Record Reviews
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  | WOJCIECH KAMINSKI ~ OPEN PIANO (POLISH JAZZ VOL.66)
MUZA 1066 (Barcode: 5907783420665) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1981 Released: 2006
This album by veteran pianist / composer Wojciech KaminskiFind albums by this artist presents the versatility of the Polish Jazz scene, which at all times presented the entire scope of Jazz music, from Ragtime to Avant-Grade, all of them on a very high artistic level. Kaminski was active on the local scene mainly in the traditional Jazz circles, co-founding such splendid ensembles as Ragtime Jazz BandFind albums by this artist and Old TimersFind albums by this artist. He felt most comfortable playing Jazz, which ranges from Ragtime, through Dixieland and into Swing and selected some of the absolutely best local players at the time to accompany him on this album: trumpeter Henryk MajewskiFind albums by this artist, trombonist Zbigniew KonopczynskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Zbigniew JaremkoFind albums by this artist, Janusz ZabieglinskiFind albums by this artist and Wladyslaw HalikFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jerzy BartzFind albums by this artist. Kaminski composed five of the ten compositions on this album (the remaining five include four standards and one composition by Zabieglinski). The level of performance is absolutely excellent all the way through and every Jazz fan should be able to enjoy this music for what it stands for: quality and fun! Recommended!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | WOJCIECH KAROLAK ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.34
POLSKIE RADIO 2377 (Barcode: 5907812242374) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1977 - 2010 Released: 2021
This is the thirty-fourth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings of that period. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The music on this album presents radio recordings of live performances by one of the Godfathers of Polish Jazz, pianist / organist / composer Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, who sadly departed this year (June 2021), paying tribute to his artistry. Karolak was active on the scene since the late 1950s and his music embraced diverse genres, which included in addition to Jazz, also Blues, Rock and Fusion. The album presents nine tracks recorded between 1977 and 2010 and are a rather incidental collection spanning his various activities. Karolak composed or co-composed six of these tracks.
The first two tracks, recorded in 1987, feature the trio Time KillersFind albums by this artist, where Karolak played organ and synthesizer, which also included saxophonist Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist (departed in 2012) and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist.
The next three tracks, recorded in 1985, also feature Time Killers performing three original tunes by Karolak from their only LP.
Next track, recorded in 2010, features a duo with Karolak on piano and bassist Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist (departed 2012).
Next track, recorded in 1977, features a trio with Karolak playing organ, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist (departed 2018) and Bartkowski.
Next track, recorded in 1983, features a quartet with Karolak playing piano, trumpeter Henryk MajewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist (departed 2016) and drummer Tadeusz FederowskiFind albums by this artist (departed 2018).
The last track, recorded in 1992, features a trio with Karolak playing organ, Szukalski and drummer Jose TorresFind albums by this artist.
The fact that six of the nine musicians playing on this album are no longer with us is a sad reminder of the phenomenon of the first generation of the Polish Jazz scene disappearing.
The series, which was brought back to life after three years of absence, offers an upgraded packaging, which finally offers liner notes, albeit those could have been better, considering the importance of this music. The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. Overall this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan should consider as a must.
| | Updated: 25/02/2023Posted: 22/12/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA W POLSKIM RADIU VOL.04 – SOPHIA`S TUNE
POLSKIE RADIO 1864 (Barcode: 5907812248642) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1963 - 1964 Released: 2014
This is the fourth installment in a new series of albums launched by the Polish Radio, which presents radio recordings by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Komeda is of course the most familiar name associated with Polish Jazz and his legacy is of crucial importance to Polish and European Jazz. Considering the fact that Komeda´s studio recordings are relatively scarce, the radio recordings are in fact the main source of his recorded legacy, as they include among others the Jazz Jamboree festival appearances by Komeda and his various ensembles over the years.
