Record Reviews

(0-58) ~ DO DZIESIECIU OLO 003 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2001 Released: 2001 This is the second album by Polish Jazz vocalist Krystyna StankoFind albums by this artist and her debut recording with the group (0-58)Find albums by this artist, which placed her as a co-leader with guitarist / composer Maciej GrzywaczFind albums by this artist and bassist / composer Olgierd WalickiFind albums by this artist. The group also included accordionist Cezary PaciorekFind albums by this artist and alternating drummers Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist and Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Adam PieronczykFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album includes nine original compositions, four each by Grzywacz and Walicki and one by Stanko with lyrics all written by Stanko. Musically the album presents a process of searching after a unique identity, which takes the musicians exploring many different avenues, such as Blues, chanson, alternative Pop and of course Jazz. The songs are very diverse in their tempi, moods and melodic ranges and the album keeps changing quite dramatically between one song and another. Listening to the album is like embarking on a journey with destination unknown. On the whole the approach is acoustic and rather intimate. The instrumentalists perform splendidly, improvising extensively between the vocal parts. Grzywacz and Walicki both play some outstanding instrumental parts as do the guest soloists. Stanko is theatrical and somewhat reserved, perhaps still not aware or her formidable vocal ability, which will flower on her later recordings. In retrospect this is a very interesting document of the Polish Jazz scene at the turn of the Millennium. Obviously the young generation of musicians is looking for something different than the mainstream tradition and with Yass paving the way in the previous decade, everything is open and nothing is taboo any more. The album is unfortunately out of print since many years and it took me ages to track a copy down – lucky me!

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3 JAZZ SOLDIERS ~ ODLAMKOWA NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2011 - 2012 Released: 2012 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz-Rock / Fusion trio 3 Jazz SoldiersFind albums by this artist, led by the veteran guitarist Krzysztof MisiakFind albums by this artist, with bassist Filip SojkaFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist. Of the twelve tracks on the album, four are original composition by Misiak and the rest are Jazz and Rock standards ranging from Miles DavisFind albums by this artist to the BeatlesFind albums by this artist. The group is a typical Jazz-Rock power trio with a stronger Rock than Jazz affiliation rhythmically, but the music is mostly improvised, as appropriate for the Jazz-Rock milieu. The guitar is of course the most dominant instrument, leading the music most of the time, with the rhythm section providing all the background and basis for the leader to ride upon. The bassist has very nice chops and the drummer is rock-steady and keeps time, which in these circumstances is exactly what the doctor prescribed. Misiak is a gifted and very experienced player, who is able to make his guitar sound "retro", which is quite nice and effective. The overall atmosphere of the album is very much the 1970s, which in this case is a good thing. The selection of tunes is versatile enough to present a whole spectrum of guitar bravado, from slow and smoky ballads to up-tempo energetic rockers. The music is funky and enough to dead dance. There are no great musical innovations or challenges here, this is good time stuff, which is meant to entertain, something music should definitely do, at least occasionally. But being entertaining without being vulgar or overly simplistic is rare these days and this album is just a nice example how to do it. For guitar aficionados this is a must, especially those, who like the Rocky side of Jazz-Rock / Fusion. Definitely worth investigating!

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KRZYSIA GORNIAK ~ MOMENTS POLSKIE RADIO 1851 (Barcode: 5907812248512) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the seventh album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Krzysia GorniakFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet format with keyboardist Zdzislaw KalinowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Lukasz MakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist or Gniewomir TomczykFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine compositions, five of which are originals by Gorniak, one is co-composed by her, two are by the Greek bassist / composer Evangelos TzimkasFind albums by this artist, who played on Gorniak´s debut album, and the final one is by Makowski. The music is all melodic mainstream Jazz, on the easy side of the spectrum, with excellent compositions which present a wide spectrum of emotions and moods. The sound of the guitar dominates the proceedings, playing clear single notes and harmonic chord structures, which basically need only limited support from the rhythm section and the keyboards. Gorniak clearly developed a mature sound and style over the years and this album is coherent and professional to the max. Some nice World Music influences are also incorporated into the music on some of the tunes. All the musicians involved play excellently from start to finish and are given an opportunity to show their chops in solo parts, but Gorniak is obviously the leader in charge and dictates the terms. Her guitar sound is sleek and demonstrates her absolute charge of the instrument. She is definitely different from all other guitar players on the Polish scene, and her unique approach to the instrument puts her in a class of her own. It seems that this album is somewhat more Fusion oriented than I expected, which is not that much evident in the guitar playing but more so in the parts played by the band behind. Luckily there is still enough of the Jazz feel on this album, to make it work within the Jazz framework. Gorniak´s solos are kept carefully in check and don´t enter the typical race with the notes, which makes many Fusion albums hard to bear. Overall this is a wonderful guitar album, which should make guitar lovers wet their lips with delight, and which is also very accessible to a wide range of listeners, without making any compromises as far as the quality of compositions and performances are concerned. Combined with the superb sound quality the album offers, this is an album music lovers should not miss!

