Record Reviews

MATEUSZ GAWEDA ~ FALSTART AUDIO CAVE 2018/004 (Barcode: 5905669566537) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the second album by young and upcoming Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, recorded with the same trio that was featured on his debut album with bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by the leader. Gaweda managed in a relatively short span of time to establish a respectful position on the local Jazz scene, both as a musician / composer and a colorful personality, which is a magnet of attention. His unique music and performances as well as his flamboyant dress code and glitzy / ritzy looks create a figure, which might have just stepped out form a black & white Hollywood gangster movie, in the best meaning of the idiom of course: elegant, stylish, charismatic and unmistakably himself. Almost the same metaphor applies to his music, which slowly but consistently keeps metamorphosing into a unique personal style and musical approach, unlike anything else currently present on the Polish Jazz scene, which of course is quite phenomenal, considering how vital, diverse and full of talent that scene is in the last couple of decades. Gaweda´s music is further and further moving away of the conventional Jazz idiom, creating a contemporary fusion of Jazz tradition with modern classicism, electronics and ambient music. Although recorded in a classic piano trio format, the powerful and imaginative music manage to overcome the limitation of the trio and with a slight help from electronic devices simply breaks away into new territory. Of course the music is still full of the typical Polish melancholy and lyricism, not only within the melodic themes, but in the entire sonic expression the trio creates. Introvert, reflective and mercilessly serious, the music is completely overwhelming and stunning, but as usual in such cases requires truly attentive listening and repeated listening to get to the true essence of it. The individual performances by the trio members are perfectly suited to the music of course. It is virtually impossible for Gaweda to play any "better" that already demonstrated on his earlier recordings, and therefore the focus on his role here should be on the compositions, rather than on his playing, which is simply stupendous, as always. It is really heartwarming to see the progress of Wykpisz, who is another example of a young lion charging the Polish Jazz scene with amazing consistency and talent, able to play anything between Swing and Avant-Garde with the same strike of brilliance. Palka, of the same generation, plays no less spectacularly, showing what it means to play the drums rather than just keep time. Overall this is a brilliant and highly rewarding piece of complex, but elegant and awe-inspiring music, which truly expands the Jazz idiom and which deserves both praise and attention. It is also another milestone album on the Polish Audio CaveFind albums on this label label, which in the last four years managed to release some of the best Polish Jazz albums, consistently maintaining the highest possible level of artistic achievement. Well done and hats off!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 27/04/2018

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MATEUSZ GAWEDA ~ OVERNIGHT TALES AUDIO CAVE 2016/009 (Barcode: 5905669566193) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album as a leader by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, all by Gaweda. Gaweda´s arrival on the Polish Jazz scene created a lot of buzz and genuine interest, not only due to his flamboyant expressionism, but primarily as a result of his obvious talent and fresh, innovative input to the Jazz idiom, easily noticeable even on the dense and competitive local scene, which is bursting with talent. I had several opportunities to watch him performing in the last couple of years and my immediate reaction was always full of genuine appreciation. 2016 proved to be a breakthrough year for Gaweda, with several excellent albums with his participation being released, including this debut wrapping up the proceedings of an extremely busy year. As all great Jazz musicians, Gaweda is first and foremost unique in his approach to composition and the instrument. Surprisingly the music on this album is the most "conventional" performance by Gaweda that I have heard so far, which is a great revelation. There is very little of the Avant-Garde experimentation, which his live performances usually emphasize. That does not mean of course that the music is "conventional" in any sense. In fact it is anything but conventional. Based on beautiful melodic themes, the extended pieces allow the pianist to venture far away from the basic melody and explore uncharted territory. Not Free Jazz per se, the music incorporates a large degree of space and freedom, which allows for tempo changes and intense climaxes within the duration of each of the tunes. There is a wonderful natural flow, which keeps the music moving forward, seemingly effortlessly in spite of its complexity and dramatic mood swings. The rhythm section is perfectly cooperative with the leader, staying respectfully in the background in order not to collide with the delicate piano sound, but filling the spaces, both harmonically and rhythmically, just in the right spots. Wykpisz is steadily earning a position of a leading bass player on the Polish scene in the last few years and the young Palka is still earning his dues. Both of them do a great job here and Gaweda made the right choice to have them on the album. It will take several listening sessions, even for the more experienced listeners, to fully appreciate this album. This music, like good wine, takes time to mature and settle in, best explored at ease and in perfect concentration. Since Gaweda is surely going to emerge as one of the major players on the Polish Jazz scene in the years to come, fans and lovers of Polish Jazz should give this album the time and the respect it truly deserves. This is definitely a very impressive debut, which hints as to the gift Gaweda is blessed with. Perhaps decades from now people will remember it as a classic, which introduced Gaweda to the world? Definitely one of the most important Polish Jazz releases in 2016. Respect!

