Record Reviews

GRAAL ~ CZARNE 13 FOR TUNE 0059 (Barcode: 5902768701630) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2011 Released: 2015 This is the sixth album by the cult Polish ensemble GraalFind albums by this artist, founded and led by the legendary trumpeter / composer / bandleader Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, who is also known for his involvement in such pivotal Polish ensembles as Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, Young PowerFind albums by this artist, Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, Woo Boo DooFind albums by this artist, YesheFind albums by this artist and others. This album, recorded four years before it finally gets to be released, presents ten songs, all composed by Gralak and the ensemble with lyrics by the ensemble´s vocalist Jacek SzymkiewiczFind albums by this artist. Two radio edits of two of the songs on this album are added as bonus tracks. In addition to Gralak, who also plays tuba and Szymkiewicz, who also plays acoustic guitar, the other members of Graal are: trombonist Bronek DuzyFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Klaudiusz KlosekFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Aleksander KoreckiFind albums by this artist and Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Locko RichterFind albums by this artist, drummers Ola RzepkaFind albums by this artist and Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist and finally tuba and trombone player Darek SprawkaFind albums by this artist; altogether ten musicians. The music of Graal is a strange amalgam of Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion, with elements of cabaret and theatrics. The "songs" are often full of dramatic exclamations and theatrical displays of emotion, and the "free" lyrics add to the overall atmosphere of "controlled anarchy". The huge brass section sounds at times like a street marching band, or Balkan brass ensemble, or typical Brass-Rock section, constantly changing its ambiance. The sound is rather muffled and often creates an impression of a live recording. The rhythm section sets a groovy paste, with funky bass guitar in charge of the bottom parts and the drums keeping the mayhem in check. The lead vocals are always up front and the brass is always in the background, which makes the solo parts somewhat less prominent in the overall sound, but those are all well worth being discovered by careful listening. The solitary instrumental piece on this album is perhaps the most powerful glimpse to the essence of this ensemble, with the multilayered brass parts creating a mini-suite which is both beautifully organized and free at the same time; a wonderful example of contemporary music. Gralak has a gift of creating stuff, which is always unique and exists outside of the Polish Jazz / Fusion scenes, being a typical Lone Ranger. This music simply creates a universe of its own, which is incomparable to anything else happing on the local scene or anywhere else for that matter. Since this is a typical ensemble project, there are few displays of Gralak´s virtuosic ability as a trumpeter, but it is his leadership that holds this project together. Whether one loves or hates this music, one thing is sure: it´s impossible to say indifferent to it, which is already a huge achievement in comparison to most of the music created today. Gralak is one of those people who make the Polish music scene worth following and admiring!

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ANTONI GRALAK ~ GANGA AUDIO CAVE 2017/011 (Barcode: 5905669566377) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is an album by renowned Polish trumpeter / composer / bandleader Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, one of the most colorful and fascinating figures on the independent / Avant Garde / anti establishment Polish music scene, who participated in many musical projects like Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, Young PowerFind albums by this artist, GraalFind albums by this artist, YesheFind albums by this artist and others. Completely unpredictably, as always, this album finds Gralak, who plays trumpet, bass guitar and keyboards, in the company of three Indian musicians who play tabla, sitar and shehnai (Indian reed instrument) respectively and Polish percussionist Zbigniew BrysiakFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Gralak. The music is heavily influenced by ethnic Indian musical motifs, incorporating Jazz improvisations, Drum & Bass, electronics and other elements, creating a fascinating amalgam of melodies and rhythms, which sounds exotic, vibrant and exciting. The folkloristic, innate to Indian music, improvisations intertwine with Gralak´s Jazzy playing quite naturally and create a cross-cultural dialogue. Parts of this music bring forward a reminiscence of the Miles DavisFind albums by this artist sessions featuring Badal RoyFind albums by this artist, which also showed some Indian influence, albeit much more subtle than here. Of course Indian music is never simplistic and its meditative nature requires attentive listening and submission, which is not easy to a Western ear, even when slightly dressed up in Western ornament. Some listeners might find this music somewhat monotonic in the long range, but hopefully the majority will be able to embrace it and enjoy it in full, as it surely deserves to reach as many listeners as possible. Overall the album shows another facet of the multitude of Gralak´s talents and musical worlds, which always was his personal signature. The restless search for new discoveries and diverse environments is the trademark of progress in Art in general and in music in particular, and Gralak deserves the title of the Great Wanderer probably more than most of his Polish contemporaries. If anybody can sit still while listening to this album, he is either in coma or dead already ;)