Updated: 13/05/2017Posted: 13/05/2017

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KRZYSZTOF HERDZIN ~ DANCING FLOWERS FUSION 001 (Barcode: 5907564258012) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2001 Released: 2005 This album by Polish keyboardist / composer / arranger Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist presents yet another aspect of his seemingly universal musical personality. It is basically a Funk album, which consists of seven instrumentals and three songs, all composed by Herdzin. The arrangements, especially those involving the horn section, have some proximity to Jazz, but overall it is a Pop album with some Jazz-Rock Fusion elements. The music is performed by an excellent team, which includes guitarist Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassists Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist (in a rare appearance on bass guitar), Filip SojkaFind albums by this artist and Miroslaw WisniewskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist, Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist and Michal DabrowkaFind albums by this artist and horn players like saxophonists Michal KulentyFind albums by this artist, Marek PodkowaFind albums by this artist and Mariusz MelczarekFind albums by this artist and several others. The vocals are handled by three young Pop vocalists, two female and one male, all of them quite unimpressive The music is based on the American Funk model, which was developed in the 1970s / 1980s by a plentitude of mostly African American musicians, especially the archetypical Earth, Wind & FireFind albums by this artist, but also by many partly Jazz oriented artists like George DukeFind albums by this artist, Stanley ClarkeFind albums by this artist, Grover Washington, Jr.Find albums by this artist and even Miles DavisFind albums by this artist and Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist during some periods of their extensive careers. Herdzin presents his version of Funk, which is based more on the melodic content than the rhythmic progression and is therefore somewhat softened, or simply more European. Herdzin often states that anything he does is by no means inferior to whatever the Americans are doing, and to tell the truth he is often correct when saying so, but on the other hand as it was once so adequately put: "White Man Can´t Jump" and Funk is after all about "jumping" more than anything else. When asked if he ever played Funk, Herdzin can most certainly answer positively, following this recording. Overall this is a well done, pleasant album (except for the vocal tracks), which is ideal for driving on sunny days (pretty rare in Poland) with the volume up and a pretty blonde beside you. Enjoy!

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MAREK KAZANA PROJECT ~ TANGOLA NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903292105253) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz saxophonist Marek KazanaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with saxophonist Tomasz LicakFind albums by this artist, bassist Marek MacFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded "live in the studio" in Radio Szczecin and presents ten original compositions (the title track is repeated twice opening and closing the album), three of which were composed by Kazana and seven are credited to all four quartet members and are largely improvised. Kazana is relatively little known on the Polish scene, which is a price many musicians pay when choosing the unbeaten path of individuality, usually in the Free Jazz / Improvised Music idiom. Although he was a member of two seminal Polish Jazz ensembles in the 1980s: Young Power and Free Cooperation and participated in quite a few recordings, his remains almost anonymous and recorded this debut album as a leader only in 2012. The fact that he resides relatively far away from the Polish Jazz centers is probably another reason for the lack of his exposure. The music played by the quartet is definitely part of the Free Jazz idiom, but surprisingly it is quite accessible, preserving melodic motifs and natural flow on one side and a feeling of rhythmic swing on the other, which enable even a less experienced / radical listeners to enjoy this music with relative ease. The individual statements by the participants are all impressive. The young and well schooled Licak plays with confidence and balances Kazana´s less groomed approach. Mac glues the music together with his powerful bass lines and Grzyb, who originates from much more conventional circles, adds a barrage of percussion, which at times is a bit over the top, but overall fits the bill quite well. In general this is a very interesting recording which deserves to be heard well beyond its niche image. Of course it is also a well deserved achievement by Kazana, who certainly should be better known and recognized for his contributions to the Polish Jazz scene. Recommended!