Updated: 17/06/2021Posted: 20/12/2016

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HIGH DEFINITION QUARTET ~ DZIADY ANAKLASIS 007 (Barcode: 5907795208732) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the third album by Polish Jazz ensemble High Definition QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Mateusz SliwaFind albums by this artist, pianist / composer Piotr OrzechowskiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. PianohooliganFind albums by this artist), bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist (each of the three albums features a different drummer). On this album the ensemble collaborates with five electronic music composers: Polish veteran / pioneer of the idiom Krzysztof KnittelFind albums by this artist, Igor BoxxFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Igor PudloFind albums by this artist), Americans William BasinskiFind albums by this artist and Robert RichFind albums by this artist and Austrian Christian FenneszFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, five of which are performed by the ensemble and were composed by Orzechowski and five shorter pieces, each composed and performed by one of the above listed electronic music composers (except for the Knittel piece which was co-composed with Orzechowski and co-executed with the ensemble), which are sandwiched between the ensemble pieces. The album´s title "Dziady" ("Forefathers´ Eve") refers of course to the epic poetic drama by the Polish national poet Adam MickiewiczFind albums by this artist, considered as one of the greatest works of European Romanticism and a source of controversial interpretations throughout the convoluted Polish political history, famous for its role in the 1968 Polish Political crisis, but retaining its prophetic actuality to this very day. The drama was staged many times over the years of course and one could speculate that this music could be considered as a possible soundtrack / stage music to an imaginary / future spectacle. Combining Jazz with electronic / ambient music is of course quite fashionable these days and this year´s (2019) Polish Jazz recording harvest offers several such outings. In most cases the electronic / ambient music is closely amalgamated with the Jazzy content, whereas on this album, with the exception of the opening Knittel / Orzechowski track, the rest of the electronic / ambient tracks stand on their own musically, which raises a basic speculation as to their integration within the album´s musical fabric and its continuity. Personally I feel that their absence would not have changed the album´s overall effect dramatically. The Jazz part of the album is however absolutely brilliant, as one might expect. Orzechowski´s dramatic music, rich in texture and full of imagination, is delightful from start to finish. The five seemingly separate themes constitute a coherent whole, which is perfectly executed by the quartet. Orzechowski´s piano playing is radiant as always, and he proves to be on top of the heap, in spite of the fact that his recording output is sadly way too infrequent for my liking. Sliwa manages to keep his unique personal style, which sets him apart from most contemporary young Polish Jazz saxophonists, and who sadly also does not record frequently enough. Big Bear Wykpisz is amazing as always, a monster bass player in every bone and muscle of his body – he does play constantly and is omnipresent on the local scene, being probably the most sought after bassist around these days. Palka integrated with the three founding members without a hitch, which is completely natural in view of his achievements lately. Together they are able to carry a tune as well as open up and improvise, supporting each other amicably and offer a superb listening experience. The album was released by a new record label on the Polish market called AnaklasisFind albums on this label Records. I must admit that I was quite taken aback by the primitive / simplistic cover design; perhaps this is some kind of new sophisticated graphic aesthetics, but it looks plain ugly to me. This music surely deserves a better packaging. The album includes an extensive booklet, which offers a bilingual version of an essay by Polish music journalist Jaroslaw SzubrychtFind albums by this artist. Overall this is a brilliant piece of music, ambitious and searching, which stands up to the highest echelon of contemporary European Jazz and which is consistent with the earlier work by High Definition. Hopefully the listeners won´t be discouraged by the cover and reach out to embrace this exquisite music, as it truly deserves it. Well done Gentlemen!

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

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LUKASZ KOKOSZKO ~ NEW CHALLENGE SJ 030 (Barcode: 5912596066337) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Lukasz KokoszkoFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Grzegorz ZiolekFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist, all representatives of the youngest wave of Polish Jazz musicians at present (2018). The album presents nine original compositions, all by Kokoszko. The music is a melodic variety of Fusion, with stronger Jazz ties than usual Fusion material, especially in view of the fact that except for the electric guitar the rest of the instruments play acoustically. The compositions are also more complex than the usual Fusion stuff, so the overall stylistic environment is somewhere between melodic modern Jazz and Fusion. The music is mostly very calm and melancholic, and perhaps more up tempo numbers would have served the album well to add more variety. All four musicians perform very well, with the obvious emphasis on the leader, who sets the tone, playing the themes and long improvisations. Ziolek also adds several wonderful piano solos and the rhythm section splendidly supports them along the way. Kokoszko is a splendid guitar player, strongly based in the Blues tradition, which is relatively uncommon among contemporary guitar players. His personal style is very unique, which is a great virtue these days, with most guitar players imitating other guitar players. Overall this is a first class debut album, which shows a lot of potential by the leader and his splendid team. Solid compositions and excellent performances add together to create a very pleasant listening experience and the unusual guitar sound and drive are certainly worth being discovered. Well done indeed!

Updated: 05/08/2018Posted: 05/08/2018

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NATALIA KORDIAK ~ BAJKA HEVHETIA 0194 (Barcode: 8588005258708) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist Natalia KordiakFind albums by this artist recorded in a quintet setting with saxophonist Przemyslaw ChmielFind albums by this artist, pianist Mateusz KolakowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Kordiak, two of which feature lyrics (one by Polish poetess / playwright Maria Pawlikowska-JasnorzewskaFind albums by this artist and the other by Kordiak) and the rest feature wordless vocalese. The album was recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Michal WasylFind albums by this artist, and offers a superb sound quality. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to hear Kordiak sing live in Katowice as a member of the First Was The VoiceFind albums by this artist vocal ensemble conducted and directed by my friend the fabulous Anna GadtFind albums by this artist, which should have prepared me for what I was about to hear on this album, but now I have to admit that probably nothing could have really prepared anybody for what this album offers. This is simply the Polish Jazz vocal album I have been dreaming about for the last half a Century, since Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist appeared on the Polish Jazz scene and revolutionized the approach to vocal Jazz not only in Poland but worldwide. Kordiak treats her voice as an instrument and her vocalese explorations are simply unbounded by any previously set limitations, conventions or boundaries. Her singing is completely intuitive and her sense of melody is so open and free that the music becomes completely boundless and unconventional. Each of the tunes offers a melodic theme, but the vocal and instrumental improvisations move freely beyond the sketched horizons into the unknown and unexpected, which happens extremely rarely and immediately pushes this music into the "high sphere" of Jazz aesthetics. The instrumentalists do a magnificent job on this album, with the most important task always before their eyes: do not disturb the vocals. Each of these players is able to play exquisitely as a soloist but this album sets a textbook example of respect and supportive role by the instrumentalists, who are clearly heard within the delicate fabric of the music, but never overshadow the vocal parts even for one moment. The rhythm section of Wykpisz and Palka, which is certainly phenomenal on its own, offers here a magnificent assistance to the vocals, often just in a trio settings. Kolakowski, who deserves a much wider recognition that he enjoys in Poland at the moment, is a key element which makes this music what it is, playing absolutely stunningly and beautifully free, which is amazing considering his Classical Music upbringing and education. Chmiel, also relatively anonymous, offers some stunning saxophone parts, which immediately put him alongside the most respected names on the Polish scene. In short this is a true dream team and Kordiak was extremely fortunate to record this album with these magnificent musicians at her side. Polish vocal Jazz has been struggling in the last decades to produce anything as artistically and aesthetically valuable as the output it managed to offer time after time in modern instrumental European Jazz, which won it an international acclaim. Sadly Polish vocal Jazz got stuck mostly in imitating rather that inventing, with the ever present obsession of singing English lyrics, more often than not with appalling results. Therefore, although obviously hardly politically correct, the most accurate compliment I can think of under these circumstances is to say that Kordiak emerged here as someone with truly "big-balls", setting everything aside and doing her own thing. I am not surprised that Kordiak comes from under the wings of the above mentioned Anna Gadt, who is a true revolutionary Artist and obviously also and Educator. Considering the fact that Kordiak is still a student, God only knows what she is capable of in the future and I can’t wait to find out. And yes, now I know what my best Polish Jazz album for 2019 will be on my list ;) Thank you for a true fairytale my Dear!

