Record Reviews

ALGORHYTHM ~ MANDALA ALPAKA 001 (Barcode: 191061415527) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz quintet AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist, which comprises of trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof SlomkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, three each by Miszk and Burnos, two co-credited to them both and three short (not-credited) pieces. The music on this album is a significant step forward in comparison to what the quintet offered on their already quite excellent debut. It is much more complex, diverse and ambitious and includes many twists and turns, polyrhythmic layers, odd meters and multifaceted dynamics within each composition. Some World Music influences are also present. Therefore, again in comparison to their straight ahead debut album, this one is a whole new game. The performances are also more energetic and focused, with the entire crew taking part in the proceedings, contribution and supporting each other vigorously. The teamwork on these difficult pieces it truly wonderful. The overall sound of the quintet is very contemporary and sparkling with talent and oomph, placing Algorhythm on the list of Polish Jazz ensembles, which deserve to be closely watched and which are definitely very promising in their quest to better themselves. This is European Jazz at its best, bursting with talent, ideas and courage to explore rather than imitate, which of curse is what great music is all about. It makes me very happy to see the quintet to make such a giant step forward and I hope to catch them on stage soon. In the meantime hats off!

Updated: 09/04/2017Posted: 09/04/2017

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ALGORHYTHM ~ SEGMENTS NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by the young Polish Jazz quintet AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist, which comprises of trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof SlomkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. It presents seven original compositions, five by Burnos and two by Miszk. The classic Jazz quintet setting and the music are all well within the mainstream Jazz tradition, presenting modern, vital and interesting European version of the standard Jazz idiom, as usual drenched in the Polish lyricism and melancholy, which characterizes Polish Jazz. The compositions are well rounded and definitely non-trivial, with many odd rhythmic patterns; with altogether create an interesting listening experience. Personally I think the two compositions by Miszk are the best on the album, but the ones by Burnos do not fall far behind. The dynamic development and atmosphere of these pieces is quite remarkable. All three soloists perform splendidly and play several impressive passages and the rhythm section does a superb job supporting them all the way through, handling the complex rhythms elegantly and flawlessly. Again Checki seems to be the most impressive soloist on this album, but his colleagues are all gifted musicians and in time are sure to join the ranks of top Polish Jazz players. This is definitely an impressive debut, which deserves praise and support and as always makes me wonder how such young people are able to produce such mature and well developed music. Well done indeed!

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ALGORHYTHM ~ TERMOMIX ALPAKA 010 ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the third album by young Polish Jazz ensemble AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist, this time reduced to a quartet which includes trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. It presents fourteen short compositions, which are not credited on the album´s artwork and therefore assumed to be co-composed by all four members of the ensemble. In fact even the name of the ensemble is (almost) missing from the artwork. The music and the ambience of this album are radically different from their earlier work and moves almost completely away from the traditional Jazz idiom into contemporary ambient / electronic music, Avant Rock and Avant-Garde explorations. However, Jazzy improvisations, are still an important ingredient of the music, and as such are an obvious link with the past. This album must have taken the followers of the group and the Polish Jazz scene by surprise, as it is both quite unexpected and stylistically revolutionary. In order to appreciate this music properly one has to put aside the ensemble´s earlier work and accept the music for what it is rather than judging what it should / could have been, which some "critics" graciously implied. Of course experimenting and searching for new ways of expression is always welcome, even if it produces a less appealing or immediately accepted result. Obviously this music sets a challenge in front of the listeners, who have to decide if they are willing to follow the musicians on their new path or let this music pass them by. The audiences are more often than not much more stagnant and conservative than the music makers, which creates the commonly accepted reserved attitude towards Avant-Garde, blaming the musicians for leaving the listeners behind, but it fact it is the listeners who are lingering behind of their own choice. Personally I find this album as a bold and important experiment, which finds the ensemble in a transitory stage between the established and safe musical environment and a new experimental milieu, without actually quite making up their mind. The future will tell if this was just a one time venture or a start of a new aesthetics which will be further developed. Whatever the future may hold for them, Algorhythm deserve respect for daring to experiment and looking into new forms of expression, threading the less travelled road. Their individual ability as instrumentalists is already well established and now is the time to forge their unique personal musical identities. May the Force be with you ;)

