Record Reviews

ALFONS SLIK ~ NIE PRZEJMUJ SIE LOVE & BEAUTY 06 ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Avant-Garde Polish Jazz duo Alfons SlikFind albums by this artist, consisting of pianist / composer Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummer / composer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, three composed by Tarwid, two by Gasiorek and four co-composed by them both. In addition to the obvious piano and drums the duo utilizes some spoken word parts on three of the tracks, which are on the borderline of Jazz & Poetry / Rap. The music is everything the listeners familiar with the work of these two brilliant young musicians (separately and collectively) might expect, and beyond. Although definitely unconventional and innovative, and therefore Avant-Garde, the music is not missing some melodic touches and coherent continuity. The total playing time of just under half an hour is a wise decision in this case as the intensity and diversity of the musical content is mercilessly multifarious and complex. Piano and drums duet is surely not a typical musical setting, especially when both instruments receive a completely equally important role within the music. The dialogue the two partners are able to develop herein is truly spectacular and rarely present elsewhere. Overall this is a fascinating musical adventure, which stands apart from most Avant-Garde projects in Polish / European Jazz. Paraphrasing on an old slogan, this is Avant-Garde with a human face, which rather than alienating the listener tries to bring him into the music and embrace it. This little gem is absolutely wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 27/03/2020Posted: 27/03/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

TOMASZ DABROWSKI ~ TOMASZ DABROWSKI & THE INDIVIDUAL BEINGS APRIL 093 (Barcode: 5709498109329) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by Polish (resident in Denmark) trumpeter / composer Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and his new septet called Individual BeingsFind albums by this artist, which also includes Danish saxophonist Fredrik LundinFind albums by this artist and Norwegian drummer Knut FinsrudFind albums by this artist and Polish saxophonist Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist, bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Jan MlynarskiFind albums by this artist. Several members of the septet utilize also electronic. The album presents eight tracks, all by the leader. The music is a brilliant example of modern European Jazz, which borders on Avant-Garde, and witch beautifully combines tradition with modernism, melody with freedom and diverse rhythmic approaches, creating a hypnotic journey through the listener’s mind. Dabrowski plays homage to the iconic Polish trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist on several layers, playing on an instrument that belonged to him, coining the name of the ensemble from a Stanko quote from his biography, but most importantly by being inspired by Stanko’s approach to Jazz composition in his most interesting period between 1970s and 1990s. The septet members are all highly experienced musicians with impressive individual careers under their belts, which of course enables a high density of imagination and expression, which the septet is able to use while creating this music. The constantly changing dialogues and individual soloing are all superbly weaved and the music engulfs the listener completely. The double drums provide the possibility of polyrhythmic time scales and multifocal pulsations, which are highly unusual and fascinating. Although everything Dabrowski recorded in the last ten years or so since he arrived on the scene – an astounding number of forty albums as a leader / co-leader and sideman – he still manages to innovate and reinvent himself time after time, constantly pushing the boundaries. He always seems to be able to inspire his fellow musicians to follow him in his quests. Overall, this is a stunning, highly unusual album full of wonderful music, atmospheric tension and beautiful aesthetics, which hold the listener mesmerized for the duration. It also serves as a great example of contemporary international musical collaboration which borderless Europe can offer to its young generation. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 16/02/2022Posted: 16/02/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