Updated: 17/12/2018Posted: 21/03/2018

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OLES BROTHERS / ANTONI GRALAK ~ PRIMITIVO FOR TUNE 0118 (Barcode: 5906395808212) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio comprising of bassist Marcin OlesFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist (collectively known as Oles BrothersFind albums by this artist) and trumpeter Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, known as member of such Polish cult ensembles as Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, GraalFind albums by this artist, YesheFind albums by this artist, Tie BreakFind albums by this artist and Young PowerFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten pieces, three of which are based on traditional folkloristic motifs, one is a collective improvisation, two are composed by Gralak, one is composed by Bartlomiej Oles, one is co-composed by Marcin Oles and Gralak and two are compositions by others. The music, as the title suggests, is a very fascinating journey exploring early, or so called "primitive" music, which naturally deals with basic human emotions, like sadness and joy, as reflected in contemporary musical environment of Jazz and Improvised Music. The folkloristic themes originate mostly from Africa - the cradle of Man – but venture also as far as Tibet and Mexico. The modus operandi in these sessions relays completely on the ability of the three musicians to converse and express their "primitive" emotions towards each other, based on whatever thematic sub-context was chosen for each of the pieces. This cooperation with Gralak takes the Oles Brother back in time to the period when they cooperated closely with another Polish trumpet legend, Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, who died six years ago (in 2011). Therefore the setting of trumpet accompanied only by a rhythm section is not a new concept to them. Gralak, accidently (or maybe not) shows many similarities in his playing and general attitude towards music to those displayed by the late Przybielski. Even the tone of his trumpet brings immediate fond memories of Przybielski´s work. In any case it´s great to see the older generation of Polish Jazz Trumpet School alive and kicking. This album is very intimate and does not pretend to dazzle or swap anybody off their feet. It does however propose a serious re-examination of what the essential elements of music are and what can be considered as superficial worthless deception that often pretends to be the real thing. Oles Brothers have always taken their music seriously, and this time is no different. Listeners willing to explore new (albeit in fact very old) territory will find this album fascinating in every respect: the musical choices, the candor of the attitude and of course the perfection of execution. Fans of the trumpet should expect a revelation, and if this is the first album they hear with Gralak on it, they will surely try to find his other work. Overall wholeheartedly recommended, as usual with Oles Brothers projects, when buying an album is completely risk-free!

Updated: 03/02/2017Posted: 03/02/2017

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MATEUSZ POSPIESZALSKI ~ TAM I SAM POLSKI RAP 04 (Barcode: 5902860144779) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is a solo (au naturel saxophone and Nature) album by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / flautist / composer Mateusz PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, recorded outdoors in several locations. The album presents nine (one appearing twice) original compositions / improvisations, all by Pospieszalski, featuring the natural ambience and Nature sounds of the beautiful Polish landscape during the late autumn of the pandemic year and according to the social distancing protocol. Pospieszalski belongs to the highly respected Polish Jazz oppositionists, beautiful freaks and proud Avant-Gardists, who over time created some of the most interesting music on the local scene with ensembles like Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, GraalFind albums by this artist, Voo VooFind albums by this artist and others, as well as cinematic and theatre music, a truly vast scope of creativity. This album presents Pospieszalski at the most intimate setting, not only completely solo, but also without the comfort and protection of a studio environment or concert audience. This is perhaps the reason the music sounds so brutally honest and penetrating, devoid of any mannerism or showmanship. The music is deeply lyrical, almost gloomy and desperate, perhaps a reflection of the atmosphere influenced by the pandemic, which took from us the most basic need of human contact. I cannot, of course, speak for the creator of this music, only as a listener, but it seems that the music carries universal human emotions, in this case of sadness and grief. It is a great artistry to be able to express grief through music, as heartbreakingly and boldly as present on this album. Perhaps one day in the future, this album will become an aural testimony of what 2020 was all about, like Allen GinsbergFind albums by this artist’s “Howl” remains a testimony of the Beat Generation. The is no doubt that this album is a monumental achievement in the already impressive legacy of Pospieszalski’s work. Probably not intended as such, as in most cases of important achievements, this intimate statement shouts more loudly than gigantic productions, which often turn to be hollow. My deepest respect and thanks for this gift of music are accompanied by a wholehearted recommendation to all music lovers to get a copy of this album, since there are but a few singular statements of such emotional authority out there as this one!

Updated: 06/03/2021Posted: 06/03/2021

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YESHE ~ PIASTOWSKA 1 SONY 887654098221 (Barcode: 887654098221) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2012 This is the second album by the Polish ensemble YesheFind albums by this artist, led by the legendary trumpeter / composer Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, who was a member of such groundbreaking Polish ensembles as Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, Young PowerFind albums by this artist and Tie BreakFind albums by this artist and participated in countless other projects over the years, including leading his ensembles like GraalFind albums by this artist and Yeshe. This incarnation of Yeshe includes also guitarist Piotr PawlakFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Darek MakarukFind albums by this artist who is in charge of a plethora of electronic effects and sampling. The music, all original by Gralak, was recorded live and is dedicated to the Polish pioneering visual Artist Andrzej UrbanowiczFind albums by this artist. Stylistically the music presents a wide spectrum of contemporary musical trends and incorporates such diverse influences as Avant-Garde Jazz, electronic music, Techno, Industrial and World Music. The amalgamated result is a completely original and unique blend, which is fascinating and electrifying from start to finish. The basic formula presents Gralak improvising on top of an ambient / sampled background, which changes from track to track both rhythmically and conceptually. A trained listener will hear many citations form Indian and other Far Eastern Cultures, as well as samples of exotic instruments like sitar, tabla and a plethora of others. Gralak´s trumpet work is nothing short of brilliant and brings immediately memories of his Free Cooperation cohort Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, who is sadly no longer with us. Throughout the entire duration of this album Gralak improvises almost without a break, in a truly phenomenal form. This album is not only a rare musical gem, but also a wonderful example of completely boundless music, which crosses cultural, stylistic and time borders effortlessly and elegantly. It definitely deserves a much wider recognition that it actually has today. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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