Record Reviews

ATOM STRING QUARTET ~ PLACES KAYAX 049 (Barcode: 5907678818089) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the 2nd album by the Polish Jazz string quartet called Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, comprising of violinists Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist, which introduced a novel and revolutionary concept on the local scene combining the Classical Chamber music tradition and Jazz. Following the debut album recorded live, this is their first studio effort and it includes ten pieces, with just one originating outside the quartet (Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist´s "Spain"); the rest are all originals: four by Lenczowski, two by Zaborski, one each by Lubowicz and Smoczynski and the remaining one co-composed by Smoczynski and Lenczowski. The album was recorded at the Polish Radio studios in Warsaw and mastered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist at his Studio Tokarnia, as usual with spectacular sonic results. Following the spectacular debut, which took the local scene by surprise, the approach on this album is quite different. This album is much more concentrated on the compositions rather that the virtuosic performances and the element of novelty which dominated its predecessor. The album presents a "concept" of the relationship between music and the place it originates from, trying to show the different and the similar at the same time. Therefore many folkloristic themes from all over Europe appear here as part of the milieu, including of course the beautiful Polish melancholy, which is omnipresent in music originating from Poland. This World Music tendency takes this album a bit further away from Jazz, at least conceptually. As expected, the individual performances are nothing short of sublime, and the entire album is a deeply moving listening experience. However, listeners familiar with their debut might miss the "spark" and "spontaneity", which was so evident there and which were replaced here by careful planning, maturity and eloquent elegance. It is therefore almost impossible to compare these two albums, as they in fact present the different facets of the same group. Listeners longing for the lively approach of the debut will have to see the group live or perhaps wait for the next live recording. For me the most important and meaningful aspect of this album is the progress in the quality and strength of the compositions, which start to become identifiable with the ensemble, which of course is an important step forward. Once the quartet develops its true individual musical identity (overcoming the fact that the music comes form four individual members), they will reach the apex of their development. For now we are presented with another excellent album by one of the most intriguing music ensembles in contemporary music, which is definitely not only a great listening experience but also a victory of quality and intelligent music over our mundane "cultural" encounters in real life. Well done Gentlemen!

Updated: 27/06/2024Posted:

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GRAZYNA AUGUSCIK ORCHESTAR ~ INSPIRED BY LUTOSLAWSKI FOR TUNE 0044 (Barcode: 5902768701470) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This extraordinary album is a superb example of intelligent contemporary music, which is completely unlimited by the imaginary bounds set up by genres and other labeling concepts. Polish vocalist Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist embarked on this ambitious project with the help of some of the most important musicians on the Polish scene, who cover a wide scope of stylistic spheres including Classical Music, Folklore and Jazz, all of which have been already visited by her during her prolific career. The music combines Polish Folk songs and the work of the esteemed Polish modern Classical composer Witold LutoslawskiFind albums by this artist, which were based on or inspired by Polish Folklore. Lutoslawski, like all the composers living and working behind the Iron Curtain, was forced (directly or indirectly) by the regimes ruling Eastern Europe at the time, to include folkloristic motives in his compositions, often completely artificially and against all aesthetic or compositional reasoning. The refusal to do so would effectively mean an artistic ban by the authorities and in extreme cases political persecution. The compositions included here were created by Lutoslawski in the 1950s, the most oppressive period in the Socialist era, and for many years thereafter were considered as his less important and definitely less appreciated works. However, in retrospect the composer´s genius obviously overcame the obstacles and this music turns out to be a completely relevant component of his grand legacy. Auguscik combined forces with the brilliant keyboardist / composer / arranger Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who was entrusted with the enormous task of arranging all the music, both the Classical and Folklore pieces, and than participate in the recording, as well as being the sound engineer, since the recording took place in his now legendary Studio Tokarnia, with spectacular sonic results, as usual in his case. In many respects this album is as much a credit to Auguscik as it is to Jan Smoczynski. The research of the Polish Folklore as well as the leadership of the ensemble performing the folk songs was left in the hands of violinist Janusz PrusinowskiFind albums by this artist. Overall twelve musicians take part in the entire project in addition to Auguscik, who sings the lead vocals: the Jan Smoczynski Trio (with bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist, drummer Tomasz WaldowskiFind albums by this artist and vocalist Sylwia SmoczynskaFind albums by this artist), the Janusz Prusinowski Trio (with clarinetist Michal ZakFind albums by this artist, percussionist Piotr PiszczatowskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Piotr ZgorzelskiFind albums by this artist) and Poland´s most celebrated string quartet, the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (violinists Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist). The album comprises of twelve pieces (and a radio edit bonus), ranging from "pure" folklore songs, which were the original songs upon which Lutoslawski based his compositions, to more arranged pieces of folk songs and Lutoslawski´s pieces performed by the ensemble and finally to a quite Jazzy songs based on folkloristic motifs. In spite of the variety and wealth of the musical material the album creates a coherent and aesthetically pleasing outcome, which is a music connoisseur´s wet dream. The beautiful arrangements, passionate performance and depth of respect for the Polish musical tradition and legacy are all combined herein with truly spectacular results. Auguscik takes a step back from the limelight on this album, preferring to play the role of an integrator rather than the leading person. She sings beautifully, as always, but with less spectacular attitude, almost leaving out completely her Jazzy improvisations and vocalese acrobatics, which are her trademarks. This is a very courageous artistic decision, for which she deserves a lot of respect. There is no doubt that this is definitely one of the most important and beautiful albums released in Poland in 2014, a "complete" multi-layered, multi-faced effort involving the talents of many wonderful musicians and setting a golden standard for future projects, which will be very difficult to match end even more so to rise above. Polish music scene and Polish Culture is glorified by this project, which should make all Poles proud. Being realistic, however, it will probably reach only e very limited scope of listeners, which of course is tragic. My deepest thanks to everybody involved in this project for the pleasure it causes to this humble listener.

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BABOOSHKI ~ BEDZIEMY SIE KREZYLI MULTIKULTI MPF 005 (Barcode: 5903068683374) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the third album by Polish Jazz-World Fusion ensemble BabooshkiFind albums by this artist, formed by Polish vocalist / violinist Karolina BeimcikFind albums by this artist and Ukrainian vocalist / pianist Dana VynnytskaFind albums by this artist, and including top Polish Jazz players: trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummer Bogusz WekkaFind albums by this artist. A couple of guest musicians play on selected tracks. The album presents nine traditional songs of Polish / Ukrainian and Byelorussian origins, performed in the original languages, all arranged by the ensemble members. The music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia, owned by Smoczynski, and offers a splendid sound quality. Musically, the album offers a pretty faithful interpretation of the original Folkloristic material, with the Jazzy arrangements being pretty minimalist and delicate, not disturbing the authenticity of the songs, but enhancing the result and bringing it closer to contemporary listeners. The vocal duets by Beimcik and Vynnytska are the epicenter of the music, beautifully performed and cleverly synchronized, amalgamation two pretty diverse vocal traditions (Polish more Western and Ukrainian more Eastern), which complement each other splendidly. The instrumental work is also brilliant, as expected by the level of the participating musicians. Sarnecki, Smoczynski and Tomaszczyk add a few splendid soli, and Jarosz plays stunning bass parts, but overall this music is all about team work. Listeners interested in the East European vocal tradition should be absolutely delighted by this little gem, as should all Jazz-World Fusion fans, especially since this is one of the best projects on the Polish scene recorded in this sub-genre in the last years. Overall this is a beautiful piece of music, beautifully authentic, highly aesthetic and brilliantly executed from start to finish. Hats off!

Updated: 04/06/2021Posted: 04/06/2021

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KAROLINA BEIMCIK ~ ZORYA MULTIKULTI MPJ 017 (Barcode: 5907529223581) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is an ambitious debut album by Polish vocalist / violinist / composer Karolina BeimcikFind albums by this artist with her new project called "Zorya", which is her interpretation of Polish / Ukrainian Folklore of the ethnic minorities like Boykos, Lemkos and Kurpie people, who maintain their linguistic dialects and traditions. Beimcik is accompanied by four excellent Polish Jazz musicians: guitarist Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks (actually the album´s artwork lists eight tracks but credits refer to nine tracks, go figure), six of which are traditional tunes and two were composed by Beimcik. The music was recorded by Smoczynski at his excellent Studio Tokarnia, with excellent sonic quality as usual. In spite of the presence of the Jazz musicians, the music itself has very little to do with the essence of Jazz and is dominated by the Folkloristic themes. The Jazz influences stay mostly in the background and are more ornamentation than the actual quintessence. The basic melodies have, as expected, a strong East European disposition, being all rather melancholic and gloomy, quite similar to each other. The two original compositions, and especially the title track, are much more Jazz oriented and Beimcik performs on them nice wordless vocalese parts in addition to instrumental solos. The instrumental work by the team is all quite excellent, as appropriate from highly talented musicians of this class. Smoczynski takes most of the accompaniment on his shoulders, staying relatively in the background, Sarnecki adds tasteful guitar embellishments and the rhythm section provides a solid basis for the music, with a few exceptional bass solos by Jaros. Overall this is another example of the amalgamation between Folklore and Jazz, which seems to be more popular and successful in Poland than anywhere else in recent years. Preservation of ethnic traditions is of course an obligation of any Cultural people, and projects like this one are all important, but some or more successful musically than others. Personally I´d prefer an entire album of music as represented by the two original compositions.

Updated: 08/06/2018Posted: 08/06/2018

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OLGA BOCZAR ~ TESKNO MI, TESKNO FOR TUNE 0137 (Barcode: 5906395808496) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018 This is the second album by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Olga BoczarFind albums by this artist, recorded with the same quartet of Polish Jazz musicians who accompanied her on her debut album: pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight songs, four of which are Polish Folk songs and the other four are original compositions by Boczar, three of which feature her lyrics (one of them in English) and one is based on a poem by Polish poet Boleslaw LesmianFind albums by this artist. Both the Folk songs and the original compositions get a Jazzy arrangement (which remains uncredited), but are not really transformed into the Jazz idiom, remaining mostly somewhere between Pop and Folk music after all. Boczar sings both lyrics and vocalese, holding her ground skillfully and even gracefully at times, but her vocal parts are somewhat low in the mix being often overshadowed by the instrumental accompaniment. Her flute parts are only marginally featured here. All four Jazz musicians that participate in the recording are of course highly professional, but the music leaves little ground for them to show their skills except for occasional solos. Overall this is a pleasant album, easy on the ear and well put together, mostly for listeners who prefer to be entertained rather than challenged, but one that can be enjoyed by a wide spectrum of music lovers.

Updated: 19/02/2019Posted: 19/02/2019

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OLGA BOCZAR MUSIC ESSENCE ~ LITTLE INSPIRATIONS NOT ON LABEL 001 (Barcode: 5905279086005) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2013 - 2014 Released: 2014 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Olga BoczarFind albums by this artist, recorded with her ensemble called Music EssenceFind albums by this artist, with core members: keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. In addition several other musicians also participate on selected tracks, including bassist Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Dominik GawronskiFind albums by this artist, trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist and several background vocalists; altogether quite a formidable team. The album presents ten original songs all composed by Boczar and with lyrics mostly written by her as well. Only two of the songs feature lyrics in Polish and eight have English lyrics. The music was recorded in three different studios, including the Studio Tokarnia where Smoczynski also served as the sound engineer recording the rhythms section tracks. In spite of the fact that the album features some very prominent Polish Jazz musicians, it is by no means a Jazz album. Except for a few piano solos, the album presents a singer / songwriter Pop / Rock effort with slight Jazzy accents mostly present in some of the arrangements. There is of course nothing wrong with that, but promoting and marketing this album under a Jazz moniker is a conceptual mistake. The music is a collection of mostly low key melancholic melodies, which all sound a bit similar and leave no lasting impression. Everything is "nice" and "smooth", but there is no excitement, zest or attempt hit the listener between his eyes. Boczar´s voice and delivery don´t help much either, as she has a limited range and sings in the same narrow spectrum using repeatedly the same mannerisms, regardless of the text she is singing. Except for a few vocalese attempts, the rest is rather unexciting. And on top of this all these there is the problem with lyrics in English, which sound pretty inappropriate. In contrast, plainly audible, the two songs sung in Polish sound infinitely better. The instrumental work is all quite all right, but again lacks any spark. The arrangements are all rather trivial, and the potential of such mighty team of musicians seems completely wasted. Except for the already mentioned piano solos, there is no attempt to put some excitement into this music. Overall this is all professionally done, but sadly completely uninspired. This album has a potential on the Polish Pop market, if promoted properly. It might even win a Fryderyk award next year, as anything can happen there, but hopefully not in the Jazz category. And before an outcry of angry responses accusing me of ruining young people´s careers erupts again, let me emphasize that this is just my private, subjective opinion, which has absolutely no bearing on anybody´s fate.

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TADEUSZ BORCZYK ~ NO NAME FLOWER 030 (Barcode: 5904259357913) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 - 2010 Released: 2011 This is the second album by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Tadeusz BorczykFind albums by this artist recorded over a period of several years in different studios (including the excellent Studio Tokarnia) with a changing lineup, which includes pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, guitarist Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marek PodkowaFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jaroslaw SpalekFind albums by this artist and drummers Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist and Michal DabrowkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Borczyk. The music belongs to the melodic easier side of Jazz and Fusion, is well played and solidly composed, which means that although it is not very ambitious, it is altogether quite a pleasant listen. The problem with such recordings is of course their dangerous proximity to Smooth Jazz, which although in this case does not cross the line, is very close to it. All these compositions sound very similar to each other and are eventually quite unremarkable, which means that once the album is over one remembers almost nothing of the actual music. Borczyk plays a few nice bass solos, which are amongst the highlights of this album, and Smoczynski saves the day with his piano playing, which is the most constructive contribution on this album. A few other solo spots are also worth notice. The album has a very good sound quality, which basically means that fans of easy Jazz music, which is almost danceable, should have a field day with it. It is also ideal for driving. Altogether this is quite a nice album for people who treat Jazz as entertainment.

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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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TOMASZ DABROWSKI / TOM TRIO ~ RADICAL MOVES FOR TUNE 0045 (Barcode: 5902768701517) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the second album by the Tom TrioFind albums by this artist, led by Polish (resident in Denmark) Jazz trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and including Danish bassist Nils Bo DavidsenFind albums by this artist and drummer Anders MogensenFind albums by this artist. The music consists of ten original compositions, all by Dabrowski, and it was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with excellent sonic results. Contrary to the album´s ominous title, this album does not offer any radical developments as such, and is consistent with the path Dabrowski follows since a few years to achieve his personal voice as a trumpeter and composer, which has been quite remarkable. There is no doubt that he is today not only one of the top Polish Jazz trumpeters, but also one of top European trumpeters, a position he earned by numerous recordings in stylistically diverse setups, always delivering a top notch contribution. Musically Dabrowski seems to be most comfortable in the "organized Free" environment, when his statements have a solid melodic / harmonic basis underneath, which allows him to stretch his improvisations with flare and passion. The decision to present his music in the intimate trio setting is probably motivated by the fact that the trio allows the most concise ensemble solution enabling the closest interplay possible between the participants. This music is totally dependent on mutual exchange and support and would fail to achieve anything if such complete synthesis did not happen. Fortunately it does happen, from start to finish, elevating the music to a highly aesthetic plane. In spite of the nakedness of the trio setting, the overall effect of the trio is so eventful and intense, that it creates an illusion of a much larger ensemble at work. The role of the rhythm section in this type of music is radically different from the traditional position, which is to support the leader harmonically and rhythmically without getting involved with his solo parts. The music presented here is fully co-created by all three musicians, on equal footing. Dabrowski is naturally the most distinctive voice, playing the lead instrument, but everything that is happening in parallel to his playing as equally important each and very step of the way. People familiar with Dabrowski´s music are used by now to the incredible high standards he sets for himself, pushing them ever forward. This album is another step in the right direction, displaying signs of maturity and reflection rather than youthful enthusiasm. This is perhaps the most contemplative music he ever attempted, offering new vistas of his inner self as composer and performer. Of course music of such complexity and emotional weight requires attentive and often repetitive listening to be fully absorbed and appreciated. Connoisseurs of modern Free Form, but coherent Jazz will find this music fully and beautifully rewarding.

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ARTUR DUTKIEWICZ ~ HENDRIX PIANO PIANOART 5907760035028 (Barcode: 5907760035028) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2010 This is the fourth album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Artur DutkiewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic Jazz piano trio setting with bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist (bassist Daniel BielFind albums by this artist plays on three tracks) and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist as his partners. The music, as the title suggests, is a tribute to the legendary American guitarist / songwriter Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist and presents nine instrumental arrangements of songs from his repertoire, seven of them composed by Hendrix and two composed by others. The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and was engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist with spectacular sonic results This album was recorded at the same sessions which produced the previous album by Dutkiewicz, called "Niemen ImprowizacjeFind albums with this title", which pays tribute to the music of Czeslaw NiemenFind albums by this artist, the legendary Godfather of Polish Pop / Rock. Therefore these two albums share not only the recording dates but also basically the same musical concept, i.e. the transformation of Pop / Rock music into the mainstream Jazz environment. Of course the music of Hendrix, who was a major Rock star with a worldwide following, was already arranged and performed by many Jazz artists earlier, with varying results, some absolutely spectacular and other utterly worthless. Although seemingly words apart, Niemen and Hendrix shared one obvious characteristic: their deep affinity to the Blues, which Dutkiewicz cleverly exploits on both these albums, and uses this opportunity to highlight his own Blues chops. The fact that these two albums were recorded basically together and present a common concept obviously "asks for" a comparison, which I´d rather avoid, but unfortunately that is quite impossible. Personally this album works slightly less effectively for me than its companion, which probably has nothing to do with the music but my own perception of the music Hendrix created and I was fortunate to hear live on several occasions. I seem to be unable to free myself from the stunning guitar sound which my memory / brain stores under the Hendrix pointer. This music played by a piano, however well, simply does not cut it for me as well as it should. But of course this album shares many of the same beautiful qualities present on its companion: great performances, intelligent arrangements, wonderful interplay between the trio members and so on. It is a great piano trio album in every respect and an admirable tribute to the Genius of Hendrix. Obviously Jazz connoisseurs all over the globe should be able to enjoy this music without reservation.

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ARTUR DUTKIEWICZ ~ NIEMEN IMPROWIZACJE PIANOART 5907760035011 (Barcode: 5907760035011) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2009 This is the third album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Artur DutkiewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic Jazz piano trio setting with bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist (bassist Daniel BielFind albums by this artist plays on one track) and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist as his partners. The music, as the title suggests, is a tribute to the legendary Polish singer / songwriter Czeslaw NiemenFind albums by this artist and presents ten instrumental arrangements of songs from Niemen´s repertoire, eight of which were also composed by him and two which were composed by others. The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist with spectacular sonic results Niemen was always associated with Jazz and was a pioneer of the Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion movement, but he actually never quite crossed over into Jazz, and this album does it for the first time. Niemen´s songs, stripped of their dramatic vocals and poignant lyrics, can be hear here for what they really were; a superb amalgam of Blues soaked Rock, Rhythm And Blues, Soul, Groove and Folkloristic themes, which are all obviously quite timeless. Dutkiewicz took quite a risk here, as transforming Niemen´s music into a swinging Jazz environment might have trivialized it or even turned it into grotesque muzak. Luckily all this was cleverly avoided by the intelligent arrangements and highly sensitive performance, which simply transformed the music into a completely different plane. Many musical Icons seem to be simply untouchable, and most attempts, which try to utilize or update them, fail miserably. This is a rare example of a successful attempt of transplanting iconic music to a new environment without destroying the original. The trio´s performance is of course spotless, as nothing less should be expected from musicians of such class. The players concentrate on playing the music and there are no lengthy individual solo sports, which would be quite inappropriate here, but a wonderful togetherness and concise delivery. Intelligence, sensitivity and grace are the name of the game and the music is never trivial or banal. Listeners familiar with Niemen´s original performances of these songs will find this album quite fascinating of course, when trying the find the parallels and the divergences. But even people who never heard of Niemen (obviously beyond Poland´s borders) should find this to be an excellent piano trio album worthy of repeated listening.

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted:

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ARTUR DUTKIEWICZ ~ PRANA PIANOART 5907760035042 (Barcode: 5907760035042) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the sixth album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Artur DutkiewiczFind albums by this artist, who is back in a classic piano trio format with bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight compositions, seven of which are originals by Dutkiewicz and one is an adaptation of a folk tune. The album was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, which of course guarantees excellent sound quality. Dutkiewicz has an impressive resume and his contribution to the Polish Jazz scene is of course invaluable. He played for many years with the late saxophonist Tomasz Szukalski, recording with him several albums. One of the tunes on this album is dedicated to the memory of Szukalski. The music Dutkiewicz presents on this album is very contemplative and more lyrical than usual in his case. There is also a great affinity with the Blues, a genre which is definitely one of his deepest musical sources of influence, which he openly refers to on this album, something that is rarely done by other contemporary pianists. A couple of tunes on this album re-visit the preceding album called "MazurkiFind albums with this title", presenting music inspired by Polish folklore. Overall this is a consistently interesting selection of beautifully melodic pieces, which are performed with great sensibility and finesse. As far as personal performances are concerned, there are no surprises herein. Dutkiewicz is an excellent pianist by any standard and his performances here are superb from start to finish. The rhythm section is also stellar, providing just the right support whenever needed and presenting both first class professionalism and mutual respect between the leader and themselves. In short this is an instant "classic" and piano trio connoisseurs should find it simply irresistible. Let´s hope that the same kind of prana (life force) that allowed Dutkiewicz to create this little gem will stay with him for many years to come. Well done indeed!

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ARTUR DUTKIEWICZ ~ TRAVELLER PIANOART 5907760035042 (Barcode: 5907760035042) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is seventh album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Artur DutkiewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with his usual team consisting of bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, all by Dutkiewicz. It was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual spectacular sonic quality. Dutkiewicz is certainly one of the most melodic / lyrical Polish Jazz pianist and his output so far evidently reflected these qualities. The music on this album, although continuing the same path in many respects, adds more freedom and wandering (traveling?) then ever before, or at least that is my impression of it. The melodic themes are as beautiful as always, but the pianist often takes the liberty of distancing himself form the strict melodic expression and ventures into more abstract territory, with many pauses and obvious self- examination while performing. This attitude is rather novel in his stylistic palette and of course most welcome, as the music becomes multi-dimensional and more multifaceted then before. Baranski and Zyta are a dream come true rhythm section, being completely symbiotic with the pianist all the way through, even when he takes unexpected turns and twists in the heat of his improvisations. Their support and contributions, which are an integral part of the music, are simply telepathic and esthetically perfect. Such perfect harmony and mutual cooperation happens only between the best musicians out there and this album is a wonderful example of such an occurrence. In perspective to his entire recorded output, this album is definitely a giant step forward for Dutkiewicz both as a composer and a pianist. The music is more complex and more open than before, full of creative searching and exploring, and his playing is more dynamic and less controlled than on any of his earlier recordings. It is great to see an experienced and highly respected musician still searching and developing, to the delight of his followers. This album makes me crave for the next album already, for which we won´t hopefully need to wait for years again. Hats off!

Updated: 08/05/2017Posted: 08/05/2017

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ARTUR DUTKIEWICZ TRIO ~ COMETS SING PIANOART 5907760035066 (Barcode: 5907760035066) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the eighth album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Artur DutkiewiczFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam ZagorskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by the leader. The music was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, and offers a superb sound quality. Dutkiewicz is one of those great Artists, who make sure that their Art can’t be taken for granted and this album is an elegant example of his modus operandi. The music is way more open and edgy than on any of his previous albums, and his romanticism and lyricism are more of an undercurrent rather than what happens on the surface. The resulting music is modern Jazz at its best, melody based but wandering freely on the chord changes and switching tempi unexpectedly, with the magnum opus eleven-minutes long opening track setting the example of the new concept. The roles of the trio members went also through a transformation, no longer being just a straightforward piano trio, but a triangle of mutual inspiration. Baranski, who plays with Dutkiewicz since the 2013 album “PranaFind albums with this title”, gets more exposure here than ever before, not only when soloing, but more importantly while accompanying the piano with his fat pulsations, that dominantly reverberate in the soundscape. The young Zagorski, the new member of the trio, is certainly a pleasant surprise, as he receives the formidable task to supply the complex rhythmic skeleton to this music, and which he manages brilliantly like a veteran pro. Dutkiewicz plays way more assertively than ever before, almost aggressively, but never really crosses the line of restraint and elegance. His statements are more concentrated and dense and he readily shares the burden of creation with his peers. As a result, he exposes here another facet of his musical persona, which of course make things way more exciting than hearing just another album by an Artist we are already familiar with. “This is just a corner, not the end of the journey” indeed – with many more corners to follow. Overall this is a brilliant example of modern Jazz, a superb piano trio masterpiece and an important giant step in the career, which Dutkiewicz keeps nourishing with every new release. This music not only fills your heart with joy and your brain with reflection, but is also aesthetically rounded, promising that the music we love is not really dying, although it seems like that most of the time. Thank you, my Friend, for such moments of delight.

Updated: 12/07/2021Posted: 12/07/2021

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ELMA ~ AD REM HEVHETIA 0113 (Barcode: 8588005257657) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2016 This is the second album by Polish Jazz vocalist ElmaFind albums by this artist, but in fact it could be viewed as the second part of Elma´s debut album, as it presents material recorded at the same recording session as the material released on the debut. A conscious decision was made at the time to collect the "song oriented" material on the debut and the improvised material on this second album The album was recorded by a quartet, which features Elma with Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. The music on this album comprises of twelve improvised pieces; a prologue and then an eleven-part suite. Except for the first part of the suite which is credited to Elma and Pohjola, the rest of the music is credited to all four participants. Although the Improvised Music is enjoying a spectacular Renaissance in the last few years, it is almost always completely instrumental and does not involve the human voice. The glorious days of the vocal Improvised Music are sadly completely gone and pioneering vocalists like Jeanne LeeFind albums by this artist, Lauren NewtonFind albums by this artist, Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, Jay ClaytonFind albums by this artist, Bobby McFerrinFind albums by this artist and others are either forgotten or changed their field of interest. Therefore Elma can be considered as the torch bearer of this fantastic tradition into the 21st Century. Elma treats her voice as an instrument, which has always been the basic rule of great vocalists. Since the human voice is limited only by the vocalist´s imagination, it is the most versatile and virtually unlimited instrument, a fact which becomes plainly evident to anybody listening to this music. With the incredibly compassionate accompaniment Elma receives from her three partners, the resulting music is one of the most unique musical creations recorded in the last few years. The importance of this music is twofold; firstly it is breathtakingly beautiful, emotionally intense and aesthetically stunning and secondly it is intellectually courageous and fascinating. Elma is not regressing to the 1970s to create more of the same vocal Improvised Music created then, but takes the tradition right up to date, moving forward and updating the concept, adapting it to contemporary Jazz language, sound and vision. Her vocalese and other tricks of the trade, most of which she invented herself or expanded from earlier examples, is a completely new language in itself, which enables her to go where nobody went before; an extremely rare quality these days. The contributions of the three instrumentalists present here is simply outstanding. They all manage to contribute to the music without overshadowing the focus of the vocals and their empathy and ability to communicate with Elma almost telepathically is simply phenomenal. This is indisputably one of the most important albums released on the Polish Jazz scene in the last decade and as far as vocal Jazz is concerned, also on a world scale. There is no other vocal Improvised Music of this intensity and innovative authority anywhere else at the moment, which makes this album simply a one of its kind. To say the truth, this album should be studied by every vocalist in the world, Jazz and otherwise, just to make them aware of what the human voice (and mind) is capable of. This might of course make some of them stop singing, which would be of great benefit of course. Absolutely essential item in every serious record collection!

Updated: 29/02/2016Posted: 29/02/2016

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ELMA ~ HIC ET NUNC IMP 101 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by female Polish Jazz vocalist, who hides behind the pseudonym ElmaFind albums by this artist, recorded with Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist (son of the Finnish Jazz legend Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist) and two great polish musicians: pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, seven of which are by Elma, three by Garbowski and the remaining one by Pohjola. The album was recorded at the legendary Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist presiding, and with spectacular, as usual, sonic results. To put things straight, vocals in this case mean vocalese, i.e. wordless vocal phrases, which basically represent the human voice as just another instrument, placing it on the same level as the rest of the musicians involved. Stylistically the music is much more organized and melodic than one might expect by reading the liner notes, which basically suggest a lot of spontaneous improvisation, which is definitely present here but does not dominate the proceedings. On the contrary the majority of the music consists of clearly defined musical themes, which must have been rehearsed before the actual recording. Of course there is nothing wrong with such approach. Musical birds tell me that large part of the recorded music stays unreleased, so perhaps this album includes the more melodic content and the forthcoming one will present the spontaneously improvised pieces? Elma seems to be more involved in vocalese than any other female Polish Jazz vocalist at the moment, most of which use vocalese sparingly and prefer singing lyrics. Personally I always preferred the instrumental approach to human voice and therefore this album is a breath of fresh air in that department. Elma uses a wide variety of vocal paraphernalia, moving between scat, modulation, syllables or simply singing notes. The actual tone of her voice is perhaps an acquired taste, but the overall result is very unique and enjoyable. The instrumentalists are all quite spectacular, which in their case is not surprising. Wania arises as one of the absolute best Polish Jazz pianists and everything he touches simply turns into the proverbial gold. Garbowski, who is one of my personal favorites since quite a while, also delivers some incredible bass lines, which keep this music afloat, especially in a drumless environment. Pohjola plays some tasty trumpet solos, but his input is a bit too predictable for me personally, although many listeners addicted to the Nordic Jazz sound will surely love it. This is definitely one of the most interesting debuts (so far) in 2014 and deserves a lot of love and attention, simply to show daring musicians that conventions mean very little as far as good Art is concerned. Of course similar attitude towards vocals was already displayed several decades ago, including those of Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist in Poland, but hearing someone trying to revive such experimentation is truly refreshing. I´d love to hear more from Elma and this quartet, hopefully in a not too distant future. Well done indeed!

Updated: 29/02/2016Posted:

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PRZEMYSLAW FLORCZAK ~ IMAGE OF MY PERSONALITY SJ 003 (Barcode: 5902596066024) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2012 This is the debut album by a young Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Przemyslaw FlorczakFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quartet which includes also organist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, six of which are original compositions, all by Florczak, and one is a Charles MingusFind albums by this artist piece. Florczak is also a member of the excellent group BiotoneFind albums by this artist. The album is very impressive, especially as a debut, and presents a portrait of mature musicianship by the leader both as a performer and a composer. All the quartet members are excellent players, both as individuals and collective contributors. The decision to use the organ, rather than acoustic piano, turns this album into a completely unique experience, as this highly unusual combination opens a whole new world of sonic experience and wonderful unisono passages. The saxophone and the organ simply blend together fabulously and one wonders why they are not used together more often. The compositions are also surprisingly excellent, well within the Jazz mainstream but incorporating many cross-genre elements, like bits of Funk, Bossa and even World-Music influences. Beautifully put together and intelligently arranged, they are a true pleasure to listen to. This music is fun (in the best meaning of the word) from start to finish, being both accessible to a wide range of listeners and sophisticated enough to draw the attention of the connoisseurs. Florczak plays beautifully throughout, being especially impressive on the lyrical pieces, where his wonderful tone and delicate delivery is often breathtaking. Tomaszewski is also "stealing" a large part of the show with his superb organ lines, which bring on memories of times long gone. The rhythm section is simply perfect for the job, providing the vehicle for the two soloists to shine and keeping the wagon on the road. The album has a surprisingly exquisite sound quality, which turns out to be less surprising after reading the bane of sound engineer Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist on the cover, who was in charge "only" of mix and mastering this time, but his signature is well recognized. Overall this is a true gem, sadly somewhat overlooked on the crowded Polish Jazz scene, where albums are being released at an incredible rate, but definitely worth digging out and investigating. Well done indeed!

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FOREST TUNER ~ TUNES SJ 015 (Barcode: 5912596066177) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by a young Polish Jazz quartet called The Forest TunerFind albums by this artist, led by trombonist Szymon BialoruckiFind albums by this artist, with pianist Mateusz SobiechowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam TadelFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader, and was recorded at the splendid Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist at the knobs, which as usual guarantees an outstanding sound quality. The music is pretty straightforward, moving between melodic mainstream Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion, excellently performed by all participants. The trombone lead, which of course is fairly rare in a quartet setting, creates an obvious disparity between this particular quartet and most others, with is also characterized by the compositions, which have a stylistic relationship and coherence. Trombone is of course a very challenging instrument, especially when put in front of a Jazz quartet. Bialorucki handles this challenge very well, intelligently avoiding showing off a virtuoso approach to the instrument, and putting the emphasis on feel and melody. Sobiechowski plays wonderfully both as an accompanist and as a soloist and his melodic approach fits the overall mood of the album ideally. The rhythm section stands shoulder to shoulder with the two soloists, with Tadel contributing many impressive bass lines and Budniak providing a solid rhythmic anchor. Overall this is a very promising debut recording, which as usual emphasizes the incredible level of the young Polish Jazz scene, which seems to be blessed with a plentitude of talent and a healthy dose of ambition. Definitely worth investigation!

Updated: 25/03/2017Posted: 10/09/2016

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ANNA GADT ~ BREATHING UNIVERSAL 602537564392 (Barcode: 602537564392) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 - 2013 Released: 2013 This is the third album by Polish Jazz vocalist Anna GadtFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Ania StepniewskaFind albums by this artist) and her first collaboration with the fabulous RGGFind albums by this artist trio: pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. The album consists of eleven original songs, ten of which were composed by Gadt and nine of which feature her lyrics, all in English. The tenth song uses a quote by American poet Ralph Waldo EmersonFind albums by this artist, combined with another quote by American opera singer Beverly SillsFind albums by this artist, with the entire quote credited only to Emerson? The remaining song was composed by Garbowski and features lyrics by Polish poet Miron BialoszewskiFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded at Poland´s finest recording facility, Studio Tokarnia, engineered as usual by the man with a pair of best ears in Poland, the studio owner Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. At the first glance this album had the potential to achieve the status of one of the best Polish Jazz recording in 2013: the finest Polish Jazz piano trio active on the scene, fascinating music, highly sensitive vocal delivery, superb sound quality, in short a dream come true. Sadly this potential proved to be unfulfilled as a result of committing one single mistake, the same unforgivable mistake which hunts the Polish Jazz vocal scene consistently since decades, namely the unexplainable desire to sing in English. Why on earth would anybody, who is not a natural English speaker, want to sing in that langue is a total mystery to me? It is plainly obvious that the articulation, the pronunciation and the accent will be always against you, so why even try? Time after time all Polish Jazz vocalist fall into the same trap and nobody´s learning; what a pity. This album is no different; the vocals sung in English sound odd, unnatural and even bizarre at times. As if to prove the case, the only song with the Polish lyrics is simply heavenly and untouchable, as are the moments when Gadt is utilizing wordless vocalese. On the bright side, the music composed by Gadt is simply excellent from start to finish. Intelligent, atmospheric, versatile, moving, in short she made no mistakes whatsoever in that department and deserves all the praise. Of course there are plenty of wonderful moments left to be enjoyed. The trio plays delightfully from start to finish and stands up to the challenge of accompanying a singer, which is quite different and in many respects more difficult that playing by themselves. Together with their astounding album "SzymanowskiFind albums with this title" released earlier this year, these two recordings firmly reassure their prime and unchallenged standing, which withstood the ground shaking personnel change they went through. They are simply beyond words. The way the trio improvises "around" the songs Gadt composed is simply a genius at work. In spite of the problem created by singing in English, Gadt is obviously a great vocalist, with exquisite sensibility, musicality and musical intelligence. All these qualities come through against all odds in these circumstances. One can only imagine what a brilliant, superb album this would be if she had decided to use Polish lyrics. All things considered this is an amazing album after all, even magnificent at times. A magnificent failure? Well not quite, simply just another step on the long way which has no beaten tracks and leads to a place worth going. You win some, you lose some, c´est la vie…

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ANNA GADT ~ MYSTERIUM LUNAE HEVHETIA 0170 (Barcode: 8588005258326) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2017 - 2018 Released: 2018 This is the fifth album by Polish vocalist / composer Anna GadtFind albums by this artist and her second cooperation with the fabulous Polish piano trio RGGFind albums by this artist, which comprises of pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. Cellist Annemie OsborneFind albums by this artist from Luxembourg is the guest artist. The album presents seventeen pieces some of which incorporate four poems written by the Polish / Jewish poet Boleslaw LesmianFind albums by this artist, but most feature only wordless vocalese. Nine of the pieces were composed by Gadt, one each by Ojdana and Garbowski and the remaining six are improvisations. The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sound quality. From the very onset of the album it is obvious that this is her most ambitious effort so far, mostly improvised and full of complex melodic themes, which last sometimes only for a brief moment before being transformed into another improvised passage. With wordless vocalese dominating the proceedings, this is perhaps the boldest step in Polish vocal Jazz since decades, bridging the void stretching over forty years into the past, when Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist created her revolutionary vocal experiments in the early 1970s. Gadt is exceedingly fortunate to develop the collaboration with RGG, who are one of the most open minded and technically proficient Polish ensembles able to match her vision, which as a result goes way beyond accompaniment and becomes a fully integrated musical creation. The piano trio also moves consistently over time towards more open formats and Improvised Music, and proves to be a most amicable companion to Gadt, which is fully demonstrated herein. It is also very satisfying to see Gadt embarking upon the ambitious and highly aesthetic Jazz & Poetry idiom, especially in view of the fact that a century old poems are able to become a part of today´s Avant Garde, alive and kicking, timeless and penetrating. Words and sounds combined are able to build highly complex and intricate intellectual structures, which can be, when properly executed like in this case, more potent than simply the sum of their ingredients. Overall this is a brilliant piece of contemporary music, fascinating, exciting and challenging, which is a sublime proof of the fact that music knows no limits and there is always a way to step beyond the horizon. My sincere thanks to the musicians involved, not only for the intellectual pleasure their music bestows upon the listener, but primarily for keeping the ray of hope alight in a word full of mediocre darkness. Hats off Milady and Gents!

Updated: 17/12/2018Posted: 20/03/2018

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ANNA GADT ~ RENAISSANCE HEVHETIA 0143 (Barcode: 8588005258005) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz vocalist Anna GadtFind albums by this artist, which presents her interpretations of Polish Renaissance music by such composers as Waclaw z SzamotulFind albums by this artist, Mikolaj GomolkaFind albums by this artist, Jan z LublinaFind albums by this artist and Mikolaj z KrakowaFind albums by this artist, who all lived and composed music in the 16th Century. The fourteen pieces presented on this album include also three short improvisations and three original compositions by Gadt. On the album Gadt is accompanied by only two musicians: accordionist Zbigniew ChojnackiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist (of RGGFind albums by this artist fame). The music was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usually spectacular sonic quality. The music features mostly vocalese, with just a few fragments of lyrics, which of course means that Gadt´s voice is the centerpiece of this project. Her control of the vocal range and her improvisational abilities are astounding. The overall musical effect is not easy to be absorbed by the average listener, as it requires patience and understanding of both ancient music and Jazz, which is definitely far from being trivial. Those who can truly appreciate this highly unique undertaking will be rewarded by immense emotional and aesthetic gratifications. The conscious decision to appear with minimal instrumental support is also an extremely courageous one, but luckily Gadt found two most sympathetic cohorts. Chojnacki is a Master accordionist and his instrument is able to create sonic vistas which move between the mighty church pipe organ to a wooden flute. His virtuosity is simply completely exceptional. Gradziuk, who is one of the most versatile and sensitive drummers on the Polish Scene, also contributes formidable support to the vocal parts. Together the three musicians are able to create a much bigger effect than just the sum of their contributions. Overall this is a most ambitious and praiseworthy effort, which combines paying tribute to the Polish Culture from the past and its development in recent times. The obscure Renaissance Music, known only by a few selected scholars, gets an exposure, which hopefully will result in more people discovering it. Gadt´s contribution to the Polish Vocal Jazz School is fully noted and sealed by this release, being fully deserved. Well done Anna! Kudos to Jan SudzinaFind albums by this artist and his HevhetiaFind albums on this label label for supporting Polish Jazz so enthusiastically, which is of course very neighborly of him. Keep it up!

Updated: 23/02/2017Posted: 23/02/2017

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ANNA GADT ~ RENAISSANCE GESUALDO FSR 2021/13 (Barcode: 5905279364998) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 - 2021 Released: 2021 This is the sixth album by Polish Jazz vocalist Anna GadtFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with accordionist Zbigniew ChojnackiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents two separate projects, with a new studio recorded music based on her interpretations of the Italian Renaissance composer Carlo GesualdoFind albums by this artist on CD1 and a live recording by the trio from 2018, with a live and much transformed version of the music released on her fourth album called “RenaissanceFind albums with this title” on CD2. The music on CD1 was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usually spectacular sonic quality. Gadt is the only Polish Jazz vocalist using almost exclusively vocalese and her vocal performances can be considered as “instrumental” in every respect, which makes her a bona fide member of the trio, rather than a vocalist accompanied by instrumentalists. It is truly amazing to see (hear) how a minimalist setting can produce music with such diversity, dynamics and power. It would be quite difficult to find any quotes of the original music by Gesualdo in the pieces inspired by it, which appear here. Gadt used just partial names of the Gesualdo compositions to emphasize that distance, and the proximity is more associative, aesthetical and atmospheric than straightforwardly coloristic. The mysticism that surrounds Gesualdo’s music is taken here even further, into purely imaginary soundscapes, creating a world in itself. But despite this highly spiritual environment, the music is wonderfully embracing or even caressing, going immediately into the listener’s heart, rather than penetrating the cerebral hemispheres. The live recording, on the other hand, is a wonderful illustration of how the music on the studio album gets transformed, both by the live performance and the fact that it was captured a couple of years after it was first recorded, and like a living creature it keeps constantly evolving. The trio’s concerts, which I was fortunate to attend, offer a magical experience, which is faithfully captured herein. All three musicians are incredibly talented Artists, completely individual and unique, and the fact that they are able to create such a symbiotic coexistence musically is a wonderful human experience. Overall, this is an amazing and striking album, which shows how highly ambitious, completely unconventional musical explorations can offer coherent, wonderful aesthetic experience, which has few parallels, both on the local and the entire European scene.

Updated: 02/02/2022Posted: 02/02/2022

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GARBOWSKI / DAMASIEWICZ / SOOVIK ~ SESTO ELEMENTO FSR 2015/04 (Barcode: 5905279364042) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is a live recording, captured during the Ad Libitum Festival in Warsaw, by an Improvised Music trio comprising of Polish bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist, Polish trumpeter Piotr DamasiewiczFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer William SoovikFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks of freely improvised music, with the composition rights not credited on the album´s packaging, therefore by default assumed to be co-created by the trio members. The album was mixed and mastered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, owner of the Studio Tokarnia, which guaranties a great sound quality. Garbowski is one of my favorite Polish Jazz bass players, who has a proven record not only in the "conventional" Jazz environment as a member of the fabulous RGGFind albums by this artist trio, but also in much more adventurous experiments, some of them involving also Damasiewicz. This recording is however the most radical environment as far as everything I heard so far by Garbowski. This "total" freedom seems to ill-serve his great talent, mostly because although his playing here is as brilliant as always, it is somewhat detached from his partners, who seem to be exploring their own private avenues. Damasiewicz progressed quite consistently towards freely improvised music in the stretch of the last few years and although I loved his playing a few years ago, when it showed promises of catapulting him to the very top of the Polish Jazz trumpet pedestal, his more recent explorations leave me much less enthusiastic. Soovik plays along agreeably with his Polish cohorts, but his contributions to the trio´s effort are overall almost unnoticed, staying way in the background most of the time. Nothing wrong with that of course, but in a free improvised environment the total input is what counts as the final result. There are many interesting moments on this album, some brief highly inspired flashes of sheer genius, but sadly overall while this music was probably a stimulating listening experience, its weight as recorded document is much less significant. As usual the decision do release a piece of recorded music on record is not an easy one and always a very subjective matter.

Updated: 27/10/2016Posted:

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DARIUSZ HERBASZ ~ JOY OF FRIENDSHIP MULTIKULTI 024 (Barcode: 5907529223246) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz saxophonist Dariusz HerbaszFind albums by this artist and his double tenor saxophone quintet, which also includes saxophonist Tomasz GrzegorskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr ManiaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam ZuchowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomasz SowinskiFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of six original compositions, all by Herbasz and was recorded at the superb Studio Tokarnia with engineer Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist presiding. If I would have been subjected to listening to this album in a blindfold test situation, I would be sure this is an unknown recording of mid 1960s Blue NoteFind albums on this label period, as this music has the distinctive feel of modern mainstream, which flourished at the time and was captured for posterity by Rudy Van GelderFind albums by this artist. The warmth and presence of the overall sound and the crisp piano sound are quite remarkable. But of course there is also the music, which stylistically returns to that wonderful period that summarized the Jazz tradition bringing it to sheer perfection on one hand and opening doors for the free form just wide enough to make it interesting on the other hand. These wonderful compositions are truly grand on every level; there are some beautiful melancholic melodies, several great vamps, and a strange feeling of familiarity even upon the first hearing. I must admit that it´s been a while since I´ve heard a collection of such superbly crated tunes on one album. Herbasz takes a considerable risk with the double tenor saxophone frontline, since such setting is often prone to clashes and outright contest rather than cooperation, but also opens intriguing opportunities of harmonizing and completing each other. It´s a pleasure to hear how well this situation was handled here, enabling both players to solo as well as play together in a variety of quite distinct musical surroundings and atmospheres. Both saxophonists [lay remarkably well, both when simply stating the lyricism of a melody or venturing into almost free form excursions. The rhythm section is excellent as well, providing the ideal support for the soloists and framing the musical expressions with just the right amount of direction, allowing space for less constrained experimentation at times. The pianist is an ideal harmonizer and his vamping is a classic form obviously learned from the best. Bass is round, clear and worm and the drums play exactly the amount of time keeping to keep everything tick, with some great topping of inventive drumming. The overall dynamic sensitivity of the entire rhythm section is simply just what the doctor ordered to make the music perfect. This is a remarkable debut and a brilliant Jazz album, which comprises of everything that makes Jazz such a great music: it´s interesting, artistic, intelligent, well played and above all honest, simply stating the artist´s credo and not trying to be something it isn´t. Well done indeed!

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HIGH DEFINITION ~ HOPASA EMARCY 602537434725 (Barcode: 602537434725) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by High Definition QuartetFind albums by this artist, a young Polish Jazz outfit comprising of saxophonist Mateusz SliwaFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr OrzechowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Patryk DoboszFind albums by this artist. Polish Jazz connoisseurs are of course familiar with Orzechowski (a.k.a. PianohooliganFind albums by this artist), who made a meteoric entrance on the scene as a solo performer and recorded one of the most interesting Polish Jazz albums a year earlier, which presented his interpretations of music written by Maestro Krzysztof PendereckiFind albums by this artist. Here we have the occasion to hear him finally as a part of an ensemble, which of course is quite different than performing solo. Dobosz is also somewhat familiar as a member of the phenomenal Magnolia Acoustic QuartetFind albums by this artist, which released a brilliant live album shortly before this album was released. The quartet performs six pieces (well, five actually, as the first one is just a brief intro), four of which were composed by Orzechowski and one is a Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist composition. The album offers a sublime sound quality and ambiance, which not surprisingly is a result of it being recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. Musically High Definition is a quintessence of Modern Jazz in every respect. The musicians are all masters of their trade, which is absolutely amazing considering their tender ages, who perform with virtuosic sophistication, superb intelligence and brilliant feel; and yet these strong individuals are able to collaborate seamlessly to create a whole, which is stronger than the sum of its parts. The music they play is completely contemporary and yet it plays a loving tribute to all the traditional Jazz sub-genres, with humorous hints of Swing, Bebop, Hard Bop, Cool Jazz and of course Free Form, switching from one to another like a butterfly hopping from flower to flower. All that Magic is being performed completely effortless, elegantly and almost nonchalantly, which of course is a sign of true Artistry. They are able to switch tempi, keys and approach several times within a very short span of time, doing it in perfect harmony and unison, which is nothing short of stunning. There is no doubt the Orzechowski is the most dominant personality behind this album, both as a composer and a player. This is not as much a question of solo exposure, but the overall feeling one gets listening to the music, with the piano chord obviously leading the way and stating (or emphasizing) the melodic content. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that of course, as Orzechowski is very charismatic and his musical personality is obviously very extrovert. On this album he is exposed, both as a composer and a player, showing his deep lyricism and even romanticism without any attempt to hide it behind false facades. Here it is, all in the open and in its full glory for us to enjoy. Overall this is undoubtedly one of the strongest releases on the Polish Jazz scene this year, which is even more astounding as this has been a truly amazing year for Polish Jazz. And again, being a debut it is absolutely a miracle. Even more of a miracle is the fact, that it was released on a Major label, which usually releases less ambitious music. Perhaps even they can be converted? Heaven on earth!

Updated: 12/06/2018Posted:

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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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JAROMIR HONZAK ~ A QUESTION TO ALL YOUR ANSWERS ANIMAL MUSIC 005 (Barcode: 8594155996551) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 This is the fourth album as a leader by Czech Jazz bassist / composer Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and his first release on the excellent Czech label Animal MusicFind albums on this label. The album was recorded by a Czech / Polish quartet which also included Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist, both of which played with him on this album´s predecessor "Present PastFind albums with this title". Clarinetist Tomas CisteckyFind albums by this artist, flautist Lucie CisteckaFind albums by this artist and pianist Vojtech ProchazkaFind albums by this artist appear as guests. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Honzak. Seven of the tracks were recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sound quality. The last track was recorded at the Czech Radio and features the a.m. guests. Honzak, whom I have been watching closely since many years, proudly continues the Czech Jazz Bass tradition, established by internationally known bassists like George MrazFind albums by this artist (really Jiri MrazFind albums by this artist) and Miroslav VitousFind albums by this artist, but also less known outside of their homeland like Ludek HulanFind albums by this artist, Frantisek UhlirFind albums by this artist, Karel VejvodaFind albums by this artist, Petr KorinekFind albums by this artist and others. His beautifully round notes and chronometric pulsations are always a guarantee of a perfect rhythm section anchor in the numerous recording he took part in. But on this album Honzak great forte are his wonderful compositions, which are beautifully woven, versatile and most importantly open enough to be stretched and explored by the quartet members, often towards unexpected directions. As a result this album is a superb ride into the unforeseen, with each track taking the listener on a new adventure. Not losing the sense of melody and coherence, the music has so much freedom and breathing space that the flexibility is endless. Of course the leader gets fantastic support from the quartet members; Doruzka, here fourteen years younger than today, is already a bright star on the European scale, while Tokaj and Zyta, despite their relatively young age at the time were already seasoned veterans, capable of playing virtually anything. Together the quartet sounds like an organic unit and in retrospect I´d love to hear this experience repeated again. Overall this is a brilliant album from start to finish, a perfect reflection of 21st Century European Jazz at its best. Fourteen years later it still sounds perfectly fresh and sparkling with ingenuity, like a gem it is. Absolutely not to be missed!

Updated: 14/11/2020Posted: 28/08/2020

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HORNTET ~ HORNTET FOR TUNE 0163 (Barcode: 5906395808793) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is the debut studio album by Polish Jazz quintet HorntetFind albums by this artist, led by pianist / composer Bartlomiej LesniakFind albums by this artist, with saxophonists Robert WypasekFind albums by this artist and Szymon ZiolkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Mikolaj SikoraFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr PrzewozniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, six of which are original compositions by the quintet members: four by Lesniak and one each by Ziolkowski and Przewozniak, and finally one standard by Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist. The music is all modern Mainstream Jazz, with extensive improvisations and complex arrangements, which result in the tracks being all around ten minutes and beyond in duration. This allows for all the band members to express their individual abilities and experiment with tempi and often extend the basic melody lines far beyond the origins. As a result, there is a lot happening here, which often seems a bit over the board. These young musicians are bursting with talent and probably feel the need to prove themselves on the extremely crowded Polish Jazz scene, which might by the reason why the result seems so dense and ready to explode. The quintet is at their best playing slow, lyrical material, which is only a small part of the music herein. The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, which usually is a guarantee of sound quality, but this time the sound is a bit muffled / unusual, emphasizing the piano over the other instruments. But of course this is just a very personal inkling. Overall, this is an impressive album, considering the age and lack of experience of the musicians, which is just a first step in their career. They simply need time to get their stuff together in time. It obviously indicates the potential and talent of the young Polish Jazz scene, which has so much to offer.

Updated: 11/12/2023Posted: 11/12/2023

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WITOLD JANIAK ~ CINEMA MEETS JAZZ NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 - 2013 Released: 2013 This is the third album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Witold JaniakFind albums by this artist, and his debut recording in the piano trio format. There are actually two different trios present on this album, one with bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist and the other with bassist Andrzej ZielakFind albums by this artist and drummer Kamil MiszewskiFind albums by this artist. All the tracks were recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, which guaranties the highest sound quality. The album includes nine tracks, all of which are, as the title suggests, famous movie themes arranged by Janiak for the piano trio. Playing cinematic music in a Jazzy manner is of course a treacherous ground, since such projects have been attempted numerous times in the past, and by the absolute top Jazz players all over the world. Therefore the idea is hardly innovative or original and anybody attempting such a project has to be prepared to offer some bonus values, like extraordinary virtuosic performance or highly inventive arrangements. Sadly this album offers none of the above. Of course Janiak and his rhythm sections are skilled players with years of experience behind them, which results in excellent performances, but the music lacks sparkle and inspiration. This is painfully evident on the trio´s interpretation of Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist´s theme from Rosemary´s Baby, which has been performed incessantly by other Polish Jazz musicians. Overall the album presents some pleasant and well played piano trio Jazz, but fails to cross over into prominence.

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WITOLD JANIAK ~ ZAGRAJCIE SWOJA MUZYKE NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5908254159527) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Witold JaniakFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio setting with bassist Rafal RozalskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Kamil MiszewskiFind albums by this artist. It presents nine traditional Polish folkloristic tunes rearranged into the Jazz idiom by Janiak. The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sound result. Judging by the number of albums related to Polish Folklore it seems that the Polish Jazz scene rediscovered its roots in 2015, in a way repeating a trend that was quite popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Some of those recent albums are truly revealing and present superb aesthetic achievements, while others sadly are much less original and seem to just blindly follow a fad. Janiak and his trio are very proficient musicians and their playing is without reproach all the way through, but the resulting music simply does not rise above the level of being "nice". There is no fire or emotional stir that makes a Jazz album rise above the average. The folkloristic influence is very marginal and does not come forward enough, beyond stating the basic melody line, failing to achieve the amalgamation of the two genres. To be fair this is still a very decent piano trio album, which many Jazz fans can enjoy; it simply does not compare to other exceptional Jazz albums released in Poland, which are way more artistic, engaging and fulfilling.

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MICHAL JAROS ~ FLOATING BRIDGES MULTIKULTI MPJ 023 (Barcode: 5907529223727) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Michal JarosFind albums by this artist recorded in a quintet setting with trumpeter Piotr DamasiewiczFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist, pianist / organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, six of which are original compositions by Jaros (the title track appears in two versions) and one is a contemporary standard. Five of the tracks on this album feature the full quintet (or quartet in one case) and the remaining three feature a piano trio. Although all the music is quite mainstream oriented, with clear melodic themes, the quintet / quartet tracks are more open and less rhythmically restricted, and serve as basis for improvisations by Damasiewicz and / or Obara, but without crossing over into more ambitious Improvised Music vistas, which one might have expected from the presence of these two musicians, who not so long ago were the torch bearers of the young Polish Avant-Garde, roaring like mighty lions, and in time assumed a comfortable role of domesticated pussycats. As a result, the tracks that feature the piano trio with Smoczynski, Jaros and Miskiewicz only are way more coherent and focused than the quintet tracks, showing the wonderful interplay between the trio members, Smoczynski´s virtuosity, which is sadly rarely appreciated by the local "critics", and the rhythm section at its best. Although Jaros´ compositions are all very solid and well structured, in the trio format they receive the most advantageous treatment, even if they are all worthy of prize and respect. Overall this is an uneven album, obviously played by an excellent team but somewhat lacking focus. At times the music flows beautifully, especially when the piano trio is at the helm, and at other times it is sort of dragging on, as if looking for a direction. Of course it is still way better that the average Jazz album with the "Made in the USA" sticker, but Polish Jazz is often way better than this.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 21/03/2019

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JAZZ CONSTRUCTION ~ JAZZ CONSTRUCTION MTS 014 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009 This is the debut album by the young Polish Jazz quintet Jazz ConstructionFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Marcin KaniaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Wawrzyniec PrasekFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek KaliszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech BylicaFind albums by this artist. Lenczowski also plays cello in the string quartet, which accompanies the group. The album presents eight original compositions, five of which were composed by Lenczowski and three by Prasek. The album was recorded at the wonderful Studio Tokarnia with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist at the console, which of course is immediately audible, as the sound quality is gorgeous. Although the music is quite diverse stylistically, the overall ambience presiding is that of melodic Jazz-Rock Fusion. The guitar, which stands out as the most effective solo instrument, is sonically very close to the classic early Pat MethenyFind albums by this artist sound, round and slightly melancholic, but always very effective. Each of the guitar solos on this album is a masterpiece of construction and a perfect example of showmanship by Lenczowski. But his colleagues are not far behind and they all display formidable technique and feel for the music. As usual with young Polish Jazz groups one keeps wondering how it´s possible for such young players to sound so mature. The group displays its Jazz roots by offering a couple of tunes, which are clever tributes to Jazz Giants like John ColtraneFind albums by this artist and Miles DavisFind albums by this artist and their overall approach is also Jazzier than most Fusion groups. The individual contributions of all the band members are truly praiseworthy. Overall, although hardly groundbreaking, this is a very solid debut effort, which features excellent original music and first-class performances, which are as good if not better from most similar material released anywhere in the world. For some strange reason this album slipped under my radar at the time of its release, but it´s never too late to acknowledge a worthy effort. Very well done gentlemen!

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JAZZPOSPOLITA ~ JAZZPO! POSTPOST 01 (Barcode: 5903240397013) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the fourth album by Polish group JazzpospolitaFind albums by this artist, which consists of guitarist Michal Przerwa-TetmajerFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Michal ZaleskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Stefan NowakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech OleksiakFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions (eleven tracks with one tune repeated twice), all assumedly co-composed by all four band members. The music was recorded at the legendary Studio Tokarnia with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist presiding at the knobs, which naturally results in excellent sound quality, as usual. This album is the first new music Jazzpospolita reveals since their second album, i.e. in over two years, which kept the many fans of the group in suspense. The fact is that this is new music but there is not so much new in the music itself, as if the group simply glided over time doing more or less the same thing they have been doing more or less since they started. Nothing wrong with that of course, but in a long range even the most loyal followers might loose interest. But innovation aside, Jazzpospolita is still a very unique voice on the Polish scene, filling a niche for the young generation of music lovers, who are not really into Jazz proper on one hand, but who are bored with the contemporary Pop and Ambient scenes on the other hand. The group manages to produce nice melodic riffs, stretched over extended ambient passages and featuring some impressive guitar lead lines, which are overall quite hypnotic and engaging. This music has a chameleonic quality of fitting into many different listening environments, from background music while driving to intensive direct involvement with the music. The four individual musicians make a remarkable contribution to the overall group sound and feel of the entire ensemble. The guitarist carries most of the leading voice, but his role would have been impossible without the rich background created by the keyboards and the superb rhythm section. Rhythmically the music is mostly Rocky, with steady bit and pulse, while the keyboards and the guitar create the improvisational dimension, which associates the music with the Jazz idiom. Combined with the Ambient sound the Rock and Jazz ingredients amalgamate into a unique mixture, which is distinctly Jazzpospolita. Of course this is the best album the group created so far, and the most fun to listen to, but the group should be aware of the danger of stretching this formula for one more album. Hopefully they will reinvent themselves for the next one, leaving us in the meantime having a good time with this one. Thank you Gentlemen!

Updated: 25/03/2017Posted:

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JAZZPOSPOLITA ~ JAZZPO! LIVE MADE IN CHINA AUDIO ANATOMY 001 (Barcode: 5906660083009) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the fifth (and first live) album by Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion group called JazzpospolitaFind albums by this artist, which comprises of guitarist Michal Przerwa-TetmajerFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Michal ZaleskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Stefan NowakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech OleksiakFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the album was recorded live during the group´s tour in China and presents two CDs, each with seven original compositions, all composed and arranged collectively by the members of the group. The album includes live versions of all the nine compositions presented on the group´s fourth album ("Jazzpo!Find albums with this title") and five compositions from their earlier recordings. The music was mixed and mastered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist at the Studio Tokarnia with superb sonic result as usual. Although these expanded live versions of the Jazzpospolita´s material don´t present any new facets of the group´s superb live act, which I had the pleasure to experience at first hand several times, they do affirm their positions as one of the most successful young European groups that emerged in 2010s, with a strong appeal to the young generation of listeners, apparently across the globe. The highly melodic and hypnotic compositions, which create a trance-like and ever surreal atmosphere are very communicable and appealing. All four members of the group manage to compliment their individual instrumental abilities and create a unique sound and even style, which is immediately recognizable. The sterile sound of the guitar, which is the leading instrument in most cases, brings memories of the instrumental Rock groups from the early 1960s, but modernized of course and supported by electric piano, create together a surprisingly convincing effect, when supported by the highly skillful rhythm section. Silence and breaks are an integral part of the Jazzpospolita magic, again quite unusual in comparison to what is happening in contemporary music. This album is an ideal entry point into the Jazzpospolita world, especially for listeners unfamiliar with their earlier albums and therefore highly recommended as such. But overall it is a beautiful stretch of great instrumental music, which manages to create an atmosphere of mystery and anticipation, keeping the listeners in suspense from start to finish. Connoisseurs of atmospheric melodic improvised music should have a field day with this album, which I warmly recommend!

Updated: 08/05/2017Posted: 25/03/2017

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KAZIMIERZ JONKISZ ENERGY ~ 6 HOURS WITH RONNIE FOR TUNE 0070 (Barcode: 5902768701739) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This album documents the meeting between veteran Polish Jazz drummer Kazimierz JonkiszFind albums by this artist and his ensemble EnergyFind albums by this artist with legendary American baritone saxophonist Ronnie CuberFind albums by this artist. The following musicians also take part in the recording: saxophonists Borys JanczarskiFind albums by this artist and Tomasz GrzegorskiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Robert MurakowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia, owned by Smoczynski, who also engineered and mastered the album, with the usual spectacular sonic result. The music includes six compositions, two of which are originals by Pulcyn, one is by Cuber and the remaining three are standards. The music is, as expected, straightforward mainstream Jazz, with the two Pulcyn tunes being by far the most refreshing pieces on this album. It is executed without a flaw by all the participants, although the session seems to be lacking any high energy or particular joy of life, which is typically present on the best Jazz recordings. Overall this is a nice, well played and well recorded mainstream Jazz album, which is no different from thousands of similar albums recorded before. As such it contributes nothing to the Jazz milieu and with all due respect is simply banal. Smoczynski plays some great introvert piano parts and Pulcyn, as always, keeps time beautifully, but other than that it´s all déjà vu. Of course since baritone saxophone is not heard very often, this is a good opportunity to enjoy this beautiful instrument being played well.