DIOMEDE ~ PEOPLE FROM THE EAST SJ 025 (Barcode: 5912596066276) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz duo DiomedeFind albums by this artist comprising of pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Tomasz MarkaniczFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, which are not credited on the artwork and therefore are assumed to be co-composed by both members of the duo. The music is a surprising collection of highly melodic tunes, mostly melancholic and introvert, performed by the duo with certain amount of pathos and theatrical drama, overall quite effective and aesthetically pleasing, but definitely only partly involved with the Jazz idiom. There are elements of Classical Music and folkloristic influences, New Age emotionalism and of course improvisations, all amalgamated into a unique musical blend, which is very communicative and enjoyable to a potentially wide audiences. Both players perform very well, but Tarwid offers a much more diverse palette of sounds and techniques, whereas Markanicz sticks to pretty straightforward saxophone parts, which state the melodic themes and then improvise quite closely to the core melody lines, utilizing dynamics, intensity and wall of sound effects. The most important asset of this music is its "strangeness" and unconventional approach to music making, which is always welcome, even if the purely musical value of the music is not entirely apparent. These musicians are clearly searching for a new path and the process of searching is the essence of this music. This music is perhaps more appropriate for cinema / theater or other applications than for conventional listening, but regardless of the way it is heard, it has its merits. Recommended for more adventurous listeners, who like taking chances!

Updated: 25/11/2017Posted: 25/11/2017

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

DIOMEDE ~ PRZYSPIEWKI AUDIO CAVE 2020/008 (Barcode: 5908298549056) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album by Polish Jazz outfit DiomedeFind albums by this artist, which started as a duo of keyboardist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Tomasz MarkaniczFind albums by this artist and on this album was expanded to a trio with the addition of drummer Hubert ZemlerFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, which are not credited on the alum´s artwork and assumed to be co-composed by all three musicians. The music seems to stick to the modus operandi of the debut album, presenting melodic pieces, which are only partly related to the Jazz idiom, but involve the element of improvisation and the adventurous spirit, and which could be easily perceived as Art Rock, cinematic music, World-Jazz Fusion and many other sun-genres. This chameleonic character of the music is truly charming and fascinating, and keeps the listener on his toes for the entire duration. Tarwid emerges as one of the most interesting representatives of the young Polish Jazz scene, and his recorded legacy so far offers an astonishing stylistic diversity and unusual level of excellence, which are certainly worth watching closely. His contributions on this album are a clear indication of his multi-talented musical personality. Markanicz evidently matured since the recording of the debut and his improvising skill and power of expression are certainly more impressive, placing him shoulder to shoulder with the two more experienced colleagues. Joining forces with Zemler, who is another example of the strength and diversity of the Polish scene and a remarkable performer, certainly added a lot of new creativity into the outfit´s presence and strengthened the overall sound significantly, now able to present a full palette of an bona fide ensemble. Overall this is a very impressive album, wonderfully unusual, rich in musical contents and surprising variety, excellently performed and obviously standing out as far as creativity and exploration are concerned. Absolutely well done, Gentlemen, and congratulations are in order for passing the critical sophomore album test.

Updated: 22/06/2020Posted: 22/06/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

