Record Reviews

BOGDAN HOLOWNIA / WOJCIECH PULCYN ~ HENRYK WARS SONGBOOK HOBO 009 (Barcode: 5907527959093) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 The great Polish (of Jewish origin) composer Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Henryk WarszawskiFind albums by this artist) was one of the most important music personalities of the interwar Polish music scene. He wrote music for many Polish films made during that period and composed countless popular songs, which were performed by the top Polish singers. He was also the musical director of the first Polish record company Syrena RekordFind albums on this label, which produced many thousands of recordings during the period. In addition he also wrote several Classical compositions and was one of Poland´s Jazz pioneers. Wars survived the WWII as a member of the Polish Army and after being demobilized in 1947 he emigrated to the USA, where he continued his music career, mostly as cinematic composer and songwriter until his death in 1977. Polish Jazz musicians: pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist present a selection of nine evergreens composed by Wars, with words by the best lyricists of the time, including the sublime poet Julian TuwimFind albums by this artist, which during the interwar period were smash hits on the local scene. In an intimate duo format and stripped from the lyrics, these performances emphasize the melodic sensitivities of the composer, which undoubtedly stand up to all other popular music composers of that period, who produced the inexhaustible source of musical gems, called "standards" in Jazz. The performances by the duo are all kept in a low key and the improvisation is kept to a minimum, concentrating on the delivery of the melodic contents. Therefore as a Jazz album it is relatively limited, but as an important document of the Polish popular music history and a tribute to the great composer it´s invaluable. The album will surely bring on some nostalgic moments from the older generation of listeners (sadly almost gone) and its primary role is to introduce this wonderful music to the younger generation, which should not forget the tradition, which is so full of musical treasures. Definitely worth investigation! The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, which of course means that the sound quality is super as always in such case.

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PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING TRIO ~ VARS & KAPER DECONSTRUCTION HEVHETIA 0126 (Barcode: 8588005257817) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 - 2015 Released: 2016 Three years ago I initiated a series of concerts / recordings as part of the Singer Jazz Festival, of which I am the artistic director, of music by the great "American" composers: Victor YoungFind albums by this artist, Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, all three of which are in fact Polish Jews, who immigrated to the US at some stage of their life. The fact that they had Polish / Jewish roots is almost completely unknown not only to the American public (which is not surprising), but sadly also to Polish public. The main purpose, therefore, of these concerts / recordings was to bring their Jewish / Polish roots to the attention of music lovers. The music was performed and recorded by my friend, the excellent Polish Jazz pianist Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist and his trio, and the entire series was hugely successful. Neither Kuba nor I anticipated the fact that our project would also influence the entire Polish Jazz scene and produce a huge renewed interest in these three composers, which also produced a string of recordings, of which this album is an example. Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist is of course one of the most brilliant Polish Jazz pianist, who took the local scene by a storm and during the last decade established himself as a one of its central figures. This is the second album with his trio which includes bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. Together they perform nine songs composed by Henryk Wars (four songs) and Bronislaw Kaper (five songs, two split into two parts). In addition to the trio the DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist) adds turntablism and electronics. The trio performs beautifully, as expected, playing the classic compositions with the usual flair and technical brilliance. The turntablism, electronics and other sound effects like vintage voice recordings, suit the music well and are non intrusive, but don’t really add anything substantial to the subject matter, beyond being a novelty of sorts. The usage of the term "deconstruction" in the album´s title is however quite problematic. Personally I can´t hear anything being deconstructed in the music played on this album? These are just pretty standard interpretations of the classic songs, but deconstructions? The philosophical / aesthetic meaning of deconstruction is certainly absent here and in general this term is being used (or misused) way to often these days. Overall this is an excellent piano trio recording, with brilliant Jazz performances, as expected. Just forget the somewhat pretentious title and enjoy the music!