Updated: 16/06/2019Posted: 16/06/2019

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MICHAL BAK QUARTETTO ~ FORTRESS ALPAKA 017 (Barcode: 308175527897) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the second album by Polish Jazz ensemble Michal Bak QuartettoFind albums by this artist, led by bassist / composer Michal BakFind albums by this artist and also including trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jakub KlemensiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, five of which are original compositions by Bak, two are his arrangements of Classical pieces and two are original compositions by Miszk. The music is very minimalist, and except for the unisono statements by the trumpet and the saxophone, offers mostly one of the instruments supported by the rhythm section with limited ensemble performances. Lengthy rhythm section passages and bass soli dominate the atmosphere of the album. The bass is high in the mix and obviously sets the framework of the entire affair. The two arrangements of the Classical pieces are a bit of a foreign body within the concept of the album, as far as I am concerned, but perhaps the intention was to create a Jazz-Classical Fusion of sorts, which I am simply just not able to hear. The album offers a dark and daunting ambience, which might challenge some listeners, and although the musicians are obviously highly capable, the minimalist concept restrains them from displaying full-blown statements. The extremely slow paste of the music and the limited developments within are honestly trying the listener’s patience. Overall, although more adventurous that most Polish Jazz albums released this year (2021), this album fails to excite and swap the listener off his feet, despite the obvious talent of the musicians involved. Bak is still probably trying to define his composing aims and a coherent unique style for his ensemble, and will hopefully reach his goal in the future. Whatever worked fine on the debut album is simply not enough anymore for the sophomore outing.

Updated: 08/12/2021Posted: 08/12/2021

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MICHAL BAK QUARTETTO ~ MICHAL BAK QUARTETTO ALPAKA 002 (Barcode: 191924127741) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz ensemble called Michal Bak QuartettoFind albums by this artist (the Italian reference remains obscure), led by bassist / composer Michal BakFind albums by this artist and also featuring trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. Miszk, Checki and Koryzno are also members of the AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist quintet, with another bass player and a pianist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Bak. In a recent conversation with a fellow Polish Jazz journalist the subject of debut albums by young Polish Jazz groups released in 2017 came up and the conclusion was that relatively very few of those albums dealt with Free (at least to some degree) Jazz, concentrating mostly on melody and harmony. This album, although still based on melodic themes, demonstrates a much wider degree of freedom, which balances the overall output very nicely. The music is typical Modern Polish Jazz, based on beautifully lyrical / melancholic compositions, expanded into lengthy statements, full of opportunities for improvisation by the quartet members, which here demonstrate the freedom and space which can be achieved within music, which is still within the traditional boundaries of the idiom. All the players on this album demonstrate a high level of professionalism and obvious talent, and to those who follow their consecutive recordings, also a consistent path of personal development. The fact that this quartet is pianoless and still manages to sound fully harmonic speaks firmly as to the quality of these musicians and their mutual respect and ability to cooperate. Miszk plays some superb solo trumpet parts and is also a great accompanist when playing behind Checki, who is the romantic soul most of the time but also delivers some truly biting solos. Bak gets a lot of exposure as a bassist, both as part of the rhythm section and as a soloist, and his performances are all top notch. Koryzno is the rhythm machine driving the music forward and he is excellent both as an illustrator on the slow and free parts and the pusher behind the up-tempo swinging parts, demonstrating an overall exquisite drumming technique and feel. Overall this is an impressive debut album, which presents daring, intelligent and adventurous music and brilliant personal abilities by the players. Connoisseurs of Modern Jazz, especially those following the Polish Jazz scene, are in for a refreshing, invigoration experience. Definitely one of the most interesting debuts of 2017 – highly recommended!

Updated: 18/11/2017Posted: 18/11/2017

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BLED ~ ROOTS AND FUTURISTIC SCI-FI SOUNDS ALPAKA 016 (Barcode: 308175527866) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz duo BLEDFind albums by this artist, which comprises of drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, who both employ also synthesizers and who both played together on several earlier recordings by the AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist quintet and other Polish ensembles. The album presents five original compositions, which remain uncredited on the album’s artwork. The music seems to be mostly improvised, although some preparations surely were made before the recording. Drums / trumpet duets are certainly a rather rare event, although nor entirely unheard off, and improvised music obviously is not limited by any instrumental configuration. This album, and other such recordings, clearly prove that liaisons, like that one, are valid and can be fruitful. Both musicians seem to have a great fun playing together and both are able to display their individual instrumental abilities, as well as the unique rapport between them. The music is diverse and dynamic enough to provide a continuous listening experience to the potential listeners, but the music offers no compromises and might prove to be beyond the attention span of the average listener. Overall, this is an interesting Avant-Garde musical experiment, which combines Ambient, Improvised Music, Free Jazz and even contemporary Classical Music elements, performed by two gifted young Polish Jazz musicians, which proves the versatility and constant searching, which characterizes the scene. This music is very far from the common Jazz denominator, but some listeners might find it fascinating.

Updated: 21/07/2022Posted: 21/07/2022

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DOMINIK BUKOWSKI ~ TRANSATLANTYK SOLITON 887 (Barcode: 5901571098876) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist recorded in a quartet setting with younger musicians: trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam ZuchowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Patryk DoboszFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine pieces, seven of which are original compositions by Bukowski, one is co-composed by all four members of the quartet and one is an arrangement of a composition by Polish Classical Music composer Andrzej PanufnikFind albums by this artist. The music on this album was inspired by the human experience of emigration, of leaving someone´s home and country and moving to another place, a process millions of Poles went through in modern history for a variety of reasons and as a result of economic, political, religious and personal pressures. This, Bukowski´s sixth album as a leader, repeats the lineup of his previous album "SufiaFind albums with this title", with Miszk replacing Amir ElSaffarFind albums by this artist and the rhythm section remaining in place. Miszk, who makes an impressive mark on the local scene lately, is in charge of most of the solo parts, as expected. The music continues the path set by Bukowski many years ago, which is based on the characteristic Polish lyricism and melancholy, but keeps changing and developing from one album to the next. The recording of the preceding album made a distinctive mark on Bukowski´s music with the inclusion of odd time signatures and strong World Music influences, which are also present here. But the music is in general more daring and adventurous, which can be perhaps credited also to the presence of the young players. The challenging task of creating a "concept album", which presents a coherent sequence of compositions with a common context uniting them, is achieved here remarkably well and the atmosphere of "storytelling" is felt distinctly, emphasized by the inclusion of the spoken word parts. The feeling of uncertainty, fear and outlandishness is present very vividly, expressing the mental state of émigrés, surly at the early stages of their new lives, but often lastingly. Therefore this album deserves a somewhat different perspective than a purely musical creation. Overall this is a momentous piece of Art, powerful both musically and as a document of human emotional states, which deserves a serious and attentive listening. Although the texts are almost exclusively in Polish, their meaning is universal enough to be felt without actually understand the verbal context. As someone who went through the process of emigration I can of course relate to this album more directly and emotionally than those who didn´t experience emigration in person, but I am sure that the power of this music is completely universal. Thank you Dominik for this wonderful gift of music and human sensitivity!

Updated: 28/04/2019Posted: 28/04/2019

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TOMASZ CHYLA ~ DA VINCI ALPAKA 014 (Barcode: 308175527842) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is the third album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Tomasz ChylaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, guitarist Krzysztof HadrychFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad ZolnierekFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. A vocal octet, called Art `n` VoicesFind albums by this artist participates on four tracks. The album presents nine original compositions, all co-credited to the quintet members. Following two excellent albums, which offered an extraordinary musical imagination and intellectually challenging concepts, this album offers again a completely different approach from its predecessors, this time being almost completely removed from any Jazz elements, and venturing into contemporary minimalist music, with some elements of Rock Avant-Garde and Industrial Music, dark and alienated, almost atonal at times, and almost completely devoid of melody lines, which at its most intense moments knocks the listener on his head like a sledgehammer. Having said that the music is extremely potent and original, with obvious carefully planned aesthetics and conceptual approach, which challenges the listener for the entire duration. The use of the vocal octet is especially effective, close to modern Classical Music practices. The prominent presence of the electric guitar influences dramatically the intense crescendo moments, emphasizing the proximity to Rock, but within the kaleidoscopic wealth of other elements, it does not dominate the entire approach of this album. Chyla is obviously a musician of great scope, who is still developing his vocabulary and stylistic language. It is fascinating to watch his development, as documented by his recordings so far, and he always leaves his listeners waiting impatiently for more. This album is perhaps the most difficult one to “enjoy”, but repeated listening might remedy this condition. I’d say the album offers a bit too much of everything for my liking, but I still appreciate the ideas and the imagination, as well as the excellent playing by all members of the quintet, which was invested in creating it. Overall this is an important document of the fascinating Polish Jazz scene, which refuses to stay within the preconceived guidelines, slaughtering holy cows by the dozens. For listeners who liked the two earlier albums this is a must and for open-minded seekers of unusual sound vistas, this is a worthy challenge!

Updated: 27/05/2021Posted: 27/05/2021

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RENATA IRSA ~ CZERWONA SPODNICA SOLITON 1190 (Barcode: 5903684231904) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2019 - 2021 Released: 2021 This is the second album by Polish vocalist / songwriter Renata IrsaFind albums by this artist recorded with a spectacular team of Polish Jazz musicians, which include the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, pianists Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, Artur JurekFind albums by this artist and Canadian John RoneyFind albums by this artist, bassist Jaroslaw StokowskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Grzegorz LewandowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarists Maciek PyszFind albums by this artist and Krzysztof PaulFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Piotr SzlempoFind albums by this artist and Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Dariusz HerbaszFind albums by this artist. Actor Miroslaw BakaFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents twelve songs, eleven of which are original compositions by Roney (2), Jurek (3), Jurek & Irsa (4) and Miszk (2) and one is a standard. Irsa wrote the lyrics to the original songs, all in Polish except one in English. The album, from the very onset, is absolutely amazing, offering a dazzling amalgam of superbly composed songs and brilliant, highly intelligent, witty and humorous, and above all very personal lyrics, which can hardly be found within the Polish Jazz vocal scene lately. Although Irsa’s lyrics are not poetry per se, at least not formally, I personally think they are, and therefore the album easily falls within my favorite Jazz & Poetry idiom. What is poetry after all if not an expression of deeply personal observations, captured in a frame of words, and these lyrics do exactly that. It is a rare occasion when a collection of songs on an album consists of a coherent continuity, with each of the songs fitting perfectly to the ones preceding and following it, despite the diversity of stylistic approaches and arrangements, but Irsa manages to pull this off as well. There are no weak songs here, and each one seems to be simply irreplaceable. The vocal abilities Irsa displays here are also quite remarkable. She floats somewhere between singing and reciting the lyrics, with every syllable and every word clearly articulated and audible, and the whole always telling a story, which is believable and deeply personal. Well, these are her lyrics after all, and she knows exactly what to do with them. Accompanied by a collection of seasoned Jazz musicians, who know exactly how to play the right notes every time, she does not have to worry about what is happening behind her and is able to concentrate on her vocal parts. Her delivery is often wonderfully “old fashioned”, which is meant as a compliment here, with a close association to cabaret and on stage coquetry, and which is all charming. Combined with the excellent sound quality this album offers, it is an unadulterated piece of joy. Even the album’s elegant artwork and booklet with the lyrics are carefully designed and fit the entire picture perfectly. Overall, this is a wonderful album, exceptionally put together and performed, and a blissful reminder of what Jazz vocals can deliver, when properly done. These songs go directly to the listener’s heart, and are perfect sonic companions for rainy days. Sadly, this is one of the very few Polish Jazz vocal albums released this year that make any sense. Definitely a ray of hope and a superb listening pleasure, which could prove to be a best friend in days of need. Wholehearted recommended of course and hats off Milady for this gift of music!

Updated: 30/12/2021Posted: 30/12/2021

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JASKULKE SEXTET ~ KOMEDA RECOMPOSED NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5900378715009) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz sextet led by pianist / composer Slawomir JaskulkeFind albums by this artist, which also includes five excellent musicians of the young Polish Jazz generation: trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist and Michal Jan CiesielskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr KulakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Roman SlefarskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions by Jaskulke, which were, as the album´s title suggests, "inspired by the creations" of Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, the Godfather of modern Polish Jazz. The titles of the eight compositions clearly define (for the Komeda erudite) the specific Komeda´s compositions which were the source of the related inspirations. To be perfectly honest I´ve just about had it with the various Polish Jazz Komeda related projects. Komeda has been mercilessly re-composed, de-composed, un-composed and mercilessly mutilated each and every possible and impossible way for decades and he really deserves some piece and quiet to be appreciated exactly for what he had to say by himself. Of course this is just my personal opinion, but hey, enough is enough! Having said all that, this album is by all means a nice piece of Polish / European Jazz, mostly due to the exceptional performances by these young musicians, who sound as if they have been at it since decades. The album offers many superb solos and extraordinary ensemble playing. The music, however, is pretty predictable and the Komeda quotations are a bit corny. Nevertheless it is a very pleasant listening experience altogether, but the somewhat pretentious title is not reflected in these pretty standard mainstream offerings. Overall this is a very pretty, melodic, easy on the ear Jazz album, which has very little to do with Komeda´s urgency and restlessness, but is very listenable and with Komeda´s name in the title will be highly praised by Polish "critics" and fans alike.

