Record Reviews

AGNES BAZSINKA ~ THINGS LOOK DIFFERENT FROM HERE NOT ON LABEL ~ HUNGARY ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by Hungarian (living in Poland) vocalist / composer Agnes BazsinkaFind albums by this artist recorded with the las IIIIFind albums by this artist quartet, which includes also Polish musicians: vibraphonist Szymon BoraFind albums by this artist, bassist Jan Jerzy KolackiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. J.J. KolackiFind albums by this artist) and drummer Bartlomiej DybelFind albums by this artist. The album´s artwork is mystically secretive about details, but the album presents one continuous piece of music "build up form larger units and intermezzo parts" composed by her and including her (I assume) lyrics (in Hungarian). The album is divided into eight tracks, (intro, three parts, each followed by an intermezzo and finally part four) which total in twenty-three minutes – way, way below album timing limit and in today´s terms even below the accepted EP timing. The music is very interesting, but not as experimental as claimed, based on repetitive riffs played by the vibraphone and occasional melodic fragments, and including some background sounds made by the bass and drums and only occasionally featuring the rhythm section in its traditional role. However, the music has a unique ambience, which manages to create tension and interest, and is most pleasing aesthetically, leaving the listener wishing to her more, in this case much more. Altogether the album offers a very minimalist musical content, fragmented and not entirely coherent, but obviously fascinating enough for me to want to hear more of these fresh ideas in the future. Accordingly, I´ll refer to this "album" as a teaser and wait patiently for the real thing! Good luck with it!

Updated: 11/09/2020Posted: 11/09/2020

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

FOLLOW DICES ~ CZULOSC NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is the second album by Polish Jazz quartet Follow DicesFind albums by this artist, which comprises of violinist Mikolaj KostkaFind albums by this artist, pianist Franciszek RaczkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Jan Jerzy KolackiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam WajdzikFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, seven by Kostka and one each by Raczkowski and Kolacki. The album is a refined version of the impressive debut album by this wonderful acoustic quartet of highly skilled young Jazz players, released five years earlier. The compositions are much more focused and emphasize the lyrical elements of Polish tradition, both from the Folkloristic and Classical sources, all perfectly intertwined within the Jazz components with grace and sophistication. Kostka matured and perfected his violin technique and sound to such a level, that he can be counted easily as one of the top Jazz violinists in the country, and hearing his development as performer, and to no lesser degree as composer, is a real joy. Raczkowski also polished his piano playing and his soloing on this album sounds truly impressive. The rhythm section fills the gaps precisely and tastefully, exactly as the doctor prescribed. Perhaps even more importantly, the cohesion and interplay of the quartet as a whole is the finest achievement herein, and is an absolute aesthetic wonder. Overall, this is simply a classic example of Polish Jazz at its best, with the typical Polish melancholy at the helm and ingenious use of all the right aesthetic elements that make the perfect puzzle complete. A true uplifting experience, which fills the listener with tears of joy in the corners of his eyes, at least in my case. It’s been a while since I have heard an album of this level of quality and I bow deeply to these Artists in a gesture of gratitude.

Updated: 21/03/2024Posted: 20/03/2024

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

FOLLOW DICES ~ ETERNAL COLORS SJ 029 (Barcode: 5912596066320) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by the Polish quartet Follow DicesFind albums by this artist, comprising of pianist Franciszek RaczkowskiFind albums by this artist, violinist Mikolaj KostkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jan Jerzy KolackiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam WajdzikFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen relatively short original compositions, five of which were composed by all four members of the quartet, four by Kostka, two by Raczkowski (one of them with Wajdzik) and two by Kolacki (one of them with Tobiasz GottfriedFind albums by this artist). The album was beautifully recorded at the Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist. The music is a wonderful amalgam of Jazz and Polish Folklore influences, with traces of contemporary Classical and Nordic ambiance. The separate pieces can be easily conceived as a continuous suite, as they present a coherent compositional unity and harmonic consistency, as well as stylistic European Jazz aesthetic. Although based on solid melodic themes, the music is generously open and allows free improvisation between the melodic statements. Constantly floating rhythmically and harmonically, the music is in many aspects an epitome of modern European Jazz at its best, presenting intellectual and emotional involvement complementing each other in perfect equilibrium. All four of these young musicians emerge triumphantly from this ambitious and often quite complex music. Raczkowski weaves the harmonic magic carpet upon which the music floats, Kostka ornaments the proceedings with his romantic and soulful melodic statements, Kolacki is, as expected, the pillar of stability and the beacon pointing out the way and Wajdzik is the master of good taste and delicacy not disturbing the fragile rhythms and playing exactly as much as needed. The unity and cooperation among the band members is truly exemplary. The album distinctly presents the best of what can be defined as Polishness in contemporary Polish music, i.e. it borrows wisely from the tradition, more conceptually than literally, emphasizing the Polish lyricism and melancholy majestically and with elegance and flair. If someone is looking for an example of "Polish Jazz", this is perhaps one of the best recent examples of the idiom. There is no doubt that this is a stunning debut effort, which hopefully paves a way for a fruitful future. As such, it is so far one of the strongest albums that landed on my desk (and in my ears) this year, which is a rare distinction. I can only recommend it to all music connoisseurs all over the world, as music of such quality and depth is very precious and rare. Well done Gentlemen!

Updated: 23/07/2018Posted: 23/07/2018

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend