Record Reviews

GREEN REVOLUTION ~ REWOLUCJA ZIELONA GAD 203 (Barcode: 5903068123030) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1987 - 1988 Released: 2022 This is an archival album by the Polish Fusion / Funk / Brass Rock ensemble Green RevolutionFind albums by this artist, led by keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and including vocalist Jorgos SkoliasFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Marek KazanaFind albums by this artist and Michal KulentyFind albums by this artist, guitarist Krzysztof SzmigieroFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew HeflichFind albums by this artist. The album presents five compositions, all by Konikiewicz, who also wrote the lyrics to four of the tracks and programmed the drum machines. One track uses lyrics written by Polish poet Miron BialoszewskiFind albums by this artist. The album was previously unreleased and was the second album recorded by the ensemble, which was active between mid-1980s and mid-1990s. The album symbolizes the musical philosophy of Konikiewicz, which completely disregards fads and fashions, ready to incorporate every possible genre and style, as long as it is honest and bullshit free, which of course ostracized him from the Polish Jazz mainstream / establishment, a fact which never seemed to worry him too much or influence his modus operandi. The list of musicians participating in the album’s creation is a wonderful collection of “strange birds”, mostly from the Polish Avant-Garde underground, which flourished at the time, all of which were brilliant musicians destined to remain in the shadows. It took many years to earn them the proper recognition, which in some case is still much belated. The music, despite its complexity and multilayered density, is remarkably accessible and enjoyable to a wide audience, incorporating Funk, Fusion, Reggae and even some early Rap with Jazz, sometimes as advanced as Free Jazz. Fused together it all makes perfect sense and offers a great listening experience, and must have been a blast when performed live on stage. All the players offer some great soli, and the Brass players are of course legendary, which makes every note they recorded a valuable addition to their rather limited recorded legacy. Konikiewicz, who at any given time was involved in several musical projects in parallel, continued his activity over the years to come, often against the stream, but always true to himself, creating a lot of remarkable music over time, which in the last years is finally being given the attention it deserves. This unknown gem of Polish Jazz history is long overdue to see the light of day, but completely relevant and fresh today – highly recommended!

Updated: 27/04/2022Posted: 27/04/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

WOJCIECH KONIKIEWICZ / TRANSTECHNOLOGICAL ORCHESTRA ~ FUTURE JAZZ GAD 355 (Barcode: 5903068127953) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2003 Released: 2025 This is an archival 2CD live album by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer / bandleader Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and his TransTechnoLogical OrchestraFind albums by this artist, an octet, which also included the legendary trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Mariusz MielczarekFind albums by this artist, guitarist Dariusz SliwaFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist, drummer Marek SurzynFind albums by this artist, percussionist Piotr WolskiFind albums by this artist and turntablist DJ Pedro GonzalesFind albums by this artist. The album presents three tracks, all composed by Konikiewicz, the first two around half an hour each (on CD1) and the third almost an hour in duration (on CD2). There is also a half minute intro featuring Przybielski vocalizing a short improv, which brings tears in the eyes of everybody who knew this Genius in person. Konikiewicz is one of the most unique personas on the Polish Jazz scene, operating always outside of the recognized mainstream, full of wild ideas, fearless, unconventional and a natural avant-gardist. His entire career, which spans decades, is characterized by projects, like the TransTechnoLogical Orchestra, Tribute To Miles OrchestraFind albums by this artist, Green RevolutionFind albums by this artist, the iconic Free CooperationFind albums by this artist and many others, which introduced cross-genre music, always ahead of its time and always completely unconventional, which sadly always remained unrecognized and often even opposed by the Jazz establishment, but which often created some of true Polish Jazz gems. Deeply influenced by the revolutionary music of Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, which was completely unconventional in the late 1960s, when Davis recorded “Bitches BrewFind albums with this title” and a long series of albums which followed, and which shaped the nature of Jazz for decades to come, Konikiewicz was also always driven by the urge to think “out of the box”, ignoring the usual motivation to achieve popularity and commercial success. He obviously paid a price for following his aesthetic convictions, but earned respect and recognition by a minority of open-minded music lovers. Personally, I’ve always loved the music he was involved in and I am proud to call him a friend. The music on this album follows the patterns of several Miles Davis live recordings, which present a steady hypnotic groove and basic melody, which serve as a basis for the extended improvisations by the participating musicians. The stable pulsating layer created by the rhythm section is padded by ambient background created by the keyboards and turntablism, and the trumpet / saxophone / guitar soloing, both individually and collectively, create the icing on top. The music develops slowly, layer after layer, trancelike, and keeps the listener mesmerized for the entire duration. The trumpet parts by Przybielski (who sadly died in 2011) are some of the most astounding sounds he ever recorded, and they alone are a good enough reason to get the album. Overall, this is an astounding document of the Polish Jazz history, which luckily was recorded at the time and now brought back to life by GADFind albums on this label Records, who do a great job of documenting Polish Culture. Jazz fans around the globe, especially those who love the electric Jazz period of Miles Davis, should find this music absolutely fascinating. This is truly beyond recommendation, simply a must!

Updated: 15/12/2025Posted: 15/12/2025

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend