sort of passed me by without leaving any impact, which is a great pity.

Updated: 26/05/2017Posted: 26/05/2017

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MIKE PARKER / UNIFIED THEORY ~ EMBRACE THE WILD NOT ON LABEL ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 American bassist / composer Mike ParkerFind albums by this artist spent a period of a year and a half living in Krakow and playing with local young Polish Jazz musicians. He was a member of the NSI QuartetFind albums by this artist, together with trumpeter Cyprian BaszynskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist, recording with them their excellent eponymous debut album. In parallel and with the addition of the saxophonist Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist they also recorded this album, Parker´s second recording as a leader so far, which is released only now. It presents eight original compositions, all by Parker (except one co-composed with Prucnal), three of which are parts of a suite. As already mentioned in my review of the NSI Quartet album, Parker had a huge influence on his Polish cohorts, taking them away from the European Jazz idiom into more traditional American approach. On this album this is even more perceptible, as the band is playing Parker´s compositions and not those by the Polish players, like on the a.m. album. Parker´s music is a great example of modern American Jazz, which keeps up with the changes happening in the music and manages to get itself free from the stagnation that characterizes most American mainstream. His compositions are all well structured and include melodic statements, which then are improvised on, but the freedom and breathing space present in the music allow the musicians to take off and express their individuality, before returning to the compositional structure. All of his pieces are a pleasure to listen to, and the three-part suite that concludes the album is a profound and very moving composition that proves his great talent as a composer. Of course Parker also plays some tasteful bass parts and his Polish colleagues, all of them superb musicians as well, make this music to come alive in its full splendor. These are after all some of the young lions that will represent the European Jazz scene in a few years. Overall an excellent effort, in every respect, definitely worth listening to, so get it ASAP and help Parker to move on and create some more great music for all of us to enjoy!

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PEGAPOFO ~ SWIEZOSC FOR TUNE 0053 (Barcode: 5902768701609) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz quartet PegapofoFind albums by this artist, which consists of saxophonist Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist, pianist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr PoludniakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. It presents six original compositions (the title track appears in two versions), five of which were composed by Gaweda and one is a group composition by all quartet members. From the first moment this album starts to play it becomes immediately obvious that this is the direction young Polish Jazz musicians should follow, as it portrays the essence of contemporary modern Polish Jazz at its best. With a miraculous balance of Freedom and discipline, cooperation and individualism, intensity and relaxation, this music simply overwhelms the listener from start to finish, driving hard into the heart of the Jazz idiom. Pegapofo is an unusual conglomerate of talent and visionary, uncompromising approach to music. There are no limitations, no conventions, no boundaries, just a passion to play what is on their minds, and doing it totally. I was lucky to hear these amazing musicians live and the ultimate test of creating on the spur of the moment seems to be completely effortless to them, which is a true wonder. Despite their young age they are all quite experienced already and God only knows where they´ll travel next. The music of Pegapofo is intense and engaging, and yet despite the obvious complexity and intellectual effort engaged in its comprehension, it sound completely "easy" and friendly, in complete contrast to its intrinsic nature. Perhaps they have found the magic formula of creating ambitious music, which is also accessible to the average listener. Whatever the reason, this phenomenal music simply wins the listener over mercilessly. Albums of such quality are extremely rare and even on the Polish Jazz scene, which is completely overrun by talent, a release like that happens once or twice a year. Therefore my recommendation is to get hold of this gem ASAP, as it is like bittersweet chocolate, a taste of which stays in your mind forever. The album´s title means "freshness" in Polish and this is a breath of fresh air indeed. Absolutely brilliant!