Updated: 24/11/2019Posted: 01/08/2018

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SLAWOMIR JASKULKE ~ EUROPA 67/21 NARODOWE CENTRUM KULTURY 5905279869219 (Barcode: 5905279869219) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is an album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Slawomir JaskulkeFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic Jazz quintet setting with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam ZuchowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The Neo QuartetFind albums by this artist, a string quartet playing electric string instruments, and actor Tomasz BorkowskiFind albums by this artist, who recites poetry, are also on board. The album presents six tracks, all original compositions by Jaskulke. The concept behind the album is an attempt to “remake” one of the most iconic Polish Jazz albums of all time, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist’s “Meine Susse Europaische HeimatFind albums with this title” Jazz & Poetry masterpiece, produced by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, which presented Komeda’s compositions accompanying contemporary Polish Poetry (translated into German), recorded in 1967, hence the album’s title. This album utilizes six of the same poems (in original Polish version), which were included on the a.m. album, and the same quintet instrumentation, but all the music is new and composed by Jaskulke and adds the string quartet. This is the second album by Jaskulke, which proposes to “remake” Komeda’s music, following the 2018 album “Komeda RecomposedFind albums with this title”. The sheer boldness of attempting to “remake” an icon might seem suicidal, to say the least. The result should be judged on its own merit, rather than in comparison to the source of inspiration, as such comparison simply does not materialize itself. My opinion about producing new versions of Komeda’s music is widely known, so I won’t repeat it herein. The music is overtly melodic, full of sentimental lyricism and melancholy, which falls easy on the ear but lacks the depth suitable for the accompanying poetry. The performances are spotless, as expected from the participating musicians, but not particularly exciting. I wandered why this album was completely unnoticed at the time of its release, thinking it was all due to the pandemic, but now after hearing the music I see there were other reasons… Overall, this is another Komeda inspired album, which contributes little to his memory, despite the fact that the music is fine and the performances are highly professional. I certainly don’t regret buying a copy, if only to hear my beloved poetry.

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 04/12/2023

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PIOTR LEMANCZYK / QUARTET NORTH ~ BALTIC DANCE SOLITON 387 (Barcode: 5901571093871) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 Polish bassist / composer Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist keeps producing beautiful music with a staggering regularity, albeit constantly changing the lineups, the musicians and the instrumentation. This project finds him in a pianoless quartet with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Szymon LukowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Lemanczyk, three of which feature a string quartet accompanying the Jazz quartet. As the album´s title suggests, Lukowski is a proud representative of the Polish Jazz scene active on the shore of the Baltic Sea, mostly around Gdansk, as are all three of his partners in this project. Over the years the Baltic scene produced some of the finest Polish Jazz achievements. In my review of the previous album by Lemanczyk, called "AmhranFind albums with this title", I mentioned that the music sounded American, i.e. different from the typical Polish Jazz, which has rather strong identity easily recognizable by a trained ear. This time the music again sounds atypical as far as Polish Jazz is concerned, and sounds pretty much like Scandinavian Jazz, which after all is created around the Baltic Sea as well. Of course these regional similarities are not meant to suggest a lack of originality, au contraire, Lemanczyk creates completely original music, and it is only the overall atmosphere that suggests a mindset typical to Jazz produced outside of Poland. All these superb compositions are a wonderful vehicle for the players to show their abilities. Szymon Lukowski is the biggest surprise here, as his playing on other Polish Jazz recordings, including his debut eponymous album, was rather restrained and unremarkable, and here he sounds like a complete different person, with highly expressive and emotional solos and a beautiful affinity towards the music, including his excellent bass clarinet parts. Emil Miszk justified the position as one of the upcoming Polish Jazz trumpeters (although the competition in that department is unbelievably tough) and blows some truly impressive licks. Slawomir Koryzno stays mostly in the background, but keeps the music flowing steadily, with grace, with an occasional solo spot, which he manages quite well. Of course Lemanczyk is a power of Nature and his virtuosi bass lines are not only the backbone of this music but also its soul and intrinsic power. This is modern Jazz at its best, with great tunes wonderfully performed by gifted musicians, who have no reason to feel any less worthy than their counterparts anywhere else in the world. This is elegant, intelligent music, which flows slowly, but reaches the deepest corners of the listener´s soul. It’s a privilege to be able to enjoy this music, which deserves to be discovered and championed as much as any true piece of Art. Well done indeed!

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EMIL MISZK / THE SONIC SYNDICATE ~ ARTIFICIAL STUPIDITY ALPAKA 013 (Barcode: 308175527811) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist and his octet called The Sonic SyndicateFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonists Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist and Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist, trombonist Pawel NiewiadomskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, guitarist Michal ZienkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad ZolnierekFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist, same lineup as on the debut. The album presents six original compositions, which strangely are not credited on the album´s artwork and are therefore assumed to be all by the leader. The total playing time of the album is just below thirty-five minutes, which is closer to an EP than a full album. The brilliant debut album released a couple of years earlier created enormously high expectations from the sophomore release, which are almost impossible to be fulfilled. Considering the fact that the music on this album is significantly different from that on its predecessor, any attempt to compare the two is practically fruitless. Combined with loosing the element of surprise, the resulting effect is somewhat less exciting. Nevertheless this is still brilliant music, beautifully performed by some of the best young generation Polish Jazz musicians. The compositions are complex and combine several melodic and rhythmic themes within each of the pieces. They are all carefully designed, ordered and planned, cerebral and refined, oriented towards the "big sound" the octet is able to create, at times offering up-to-date Big Band mannerisms. There is no doubt that Miszk and his Sonic Syndicate offer some of the cleverest music on the Polish Jazz scene, which can eventually lead to some level of estrangement with the audience. This album, as already mentioned, has a short playing time, but is so intensive and demanding that perhaps any additional material might have been simply over the top. Miszk obviously gives up almost completely his role as an instrumentalist and is completely absorbed by his role of a composer and arranger. Overall this is a dazzling piece of music, which concentrates on highly complex, sophisticated compositions, which are difficult to follow but highly rewarding to advanced Jazz listeners. The (almost) orchestral arrangements are devilishly tricky and must have been a real challenge to perform and record, which makes me wonder if this music is possible to be played live. In any case Miszk is surely an Artist to be watched closely, as he obviously is just worming up.