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ANNA MARIA JOPEK ~ DWA SERDUSZKA CZTERY OCZY UNIVERSAL 602517947825 (Barcode: 602517947825) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2005 - 2008 Released: 2008 This phenomenal Box Set, or rather book set, combines three albums by Polish vocalist / songwriter Anna Maria JopekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. AMJFind albums by this artist), recorded over a period of several years in the mid 2000s. It includes the album "IDFind albums with this title", a CD full of demos and outtakes which did not make it to be included on "ID" and the live album "JO & COFind albums by this artist". Together these three CDs summarize the "ID" period, which was a groundbreaking step in AMJ´s development as an artist. Packaged with a marvelous book full of black & white photographs of AMJ and the participating musicians, elegantly designed and exquisitely printed, this is a piece of Art in every sense of the word. Surrounded by a group of wonderful musicians form Poland and the world over she performs mostly self-written songs, mixing Jazz and World Music with the typical Polish melodic / lyrical atmosphere, which dominates the proceedings. The list of world famous musicians participating on "ID" is most impressive and includes saxophonist Branford MarsalisFind albums by this artist, bassists Christian McBrideFind albums by this artist and Richard BonaFind albums by this artist, drummer Manu KatchéFind albums by this artist, percussionist Mino CineluFind albums by this artist, oud player / vocalist Dhafer YoussefFind albums by this artist, guitarist / vocalist Oscar Castro NevesFind albums by this artist and pianist Tord GustavsenFind albums by this artist. Polish musicians include keyboardist Pawel Bzim ZareckiFind albums by this artist, guitarists Marcin KydrynskiFind albums by this artist and Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, pianist / arranger Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, who is in charge of the string quartet and orchestral arrangements (performed by the Sinfonia VivaFind albums by this artist Orchestra). The live album includes also organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The music presents a complex panorama of sounds and ideas, which include many cross-genre excursions, vocal experiments, poetic vistas and intimate dialogs between the Artist and the world that surrounds her. AMJ has one of the sweetest voices on this planet and her big artistry is all about not to make sugary music, which would be quite natural for many other singers. She also has an incredible sense of rhythm in general and Jazzy swing in particular, which is quite rare. Her affinity to music originating beyond her native Polish / European sphere of influence is also quite remarkable. All these, combined with her unique expressionism as a singer and delicate, elegant, intricate vocal delivery make her one of my favorite singers of all times. AMJ enjoys a superstar status in Poland, which usually is a sign of tasteless commercialism and total lack of any artistic values. Her ability to be extremely popular and at the same time produce first class music is therefore especially impressive. Although some snobbish Jazz circles in her country deem her commercial and populist, this is simply completely unjustified and probably a sign of narrow-mindedness if not worse. I find it hard to believe that anybody listening to this music would feel anything but total admiration, as it is simply perfect.

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

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PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING TRIO ~ SOMETHING PERSONAL HEVHETIA 0100 (Barcode: 8588005257411) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. This rhythm section is also known as the rhythm section of the New BoneFind albums by this artist ensemble. The album presents seven tracks, all of which are original compositions by Kaczmarczyk. It was mixed and mastered by the great Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and released on the Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label, which releases lately a significant amount of Polish Jazz albums, opening new opportunities for Polish Jazz musicians, who face a very tough and crowded local recording market. Kaczmarczyk stormed the Polish Jazz scene over a decade earlier as a young prodigy, winning awards from every possible competition and later recording and releasing three excellent albums as a leader. But the initial impact somewhat subsided over time and although he was visible on the scene quite recurrently, almost six years passed between the release of his last album and this one. No doubt these were years of reflection and reassessment of his musical attitude, as this album clearly proves. The return to the piano trio format and the much less complex arrangements of his compositions signal a kind of return to the roots. Kaczmarczyk was always a great songweaver, and the collection of his new compositions confirms that status again. Wonderfully melodic, deeply lyrical and always full of grace, his music, presented here in a very basic down to earth form, is most effective exactly as it appears here. Gone are the elaborate and intricate rhythmic complexities, instrumental shenanigans and other tricks of the trade; instead we get Kaczmarczyk almost naked musically, but finally mature and truthful to himself. Of course Kaczmarczyk is also a brilliant pianist and on this album, which is modest and very personal, there are limited possibilities to shine as a virtuosic performer; and yet Kaczmarczyk manages to pull this off, playing some amazingly sweet and inspired piano performances. The experienced rhythm section plays along tightly and supportively, being always there when needed. Adamczak plays several nice solos and stands by the leader both harmonically and rhythmically. Fortuna is a very busy drummer, but at all times stays in the background not disturbing the delicate trio balance. In many respects this album could be seen as Kaczmarczyk´s "return", an older, and more mature and focused version of the young star from a decade earlier. The lost charm of excitement and surprise was replaced by musical depth and developed compositional as well as performing skills. It was definitely worth the time we had to wait for this album and hopefully another long lingering will be spared. Welcome back! Side Note: The promo version of this album includes also seven tracks, but two of them are different than those included on the formal album, which of course makes the demo a most desirable collector´s item!

Updated: 27/09/2016Posted:

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KOSMOS ~ KOSMOS AUDIO CAVE 2024/007 (Barcode: 5908298549872) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz quintet KosmosFind albums by this artist, comprising of trumpeter / keyboardist Jan OstalskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Iwo TylmanFind albums by this artist, pianist Stanislaw SzmigierFind albums by this artist, bassist Kamil GuzniczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Kacper KutaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven tracks, which are uncredited on the album’s artwork and therefore assumed to be co-composed by the quintet members. The music was recorded at the splendid Tokarnia 2.0 studio and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, and offers nothing less than the expected superb sound quality. The album’s liner notes suggest a linkage with space Jazz (see Sun RaFind albums by this artist), referring to the quintet’s moniker (Kosmos in Polish = universe / outer space), but to be honest this is hugely farfetched, as the music is pretty earthly modern Jazz, which other than a bit of electronic effects stays well within the mainstream “universe”. Having said that, the music is quite original and clever, with a perfect balance between composed themes and improvised parts, excellently performed by these young players, who obviously lack the perfection, which comes with years of experience, but are talented enough to compensate with open-mindedness and thinking out of the box. The resulting music keeps the listener right on the edge, unable to anticipate what comes next, which of course is much appreciated. The music is surprisingly diverse and keeps moving into many different avenues, but does not lose coherency and continuity, which makes listening to the entire album quite a journey. More importantly the album offers a substantial amount of music (over fifty minutes), which shows that these people have a lot to say, which they wish to share with their listeners. Many contemporary Jazz releases offer barely about half an hour of music, which often leaves me with a half-baked reaction, and here we get a potent piece of music, which can to be savored and tasted, and later properly digested, as appropriate the occasion. I do have an issue with the sound, not the quality of it of course, only the intentional muddiness of it, which seems to be the latest fashion with young Jazz ensembles. This is Jazz people, not drum and bass! Let us hear the music as it really sounds! Overall, this is a very surprising and promising debut album, which puts a smile on a face of people who can enjoy something new and fresh at last, which does not happen very often these days. The music is a bit rough and lacks the spark of perfection, buy all things considered, it sounds great and more importantly offers so much fresh air. Well done, Gentlemen!

Updated: 23/07/2024Posted: 23/07/2024

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LESZEK KULAKOWSKI ~ CODE NUMBERS MUSIC VOX ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010 This is a wonderful piano trio album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Leszek KulakowskiFind albums by this artist with bassist Piotr KulakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist (of RGGFind albums by this artist fame). The album presents thirteen original compositions, all by Kulakowski, some quite short, like outlines if a musical idea which is repeated four times, others lengthy and expanded with elaborate improvisations. The album was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and was engineered and mastered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, as usual with spectacular sonic results. Kulakowski is a musician of many diverse preferences, moving between the pure Jazz idiom and Jazz-Classical Fusion, feeling comfortably in both situations. Although this album presents him in seemingly "pure" Jazziness, both his playing and his compositions always incorporate a certain element of contemporary Classical music, even if not stated openly. He is a master of melody, but also of atmosphere and suspense, which keeps the listener in a state of anticipation. Personally I find this ability quite remarkable as it emerges in Kulakowski´s work with such intensity for the first time since the works of Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, the Godfather of Polish Jazz, were created in the late 1960s. The music also champions the typical Polish lyricism and intrinsic melancholy, which although omnipresent in Polish Jazz, are rarely revealed with such exquisiteness and compassion, as in the music presented here. The performances are all quite brilliant, with the piano often performing without accompaniment, and when the whole trio is present, the rhythm section often takes a deliberate step back, respectfully keeping the piano in the spotlight. Of course when the rhythm section does step in full swing, the musicians sound like one coherent unit. Gradziuk displays his usual virtuosic, yet reserved ability to keep time in a most inspired way and even is his solo tries not to outshine his colleagues. The bassist also performs wonderfully, providing those magnificent riffs that keep the anticipation in the air. The whole thing is simply brilliant. This music should be heard by every piano trio connoisseur on this planet, as it is definitely has to offer many novel ideas and deeply moving music, which deserves to be discovered and shared. Not to be missed!

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KRZYSZTOF LENCZOWSKI ~ INTERNAL MELODY ALLEGRO 031 (Barcode: 5901157049315) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is (finally!) the debut album by Polish cellist / guitarist / composer Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist, one of the most prominent representatives of the young generation of Polish musicians, who is characterized by a total cross-genre approach to music, tipping his fingers in anything from Pop, Rock, Fusion, Jazz and deep into contemporary Classical music, always with grace and sublime talent. The fact that this is his debut album, already preceded by dozens of albums recorded as a group member or sideman, is surprising, but on the other hand nothing about Lenczowski should be really surprising, as he is an Artist of the unexpected. This album, recorded in a quartet setting with saxophonist Grzech PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist, organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomasz WaldowskiFind albums by this artist, was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia (owned by Smoczynski who also engineered the recording with the usual spectacular sonic results) presents eight original compositions, all by Lenczowski. From the very first tones heard on this album it becomes immediately apparent that this is a piece of music completely unique and incomparable to anything else happening anywhere. Yes, completely unexpected in every aspect: sound, melody, use of instruments, atmosphere and overall feel of this album are all absolutely stunning. Cello is by far not the most popular instrument outside of the Classical Music idiom and Lenczowski´s determination to stick with this instrument despite the obvious difficulty, is commendable. But the entire instrumentation of his music on this album is far from being easy on the ear: Jazzy saxophone playing complex extended solos, organ playing mostly bass lines and very limited melody / chord lines and a Rocky drummer on top – a strange recipe to say the least. And yet against all odds this music works splendidly and extremely effectively. Lenczowski´s cello parts are of course incredible all the way through, which is hardly surprising in his case. Surprisingly (again) Piotrowski plays beautifully and ambitiously as well, and Lenczowski´s decision to use him here turned out to be the right one, in spite of Piotrowski´s problematic flirts with Smooth muzak in the past. Smoczynski, as always, turns out to be an island of serenity and his somber, church like organ sound, creates a solid layer upon this music solidly rests, or floats above. Waldowski´s drums become an integral part of the ensemble and his sensitivity, elegance and coolness are exemplary. As usually the strength of the entire ensemble only works out if all the participants contribute on the same emotional level, which obviously happens in this case. Lenczowski also deserves praise for his compositions, which are all not only beautifully melodic, but also delightfully lyrical and emotionally deep. The music sounds at times like medieval chant, or charmingly discloses touches Middle Eastern mystique, or brings fond memories of early days of Progressive Rock glory. Regardless of the many associations, it is always inspired and rewarding. Overall this is a most impressive debut album by an experienced and mature musician, who is still searching and ready for the challenges of the future. It is definitely one of the finest albums released this year on the Polish scene, with very few challengers around. An absolute must for any true music lover!

Updated: 26/10/2016Posted:

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LNSD QUARTET ~ UNASKED, UNANSWERED HEVHETIA 0223 (Barcode: 8588005259040) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz ensemble LNSD QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Szymon LukowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Gabriel NiedzielaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, five by Lukowski and one each by Smoczynski and Niedziela. The album was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Smoczynski. The music is quite different from the three albums recorded earlier by Lukowski as a leader, which were all pretty mainstream Jazz oriented, whereas this album offers a different approach, still melody based and musically straightforward, but with a highly unique sound created by the synthesized keyboards, at times almost industrial, Funky / Fusiony guitar sound and busy drumming, which together create a heavy, somewhat muddy / murky / distorted sound, and which takes a while to get adopted to and prompts the listener to check his ears / sound system to make sure that what he hears is what was intended to be heard. I admit that it took some effort to accept the music for what it is and by the second listening it started to make perfect sense. There is plenty if great music under the murky exterior and the darkish atmosphere of the album has its fortes. Lukowski and Niedziela play some excellent soli here, and Smoczynski is busy enough with creating the ambient background, while Dobrowolski sets the paste with his usual precision and artistry. Overall, this is a very unusual sounding album, which offers some excellent compositions and great performances, but requires open-mindedness as far as the sound and ambience are concerned. Patience is, as usual, well rewarded! Jazz lovers, who are into novel sound experiments, should have a field day with this album.

Updated: 02/04/2022Posted: 02/04/2022

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SZYMON LUKOWSKI ~ HOURGLASS HEVHETIA 0136 (Barcode: 8588005257930) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / clarinetist / composer Szymon LukowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with Austrian (resident in London) guitarist Hannes RieplerFind albums by this artist, and Polish vibraphonist Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel UrowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, six by Lukowski and one each by Bukowski, Riepler and Urowski. From the first notes of this album it is obvious that the young musician made a giant step forward both as a player and a composer in comparison to his earlier recordings. Supported by a formidable team of highly talented musicians, Lukowski delivers a wonderful collection of excellent tunes, all beautifully played by him and his cohorts. The elegant arrangements, which feature the superb talents of Bukowski on vibes and marimba and great guitar playing by Riepler, all contribute to the elegant flow of melody lines, amicably supported by the rhythm section. Although the music is still very "conventional" and well within the Jazz mainstream idiom, it is able to shed off the trivial references to years of Jazz tradition, which have been abused and misused for decades. This music flows smoothly and elegantly, keeping the listener attentive. Lukowski uses several types of saxophones and the bass clarinet to produce diverse and interesting tonal ornamentations which serve the music to the max. The music was wonderfully recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual spectacular sonic result. The clarity of the sound and the superb separation of the instruments make listening to this album an audiophiles´ orgy. Overall this is a great mainstream Jazz album, which offers excellent music and first class performances, which should satisfy all connoisseurs and still deliver something previously unheard. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 27/05/2017Posted: 27/05/2017

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SZYMON LUKOWSKI ~ SHORT SKETCHES HEVHETIA 0197 (Barcode: 8588005258753) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the third album by young Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Szymon LukowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with keyboardist Adam LemanczykFind albums by this artist and superb veteran rhythm section comprising of bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, four by Lukowski and one each by Lemanczyk, Pulcyn and Stankiewicz. The music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual first class sonic quality. The music is all within the modern mainstream Jazz convention, but Lukowski´s progress as a composer and instrumentalist is again clearly apparent in comparison to his earlier work. His bass clarinet parts expand the sonic palette considerably and his compositions are more complex and excellently arranged for the quartet, which results in these performances being highly absorbing from start to finish. The strength of the quartet as a tight musical unit also adds to the success of this material. Lemanczyk is equally effective on acoustic piano and electric keyboards, playing some truly mesmerizing parts. Pulcyn, as always, keeps everything in check and his highly melodic bass lines offer a steady ground for the music to lean on. Frankiewicz adds a highly percussive and dynamic drum parts on the up-tempo numbers and delicate ornamentation on the ballads, like a professional he truly is. Overall this is a truly fine piece of Jazz music, diverse, interesting and aesthetically satisfying, which all Jazz lovers should find worth listening to. As usual it perfectly reflects the high level of original music being created in Poland these days, which is as good, if not better, as Jazz created all over Europe these days, without any inferiority complex. Well done indeed!

Updated: 21/02/2020Posted: 21/02/2020

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LYYTINEN / GARBOWSKI / GRADZIUK ~ SWORDS FSR 2020/19 (Barcode: 5905279364776) ~ FINLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by the Improvising Music trio comprising of Finnish saxophonist Pauli LyytinenFind albums by this artist and Polish bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album was recorded live at one session and presents eleven improvisations (one repeated twice) credited to all three participants. For Garbowski and Gradziuk this is not the first time they cooperate with a Finnish partner, as documented by the recordings they made with Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist, which of course could not make happier, since my love of Finnish Jazz is second only to that of Polish Jazz ;) As the music included on this album shows, the cooperation proved to be as fruitful as one might wish for. Lyytinen is a highly experienced improvising musician and a prolific recording Artist, with a most impressive recorded legacy despite his relative young age (born in 1983), which combines his Finnish influences with exposure to World culture and music. Some of his recordings also involve the a.m. Verneri Pohjola, which connects the dots as far as forming of the trio on this album is concerned. Despite the spontaneous improvisation process which produced this music, the result is highly melodic, perhaps not in the traditional meaning of the idiom, but definitely very communicative and inviting, which makes listening to this music a truly pleasurable experience, without compromising the aesthetic depth and artistry involved. The rapport between the musicians is obvious and completely honest, which of course is fully reflected in the music itself, radiating relaxed creative forces rather than tension. For listeners familiar with the work of Garbowski and Gradziuk this album is a natural extension of their earlier recorded legacy and a most welcome addition. Each meeting with brotherly musical souls is a tremendous experience and it is lucky for everybody when such meetings are also documented and available for posterity. It is also worth mentioning the incredible sound quality this album offers, thanks to Grabowski´s recording at the tiny Institute of Music Performance in Katowice, which I know personally of course, and the incredible mix and mastering by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist at Studio Tokarnia – a magnificent aural experience in addition to the spiritual musical experience, i.e. the best of the two worlds!

Updated: 23/12/2020Posted: 23/12/2020

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WOJCIECH MAJEWSKI ~ OPOWIESC 4EVERMUSIC 130 (Barcode: 5907476693987) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2009 This is the third album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Wojciech MajewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quintet format with trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist (Wojciech´s brother), saxophonist Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek NiedzielaFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof DziedzicFind albums by this artist. The album presents a solo piano piece which is followed by a seven-part Jazz suite performed by the quintet. It was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with superb sonic quality, as expected. The music is all kept within the mainstream tradition, with certain Classical Music accents, but those are quite marginal. The melodic themes are basically vehicles for extended solos played by the quintet members. It is hard to follow the "suite" concept musically, as it lacks a clear coherence, but nevertheless the music is interesting and flows gently from one part of the suite to the next. There are the obvious Polish Jazz characteristics, like lyricism and melancholy, in which this music is completely drenched, clearly defining its origin and tradition. The true forte of this album is the incredible musicianship, which is not surprising considering these are some of the best and most experienced second generation Polish Jazz musicians. Especially interesting is the presence of Szukalski as this is one of the last recordings in which he participated before his tragic death. The album is full of superb solos and ensemble performances, which are truly inspired. Majewski dedicates this album to the memory of his Father, the legendary Polish Jazz trumpeter Henryk MajewskiFind albums by this artist, who died shortly before this music was recorded. Overall this is an interesting experiment in composing an extended Jazz suite-like composition, beautifully performed by first class musicians, an effort which deserves to be heard by Jazz connoisseurs all over the world.

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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 ~ 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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MAREK NAPIORKOWSKI ~ HIPOKAMP AGORA 5903111493905 (Barcode: 5903111493905) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is an album by Polish guitarist / composer Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist and Brazilian percussionist Luis RibeiroFind albums by this artist. Veteran saxophonist Adam PieronczykFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album presents nine tracks, six of which are original compositions by Napiorkowski, two are arrangements of songs by David BowieFind albums by this artist and one is by the great Brazilian composer Egberto GismontiFind albums by this artist. It is enormously satisfying to see an Artist achieving a status of stability and security, where his authority / ability / talent are not repeatedly questioned and where he does not have to prove anything any more, all this as a result of consistent hard work and good judgment as to the consecutive steps of his vocation. Napiorkowski is a prime example of such an Artist, enjoying a carefully weaved career built step by step, always surrounded by first class musicians and never resting comfortably on his laurels. This album is full of surprises, starting with the very unusual lineup: basically a duo of guitar and keyboards supported by a rhythmic backbone. The wonderfully multi-talented Smoczynski is able to display the entire palette of his keyboard wizardry, including the beautiful Hammond Organ parts and of course supplying the bass lines in this bass-less setting. Dobrowolski is right on the money with his dynamic and beautifully tasteful drumming and Ribeiro ornaments the proceedings with stylish percussion parts. Pieronczyk does not disappoint either, and his elegant lyrical saxophone parts suit the music ideally. The original compositions by Napiorkowski offer wonderfully coherent melody lines, which are expanded into non-trivial improvisations, at times touching upon imaginative Free Form sections. The two Bowie songs receive unique arrangements, taking the original melody contents into unexpected territory. The Gismonti piece, although very brief, expresses Napiorkowski´s admiration of the Brazilian Genius and fellow guitarist. The entire album offers a wonderful flow and continuity, which turns it into a superb listening experience. Overall this is another excellent step in Napiorkowski´s well paved career, finding him searching and exploring, which of course is commendable. For the lack of a better definition, this is a beautiful example of intelligent and innovative Fusion, which points out that the idiom is far from being stale, when in great hands. Respect Maestro!

Updated: 20/12/2019Posted: 20/12/2019

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NEW TRIO ~ PERPENDICULAR REALITIES TMP 004 (Barcode: 5903292104850) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is the second album by the New TrioFind albums by this artist ensemble, which consists of Polish brothers: Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays Hammond organ and composed most of the music herein and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays violin and is completed by Russian drummer Alex ZingerFind albums by this artist. The album includes twelve original compositions, seven of which were composed by Jan and the remaining five are credited to all the trio members. Aesthetically the music continues exactly from the point where their stunning debut left off and presents more of the same unique sound, which exists only within the particular Hammond / violin / drums setting and which has but a few predecessors, most of which are French, where the violin has a firm position as a leading Jazz instrument. The superb Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist / Eddy LouissFind albums by this artist / Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist trio immediately comes to mind as a point of reference. The same "retro" atmosphere, which characterized the debut album, is maintained here as well. The result however losses the surprise effect, that exemplified the reaction to the debut. But surprised or not, the listeners will find here all the ingredients that make music great and worth listening to: superb compositions and first-class performances. Although well within the Jazz mainstream this music keeps the listener on edge, never being obvious or overtly predictable, with intellectual and emotional approaches intertwined. The diverse tempi enable showcases of different compositional tools, which work out very effectively. As for performances, this album is full of exceptional playing with the violin work by Mateusz being simply virtuosic from start to finish. He is quickly establishing himself as one of the leading violinist not only in Poland, but now also on a worldwide scale and is surely destined to get far. But both Jan and Alex don´t fall far behind and their contributions are first-rate every step of the way. Overall this is a splendid piece of music and a commendable follow up to their debut effort. Having passed the dreaded "second album" trial with flying colors, they now have a carte blanche to continue this path as far as I´m concerned. Both Jazz violin and Hammond organ connoisseurs will absolutely love this album from start to finish and it is wholeheartedly recommended to every Jazz enthusiast. We must not forget also the fact that Jan Smoczynski is not only a great musician, but also one of the top (if not the top) sound engineers in Poland and his legendary Studio Tokarnia, where this album was recorded, is one of the best in Europe and produced a myriad of albums of extraordinary sound quality. Hats off!

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NEW TRIO ~ SIMULTANEOUS ABSTRACTIONS TMP 003 (Barcode: 5905912558340) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010 This is one of those unexpected albums, which fall on your head like a sledgehammer… The album was recorded by a Polish trio, which calls itself rather ambiguously New TrioFind albums by this artist, and consists of brothers: Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist – violin and Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist – Hammond organ and drummer Alex ZingerFind albums by this artist. I admit being a little puzzled by the "new" part of their name, but a couple of minutes into the music made everything abundantly clear; they are a new / updated version of the fabulous 1960s French trio, which included violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, organist Eddy LouissFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. That revolutionary trio, one of the great precursors of European Jazz, which combined the art of improvisation with the great European music tradition, serves as a model for New Trio, not only in its instrumental lineup, but also stylistically and sonically, as the album presents a wonderful "retro" sound, typical of the great 1960s recordings. Of course the music is all new and almost entirely original, composed mostly by the organist, with a couple of tracks being co-composed by all three members and one standard – a breathtaking redemption of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist´s "Naima". The music is absolutely brilliant, admittedly not very adventurous, but with great melody lines, well developed themes and interesting rhythmic variations. The performances are excellent as well, with all three musicians being obvious virtuosi on their respective instruments and the trio being blessed with great rapport and telepathic mind-reading between its members. Of course the sound of violin is capable of melting even the iciest of hearts, and is used here with passion but also with great taste, not "overdoing it" on the sentimental side. The Hammond, one of my most beloved instruments, is the basis of all this music and with slightly enhanced sonic capabilities proves its vitality and enormous rage of possibilities, which should be envied by any of the modern / electronic keyboard super-machines. The drums bear an enormous responsibility in this music, providing both the rhythmic backbone and the wonderful ornamentation, without being overzealous. In short, this music is just perfect the way it is, which happens unfortunately quite rarely. Of course there is also the "Polish connection" in the background, especially the Polish Jazz violin tradition, which must have had its influence here. Therefore an attentive listener will be able to catch glimpses of Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist in this music, but only symbolically and never used overtly as plagiarisms. I urge every Jazz lover to get hold of this wonderful album pronto, especially those of you who love violin and / or the Hammond organ. This is an invigorating, intelligent and beautiful piece of music, which should be enjoyed by as many music lovers as possible. A must!

Updated: 24/05/2017Posted:

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TED NOVAK ~ MONUMENT VALLEY NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the second album by Polish guitarist / composer Ted NovakFind albums by this artist, recoded again in a trio setting, but this time with the excellent organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded at the legendary Studio Tokarnia, with Smoczynski also filling the sound engineer´s chair. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Novak. The presence of the organ introduced a very significant change in the trio´s sound and overall musical direction, taking it to a much higher and more sophisticated level. The sound of the trio resembles the wonderful vintage ambience of early Jazz-Rock ensembles, like for example the Graham BondFind albums by this artist band with John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist. This is Rock sound with Jazz feeling, one of the most attractive and satisfying of the kind. Novak has his own guitar sound and touch, which against all odds manages to create a unique voice. Based on the Blues chords and using just the correct amount of sound effects, the guitar becomes the ideal partner to the sublime Hammond sound, and together they are simply magical. Smoczynski is of course a virtuoso and his usage of the Hammond possibilities is marvelous and seems unlimited. In time his playing expands the palette of the sound colors and honestly there are very few, if any, Hammond players is his class today. Dobrowolski, already a veteran of the Polish Jazz scene, is also a master musicians and his wonderful dynamics and sensitivity, both in the Rock and Jazz areas, are ideal for this music in every respect. As if this wasn´t more then enough to make this album a perfect piece of music, the compositions are the cherry on top. Beautifully melodic, even melancholic at times, they are all perfect vehicles for the trio to tear the roof off, so to speak, and their stylistic, dynamic and rhythmic diversity is an ideal mix, which makes this album to be over in a jiffy. Well in such case it is advised simply to put it on "repeat" of course. Overall this is a superb, mature, elegant album, full of great music performed with flair and passion, which truly has few equals anywhere on this planet. Jazz-Rock Fusion is alive and kicking in Warsaw, even if it is dead almost everywhere else, with a few exceptions of course. An absolute must!

Updated: 25/03/2017Posted: 29/09/2016

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TED NOVAK ~ RUNIT NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the third album by Polish guitarist / composer Ted NovakFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a quartet setting with organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Novak. The music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Smoczynski, with the usual superb sound quality. The music is a mixture floating between Jazz, Jazz-Rock Fusion, Blues-Rock, and even Progressive Rock, featuring extensive improvisations by Novak and Smoczynski wonderfully supported by the rhythm section. The retro sound and overall sonic ambience of the recording create an impression that the music might have been recorded decades ago, when guitar / organ based ensembles ruled the world of Rock and Prog and even Jazz to some extent. Novak is able to weave superb tunes, which are unique both in their harmonic approach and rhythmic complexity and as such are ideal vehicle for improvisations without loosing their melodic contents. The stylistic diversity of the tunes on the album turns it into a fascinating listening experience which is over in a blink of an eye. All four musicians are veterans with attested achievements, which are fully illustrated by the performances on this album. Smoczynski´s organ playing is absolutely brilliant and one can only lament that he makes relatively few recordings featuring his organ "shenanigans". Novak is more reserved on this album in comparison to the predecessors, which enables the listener to be exposed to his more lyrical side. Pacan and Dobrowolski are a perfectly oiled swing machine, which keeps the music afloat and sparkling at all times. Overall this is a very unique, in today´s standards, album, which offers an adventurous cross-genre journey through guitar / organ dominated music, which is a most pleasing listening experience, especially for people with affiliation with Jazz / Fusion / Rock originating on the 1960s. Well done again!

Updated: 01/01/2020Posted: 01/01/2020

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TED NOVAK ~ RURAL CRISIS NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by Polish guitarist Ted NovakFind albums by this artist, recorded with a trio which also includes Polish Jazz veterans: bassist Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight compositions, seven of which are Novak originals and the remaining one is a Miles DavisFind albums by this artist tune. The music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist presiding, as usual, at the console. This is the first heavily electric production that comes to my attention recorded at Studio Tokarnia, which usually excels at acoustic music, and once again I must raise my hat to Mr. Smoczynski for his incredible skills as a sound magician. From the first note heard on this album the listener is exposed to an unfamiliar electric guitar sound, which is pretty original and surprising. After many decades, where the music scene was under complete guitar domination, one is sure that everything that is possible to do with a guitar was already done, but apparently the surprises never cease to pop up. However after a couple of tunes the guitar tone and sound effects get absorbed by our brain and we get back to a quite familiar world of heavy Fusion, which although has some improvisational elements, is much closer to Rock than to Jazz, especially rhythmically. Guitar pyrotechnics are unfortunately a very perilous and slippery ground; how much of it is sheer genius and how much is just a show off and boring repetitious doodling? It´s for the listener to decide in every specific case, and those opinions will probably vary quite a bit. Personally I must say that I have heard all of this before, after all I was lucky to hear Jimmy HendrixFind albums by this artist, Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist and all other significant guitar players in person and at their prime. But does it mean that this album has no merit at all? Not at all, I´m quite sure that many guitar aficionados will absolutely love the distorted, echoing guitar screams to bits. Combined with the unusual sound, superb rhythm section and excellent sound quality, this album is actually a lot of fun. But the album has its drawbacks: with just slightly over half an hour of music it is hardly a full CD and should really be treated as an EP, especially if someone is going to buy it (if that happens at all any more). The Fusion listeners might find it too Rocky and the Rock listeners might find it too complicated. Life is a bitch…I´m already waiting for the next adventure!

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NOWICKI / SWIES / FRANKIEWICZ TRIO ~ PATHFINDER MULTIKULTI 005 (Barcode: 5907529223468) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz trio comprising of saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. There are nine tracks on the album, eight of which are original compositions (four by Nowicki and two each by Swies and Frankiewicz) and one is the trio´s interpretation of a RadioheadFind albums by this artist song. The album was recorded in the legendary Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, the studio owner, a guarantee of superb sonic quality. These three talented young musicians have all quite impressive musical achievements behind them and therefore it is not surprising that they sound remarkably mature as performers. Stylistically, however, they seem to be still somewhat undecided as to the degree of freedom they want to incorporate into their music, which remains mainstream oriented on this recording. The saxophone trio is one of the most difficult Jazz formats and demands a lot of discipline in order to present a cohesive whole and this trio definitely stands up to the challenge with flying colors. Naturally saxophone trios tend to put the focus of the listener´s attention on the saxophone player and are less about interplay and cooperation than say piano trios. On this recording there are plenty of bass and drums spots, showcasing the individual talents of the participants, but in most cases it is the sax up front supported by the rhythm section. The music, although quite appropriate for the format, is somewhat lacking in the melody department. Mainstream Jazz is usually based on strong melody lines, which last at least as long as the tune is being performed. The melodic content here is somewhat abstract and difficult to follow, which works fine for a free form setting, but in a mainstream is contra productive. It seems as if the trio members intended to play a much looser set, but were reluctant to "cross the line". However, all things considered, this is still a very strong debut with great performances and a lot of interesting moments, which should make the trio members proud of their work. Definitely worth investigating!

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LUKASZ OJDANA ~ KURPIAN SONGS & MEDITATIONS AUDIO CAVE 2020/003 (Barcode: 5905669566971) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a piano solo setting. The album presents twenty-one short tracks, eleven of which are traditional Kurpian (Kurpie is an ethnic region in Poland) melodies and ten are original compositions by Ojdana, inspired by Kurpian motives. Mariia OjdanaFind albums by this artist adds vocals on one track. The album was beautifully recorded at the Studio Tokarnia, engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, offering a spectacular piano ambience worth the attention of sound quality connoisseurs. Ojdana, best known as a member of the prominent RGGFind albums by this artist piano trio, decided to draw his inspiration for this album form the rich Polish Folklore musical heritage. The idiosyncratic Kurpian music fascinated him not only because of its beauty, but also due to the challenge of performing the music on the piano, which is not designed to articulate the quarter tones this traditional music requires. The challenge of the harmonic adaptation the pianist must perform here is truly fascinating and the final result is deeply moving. Polish Jazz embraces the Fusion of Jazz and traditional Polish Folklore since its early days and some of such projects are true beacons of ingenuity and talent. This album successfully continues this tradition, creating music that naturally amalgamates the seemingly completely different idioms into a new formation, which works out both culturally and aesthetically. The sublime lyricism, melancholy and poetic beauty this music offers is a wonderful example of East European approach to Jazz, which manages to connect with the Cultural roots of the People of the region, transforming the Jazz tradition into an extension of the local Culture, rather than copying its foreign origins. In spite of its complexity this music is wonderfully, almost heartbreakingly melodic, which creates a deception of "easiness", opening this music to a wide range of listeners. Like all great works of Art, this music can be absorbed on many different levels, between the simplistic, melody based attitude and the highly sophisticated harmonic / structural analysis of the entire concept, leaving the entire range of listeners equally satisfied. This album offers a great opportunity to get a new perspective on Ojdana´s musical personality. His work with RGG portrays him in many other areas of Jazz, from elegant and ambitious modern Jazz to Avant-Garde explorations, but this album shows him as contemplative, romantic virtuoso, with a cryptic smile and a charmingly bashful manner. Piano lovers, Polish Jazz followers and all true music enthusiasts should find this alum irresistible; a true gem!

Updated: 16/03/2020Posted: 16/03/2020

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ORGAN SPOT ~ ORGAN SPOT SJ 006 (Barcode: 5902596066055) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 The Hammond B-3 Organ is one of my all time favorite musical instruments, with endless reminiscences overflowing my mind every time the unique sound starts buzzing in the air. Scores of superb albums were recorded using the B-3 over the years, not only in Jazz but also in Rock of course, and hundreds of keyboardists used the instrument over the years, which in time achieved a legendary status. In addition, the Hammond B-3 / guitar cooperation (in duos and trios mostly) has a fascinating tradition in Jazz from way back in the 1950s, which is still very much alive and kicking today. Therefore listening to this album was quite an emotional journey for me. Organ SpotFind albums by this artist is a trio comprising of three young Polish Jazz musicians: organist Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist, guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartek StaromiejskiFind albums by this artist. The album consists of seven tunes, five of which are Jazz standards and two are originals, composed one each by Mika and Galas. Not surprisingly the album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by the studio owner and himself a fellow Hammond "brother in arms" Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. The wonderful sound quality and ambience is one of the key factors which makes this album such a sweet gem, as Studio Tokarnia has a wonderful ability to create a truly "retro" sound, which resembles classic Jazz recordings for such legendary labels as Blue NoteFind albums on this label. Watch out for the worn-out LP gap between the tracks in one case, which gives a hint as to the "retro" intensions herein. The performances by all three trio members are spotless and incredibly well balanced. There are no ego trips here and they all play together respectfully listening to each other and supporting each other. Although the organ is obviously the center of attention on this album, the listeners should definitely pay attention to the incredible guitar parts, which are truly invigorating. Some great guitar players must be smiling in Heaven hearing this stuff. Musically this album is not looking for innovation or breaking new ground; it´s all about keeping a wonderful tradition (sonically, stylistically and aesthetically) alive, and doing it in a fresh and interesting way. This album is every inch as good as any similar music produced anywhere else, which speaks for itself as far as the talents and abilities of these young musicians are concerned. Having respect for the tradition, studying and preserving it, are not self-understood these days and are definitely something to be praised and appreciated. Overall this is as close to a perfect mainstream Jazz album as it gets; it is honest, well played, sounds great and most Jazz connoisseurs can enjoy it in full. Definitely a most impressive debut!

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PANTA / DYS / SZMANDA ~ PLAY BACH / BEETHOVEN / CHOPIN / MALECKI NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5902249020519) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2012 - 2013 Released: 2015 This is a tribute album dedicated to the memory of the Polish Jazz pianist / composer Marcin MaleckiFind albums by this artist, who died in 2008 after losing the battle with cancer. The material on this album was intended to be recorded by Malecki on his second album, but sadly that recording never materialized. This album recreates the ideas from the remaining scores and the piano parts are played by Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist, together with the original members of Malecki´s trio, bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the album includes two original compositions by Malecki and five arrangements of classical pieces. The music was fabulously recorded at the Studio Tokarnia with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist at the helm, as always. The music is everything one might expect from a Jazz-Classical Fusion album, with clever arrangements of well known Classical pieces beautifully performed by first class musicians, who are amongst the best on the Polish Jazz scene. Kept well within the mainstream Jazz conventions, the music manages to keep the listener on his toes mainly due to the virtuosic performances by all three members of the trio. Dys reveals his Classical roots and his wonderful ability to swing, Panta plays complex yet natural bass lines and Szmanda vigorously keeps things swinging, with a great drums solo displaying his abilities. This is as good a classic Jazz piano trio album as they come and every fan of piano trio should enjoy this to the max, especially those people who like Jazzy interpretations of Classical music. It is also a beautiful example of friendship and honoring a friend´s memory, which is commendable, especially in a world where every man for himself seems to be the leading motto. Well done Gentlemen!

Updated: 22/02/2017Posted: 22/02/2017

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EVAN PARKER / RGG ~ LIVE @ ALCHEMIA FSR 2017/01 (Barcode: 5905279364172) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is a live recording by the legendary British saxophonist Evan ParkerFind albums by this artist performing together with one of the top Polish Jazz trios RGGFind albums by this artist, which comprises of pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. Together the ad hoc quartet performs four spontaneously composed pieces, credited to all four members of the quartet. The music was recorded at the celebrated Krakow´s Alchemia club, which since many years is associated with the Polish and international Improvised Music scene. The courageous experiment of combining forces between Parker and RGG seems, at least in theory, quite unexpected to say the least. Based on their recording history one might contemplate how the music of Parker, which always symbolized the extreme Avant-Garde and total freedom of expression, might be combined with the music of RGG, which although featured some elements of freedom, was always strongly melody based and full of typical Polish lyricism and Romanticism. Apparently, music is able to unite most stylistic gaps and in this particular case simply emerges victorious. As a result we have some of the most "melodic" and relaxed Parker performances ever put on record and the most free oriented music ever recorded by RGG, both wholly amalgamated into a new form of expression. In spite of the age difference between Parker and the RGG members, there seems to be a complete and profound understanding and mutual respect between the musicians, which allows the music to flow and flourish uninhibited and overwhelmingly moving. As usual in such musical circumstances, the music requires attentive and open-minded listening, but its quality assures a most wonderful aesthetic experience. The personal performances are all, as expected, exhilarating and the challenge of playing with a legend mobilized the RGG members to give absolutely everything they had to give that night. There is no doubt that this is one of the most challenging and daring Polish Jazz recording lately and a superb way to start 2017, which promises to be as exciting as the incredibly intense 2016. Maciej KarlowskiFind albums by this artist deserves kudos for putting this experiment together and turning his FSRFind albums on this label label into an important player on the Polish record scene. Thanks also to the man with the biggest ears in Poland, Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, for the wonderful mix and mastering, which result in a superb sound quality this album offers to the listener. Well done!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 21/02/2017

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DARIUSZ PETERA ~ WLADZA ALGORYTMOW AUDIO CAVE 2023/005 (Barcode: 5908298549582) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the second album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Dariusz PeteraFind albums by this artist, recorded with the same sextet lineup that appears on the debut album “FlashoverFind albums with this title”, with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Maciej KocinskiFind albums by this artist, cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. Brothers Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist on violin and Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist on synthesizer appear as guests. The album presents seven tracks, which are said to be mostly improvised during the recording sessions, with three tracks partly based on pre-composed themes by Petera. The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan Smoczynski, with the usual splendid sonic result. The music is a powerful display of group improvisation, brilliantly executed by these highly talented musicians. The sound of the sextet (and at times octet) is dense and complex, and despite the fact that the music is improvised, offers a wonderful continuity and coherence. Although large group improvisation is not new in Jazz (what is?), it is relatively quite rare in contemporary Polish Jazz, making this album especially interesting and refreshing. In comparison to Petera’s debut album, recorded four years earlier, this album climbs to a whole different level and is a Milestone in his musical development. The concept of group improvisation is a double-edged sword, in a sense that in some cases the music offers a collection of individual improvised statement by the musicians in a group, not necessarily corresponding to each other, whereas in this case the individual improvisations serve a purpose of creating an ensemble statement, not ignoring individual contributions of course, but rather combining them into a whole new collective amalgam, which this album manages to do remarkably well. Overall, this is an outstanding achievement by Petera and his cohorts, a powerful, beautifully played musical statement, offering unconventional approach and preferring the common musical good over individual statements, not by ignoring them, but by unifying them into a greater whole. This album is quite a surprise, and I love surprises, as we all should. Well done my Friends – respect is due!