JACHNA / TARWID / KARCH ~ SUNDIAL FOR TUNE 0039 (Barcode: 5902768701418) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 - 2014 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio fronted by trumpeter / composer Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist with two very young newcomers to the scene, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummer Albert KarchFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, one of which is repeated twice and another three times, producing ten tracks all together. The music includes individually composed pieces, others which are co-composed by Jachna and Tarwid and still others co-composed by all three members of the trio. In the last decade Jachna has been slowly, but firmly establishing his position as one of the top Polish Jazz trumpet players. His work with the Sing Sing PenelopeFind albums by this artist ensemble and his duets with drummer Jacek BuhlFind albums by this artist belong to some of the most impressive achievements of Polish Jazz during the last decade, which after all is densely populated in the trumpet department. In time he developed a unique voicing on both trumpet and flugelhorn, which for old people like me constantly bring fond reminiscences of the early days of Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist. Jachna is not imitating Stanko nor is he trying consciously to sound like him, but his way of phrasing and the "dirty", coarse tone are simply so characteristic, that the immediate resemblance is unavoidable. The two youngsters share common music studies in Denmark, where hordes of young and talented Polish Jazz players go to polish their knowledge and chops, but most importantly they evidently share their talents and passion for music. Tarwid, who has been called a musical prodigy after winning several piano competitions at a ridiculous young age, proves that he is no gimmick and his piano work certainly fills the heart with hope for days to come. Karch, who studied with Polish Jazz drumming icon Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, is also quite a hot potato, as the music herein firmly confirms. Together the trio is definitely one of the freshest and most impressive new ensembles on the Polish Jazz scene and this debut emerges as one of the most striking recordings released in Poland this year. Everything that makes Polish Jazz so unique and outstanding is reflected on this album: a search for new ways to express emotions, a complete freedom from conventions, a disregard towards obvious and boring musical methodology and at the same time a deep respect towards the music´s profound tradition and aesthetics. As always, the fact that music of such magnitude can be produced by musicians of such remarkably young age is nothing short of astounding. The true depth of this music can be fully appreciated only if one takes a much broader view of it, beyond the Jazz conventions. It is no less relevant as a component of improvised chamber music, an imaginary ambient soundtrack or any other open minded musical exploration, which is genre free and at the same time cross-genre. Over the last decade I have invested a lot of emotions and hopes into Jachna´s music and it makes me extremely happy that he was able to come up with this culminating work, which was unquestionably worth waiting for. His choice of partners and his persistency finally came into fruition, which should make him and his companions tremendously proud. Chapeau to all the Young Lions!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JACHNA / TARWID / KARCH ~ SUNDIAL II HEVHETIA 0130 (Barcode: 8588005257879) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the second album by the excellent Polish Jazz trio consisting of trumpeter Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummer Albert KarchFind albums by this artist. It presents nine original compositions, four of which were composed by Tarwid, two were composed by Karch, one was composed by Jachna, one was co-composed by Jachna and Tarwid and the final one was co-composed by all three members of the trio. The trio´s previous album, which created quite a stir on the Polish scene when it was released two years earlier, has set an incredibly high hurdle before the musicians to follow up and even more so to further develop their music, with the usual "second album dread" hovering above. I am delighted to say that they did not disappoint and managed very successfully to surmount all the perils. The main element of this album is the decisive role of the composition, which takes over the role of improvised music, which was the primary modus operandi on the debut album. It becomes very apparent after just a few moments of listening, that this music is carefully composed and structured, which takes it even closer to the contemporary Classical idiom and further away from Jazz, than previously. The music is mostly very serene, relaxed and minimalistic, with prolonged pauses and a vast amount of space between the notes, except for a few highly intensive passages. Tarwid, who is the primary composer this time, plays long solo piano passages, which resemble the characteristic atmosphere of the music by the great French composer Erik SatieFind albums by this artist. Jachna almost completely avoids his blistering staccatos and mostly just plays the melody lines and variations. Karch also does not play traditional rhythms, just adds percussive layer to the music, mostly using mallets and playing very modestly. As a trio they are extremely effective, balanced and expressive, using the silence and space as their most efficient tool. Together the trio creates an amazing amalgam of contemporary music, which simply eschews any simplistic classification. For a lack of a better definition it could be described as belonging to the very liberal and broad definition of the Jazz idiom, but in truth it could be also perceived as a next step in the development of contemporary music. Free yet organized, unconventional yet coherent, composed yet unexpected, this is definitely some of the best music that is being played in Europe these days. One can only speculate what these young musicians will come up with in the future, but it is pretty sure it will be fresh and intellectually challenging. This level of composition and performance happens only very rarely, even on the European Jazz scene, which is blessed with remarkable quantity of extremely talented young musicians. In the meantime we can enjoy every second if this superb album, filling our hearts with the joy of creation these musicians share with us. Absolutely brilliant!

Updated: 27/10/2016Posted: 27/10/2016

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

JACHNA / TARWID / KARCH ~ SUNDIAL III HEVHETIA 0186 (Barcode: 8588005258593) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the third album by the excellent Polish Jazz trio consisting of trumpeter Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummer Albert KarchFind albums by this artist. This time the trio is expanded into a quartet with the inclusion of the veteran saxophonist Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist. The album, recorded live, presents nine original compositions, all composed or co-composed by the trio members. It is quite a challenge to follow the two superb albums which the trio recorded earlier with another extraordinary piece of music, which will continue the same level of emotional depth and sophistication. This is perhaps the reason why the trio members decided to reinforce their ranks with the addition of Wojtczak, who has achieved a remarkable level of respect and appreciation on the Polish scene, being one of the most creative and open-minded musicians on the scene. In retrospect this decision proved to be most fruitful and successful musically. The music on this album is even more open and adventurous than on the two earlier albums, still offering a pre-composed skeleton but relaying more on spontaneous improvisation than ever before. It is therefore further removed from the Contemporary Classical tendencies followed earlier on and moves toward Avant-Garde contemporary music, with an emphasis on both group and individual improvisation. The melodic themes become more minimalist and nebulous, strongly related to the Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist legacy he defined in the mid-1960s. I am pretty sure this music would put a smile on his face. As usual, the individual contributions by the trio members are highly inspired and perfectly executed. Wojtczak integrates with the trio completely and unconditionally, becoming entirely naturally an integral part of the music making unit. Obviously his presence enhances and deepens the overall sound and adds new possibilities, which are immediately sized upon by the trio members. One could hardly hope for a more innate combination of improvising powers than this. The future will tell weather Wojtczak joins the trio on a permanent basis, turning it into a quartet or this was just a one time only collaboration, but the potency of this ensemble is fully exposed on this album. It is only natural that musicians of this caliber refuse to stand still and keep searching constantly, and therefore it is completely normal to see the music evolving and developing from one album to the next. As long as they manage to keep it interesting, inspiring and deeply satisfying, like in this case, we should be grateful and feel blessed that such music is being made. Overall this is a remarkable album, certainly marking a noteworthy event in the 2019 list of Polish Jazz releases and deserving the admiration and respect reserved only for the very best of its kind. Thank you for the music, as always!

Updated: 24/05/2019Posted: 24/05/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

HALYM KIM / BIJUL ~ MY ILLUSION OF KOREA BAREFOOT 070 (Barcode: 5706274011104) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2019 Released: 2021 This is an album by German (of Korean origin resident in Copenhagen) Jazz-drummer Halym KimFind albums by this artist and his ensemble BijulFind albums by this artist, which also includes Danish saxophonist Nana Pi Aabo LarsenFind albums by this artist, Swiss bass clarinetist Eloi CalameFind albums by this artist, Norwegian trumpeter Erik Kimestad PedersenFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist. The album presents four tracks, all composed by Kim. The album’s duration is below half an hour, which makes it rater an EP than a full album. The music is typical Free Jazz / Improvised Music outing, based on sketchy compositions barely recognizable as far as melody is concerned, and personally I was also unable to recognized any Korean Music references, as alluded by the album’s title and the PR material attached to the album, which was released by the adventurous Danish BarefootFind albums on this label label, home to many similar projects, obviously flourishing in Copenhagen, one of the epicenters of young European Jazz / Improvised Music. The album offers a plethora of excellent statements by the participants, most impressive of those being (not surprisingly) by Tarwid, who is able to create his own microcosm whenever he touches the keyboards. But all the rest of the musicians, including the leader, are also very expressive and creative. The music, however, sounds sadly really dated, like something that might have been recorded in the 1960s, when Improvised Music and Free Jazz exploded into the consciousness. This reflects the paradox of Avant-Garde / Improvised Music, which although completely innovative and revolutionary at the time, simply almost entirely (with very few exceptions) froze in time, adding virtually nothing new to the genre in the last five decades. Overall, for lovers of Improvised Music, this album is as good as any of the many recordings currently released within that genre, but the music is unable to penetrate beyond a very narrow niche that it occupies. Personally I enjoyed the music while it lasted, but I’ll probably never return to listen to it again. Still it is definitely worth exploring and as far as Tarwid is concerned, it is a valuable addition to his already quite impressive recorded legacy.