Updated: 13/12/2019Posted: 13/12/2019

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JACEK NIEDZIELA-MEIRA ~ BURRELLHOUSE SJ 039 (Barcode: 5912596066719) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is an album by the veteran Polish Jazz bassist / composer / educator Jacek Niedziela-MeiraFind albums by this artist which his debut album as a guitar player, recorded in a classic guitar trio setting with Hammond player Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist and drummers Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist or Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, two of which are original compositions by the leader, six are standards and one is a Polish Pop song. The music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and offers a wonderful classic Blue NoteFind albums on this label sound. For people familiar with the Polish Jazz scene this album comes of course as a surprise, as a result of the decision by the leader to switch instruments, but the result is very satisfying. The sound and material are based on classic model set by American Hammond player Jimmy SmithFind albums by this artist and his trio, which included among others guitarists also the superb guitar Master Kenny BurrellFind albums by this artist, who serves as an obvious influence on the leader. The conservative mainstream Jazz approach, going back s few decades in the history of the Jazz idiom, could be pretty disastrous musically, but in this case it is a fresh breath of air, which proves that well played mainstream Jazz still sounds solid, beautiful and enjoyable in spite of the passing time. Niedziela-Meira turns out to be a very talented and technically proficient classic / old style Jazz guitar player, who emphasizes the clarity of the tone and precision of the notes like a true pro. His sound does follow the example set by the Jazz guitarists form the 1950s / 1960s almost exactly, but with a fresh vigor and fluidity. Galas is of course an absolute marvel with his Hammond bringing back fond memories of the glory of this beautiful instrument. His improvisations, always melodic and coherent and yet often surprisingly sophisticated, are an absolute sensation and are alone worth having this album. Both alternating drummers keep the time like clockwork, which for this kind of music is exactly what the doctor prescribed. Overall this is a very pleasant album, which reproduces the mood and sound going back half a century, but offers a rejuvenated perspective on the guitar trio format, which is almost completely absent from the contemporary Jazz scene. Full of wonderful music and excellent musicianship, this album is fun from start to end for listeners who like this period of Jazz. For guitar and Hammond connoisseurs, this is a must of course!

Updated: 02/05/2019Posted: 02/05/2019

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BARTOSZ PERNAL SEXTET ~ INTO THE WILD BCD 47 (Barcode: 5906881885475) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2020 This is the debut album as a leader (as far as I know) by Polish Jazz trombonist / composer Bartosz PernalFind albums by this artist recorded in a pianoless sextet setting with trumpeter Dominik GawronskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Wojciech LichtanskiFind albums by this artist and Marek KonarskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub OlejnikFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, including the title track three part suite, all by Pernal. The album was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and was engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, offering a wonderful sound quality, as expected. The music is typical modern Jazz, based on melodic compositions and skillfully arranged for the Brass dominated sextet, which has a very unique sound due to lack of harmonic support. The extended pieces offer plenty of opportunity for all the participants to solo at length and the first-rate rhythm section keeps the music moving forward on secure ground. Despite their relative young age all the members of the band are seasoned and experienced instrumentalists, as evident by their performances herein. The outstanding drumming by Palka is an absolute highlight and definitely worthy of special attention. The album is not trying to be flashy or dazzling, but it offers solid, well developed musical ideas, superbly performed and coherently put together, which turns it into a most enjoyable and rewarding listening experience, worth returning to, especially for enthusiasts of Brass sections and multi-part expanded Jazz compositions. Overall this is a great piece of music, perhaps more in the "musician´s musician" mold, as it offers many tricks of the Jazz trade on different levels, starting with the compositions and then almost orchestral arrangements, the delicate balance between the instruments and crowned by the wonderful execution. Definitely well done!

Updated: 25/12/2020Posted: 25/12/2020

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SLAWOMIR PEZDA ~ TRIBUTE TO TENOR LEGENDS NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903819630053) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer / bandleader Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist – a formidable team indeed. As the album’s title suggests, it is a tribute to leading tenor saxophone Jazz players, seven Americans and one Pole: Joe HendersonFind albums by this artist, Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist, Sonny RollinsFind albums by this artist, Pharoah SandersFind albums by this artist, John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, Albert AylerFind albums by this artist, David S. WareFind albums by this artist and Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, presenting one track each of their compositions. This highly ambitious undertaking of interpreting the entire modern American Jazz, from Bebop to Free / Avant-Garde, focusing on one instrument, might have proved to be a perilous task, a chutzpah of an unprecedented scale. I must confess that I placed the CD into the player with slightly trembling hands and heart, as I deeply respect the four musicians involved and would have hated to hear them ridiculing themselves. To my sheer amazement, this bold attempt not only works splendidly, but offers some of the best Jazz music I have come across in a long time. Obviously, the compositions by the eight Jazz Giants are a good starting point, but trying to impersonate the highly idiosyncratic expressionism of all eight performers, which in all cases continuously changed over time, is a momentous task. I must say that Pezda and his cohorts managed to capture the spirit not only of the compositions, but also of the eight Saxophone Colossi. The more experienced the listeners to this album are, the more they will be able to appreciate the depth of the perception Pezda and the quartet managed to achieve. But most importantly, this album manages to exemplify the process of Europeanization of this music, which is truly astounding. Whereas the American, original form of this music is full of fire and natural, raw, wild power of expression, the music on this album is transformed into elegant, precise, coherent and harmonic beauty, losing absolutely nothing of its strength of expression, depth or penetration. Of course this is not the first time such transformation of American music in the hands of European musicians happens, but this album is a perfect school example of the process, which should be taught in every Jazz institution. Of course it goes without saying that all these musicians are absolute wizards and already in this relatively early stage of their careers, offer a magnificent control of their relative instruments and superb level of knowledge and creativity. Overall, this is absolutely brilliant album from start to finish, a wonderful lesson in Jazz history and the fundamental differences between American and European Jazz idioms. Of course, as already stated above, the level of understanding of this music might relate to the level of knowledge of Jazz history and the musical worlds of the eight heroes, who are being paid a tribute herein. In any case, this extraordinary piece of music deserved an honorable place on the pedestal of the best Polish Jazz albums ever recorded. Respect!

Updated: 05/03/2023Posted: 05/03/2023

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SKUBISZ / LEMANCZYK COOPERATION ~ STORIES ABOUT LIFE AND LOVE AFRO VIBE 004 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rap Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by Polish ensemble Skubisz / Lemanczyk CooperationFind albums by this artist, which comprises of rapper Bartlomiej SkubiszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. EskaubeiFind albums by this artist), bassist / composer Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomek NowakFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist) appears as a guest musician and plays synthesizers. The album presents nine tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Lemanczyk with texts by Skubisz and one is a composition by iconic Polish Jazz trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist with text by Skubisz, dedicated to Stanko. Listeners familiar with the Polish Jazz scene are already familiar with the Jazz-Rap Fusion recordings by Eskaubei & Tomek Nowak QuartetFind albums by this artist, which are clear predecessors of this album and include contributions by Nowak and Dlugosz. The format is very similar, but the brilliant compositions by Lemanczyk and his virtuosic electric bass performances take everything one notch higher. Skubisz, as usual, expresses his unequivocal opinions about the problems and circumstances of contemporary life, including fears and angers caused by politics, human stupidity and the ocean of excrements we all need to swim in, keeping our nose just above the surface, in order to survive. I have always admired his honesty and clear vision of reality, especially since his statements are intelligent and penetrating, rather than being rude and vile. Words of truth are definitely stronger than profanities. Nowak plays some excellent trumpet parts on this album, and being the main soloist he sets the entire mood of the music. The Jazz-Rap Fusion requires a very delicate balance between the spoken parts and the music, which this ensemble is able to maintain for the entire duration. Lemanczyk contributes the pulse, like a heartbeat, which keeps this music alive. It is worth to listen to this album several times, each time concentrating on the separate contributions by the participants, apart for listening to the album as a whole; especially Lemanczyk’s bass lines, which are Masterful, the trumpet solos and of course the texts. Overall, this is a most welcome return to the Jazz-Rap Fusion idiom by Skubisz, who is as always accompanied by excellent musicians, creating some relevant social criticism and life observations, which are not easy to hear but nevertheless absolutely necessary to keep one’s sanity. Kudos for keeping up the good work!