Updated: 27/09/2016Posted: 27/09/2016

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ADAM MAKOWICZ ~ A HANDFUL OF STARS CHIAROSCURO 209 (Barcode: 091454020928) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1981 Released: 1997 This is a little known and sort of a “lost” album by Polish pianist / composer Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in 1981 but released only sixteen years later in 1997, for reasons aptly explained in the album’s booklet. The album was produced by the legendary John HammondFind albums by this artist, who was also responsible for the first album Makowicz recorded in the US, and features Makowicz in a relatively rare piano trio setting, with two superb instrumentalists: Czech bassist (and another émigré) George MrazFind albums by this artist and American drummer Jack DeJohnetteFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven tracks, which are a usual mixture of Makowicz originals (four) and Jazz standards. A twelfth (hidden) track is a spoken word track, on which Makowicz tell the story of his life and career. The music is a brilliant display of Makowicz incredible technique and captures him shortly after his arrival in the US, when his playing was still influenced to some degree by his Polish tradition and Slavic lyricism, which almost completely disappeared in the years to come. As already mentioned, it is a rare trio setting as Makowicz definitely prefers solo piano outings. The album is closely linked to the “From My WindowFind albums with this title” solo piano album, also recorded in 1981 the duo recording “Classic Jazz DuetsFind albums with this title” with Mraz, recorded in 1982, as well as “The Name Is MakowiczFind albums with this title” quintet recording from 1983, all of which present his work from that period. It is no wonder that Makowicz managed to win the hearts of the American audiences and critic alike, since his treatment of the American Jazz tradition sounds completely familiar and orthodox, spiced of course with his virtuosic technique and genuine love of the music, and his original compositions are fully in the vein of American standards, many of which were composed by composers of Polish heritage, like Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist, Victor YoungFind albums by this artist or Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, a fact American listeners had no clue about of course. Mraz and DeJohnette play splendidly, as expected, and the classic Jazz piano trio format proves to be unbeatable again. Overall, this is a splendid opportunity to hear Makowicz in a trio setting and explore the early stages of his US career. The music stands the test of time splendidly and should be a delightful experience to every mainstream Jazz lover. For Polish Jazz collectors this is an absolute must, although it is not easy to find a copy these days.

Updated: 25/07/2023Posted: 25/07/2023

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NEW BONE ~ FOLLOW ME CM 1023 (Barcode: 5904259354417) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz ensemble New BoneFind albums by this artist, led by trumpeter Tomasz KudykFind albums by this artist and also including bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist, who has been with the ensemble from day one, excellent young drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist, who played also on their previous album and two new members: saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist (Prucnal and Fortuna are also members of the NSI QuartetFind albums by this artist) and the fabulous pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, one of the biggest stars on the polish scene at the moment. The album presents seven new arrangements of film music written by two Polish (of Jewish origin) and later American composers: Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist and Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist. The arrangements are all kept in the middle of the road mainstream Jazz, making sure nobody is offended but also providing very little intellectual or aesthetic reward to the listener. Although pleasant on the ear and sweetly melodic, this music is simply forgotten as soon as it stops playing. Of course there are some excellent players involved in making this music, so it has its moments. Wania couldn´t be boring even if he tried very hard and his contributions are splendid, but by far not enough to save this album from its blunders. Prucnal doesn´t get an opportunity to show his chops until the fifth track, by which time I was already yawning. Hiring great musicians to play on an album always presents the problem that their performances stand out even more dramatically. Definitely not my cup of tea…