Updated: 01/07/2021Posted: 01/07/2021

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

MAD SHIP ~ FLASH YEARS KOLD 0003 (Barcode: 5706274010480) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz ensemble Mad ShipFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Tomasz LicakFind albums by this artist, guitarist Kuba WojcikFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Wojcik. The music presents a highly charged, soaked in synthesizer and electronic effects sound, with an eerie ambiance and very atypical overall approach, surely as far as Jazz is concerned. The pieces range between atmospheric, slow developing vistas a la New Age and energetic up-tempo dense explorations, almost Heavy Metal in nature, surely not something one would expect from a Jazz album, but on the other hand a reflection of a steady trend in contemporary Polish Jazz to increasingly involve electronics within the genre. But pushing these convoluted descriptions aside, this album definitely offers an interesting listening experience, which keeps surprising and keeps the listener at his toes. All four players are experienced and talented musicians and therefore the performances are highly effective. Licak, in spite of his harsh tone, plays highly lyrically and melodically for the duration, spicing the proceeding with some superb Free Form improvisations. Wojcik concentrates on electronics and his guitar contributions are mostly riffs and background chords, with occasional soloing, Tarwid, nor surprisingly, steals the show completely with his brilliant synthesizer parts, which provide most of the content and finally Szmanda keeps the entire havoc together with his excellent versatile and solid drumming. Overall this is a superb debut effort, perhaps still not completely focused but offering a lot of very interesting music, with a strong emotional impact resulting in a dense, demanding listening experience. As usual, the most important factor is the effort to leave conventional approach behind and keep exploring, which this music surely represents. I am already waiting for the next album, but in the meantime this one is certainly worth investigating!

Updated: 15/07/2020Posted: 15/07/2020

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

MAD SHIP ~ TIME SHIFT OFFCZART 001 (Barcode: 0606707447485) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is the second album by Polish Jazz quartet Mad ShipFind albums by this artist, which comprises of guitarist Kuba WojcikFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz LicakFind albums by this artist, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve tracks, ten of which were composed by Wojcik and two by Tarwid. Six of the tracks are basically improvisations, based on “concepts” by Wojcik. The music continues where the debut left off, this time somewhat less experimental perhaps with more clear melodic themes and less electronics, but keeping the mystery in the air, with a central theme of time clicking steadily. Wojcik offers some impressive guitar parts, sometimes almost Rock oriented, Licak is the steady link to Jazz and free spirit, Tarwid, as usual, ornaments everything with stunning keyboards parts and Szmanda is in perfect command of the rhythmic layers, all cooperating towards the common goal of keeping the listener in constant anticipation of the next move. The music is again only marginally Jazz oriented, at least as far as mainstream Jazz listeners are concerned, but the amalgam of cross-genre vistas creates a tapestry of sounds, which is fascinating and stimulating for the entire duration, expanding the Jazz idiom towards uncharted territory. Overall, this is another highly successful effort by the quartet, which passes the sophomore release test with ease and high hopes for the future. Of course these four musicians take part in many other projects parallel to their work herein and establish the next generation of the Polish Jazz scene with class and obvious talent. Well done Sirs!

