Record Reviews

JOANNA BEJM ~ JESTES SOLITON 972 (Barcode: 5901571099729) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish vocalist / songwriter Joanna BejmFind albums by this artist recorded with a Jazz trio consisting of keyboardist Rafal StepienFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. Violinist Marcin SkabaFind albums by this artist plays on six tracks and several additional guests participate on selected tracks. The album presents ten original songs, all composed by Bejm or co-composed by her and Skaba. All the lyrics are by Polish poetess Halina PoswiatowskaFind albums by this artist, one of Poland´s most striking literary figures. As such the album falls comfortably within the Polish Jazz & Poetry idiom. As someone familiar with Poswiatowska´s poetry I admit approaching this album with great anticipation mixed with some trepidation, considering the depth and intellectual complexity of the literary layer. I am glad to say that Bejm managed to embrace the poetry with considerable talent and respect, carefully selecting the poems and dressing them in appropriate musical attire. There is always a danger that profound literary work could be trivialized by inappropriate musical treatment, which sadly does happen from time to time, but certainly did not happen in this case. The music is, as expected, full of typical Polish melancholy and lyrical emotionality, which Polish Jazz warmly embraces on a day to day level, but in particular within the Jazz & Poetry projects. Low key ballads with slow intrinsic motion are like a gentle wind carrying the words like yellow autumn leaves. The deep sadness, which characterizes the poetry, is somewhat softened by the music, making it perhaps more approachable to the listeners. The instrumental parts are all excellent, as expected from these seasoned veterans. The rhythm section is steady like a rock and sensitive like velvet, Stepien is a superb player both on the acoustic piano and the electric keyboards, always playing only what is truly needed and his piano soli are the cherry on top. The guests add their part amicably and the entire album offers a coherent musical continuity. Bejm manages the vocal parts with respect and restrain, which of course is ideal in this case. She is an instrument delivering the poems, which are the focus of this album and she cleverly eschews unnecessary theatrics, which would have spoiled the magic. Considering the fact that this is her debut album, she does a remarkable job. The only small criticism I could think of is the packaging of the album, which sadly does not include the printed version of the poems – an addition that as a Jazz & Poetry buff I consider absolutely necessary. Of course there are copyright issues, etc, but it would have been nice to have them. Overall this is a beautiful piece of Art, an absolute must for all Jazz & Poetry lovers around the world, even those who are not native Polish speakers – the music transcends language barriers. Well done Milady!

Updated: 25/11/2019Posted: 25/11/2019

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KRYSTYNA STANKO ~ KROPLA SLOWA STM 004 (Barcode: 5907592141010) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the sixth album by Polish Jazz vocalist / composer / lyricist Krystyna StankoFind albums by this artist, and her most ambitious undertaking to date, as it presents her in the Jazz & Poetry setting, which is always very demanding and perilous. The album comprises of ten songs; four of which have lyrics by the Nobel Prize laureate poetess Wislawa SzymborskaFind albums by this artist (who died in 2012), two with lyrics by poetess Halina PoswiatowskaFind albums by this artist (who died in 1967 at a ridiculous young age of 32), one with lyrics by poetess Dorota SzattersFind albums by this artist (a contemporary lyricist living in Silesia, the southern part of Poland), one with lyrics by the poet Tomasz JastrunFind albums by this artist (well-known for his involvement with the underground literary movement during the Socialist regime) and the last two with lyrics by Stanko herself. Of the ten songs, seven were composed by vibraphonist / composer Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist, two by Stanko and one by bassist / composer Paul RutschkaFind albums by this artist, who is Stanko´s nephew. The songs are performed by Stanko, who is accompanied by a core trio, which includes Bukowski and the wonderful rhythm section of bassist Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist. In addition several excellent musicians participate as guests adding their contributions to one or two of the songs, those being: saxophonists Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist and Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jacek KrolikFind albums by this artist, percussionist Miroslaw HadyFind albums by this artist, Indonesian pianist Sri HanuragaFind albums by this artist and bassist Paul Rutschka. A string quartet is also utilized on a couple of songs. The presence of so many musicians creates a much diversified album, with each of the songs being quite distinct and different sounding instrumentally, which enhances the listening experience and allows for unexpected vistas. Of course the diversity does not disturb the general atmosphere of the album, which is wonderfully lyrical and introvert, as are most Polish Jazz & Poetry albums. For listeners familiar with the Polish scene, this album immediately brings on a need to match it up against the recent work by Polish Jazz vocalist Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist, which is conceptually and spiritually in the same aesthetic sphere of influence. In fact this album is incredibly akin to Zaryan´s latest album. One can only speculate as to how much of this proximity is intentional, but probably very little. It is more likely a result of the characteristics of both Polish Jazz and Polish Poetry being so dominant, with the distinctive rhythm of the language, its "playability" and inherent musicality, which contributed to this close encounter. Of course these albums are also wonderfully different, which creates a joyous opportunity to love them both. Stanko should be praised for sticking with her mother tongue, against the temptations of "international potential", which brings many Polish singers to try their luck with texts in English. Every music connoisseur understands that vocalists are at their best when singing in their natural language, and of course even more so in case poetry is used. Stanko´s interpretation and articulation of the poems is warm and wonderfully round, expressing her deep engagement with this project. The music is also excellent, and although melodic, it proves to be quite challenging at times, with twisted progressions and unusual harmonic structure. Listeners, who are not familiar with the Polish language, will still be able to enjoy this album immensely, just listening to Stanko´s vocals as another instrument in the ensemble, carrying the melody. The overall level of performances is truly amazing. The vibraphone and marimba are difficult instruments, especially for the less experienced listeners, but Bukowski manages to use them subtly, often staying low-key and wonderfully supportive towards the vocalist. Lemanczyk plays absolutely stunningly, with his virtuosic bass lines carrying the music like wind over water. Konrad, a well-respected veteran, is the ensemble´s chronometer, without actually playing the beat, masterfully ornamenting the music with his percussive touches. The guest musicians all contribute in their relative fields of expertise. The leading Lady is firmly expressing the lyrics and yet creating a brilliant atmosphere of fragility and insecurity, as appropriate in such context. A job well done indeed! I admit falling in love with this album immediately. Those sensitive, intelligent and brilliantly talented women always capture my musical heart filling it with passion and sweet delight. Age, experience and cynicism simply melt away. The only gentlemanly thing left is to thank Stanko for creating this heartwarming peace of musical delight and wish her God´s speed. I´m already longing for the next one!

Updated: 23/03/2024Posted:

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