Updated: 21/07/2022Posted: 17/07/2020

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EMIL MISZK / THE SONIC SYNDICATE ~ DON`T HESITATE! ALPAKA 005 (Barcode: 191924149736) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the debut album as a leader by young and upcoming Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, who has made a significant mark on the local scene lately. On this album he leads an impressive octet, called Sonic SyndicateFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonists Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist and Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist, trombonist Pawel NiewiadomskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Michal ZienkowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad ZolnierekFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by the leader. The stunning music consists of some of the most original Jazz compositions I have heard in many years. Miszk uses brilliantly the power of the octet, which has almost the strength and possibilities of a Big Band / Orchestral scale, to express his complex, suite like compositions, which are all multilayered, with twisted melody lines and constant tempi changes, but which in spite of their devilishly clever intricacy sound completely coherent and complete. The music moves between melodic statements of the composed themes and almost Free Form mini-improvised passages, presenting a fresh and invigorating approach to Jazz composition, which is simply phenomenal. At times the music ventures into the Brass Rock approach, fondly remembered from the work of ensembles like ChicagoFind albums by this artist and ChaseFind albums by this artist (and many more), but of course is completely brought up to date and modernized. All the members of the octet are of course radiant instrumentalists, who are able to execute the convoluted and challenging twists and turns of the music spotlessly. The music calls mostly for an ensemble / orchestral sound and presentation, which means that individual soloing, is not the focus of this music, but rather creating sound vistas that require discipline and collaboration by all the participants; which of course does not exclude some blood-curdling solo work by the leader and others and surprising Rocky guitar statements by Zienkowski. This music is also the epitome of European Jazz, being completely open to all musical styles and influences, managing to amalgamate them in a perfect way. There is a lot of tradition here, some conscious and some subconscious, but absolutely no stagnation or repetition. This is exactly what European Jazz aesthetics is all about – experiment and elegance, good taste and talent. This kind of music can probably only be made in Poland. Any attempt to describe this beautiful piece of music is of course completely futile and does not replace the experience of listening to it, which of course I absolutely recommend. It is very rare that a debut album of this magnitude appears and usually it happens only once or twice in a given year, and for 2018 this is definitely it. Absolutely not to be missed!

Updated: 07/05/2018Posted: 24/04/2018

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EMIL MISZK / THE SONIC SYNDICATE ~ SCRATCHES FOR 8 MUSICIANS ALPAKA 023 (Barcode: 3663734142964) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the third album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, recorded live with his octet called The Sonic SyndicateFind albums by this artist, which comprises of top young Polish Jazz musicians: saxophonists Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist (tenor) and Jakub KlemensiewiczFind albums by this artist (baritone), trombonist Pawel NiewiadomskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Michal ZienkowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Mikolaj BasiukiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad ZolnierekFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents four extended pieces, which are uncredited on the album’s artwork (open for speculation). The music is essentially improvised, with just very few sketchy melodic themes and coherent continuity, at some occasions being more about a sonic atmosphere than music, as most people conceive it. It is fascinating to compare this album with Miszk’s earlier recordings since he first appeared on recording scene in 2014, including the two previous albums with the Sonic Syndicate, which shows a radical estrangement from melodic modern Jazz, gradually moving towards Improvised Music and Avant-Garde. Of course Miszk has every right to experiment and develop his music any way he sees fit, and his qualities are clearly obvious here, as they were in his earlier work. The album, although being more about the ensemble sound that individual soloing, which is typical of European larger ensembles, allows all the members of the octet to show their chops, even in the highly unconventional environment of this music. At best, the ensemble sounds like a Big Band, but during the intimate improvisation moments the ensemble sound gets lost obviously, which is a pity. As a result, the music is very uneven and depends largely on the listener’s attention span and patience. Overall, this is a courageous experiment, exposing the more experimental / searching facets of the young Polish Jazz scene, which refuses to stand still. The music might prove to be trying to an average Jazz listener, but the more open-minded and searching Jazz fans should find this album worth of their attention.