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KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ FILM STORY KSQ 003 (Barcode: 5903796604016) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is an album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist recorded with his “regular” American trio: Polish (resident in US) bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and American drummer Tina RaymondFind albums by this artist. American guitarist Jordan BerliantFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Bob SheppardFind albums by this artist guest, each on one track each. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Stankiewicz. It is hardly surprising to see Stankiewicz returning to cinematic music, even if this is only hinted by the album’s title, considering the fact that he dedicated a very significant part of his career in the last decade or so to interpretations of cinematic music written by composers of Polish / Jewish origin, who achieved fame in America, such as Victor YoungFind albums by this artist, Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, a process to which I had the privy of watching closely and even contribute to some extent. The music on this album, although completely original, bears the same characteristics of the cinematic music, that gave the world a huge part of what is now considered as the Jazz standards. Stankiewicz has the same magic ability to write heartfelt, often heartbreakingly romantic melodies, which become immediate classics, or standards so to say. There must be something Polish, if not genetically at least culturally, in the ability to create such music, time after time, without being corny, trivial and repetitious, and Stankiewicz manages to do it repeatedly. The same applies to his playing, which combines brilliantly delicate touch of the keyboards and precise minimalism, which create optimal expression. Watching Stankiewicz perform is almost artistically sensuous, as he makes love with the instrument every time he touches it and sometimes even when he doesn’t. Supported by Oleszkiewicz, who is undoubtedly on the greatest bass players around, and Raymond, who is extremely supportive and considerate, the trio flies through the material with grace and elegance, which is rarely encountered these days. Overall, this is a Masterly piece of music, which combines deeply moving compositions with brilliant performances, creating together an immediate classic Jazz piano trio recording, which is irresistible to any true Jazz lover on this spinning globe of ours. This is true Polish / European Jazz at its very best, which eschews pose and gimmickry and astounds with its musical truth. This is simply beyond recommendation…

Updated: 27/11/2021Posted: 27/11/2021

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KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ INSPIRED BY ROMAN STATKOWSKI ANAKLASIS 008 (Barcode: 5907795208749) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is an album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quartet setting with Israeli saxophonist Daniel RotemFind albums by this artist, Polish (resident in US) bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and American drummer Tina RaymondFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, which are arrangements of music by the Polish Classical composer Roman StatkowskiFind albums by this artist, based on the motives from his opera "Maria". This album is a logical follow up to the three albums by Stankiewicz, recorded and released between 2014 and 2017, which were dedicated do commemorate the three great Polish / Jewish composers, who achieved fame and glory in the US and together created a huge part of the repertoire, which is now considered as "Jazz standards": Victor YoungFind albums by this artist, Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist. I had the immense pleasure to belong to the "inner circle" of people behind creating this spectacular tribute, by writing the liner notes to the "The Music Of Victor YoungFind albums with this title" (the first of the three albums) and consistently presenting the music as part of the Singer Jazz Festival, of which I am the Music Director. Last year (2019) I also had the pleasure to present the music on this album as well. During his background research on Young, Kaper and Wars, which was done with incredible seriousness, dedication and commitment, Stankiewicz discovered that both Young and Wars studied composition with Statkowski at the Warsaw Music Academy, which led him to discover the music of Statkowski, who sadly was almost completely forgotten in time. Not surprisingly the decision to pay tribute to that fabulous music was born and resulted in recording of this album. Polish Jazz fans familiar with the achievements of Stankiewicz know exactly what to expect form this album, as his proven record can be equaled by only very few of his contemporaries. The music is full of elegance, grace and above all deep sensitivity, which proves that the transformation of Classical music into the Jazz idiom can be done without compromising any of its components. Stankiewicz touches the piano keys as if making love with the instrument and his inner aesthetic is simply astounding. As expected, the rest of the quartet members are all first rate players, who prove to be ideal partners in creating this wonderful piece of music. Piano Jazz lovers, serious music connoisseurs and Stankiewicz fans will love this music to bits and many probably already bought this album (despite the unattractive cover art). Ideal listening in times the world is being quarantined, since music knows no limitations!

