Record Reviews

HURRA ~ IN SEARCH OF WAVES V 023 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz septet HurraFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer Grzegorz DoroszenkoFind albums by this artist, which also includes second guitarist Jakub KlimiukFind albums by this artist, Swedish saxophonist Jonas KulhammarFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jakub KurekFind albums by this artist (a member of EABSFind albums by this artist), keyboardist Dominik KisielFind albums by this artist (the most experienced Polish musician in the lineup with several albums as a leader and member of other ensembles under his belt), bassist Paul RutschkaFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech WarmijakFind albums by this artist (member of Immortal OnionFind albums by this artist). The album presents seven original compositions, all by the leader. The music offers an excellent collection of well-constructed tunes with clear melody lines, which are executed with obvious technical proficiency and a dose of freshness, which has been missing from the local scene since a while. Although the music has a distinct Fusiony tinge, it is not Fusion per se and could be (if one must) classified somewhere between Brass-Rock and Electric Jazz; styles that sadly almost completely disappeared from the contemporary Jazz scene. The septet offers a fat / big sound, Funky beats and a lot of fun in general, and despite a contemporary sound it does bring sentimental memories of the 1970s, which of course is meant here as a compliment. It also resembles to some degree the music of EABS, at its best. Overall, I truly enjoyed the music from start to finish, as it flows smoothly, caressing the ears with great melody lines, shakes the ass with a danceable rhythmic patterns and tingles the brain with impressive instrumental improvisation by the septet members. In short, this is a truly rare phenomenon of an album, which is as plangent as it is stimulating. Highly recommended!

Updated: 09/01/2023Posted: 08/01/2023

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JAKUB KLIMIUK QUINTET ~ (UN)BALANCED NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 198500118957) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the debut full album (an EP was released in 2022) by Polish (resident in London) Jazz guitarist / composer Jakub KlimiukFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with British saxophonist Simeon MayFind albums by this artist, pianist Cody MossFind albums by this artist, bassist Harry PearceFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. KinzanFind albums by this artist) and drummer Adam MerrellFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Mark LockheartFind albums by this artist guests on a couple of tracks. The album presents twelve tracks, all original compositions by the leader. The music is based on solid, mostly very melodic themes, and floats between mainstream Jazz and sophisticated Fusion, which is pretty natural for guitar led projects. All the participants are well educated, excellent performers, which is evident throughout the album. The album offers seven full-length compositions and five short pieces, performed in solo or duo setting by the quintet members and called “Studies”. I would have loved to hear more soloing by the pianist, who is less prominently featured, but that’s just a whim. The music combines two somewhat different musical directions, with the saxophone parts representing the modern Jazz tendencies, which are more open, and the guitar, which has a somewhat Fusiony tendency, which is more tight and melodic. That balance works very well and results in a diverse and interesting listening experience. Overall, this is an excellent debut effort, which offers excellent original compositions and splendid instrumental work by the musicians involved, which results in a well-balanced and pleasant musical journey. Highly recommended and worth keeping an eye on in the future!

Updated: 22/05/2024Posted: 22/05/2024

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