Recorded in 1963 and 1964 during the sixth and seventh edition of the seminal Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw, this collection showcases the legendary Komeda Quintet, which in many respects was the quintessential vehicle, which presented Komeda´s music at its pinnacle. The quintet included, besides Komeda of course, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, who play on both dates, and bassist Maciej SuzinFind albums by this artist who plays on the 1963 date and Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist who plays on the 1964 date. The album includes only five compositions, all originals by Komeda, which get an extended treatment which stretches around seventeen minutes for three of the tunes, twelve minutes for the fourth and six minutes for the tune which gives the album its titles, dedicated to Komeda´s wife Zofia.
This is obviously some of the most important Jazz music recorded in Poland during the early days of modern Polish Jazz, but also some of the most important European Jazz, which was shaping out at the time as a new wave of independent thinking, based on American Jazz tradition, but expanding the known realm with new ideas and European legacy, melancholy, folklore and other prominent factors, which eventually were to create a completely new genre altogether. Komeda´s outstanding ability to weave beautiful melodies, combined with the virtuosity of his quintet´s members, reach unprecedented emotional and aesthetic levels, which to this day can hardly be matched.
This music is a cradle of modern European Jazz, ultra modern and even Avant-Garde at the time, which almost completely rebels against American mainstream Jazz, simply doing whatever feels right, in complete disregard of conventions and stylistic limitations. The tunes develop almost spontaneously, often from a riff or a chord sequence, which hints of the melodic theme, which is often developed later on and sometimes remains hidden behind the chord changes and is never actually stated in full. The rhythmic patterns change several times during each tune, often without warning. Such dramatically novel approach is amazingly bold even today, almost fifty years later.
Overall this is a collection of excellent Jazz music, superbly performed, which is an absolute delight to anybody who loves Jazz. It is a fundamental piece of every decent Polish Jazz record collection, especially in the case of the younger generation of listeners, which is just getting acquainted with the enormous legacy of Polish Jazz.
The recordings are splendidly restored and remastered and nicely packaged in an elegant digipak / slipcase. Dates, places and lineups are faithfully included and even personal liner notes by Polish Jazz critic Maciej NowotnyFind albums by this artist are present, but there is no in-depth background material about Komeda and his music, however considering the plentitude of published material and several excellent books on the subject, an intelligent listener can easily bridge the knowledge gap. The only small reservation one might have is the fact that these recordings have been already released many times, more or less legally on the somewhat untamed Polish music market, which means they is already owned by the serious Polish Jazz collectors, probably more than once.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA W POLSKIM RADIU VOL.06 – MUZYKA FILMOWA ORAZ JAZZ I POEZJA
POLSKIE RADIO 1938 (Barcode: 5907812249380) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 - 1967 Released: 2016
This is the sixth installment in a new series of albums launched by the Polish Radio, which presents radio recordings by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Komeda is of course the most familiar name associated with Polish Jazz and his legacy is of crucial importance to Polish and European Jazz. Considering the fact that Komeda´s studio recordings are relatively scarce, the radio recordings are in fact the main source of his recorded legacy, as they include among others the Jazz Jamboree festival appearances by Komeda and his various ensembles over the years.
The first part of the music included here originates in the Polish Radio recording session from 1967, which presents the Komeda Quintet with trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist. The quintet performs four original Komeda compositions. The second part was recorded live during the 1965 Jazz Jamboree Festival and features the Komeda Quartet with Stanko, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and Carlsson. The quartet performs two original Komeda compositions. Three of the quintet tracks can be associated with the Polish Jazz & Poetry movement, the last quintet track and the first quartet track are both examples of cinematic music Komeda created for movie soundtracks and the last bonus track is a live performance of Komeda´s most famous tune "Astigmatic", which gave the title to his groundbreaking debut album.
The Komeda Quintet present on this album recorded an entire album in the Jazz & Poetry idiom, which was produced by the legendary Joachim Berendt. That album called "Meine Susse Europaische HeimatFind albums with this title" was released in West Germany and became in time one of the most iconic Jazz & Poetry recordings in Polish and European Jazz. All of the music on this album is of course some of the most prophetic and revolutionary European Jazz ever recorded, and as such deserves to be a part of every decent music library on this planet.
