Record Reviews

PIOTR BARON ~ JAZZ AT PRAGUE CASTLE MULTISONIC 310839 (Barcode: 741941083928) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This album presents a live recording by the great Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist and his quintet, which also includes trumpeter Adam Milwiw-BaronFind albums by this artist (his son), pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at the beautiful Prague Castle, which holds Jazz concerts of the highest standard, which are also recorded and released on CD by the Czech MultisonicFind albums on this label label. The album includes only three expanded performances, two composed by Baron (both appeared on his superb last album "KaddishFind albums with this title") and one is an arrangement of a 14th century Polish Easter song. Two of the tracks are almost 30 minutes long and the third is almost 20 minutes long. The concert in introduced by the Czech President Vaclav KlausFind albums by this artist, who personally opens all the Jazz venues at the Castle – a lesson to be studied by all Presidents - in which he talks about the meeting between him and Piotr Baron, which led to the invitation to play at the Castle, and the special relationship between the Czech and Polish Jazz scenes over the years – a subject worthy of a book by itself. The music is deeply spiritual, as is all music made by Baron, reflecting his profoundly personal relation with belief (and not religion, as Baron surely demonstrates a cross-religion / one God approach). Accepting the model (spiritually and musically) of the great Godfather of spiritual Jazz, John Coltrane, Baron develops his music very much in the same direction, but uses his very own language and cultural affiliations, with his Polish roots being openly noticeable. This is Jazz with a true capital J, music of the highest caliber, which penetrates the listener´s heart and shakes his soul. It is absorbing and captivating, breathtakingly beautiful and intellectually intriguing, all at once. There is very little music of such quality being made these days, so this is even more impressive. Pianist Dominik Wania, who is definitely one of the best Polish Jazz pianists of the young generation, plays some amazing music here and I´m glad that Baron recognized his qualities and allowed him so much space and opportunity to express his amazing talent. But of course all these musicians play divinely, with the leader magically applying his charm, even when not playing. This music is way beyond recommendation – it is simply a crying shame that every true Jazz lover will probably not have an opportunity to immerse in its magic. If you can, count yourself lucky and blessed! Side Note This album is a part of the “Jazz Na Hrade (Jazz At Prague Castle)” series, released by the Czech MultisonicFind albums on this label label, which presents live recordings performed at various locations inside the charming Prague Castle, now the residence of the President of the Czech Republic. The series was initiated in 2004 by President Vaclav KlausFind albums by this artist, who often introduces the players himself on these albums, and symbolizes the respect and love of all things Cultural by the Czech People, including Jazz of course.

Updated: 16/03/2022Posted:

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PIOTR DAMASIEWICZ / POWER OF THE HORNS ~ POLSKA ASTIGMATIC 011 (Barcode: 5902860142300) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the second album by Polish trumpeter / composer Piotr DamasiewiczFind albums by this artist and his Power Of The HornsFind albums by this artist ensemble and their first studio recording. It features a nonet version of the ensemble which also includes saxophonists Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist, Adam PindurFind albums by this artist and Gerard LebikFind albums by this artist, trombonist Pawel NiewiadomskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassists Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and Jakub CywinskiFind albums by this artist and Australian born drummer Samuel HallFind albums by this artist. The album presents four (one in two parts) original compositions, all by Damasiewicz. The debut album "AlamanFind albums with this title", recorded live in 2012 (i.e. six years earlier), was the first release of the now legendary For TuneFind albums on this label Records label, and created quite a stir at the time. It was recorded by an eleven-piece version of the ensemble, which included only five of the musicians present on this new recording and presented just three expanded tracks, characterized by extensive improvisations. The raw power of the horns and super-sized rhythm section combined with the youthful excitement associated with the occasion managed to create some magic moments, which the recording certainly reflected, but which did not prove to have a long-lasting value. In retrospect the status of "…one of the most captivating albums in the history of Polish jazz…" is certainly a hype rather that an objective statement. The new album is a complete about face and presents perfectly well-behaved, modern mainstream Jazz, with smooth performances but limited level of enthusiasm. Of course this is a perfectly legitimate approach; considering the time that passed since the debut; maturity, age and experience certainly have their influence. Yet Damasiewicz seems to cling to the past by including on this album older material, like the title tune which originates from 2014 and even one composition already presented on the debut, which perhaps indicates a shortage of new material. But regardless of the past connections, the music on this album is based on rather basic melodic elements, repeated continuously with little variations, except for the ensemble dynamics. The "wall of sound" approach of the debut is now replaced by a more chamber like approach typical of Polish Jazz from the 1960s, and a retro sound and ambience. Damasiewicz dedicates the compositions on the album to the Godfathers of Polish Jazz: Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist and to his teacher Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, all of whom obviously influenced his musical path, which is well reflected within the music on this album, and which, as already stated, often ventures into the climates invented and developed by his Mentors and which characterize Polish Jazz or at least its early days. The album´s title seems to suggest that the music on this album is the continuation of that magic "Polishness" that Polish Jazz offers at its core; a daring statement by all means, which will be judged by history alone. The individual performances by the leader and the ensemble members are, as expected, highly professional, but if not for the excellent, as always, contributions by Wania, who in the period separating these two recordings made one giant step after another, the music would have became almost banal, a déjà vu of sorts. Considering the astonishing level of the musicianship on the Polish Jazz scene, something more spectacular would have been needed in this music to become "…sublime and unique…". The album´s liner notes, from which all the above quotes are taken, is fascinating, full of hints, allegories and references – definitely worth reading!

Updated: 22/12/2019Posted: 22/12/2019

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PIOTR DAMASIEWICZ / DOMINIK WANIA ~ THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE BUEN CAMINO 5905562254319 (Barcode: 5905562254319) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is a 2CD album by the Polish Jazz / Improvised Music duo of trumpeter Piotr DamasiewiczFind albums by this artist and pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist The album presents sixteen tracks, all of which were composed by singer / songwriter Artur OlenderFind albums by this artist and are all instrumental interpretations. The intimate and unconventional duo by two of top Polish Jazz players is a priori quite sensational, and the fact that they would dedicate an entire double album to the songs of a rather anonymous author is even more surprising. But considering the love of the duo format by Damasiewicz and the versatility / total musicality of Wania this experiment has all the potential to offer some incredible music, and I am happy to say that it surpasses my wildest expectations. Despite the fact that both these musicians have an extensive recording legacy under their belt, this album discloses new aspects of their respective Artistry. Damasiewicz clearly shows why he is considered as one of the top Polish Jazz trumpeters, and his approach to playing melody as much as improvising is here the boldest in his entire career. Wania, known for his incredible ability as accompanist, is an ideal partner herein, but definitely steps beyond the “second fiddle” position to become an equal partner, with every touch of the keyboard being as magical, precise, delicate and yet meaningful as humanly possible. This duo is in many ways the epitome of the “Art of the Duo” idiom, in every possible way; the mutual respect, the delicate balance, the telepathic communication and the brilliant partnership make both musicians an inseparable music creating unit. As such they become a whole way greater than just a sum of the parts. The music is overtly meditative and spiritual, serving as ideal source of inspiration to these interpretations. It might prompt listeners to search out the solo albums by Olender, but it definitely stands firmly as a wholly independent Artistic statement of outstanding beauty and immaculate creativity. Overall, this is a sensational album in every respect, showing new facets of the musicians involved, but also confirming their well-earned position on the local scene. The trumpet performances are absolutely unearthly and the expressionism of the duo is irresistible. Definitely one of the top Polish Jazz albums of 2023. Absolutely not to be missed!

Updated: 08/12/2023Posted: 08/12/2023

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ELMA ~ AD REM HEVHETIA 0113 (Barcode: 8588005257657) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2016 This is the second album by Polish Jazz vocalist ElmaFind albums by this artist, but in fact it could be viewed as the second part of Elma´s debut album, as it presents material recorded at the same recording session as the material released on the debut. A conscious decision was made at the time to collect the "song oriented" material on the debut and the improvised material on this second album The album was recorded by a quartet, which features Elma with Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. The music on this album comprises of twelve improvised pieces; a prologue and then an eleven-part suite. Except for the first part of the suite which is credited to Elma and Pohjola, the rest of the music is credited to all four participants. Although the Improvised Music is enjoying a spectacular Renaissance in the last few years, it is almost always completely instrumental and does not involve the human voice. The glorious days of the vocal Improvised Music are sadly completely gone and pioneering vocalists like Jeanne LeeFind albums by this artist, Lauren NewtonFind albums by this artist, Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, Jay ClaytonFind albums by this artist, Bobby McFerrinFind albums by this artist and others are either forgotten or changed their field of interest. Therefore Elma can be considered as the torch bearer of this fantastic tradition into the 21st Century. Elma treats her voice as an instrument, which has always been the basic rule of great vocalists. Since the human voice is limited only by the vocalist´s imagination, it is the most versatile and virtually unlimited instrument, a fact which becomes plainly evident to anybody listening to this music. With the incredibly compassionate accompaniment Elma receives from her three partners, the resulting music is one of the most unique musical creations recorded in the last few years. The importance of this music is twofold; firstly it is breathtakingly beautiful, emotionally intense and aesthetically stunning and secondly it is intellectually courageous and fascinating. Elma is not regressing to the 1970s to create more of the same vocal Improvised Music created then, but takes the tradition right up to date, moving forward and updating the concept, adapting it to contemporary Jazz language, sound and vision. Her vocalese and other tricks of the trade, most of which she invented herself or expanded from earlier examples, is a completely new language in itself, which enables her to go where nobody went before; an extremely rare quality these days. The contributions of the three instrumentalists present here is simply outstanding. They all manage to contribute to the music without overshadowing the focus of the vocals and their empathy and ability to communicate with Elma almost telepathically is simply phenomenal. This is indisputably one of the most important albums released on the Polish Jazz scene in the last decade and as far as vocal Jazz is concerned, also on a world scale. There is no other vocal Improvised Music of this intensity and innovative authority anywhere else at the moment, which makes this album simply a one of its kind. To say the truth, this album should be studied by every vocalist in the world, Jazz and otherwise, just to make them aware of what the human voice (and mind) is capable of. This might of course make some of them stop singing, which would be of great benefit of course. Absolutely essential item in every serious record collection!