Updated: 25/04/2016Posted: 25/04/2016

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ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ ASSYMETRY NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006 This is a brilliant album by veteran Polish saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, one of the Founding Fathers of modern Polish Jazz active on the scene since the late 1950s. First as a member of the legendary Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist ensemble and later as a leader, Namyslowski was always a superb musician and an intriguing composer. His early work was often characterized by incorporating Polish folklore motifs into his compositions, which was highly unusual at the time in US or Western Europe, but relatively common behind the Iron Curtain. This amazing album, as the (slightly twisted) title suggests, is all about odd meters, you know all those 7/4, 5/4, 7/8 and other crazy rhythmic patterns that only highly skilled musicians are able to play correctly. As much as they are a nightmare to play, they are surely a wonder to listen to and enjoy and this albums offers nine lengthy tunes, one better that the other. Performed by a brilliant quintet: trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist (yes the next generation), pianist Slawomir JaskulkeFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist and Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist (on two tracks only), the music is simply divine, clever and enjoyable, all at the same time, which of course id pretty rare. It certainly seems that Namyslowski is getting younger with age, a rare quality indeed. Brilliant!

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ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ DANCES POLONIA 133 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1997 Released: 1997 This album by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist summarizes many years of his career by concentrating on one of the most important characteristics of his music: the symbiosis of Jazz and World Music, or more precisely Jazz and folklore, as represented by dances from different regions. The album comprises of fourteen original compositions by Namyslowski, all of which are based on specific dance rhythms, like tango, waltz and samba or Polish folk dances like mazurka, kujawiak and oberek. Several of the compositions included on this album are new arrangements of compositions recorded and released previously over time. The music is performed by a quartet, which besides Namyslowski, who plays saxophone, flute and trombone (his original instrument) includes also pianist Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, bassists Olgierd WalickiFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist. Three additional players expand the lineup to a septet: accordionist Cezary PaciorekFind albums by this artist, violinist Maciej StrzelczykFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jose TorresFind albums by this artist. A Cuban percussion group guests on one tune (obviously the samba). Namyslowski´s ability to compose melodies, which fit the various rhythms and meters, including some very odd meters indeed, is absolutely phenomenal. This album is full of such clever tunes, which happen also to be delightful and sound completely "easy" in spite of their complex and capricious nature. The actual performance is of course first-rate, as always with ensembles led by Namyslowski, who is very strict and meticulous as far as playing is concerned. In many respects this is the most unconventional album ever recorded by Namyslowski in which Jazz plays still a central role, but is intertwined with the folkloristic elements so tightly, that is sounds often like a soundtrack to a documentary produced by National Geographic. Jazz connoisseurs will find this album absolutely charming in every respect, even though it covers musical ground not habitually associated with Jazz. It might be very difficult to find, but I urge every Polish Jazz enthusiast to lay their hand on a copy of this gem. Listening to this music is such a great fun!

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ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ MOZART GOES JAZZ JAZZ FORUM 019 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 1998 Released: 1999 This is probably the least known as well as most unusual album by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer / band leader Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, who is associated with the local scene continuously since the late 1950s. The album consists of a live recording captured by the Polish Radio, which presents a Jazz arrangement of Wolfgang Amadeus MozartFind albums by this artist´s Clarinet Concerto in A major, K 622, performed by Namyslowski´s quartet, clarinetist Wojciech MrozekFind albums by this artist and the CamerataFind albums by this artist string quartet. The Zbigniew Namyslowski quartet at the time of the recording included also pianist Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, bassist Olgierd WalickiFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist. Mozart´s masterpiece, which was his last completed work before his untimely death, consists of three movements, but this extended interpretation adds five more "variations". All the pieces were arranged by Namyslowski, except the middle movement of the original concerto, which was arranged by Herdzin. Of course this is by far not the first attempt of creating Classical-Jazz Fusion, which has been attempted countless times before. The matching of these often distant musical idioms is probably the most perilous area, and this album is a "classic" (pun intended) example why. The idea behind such attempts is of course to fuse the two idioms and create an amalgam, which somehow manages to preserve the best of both ingredients and create a new flavor, previously unknown. Sadly the music presented here fails completely in that sense, as far as I am concerned. The resulting music mixes Mozart´s melodic themes with Jazz rhythms and improvisations, but the resulting music simply sounds unsavory. Sort of "pickles with marmalade", which makes sense to pregnant women only. Of course Namyslowski and his crew are all wonderful musicians and perform spotlessly all the way through, as do their Classical counterparts. There are many showcases of splendid musicianship and inspired soloing. However the overall atmosphere simply doesn´t let one enjoy this music. Mozart dancing calypso is simply not my cup of rum… But considering Namyslowski´s remarkably long and otherwise spotless career and tremendous contribution to Polish Jazz, this excursion is easily forgiven, as it is forgotten.

Updated: 08/09/2021Posted:

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ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ NICE & EASY ITM 14125 (Barcode: 4250079711253) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009 This superb album by Polish saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist was recorded with a quintet comprising of young musicians including his son trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Slawomir JaskulkeFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist. It presents ten new original compositions by Namyslowski. It was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist – a guarantee of sonic fidelity. At the time of the recording Namyslowski was almost seventy years old, being one of the few remaining last Mohicans of the first post-WWII Polish Jazz generation still active on the local scene. There is absolutely no evidence on this recording of Namyslowski´s age, surely not in the negative sense. He seems to be completely confident both as a composer and a performer and stands hip to hip with the "youngsters" not giving up an inch. It is hard to believe that the same person took part in the legendary 2nd Sopot Jazz Festival in 1957 and was a member of the Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist quintet that recorded "AstigmaticFind albums with this title" in 1965, and yet these are just a few of Namyslowski´s amazing career milestones. Namyslowski´s compositions were always his forte, as he manages consistently to present a completely unique musical signature, which includes many different characteristics, like the odd meters he so often uses or the unexpected tempo changes, all those on top of beautifully structured melodies, which are simply magnificent. Therefore the musicians playing with him are supplied with a perfect vehicle for their respective solos. Although the music conceptually belongs to mainstream Jazz, it always comes with a twist which makes it anything but predictable or simplistic. On the contrary these tunes take a while to get used to and have a wonderful quality of growing on the listener with every listening session. The quintet performs like a dream, obviously inspired and directed by the Master. These young and extremely talented musicians keep the splendid tradition of the Polish Jazz alive and kicking, this time also learning from the best. Namyslowski continues his tradition to lead groups comprising of young musicians, which keep him invigorated and at the same time serve as a hothouse growing generation after generation of new players. The album was released on the German ITM label and the album´s booklet includes liner notes by the excellent Jazz critic Bert Noglik, who is familiar with Namyslowski´s music since many years. All in all this is a superb modern Jazz album, which should keep happy even the sternest Jazz connoisseurs, and of course deserves a honorable place in any serious Jazz collection alongside the earlier albums by this great Artists. A must!

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ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ STANDARDS NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2003 Released: 2003 This is a very unusual album by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, which finds him performing standards, whereas he usually performs only his own compositions. Of the eleven tracks present on this album, ten are standards and one is a composition by Namyslowski, based on the harmonic structure of a well known standard, with a different meter. All the ten standards have been elaborately arranged by Namyslowski, taking them in some cases quite far away from the origin. The music is performed by a superb quartet, which finds the leader in the company of pianist Slawomir JaskulkeFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist. Namyslowski´s son Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist guests on three tracks and trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist guests on one. The album is an absolute masterpiece from start to finish: the arrangements are innovative and intelligent, the performances are perfect and the overall level of artistry is simply overwhelming. Namyslowski again proves that time means absolutely nothing as far as he´s concerned and he is still the Grand Master of Polish Jazz, at least as far as modern mainstream Jazz is concerned. The album shows yet again his role as a Godfather, with his group over and over again featuring young and upcoming musicians, who play with him for a period of time before going their own way and becoming leaders on their own right. Namyslowski´s playing never ceases to amaze me; for the last half a century (and more) he sounds confident, stable and beautifully creative. I only wish he´ll continue to be this way forever. The pianist Slawomir Jaskulke is the great surprise of this album, as his very modernist and forceful style, which he displayed on his early recordings, has been "tamed" by the leader and his ability to change styles from early Jazz to modern compositions and perform all of them equally fluently with virtuosic ability is very impressive. Overall this is a wonderful album, which should put a smile on the face of every Jazz connoisseur in this planet. There is no way one could not enjoy this music, both intellectually and emotionally. These standards never sounded better that here, dressed up, invigorated and revitalized, thank to the genius of Namyslowski, which rejects the tides of time and keeps alive and kicking. This is an absolute delight. Respect!

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ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI / REMY FILIPOVITCH ~ GO! ALBUM 66919 (Barcode: 4022685201226) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2003 Released: 2003 This is a recording by Polish Jazz veteran Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and his quartet: pianist Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, bassist Olgierd WalickiFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist, with the Lithuanian saxophonist Remy FilipovitchFind albums by this artist as a co-leader. They perform nine original compositions, six of which are by Namyslowski and the remaining three by Filipovitch. Although excellently played by all the musicians involved, the album brings little adventure to the listeners. Namyslowski´s compositions are brilliant, but they are not new and were recorded previously on other albums. The two saxophonists cooperate very little except for a few unisono statements of the themes, soloing separately and not playing against each other or soloing together or even exchanging licks. Therefore the whole idea of a double-sax front line seems to be missed completely here. Nevertheless this is still Namyslowski and a bunch of first-class players so the music sounds great and is a classic example of European modern mainstream Jazz at its best. With two saxophones up front the rhythm section gets naturally a bit less opportunity to shine, but Herdzin manages to squeeze in a few very nice piano solos. Walicki and Grzyb support the soloists steadfastly, as always. Perhaps not the strongest album in Namyslowski´s lifelong and legendary legacy, but then again nothing he should regret or be ashamed of. Polish Jazz fans will find this a pleasant addition to their collection.

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ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ 3 NIGHTS POLONIA 174/176 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1998 Released: 1999 This album by Polish Jazz Colossus saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist documents a live recording captured during three consecutive nights at the legendary Warsaw Jazz Club "Akwarium". Accompanied by his regular (at the time) quartet, with pianist Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, bassist Olgierd WalickiFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist, as well as guest musicians: trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, trombonist Grzegorz NagorskiFind albums by this artist, accordionist Cezary PaciorekFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jose TorresFind albums by this artist, Namyslowski played a different program each night, which comprised entirely of his original compositions, twenty three of them in total. Although not intended as such, this recording is a sort of retrospective, both for Namyslowski the composer and Namyslowski the player. Approaching the age of sixty Namyslowski celebrated four decades of activity on the local and international scenes: recording some of the Polish Jazz milestone albums, grooming generations of Jazz musicians and playing countless concerts, an impressive record, which only very few other musicians share with him. Among the compositions performed one can find a few of his early tunes, going over thirty years back before the date of this recording, as well as some recently composed ones. The three nights seem to have quite a different character, although it´s difficult to guess if that was intended. The first night is all up-tempo tunes, performed by a septet with strong presence of the percussion, which spices the music with a Cuban feel. The second night is more modern mainstream, performed by a sextet and the last night is the most adventurous, with odd meters and World Music influenced compositions, which are often Namyslowski´s trademark. Overall the quality of the compositions and the performances are of course excellent. Namyslowski always knew how to pick up his group members, almost always from the ranks of one young generation after another. Walicki and Grzyb represent the youngest (at the time) generation and both prove to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the veterans. Herdzin, who played for several years with Namyslowski in the late 1990s, was still relatively unknown at the time (in the years to come his career was about to literally explode) and is the most interesting soloist on this album except the Boss of course. The guest players are all well known and their contributions are professional, but not very inspiring, except perhaps for Paciorek, who is so original that his playing is always fascinating. In the long discography by Namyslowski, this is perhaps not one of his milestone recordings, but in retrospect it definitely reflects his exceptional abilities as a player, composer and bandleader. The sound quality of these live recordings is spotless and has a warm aura and superb presence. This is a must have for the many Namyslowski fans and Polish Jazz buffs in general!

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