Updated: 30/04/2023Posted: 30/04/2023

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MICHAL PRZERWA-TETMAJER ~ DOKTOR FILOZOFII NOT ON LABEL 01 (Barcode: 5903240397006) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is the debut solo album by Polish guitarist / composer Michal Przerwa-TetmajerFind albums by this artist, who is familiar to followers of the Polish Jazz scene as the guitarist of the successful group JazzpospolitaFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded in a classis quartet setting with pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummer Hubert ZemlerFind albums by this artist and presents nine original compositions by Przerwa-Tetmajer. It was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Smoczynski, resulting in excellent sound quality, as usual. The music on this album is quite different from what Przerwa-Tetmajer plays with Jazzpospolita and is obviously an attempt to present a different side of his musical personality. The overall concept here is bona fide Jazz, as opposed to the obvious anarchist / rebellious approach used by the group. Surprisingly it is not about straightforward / mainstream melodic Jazz at all, but quite an ambitious open and at times even completely Free Form Jazz, although mostly quite reserved and melancholic. Although the music has a strong melodic content, the melodies are purposely uneven, both harmonically and rhythmically, which means that this music requires attentive listening and is anything but easy on the ear. The depth of these compositions is the biggest surprise of this album. Subtle, delicate, even fragile musical threads are finely presented and then developed by the two main soloists, each doing it his way; Smoczynski, who is a Master of melodic chord progression, pulls the tunes towards subtle melancholy, so typical of Polish Jazz, whereas Przerwa-Tetmajer pushes them into ragged fragmentation. This dichotomy adds an interesting dimension to the entire process of music making, which lifts this album to a higher plane. Przerwa-Tetmajer´s guitar playing is a strange mixture of classic Jazz and Blues guitar and his own liberties, which sometimes fit the music perfectly but on other occasions sounds a bit unnerving, hesitant and plain "strange". He is after all just starting, so his personal style is still in the process of being shaped, but the potential and talent are definitely there. Smoczynski, whose reputation as a brilliant player is mostly well within the mainstream idiom, shows here that he is incredibly flexible and can handle a much more challenging situations. The rhythm section, which consists of much older and experienced musicians, is of course beyond reproach and keeps this music "down to earth", saving it from potential chaos. Overall this is a very impressive debut, which hopefully will lead to future explorations of the infinite musical space. Judging by the compositions on this album Przerwa-Tetmajer has a bright path ahead of him, both as a player and composer. Of course we are all waiting for his next quantum leap of his solo career, in parallel to his work with Jazzpospolita.

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BEATA PRZYBYTEK ~ I`M GONNA ROCK YOU FLID 001 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 - 2012 Released: 2012 This is the fourth album by the Polish vocalist Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist and her debut as a singer / songwriter. After releasing three consecutive albums between 2003 and 2005, Przybytek took almost seven years to come up with this album, which presents sixteen songs written by her to lyrics (in English) by Alicja MaciejowskaFind albums by this artist (thirteen songs) and her own (the remaining three songs). She is accompanied by a wonderful ensemble of gifted and sympathetic instrumentalists, which includes the keyboardist / arranger Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, who is responsible for the truly excellent and highly skilled musical settings created for her songs. Other players include guitarist Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist, pianist Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist, bassists Tomasz KupiecFind albums by this artist and Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist, drummers Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof DziedzicFind albums by this artist and Filip MozulFind albums by this artist and percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians also appear, among them trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Bernard MaseliFind albums by this artist, organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and others. Przybytek started her career as a Jazz vocalist, but her last album ("WonderlandFind albums with this title"), which comprised entirely of songs by Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist, saw her already flirting with Pop, Soul and Rhythm And Blues. This album, which focuses on her songwriting as much, if not more, as on her performances, takes her into new territory, which in a beautiful amalgam of Pop, Blues, Gospel, Soul and Jazz. The artistic level of her songwriting is formidable and these sixteen songs are all jewels in their own right, quite diverse and beautifully full of character. I must admit that at first hearing I could hardly believe my ears as I haven´t heard such a sublime collection of new songs in a very long time. The vocal performances are also first-class, somewhat similar to the mannerisms of Etta JamesFind albums by this artist / Amy WinehouseFind albums by this artist, but with a wonderfully warm tone and total control of timbre and expression. It´s a pity she chose to sing in English as I personally am quite convinced that if she sang these songs in her native language the result would have been even more stunning. Well, one can´t win them all. Still this is one of the best albums of its kind that I´ve heard in a very long time. The instrumental parts are, as already mentioned, simply delightful. Each song gets quite a different treatment, which keeps the album changing mood and ambiance often, as well as the instrumentation. The guest musicians get to deliver their respective solo spots and it sure looks like a great time was had by all during the recording sessions. This album is also a wonderful example of high quality music, which can be overtly accessible, without compromising even an iota of its intrinsic value. Every music lover should have a field day with this brilliant piece of music. Hats off, Beata! Silesia rulez again!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted:

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PSM ~ LIS TMP 005 (Barcode: 0634065597276) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio PSMFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Lukasz PoprawskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. It presents eleven original compositions, five of which were co-composed by Poprawski and Smoczynski and six were co-composed / improvised by all three members of the trio. The album was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia, which is owned by Smoczynski, who also engineered the recording. The music is very difficult to classify, as it elegantly avoids any specific genre, perhaps due to the unique sound of the synthesizers, which dominates it. Smoczynski plays the classic analog synthesizer ARP Odyssey (or perhaps the new Korg reissue) and the vintage Roland JX-3P synthesizer, which were popular in the 1970s and 1980s (respectively), but are rarely used today. Listeners used to Smoczynski playing the piano will find his playing here completely different of course. Large parts of the music seem to be improvised, with the saxophone exploring the usual melodic plane while the synthesizer adds weird mechanical / industrial pulsing background. Overall the music is completely unique on today´s Improvised Music scene, incorporating elements of New Wave, Krautrock and other synthesizer oriented Rock movements from the 1980s transported thirty plus years forward in time towards today and overdubbed with almost Free Jazz saxophone improvisations. Of course my feeble attempt to describe this music verbally should be simply replaced by listening to the music. The overall result is intriguing and certainly unusual, but is definitely not easy to listen to, except for very open-minded and patient listeners. The synthesizers sound definitely weird and uninviting and their combination with the solo saxophone work on top is challenging. The rhythmic pulse provided by the drums keeps the music on track, and enables the listener not to loose track, but does not ease the effort needed to follow the music. Of course all the individual performances are absolutely top notch. Personally I admire Jan´s and his colleagues´ vision to make such a bizarre and challenging album, but I am afraid it will by way overhead of the average listener, even on the advanced and well educated Polish scene. Hopefully at least some people will find this album deserving their attention, as it is definitely worthy. As usual Jan proves he is one of the most interesting musicians / personalities on the Polish scene, who deserves to be followed closely.

Updated: 24/05/2017Posted: 12/11/2016

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RACZKOWSKI & KOSTKA ~ DUO SJ 028 (Barcode: 5912596066313) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by the Polish duo comprising of pianist / composer Franciszek RaczkowskiFind albums by this artist and violinist / composer Mikolaj KostkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve relatively short compositions, eleven of which are originals: six by Raczkowski, three by Kostka and two co-composed by them both and one is a John CageFind albums by this artist composition. The music was beautifully recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. The music is conceptually closer to contemporary Classical music than Jazz, but has obvious Jazz ties. It is also very delicate, minimalist and deeply lyrical and it seems that every single note earned its place in these compositions by deliberate contemplation. However, in spite of the sparingness and careful use of notes, the music is fully developed and bodied, creating a wonderful overall effect of coherent musical message being conveyed. Of course in case of a duo, it is the dialogue that the two players are able to develop that matters the most. In this case the dialogue is wonderfully balanced and the soloing by one of the musicians is always excellently accompanied his partner, creating a continuous conversational mode. Kostka displays strong ties with Polish musical Folklore, which is not surprising as many players of his generation show deep love and respect of Polish musical sources, incorporating them in their music. He also joins the ranks of the revered Polish Jazz Violin School, which grows rapidly. Both musicians display a mature approach to their instruments, with obvious talent and technical proficiency, which is always astonishing with the members of the young Polish generation of musicians. Complimented with the noticeable mutual understanding, respect and common musical goals, the duo is a wonderful example of a whole being much more that the sum of its ingredients. Although still very young, these musicians display a coherence, maturity and skillful appliance of their talents, which is usually only achieved at much later stage of musical careers. Overall this is stunning debut, which deserves to be heard by as many music connoisseurs, way beyond the strict circle Jazz aficionados. It is a wondrous amalgam of Jazz, contemporary Classical music and Folklore, which is powerful in spite of its serene appearance. Absolutely not to be missed!

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

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RGG ~ AURA OKEH 888750176028 (Barcode: 888750176028) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 It is the seventh album by the fabulous Polish Jazz piano trio RGGFind albums by this artist and their second release following the dramatic replacement of their piano player, when the young pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist joined the ranks of the founding members: bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. The album presents fourteen pieces, five of which were composed by Ojdana and three by Garbowski. The remaining six pieces are various Jazz, Pop and World Music compositions originating from external sources. The album was recorded again at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with spectacular sonic results. The music of RGG has been, since the very first recording, always in a state of continuous metamorphosis, perhaps more vital and noticeable than similar processes taking place in the works of other Polish Jazz ensembles. This album is no different and marks some giant steps towards creating a new Jazz aesthetic, which combines the tradition with modernism, freedom of expression and above all openness. The crucial factor is the decision to expand the scope of the music beyond the self composed material by the trio members, as well as present a larger number of relatively concise pieces, enabling a much wider scope of musical influences, stylistic variety and diversity. Of course the trio´s ability to perform these pieces in such an exquisite way is their primary achievement. The level of mutual support, respect and common bonding present between these three musicians is almost unprecedented. Reinforced by their individual talents, good taste and aesthetic vision, the overall power of expression demonstrated by the trio is simply overwhelming. With the international release of this album RGG have a chance to demonstrate that they are not only the best Polish Jazz piano trio, but also that they have but a few competitors elsewhere. The most astonishing effect of this music is the fact, that although large parts of it are quite difficult for an average listener, the trio manages to make the music sound inviting and even embracing. This of course means that music does not have to lower its aesthetic or intellectual level and be brutally whored in order to be accessible. This rare ability to remain uncompromisingly aloft musically and yet widely appreciated is precious. There is no doubt that this album immediately deserves the "classic" status, being placed on the pedestal of Polish Jazz recorded achievements. That means that it will sound as good as it does now for decades to come, which just a few albums are able to do, challenged by the passing of time. My wholehearted thanks to you, Gentlemen. Side Note: I am happy to have a tiny personal input in this album´s release. My enthusiastic reviews of the trio´s recorded output were part of the decision making process resulting in signing a contract with a major label and than I helped a bit to untangle some copyright complications, which postponed the release date for a while. All done for a good cause!

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RGG ~ ENDORFINA VOICE MUSIC 1003 ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2019 Released: 2022 This is thirteenth album by the Polish Jazz trio RGGFind albums by this artist, which comprises of pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. The album presents just two lengthy tracks (eighteen and thirty-two minutes respectively). The album was released on LP, and the CD was added as a bonus. The wonderful mix and mastering by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist ensures a superb sound quality, as usual in his case. The music is, not surprisingly, a continuation of the direction set by the album “Mysterious Monuments On The MoonFind albums with this title”, which in fact was recorded later than this album, but released earlier. It presents a shift towards Improvised Music, which leaves the classic concept of composition and improvisation on composed themes, which the trio followed brilliantly in the first two decades of their activity, in favor of spontaneous composition and much more abstract attitude and almost complete lack of melody per se. RGG obviously earned their freedom of exploration, after excelling for many years in the “classic” Jazz piano trio format, and their individual development as composers and performers leads them into new paths. They are leaving behind a significant part of their faithful followers, who are not able to make a similar step towards abstract and Avant-Garde explorations, but they are obviously aware of the price they need to pay in order to pursue what their hearts dictate. Of course listeners who delight in Improvised Music, especially “chamber” Improvised Music, as heard herein, will be delighted to explore this fascinating music. The three musicians lot absolutely nothing of their abilities and their technical proficiency is astounding, as always. It might involve several listening sessions to penetrate the depth of this music in full, delight in its minimalism and get caressed by its delicacy, but as usual in their case, all efforts are richly repaid. Personally I still consider this music as an expression of an interim period in RGG’s creative history, before the next period reaches will be revealed in its full glory. Overall, this is another wonderful album by these highly talented Artists, which deserves an honorable position in their splendid discography, even if it presents a much bigger challenge to most listeners and refuses to compromise. I wouldn’t like to miss it for the world!

Updated: 09/12/2024Posted: 03/10/2023

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RGG ~ MEMENTO (POLISH JAZZ VOL.81) WARBER MUSIC POLAND 190295475932 (Barcode: 190295475932) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the eleventh album by Polish Jazz classic piano trio RGGFind albums by this artist, which consists of pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve relatively short pieces, with Ojdana and Garbowski each contributing four original compositions, one is a standard by Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist, two are compositions by contemporary Polish Classical Music composer Henryk GoreckiFind albums by this artist and one is by Polish Liturgical Music composer Jacek GaluszkaFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded at the famed Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the expected wonderful sound quality. As someone who followed RGG since their inception, listened and reviewed their every album to date, heard them performing numerous times and even enjoyed their company in person, I am probably the least objective person to write about them again, and yet I feel that this somewhat intimate acquaintance with their music gives me a kind of insight that a casual listener might lack. RGG is not only one of the best European piano trios, which by itself is a momentous achievement, but it also is the most dynamic and ever developing musical unit, which is honestly a pretty rare phenomenon. Piano trios in particular have a tendency to keep a certain level of stability, even the best of them, once they reach a certain level of proficiency, which is definitely something RGG eschew. Each and every one of the eleven albums the trio was involved in presents a separate, often radically different musical universe, which is truly amazing. What is the secret behind this behavioral pattern? Well, in my opinion it is the fact that RGG consists of three diametrically different personalities that are miraculously able to combine their individualisms into a new amalgam that changes constantly like a chameleonic microcosm, captured on each of their albums. Ojdana the romantic warrior, Garbowski the intellectual philosopher and lover of harmony and Avant-Garde as one and Gradziuk the rebellious free spirit with Zen ability to focus have together everything needed to produce an infinite number of intricate meshes, which are "deadly" effective. "Memento" is perhaps the most introvert album by RGG ever. It is deeply melodic and lyrical spanning a large rainbow of influences and reflections and full of poetic and emotional, even spiritual moods. Clearly reflecting Jazz and Classical Music influences, the music is always very subtly and carefully balanced and aesthetically coherent. In fact it is also perhaps the most accessible album the trio ever recorded, although the full appreciation of the depth and richness of the music requires a trained and sensitive ear. RGG are the epitome of Polish / European Jazz at its best and their music is the soundtrack of European Culture, which seeks to unite the known and explore the unknown aspects of human tradition, spirituality and ingenuity. This album stands alone perfectly as a symbol of modern Jazz, but it is also a piece of a puzzle, which stands for something much more substantial. Therefore if this is someone´s first glimpse of the RGG miraculous universe, it will hopefully prompt to explore their older recordings and keep the eyes (ears) open for future ones, and this is barely the beginning of a beautiful journey. The fact that this album was released as part of the "Polish Jazz" series (see below) is not a distinction for RGG, but rather a distinction for the series. Side Note The iconic "Polish Jazz" series of recordings, originally released between 1965 and 1989 by the Polish state owned record company Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label, which used the MuzaFind albums on this label label as its moniker, consists of seventy six LP albums. It presents the history of Polish Jazz recordings during that period, which includes some of the most important Polish / European modern Jazz milestones and reflects the extraordinary development of Jazz music behind the Iron Curtain. It is one of the most important historic documents of Polish Music and of course Polish Culture in general. The series had an eminent logo designed by Roslaw Szaybo and the albums were numbered sequentially from Vol.1 to Vol.76 accordingly. The album's artwork was wonderfully stylish and modernist, featuring the brilliant photographs and characteristic design by the legendary Polish Artist Marek Karewicz. Stylistically the series presented all Jazz genres, from Traditional Jazz to Avant-Garde / Free Jazz, which was extraordinarily liberal considering the cultural censorship imposed by the Socialist Regime. It suffered from some inconsistency, as far as the musical quality and aesthetics were concerned, as well as the internal "politics" of the Polish Jazz scene at the time, but in retrospect it achieved a spectacular overall result, unparalleled as far as consistently documenting a national Jazz scene is concerned. After the Polskie Nagrania catalogue was bought by Warner Music PolandFind albums on this label, the new owner started a reissue process of the Polish Jazz series, carefully remastered, repackaged and including extensive liner notes, which keeps the artwork as close to the original design as possible. So far forty four volumes of the original series were reissued. In 2016 Warner Music Poland decided to continue the original series by releasing new contemporary Polish Jazz recordings under the same format and even to continue the sequential numbering starting with Vol.77 – a decision I personally consider almost sacrilegious. Some things are simply untouchable, and the "Polish Jazz" series is surely one of those things. If Warner Music Poland wants to produce Jazz albums, which is always more than welcome, they could have started a new series, under a new title, rather than exploiting the reputation of the historic series. As a result, some artist whose albums are released as part of the new series might be led to expect instant gratification, fame and stardom, just for being an artificial part of a prestigious past, which of course is as bogus as it is sad.

Updated: 25/04/2019Posted: 25/04/2019

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RGG ~ MYSTERIOUS MONUMENTS ON THE MOON VOICE MUSIC 1002 (Barcode: 5906489287206) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the twelfth album by Polish Jazz trio RGGFind albums by this artist, which celebrates its 20th Anniversary these days, with a remarkable recording legacy to its credit. Pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist present this time fifteen mostly short pieces, nine of which are improvisations, eight called “Monuments” (numbered I to VIII). Three pieces are composed by Ojdana, one is by Eric SatieFind albums by this artist, another one by Artie ShawFind albums by this artist and one remains mysteriously uncredited. The music was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and was engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, offering not surprisingly excellent sound quality. RGG is obviously a very unique music-making setting, a leaderless ensemble of three dominant and very different personalities, which manage to combine their relative talents significantly more efficiently than any of their Polish Jazz colleagues, despite the fact that the Polish scene is blessed with incredible abundance of wonderful musicians. The trio excels in is uncompromised pursue of individuality and eschews commercialism, even if it means to remote itself from the “fame and glory” of the legendary “Polish Jazz” series, where their previous album was released on, an association which ended with a painful divorce. There is no doubt that this album marks a new approach in the trio’s music making, with an emphasis on Free Improvisation. Although their earlier albums included plenty of advanced improvisation, it was never a focus of their recorded statements. The need to search for new forms of expression is not surprising in view of the fact that Polish Jazz scene is experiencing, perhaps to some degree influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, a period of self-examination. RGG’s path in the last two decades is a reflection of the stellar development of the Polish Jazz during that period, which produced some of the best Jazz music on a world scale, but also seems to experience an identity / aesthetics crisis with the entry into the third decade of the 21st Century. Perhaps playing “more of the same” is simply not enough anymore? Jazz, like most other things, is mostly about balance… How much Free Improvisation is needed to express “freedom” in music is often heatedly discussed. This album does not expel completely melody, harmony and even romanticism from the music, but makes it more difficult for the listener to identify them, which sometimes might prove too difficult for some. Well, too much freedom causes chaos, and too little causes frustration, a question of balance… Personally I see this album as a “transitional experiment” by one of my favorite Jazz ensembles, and love and respect always require slack and acceptance. Their music always makes me want to hear the next album, and this one is no different. Overall, this is a courageous statement by mature Artists, who know what they want to say, obviously much better than anyone can guess. It takes a few listening sessions to get into, but, as usual in RGG’s case, the music becomes irresistible. This was a long and painful birth, well worth waiting for.

Updated: 09/12/2024Posted: 28/10/2021

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RGG ~ ONE NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5905912559873) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the 5th album by the excellent Polish Jazz piano trio RGGFind albums by this artist, which comprises of pianist Przemyslaw RaminiakFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. Its release marks the trio´s tenth anniversary and adds a new direction to the remarkable body of music already recorded by the trio. In contrast to its predecessor, that included only spontaneously improvised music, most of the music on this album is composed, either by the trio members or other well known Jazz composers like Carla BleyFind albums by this artist and Richie BeirachFind albums by this artist. Of the thirteen compositions presented here only two are free improvisations, which is unusual for them. All three RGG members are brilliant instrumentalists, but their performances together clearly create an outcome much bigger than the sum of its parts. The level of interplay, cooperation, mutual respect and understanding is truly phenomenal and the resulting music is able to move emotional mountains. To an attentive listener it is quite clear that even when they play relatively close to the original composition, RGG members display a high level of spontaneity, which is present only within the best piano trios in the world, like that of Keith JarrettFind albums by this artist, Gary PeacockFind albums by this artist and Jack DeJohnetteFind albums by this artist. Another rare quality of RGG is the active involvement of the bass player and drummer in the process of music creation. This is definitely not a pianist with a rhythm section, but an organic three-headed body making music together. This album can be a great service to the group as an introduction to their universe; surely anybody listening to it will want to explore their music further. People familiar with the Polish Jazz scene will immediately make the inevitable comparison between RGG and the "other" great Polish piano trio: Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist (or Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist Trio). Comparisons of this sort are futile and have absolutely no sense, as both these trios play great music, each differently from the other. RGG are definitely closer to the Free / Improvised spirit of the music whereas Wasilewski´s trio is more disciplined and conventional, but both are examples of human talent and ingenuity of the highest ranking, which gives us all the immense pleasure of music. It´s worth to mention that the album was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia, the best sound studio in Poland, and engineered by the studio´s owner (and a gifted musician himself) Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, which explains the incredible sound quality of this album. This is an absolute must to every Jazz piano trio connoisseur and of course anybody with a right pair of ears to appreciate great music. Not to be missed under any circumstances!