Updated: 21/03/2020Posted: 21/03/2020

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KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ IT`S CHRISTMAS TIME AGAIN WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295533755 (Barcode: 190295533755) ~ POLAND ~ Xmas Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This Xmas Jazz album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist was released a year ago (2018), but my personal health havoc at that time prevented me from writing about it then. Luckily Xmas has the habit of revisiting us at regular intervals, so here we are again nearing the White Holidays and I can return to this music and share my reflections about it with my readers, better late than never. The album was excellently recorded in LA and features a marvelous Jazz piano trio, which also includes veteran Polish (resident in US) bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and American drummer Tina RaymondFind albums by this artist. American guitarist Jordan BerliantFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album presents eleven tracks, which are a mixture Xmas Jazz standards, Classical Xmas songs and traditional Polish Xmas carols, all arranged by Stankiewicz. Stankiewicz is a beautifully sensitive pianist and his albums, especially those recorded in the last decade, on which he interprets Polish Classical Music composers (Wojciech KilarFind albums by this artist and Roman StatkowskiFind albums by this artist) or Jazz standards by composers of Polish descent (Victor YoungFind albums by this artist, Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist) are some of the finest recordings on the Polish Jazz scene. Over the years I have had the immense pleasure to present his projects during the Singer Jazz Festival in Warsaw, of which I am the Artistic Director, and we have become friends, for which I am of course grateful. The same approach of seriousness, sensibility and immense talent are also part of this project. As we all know, Xmas Jazz albums are often not more than a mixture of cynical opportunism and sappy sentimentalism, bordering on complete kitsch, if not worse. It makes me very happy that Stankiewicz managed to avoid all the traps and produce a bona fide Jazz album, which stands on its own independently of the subject matter. In most cases the arrangements are so sophisticated that the original music is not necessarily associated with Xmas per se and achieves a universal appeal. The trio´s performances are stellar, as expected, characterized by a sublime interplay between the trio members and obvious mutual respect. Oleszkiewicz has a reputation of one of the finest bassist worldwide and fully justifies it every time he touches his instrument. Raymond plays very delicately and subtly, as appropriately for this occasion, but always right on the money. Overall this is an excellent world class quality Jazz piano trio album, which should keep every connoisseur of the idiom happy, full of delightful lyricism and virtuosic performances rarely found on record these days. A Merry Xmas to you all, even if you personally don´t celebrate it – the Xmas spirit is universal, as is great music!

Updated: 06/12/2019Posted: 06/12/2019

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KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ THE MUSIC OF HENRYK WARS WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295865016 (Barcode: 190295865016) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the third installment in a series of albums by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist dedicated to the music written by the composers of Polish / Jewish origins, who are known primarily as the great American composers of many Jazz standards, and their true origins are almost completely unheard of. Same as its predecessors, which were dedicated to the music of Victor YoungFind albums by this artist ("The Music Of Victor YoungFind albums with this title") and Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist ("The Music Of Bronislaw KaperFind albums with this title"), this album was recorded by the piano trio with Polish (resident in US) bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and veteran American drummer Peter ErskineFind albums by this artist and presents this time eleven compositions by Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, including his most famous standards and a few much lesser known pieces. Stankiewicz, as usual, took great pains to conduct a serious research about the composer´s life and music before he selected the compositions included on this album. He is definitely quite a perfectionist in what he does, and this deserves our outmost admiration. The album includes a very educational write-up about Wars by Marek ZebrowskiFind albums by this artist (in Polish and English) and the album´s artwork continues the design originated on the previous albums. In short this is a very professional and highly aesthetic piece of music production in every aspect. The music is of course divine, its beauty timeless and these particular performances treat it with the respect these classics deserve. Stankiewicz and his cohorts play sparingly and delicately, treating each and every note like it was a priceless jewel. The rhythm section accompanies the pianist amicably and harmoniously, filling in the space but never disturbing the piano melody line and the improvised sections. In many respects this is a classic piano trio with a dream team playing perfect music – what else can we ask for. This is the Jazz traditions at its best, without being pretentious or condescending. It is an absolute must for all piano trio connoisseurs, and a great piece of Jazz history. As usual Stankiewicz, who happens to be a friend of mine, emerges victorious and highly accomplished, for which all lovers of great Jazz, myself included, thank him wholeheartedly. Not to be missed!