Updated: 16/07/2022Posted: 16/07/2022

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DARIUSZ PETERA ~ FLASHOVER REQUIEM / LYDIAN 2019/4 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Dariusz PeteraFind albums by this artist recorded in a sextet setting with some of the top Polish Jazz musicians: trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Maciej KocinskiFind albums by this artist, cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Petra. The music was recorded at the excellent RecPublica Studios and offers a superb sound quality. It also offers a highly aesthetic packaging. The music is a wonderful example of contemporary Polish / European Jazz, which combines melodic themes with open structures, which enable the music to spread freely in many different directions not being limited by traditional Jazz pre-conceptions, resulting in many unexpected manifestations of the compositional palette. Petera certainly arises as a new talent on the local Jazz scene and the fact that the last time he took part in recording an album happened six years ago is very intriguing. But the long wait was certainly worthwhile, as the compositions on this album are all perfectly rounded and coherent, mature and most importantly present unique personal stylistic idiosyncrasies, characterized by the dominant role of the rhythmic pulse, which stands on the same level as the melodic and harmonic contents. The performances are all absolutely stellar, which of course is hardly surprising. Kocinski, Swies and Szmanda, who together with Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist at the piano played together for many years as the sublime SoundcheckFind albums by this artist quartet, one of my favorite Polish Jazz ensembles which sadly dropped off the horizon, are of course Masters of the trade. Lenczowski, who made a spectacular career with the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist and recorded superb solo albums, is a Superstar. And finally Miszk, who is the most in demand young generation upcoming Polish Jazz trumpeter. In short Petera might have as well called this ensemble All Stars. Of course Petera also plays excellently, but respectfully shares the spotlight more or less evenly with the rest of the sextet members. Overall this album is undoubtedly a notable event on the Polish Jazz scene, especially in view of the incredibly high competition that scene generates. It is also a splendid debut effort, which hopefully will be followed by many similar achievements of the same significance and Artistic scale. Well done indeed!

Updated: 30/05/2019Posted: 30/05/2019

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DARIUSZ PETERA ~ WLADZA ALGORYTMOW AUDIO CAVE 2023/005 (Barcode: 5908298549582) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the second album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Dariusz PeteraFind albums by this artist, recorded with the same sextet lineup that appears on the debut album “FlashoverFind albums with this title”, with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Maciej KocinskiFind albums by this artist, cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. Brothers Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist on violin and Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist on synthesizer appear as guests. The album presents seven tracks, which are said to be mostly improvised during the recording sessions, with three tracks partly based on pre-composed themes by Petera. The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan Smoczynski, with the usual splendid sonic result. The music is a powerful display of group improvisation, brilliantly executed by these highly talented musicians. The sound of the sextet (and at times octet) is dense and complex, and despite the fact that the music is improvised, offers a wonderful continuity and coherence. Although large group improvisation is not new in Jazz (what is?), it is relatively quite rare in contemporary Polish Jazz, making this album especially interesting and refreshing. In comparison to Petera’s debut album, recorded four years earlier, this album climbs to a whole different level and is a Milestone in his musical development. The concept of group improvisation is a double-edged sword, in a sense that in some cases the music offers a collection of individual improvised statement by the musicians in a group, not necessarily corresponding to each other, whereas in this case the individual improvisations serve a purpose of creating an ensemble statement, not ignoring individual contributions of course, but rather combining them into a whole new collective amalgam, which this album manages to do remarkably well. Overall, this is an outstanding achievement by Petera and his cohorts, a powerful, beautifully played musical statement, offering unconventional approach and preferring the common musical good over individual statements, not by ignoring them, but by unifying them into a greater whole. This album is quite a surprise, and I love surprises, as we all should. Well done my Friends – respect is due!

Updated: 30/04/2023Posted: 30/04/2023

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KAMIL PIOTROWICZ ~ BIRTH HEVHETIA 0105 (Barcode: 8588005257572) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kamil PiotrowiczFind albums by this artist recorded in a quintet setting with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BakFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. It presents nine original compositions (one appearing twice and another based on a Folk tune) by Piotrowicz and one standard. The music is mostly quite conventional, well within the mainstream Jazz format, with occasional less constrained and more open moments. The compositions are however quite sophisticated and often feature several subsections with different rhythmic patterns and melodic themes, turning them into mini-suites. The overall level of these compositions is certainly well advanced, especially in view of the young age of the composer. The arrangements feature the entire ensemble extensively, with the brass section up front, in charge of most of the solos, and the leader staying relatively in the background. It is pretty obvious that the emphasis of this album is in the following order of importance: compositions, arrangements, ensemble performance and only then individual solos. All the young members of the quintet have already some experience and appear on earlier recordings and they are the new generation that will dominate the Polish Jazz scene in the years to come. Judging by what they are able to do herein, things look pretty promising. This is definitely a most impressive debut effort, which although does not break any new ground, certainly proves that there are still infinite opportunities within the established borders of Jazz. Congratulations are in order and of course I´m already waiting for the next endeavor.

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KAMIL PIOTROWICZ ~ POPULAR MUSIC HEVHETIA 0134 (Barcode: 8588005257916) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the second album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kamil PiotrowiczFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a sextet setting with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist and Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Piotrowicz. The music is a superb collection of modern Jazz compositions, brilliantly arranged for the sextet, using all the power and interplay possibilities of the relatively large ensemble. The compositions are diverse and quite complex, changing styles and tempi rapidly and displaying an incredible maturity relative to the age of the composer. In spite of the complexity and multilayered structure the compositions are completely coherent and deeply moving emotionally. Stylistically the music moves between contemporary Classical oriented pieces and large ensemble compositions, firmly based on the tradition developed in the late 1950s and 1960s by such Jazz mavericks like George RussellFind albums by this artist and Charles MingusFind albums by this artist. Adorned with typical European harmonies this music reaches peaks rarely heard before. The level of execution of this difficult music is also exceptional. All the participants play amazing solo parts and cooperate brilliantly in the ensemble parts, with the rhythm section firmly holding the intricate musical construction in place. Nothing is taken for granted here and these wonderful musicians keep surprising the listener again and again, with a bag of virtuosic tricks that never ceases to amaze. Most of the individual statements are concise and perfectly suited to the musical setting at the moment of their execution, This album is a giant step forward for Piotrowicz and although his debut album, released a year earlier, showed a lot of potential, nothing prepared the listeners for this masterpiece following up so soon. This is definitely one of the best Polish Jazz albums released in 2016 and a very strong contender for the top of the heap. If Piotrowicz is able to create music of such profound impact today, what will happen next? This is an absolute must for all Polish Jazz connoisseurs around the world and an exquisite example of the fact that Jazz is alive and kicking and progressing and exciting and intensely beautiful! Hats off!

Updated: 28/10/2016Posted: 28/10/2016

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KAMIL PIOTROWICZ ~ PRODUCT PLACEMENT HOWARD 1 (Barcode: 5903420785937) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the third album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Kamil PiotrowiczFind albums by this artist recorded with the same sextet lineup which recorded the previous album a couple of years earlier. Besides Piotrowicz the sextet also includes trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist and Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Piotrowicz, one of which is an epic multipart eighteen and a half minutes long piece and another is a short bonus track closing the album. The music on this album makes a bold step towards Free Jazz and other less constrained musical forms in comparison to the two earlier albums, with the traditional sense of composition almost completely lost in the process. Of course the music has a coherent continuum and sense of direction, but there are almost no melody lines or steady rhythmic passages. As a result the music simply flows propelled by its intrinsic drive and allows the instrumentalists to create the sound on the fly. It is often very difficult to distinguish between the "composed" and the improvised ingredients of this music, not that it really matters, as the end result is what counts, similarly to an attempt to analyze an abstract painting and try to find in it the pre-designed and the spontaneous smears of paint. The album is a stupendous exhibit of ensemble work, without which the entire creation would have simply collapsed on itself. The level of conversation and mutual influence, as displayed by the sextet members, is simply phenomenal. Obviously they are all superb instrumentalists, as is clearly heard all along the way, but this music is all about fusion of individual statements into an amalgam, which is way grander than just a sum of its ingredients. Piotrowicz obviously plays a central role in the entire process and his piano lines and synthesizer parts serve both as the glue and the backbone of the entire musical structure, strangely playing more a role of a conductor rather than a soloist. In spite of the devilish complexity, multi-layered and multi-directional structure, unusual approach and even eerie sound at times, this music is remarkably lucid and comprehensible and as a result accessible. In complete contrast to most Avant-gardish statements of such scope, this album is a true pleasure to listen to, which hopefully will help this music to reach as wide an audience as possible. Overall this is another brilliant album made by young Polish Jazz musicians and another pretender to the title of one of the best albums of 2018. It is also another statement of quality, which puts the Polish Jazz right at the very top of the European level. By now Piotrowicz has entered the "serious" league of contemporary European Jazz Artists, well earned and praiseworthy by any standards. Personally I already can´t wait for the next album. Well done messieurs and hats off high!

Updated: 08/11/2018Posted: 08/11/2018

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