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RGG ~ SZYMANOWSKI FONOGRAFIKA (Barcode: 5903292104843) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is the sixth album by the exquisite Polish Jazz piano trio RGGFind albums by this artist, and their first release following the changeover of their piano player, with Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist replacing the founding member Przemyslaw RaminiakFind albums by this artist. For a piano trio the replacement of the pianist is equivalent more or less to a heart transplant in a human body, which is of course a tremendous upheaval. The fact that such transition not only is possible, but is eventually successful is nothing short of a miracle. Bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist should be congratulated for going through this experience unspoiled and unshaken in their team spirit. The fact that the trio chose to retain its name (rather than changing it to OGG for example) is a most welcome sign of respect towards their departed colleague and the will to continue the splendid tradition they created so far, a fine and very rare example of camaraderie winning over ego. But the drama surrounding this album does not end with the personnel change; for the first time the trio decided to pay homage to a Classical composer, in this case the Polish early-20th Century pianist / composer Karol SzymanowskiFind albums by this artist. Szymanowski, a brilliant early-modernist / impressionist, who combined Polish Folklore and modernist compositional tools, is a rather neglected figure on the Polish scene, which is a great shame. Therefore the fact that RGG decided to make him the center of their new recording fits perfectly their non-conformist approach towards music. Of the thirteen tracks on this album, nine are interpretations of compositions by Szymanowski, three are composed by the bassist and the remaining one is a group composition. The original compositions are of course "in spiritu" inspired by the great composer. Following decades of Polish Jazz musicians obsessively interpreting the music of Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist, it´s truly refreshing to hear some musicians turning the attention to other great Polish composers, like Szymanowski in this case. What remains unchanged is the trio´s basic approach to music, full of freedom, beautiful silence between the notes, total dedication and amazing intellectual command, which takes the music to lofty peaks. Ideally, the listener of this music should be familiar, at least to some extent, with the original music by Szymanowski, but being realistic, this will be the case only in reference to very few listeners. But this music is so powerful and stunning, that it completely stands on its own as well. RGG managed again to create a sonic universe of its own, which keeps the tradition of the original music at its core alive a Century later, transforming it to contemporary set if aesthetic values and parameters. Perhaps this recording will inspire new listeners to discover Szymanowski, after listening to this gorgeous music: a double winner after all. It makes no sense to compare Ojdana with Raminiak and additionally it means absolutely nothing as far as the music is concerned; the only thing that matters is the fact that he became an organic part of the trio, fitting ideally with his two partners and cooperating with them symbiotically and creatively. And most importantly the level of talent of virtuosity displayed by RGG was not lessened by an iota, which firmly places them at the very top of Jazz piano trios not only in their native Poland, but worldwide, easily! I´ve already written extensively about the talents of Messrs. Garbowski & Gradziuk, suffice to say they are without a doubt closer to Euterpe then most others I happened to have the pleasure to listen to. The trio maintains the tradition of recording their albums at the now legendary Studio Tokarnia, under the auspices of the resident sound wizard Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. The result is nothing short of spectacular, which stands its ground to any ECMFind albums on this label recording, again with ease. Therefore for all intents and purposes this album is equivalent to a Keith JarrettFind albums by this artist trio album on ECM; it simply does not get any better than this.

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RGG ~ TRUE STORY – IN TWO ACTS NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5905912555738) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009 This is the 4th album by the Polish Jazz ensemble RGGFind albums by this artist, which consists of pianist Przemyslaw RaminiakFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. A monumental undertaking recorded "live" in the studio in just two days and resulting in two CDs, each presenting sixteen pieces, varying in duration from just over a minute to over six minutes, all of which are on the spot improvisations, except for the first introductory piece on each CD. All the music is accredited to all three RGG members. The album was recorded in the legendary Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, the studio owner, a guarantee of superb sonic quality. The album´s title, consistent with the titles of the two albums which preceded this release, includes the word "story", which clearly points out to the fact that the trio members conceive their music-making as a process of storytelling, metaphysically of course, but nevertheless quite significantly. Music is, after all, a reflection of the musician´s personality and his life experience, not just a detached intellectual creation of his mind. The storytelling influences the character of the music dramatically and is responsible for it being wonderfully communicative, even though it is completely free stylistically. RGG manage to create perhaps the most "talkative" form of Free Jazz ever encountered, which enables every Jazz listener, including those with little or even no Free Jazz experience, to absorb and most importantly enjoy this music. Amazingly, the album creates an overall aura of serenity and composure, although it is in fact full of creative tensions and convolutions. As in all piano trio music, and especially in case the music is highly improvised, the key element is the musical bond developed between the trio members, which in the best of cases involves truly telepathic communication. RGG definitely fall in that category, displaying an amazing level of group consciousness, collective improvisation ability and above all enormous mutual respect. The solo spot moves freely between the instruments, as the trio members clearly share the storytelling duties equally, supporting and complimenting each other rather than competing with each other. This incredible level of cooperation is the trio´s most formidable asset. But of course each of the trio members is a great instrumentalist, regardless if he plays solo or is part of the duo and trio format. Perhaps more so that in any other piano trio setting, RGG eschews the concept of a "leader" and presents a concept of a music unit, which is much greater than a sum of its parts. That is why RGG is able to produce such extraordinary music, which has few equals anywhere in the world. Polish Jazz aficionados will of course try the unavoidable comparison between RGG and the "other" great Polish Jazz piano trio, the Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist. For a true music lover there is no competition here whatsoever, and these two great ensembles compliment each other rather than compete with each other. Polish Jazz is simply lucky to have two such brilliant piano trios creating music in tandem. This is definitely some of the finest Polish Jazz ever recorded, and some of the most wonderful piano trio music ever created. It would be criminal to miss this album, something a true music connoisseur should avoid at all costs. This stuff is essential for the mental health of those, who are lucky to immerse in its splendor.

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RGG ~ UNFINISHED STORY – REMEMBERING KOSZ ECNALUMBA ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2007 This is the 3rd album by the Polish Jazz ensemble RGGFind albums by this artist, which consists of pianist Przemyslaw RaminiakFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, it is dedicated to the memory of the great Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mieczyslaw KoszFind albums by this artist, who died tragically at the ridiculous age of 29, leaving behind him just a handful of recordings and a memory of a brilliant musician, who was destined for greatness, but missed the opportunity; an unfinished story indeed. The Polish Jazz scene produced a multitude of tribute albums over the years, most of which commemorate the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Many of these albums are excellent and worth listening to, but the decision made by RGG to follow a less obvious path (which seems to me their favorite modus operandi) and create a tribute to a much lesser known figure is truly courageous and admirable, especially in view of the fact that rather than present their interpretation of the music composed by Kosz, they created an "in spiritu" homage. Of the twelve tracks on the album only two are compositions by Kosz and one is a classical piece, which he used as a basis for improvisation (see "ReminiscenceFind albums with this title", his only album released during his lifetime). The rest of the album is all original and was mostly composed by Raminiak, Garbowski or co-composed by these two. Two tracks are group improvisations and are credited to the trio. The members of RGG concentrate on the less obvious side of the Kosz musical heritage. Although mostly portrayed as a romantic and lyrical player in the Bill EvansFind albums by this artist vein, he also displayed an enormous longing for the free form improvisation, keeping the melodic fluidity intact, an element RGG members explore to the max. Therefore, although the album is seemingly almost romantically melodic, this is just a clever illusion masterfully created by the RGG musicians. In fact an attentive listening will reveal that most of the music is full of free elements, amalgamated in a way that emphasizes an "organized and orderly freedom". As usual, RGG members display a phenomenal interplay, switching the spotlight from one instrument to another, changing tempi and melodic hints, all of that with elegance and flair, which keep them apart from most other piano trios in Jazz today. Although not explicitly specified on the album´s cover, it was recorded in the legendary Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, the studio owner, a guarantee of superb sonic quality. The musical quality is of course beyond reproach, and this album joins the other albums by RGG as some of the most important Polish Jazz recordings and superb gems of piano trio Jazz.

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GRZEGORZ ROGALA PROJECT / SAGIT ZILBERMAN ~ POEZJAZZ SOLITON 382 (Barcode: 5901571093826) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the second album by the Polish / Israeli ensemble, co-led by Polish trombonist Grzegorz RogalaFind albums by this artist and Israeli saxophonist Sagit ZilbermanFind albums by this artist. The ensemble includes also pianist Witold JaniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. Two vocalists also take part in this recording: Barbara RogalaFind albums by this artist, who sings (in Hebrew) on one track and Malgorzata HutekFind albums by this artist, who sings (in Polish) on two other tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, five of which were composed by Rogala, two were composed by Zilberman and the remaining track is a traditional melody arranged by Rogala. The lyrics of two of the vocal tracks are by the Polish / Jewish writer Bruno Schultz, murdered during the Holocaust, and the third vocal track uses the Biblical text taken from the "Song of Songs". The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist presiding, which of course is a trademark of excellent sound quality. The album´s title is misleading, as it implies that the entire album belongs to the Jazz & Poetry sub-genre, which of course is more popular in Polish Jazz than anywhere else on this planet. However since only the three vocal tracks fall within the idiom´s boundaries, this extrapolation is unjustified and confusing. The album presents a series of fine mainstream compositions, mostly well built and quite interesting, all very well executed by the musicians, who are all professional and talented. Rogala is the main soloist and his trombone parts are always a pleasure to listen to, displaying sparks of virtuosity and highly personal stylistic approach. The rest of the instrumental parts are, as already stated, well done, but somewhat lack a flicker of inspiration or luster, which would make this music truly exciting. The vocal parts don´t work very well, as the singers struggle with the text trying to fit it within the complex melodic and harmonic structure of the songs or with a language (Hebrew) they are not familiar with, but of course are by and large acceptable. In short this is a nice album, which many listeners will find satisfactory, but considering the incredible high level of albums released in Poland these days, it certainly does not reach the level of excellence one would hope for.

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KARI SAL ~ BUTTERFLY IMAGINARY MUSIC 002 (Barcode: 5905817210008) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the second album by Polish vocalist / songwriter Kari SalFind albums by this artist, recorded with an excellent team of musicians, which includes her husband, violinist Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist, Swedish pianist Jacob KarlzonFind albums by this artist, guitarist Kacper BudziszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman ChraniukFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve songs, all composed by her (three co-composed with her husband) and all (except one) with her lyrics, sung in English. Recorded at the fabulous Tokarnia 2.0 studio and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, the result offers the expected wonderful sound quality. It was released on the new Imaginary MusicFind albums on this label label, founded by Baldych. Sal kept us all in suspense since the release of her debut album in 2017, which I personally loved immediately. It seems the long break did not damage her creative flow and this album certainly delivers a refined and mature set of songs, beautifully performed by all the participants. Baldych’s superb violin (also Renaissance violin) parts provide the sophisticated ornamentation and settle the mood, while Karlzon’s piano add a Romantic as well as Jazzy accents. The music is a delicate amalgam of many diverse influences, from clear Polish folkloristic themes, improvised Jazzy parts, Folky melody lines and poetic atmosphere, all combined together to create a coherent flow of musical continuity and lyrical contents. Sal’s idiosyncratic vocal approach suits the aesthetics perfectly and her vocal abilities are impeccable. She stays completely focused when using a wide vocal range, always staying perfectly in tune, both musically and emotionally. It is commonly known that I am usually not supportive of Polish vocalist singing in English, for the obvious reasons. However, this album is a rare case when the language, accent and pronunciation barriers are minimized to such degree, that they are completely acceptable and hardly noticeable at all. Having said that, I’d love to hear her singing in Polish again. Also I miss a bit of her vocalese parts. But hey, this album was not made specifically for me of course. Overall, this is a remarkable sophomore effort, full of great songs, stylistic diversity, brilliant vocals and stunning instrumental parts, all exquisitely arranged, performed, recorded and finally packaged, to create a true bomboniere of an album, which sweetens the long waiting period we had to bear. Thank you again, my Dear, for this gift of music!

Updated: 05/03/2024Posted: 05/03/2024

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RAFAL SARNECKI ~ A VIEW FROM THE TREETOP ART EVOLUTION 01/2022 (Barcode: 5903819630022) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the fifth album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with saxophonist Lukasz PoprawskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Patryk DoboszFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader. The music was recorded at Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual excellent sonic quality. I have been following Sarnecki’s musical path since his debut album from 2008, and he emerges as one of the most surprising and constantly developing artists on the Polish Jaz scene. His long stay in US obviously influenced his creative process, but luckily did not manage to destroy his European ancestry, and this album, his first since his return to Poland, is the best evidence of that. The music is extremely eclectic, with each of the compositions on the album being completely different, which potentially might have been enormously hazardous and chaotic, but surprisingly Sarnecki managed to develop a sonic coherence, which makes listening to this music not only an intellectual challenge but also a highly rewarding experience. This collection of highly unique and even weird tunes, is in my opinion absolutely delightful and stunning. Part of the success is undoubtedly due to the superb team of Polish Jazz musicians selected for this project, who are able to overcome the devilishly complex chord and rhythm changes without a hitch. Poprawski, who is relatively less recognized on the local scene, does a sublime job taking care of most of the soloing. Wylezol, one of my favorite Polish Jazz pianists, who also gets way less respect and recognition that he deserves, is also perfect for the job, as is the fabulous rhythm section. Most importantly, the leader plays rather sparingly, mostly participating in the ensemble sound rather than feature his guitar parts, which is way more typical of European Jazz that the American approach, which puts the soloing in the center of attention. Overall, this is a brilliant, highly unique album, which offers some of the most fascinating music I happened to listen to lately, and is probably the most interesting Polish Jazz album of 2022, so far. It leaves the listener with a longing to hear more, which happens so rarely these days. Congratulations, my Friend, this is definitely your best work so far and I wish you to uphold this path in the future!

Updated: 26/10/2022Posted: 26/10/2022

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MATEUSZ SMOCZYNSKI ~ BEREK UNIVERSAL 602557610710 (Barcode: 602557610710) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the third album as a leader by Polish violinist / composer Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, recorded again in a quintet setting with guitarist Konrad ZemlerFind albums by this artist, his older brother pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve original compositions, one of which is repeated twice, seven of which were composed by Jan Smoczynski, two were composed by Mateusz Smoczynski, two were co-composed by the Smoczynski brothers and one is credited to all five members of the quintet. The album was recorded in the legendary Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan Smoczynski, with spectacular sound fidelity. In the last decade Mateusz Smoczynski, both as a solo artists and member of the already legendary Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, has been consistently paving his way to the Top of the Polish Jazz violin school, which has very little competition in any other part of the world. That top, extremely overcrowded by young musicians, is simply exploding with talent and incredible dexterity, to the delight of Jazz lovers, both in Poland and the world over, and is just one of the symptoms that characterize the Polish Jazz scene in general. On this album Mateusz Smoczynski does not have to prove anything anymore, and therefore he is able to concentrate on his total delivery of the music, his personal style and the finesse of his skills. The exquisite compositions by Jan Smoczynski suit ideally his expressive style and their intrinsic elegance and lyricism, as well as superb Swing are simply ideal vehicles for the music to come forward. Of course he is splendidly supported by the members of the quintet, all of which are Top Polish Jazz players with extensive experience and outstanding talents. The almost completely acoustic sound of the album allows for delicate and intricate interactions between the musicians, full of mutual respect. The round sound of the quintet, and the blooming sound quality, create a wonderful aural experience, which should leave no listener cold. The music is a wide amalgam of many influences, none of which are particularly dominant, but to a sensitive ear are obviously audible, such as some Classical stylistic hooks, Polish Folklore motifs, tribute to past Polish Jazz violin legends, and many others. Of course these elements are perfectly well balanced and manage to create a new entity, which simply speaks for itself. Overall this is a "perfect" album, one that has nothing that should be changed or added to it in any sense. It is beautifully performed and offers wonderful music, full of European aesthetics. There are no false pretences, no exhibitionism and no boring derivative fillers, just honest, straightforward great music from start to finish. So far definitely one of the best offers in 2017 that landed on my desk (or in my ears). Chapeau bas!

Updated: 25/05/2017Posted: 25/05/2017

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MATEUSZ SMOCZYNSKI ~ EXPRESSIONS TMP 002 (Barcode: 5905912553239) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2008 This is the second album as a leader by the young Polish Jazz violinist / composer Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. Recorded with a superb quintet, which includes his brother Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist on piano, guitarist Konrad ZemlerFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist, the album presents his talent and obvious virtuosity to the fullest extent. Of the ten compositions included on the album Jan contributed four, Mateusz one, Wojciech another four and the last is credited to all quintet members. The music is modern Jazz, which has solid roots in Jazz mainstream, but is open to glimpses of Free, which is not surprising since Mateusz points out John ColtraneFind albums by this artist as a major influence. Of course he also continues the Polish Jazz violin tradition, naming Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist (who in turn was also strongly influenced by Coltrane) as another direct influence. However, attentive listening to his brilliant solos brings also memories of the other great Polish violinist, like Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and Krzesimir DebskiFind albums by this artist and of course the French giant Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist. Since recording this album, Mateusz recorded another superb album (again with his brother Jan) in a trio setting ("Simultaneous AbstractionsFind albums with this title"), participated in a Zbigniew Seifert tribute album ("A Tribute To Zbigniew SeifertFind albums with this title") and recorded with the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist. All these projects are impeccable pieces of intelligent, rewarding and highly aesthetic music and it seems that Mateusz is heading to the very top of the local (and perhaps also international) scene. The album was recorded in the Studio Tokarnia owned by the Smoczynski brothers, and engineered and mastered by Jan. From several other Polish Jazz recordings I´ve heard, which were recorded there, one can hear that this is probably the best recording studio in the country and Jan (in addition to his musical abilities) as a great sound engineer. Well, it´s always a pleasure to give credit, where credit is due, as in this case. Altogether this is brilliant piece of music, which any Jazz connoisseur anywhere should cherish. Most warmly recommended!

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MATEUSZ SMOCZYNSKI ~ METAMORPHOSES ZBIGNIEW SEIFERT FOUNDATION 4 (Barcode: 5907222048030) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the fourth album by Polish violinist / composer Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and his debut solo violin recording. The album, recorded at the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music, presents thirteen compositions, four of which are parts of a violin sonata No.1, which gave the album its title. Smoczynski is the composer of eleven of these compositions, one composition is by his older brother Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and one is by Mark SummerFind albums by this artist, the cellist and co-founder of the legendary Turtle Island QuartetFind albums by this artist. The closing piece of the album, called "Midnight Psalm", was inspired by the Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist composition "Evening Psalm". During the last decade Mateusz Smoczynski consistently paved his way to the top of the Polish violin scene, creating a remarkable collection of recordings as a leader, as a sideman and as member of the revered Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist and winning the second edition of the Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition in 2016, an incredible achievement for a musician in his early thirties; all this on a scene which is bursting with talent and fierce competition. This album is undoubtedly Smoczynski´s most ambitious undertaking to date, both as a player and a composer. Moving away from the home base of the Jazz idiom, the music on this album is obviously much more related to the contemporary Classical idiom, although the improvisation is still an integral and important ingredient. The compositions also bear close relation to Polish Folklore and Classical Music, soaked in typical melancholy and lyricism, which characterizes most of Polish music. From the very onset of the music Smoczynski´s virtuosity becomes immediately apparent and the entire duration of the album is an ecstatic journey on the cascade of violin magic, which he manages to keep flowing relentlessly. Unrelated to the actual tempo of the compositions, the flow and energy is always there and the pure tones and clarity of every note are remarkable. Although not a Jazz album per-se, this music should be of interest to a wide range of music lovers, obviously those who also love the violin. This music is demanding and requires attention and patience, but all great music puts forward similar challenges, and this one is no different. It will probably take several listening sessions to wholly comprehend the depth of this music, but the effort is definitely worth it! Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 12/01/2018Posted: 12/01/2018

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SONORISMO ~ PERSONAL VOICE VOICE MUSIC 1007 (Barcode: 5906489287329) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the debut solo album by Polish Jazz drummer / percussionist / composer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist, appearing here under the SonorismoFind albums by this artist pseudonym. He is supported by his fellow partner in the RGGFind albums by this artist trio, keyboardist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, who plays the Fender Rhodes electric piano, and Finnish saxophonist Pauli LyytinenFind albums by this artist, who is also in charge of electronics. Saxophonist Lukasz Poprawski guests on one track. The album presents fourteen tracks, some of which are composed by Gradziuk, some improvised by him and finally others are credited to all three musicians. Parts of the music was created as an improvised background soundtrack to the 1919 American silent film “The Woman Under Oath”. The album was recorded during a single session at the Tokarnia 2.0 studio and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album is dedicated to the memory of Gradziuk’s recently departed Father. Although the music is mostly improvised, it certainly offers many highly melodic themes, which create an intimate, mystical and almost meditative aura to the entire proceedings. The fact that some of the music was intended as a cinematic composition / improvisation, is in fact true to most the music on this album, which is closer to Ambient aesthetics than to Jazz per se on the majority of the tracks. All three instrumentalists perform splendidly, each in his own sphere, and together they manage to create a coherent continuity. Ojdana is in charge of most of the melodic / harmonic content, Lyytinen is the link to the Jazz ambience and Gradziuk supplies the bonding rhythmic, or rather mostly a-rhythmic pulsations, which manage to hold everything together. Despite the fact the drummer is a leader of this session, the music is certainly a combined creation by the participants, with everybody inspiring each other for the entire duration. Overall, this is a very ambitious Avant-Garde project, which should attract many listeners from various sub-genres, as it offers a wide palette of sounds and expressions, well beyond just Improvised Music / Free Jazz. Listeners, who like Jazz-Ambient Fusion should also enjoy this music, as well as Cinematic Music enthusiasts. The music demands attentive listening, in order to explore the intimate details, but can be enjoyed as well under a more relaxed circumstances, just submitting to the wonderful flow. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 03/04/2024Posted: 03/04/2024

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TONE RAW ~ TONE RAW SOS 12012 (Barcode: 5901694110127) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is a phenomenal debut album by a young (very young) Polish Jazz quartet Tone RawFind albums by this artist, which consists of saxophonist Marek KonarskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Sebastian ZawadzkiFind albums by this artist, bassist Thomas KolarczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Kuba GudzFind albums by this artist. All four are music students, two of them in Berlin and two others in Odense, Denmark (where many Polish young musicians set out to study Jazz at the local Academy of Music). The album consists of nine tracks, five of which were composed by the pianist, one each by the saxophonist and the drummer, one by a fellow Danish student and one by the godfather of Polish Jazz Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, which is performed solo by the pianist. The album was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual spectacular sonic result. It is truly impossible to guess the age of these musicians just from listening to the album, as they project incredible maturity both as performers and composers. The music, which although is based on solid melodic themes, is full of space and freedom, allowing the players and the listener to float willingly somewhere in the vicinity without being constrained in any way. The melodies have a subtle, but recognizable ethnic influence, which encompasses such diverse (culturally) areas as Eastern Europe, Middle East or Scandinavia. But in spite the different influences, the music presents quite a recognizable stylistic unity, which is extremely rare among young ensembles. Zawadzki, who is the most prominent composer on this album, and who also plays the solo piano piece, is perhaps at the focal point herein, but it seems that the teamwork and mutual respect shift the focal point towards the cooperative effort rather than individual statements. The overall effect of the album is typical European Jazz aesthetics, which not only refuses to be forgotten, but keeps pushing the envelope of the genre further and further away from its 20th Century sources, traditions and limitations. These youngsters understand subconsciously that Jazz, Classical Music and Folklore are simply different manifestations of the same Cultural asset, a resource, which one can explore at will, guided only by one´s intrinsic sense of beauty, intelligence and above all talent. And there is certainly a lot of talent on this album. These players and their music deserve the attention of Polish Jazz enthusiasts, as they certainly have a lot of potential, which they have just started to explore. If this is their starting point, one might only wonder what they are capable of creating in the not too distant future. Definitely a striking debut effort!

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MICHAL URBANIAK ~ FOR WARSAW WITH LOVE AGORA 5903111493684 (Barcode: 5903111493684) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rap Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 "Jazz is (*) the music of the oppressed black working class in capitalist America". This is the slogan that enabled Polish Jazz musicians to play and flourish behind the iron curtain, when the above definition was softened following Stalin´s death (1953) from its original form, which also included "the product of the degeneration presented as" in the place of the asterisk above. Expression of solidarity by the Polish working class with the "black working class in capitalist America" was allowed by playing Jazz. Of course Polish Jazz musicians – including our hero saxophonist / violinist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist – were never a part of the working class, but that was the beauty of the whole thing. Polish intelligentsia and the artistic bohemian class in particular, which included filmmakers, Jazz musicians, actors, poets and other undesirable riffraff, were absolute Masters in fooling the system and its censorship apparatus into believing in their legitimacy as representatives of the working class and their conformity with the official Socialist Party policies. Urbaniak and a few of Polish Jazz pioneers visited the US in 1962 and he fell head over heels in love with the "original" American Jazz. From that moment on his primary life´s desire was to move to NY and become part of the local scene, which he consistently pursued and eventually achieved in 1973, together with his wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist. His NY residency was crowned by a recording contract with Columbia and release of several brilliant and groundbreaking albums and a brief stint with the legendary Miles DavisFind albums by this artist. His talent and intensive work schedule earned him many friends among the American (and not only) musicians, which explains how he managed to get on this album a string of stars like drummer Lenny WhiteFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcus MillerFind albums by this artist, pianist Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist, guitarist David GilmoreFind albums by this artist, rapper Walter WestFind albums by this artist and others. Eventually Urbaniak, like many other Polish Jazz musicians who tried their luck in the US, returned to Poland, which in the meantime managed to free itself from the shackles of the Socialist regime, and resumed his activity on the local scene, retaining of course his NY ties. His keen senses and sharp ears enabled him to select some of the best Polish Jazz musicians, mostly members of the young generation, and invite them to take part in this project, like pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, Michal WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and Marek PedziwiatrFind albums by this artist and others. Formally this album is a tribute to the city of Warsaw, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the tragic Warsaw Uprising against the Nazi German occupation and the album was issued by the Warsaw Uprising Museum. To be honest I completely fail to see any connection and for me this is not a tribute to Warsaw but a tribute to NY and contemporary American music scene. It offers a mixture of Rap, Hip-Hop, Groove, Blues and a bit of Jazz, with a distinct Afro-American feel, which to people familiar with Urbaniak´s current activity is hardly surprising. Most of the music is attributed to Urbaniak, but there are also two classic Jazz standards dressed up to fit with the rest of the album. And yes, it offers a lot of superb playing on the way. The album proves that Urbaniak wishes to stay relevant and up to date with contemporary trends, which is certainly more than other musicians of his group age are doing. It has a strong Jazz tinge, but certainly is not meant as a Jazz album per se; and why not? Urbaniak does not have to justify his musical choices to anybody, and his extensive legacy proves that he paid his dues and can do whatever he wants to do. The "critics", who dismissed this album outright, fail to see the point here – it is up to the musician to play what see thinks is right and it is up to the listener to decide if he wishes to listen / buy the album. Urbaniak is simply well beyond scrutiny by self proclaimed "critics" – he has been around for long enough to ignore this bullshit. It was a pleasure to meet Michal again a couple of month ago at the after party of the Singer Festival, where he gave me an autographed copy of this album. Nigel KennedyFind albums by this artist, the star of the final concert and an accomplished musician by all standards, looked at Michal with love and admiration deserved by an older Master… certainly good enough for me. Even if this music is not exactly my glass of vodka, if this is what he wants to play, who am I to tell him otherwise? Respect!

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

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VAS / BUKOWSKI / SZMANDA ~ OPEN-CLOSED PRINCIPLE SJ 068 (Barcode: 5902596066994) ~ HUNGARY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 - 2022 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by the trio comprising of Hungarian (resident in Poland) organist / composer Bence VasFind albums by this artist and Polish vibraphonist Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Vance. The music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokania and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who owns the studio and is a fabulous organist himself, which of course guarantees a fabulous sound quality. The trio offers a unique aural experience and the unusual instrumental lineup, despite its minimalist setting, offers an almost orchestral sound, much denser and elaborate in textures than one might expect. Both the organ and the vibraphone are among my favorite instruments, so I obviously have no complains in that department, although aurally the matching of these two instruments might prove difficult. The compositions are less exciting and the feeling is that the music tends to linger somewhat longer than necessary, not really developing much after the melodic theme was introduced. Also the compositions are quite similar to each other, which offers little dynamics over the playing time of the album. Of course all three musicians are highly professional and capable of playing the music without a hitch, with most of the inventive soloing is taken over not surprisingly by Bukowski, who is a true Master of the trade. Szmanda, as usual, keeps the music swinging at all times. Overall, this is a nice, melodic Jazz album, which offers a rather unusual sound and instrumental blend, in a chamber like atmosphere, often close to Classical music. For fans of organ Jazz, this is certainly something they might like to look into.

Updated: 16/01/2023Posted: 16/01/2023

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TOMASZ WENDT ~ CHAPTER B. SJ 047 (Barcode: 5912596066832) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the second album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist recorded in a quartet setting with excellent partners: violinist Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Wendt. The music was recorded at the superb Studio Tokarnia and was engineered by Jan Smoczynski, with the usual spectacular sound quality. The music is modern European Jazz at its best, melody based but allowing for extensive improvisations and odd meters, creating diverse sonic vistas by taking advantage of the unusual instrumental lineup. The melodies are all well structured and coherent, full of romanticism and melancholy, and yet lively and exciting, with often complex rhythm changes. The instrumental work by all the participants is absolutely amazing. Wendt matured and achieved a wonderful tonality over time, Mateusz Smoczynski is absolutely amazing as always and his soloing on this album is especially welcome as it has been a while since he recorded in a pure Jazz environment. Jan Smoczynski, the older brother, not only plays some great keyboard parts but also provides the bass lines. Dobrowolski, who needs to take care of all the rhythmic duties, is also brilliant, which is hardly surprising. Overall this album simply explodes with great musicianship and excellent compositions, creating a most enjoyable listening experience, in spite of its non-trivial instrumentation and rhythmic complexity. It should be accessible to the majority of true Jazz connoisseurs and will also raise a few brows, as it offers a very novel instrumentation and highly unusual sound. Well done indeed!

Updated: 09/01/2020Posted: 09/01/2020

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TOMASZ WENDT ~ DAILY THINGS SJ 072 (Barcode: 5905489720041) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the third album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen original compositions, all by the leader. The music was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual splendid sound quality. The music on this album is quite different from his earlier recordings, putting the composition in the epicenter. The thirteen relatively short tracks present a series of wonderfully weaved melodies, each and every one of which is a little gem, and they all radiate beautiful melodic coherence and heartfelt romanticism soaked in melancholy. Thanks to this approach the listener is exposed to a massive influx of themes, which is more than double than what one finds on an average Jazz recording emphasizing the performance rather than the composition. But of course the delicate and intimate performances on this album are also absolutely marvelous, focusing on the saxophone, but also prominently featuring the superb guitar work by Mika and the excellent support of the rhythm section, which shines throughout the entire duration of the album. Wendt made a very intelligent decision with his choice of the musicians participating on this recording, each a great Master of his instrument, but also an amicable member of the quartet sound. Together they create an unusual and highly effective Jazz album. There is no doubt that with this album Wendt enters the “grown up” league of the Polish Jazz scene, which he fully deserves, following years of hard working apprenticeship and study of the idiom. I had the pleasure of following his progress over the years and its always satisfying to see a musician grow and achieve success in time. Overall, this is mature and highly satisfying album by Wendt, full of great music and marvelous performances by him and his companions, which offers universal beauty of the Jazz idiom and should be highly appreciated by every Jazz lover the world over. Congrats!

Updated: 29/03/2023Posted: 29/03/2023

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WIERBA / SCHMIDT QUINTET ~ BLACK MONOLITH SJ 001 (Barcode: 5902020415008) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the third album by the Polish Jazz quintet, which was founded by two young players / composers: pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. The quintet also includes saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. On this album the quintet is expanded into a sextet with the addition of American trombonist Dante LucianiFind albums by this artist. The sextet performs six tunes, three of which are original compositions by Wierba, two are standards and the remaining one is a composition by Czech trumpeter / composer Stepanka BalcarovaFind albums by this artist, who studied at the Katowice Music Academy as did all of the quintet members. The album was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and was engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with excellent, as usual, sonic results. Although the music is all within boundaries of typical Jazz mainstream, it is superbly arranged and executed. The original compositions are interesting and poise perfectly the melodic themes and the spirited attitude; the piece by Balcarova is the most impressive on the album. Overall this is a very pleasant well rounded Jazz album, which presents the sextet as a small Big Band, balancing between the brass and rhythm sections, features many excellent solo spots and shows that young Europeans can play mainstream as well as anybody else anywhere. The individual skills of the musicians involved are of course spotless. This album is the first release on the SJFind albums on this label label, owned by Schmidt, which is one of the small independent Polish Jazz labels releasing music by young Polish Jazz musicians, a most welcome phenomenon of course, spreading the local Jazz gospel around the world.

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MICHAL WROBLEWSKI ~ CITY ALBUM ELLITE 5903111529024 (Barcode: 5903111529024) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the third album by the young and very gifted Polish Jazz pianist / composer Michal WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, which sees him returning to the piano trio format with bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all but one by Wroblewski, with the exception being a piece based on the music by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist and arranged by Wroblewski. The music was recorded (same as his debut album) at the now legendary Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist doing his usual sound magic with spectacular results. The music, as stated by Wroblewski, was influenced by playing a concert tour in 2013 with American superstar trumpeter Terence BlanchardFind albums by this artist, but the experience influenced also the trio´s approach to music, which became much more focused and intense. As a result this album is remarkably stronger and vital than the two earlier efforts, even though those two were already first class achievements, and places Wroblewski just a notch higher on his way to fame and fortune. His compositions, as usual, combine the right amount of melodic substance with lyrical contents and harmonic beauty, very much like many Jazz standards do. Listening to this album is a true delight from start to finish, with time passing by in a breeze. Of course a piano trio is only as strong as all three musicians involved and Wroblewski is extremely lucky to find two partners who fulfill him completely, match his sensibilities, his virtuosity and his elegance. This piano trio is a classic example of what a piano trio should sound like in the mainstream Jazz milieu. Yes, this music does not make any groundbreaking discoveries as far as Jazz is concerned, but we need to keep the legacy alive and this trio is just perfect in that capacity. It is difficult to predict how Wroblewski´s career will develop from this point on, but he certainly already made his mark both as a pianist and a composer. I am certainly keeping my eye, or rather ear, on his moves, as he managed to impress me for the third time in a row. Jazz fans who love the piano trio format will have a field day with this one. Well done indeed!

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MICHAL WROBLEWSKI ~ I REMEMBER ELLITE 5903292101217 (Barcode: 5903292101217) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 - 2011 Released: 2012 This is the debut album by the young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Michal WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with his trio with bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummers Michal BryndalFind albums by this artist and Wojciech RomanowskiFind albums by this artist. The first version of this album was recorded by the trio with Bryndal and released as a promo. This, the final version of the album adds four more tracks recorded by the trio with Romanowski. Since both trios recorded the title track, the album´s nine tracks are in fact only eight distinct compositions, of which five were composed by Wroblewski, one by Jaros, one is an interpretation of a John ColtraneFind albums by this artist tune and the title track is a contemporary house composition, which proves that Wroblewski listens to other music than Jazz as well. Both trio sessions were recorded at the legendary Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist behind the knobs, which is always a guarantee of superb sonic quality. The Polish Jazz scene seems to be an endless source of excellent piano players over the years, and the contemporary scene, which hosts both the veterans, the middle aged and the young pianist is simply exploding with talent and activity. Wroblewski is certainly one of the interesting newcomers, who still have to pay the dues and put forward their accomplishments before achieving an honorary position on the pedestal reserved for the Polish Jazz piano giants. Judging by this recording he´s certainly on the right track, as the music presented on this album is quite excellent, both from the point of view of the performance and the compositions. Both trios play elegantly and display individual skills as well as an ensemble spirit, carefully listening to each other. The compositions present a nice balance between the melodic themes, rhythmic progressions and harmonic structures, which are ideal vehicles for the improvised passages. There is a frequent usage of Classical quotes and neo-romantic mannerisms, which are probably mostly sub-conscious and quite understandable considering the pianist´s age. The overall level of performance is quite excellent, turning this album into an ideal type of piano trio experience, which many Jazz connoisseurs greatly enjoy. The album could have been slightly longer and more adventurous musically, but than again many listeners will probably wish to change absolutely nothing. One can only hope that future recordings by Wroblewski will show him striving to achieve an individual voice and unique style, which will surely come to fruition as he gets older and more experienced. Keeping things in the right perspective, this is definitely a most impressive debut, exposing a talent to be watched. This album is highly recommended to piano trio enthusiasts, but basically every Jazz lover should be able to deeply enjoy this music. Great stuff!

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MICHAL ZABORSKI ~ FEELING EARTH HEVHETIA 0189 (Barcode: 8588005258623) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2019 This is the debut album as a leader by the Polish violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist, mostly recognized as a member of the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, recorded with a quartet, which also includes pianist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal BryndalFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Zaborski and the music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. With the viola in the lead, the quartet produces a noticeably "different" sound than one expects from a Jazz recording, and indeed this music, although Jazz oriented, includes also strongly noticeable additional influences, such as Classical and Folklore music, which are immediately apparent from the onset. The compositions are all deeply melancholic and mostly low key, emphasizing a strong melodic presence, with the themes stated by the viola at the beginning of each piece and than gently carried on by the fragile piano and viola improvised parts. The piano is a tad too busy at times, but not extravagantly so. The rhythm section keeps things to bare minimum, with the bass pulsating in the background and playing a few beautifully melodic soli and the drums steady and barely audible at times. And yet the music has an irresistible charm to it, a magical flow that keeps the listener mesmerized for the duration of the album, taking him from one piece to the next as if hypnotized. In spite of the minimalist outcome produced by the musicians, the music does not seem to be missing anything and is perfectly rounded and whole. The music is kept mostly on a relaxed level with little dynamics displayed along the way, which could be considered a bit indistinguishable, but easily forgiven. Personally I really enjoyed the music, although I suspect some listeners will find it a bit "too pretty" and altogether lacking the "kick" Jazz enthusiasts expect to hear in the music. There is no doubt Zaborski is a virtuoso and his performances here as every bit as strong as on his numerous earlier recording. His compositions are heavily influenced by Polish Folklore music and his Classical Music background, which he openly admits in his music, not trying to make it sound more Jazzy than it rally is. Overall this is a very unique album, different from most of the output arriving on the Polish Jazz scene, and also different from the material Zaborski records with the Atoms, showing another facet of his musical personality. A Gentle Giant by all means, who can weave beautiful melodies and share them with his listeners with obvious love and modesty.

Updated: 07/10/2019Posted: 07/10/2019

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AGA ZARYAN ~ UMIERA PIEKNO EMI 5099909494428 (Barcode: 5099909494428) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2007 Released: 2010 This is the 3rd album by the wonderful Polish Jazz vocalist Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist, which marks the beginning of the second phase of her career. It is dramatically different from her two preceding albums in almost every conceivable artistic aspect, retaining only her beautiful vocal expression and the profound connection to Jazz. It is the first album, which finds her singing in the Polish language, her first recording which features string ensemble arrangements, but most importantly it marks the beginning of her love affair with poetry, or more exactly the Jazz & Poetry movement, which has deep roots in the Polish Jazz legacy. All these elements were to become the characteristic features of her future recordings. The album was recorded in the intimate piano trio setting, with pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, who also wrote the music for all the nine songs included on the album, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist. Some of the songs also feature subtle string arrangements, performed by an excellent large string ensemble expanded with harp and oboe. The album was recorded at the legendary Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, and not surprisingly is simply stunning sonically. But of course the main focus of this album is the concept behind it, which is to commemorate the tragic 1944 Warsaw Uprising during WW II, which to this day is remembered as one of Polish history´s most heartbreaking and frustrating events. The album´s title "Umiera Piekno" ("Beauty Is Dying" in Polish), which is also the title of one of the songs, expresses the subject matter most astutely. The lyrics to all the songs on this album are poems written by people who participated in the uprising (and in the case of poetess Krystyna KrahelskaFind albums by this artist, who wrote four of the poems featured here, died while fighting), or others who wrote about the event. The subject matter is deeply moving and intrinsically painful and poignant, especially in view of the fact that the memory of the uprising was neglected and even purposely concealed by the Socialist regime. Zaryan performed the music from this album live during a special concert at the Warsaw Uprising Museum, which was broadcasted live by Polish radio and TV and amassed an incredible crowd of Warsaw´s inhabitants and is viewed by many as one of the most significant artistic achievements in the country´s cultural life in the last decade. It also resulted in the relatively anonymous Zaryan reaching unprecedented heights of popularity following the event. In spite of the incredibly intense subject matter, the album turns out to be more melancholic than depressing, with the beautiful melodies and Zaryan´s delicate, almost whispered vocals simply enfolding and enchanting the listener and isolating him completely from his surroundings, building gradually an intimate exchange between the singer and her audience. Zaryan is obviously a sorceress putting her magic spells to work on every possible emotional level the listener is exposing, both consciously and subconsciously. As a result the music and the performances by the singer and her cohorts amount to an unprecedented work of Art. Listeners, who are not familiar with the polish language, need not to worry. The overall effect of this music transcends language barriers with ease and elegance and listening to this album will be a rewarding experience for any sensible human being on this planet. Side Note: This album was originally recorded in Poland in 2007 and released the same year on an independent label. This version of the album is released on EMIFind albums on this label in 2010, after the legendary Jazz label Blue NoteFind albums on this label (owned by EMI) signed Aga Zaryan as the first Polish Jazz artist in its roster.

Updated: 01/01/2016Posted:

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