Updated: 29/02/2016Posted: 29/02/2016

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ELMA ~ HIC ET NUNC IMP 101 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by female Polish Jazz vocalist, who hides behind the pseudonym ElmaFind albums by this artist, recorded with Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist (son of the Finnish Jazz legend Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist) and two great polish musicians: pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, seven of which are by Elma, three by Garbowski and the remaining one by Pohjola. The album was recorded at the legendary Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist presiding, and with spectacular, as usual, sonic results. To put things straight, vocals in this case mean vocalese, i.e. wordless vocal phrases, which basically represent the human voice as just another instrument, placing it on the same level as the rest of the musicians involved. Stylistically the music is much more organized and melodic than one might expect by reading the liner notes, which basically suggest a lot of spontaneous improvisation, which is definitely present here but does not dominate the proceedings. On the contrary the majority of the music consists of clearly defined musical themes, which must have been rehearsed before the actual recording. Of course there is nothing wrong with such approach. Musical birds tell me that large part of the recorded music stays unreleased, so perhaps this album includes the more melodic content and the forthcoming one will present the spontaneously improvised pieces? Elma seems to be more involved in vocalese than any other female Polish Jazz vocalist at the moment, most of which use vocalese sparingly and prefer singing lyrics. Personally I always preferred the instrumental approach to human voice and therefore this album is a breath of fresh air in that department. Elma uses a wide variety of vocal paraphernalia, moving between scat, modulation, syllables or simply singing notes. The actual tone of her voice is perhaps an acquired taste, but the overall result is very unique and enjoyable. The instrumentalists are all quite spectacular, which in their case is not surprising. Wania arises as one of the absolute best Polish Jazz pianists and everything he touches simply turns into the proverbial gold. Garbowski, who is one of my personal favorites since quite a while, also delivers some incredible bass lines, which keep this music afloat, especially in a drumless environment. Pohjola plays some tasty trumpet solos, but his input is a bit too predictable for me personally, although many listeners addicted to the Nordic Jazz sound will surely love it. This is definitely one of the most interesting debuts (so far) in 2014 and deserves a lot of love and attention, simply to show daring musicians that conventions mean very little as far as good Art is concerned. Of course similar attitude towards vocals was already displayed several decades ago, including those of Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist in Poland, but hearing someone trying to revive such experimentation is truly refreshing. I´d love to hear more from Elma and this quartet, hopefully in a not too distant future. Well done indeed!

Updated: 29/02/2016Posted:

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WOJCIECH FEDKOWICZ NOISE TRIO ~ DISTANT HEROES OKO ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer Wojciech FedkowiczFind albums by this artist and his Noise TrioFind albums by this artist, which includes pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Jacek FedkowiczFind albums by this artist. All three players use electronic effects on their respective instruments. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Wojciech Fedkowicz with three being co-credited to Jacek Fedkowicz and one to Wania. The music is mostly within the mainstream Jazz idiom, with highly melodic themes, mostly very low key and overtly melancholic, with a few more open excursions, which are definitely the most exciting moments on the album. Although the album might at first appear as a regular Jazz piano trio release, it has a very specific sound and harmonic approach, mostly due to the application of the electronic sound effects, which distort the natural sound of the bass and the drums up to a point where the listener needs to readjust his “hearing concept” to be able to listen to this music. These effects are less dominant as far as the piano is concerned, which results in an almost “normal” piano sound. This unique overall approach is definitely controversial, and might scare some of the listeners away from the music, at least at first hearing. It seems that Wania’s genius is able to conquer any obstacle and his playing on this album is as impressive as on any of his other recordings, which of course is always a cause of musical joy. His improvisations are full of brilliant colors and his musical flow is an artistic dream come true. He is, naturally of course, at the very epicenter of the music here, and the fascinating structures of his soli are alone a good enough reason to listen to this music carefully. I personally find the playing around with the sounds more disturbing than productive, but that is of course a question of taste. Wania plays magnificently enough to make me want to listen to this music, and the rest is up to the individual listener. I can be hardly considered as a conservative music connoisseur, but not all types of experimentation or attempts to innovate are automatically acceptable to me, although I do appreciate the audacity to be different. It would be a great fun to hear this album without any electronic effects, just for the sake of comparison… Overall this is a very interesting musical twist and an exercise in “hearing”, with an added value of some superb piano playing by the top Polish Jazz pianist of the day. Highly recommended for the brave hearted…

Updated: 02/03/2021Posted: 02/03/2021

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WOJCIECH FEDKOWICZ NOISE TRIO ~ POST-DIGITAL DREAMERS AUDIO CAVE 2013/002 (Barcode: 5902596954376) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer Wojciech FedkowiczFind albums by this artist and his Noise TrioFind albums by this artist, which includes keyboardist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Jacek FedkowiczFind albums by this artist. All three players use electronic effects on their respective instruments. Three guest musicians play / sing on selected tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, five by Wojciech Fedkowicz, one by Jacek Fedkowicz and one co-credited to all members of the trio. I was not aware of the existence of this album and only after recently reviewing the trio’s second album “Distant HeroesFind albums with this title”, Wojciech Fedkowicz sent me this one, which goes almost a decade back in time. It is also one of the earliest albums released by the Audio CaveFind albums on this label label, which in the meantime earned a respectable position on the local music market. The music is in fact quite similar to the second album, with just a bit less electronics involved in the process, again based on highly melodic themes, which are given a distinct rhythmic roll-over, taking the music away from the Jazz idiom, and more into Ambient / Drum & Bass direction, but all done very gracefully and with a dash of irony. Not surprisingly, Wania plays marvelously, although being very out of his element here most of the time, which emphasizes his phenomenal diversity and open-mindedness. For Wania’s followers it is worth to mention that this album is one of his earliest recordings, which already at this point of time sets his aside from most of the competition. But the rhythm section plays also beautifully, juggling around polyrhythmic tempi and atmospheric deep bass sounds, which create a highly unusual ambience. Overall it is great to discover this early gem, as it offers some truly unusual music, surely as far as “around Jazz” is concerned, and for an attentive listener is full of surprising moments, all of which are completely time-resistant. Probably not that easy to find today, but highly recommended, surely for Wania completists, but seriously definitely worth being discovered, better late than never.

Updated: 17/06/2021Posted: 17/06/2021

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TOMEK GROCHOT ~ IN AMERICA NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 - 2016 Released: 2016 This is the second album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer Tomek GrochotFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quintet setting with veteran American trumpeter Eddie HendersonFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Rob DentyFind albums by this artist, and Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Krzysztof PabianFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, six composed by Grochot and one by Pabian. Of the album´s seven tracks, six were recorded in 2011, i.e. five years prior to the album´s release, and one short bonus track is a recent recording from 2016. The music is typical mainstream Jazz, very much in the American Jazz tradition, based on the excellent compositions, which are used as vehicles for solo spots by the quintet members. The character of the compositions reflects the Polish facet of this music, being full of melancholy and lyricism, which is best expressed by the exceptional playing by Wania. But of course all the performances are highly professional and overall the album represents mainstream Jazz at its best. This album is plain evidence of the fact that Polish and American Jazz musicians can play together without any inferiority complexes hindering the proceedings, as well as the fact that American Jazz tradition spiced with Polish musical influences works out perfectly, a cultural meeting which is happening more and more often in the last decade with remarkable success. Overall this is a highly professional mainstream recording, which should satisfy a wide range of Jazz fans anywhere on the globe. Great tunes, exciting soloing and polished execution ensure that the album delivers exactly what is expected in such circumstances. Definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 27/03/2017Posted: 27/03/2017

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HEFI QUARTET ~ PARALLAX ERROR SJ 019 (Barcode: 191061111023) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz flautist / composer Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist and the second under the HeFi Quartet moniker. The quartet features this time the excellent pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and the familiar rhythm section which accompanies Wisniowski since several years: bassist Tomasz KupiecFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartek StaromiejskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents fourteen relatively short original compositions, all by Wisniowski, two of which were co-composed by Kupiec and one by Wania. From the very onset of this album it becomes clear that this is by far the most mature, coherent and balanced recording by Wisniowski, which presents him as a gifted composer and excellent instrumentalist in a best possible setting. The music ideally combines melodic elements with modern Jazz approach, which allows the players plenty of space to express their individual statements and at the same time maintains the unity of the quartet as an organic ensemble. Wisniowski treats his instrument with an utmost respect, flirting and even making love with it all along, always in perfect harmony and perfect balance between the emotional expressionism and the technical virtuosity. The pieces move between solos, duos and quartet performances, each of these settings emphasizing different aspects of the music, which is completely absorbing and magnetic in its depth of emotion. The presence of Wania is a crucial element of the album´s aura and its overall success to create to desired effect. Among the many Polish Jazz pianists, Wania is not only one of the very best, but also the most modest and most profound as a player, being able to find the ideal expression suitable to a diverse set of environments. He never "steals" the show and always fills the space with his stunning, delicate and perfect phrases. His performances on this album are definitely among his most beautiful and Wisniowski made a very wise decision to select him as a partner, which resulted in a brilliant piece of recorded music, definitely one of the best so far this year on the Polish Jazz scene. It is very satisfying to see that Wisniowski finally found his true realm on this album. After many years of searching, this album is simply a pinnacle of his achievements and a well deserved glorification of his talents, which will hopefully be followed by many more such fabulous musical vistas. Well done indeed!

Updated: 08/07/2017Posted: 08/07/2017

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IMPROVISION QUARTET ~ ANONYM POLSKIE RADIO 2442 (Barcode: 5905610870560) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2020 Released: 2023 This is the second album by Polish Jazz Improvision QuartetFind albums by this artist, comprising of clarinetist Szymon KlimaFind albums by this artist, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist. Whereas their debut album from 2017 “Free-Folk-JazzFind albums with this title” presented their interpretations of Polish Folklore, this time they offer interpretations of Polish music by anonymous composers from the Medieval period. The album presents seven tracks, with three of the tracks credited to Wania, one to Klima, one to Kowalewski, one co-credited to Klima and Wania and finally one left uncredited, referring to the title. The music, although based on some melodic / composed themes, is mostly Freely improvised, leaving the challenge of identifying the original music to the listener, if need be. The performances are all, no surprisingly, phenomenal, and I personally have a great affinity to the clarinet playing by Klima, who is certainly one of the most underappreciated Jazz players on the Polish scene. Of course Wania is a magician whose piano parts keep the music wonderfully together, and the rhythm session drives it intelligently forward. This is “well organized” Free Jazz, which makes perfect sense for the entire duration, challenging the listener but staying coherent and brilliantly focused. It took a while for this music to be released, as it was recorded in the midst of the pandemic, but it makes me very happy to see it finally out. This is the first Jazz album featuring Klima released on a Polish label, since his previous recordings were released by the wonderful Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label, now sadly dormant. If anyone deserves more exposure, it is definitely him, Chapeau bas to Polskie RadioFind albums on this label label for releasing this superb piece of music. Overall, this is a challenging but highly intelligent example of Polish Free Jazz, which deserves to be heard by all followers of the genre worldwide. Brilliant musicianship, musical depth and a true feast to the ears!

Updated: 08/12/2023Posted: 08/12/2023

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IMPROVISION QUARTET ~ FREE-FOLK-JAZZ HEVHETIA 0159 (Barcode: 8588005258227) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish ensemble called Improvision QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of clarinetist Szymon KlimaFind albums by this artist, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist. The album presents six improvisations based on Polish musical Folklore, arranged by the quartet. The album offers an unprecedented high quality recording sound, definitely one of the best I came across this year (2017). The music, as already mentioned above, consists of Free Form improvisations based on Polish Folklore songs, some of those being well known and others completely obscure. The quartet offers a remarkable ensemble work, which presents a coherent and clear artistic vision, consistently developed throughout the album, deeply rooted in Free Jazz / Improvised Music tradition, but also astonishingly minimalistic, focused and full of breathing space. There is a beautiful atmosphere of relaxation and complete lack of pressure to state anything beyond the necessary. In some respects this album is the continuation of the "Lutoslawski RetunedFind albums with this title" album recorded three years earlier, but the statements are much bolder and refined this time. The individual contributions by these virtuosi musicians are all absolutely brilliant from start to finish. The minimalistic approach allows for many solo / duo / trio and eventually also quartet statements, which expose each of the participants in complete "nakedness". Not surprisingly they all manage to come victorious from the challenging circumstances, which present to the listener some of the best moments these musicians ever put on record. Wania´s contributions are definitely stellar and for me personally probably they are his best playing ever so far. His wondrous ability to say so much with just a few touches of the keyboard is simply miraculous. But Klima, Kowalewski and especially Jarosz also contribute amazing moments, with the latter producing some of the most amazing percussive effects I had the pleasure to hear. This is definitely one of the finest hours of Polish Jazz in 2017, although it will probably not achieve the praise it deserves, as usual on the Polish scene, where often some pretty dismal albums get all the distinctions, prizes and attention. Well, life is not fair and people are stupid and deaf. This is an amazing album from start to finish, which redefines the contemporary Free Jazz idiom, again emphasizing the fact that sublime things in Jazz happen only in Europe. One needs to be born in Poland and suck the Polish Culture from one´s mother´s breast, to be able to play like that and create music like this one. Luckily the Art aesthetic is universal and anybody on this Earth of ours, with some soul and musical ears should be able to enjoy this music on the deepest level. Absolutely brilliant!

Updated: 03/11/2017Posted: 03/11/2017

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SZYMON KLIMA / DOMINIK WANIA ~ FANTASTICO HEVHETIA 0209 (Barcode: 8588005258920) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 As outlandish as it might sound, there is only one musical instrument – the human brain! It is the musician´s brain that commands his body parts to touch keys, pluck strings, beat on stuff, blow into tubes or simply exhale to vibrate his vocal chords, all those in order to produce sound. It is the same brain that invents virtual notes, harmonies, melodies, layers of sound and time measures and sets them all into a particular sequence, which becomes a composition, before it was even played in reality. In case of Improvised Music, as the one presented on this album, these two separate brain functions, i.e. composing and playing, become intertwined and amalgamated, happening simultaneously within the same human brain. In case the music is spontaneously created by two musicians, again as in this case, two human brains are not only simultaneously composing and playing as individuals, but they are also communicating and complementing each other in real time. This is truly mindboggling = Fantastico… But this is only one side of the story, of course. There is another human brain, which receives electrical impulses via its owner´s ears and using its psychoacoustic mechanism translates these pulses into what it perceives as music, creating another version of the original produced by the players, with its own interpretation of harmony, melody and rhythm. Now let´s multiply that brain´s activities by the number of listeners and we have a myriad of parallel musical "universes", all initiated by what happened during the recording session that gave "life" to this music. Incredible, isn´t it = Fantastico… And now let´s assume that the music is able to generate a cascade of both intellectual and emotional reactions within the listener´s brain, such as pleasure, aesthetic satisfaction, appreciation of the sophistication, Artistry and ingenuity and above all gratitude for all the above. Music that is able to produce such a flood of brain enzymes, as is the case here, must be truly unique, or rather Fantastico… 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: 17/10/2020Posted: 17/10/2020

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JACEK KOCHAN ~ AJEE AUDIO CAVE 2018/007 (Barcode: 5905669566599) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is an album by veteran and prolific Polish Jazz drummer / composer / bandleader Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist, recorded in a core trio format with the incredible keyboardist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, who plays synthesizers exclusively on this album, and saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist. Several guest artists appear, mostly on vocal parts. The album presents thirteen original compositions, nine by Kochan and four by Wania. The music, as usual with Kochan´s albums, is completely original and unexpected. Characterized by odd meters, which are the drummer´s trademark, it is a form of Fusion, but completely different from the typical Fusion approach. There are elements of Groove, Hip-Hop, Rap and Funk, and the sound of the analog synthesizes (which produce also the bass parts) brings back fond retro memories of early Funk albums and the playing of the iconic George DukeFind albums by this artist. The individual performances by the participating musicians are all first rate, as expected. Wania dominates the album with his synthesizer parts, which expose a new facet of his immense talent. He manages to create a dark, a tad reserved atmosphere, but his virtuosic playing and incredible sense of time are simply astounding. Prucnal adds a more melodic, soulful layer, which at times is very intensive and superbly crafted. Kochan manages to steer the music smoothly through the crazy rhythmic patters, with flair and elegance, which only Master drummers are capable of. This album is quite removed from the Jazz mainstream and as such it will be probably sniffed at by the Jazz "critics", but Kochan is way beyond such trivialities and his constant search after new forms of expression is a virtue he does not have to apologize for. This album is full of wonderful music, lyricism and sophistication, which one rarely expects to pop up in the Fusion idiom. Overall this is a superb piece of music, which takes time to get into and get used to, but offers layer over layer of excellent music and fantastic instrumental work by the participants. Hopefully Kochan will continue to explore and expand the horizons of music and I am already anxious to hear his next album, which hopefully will be here soon. Hats off Gentlemen!

Updated: 20/11/2018Posted: 30/07/2018

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JACEK KOCHAN ~ MAN OF NO WORDS GOWI 64 (Barcode: 786497357222) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2008 Polish drummer / composer / arranger Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist is one of the country´s most active music leaders with an impressive and prolific career in both Jazz and contemporary experimental music. Kochan spent considerable periods of time living, studying and performing in the USA and Canada and upon his return to Poland in the mid 1990s he swiftly established his position as a central figure on the local scene. Since then he recorded a considerable number of albums as a leader, co-leader and sideman with many musicians from around Europe and the US as well as local musicians of course. This is a document of one of such projects, which features alongside the leader the US saxophonist Gary ThomasFind albums by this artist with excellent young Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist. This quartet is expanded on several tracks by guest musicians playing various instruments or vocalizing. All the music on the album (ten listed and one unlisted "hidden" track) was composed and arranged by Kochan and presents his talents as a composer in their full glory. The music is a mixture of contemporary, melodic mainstream Jazz, with some almost contemporary Classical music arrangements on one hand and a lot of free space on the other, which allows for expanded improvisations by the soloists. Kochan´s brilliant and as usual completely unusual drumming and his electronic sound effects complete the overall sound and atmosphere, which is full of tension and sense of urgency, which keeps the listener on edge at all times. Thomas and Wania play breathtaking solos and the entire ensemble sounds completely focused around the convoluted melody lines and tricky rhythm patterns, which just keep coming at the listener mercilessly. Listening to this music attentively is so intense, that one feels actual physical exhaustion by the time the music is over, as a result of the effort to get it all in one take. This music exists beyond any reasonable categorization, being intrinsically completely cross-genre. Jazz buffs and contemporary Classical music connoisseurs might find this to be just the cup of tea they love. In any case this music is simply too good to be ignored and if it happens to be available, should be consumed at once. Brilliant stuff!