Updated: 20/03/2024Posted: 20/03/2024

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

MINIM ~ MANIFESTO KOLD 0006 (Barcode: 606707738859) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2021 This is the third album by Polish Jazz ensemble MinimFind albums by this artist led by guitarist / composer Kuba WojcikFind albums by this artist and the second release featuring renown Tuvan vocalist Sainkho NamtchylakFind albums by this artist. Minim on this recording includes keyboardist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Albert KarchFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live at the Warsaw club SPATIF and presents seven original compositions, five by Wojcik, one by Namtchylak and one co-composed by the two. The album is in fact a companion to the previously released studio album “EarthFind albums with this title”, both recorded in 2019, based on the same material. As already stated in my review of the a.m. studio album, this music is absolutely original and incomparable with anything created on the Polish Jazz scene or even worldwide scene for that matter. Obviously strongly under the spell of the Tuvan throat singing, which here appears as virtuosic improvised vocalese, the entire atmosphere of Avant-Garde Jazz-World Fusion manages to spellbind the listener from the very first note and maintain the suspenseful tension to the very last. Of course these are some of the best Polish Jazz musicians out there, so their individual performances come as no surprise, but the obvious bond they manage to create with the vocalist, who comes from a very different cultural background, speaks volumes about the open-mindedness they are blessed with and no less importantly the deep respect of dissimilar Cultures. As usual in such circumstances, it is fascinating to compare the studio and live versions of the same material as well as the interaction between the musicians in these two environments. Of course in this case one can be hardly surprised how different the two results can be, both able perfectly to preserve the esthetic validity of the music. Kamil PiotrowiczFind albums by this artist, who played on the studio album, and Tarwid, are two very different keyboardists, which of course has an impact on the differences found between these two recordings, which again emphasizes the amazing amount of talent among the new generation of Polish Jazz musicians. Overall, this is a perfect companion to the studio album and the two complete each other splendidly. The music is fascinating and often mindboggling, but despite the artistic freedom remain perfectly coherent. I can only repeat my recommendation to grab a copy of this album ASAP, and as usual thank the musicians for sharing their talents with us.

Updated: 09/11/2021Posted: 09/11/2021

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

FRANCISZEK POSPIESZALSKI ~ 1ST LEVEL FOR TUNE 0123 (Barcode: 5906395808250) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz bassist / composer Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a sextet setting with his fellow Polish students at Copenhagen´s Rhythmic Music Conservatory, which is very popular among the young generation of Polish Jazz musicians in the last decade. The other members of the sextet are: saxophonists Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist and Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummers Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist (who also plays electronic vibraphone) and Albert KarchFind albums by this artist. Trumpeter Szczepan PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist plays on one tune. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Pospieszalski, and one arrangement of a Classical piece. The music, which is absolutely beyond any known systematic classification, moves constantly between modern Jazz, group improvisation, contemporary Classical and a myriad of other not yet invented labels, and is utterly stunning in its inventiveness and complete disregard of stylistic or mental limitations. It is an extension to what the Love And Beauty SeekersFind albums by this artist trio (Pospieszalski / Lagodzinski / Gasiorek) brilliantly started on their debut album a year earlier, with the additional power and possibilities intrinsic to the larger sextet lineup. In short this is perhaps a beginning of a new Jazz genre, which appears here for the first time, and which is new and separate from anything else known in the past. It is mindboggling to hear what these young people manage to achieve here, which is more revolutionary and prophetic that what most Jazz musicians achieved in their lifetimes. As hard as it is to believe, this music is a quintessential expression of the Jazz exploration and development, which is the genre´s most important quality, especially in view of the fact that most other musical forms are simply dying or exist in a state of deep lethargy. Listening to this music reveals perhaps the last threads of hope for human Culture, which is still alive and kicking. Although the album is extremely short (just over thirty six minutes in duration), it is so extremely condensed and full of intellectual charge, that its unadulterated contents means more that dozens of other albums put together. As a result it stays apart from most other albums released in Poland this year, and is by far the most interesting release so far in 2017. It will perhaps take time for the listeners to fully understand the meaning and significance of this music, but the musical prophecy conveyed herein is bound to create a major impact. My deepest thanks go to these young Lions for keeping my faith in humanity afloat.