Updated: 27/02/2017Posted: 27/02/2017

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KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ THE MUSIC OF VICTOR YOUNG WARNER CLASSICS 825646200313 (Barcode: 825646200313) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 The making of this album turned out to be a great journey for everybody involved, full of magic and musical, historical, emotional and educational discoveries, all intertwined and dramatic, which started as a seemingly simple and straightforward task of recording a tribute album to one of America´s greatest 20th Century composers and eventually emerged as a virtual bridge between the "old" and "new" continents, linking biographical treasures, personal encounters, unearthed documents and above all the hearts of so many people on both sides of the great "pond", myself included. Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist, who is not only a sublime artist but also a wonderful human being, was the catalyst and the driving force behind this project, and his limitless faith, energy and dedication are encapsulated herein. We all hope that the listeners of this enchanting music will join Kuba and all of us in a wondrous adventure. The biography of Victor YoungFind albums by this artist is surely as dramatic and full of unexpected turns and twists as many of the movies he wrote the musical scores for. Born in Chicago at the turn of the 20th Century, his parents were Polish immigrants of Jewish origin, who had a rich musical background. He was discovered very early as an immensely talented child prodigy, having started to play the violin at the age of six. The tragic early death of his mother influenced the decision to send the ten years old Victor and his sister Helen to the homeland of their ancestors, Poland, where their grandparents still resided, and where he received his formal musical education at the Imperial Music Academy in Warsaw, finishing his studies at the momentous period when Poland received its independence after being occupied and divided between the European Empires for almost a century and a half. Young made quite a career as a virtuoso concert violinist and even managed to play for the Russian Czar Nikolai, which almost cost him his life when the Bolshevik revolution erupted and all people connected to the Czar were promptly dealt with. After a life-threatening encounter in Russia, Young managed to flee to Warsaw, then Paris and later finally returned to his Chicago home. By mid 1930s Young settled in Hollywood and concentrated on composing music for the motion pictures, in time becoming one of the most successful and prolific representatives of the American Dream. He was nominated 22 times for the Academy Award but his only Oscar was awarded to him posthumously. He died at the ridiculous age of 56 leaving behind him a tremendous legacy of hundreds of film scores and wonderful songs, which are still being performed on an everyday basis. There is hardly a Jazz gig anywhere on this planet, where at least one of his standards is not performed, after having been recorded countless times by every imaginable Jazz performer. And yet at the same time almost nobody on the same planet of ours is aware of the fact that Young´s roots lie deeply on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean and his life fits into the "wandering Jew" pattern like a silk glove. The decade Victor Young spent in Poland, as well as his rich Polish roots, remain almost completely absent from his biography and are totally unknown not only in the USA but sadly also in Poland. Generations of Polish Jazz musicians, who played countless times the Victor Young standards, never even imagined that the person behind this music has such close ties to Poland and its Culture. Kuba Stankiewicz took us all on a discovery trip, walking down the streets of Warsaw where Young and his family lived, which he traced from the documents and correspondence between Young and his family members. Most of these highly personal and fascinating documents and photographs were made available by Young´s niece, Helen´s daughter, the wonderful Bobbie Hill FrombergFind albums by this artist, who lives in LA and who embraced this project wholeheartedly, sharing her extensive family archive with us. I imagine that playing Young´s music for Bobbie in her apartment on a piano, that Young bought as a wedding present for his sister, must have been quite a thrilling experience for Kuba and Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist, who was also present at the occasion. The diploma Victor Young received from the Warsaw Music Academy shows that he studied composition with Roman StatkowskiFind albums by this artist, a completely forgotten Polish composer, who surely deserves to be rediscovered. This led Kuba Stankiewicz to find out more about Statkowski and later on to be enchanted by his profoundly beautiful music. Including one of Statkowski´s compositions on this album is therefore completely natural, especially in view of the enormous influence Statkowski had on Young, which in fact is audible, albeit subtly, in several of Young´s compositions. But even without the Statkowski influence, it is pretty apparent that although Young was a bona fide American composer for decades, the intrinsic Polish lyricism and melancholy, as well as his Jewish approach to melody, stayed with him for all these years, deeply embedded in his heritage and influenced by the growing-up period he has spent in Poland and learned from Polish educators. And as we were tracking Young´s life and music, it didn´t take long to se the similarities between his fate and that of several other famous American composers, like Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, fellow Jewish wanderers, whose Polish roots are almost completely obscured and are waiting to be exposed. But of course it´s the music present on this album, which is after all the center of the listener´s attention, regardless of the contextual relevance. Recorded in a classic piano trio format, the most formidable chamber environment available in Jazz, it lovingly presents the music of Young, which although in most cases is well know, also includes some of his lesser known pieces as well as one of Statkowski´s beautiful compositions, arranged by Stankiewicz. Accompanied by bassist Darek Oleszkiewicz and formidable American drummer Peter ErskineFind albums by this artist, Kuba Stankiewicz delivers the music of Young with passion and emotion, but also with great respect. As already mentioned these compositions have been previously recorded countless times and therefore playing them anew presents an enormous challenge. I hope the listeners will find the spark that Kuba, Darek and Peter share with us, respectfully and elegantly, proving that the long journey was worth the effort. Thank you for reading and for listening! Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 19/09/2018Posted:

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LORA SZAFRAN / BOGDAN HOLOWNIA ~ WARS SZPILMAN WASOWSKI – I TAK SIE TRUDNO ROZSTAC… POLSKIE RADIO 2177 (Barcode: 5907812247904) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is a live recording by Polish Jazz vocalist Lora SzafranFind albums by this artist accompanied by a quartet led by pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, which also includes trumpeter Robert MurakowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve Polish evergreens (often called Polish standards), composed by three renowned Polish composers: Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, Wladyslaw SzpilmanFind albums by this artist and Jerzy WasowskiFind albums by this artist and featuring lyrics by celebrated Polish poets and lyricists. The music holds no surprises to the Polish listeners, as these are songs that the older generation is very much familiar with and which have been around for many years being clearly an integral part of the Polish Cultural heritage. Of course, as such, they have all been performed and recorded many times before and as a result this album offers nothing new in this respect. Szafran and the instrumentalist are all veteran performers and professionals, so this material offers no challenge whatsoever, especially in view of the fact that it was meant as entertainment and a nostalgic revisit of this material, rather than a Jazz event. Of course the performance was first class from start to finish. Overall this is a nice tribute to beautiful Polish songs, which offer wonderful music and intelligent, sensitive lyrics, and as such is sadly a symbol of how the values of popular music changed over time from artistry to trash.

Updated: 22/10/2018Posted: 22/10/2018

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VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ VICTOR YOUNG JAZZ FESTIVAL - MLAWA `23 NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is a commemorative album released during the 5th edition of the Victor Young Jazz Festival in 2023. It presents six tracks recorded during the 4th edition of the festival, all composed by the Polish / Jewish composer Victor YoungFind albums by this artist. The music is performed by three Polish ensembles featuring top Polish Jazz musicians, like saxophonist Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Maciej GrzywaczFind albums by this artist and others, and a trio, led by Portuguese guitarist Ricardo PinheiroFind albums by this artist. It is a little known fact that Victor Young, one of the most esteemed cinematic composers and author of hundreds of songs, which became Jazz standards, has a Polish / Jewish roots, which include several years during his childhood he spent in the small Polish town of Mlawa. Those Polish roots of Young and other Polish / Jewish composers, like Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, were discovered and meticulously researched by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist, which resulted in three epic albums (see “The Music Of Victor YoungFind albums with this title”, for which I wrote the liner notes) and many concerts, as well as the establishment of the Mlawa Jazz Festival, which Stankiewicz initiated and keeps alive since 2019. I am happy to say that I had modest contribution to all this memorable activity, the result of which is my friendship with Kuba, a wonderful human being and a superb musician. Overall, although the album was not meant as a formal release, but rather a kind of memorabilia for the people involved with the festival, it still offers some great Jazz music performed by excellent musicians. Hopefully this tradition will be upheld in the future, creating a lasting document of the festival.

Updated: 06/01/2024Posted: 06/01/2024

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