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JACEK KOCHAN ~ THIRD OF THREE AUDIO CAVE 2014/001 (Barcode: 5902596954734) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is an album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist, one of the most prolific and internationally involved Polish musicians. On the album he presents a trio led by him and also including two pianists: the Italian Mauro SchiavoneFind albums by this artist, who plays acoustic piano and the Polish Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, who plays the electric piano, both playing side by side with the leader. The trio presents eight original compositions, all by Kochan. All three instrumentalist need little introduction and anybody familiar with the Polish Jazz scene should be aware of Kochan´s achievements since the 1980s. He released close to twenty albums as a leader, many of which feature top Jazz players from around the world. Schiavone has already a proven record as an excellent player and Wania, who is the youngest trio member, is one of the "hottest" Jazz musicians on the Polish scene in the last decade. A trio consisting of a drummer and two pianists is highly atypical and I can´t recall any other example of such musical configuration prior to this one. Consequently the music sounds quite strange and unusual, and takes a while to get used to. The compositions are also eerie, somewhere between industrial and ambient, with twisted melodic contents and jumpy rhythmical patterns, in short definitely not your average easy listening Jazz experience. After a while this strange brew starts to make sense and exposes an exciting listening adventure, which is definitely different from most other stuff one comes across, all for the best of course. Overall this is quite an ambitious piece of music, requiring attentive and repeated listening in order to be truly appreciated. Kochan is to be congratulated for exploring new areas and not standing still, like many other players of his generation. Definitely worth exploring!

Updated: 17/06/2021Posted:

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JACEK KOCHAN / NAKAJEE ~ LIFE, STRESS AND OTHER PLEASURES AUDIO CAVE 2022/005 (Barcode: 5908298549353) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer / bandleader Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist recorded with the NakajeeFind albums by this artist ensemble, which includes Canadian guitarist Jerry De Villiers Jr.Find albums by this artist and Polish keyboardist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and a mysterious bass guitarist Mo BooFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader. The music is completely beyond any genre classification, characterized by strong Groove, but entirely uneven rhythm patters, which create a completely unique aural experience. Kochan takes his music “further out” in comparison to his previous album, which also featured Wania and Prucnal, and although it contains clear melody patterns, the rhythm is the leading inspiration at all times, and the melodies remain secondary. As a result of this innovative approach the music is certainly quite difficult for listeners accustomed with “straightforward” rhythmic patterns and takes a while to get accustomed to even by experienced listeners. Kochan confirms his role as drummer / leader / composer, which characterizes his music since the early days, and for me reaches an apogee with this album, with all the elements falling right into place, creating a perfectly coherent sonic landscape. Of course this perfection is largely achieved thanks to the incredible contributions by the ensemble members, with Wania at the helm, who is in charge of the tricky melodic layers. Wania plays both acoustic piano and synthesizers, always with elegance and technical perfection, but more importantly with sublime taste and flexibility. Prucnal and De Villiers add solid improvisations and impressive soloing, and the basses keep the complex net in check, providing depth and anchor. Kochan is fully in charge of the rhythmic / polyrhythmic engine, which drives the ensemble forward. Overall, this is a very impressive, mature, complex and delightful piece of music, which firmly establishes Kochan as one of Polish Jazz great talents, who certainly creates his very own musical universe, quite apart from the mainstream of the local scene. Kochan certainly deserves a much wider recognition, but fame and glory where never his goals – the music and his inner truth are what matters, and this is why I love him and his music. An absolute must to listeners, who think they have already heard everything!

Updated: 10/06/2022Posted: 10/06/2022

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PIOTR LEMANCZYK ~ IN SIMPLICITY SOLITON 670 (Barcode: 5901571096704) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 As hard as it is to believe, this is the first piano trio album by veteran Polish Jazz bass virtuoso / composer Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist. He combined forces with two top local musicians, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, and recorded eight original compositions, all created by him, which are presented here. The album offers superb sound quality, which for piano trio recordings is an essential part of the entire artistic experience. For people familiar with Lemanczyk´s recording career as a leader and sideman this album is about to change the entire perception of his musical persona. His traditional association with mainstream Jazz, always wonderfully creative and sublimely executed, is however completely shattered here, with his unforeseen venture into modern Jazz, very open and often startlingly full of Free Form vistas. The music is still very well behaved of course (admittedly to a trained ear), with distinct melody motifs and stable rhythmic backbone, but the piano parts float freely on the wings of the imagination, taking the listener on an emotional rollercoaster ride. It is probably not a wild guess to assume that Wania´s presence is the decisive factor influencing the character of this music. His charismatic, almost magical musical mastery turns everything he touches into instant musical gold, and this album is just one of many examples of Wania´s artistry. He is undoubtedly a force of Nature and a most significant Polish Jazz musician to arrive on the scene in the last decade. The piano playing on this album is an absolute pinnacle of modern Jazz. Lemanczyk not only offers his brilliant compositions, but also performs some hair-raising bass soli throughout the album´s duration, which combine his virtuosity, sublime feel of melody and improvisation aesthetics, which are very rarely found within one person. Since he is after all the leader, his bass parts are more frequent and expanded than one would usually find on a piano trio album, all for the best of course. Miskiewicz, assuredly a Master drummer, is one of the most diverse players on the Polish scene, with a most impressive recording legacy. But he is, to me, first and foremost an ideal "third leg" in a piano trio setting, which of course is already quite obvious to Jazz listeners familiar with his career so far. His performances are, as expected, nothing short of brilliant, full of inventiveness, and most importantly the precise dynamics, which is so important in the delicate piano trio setting. Overall this is an amazing album, a wonderful breath of fresh air, which makes one´s head dizzy at first but euphoric for the duration. Playing on "repeat" (happens very rarely in my case) this music gets better with every spin, as hard as it is to believe. It seems I already have my Polish Jazz album of the years for 2020. Don´t you dare to miss it!!!

Updated: 19/05/2020Posted: 19/05/2020

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EWA LIPSKA / ZBIGNIEW PREISNER ~ 2016 DOKAD? UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 602557360660 (Barcode: 602557360660) ~ POLAND ~ Sung Poetry Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is a live recording of a concert, which presents a series of compositions by composer Zbigniew PreisnerFind albums by this artist with texts by poetess Ewa LipskaFind albums by this artist. The music is performed by several vocalists, including Lisa GerrardFind albums by this artist, Edyta KrzemienFind albums by this artist and others, a large mixed choir and many instrumentalists, including pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, organist Jozef SkrzekFind albums by this artist, percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist and others. Both Lipska and Preisner also contribute spoken / sung parts. The 2CD album presents twenty-two tracks, which are also available on the enclosed DVD. The music, which encompasses Classical, Folkloristic and Popular music elements, offers a form of a contemporary oratorio, but the subject matter is completely secular, and touches on deeply philosophical / political / social matters, which trouble the Polish society, as much today as it did through the ages. Lipska’s tongue, sharp as a razor, is completely ruthless and slaughters holly cows by the dozen, often shockingly “in the face”, which often is the only way to jiggle people out of their lethargy. Preisner’s music fits the “wild” and provocative lyrics perfectly, creating an amalgam of somber, deadly serious atmosphere with seemingly lighter interludes of cabaret-like textures. Of course one can always ponder on the effectiveness of “protesting” in Art, and the realization that even the most talented human beings, like Allen GinsbergFind albums by this artist and the entire Beat Generation, or Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and the entire Protest Generation, or Marek GrechutaFind albums by this artist, or Julian TuwimFind albums by this artist managed to change anything in the long run, prevent wars, social injustice or human stupidity. And yet, the Artists simply must do, what they do, since they just wouldn’t be Artists if they wouldn’t do what they do, hoping that someone will hear what they mean. Overall, this is a monumental stage enterprise, which forces the listener to face a mirror, and which uses an entire arsenal of Cultural armament: music, poetry, spoken word, etc. to make one simple, but powerful statement: “wake up! I consider myself extremely happy to be able to count several of the protagonist of this ambitious masterpiece as my friends. Thank you for the words and the sounds!