Updated: 18/07/2017Posted: 18/07/2017

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANCISZEK POSPIESZALSKI ~ SECOND STEP NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903771865210) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the third album as a leader by young Polish Jazz bassist / composer Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and his second recording with his sextet, which here includes saxophonists Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Wiktoria JakubowskaFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist. Barbara PospieszalskaFind albums by this artist plays piano on one track and a string quartet plays on two tracks. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the leader. The album was recorded at the Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist. As usual with Pospieszalski, his music eschews all attempts of straightforward classification and encompasses many different influences, from contemporary Classical Music, via the Jazz tradition, Folkloristic fragrances and Avant-Garde tendencies, which altogether produce a unique amalgam, which is first and foremost his own. It is fascinating to follow the development of Pospieszalski in the last five years since the recording of his debut album and the crystallization of his stylistic tendencies, influenced undoubtedly by the years he studied music in Denmark, which is a melting point of the young European Jazz scene. The bond he forged there with Lagodzinski and Gasiorek, which resulted in the formation of the Love And Beauty SeekersFind albums by this artist trio seems to hold on, as these young people obviously share common musical vibes. In the liner notes accompanying this album Pospieszalski reflects upon the blind worship of everything “American”, in music and life habits alike, which is tragically so omnipresent among young Europeans, rather than following and developing the rich and beautiful European tradition that has so much to offer. I wholeheartedly share that point of view of course and the fact that Pospieszalski is open enough to talk about it, in addition to creating music which is deeply European in its essence, is highly commendable. Overall, this is a wonderful piece of music; bold, interesting, beautifully put together and executed, which fully justifies the hopes and belief in the young generation of Polish / European Jazz, that some of us share. There are only a few albums recorded each year that have so much to offer, and this one surely deserves to be heard by as many music lovers around the world as possible. Well done!

Updated: 07/09/2021Posted: 07/09/2021

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

FRANCISZEK POSPIESZALSKI QUINTET ~ JAZZ.PL VOL.3 POLSKIE RAADIO 2417 (Barcode: 5907812247140) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with trumpeter Piotr DamasiewiczFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartosz SzablowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents arrangements of four compositions by Charles MingusFind albums by this artist and one by Jack WalrathFind albums by this artist, all of which originate from the seminal Mingus albums “Changes OneFind albums with this title” and “Changes TwoFind albums with this title” released in 1975. The album was recorded live by Polish Radio during a series of concerts entitled Jazz.pl, hence the title. I have to admit that at the first glace it looked to me as a very cheeky idea to undertake a “face to face” with some of the Jazz “holy ground”: an absolute peak of Mingus career as composer and bandleader and classic American Jazz legacy. These young Polish cats will have to prove being worthy of even playing this music, let alone playing around with it. It is with great relief and satisfaction that I find this attempt to be successful and astonishingly creative. The quintet manages successfully to Europeanize the music, by adding many minor, by highly significant touches, which appear all over this music quite unexpectedly. These highly skilled musicians have a lot of fun on the way and show clearly that they are able to take these wonderful compositions to new places, which Mingus would have never even thought of, but I am pretty sure he would have approved of. I am sending this music to my Friend Jack Walrath to hear his input on it, and I can imagine his face when he listens to these interpretations. With all due respect to Franciszek Pospieszalski for the idea and initiative, the true hero of this album is obviously Tarwid, who is in charge of most of the modifications via his charmingly brilliant piano work, twisting the entire aesthetics of this music. But to be fair, all five of these young devils play superbly from start to finish. Overall, this is an absolutely marvelous album, which shows how a fifty years old music, as genius as it originally was, can be revitalized, expanded and subtly redirected, all by using European Jazz shticks and tricks, to became even more brilliant than originally conceived. I bow my head in awe and respect!