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KUBA PLUZEK ~ CREATIONISM FOR TUNE 0138 (Barcode: 5906395808519) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the fourth album as a leader by the young (born 1988) Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba PluzekFind albums by this artist and his third recording with the same quartet, which also includes saxophonist Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents fifteen relatively / untypically short compositions, nine of which were composed by Pluzek, three were co-composed by him with Pospieszalski and another three were co-composed by all the members of the quartet, although "composed" has to be taken with a grain of salt, as in fact all except two of the pieces on the album are improvised and Pluzek "admits" to composing only two of the pieces, which appear towards the very end of the album. Pluzek, who first appeared on the Polish Jazz scene as a sideman in 2010 and recorded his debut album as a leader in 2012, took part in more than a dozen recordings since, which offer a chameleonic stylistic diversity, which could only mean either a complete lack of focus of an exceptional multi-layered musical talent, which in his case is definitely the latter. Even if one follows only his recordings as a leader, there is clear evidence that Pluzek is trying to cover an unlimited (stylistically) ground in his search for the genius loci of his musical universe. It is therefore not really surprising that Pluzek should arrive in his quest of exploration to the very source of music, as the album´s title suggests. The "primitivism" of sound before melody, harmony and rhythm took over, as he suggests in his comments about the music. One could of course say that the same process happened countless times before, when Jazz musicians abandoned the form in order to explore the source / spirit of music, moving from the traditional Jazz towards Free and Improvised Music, which in fact although commonly called Avant-Garde was in reality completely retro-garde. The music on this album offers the listener a sublime journey, which is propelled more by hints and suggestions rather than by actual directions. It is up to the listener to create the music in his head, based on the "primitives", supplied by the musicians, except, as already stated earlier, in the case of the two fully developed compositions appearing towards the finale, which could be envisaged as the "Let there be light" of the creation process. There is no doubt that Pluzek consistently paves his way towards a respected position on the crowded Polish Jazz piano scene and this excellent album is definitely a step in the right direction. Perhaps this is a closing chapter in the initial chapter of his career, which now passes towards the mature stage when he leaves the boisterous "twenties" behind. This album, recorded at the now already legendary Monochrom Studio, offers a spectacular sound quality in addition to the extraordinary music, and is of course wholeheartedly recommended to all Polish / European Jazz connoisseurs, who already know where truly great music comes from.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 19/02/2019

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KUBA PLUZEK ~ FIRST ALBUM V 003 (Barcode: 5903111377021) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba PluzekFind albums by this artist, recorded partly in a trio setting with bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist and partly as a quartet which adds saxophonist Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist to the trio. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Pluzek, three of which are parts of an extended three-part suite. After just a few moments it becomes immediately apparent that this is a very unusual album in every respect. The music is simply "different" from anything else one usually hears on a Jazz recording today. It is melodic, but the melody is often quite elusive; it is rhythmic, but the rhythm keeps changing constantly; it dresses up as modern mainstream, but in fact it is almost completely Free at times. All those factors create a confusing haze at the first exposure, but very soon it all begins to make a perfect sense. However, this music never rests and keeps an attentive listener on his toes at all times, as anything can and most probably will happen while this music evolves. The individual performances are all first rate, which is hardly surprising to people familiar with the Polish Jazz scene and previous recordings by the musicians involved, except the leader of course, who is a novice. Surprisingly it is the saxophonist that gets the most exposure and his convulsive solos fit the music perfectly. Pluzek plays along splendidly, arm in arm with the rhythm section, inserting complex chords and odd timed vamps, but he solos sparingly and when he does play solos, those are rather minimalistic as far as the number of separate notes present, being more chords oriented. Even on the trio pieces the bass and drums seem to bee actually often busier than the piano, which sort of "leads from behind". The bass / drums team plays a much more significant role in this particular music than usually in Jazz, as the music is mostly based on a vamping pattern that is held and driven by them. Both instruments are recorded with strong presence and high up in the mix, which also adds to the overall sonic "strangeness". They both do a splendid job for sure. It seems that the leader wanted to present a team effort rather than boast his ego, which is commendable and honorable. Overall this is a very impressive album, which of course is very rare these days, as it becomes more and more difficult to be unique, inventive and yes, impressive. Considering that we are talking about a debut, this is even more important. It is difficult to say if Pluzek will indeed become the great hope of Polish Jazz, as the PR material accompanying this album announces, but he certainly enters the ring with a bang; only time will tell, of course, but he deserves our best wishes. Well done indeed!

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KUBA PLUZEK ~ FROOTS FOR TUNE 0129 (Barcode: 5906395808311) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the third album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba PluzekFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quartet setting with the same musicians that played with him on his debut album: saxophonist Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, presented as two individual tunes, one two part composition and two three part compositions; definitely an unusual approach to presenting music in the Jazz idiom. The music is very difficult to classify and embraces a plethora of cross-genre influences ranging between Reggae to Free Jazz, with the majority of the tunes just about fitting the mainstream Jazz category. But obviously Pluzek is not much concerned with the classification of his music and is here to make a statement, which is highly unusual and original. Rhythmically the music is uneven, often on the verge of falling apart and than returning back to the beat, sometimes featuring a repeated drone pattern, close to ambient music, and sometimes swinging almost "normally". The aural aspect of this album is also very bizarre, with the distorted electric piano sound dominating the music, dense drum parts up front in the mix, deep bottom bass and out of focus (between the channels) saxophone somewhere as if on a different plane. Altogether this is a weird sonic experience, which adds wonderful tension to the proceedings. The individual contributions are all stellar, as expected. Pluzek freely moves between musical moods, falling in and out of the melody lines, managing to be quite unexpected for the entire duration of the album. Personally I prefer his work on the acoustic piano, but his electric piano parts are more challenging. Pospieszalski manages to hold back his Avant-Garde tendencies and stays pretty conventional, playing several wonderfully structured solos. Mucha is all over the music with his superb bass parts, inserting some arco passages but mostly plucking his bass to the Max (pun intended). Fortuna plays some highly unusual drum parts, polyrhythmic and dense which are only partly concerned with keeping time and become an integral part of the music. Overall this is a challenging, unusual album, definitely one of the most interesting recordings done in 2017, which firmly established Pluzek´s position on the Polish scene as one of the youngsters to reckon with in the immediate future. Pluzek, an outspoken young person, who openly voices his opinions in the social media, often as a voice of opposition, dedicates one of the three part compositions to music critics, calling the piece by a clever twist of the little known word wihajster (subtitled "Piece For Critics"), which expresses his attitude towards the all knowing "music critics", a generalization which hopefully does not include yours truly…

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 21/01/2018

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KARI SAL ~ BUTTERFLY IMAGINARY MUSIC 002 (Barcode: 5905817210008) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the second album by Polish vocalist / songwriter Kari SalFind albums by this artist, recorded with an excellent team of musicians, which includes her husband, violinist Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist, Swedish pianist Jacob KarlzonFind albums by this artist, guitarist Kacper BudziszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman ChraniukFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve songs, all composed by her (three co-composed with her husband) and all (except one) with her lyrics, sung in English. Recorded at the fabulous Tokarnia 2.0 studio and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, the result offers the expected wonderful sound quality. It was released on the new Imaginary MusicFind albums on this label label, founded by Baldych. Sal kept us all in suspense since the release of her debut album in 2017, which I personally loved immediately. It seems the long break did not damage her creative flow and this album certainly delivers a refined and mature set of songs, beautifully performed by all the participants. Baldych’s superb violin (also Renaissance violin) parts provide the sophisticated ornamentation and settle the mood, while Karlzon’s piano add a Romantic as well as Jazzy accents. The music is a delicate amalgam of many diverse influences, from clear Polish folkloristic themes, improvised Jazzy parts, Folky melody lines and poetic atmosphere, all combined together to create a coherent flow of musical continuity and lyrical contents. Sal’s idiosyncratic vocal approach suits the aesthetics perfectly and her vocal abilities are impeccable. She stays completely focused when using a wide vocal range, always staying perfectly in tune, both musically and emotionally. It is commonly known that I am usually not supportive of Polish vocalist singing in English, for the obvious reasons. However, this album is a rare case when the language, accent and pronunciation barriers are minimized to such degree, that they are completely acceptable and hardly noticeable at all. Having said that, I’d love to hear her singing in Polish again. Also I miss a bit of her vocalese parts. But hey, this album was not made specifically for me of course. Overall, this is a remarkable sophomore effort, full of great songs, stylistic diversity, brilliant vocals and stunning instrumental parts, all exquisitely arranged, performed, recorded and finally packaged, to create a true bomboniere of an album, which sweetens the long waiting period we had to bear. Thank you again, my Dear, for this gift of music!

Updated: 05/03/2024Posted: 05/03/2024

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MICHAL SALAMON ~ LION`S GATE NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903802495409) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Michal SalamonFind albums by this artist recorded in a quintet setting with trumpeter Zbigniew SzwajdychFind albums by this artist, violinist Mikolaj KostkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Milosz SkwirutFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Salamon. The music is all very melodic, melancholic and lyrical, developing very slowly and without much dynamics. It is only marginally Jazz oriented and could be easily considered Smooth Jazz or New Age. Although the team includes some very talented young Polish Jazz musicians, there are very little opportunities offered to Kostka or Szwajdych to improvise and solo extensively and the music is dominated by repetitive waves of piano phrases. The melodies are pretty similar to each other and there is not much happening for the duration of the album musically beyond what one can hear in the first few minutes. Yes, it is all very pretty and smooth, but it does not convey any musical message unfortunately. The album’s artwork is full of mystical / spiritual symbols as are the titles of the compositions, reflecting the New Age spirit behind the album. Overall for me this album is quite disappointing, especially since Salamon’s earlier recordings sounded way more promising. This music often sounds very similar to the music of Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist, who is a master playing such soulless music – lots of notes, no content. Of course this is only me, sorry Michal, not this time…

Updated: 19/03/2021Posted: 19/03/2021

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STANISLAW SLOWINSKI ~ VISIONS – VIOLIN CONCERTO NO.1 NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2020 This is the third album as a leader by young Polish Jazz violinist / composer Stanislaw SlowinskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with a Jazz septet comprising of musicians that took part in the recording of the two earlier albums: trumpeter Zbigniew SzwajdychFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / flautist Marta WajdzikFind albums by this artist, guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, pianist Kuba PluzekFind albums by this artist, bassist Justyn MalodobryFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist, as well as the AUKSO Chamber OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Marek MosFind albums by this artist. The music, recorded live, presents a violin concerto in three movements, and includes both the audio (CD) and video (DVD) version of the premiere performance of the concerto. The music is a typical romantic Classical concerto, incorporating melodic themes strongly based on Polish folkloristic influences, full of melancholy and beautiful lyricism. The Jazz and Classical elements are loosely integrated, which causes the music to move between the Classical and Jazz worlds rather than present a unified / amalgamated approach, with the solo violin parts serving as a bridge between the two worlds. As expected, the performances, both by the septet members and the string orchestra, are excellent from start to finish, as are the violin solo parts by Slowinski. He joins the ranks of the young Polish violin stars, which are constantly growing, building the new generation of the Polish Jazz Violin School. This ambitious undertaking is perhaps a tad too tamed overall, with Slowinski taking no risks and following 19th Century Classical Music conventions and mainstream Jazz patterns, whereas contemporary listeners probably expect a little more experimentation these days. Having said that, this album is a solid, well structured and beautifully performed piece of music, which can be enjoyed by a wide range of listeners, both from the Jazz and Classical Music circles. Definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 11/01/2023Posted: 20/02/2020

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STANISLAW SLOWINSKI ~ VISIONS (BETWEEN LOVE AND DEATH) HEVHETIA 0163 (Barcode: 8588005258265) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Stanislaw SlowinskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a sextet setting with two of the musicians who played on his debut: trumpeter Zbigniew SzwajdychFind albums by this artist and bassist Justyn MalodobryFind albums by this artist and three new players: guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, pianist Kuba PluzekFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Joanna SlowinskaFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents seven original compositions, six of which were composed by Slowinski and one is a collective improvisation. The music is a continuation of the approach initiated by the debut, with major emphasis on the compositions, which have a suite-like structure, such that the entire album could be considered as one continuous piece of music. Although clearly melody based, the music allows individual freedom of expression and personal interpretation by the sextet members. The melodic themes are again mostly very lyrical and somewhat melancholic, but at the same time dynamic and multi-layered enough to keep the listener at his toes. As expected form the sextet´s lineup, which consists of some of the most prominent representatives of the young Polish Jazz scene, the individual contributions are all fabulous. Szwajdych is the romantic element, Mika the Fusion oriented vigorous voice and the leader takes the role of a charmer, with his violin seductively swirling around the basic melody lines. With these three front-line players sadly there is very little solo space left for Pluzek, who is an excellent player but is limited here mostly (except for one track) to the role of an accompanist, which of course he fulfills perfectly. The dynamic rhythm section is an integral part of the sextet and steers the soloists safely across the sometimes troubled waters of the tricky compositions. Overall this is an excellent sophomore album, which definitely stands up to the expectations aroused by the debut. The Polish Jazz violin school is proudly developing before our very eyes, which is a source of joy, and albums like this one confirm that Polish / European Jazz is doing well and manages to avoid stagnation. Well done indeed!

Updated: 01/02/2018Posted: 01/02/2018

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