Updated: 24/05/2024Posted: 24/05/2024

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

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

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NAK TRIO ~ AMBUSH FOR TUNE 0122 (Barcode: 5906395808243) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz ensemble called NAK TrioFind albums by this artist, led by veteran drummer / composer Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist and also including pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist. The trio is accompanied by a nine players strong string section, which includes violinist Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays solos on a couple of tracks. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Kochan and all arranged by him except for one of the string arrangements done by Smoczynski. The music is quite complex and although melody based, in features confusing rhythmic patterns and fragmented pieces of melodies, which don´t make it easy on the listener to find his way along the tunes. The string arrangements add another layer of complexity to the proceedings and the final result presents music which moves between modern Contemporary Classical elements and Jazz and require attentive listening and patience. Wania, who plays electric piano on this album (Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer), is the chief soloist and his playing is, as usual, very convincing and technically perfect. He handles the odd meters and tempi changes with ease and elegance. Kapczuk supplies the basic bottom lines all along with a few nice solos on the way. Kochan delivers the complex polyrhythmic drive with obvious talent and skill. Overall this is a very ambitious undertaking, which might be a tad too much for the average Jazz listener. The electric piano combined with the Classical sound of the strings and the unfamiliar rhythmic patterns are an acquired taste. Wania´s piano playing and the violin solos are the highlights of this unusual album, which is definitely worth investigating by the more motivated listeners. The album also emphasizes the diversity and multifaceted involvedness of the Polish Jazz scene.

Updated: 11/04/2017Posted: 11/04/2017

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NAK TRIO ~ THE OTHER SIDE OF IT CHALLENGE 71154 (Barcode: 608917115420) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz NAK TrioFind albums by this artist, led by drummer Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist, with pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all composed by the leader. The music is a beautiful example of modern European Jazz, superbly performed by the trio. It showcases the outstanding virtuosity of Wania, although this is a relatively early recording in his impressive career. Wania played in Kochan’s groups since 2008, which undoubtedly served as a great environment to perfect his skills. By the time this album was recorded Wania was already in full bloom, which is plainly evident herein. Kochan is a great example of my observation, that Jazz drummers are often some of the most impressive composers, and his extensive recorded legacy is an undeniable proof of that. He is able to combine beautiful melody lines and complex rhythmic layers, which makes his often intricate music flow smoothly and convincingly. He is certainly one of my favorite Polish Jazz composers. Overall, modern Jazz piano trio albums don’t get any better that this, and although this album is relatively obscure to Polish Jazz lovers, it definitely deserves to be heard and loved, and can be found relatively effortlessly. Of course I wholeheartedly recommend grabbing a copy ASAP.

Updated: 16/02/2025Posted: 16/02/2025

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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 ~ 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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OBARA INTERNATIONAL ~ LIVE AT MANGGHA FOR TUNE 0022 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is the second album by the international quartet led by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist, called Obara InternationalFind albums by this artist, which also includes the superb Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and a Norwegian rhythm section: bassist Ole Morten VaganFind albums by this artist and drummer Gard NilssenFind albums by this artist. The album, which was recorded live, comprises of six pieces, five of which are original compositions by Obara and the remaining one is by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, to whom this group dedicated their debut album, simply called "KomedaFind albums with this title". The music is placed somewhere between Free Form and contemporary Modern Jazz of the European variety. Most of the tunes get an expanded treatment, which includes extensive solo and group improvisations, and last around ten minutes each except one tune which is almost twice as long and the closing track which is a brief farewell. Although the melodic content is clearly recognizable, it is kept somewhat in the background, as if on a separate plane, and the improvisations are the focal point of this music, changing in tempi and intensity, but always out there on the forefront. The level of musicianship involved herein is truly admirable and of the highest standing by any standard. This is by far not easy music and the amount of technique, talent and sophistication required in order to play it is simply astounding, not to mention the emotional tension. The entire concert portrays a wonderful flow of energy between the quartet members and of course the combined creative power of the quartet is even greater than the sum of the individual statements. Personally I enjoy the contributions by the pianist most of all. Wania, whom I´ve been watching carefully for a few years now, is definitely one of the greatest promises of Polish Jazz and is destined to get places. His brilliant work on this album, both as a soloist and as an ensemble member, is simply outstanding. Obara is a great player as well, of course, but his melancholy and mellow tone often seem to push the music somewhat backwards into the mainstream conformity. The Norwegian rhythm section is solid and reliable, when needed, and inventive and spontaneous when the music calls for it, in short they play splendidly, as only the Scandinavian rhythm sections can. Overall this is another musical gem that the Polish For Tune label manages to put out for the world to hear and admire. The sound quality, separation and warmth are incredible considering the fact that this is a live recording. European Jazz connoisseurs are expected to lick their fingers upon exposure to this wonderful music. Well done gentlemen! BTW Obara´s Polish quartet uses the excellent RGGFind albums by this artist rhythm section: bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist, which of course is also a dreamy team, so where is their next album I ask?

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OBARA INTERNATIONAL ~ LIVE IN MINSK MAZOWIECKI FOR TUNE 0080 (Barcode: 5902768701883) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the third album by the international ensemble led by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer / bandleader Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist, which includes also Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and the Norwegian rhythm section comprising of bassist Ole Morten VaganFind albums by this artist and drummer Gard NilssenFind albums by this artist, and which was expanded to a quintet with the addition of British trumpeter Tom ArthursFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live and presents seven original pieces, five of which were composed by Obara and one each by Vagan and Arthurs. The accompanying DVD is a straight-ahead documentation of the concert and offers no additional material. Listeners familiar with Obara´s extensive recording legacy are of course familiar with his extraordinary qualities, but his work with this ensemble surely finds him at his artistic pinnacle. The music, which ideally balances the concept of composed music with the idiom of Free Jazz and extended improvisation, is a wonderful example of what contemporary European Jazz is all about. With the addition of Arthurs to its ranks, the ensemble, in its classic Jazz Quintet setting, finally reaches the full power of expression, which enables it to present the full scale of solo and group improvisation. The musical approach if completely open, allowing the musicians to make lengthy individual statements, but also to create internal subset ensembles, like duets or trios, which are spontaneously created jus for a relatively brief duration. This fluctuating lineup and constant mutations are both fascinating musically and demanding intellectually, which of course is the best possible combination of stimuli. The individual contributions by the ensemble members are all stellar. Arthurs is perhaps the best partner that Obara had so far, matching his powers of creativity and his virtuosic skills. Their work together, exchanging licks and playing unisono, is simply breathtaking. Wania consistently makes his way to the very top of European piano players and his brilliant work as soloist and accompanist is unprecedented. The rhythm section supports the soloists with flair and obvious camaraderie, but keeps a distinct identity and contributes solo statements as well. Overall this is a classic example of European modern Jazz at its best, which is imaginative, creative and highly advanced. Based on the Jazz tradition, it expands the idiom towards new frontiers, keeping it alive and relevant. This is a one-hour concentrated capsule of Jazz at its best, which should keep every connoisseur of good music happy for a very long time. Brilliant from start to finish, this is a nectar we, Jazz enthusiasts, are always thirsty for.

Updated: 22/02/2016Posted: 22/02/2016

CD+DVD 2 Recommend To A Friend

MACIEJ OBARA ~ THREE CROWNS ECM 2662 (Barcode: 602508069703) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the fifth album by the Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist and his international quartet, which also features Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and Norwegian rhythm section: bassist Ole Morten VaganFind albums by this artist and drummer Gard NilssenFind albums by this artist. It is the second studio recording by the quartet and also the second album by the quartet released on the German ECMFind albums on this label label. The album presents eight tracks, six of which are original compositions by Obara and two are his interpretations of pieces by Polish Classical composer Henryk GoreckiFind albums by this artist. My review of this album´s predecessor "UnlovedFind albums with this title", the ECM debut, turned out to be extremely controversial, and I found myself in a decisive minority speaking rather critically about that album. The review ended with the following quote: "I can only hope that everything will turn for the better in the future…" Well the future is here, but sadly things not only are not better, but this album turns out even weaker than its predecessor. The original compositions are boring and heartless, the playing anemic and I had to make an effort to listen to it in its entirety… And then there is Wania. His piano parts are the only islands of sanity in this entire endeavor. Playing sparingly and as usually simply fabulously, he manages to keep the music together at times. Sadly even his enormous musical gift is not able to save the album, but at least his parts prevent the listener from jumping out of the proverbial window. The rhythm section is completely enslaved by this music, unable to transform it into something move meaningful. As a result the rare piano solo and trio parts are the only breath of fresh air in this music. It’s sad to see a musician so desperately lost…