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

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

STRYCHARSKI / TARWID ~ APOGEUM AUDIO CAVE 2024/005 (Barcode: 5908298549858) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2024 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz / Improvising Music duo comprising of flautist / electronics manipulator / composer Dominik StrycharskiFind albums by this artist and keyboardist / composer Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, all (assumably) co-credited to both musicians. The music is completely improvised, almost entirely devoid of any melodic continuity, which to an inexperienced listener might sound as a collection of randomly produced sounds. Even listeners from the inside circles of the Polish Improvised Music might find this music trying. Although both of the duo members tackled improvising music earlier on, on this album they both take things to the extreme scale of the Avant-Garde mayhem, which of course is perfectly fine with me, albeit I much prefer their more conventional outings. Although I have been listening to Improvised Music for more than six decades, I always face the same dilemma: even if the music manages to create some interest at the first time I listen to it, I find myself never ever returning to listen to it again. As a result, I prefer to listen to IM live than on record, knowing that this is an unrepeatable experience. Of course I respect musicians, who do what they do with conviction and dedication, and both these Artists are extremely talented individuals, with an impressive recorded legacy already, despite their relative young age. I simply favor their past recordings, some of which are truly exceptional, to this particular cooperation. Overall, this is a highly demanding, Avant-Garde Improvised Music experiment, which probably will find some enthusiastic followers, but which I found somewhat estranged to on one hand, and experiencing the famous déjà vu feeling on the other hand. In my experience being innovative in Avant-Garde is way more difficult than on conventional ground, as absurd as this may sound. Kudos for trying and not looking back!

Updated: 12/07/2024Posted: 12/07/2024

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

GRZEGORZ TARWID ~ AY KOLD 0005 ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist, and same as a debut it is a solo piano recording, although on some tracks electronic effects are used. The album is a home recording and presents ten original compositions, all by Tarwid. Since several years Tarwid established himself as one of the most interesting new arrivals on the Polish Jazz scene and appears on more than a dozen albums as co-leader or participant, always contributing significantly and highly originally. The time Tarwid studied in Copenhagen and got exposed to a wide range of young European Jazz musicians obviously influenced his development as well. His music is often very difficult to categorize precisely and shifts between Jazz and Avant-Garde with ease and elegance, being always fascinating and intellectually challenging, which of course sets him aside from most of his contemporaries. At times his music touches upon contemporary Classical Music, but again, the labeling is in fact completely redundant. Some of the compositions have subtle, often romantic melodic content, which of course is hardly surprising with Polish composers, which even when disguised in modernism, is clearly recognized to a trained ear, like in the ominously titled “A National Worm”. Overall, this is a wonderfully intelligent, challenging album, which marks Tarwid as one of the upcoming Polish / European Jazz musicians to keep an eye on in the future, although his recorded legacy is already very impressive.

Updated: 27/03/2022Posted: 27/03/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

GRZEGORZ TARWID ~ PLAYS NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist, one of the upcoming young Polish Jazz personalities, who already managed to bring attention to himself through his recordings with the Jachna / Tarwid / KarchFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. SundialFind albums by this artist) trio and other work as sideman / co-leader. This solo piano album presents just four improvised pieces called Etudes, the first three of which were recorded in the studio and the last was recorded live. The total playing time of the album is just slightly above the half hour mark, so technically it is an EP. The music is extremely hard to categorize, as it manages to slip between the commonly accepted definitions of contemporary genres. It could be embraced by Avant-Garde contemporary Classical Music as easily as Improvised Music, but again it is innovative and unique enough to define its own niche. It combines a minimalist absence of melody with a fury of staccato notes, which create almost a "wall of sound" effect at times. This album is definitely the most detached Tarwid´s recording from his Jazz base, but his followers will have no problem with connecting the dots to his previous recordings. Such bold venture into uncharted territory reflects Tarwid´s desire to expand his horizons and his journey in music, influenced by his residency in Denmark and the involvement with the local scene seems to suit ideally his growth path. This music is as far from easy listening as music goes, which means that it requires an intellectual / emotional effort from the listener and certainly does not apply to the average Jazz listener. Nevertheless it is exemplary in its boldness and unprecedented in its approach as far as the composition and piano playing are concerned. Overall this is a highly unusual piece of music, recommended to open-minded listeners who are willing to make an effort before they can fully enjoy the music.

Updated: 19/02/2020Posted: 19/02/2020

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend