Record Reviews

DOMINIK BUKOWSKI ~ TIMES GET CHANGED ECNALUMBA (Barcode: 5907476693314) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2008 This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist, one of the most prominent representatives of Poland´s Baltic seashore scene. Bukowski´s output over the years is quite prolific and impressive, but stylistically it is mostly associated with lyrical and melodic Jazz, whereas on this album he presents a brass oriented Hard Bop setting with a distinct "retro" sound and brass dominated arrangements. The album consists of eight original compositions, all by Bukowski (assumedly as credits are not mentioned on the album´s cover). The music is performed by a sextet, which besides Bukowski includes also trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Lukasz PoprawskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. It was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist with excellent results, as usual. The music is dominated by the brass section and Bukowski plays solo sparingly, which altogether reflects his position as a leader of this session in the composer´s and arranger´s seats rather than upfront as an instrumentalists. That unselfish decision is of course praiseworthy and also creates a superb ensemble sound, which is after all one of the centerpieces of the Jazz experience. Needless to say the individual performances by all the participants are above reproach. The brass players perform numerous excellent solos, the vibraphone lays out the harmonic parts and the excellent rhythm section moves the music forward with considerable drive but without being overbearing. In retrospect this is a remarkable album, well worth discovering and re-visiting. It is sadly rarely mentioned among the important Polish Jazz recordings, although it definitely deserves an honorable mention, as it is quite different from most other albums recorded in Poland in the first decade of the 21st Century. It is definitely worthy a place in any Jazz connoisseur´s collection and a proud item in Bukowski´s already remarkable legacy.

Updated: 12/06/2018Posted:

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GENERATION NEXT ~ LIVE AT JAZZ NAD ODRA SJ 007 (Barcode: 5902596066062) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz sextet, which as the name suggests, presents the Father-to Son continuity on the local scene; four of the sextet´s members are second generation of Polish Jazz personalities. Trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist is a son of Andrzej SchmidtFind albums by this artist, a renowned educator and author of Jazz history books, trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist is a son of the legendary saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Gabriel NiedzielaFind albums by this artist is a son of the celebrated bassist / composer Jacek NiedzielaFind albums by this artist and finally saxophonist Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist is a son of saxophonist Adam WendtFind albums by this artist. The remaining two members of the sextet are Italian bassist Francesco AngiuliFind albums by this artist and veteran drummer Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist. The sextet performs seven original compositions, two each by Schmidt, Namyslowski and Wendt and one by Niedziela. The material was recorded live at the Jazz Nad Odra Festival and at the Polish Radio´s Warsaw studio. The idea of forming a musical ensemble based on the fact that the members have something in common, other than the music they play, is always a perilous affair. Just imagine a group of left-handed players, or red-haired players or musicians who like strawberry ice cream? This is perhaps not the case at hand, but on the other hand it is difficult to guess what the purpose of this sextet really is. The music they play is straight-forward mainstream, which is completely déjà-vu and contributes no thrill and no challenge. Yes, they are all excellent players individually, but does their presence together on this album create any special interaction, which would have not happened in different circumstances? Not really. So here we have it, an unremarkable Jazz recording, which is listenable enough but simply fades away as soon as the music is over. Considering the fact that there are hordes of fabulous young Jazz musicians on the Polish scene, who make outstanding music, this is sadly an example of what should be avoided.

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BARTEK HALICKI ~ ETNOGRAF SOLITON 853 (Barcode: 5901571098531) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz trombonist / composer Bartek HalickiFind albums by this artist recorded with his septet which also includes trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Maciej KadzielaFind albums by this artist and Dariusz StanislawskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Marcel BalinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Rafal RozalskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Karol SzczygielFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven compositions, the first four of which are grouped together into a Jazz Suite. Although not specifically mentioned on the album´s artwork, the compositions and arrangements are assumed to be all by Halicki. The music is an ambitious project amalgamating many stylistic Jazz elements, starting with traditional Jazz from the early 20th Century, Bebop and modern European Jazz, as well as Folkloristic themes and Big Band / Orchestral arrangements. The result, although kept well within the mainstream Jazz idiom, is fresh and full of youthful energy and offers a most pleasant musical experience. The septet performances and the excellent arrangements are able to achieve a big orchestral sound, which creates an illusion of a much bigger group of musicians being involved in the process. With solos played in parallel by several musicians and multilayered melodic division skillfully intertwined, the music makes a potent impression and forces the listener to pay attention to the many details happening at once. In spite of the young age of most of the musicians involved in this project, it is immediately obvious that they are all well educated and schooled, and most importantly enjoy the opportunity to play music together, which evidently influences the end result. Their fluency and knowledge of the Jazz tradition and its many sub-genres is impressive indeed. But as usual it is the cooperation between the septet members which is the most important factor leading to the success of this music. Since larger Jazz ensembles become less and less popular over time, for a variety of reasons: economic, logistic and artistic, it is a real joy to see a successful septet doing such a splendid job. Hopefully Halicki will be able to continue his large ensemble passion in the future as well. Overall this is an impressive debut album, which offers both excellent compositions and exciting performances, as appropriate for the young Lions of Polish Jazz, and which should keep Jazz connoisseurs happy anywhere on this planet. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 28/10/2018Posted: 28/10/2018

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MAREK KADZIELA ~ JAZZ ENSEMBLE AUDIO CAVE 2021/004 (Barcode: 5908298549254) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2021 As hard as it is to believe, this is only the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a quintet setting with his brother saxophonist Maciej KadzielaFind albums by this artist, trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist and drummer Radoslaw BolewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Marek Kadziela. During the second decade of the 2000s Kadziela participated in numerous recordings and co-led several Polish and international ensembles, as diverse as Hunger PangsFind albums by this artist, JazabuFind albums by this artist, K.R.A.N.Find albums by this artist and KaMaSzFind albums by this artist as well as his own ADHDFind albums by this artist. These recordings present a restless, searching spirit, who is constantly trying to re-invent himself and drive towards uncharted territory, crossing genres with ease and competence. Over the years I have had the pleasure to listen to him live as well, which often exposed other aspects of his wide-ranging musical personality. There is no doubt that during that time he established himself not only as one of the leading Polish guitarists, but also as an important leader and trendsetter. In many respects this album (as Kadziela himself states on the album’s liner notes) is an amalgamation of his experiences up to now, with an emphasis on composition, as much as on his guitar playing skills. The rather unusual sounding ensemble highlights his originality as a sound creator, which enhances the acoustic quintet with skillful use of electronics, creating a modern, somewhat rough and toothed exterior, which hides the melodic contents, without damaging it. The individual performances are all absolutely stunning, with the leader moving between Wes MontgomeryFind albums by this artist and Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist and back in an instant, always being himself. Namyslowski is a surprise as his playing is more open and daring than usual and the rhythm section does a wonderful job driving the music forward and filling the blanks. Overall this is a wonderful modern Jazz album, full of great music and intricate individual performances, not easy on the ear and demanding attentive listening, but highly rewarding. Although Kadziela made a giant step forward in his career, deep down he is still a Blues / Rock kid who loves to show his guitar licks, which I personally love as much as all the serious stuff he is playing. Having said that, this album is almost completely free of any Fusion accents, announcing the leader’s full commitment to the Jazz idiom. Hats off!

Updated: 10/04/2021Posted: 10/04/2021

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JACEK NAMYSLOWSKI ~ MODERATE HASTE BKQ 004 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz trombonist / composer Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, which comes rather late in his career as he has been active on the local scene for quite a while. He is a son of the legendary Polish Jazz figure saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, and since several years has been a member of his father´s ensemble, as well as several other projects. The album was recorded in a classic quintet lineup with saxophonist Lukasz PoprawskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. It presents seven original compositions, all by the leader (although the album´s packaging says nothing about this, I assume it is so). The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia, engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with spectacular sonic quality. The music is kept well within the mainstream Jazz milieu, which means solid melodic themes expanded to make room for solos by the ensemble members, with relatively steady rhythmic approach and no great surprises. The compositions are all well rounded and based on fine melodic themes, mostly lyrical and somewhat melancholic. This is definitely well crafted music, intelligent and subtle, which does not try to create flashy impressions but asks for attentive listening. In some respects it is somewhat similar to the music which Zbigniew Namyslowski wrote in the early days of his career, but does not venture into folkloristic influences, staying firmly within the well threaded Jazz path. The individual performances are all quite excellent, as these are first-class experienced and gifted musicians. Namyslowski plays beautifully and demonstrates a personal voice, which is not easy to achieve for such a difficult instrument as the trombone. Poprawski plays several fiery solos; the young Ojdana demonstrates his exceptional ability once again, turning every little solo of his into an instant gem. The rhythm section does a perfect job driving the music forward steadily and smoothly with flair and obvious sensitivity. Overall this is pleasant, well rounded mainstream Jazz album, with good music and excellent performances, which should make every Jazz fan happy. People looking for more adventurous outings might find this music somewhat "outdated", but honestly every candid and well played Jazz album has its place and its audience. Definitely worth investigating!

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

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

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

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