Updated: 26/08/2020Posted: 26/08/2020

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MACIEJ OBARA ~ UNLOVED ECM 2573 (Barcode: 602557645620) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the fourth album by the Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist and his international quartet, which also features Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and Norwegian rhythm section: bassist Ole Morten VaganFind albums by this artist and drummer Gard NilssenFind albums by this artist. It is the first studio recording by the quartet, as the three previous albums, all released on the Polish For TuneFind albums on this label label, were live recordings. It is of course also the first album by the quartet released on the German ECMFind albums on this label label. The album presents seven tracks, six of which are original compositions by Obara and one (the title track) is a relatively infrequently recorded composition by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at the legendary Rainbow Studio in Oslo with Jan Erik KongshaugFind albums by this artist in charge of the sonic quality. Obara´s numerous earlier recordings, including the three albums with the quartet present here, established his position on the Polish Jazz scene as a restless explorer, a rebel and a fearless avant-gardist, who constantly pushed the borders of contemporary Polish / European Jazz. These recordings were uncompromising, adventurous, soaked in free-form and Avant-Garde expressionism, and yet deeply rooted in the Jazz idiom´s tradition. The fact that this is a studio recording, as already mentioned above, and taking into account the decisive role of Manfred EicherFind albums by this artist, ECM´s supreme boss, who assumed the role of "musical producer" on this album, were obviously bound to have an effect on the outcome, but probably nobody could have imagined how dramatic the transformation was about to become. The album is clearly divided into two sections (sort of A / B sides of an LP), with the first section (first four tunes) presenting deeply melancholic and introvert music, nicely rounded melodically and harmonically, but alas somewhat pale and monotonous, and the second part (last three tunes) being more ambitious and vibrant, but still not up to par with Obara´s earlier recordings. Gone is the fire and brimstone and the Obara heard on this album is all gentleness and sweetness, delicately uttering lovable notes, who seems to have lost completely the identity he worked for years to establish. Is this the next stage of development for Obara and his quartet? Quite possibly, but his old identity will be sadly missed. But not everything is lost as far as this album is concerned. Wania manages to escape unspoiled and his work here is as brilliant as always, pure genius in fact. When he solos the music suddenly comes alive and sparks are flying. His brief interludes move elegantly into free-form, albeit briefly, finding the way back within a few bars. In many respects this album is as much Wania´s triumph as it is Obara´s underachievement. Sadly Wania´s brilliant work is not enough to save the album from the lethargic flow of "nice notes". The rhythm section is also excellent proving that playing in a much more relaxed environment is still within their capability and can be done intelligently and excitingly. And of course the sound quality is as heavenly as one might expect. I am deeply saddened by the fact that this, obviously flagship recording by Obara, turned out to be less than I´d have hoped for. I can only hope that everything will turn for the better in the future. Side Note: I have to admit that I was completely and utterly flabbergasted by the mass hysteria on the Polish Jazz scene surrounding the fact that this album was released on ECM. It is true that Obara is only the third Polish Jazz leader to have his album released by ECM (preceded by Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist), but what does it really mean? Firstly it means that Manfred Eicher is simply not familiar enough with the burgeoning Polish Jazz scene and its world class talented musicians. If he was familiar with them, he would have surely invited some of them to record for his label, especially in view of the fact that dozens of Polish Jazz albums released by small independent Polish labels are way more interesting and meaningful than most of ECM releases in the last couple of decades. Secondly it means that ECM is still considered by many people as a leading recording label, whereas in fact it lost its legendary status and influence many years ago. As pioneering and groundbreaking as the label was in the first couple of decades of its existence, bringing up scores of Jazz musicians to the attention of music connoisseurs, the label´s impact and leadership vastly diminished in time. Just ask yourself how many albums in the ECM catalogue do you know / own that were recorded in the 1970s / 1980s and how many albums you know / own that were recorded since 2000? Do the same with a list of recording artists who released albums on ECM in these two periods? The statistics are abundantly clear. And lastly it means that Polish Jazz scene is completely consumed with the inferiority complex that has always haunted it, looking somewhere else for excellence and example rather than paying tribute to its own Artists and showing them the appreciation they really deserve. Many Polish Jazz fans are still convinced that only Afro-American musicians can play Jazz and everything happening at home is secondary and meaningless, whereas in fact that is completely contrary to the truth.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 30/11/2017

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MATEUSZ PALKA ~ BLUR ECHO ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mateusz PalkaFind albums by this artist and his first solo piano effort. The album presents fourteen relatively short pieces, five of which are even shorter untitled “variations”, all composed by Palka. The album was recorded at the splendid Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, offering a spectacular sonic experience. The music is absolutely wonderful, floating gently between romanticism and modernism, with strong ties to Polish / European Classical tradition, full of beautiful minimalist melodic motives, harmonic structures and inspired improvisations. In many respects the music is only partially Jazz oriented, being Jazzy more spiritually than formally, and it remains always beyond any attempt of being clearly categorized. One can recognize some contemporary Polish Jazz influences in this music, like those of Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, who was Palka’s teacher and Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, who undoubtedly served as a lofty inspiration, both being some of the finest piano players / composers in Jazz today, in Poland and beyond. Solo piano album is undoubtedly the ultimate Jazz challenge, especially for artist as young as Palka, and the fact that he manages to overcome the difficulties and create such outstanding piece of music, is quite overwhelming in every respect. Overall, this is a brilliant album from start to finish, which offers a challenging music and at the same time a wonderfully deep aesthetic experience, which is fresh and daring. Cleverly avoiding categorization, this music should delight both modern Jazz listeners and contemporary Classical Music enthusiasts. Combined with some of the best sound quality of solo piano recordings out there, this is nothing less than a spiritual experience.

Updated: 11/02/2022Posted: 11/02/2022

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ADAM PIERONCZYK ~ SZYMANOWSKI / X-RAY ANAKLASIS 022 (Barcode: 5907795211923) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Adam PieronczykFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with Brazilian guitarist Nelson VerasFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven pieces inspired by the Etudes Op. 33, composed by Polish Classical Music pianist / composer Karol SzymanowskiFind albums by this artist in 1916 and first performed in Paris in 1922. At the time the music was highly innovative and expressionist, marking the birth of the new era in European Classical Music with the dawn of the 20th Century. The album was released as part of the “Revisions” series on the prestigious AnaklasisFind albums on this label label, which present cross-genre experiments between Classical Music and other genres, like Electronic, Jazz or Improvised Music. As Pieronczyk explains in the booklet accompanying the album, the music the trio performs is not an attempt to interpret the original music by Szymanowski, but a completely new music composed by him, while looking at the music by Szymanowski as if under an X-Ray examination. Despite the fact that this music is freely improvised, and highly abstract, there is a strong, albeit fragmented, melodic presence, which serves as a catalyst for the three musicians to cooperate. Although the Etudes were written for piano solo, Pieronczyk decided to invite the two partners to share with him the burden of the re-examination and re-creation, sharing the duties among the three instruments equally. Obviously all three musicians are virtuosi on their respective instruments, but the essence of this album is the trialogue they are able to create intuitively between them, rather than the individual performances. Obviously this music is very demanding and might prove to be difficult both for Classical Music listeners and Improvised Music connoisseurs. Hopefully patience and open-mindedness will prevail and many music lovers will be able to discover this highly interesting effort. Overall, this is a challenging cross-genre adventure, which builds a bridge between early 20th Century Classical Music and contemporary Improvised Music, and which offers an intimate trialogue, which is fascinating and challenging as one. It is encouraging to see that such highly non-commercial and Artistic music is still able to find a home and be respectfully released.

Updated: 23/01/2023Posted: 23/01/2023

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ZBIGNIEW PREISNER / LISA GERRARD ~ IT`S NOT TOO LATE PREISNER PRODUCTIONS 003 (Barcode: 5903111904050) ~ POLAND ~ Special Products Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is a new chapter in the continuous cooperation between Polish composer Zbigniew PreisnerFind albums by this artist and Australian vocalist / composer Lisa GerrardFind albums by this artist. In addition to Gerrard’s vocals, the music is created by Preisner, who plays the Hammond organ and other instruments, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, cellist Magdalena PlutaFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Jerzy GlowczewskiFind albums by this artist. The vocals were recorded at the Synagogue in a small town of Bobowa in southern Poland and the instrumental parts in Preisner’s studio. The album presents nine tracks, five co-composed by Preisner and Gerrard, three composed by Preisner and one partly based on a piece from the soundtrack of the film “Man Of God”, composed by Preisner. Gerrard sings in her metaphysical language. As usual with Preisner’s projects, the music is simply beyond classification. Obviously, considering his legacy as a cinematic composer, cinematic music comes instinctively to mind, by that would be a gross simplification, as cinematic music basically means nothing beyond music written specifically for cinema. The music on this album builds an entire universe of musical associations, encompassing Classical, Sacred, Contemplative, Ceremonial and so on, but honestly the most important is the emotional message this music is trying to convey, which offers a rainbow of sensations between deep despair and elated hope. Obviously deeply influenced by the reality of the world we live in, including the calamities of Pandemic and War, this music tries to rise a ray of hope, as the title suggests. The music is very minimalistic, restrained and slowly developing, with an aura of a medieval piety, Jewish prayer, operatic arias and Ambient meditative vistas, led by Gerrard’s virtuosic vocals and delicately supported by instrumental passages, with occasional solos by the piano, cello or saxophone. The vocals are encircled by the sublime natural echo of the Synagogue, which inspires the very special ambience of the entire album. Gerrard’s vocal improvisations are Godly in every respect, not surprising but always stunning anew, and combined with the music and instrumental support sound perhaps more convincing here than ever before. Both Preisner and Gerrard are natural phenomena of epic proportions, and combined here enhance and complement each other in a perfect win-win manifestation. Overall, this is a deeply moving album and a very unique piece of music, which is completely universal, ageless and borderless musically. Created by an amalgam of great talents and deep conviction, this is an example of music which is able to move mountains. Thank you, my Friends, for the gift of music!