Updated: 13/10/2022Posted: 13/10/2022

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MATEUSZ SOBIECHOWSKI ~ VITAL MUSIC CHALLENGE 73461 (Barcode: 608917346121) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz quintet led by pianist / composer Mateusz SobiechowskiFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam TadelFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist, all representatives of the excellent young Polish Jazz generation. The album presents nine pieces, eight of which are original compositions by Sobiechowski and one is a standard. The album was released by the prestigious Dutch label ChallengeFind albums on this label Records, which recently entered the Polish Jazz realm. The recording was engineered my Maciej StachFind albums by this artist and offers a superb sound quality. The music is typical contemporary Polish / European mainstream Jazz, based on excellent compositions and performed with elegance and passion. Most of the themes are low key, full of characteristic Polish melancholy, which seems to be omnipresent on the majority of Polish Jazz recordings. The compositions are excellently structured, diverse and interesting enough to produce a fascinating continuity which keeps the listener on his toes. The performances are also top notch, obviously highly professional, but more importantly heartfelt, artistically inclined and highly aesthetic. All three front line players offer excellent soloing and the rhythm section does a perfect job all the way through, being supportive but not obtrusive. Personally I find the contributions by Mika to be slightly more focused and inspired than those of his peers, but that said, and as already stated, everybody plays splendidly. Sobiechowski solos relatively sparingly for a leader, which is much respected, as it contributes to the overall quintet´s team spirit and creates a coherent ensemble statement. Overall this is a very impressive debut, which offers both superb compositions and elegant execution, which would not shame veteran Jazz musicians anywhere on this planet. It is another manifestation of the strength of the Polish Jazz scene and its continuous development, which is now being recognized beyond the country´s borders. Warmly recommended to Jazz connoisseurs the world over!

Updated: 17/10/2018Posted: 17/10/2018

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ZAWARTKO / PIASECKI ~ WAGABUNDA NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the second album by the Polish Jazz duo comprising of vocalist Magdalena ZawartkoFind albums by this artist and bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist, recorded with other Polish Jazz musicians: saxophonists Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist and Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist, pianist Robert JarmuzekFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Wojciech LubertowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all co-composed by the duo. Returning after seven years, which passed since their debut album was recorded, the duo continues exactly where they left off, creating a beautiful amalgam of Jazz with Folkloristic themes, which span the Eastern World from Middle East and up to Asian planes. The wonderful melodic themes are richly encrusted with Jazz improvisations and exotic instrumentation, creating a most pleasant listening experience. Zawartko uses her voice like an instrument and becomes in integral part of the overall sound, rather than a soloist, although she does sing lyrics occasionally as well. Piasecki plays superb bass parts, which are the driving force of the album, Jarmuzek supplies the harmonic layers, the sax players add fiery soloing, Palka carries the polyrhythmic pulsations and Lubertowicz is in charge of the exotic sounds of the duduk and percussions, all working together to achieve the sensation of a dreamy flying carpet ride. Of course such Jazz-World Fusion albums have been recorded many times before, this one simply has everything working for it and offers such universal aesthetics, that it can be enjoyed and loved anywhere on this planet. Its subtle Polish roots become only audible in the melancholic melody themes, but even melancholy can be felt equally anywhere on this small globe we share. The long wait for the sophomore effort by the duo proved to be worth waiting for and it is a delightful album by every standard. It’s time to enjoy the music and hopefully we won’t have to wait for the follow up for another proverbial seven years. Thank you for the music and well done!

Updated: 18/08/2021Posted: 17/08/2021

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MARGO ZUBER ~ CISZA SJ 077 (Barcode: 5905489720522) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist / songwriter Margo ZuberFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded in an unusual setting with the vocalist supported by Hammond organist Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist, pianist Mateusz PalkaFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, eight of which are original songs, one composed by Zuber, five co-composed by Zuber and Galas and two composed by Galas, all with lyrics by Zuber. The ninth, a bonus track, is an interpretation of the iconic “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” composed by Charles MingusFind albums by this artist with words by Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist. Despite the fact that Galas is one of my favorite Polish Hammond players and I absolutely love his playing here, and both Mateusz Palka and Grzegorz Palka are excellent and by now very experienced instrumentalists, and together they manage to provide a very interesting and unusual instrumental accompaniment on this album, the rest of it does not work for me. The compositions are way too similar to each other, which makes the album sound samey and flat for the entire duration. The vocal parts have a very limited range, both emotional and musical. There are some touching moments of course, especially the brilliant piano touches, but not enough to support a lasting interest in the music for the entire duration. It is a matter of taste I suppose, but sadly I remained unconvinced, although I did listen to the very end waiting for the bonus track, which sadly wasn’t able to save the day. Overall, despite an honest effort on my side I remain unimpressed, which of course is entirely my fault. I hope to be proven wrong next time and thank everybody for their efforts.

Updated: 25/03/2024Posted: 25/03/2024

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