Updated: 22/10/2022Posted: 22/10/2022

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ZBIGNIEW PREISNER / LISA GERRARD / DOMINIK WANIA ~ MELODIES OF MY YOUTH UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 602577665387 (Barcode: 602577665387) ~ POLAND ~ Special Products Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the second album that presents music by the distinguished Polish composer Zbigniew PreisnerFind albums by this artist, which is performed by top Polish Jazz pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist (see the album "TwilightFind albums with this title"), this time also featuring the Australian vocal Diva Lisa GerrardFind albums by this artist, who often cooperates with Preisner in various projects. The album presents nine original compositions, seven composed by Preisner and two co-composed by Preisner and Gerrard. The music, as always with Preisner, is deeply lyrical and melancholic, combines multi genre elements and invokes cinematic visions. The minimalist piano / vocals format creates a deeply romantic atmosphere on one hand but also incredible tension and anticipation, which is even more emphasized by the usage of Gerrard´s "metaphysical language", which consists of nonexistent "words", which can be freely interpreted by the listener and sound like any language that is subconsciously in the listener´s head. The musical format is somewhat similar to the Classical lieder and song cycles sung in solons across Europe in the 19th Century. And yet the music itself is essentially East European, both Slavic and Jewish, wonderfully brought back to existence by Preisner´s imagination. Gerrard´s vocal parts are absolutely stunning, which is hardly surprising in view of her career. For me her ability to identify herself completely with the musical origins on this album, which are not her "natural" cultural habitat, is simply out of this world. Wania, who leaves the focus of interest to Gerrard, as appropriate for the concept, is a sublime accompanist both technically and emotionally. Although on this album he has very little opportunity to solo, his delicate interludes, intros and outros and his playing behind the vocals are all impeccable. Although more closely related to his Classical education rather than to his Jazz explorations, he fully shows his aesthetics and incredible sensitivity, which are always part of his every recording project. The great facet of Preisner´s music is always the feeling of familiarity it creates, even if this is the first time one hears it. He is always able to pull the right soul strings, which are common to all true music lovers. Overall this is a beautiful, highly unusual and yet strangely familiar music, which is universal in its directness and intrinsic splendor. Completely avoiding any labeling, this music is simply breathtakingly penetrating!

Updated: 04/11/2020Posted: 04/11/2020

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ZBIGNIEW PREISNER / DOMINIK WANIA ~ TWILIGHT UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 602577477812 (Barcode: 602577477812) ~ POLAND ~ Special Products Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is a sensational album which presents the music by celebrated Polish composer Zbigniew PreisnerFind albums by this artist, known as one of the most important cinematic contemporary music Masters, performed by virtuoso Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, who in the last decade conquered the Polish Jazz piano scene without much competition. The nine solo piano pieces composed by Preisner and interpreted by Wania present on this album are a magical window into the souls of both of these great Artists. Last year, during the 2018 Haifa Film Festival, which celebrated the music of Preisner, I had the wonderful opportunity to spend many hours in his company, which provided ample opportunity to discuss music, philosophy, and life in general, while exchanging anecdotes and enjoying food together. Preisner the person turned out to be every bit as fascinating as his music. Preisner´s music is always characterized by several basic qualities, which are intrinsically embedded into the fabric of the sonic visions he creates. They are melody, simplicity and melancholy. Anybody familiar with Preisner´s music is obviously aware of the fact that his music offers some of the most beautiful melodies to appear in cinematic music, which have an universal appeal capturing millions of music (and obviously cinema) lovers the world over. But his music also eschews complexity and unnecessary ornamentation, leaving the ground first and foremost to the melody. He is absolutely right when he states that no amount of sophistication and extrovert decoration is able to do anything, when the melody is lacking, and when the melody is great, not much more is needed. As to the melancholy, or even more precisely the typical "Polish Melancholy", which his music almost epitomizes, it is simply something that comes completely naturally to him, as it in fact happened to all great Polish composes since Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist. Dominik Wania is undoubtedly a great virtuoso, but his virtuosity is only one of his many qualities, which distinguish him from most of the other excellent piano players on the Polish scene. The most important of his qualities is his ability to find his very own adaptation of any kind of music he sets forward to perform. His Jazz recordings over the years prove his incredible stylistic diversity and sensitivity, finding him often in diametrically different musical surroundings, but there is not even one case which finds him unable to deal with the music at hand and that in the most spectacular way imaginable. This album offers best of the two worlds: the wonderful compositions by Preisner with the incredible interpretation of these compositions by Wania. The pieces are all beautifully melodic and simple and melancholic, true pearls of Preisner´s creative powers. Wania´s fingertips take these melodies into his own world, adding his very own, often very subtle but always very evocative interpretation, which floats like another layer over the basic melody. The overall result is delicate, often minimalist, reflective and heartfelt, with the music achieving a state of a mantra lingering in the air. I recall when Preisner told me about this project when we met and I assured him that he could have not found a more suitable piano Master than Wania to uplift his compositions to another emotional / spiritual level, this of course before I heard the music. After hearing the music it became obvious that his (and mine) instincts were just right on and the result turned out to be simply outstanding. I don’t like to use "big" words in vain, but this album puts two Geniuses together, and thanks to Higher Powers the combined qualities simply came together like a dream. I can hardly imagine any true music connoisseur staying impartial to this music, which I have played often since I first received it, finding it always striking directly at my heart in days of low and high. I hope many more people can enjoy the same level of musical bliss!

Updated: 01/07/2019Posted: 01/07/2019

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TOMASZ PRUCHNICKI ~ TOTAL IMMERSION AKADEMIA MUZYCZNA WROCLAW 022 (Barcode: 9788365473295) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, organist Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist, which is basically the same lineup as the one playing on the last Yarosh Organ TrioFind albums by this artist album “Progressive SynthesisFind albums with this title”. The album presents ten original compositions by the leader. The music is modern Jazz, based on melodic themes but with a large degree of Freedom, which allows all the participants to improvised extensively. The compositions are absolutely stellar and offer a wonderful foundation for the musicians to express themselves in full. The highly unusual lineup, which features both acoustic piano and organ, presents a unique sound, which adds to the overall atmosphere this album manages to create. The organ plays both harmonic layers and bass pulsations, as well as soloing passionately, emphasizing again the incredible talents of Galas. Wania plays waves of piano sounds, which are as brilliant as one can expect from top Polish Jazz pianist, Jarosz manages to keep everything in perfect control rhythmically, and the leader offers amazing saxophone parts, full of emotion, brilliant technique and typical Polish Jazz lyricism. Overall, this is a highly emotional, unusually sounding and amazingly executed album, which proves that Polish Jazz is always there to surprise and amaze. The post Covid frenzy activity, which results in dozens after dozens of new Polish Jazz releases that land on my desk on a regular basis, is a joyful evidence of things being back on track. For organ lovers this is a very special treat, but all lovers of Polish / European Jazz should be able to enjoy this gem. Well done Gentlemen!

Updated: 27/01/2023Posted: 27/01/2023

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MATEUSZ SMOCZYNSKI ~ ADAM`S APPLE WARNER MUSIC POLAND 5021732288127 (Barcode: 5021732288127) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2021 - 2022 Released: 2024 This is an album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with the Chopin University Chamber OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Rafal JaniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents two extended pieces for violin and orchestra: the five-part concerto for violin and orchestra composed by Smoczynski in 2018, entitled "Adam’s Apple”, and the four-part concerto for violin, rhythm section and Symphony Orchestra composed by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist in 1974. The rhythm section comprises of pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. In the album’s liner notes Smoczynski credits the influence of Seifert on his musical development from his early age and the more recent influence of the American composer John AdamsFind albums by this artist, and explains how the album’s title refers both to the Biblical story and the composer’s name. The music is every bit as brilliant as one might expect, in every sense. Placing both these violin concerti side by side, presents a wonderful opportunity to observe the development of the Jazz-Classical Fusion genre over the forty-four years’ time gap, as well as stylistic differences and approaches between the two composers. Considering the fact that this is the first time the Seifert’s concerto is released on record, this album is already a sensational occasion for celebration. Not less important is the opportunity to have such ambitious music recorded and released, which sadly is rather uncommon in the world ruled by commerciality and questionable aesthetics. As such, this album is an absolute gem, offering a wonderful opportunity to hear such a delightful music and at the same time playing tribute to the memory of Seifert, who was undoubtedly one of Polish Jazz most prominent figures. The performances by Smoczynski, the Orchestra and the rhythm section are stellar in every sense, which is hardly surprising, considering the fact that these are some of Polish Jazz top Artists. Listeners familiar with the local scene are of course aware that Smoczynski is a member of the fabulous Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, Kurkiewicz and Miskiewicz are members of the Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist Trio and Wania is one of the most revered Polish Jazz pianists. One can hardly wish for a better team. Overall, this is a superb example of the highly artistic level of the Polish Jazz scene, which often sees local musicians undertaking very ambitious projects, like the music on this album, with full support of the local recording industry and fellow musicians from across the genres. For Jazz-Classical Fusion lovers, this is as high as the genre soars. Not to be missed!

Updated: 28/12/2024Posted: 28/12/2024

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BRONISLAW SUCHANEK / DOMINIK WANIA ~ SKETCH IN BLUE NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 786851249323) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2008 This beautiful bass / piano duo album presents a meeting between two generations of great Polish Jazz players. Veteran bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist was one of the most prominent players on the Polish modern Jazz scene, playing with top names, like Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist (see the groundbreaking legendary “Music For KFind albums with this title” album). He left Poland during the turbulent years of Socialist regime, first to Sweden and later to USA, where he lives now. He played with other Polish expatriates (Leszek ZadloFind albums by this artist, Wladyslaw SendeckiFind albums by this artist and Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist) in the Polski Jazz EnsembleFind albums by this artist, which also visited Israel by my invitation. Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist is a Polish pianist, with an impressive list of musical achievements in spite of his young age. Wania traveled to Boston, to get his Masters degree in music and there he met Suchanek. This album is a result of their musical cooperation. Both players are virtuoso performers on their respective instruments and their cooperation is in perfect sync, creating great exchange of ideas and interplay. Both musicians contribute equally to the compositional content, each of them by writing four compositions and one composition being co-authored. There are some superb melodies here and of course great performances from start to finish, full of sensitivity and intelligence, typical European Jazz at its best. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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DOMINIK WANIA ~ LONELY SHADOWS ECM 2686 (Barcode: 602508695834) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 As astonishing as this might sound and in complete contrast to his extensive recording legacy and the hurricane-like ascent to the position of top Polish Jazz piano chair during a record time of just over a decade, this is only the second album as a leader by pianist / composer Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and of course his debut album as a leader for the prestigious ECMFind albums on this label label. Some twelve years ago (2008) my friend, the great Polish Jazz bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist, sent me a duo album he recorded with a young and anonymous Polish pianist, who was over the pond in Boston getting his Master of Music degree there. The name of the young pianist was Dominik Wania and the album was "Sketch In BlueFind albums with this title", and the rest is history as far as I am concerned. I was immediate smitten with Wania´s playing and followed his development ever since, listening carefully to every recording he made over time and of course tried to hear him perform live whenever I could. The modern Polish Jazz has known many remarkable pianists over the last six decades, who contributed to the development of the local scene. Some of them became famous and made many important recordings, others exploded with youthful brilliance only to disappear soon after without a trace. Each and every one of them had his idiosyncratic language and style of course, some being closer to the American Jazz tradition, other searching for new ways of expression. But in retrospect the arrival of Wania changed the rules of the game entirely, in view of his total originality. Wania studied Classical Music and Jazz Music of course, but he managed to create a completely innovative amalgam of all musical traditions, which is uniquely his own. His fellow musicians attest to the fact that playing alongside Dominik is like being transferred into another state of mind and parallel universe, which is exactly my observation from hearing him perform live. He is every bit there playing with the rest of the band and yet at the same time he floats in the stratosphere high above everything else that is happening on the stage. But of course solo piano performances are something altogether different... About a year before Wania recorded the music for this album he recorded another solo piano album called "TwilightFind albums with this title" with his interpretations of music composed by the great Polish composer Zbigniew PreisnerFind albums by this artist, which strangely was almost completely overlooked upon its release. Although diametrically different from the music on this album, since it was completely pre-composed, Wania´s interpretations soar high and above the basic melody lines and create a completely new entity (see my review of that album), and as such in some respects is spiritually quite related to the music presented herein. This album presents eleven improvised pieces by Wania, characterized by a remarkable humility, fragility and minimalism. Every stroke on the keyboard counts and every pause matters. Wania manages to create a complete universe of sound and silence, which is mesmerizing and magical. The music escapes standard genre classification and could be considered as much Classical as Jazz, being both and none at the same time. Using spontaneously improvised music for this project, Wania managed to create something that might sound completely "composed" to the listener, as a result of its wonderfully coherent structure, tonality and intrinsic continuity. This sublime ability is just one of Wania´s trade secrets, which turn him into a wizard he truly is. Of course this music reflects only some of the many facets of the phenomenon called Wania, since his recorded legacy portrays him in many diverse settings, but nevertheless it fully depicts his originality. No other piano player on this planet plays music the way he does, which of course can be said about just a handful of musicians. As corny as it might sound this is a truly wonderful album, probably one of the most penetrating and enlightening creations of the last decade, which once again proudly shines in the aging ECM catalogue. People love to crown artists as "the next thing", in most cases completely out of proportions, but Wania undoubtedly is an Artist of the future, even though he already offers a glorious legacy as of today. He undoubtedly embodies the European aesthetics more accurately and broadly that most of his peers and the prospect of hearing more of his music in the future is one of those things that make life worth living.

Updated: 22/10/2020Posted: 22/10/2020

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ADAM WENDT ~ MY CHOICE SOLITON 1304 (Barcode: 5903684233045) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Adam WendtFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with some of the best local musicians: pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. Trumpeter Ignacy WendtFind albums by this artist (Adam’s son) guests on two tracks. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader. The music is all within the familiar modern mainstream Jazz idiom, driven by the excellent, highly melodic compositions and superb performances by all the musicians involved. Wendt is clearly a representative of the “old school” approach (in the best possible meaning of the phrase), with each and every note precisely where it should be, which of course does not limit his dynamic expressionism, perfected over the years, and driven by his talent. The compositions are all perfectly coherent and well crafted, as appropriate for a musician of such class, covering a wide range from lyrical ballads to energetic up-tempo Bebop inspired tunes. There is a typical Polish Jazz sound and feel present at all times. The accompanying trio is absolutely stellar, with Wania playing his highly imaginative phrases in the background and inserting blood-curdling solos into the proceedings. Bogdanowicz and Frankiewicz are both Masters of their respective trades and musicians, who can be always relayed on with perfect confidence. Overall, this is a great mainstream Jazz album, which offers good music and exciting performances, which can be appreciated by all Jazz lovers the world over. These musicians don’t need to prove anything anymore and therefore the music they create is full of the joy of music making. This is definitely something worth listening to with love and attention.

Updated: 22/01/2023Posted: 22/01/2023

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PIOTR WOJTASIK ~ TRIBUTE TO AKWARIUM INDYGO 001 (Barcode: 5907222872000) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is a sensational album by veteran Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist recorded with a large ensemble which comprises of some of Poland´s top Jazz musicians and a few guests from outside of Poland. In addition to the leader who plays trumpet and flugelhorn the other musicians are: trumpeter Sebastian SoldrzynskiFind albums by this artist, shakuhachi and other wind instruments player Igor PietraszewskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Viktor TothFind albums by this artist (Hungary) and Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist and Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist, drummer Eric AllenFind albums by this artist (USA resident in Poland) and percussionist Jakub MiarczynskiFind albums by this artist. Two female vocalists are featured on one of the tunes. The album presents a five part suite composed and arranged by Wojtasik and dedicated to the memory of the legendary Warsaw Jazz club Akwarium (active between 1977 and 2000), which used to be the Mecca of Polish Jazz in the past. A sixth bonus track is also included, which offers an alternate version of one of the suite´s parts. The music was recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Lukasz OlejarczykFind albums by this artist, who as usual stood up to the challenge. I recently had the opportunity to hear this music performed live at its premiere concert at the Silesian Jazz Festival in Katowice, with a slightly different lineup, and the impact of the music was truly astounding. This studio version is of course much tamer and orderly, so in some respects it sounds quite differently, but of course it is no less remarkable. Wojtasik managed to combine several sub-genres of the Jazz idiom into one coherent piece of music, which presents a kaleidoscope of modern Jazz, pointing to its many sources from Bebop through Jazz-Rock Fusion to electronics. Based on strong melodic themes but allowing a lot of freedom to the individual musicians to explore and probe, this is a wonderful example of modern Mainstream Jazz, which manages to be fascinating, unexpected and searching. The individual performances are all great, as expected from this level of musicians. Kadziela´s guitar parts are the nicest surprise as he manages to transform the last part of the suite into a modern day "Bitches BrewFind albums with this title" ambiance, which should make Miles DavisFind albums by this artist happily turn in his grave. Mozdzer´s synthesizer parts are somewhat tedious, especially in comparison to what Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist managed to come up with during the concert. Of course Dominik Wania plays some stunning piano parts and it is interesting to hear him in a large ensemble setting. But overall everybody plays their heart out and the result is simply superb. It is great to see (and hear) that Wojtasik is still in great shape as a player / composer / bandleader and as a friend I wish him many years of good health and creativity. He can certainly be proud of his achievement here and I look forward to hear more of his work soon. His blessed work as an educator at the Katowice Music Academy is of course no less important, but seeing him play is a true Jazz experience. Te old lion is still capable of a mighty roar, which the younger lions are happy to return. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 30/12/2017Posted: 30/12/2017

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YAROSH ORGAN TRIO ~ PROGRESSIVE SYNTHESIS AKADEMIA MUZYCZNA WROCLAW 021 (Barcode: 5902738950044) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the third album by Polish Jazz Yarosh Organ TrioFind albums by this artist comprising of drummer / composer / bandleader Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist and organist Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist. The trio is expanded into a quartet on all tracks bar one with the addition of keyboardist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, six composed by Jarosz and two by Pruchnicki. The music continues the trend of exploring more adventurous material, even more so than the previous album, for which I had the pleasure of writing the liner notes. The music maintains some melodic continuity, but is widely open to free improvisation and quirky rhythmic patterns, which result in splendid modern Jazz of the highest level. The addition of Wania is of momentous influence, as his phenomenal playing brings the entire ensemble several levels up in their imaginative cooperation. His brilliant cadenzas and telepathically fitted chord progressions sound completely natural, as if he was a part of the ensemble for ages. Of course nothing less could be expected from him, considering his stellar rise to the highest pedestal of the Polish Jazz in just one decade of his intensive activity. One has to admire the decision of Jarosz to bring Wania on board and firmly stand shoulder to shoulder with his Genius, with the trio holding its ground proudly, amicably and creatively. All three members of the trio contribute equally important parts of the entire puzzle, which includes Wania’s contributions as an integral part of the whole. The resulting music speaks for itself, producing some of the most interesting sounds created on the local scene lately. Overall, this is an outstanding album, full of highly inspired music and hair-rising performances, which depicts Polish Jazz at its very best and proudly holds the banner high, leaving most of the competition far behind. Unusual and challenging in every aspect, this music is pure unadulterated emotional and intellectual pleasure, which only the best Jazz is able to kindle. Congrats are in order and hats off to you Gentlemen!

Updated: 22/09/2021Posted: 22/09/2021

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