The recordings are splendidly restored and remastered and nicely packaged in an elegant digipak / slipcase. Dates, places and lineups are faithfully included and even personal liner notes by Polish Jazz critic Roch SicinskiFind albums by this artist are present, but there is no in-depth background material about Komeda and his music, however considering the plentitude of published material and several excellent books on the subject, an intelligent listener can easily bridge the knowledge gap. The only small reservation one might have is the fact that these recordings have been already released many times, more or less legally on the somewhat untamed Polish music market, which means they is already owned by the serious Polish Jazz collectors, probably more than once.
| | Updated: 05/07/2016Posted: 05/07/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | MIECZYSLAW KOSZ ~ DEBUT – JAZZ JAMBOREE `67/`68
POLSKIE RADIO 2464 (Barcode: 5905610874117) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1967 - 1968 Released: 2024
This is an archival live album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mieczyslaw KoszFind albums by this artist, recorded a year apart during his appearances at Poland’s most prestigious Jazz event at the time, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival. The album presents eight tracks, four each from the 1967 and 1968 concerts, both recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Sergiusz PerkowskiFind albums by this artist. In the first set only one of the tracks is an original composition by Kosz, but in the second set three of the tracks are his compositions. The rest are Jazz standards or an interpretation of a Classical piece by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist. The carefully restored sound quality is pristine and considering the fact that these recordings were done almost sixty years ago, behind the Iron Curtain, the sound is absolutely astounding.
The life story of Kosz, a blind Genius, who died tragically at the age of twenty-nine, less than six years after the first set on this album was recorded, is probably one of the most fascinating Polish Jazz tales, but the saddest fact is that his recorded legacy to this day is truly miniscule. Therefore, the importance of this album goes far beyond the fact that the music is not surprisingly brilliant, but because it opens a window into the hidden treasures of the Polish Radio vaults, sadly badly neglected for decades, which now opens an opportunity to uncover and release a vast amount of previously unheard music, all thanks to the diligence of the editor Adam DomagalaFind albums by this artist, who promises more music by Kosz and other Polish Jazz treasures to be revealed in the future.
The album is accompanied by a modest, but interesting booklet, which sadly is entirely in Polish, leaving the many Polish Jazz enthusiasts abroad in the dark. Hopefully this can be rectified on the future releases with Polish Jazz music, which has a substantial following outside of the country’s borders.
Overall, this is a beautiful piece of Polish Jazz history, miraculously saved from oblivion and neglect, for all to enjoy. It fills a gap in the story of one of the most fascinating figures of Polish Jazz and a world-class Artists, which deserves to be told in full, and nothing tells the story better than the music itself. But of course lovers of classic piano trio Jazz anywhere on this planet should find this album delightful. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 21/12/2024Posted: 21/12/2024 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | MIECZYSLAW KOSZ ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.37
POLSKIE RADIO 2429 (Barcode: 5905610870249) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1967 Released: 1971
This is the thirty-seventh installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings of that period. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material collected here presents recordings made between 1967 and 1971 by the legendary Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mieczyslaw KoszFind albums by this artist, which are previously unreleased solo, duo and trio piano pieces. It is the second collection of recordings by Kosz in this series. The material covers a mixture of Jazz standards, Jazz arrangements of Classical pieces and original compositions by Kosz (six of the eighteen tracks of the album) and two excerpts from radio interviews. Kosz, who was blind since the age of 12, died tragically in 1973, at a ridiculous young age of 29. During the short period he was active on the Polish Jazz scene (1967-1973) he managed to record just one single studio album released as part of the "Polish Jazz" series ("ReminiscenceFind albums with this title" Vol.25) and some radio and concert recordings were released posthumously, but of course his overall legacy is criminally limited. Therefore, every bit of music he managed to record is absolutely priceless.
Although often compared to Bill EvansFind albums by this artist due the obvious lyrical similarities, Kosz was infinitely more than a Bill Evans impersonator. He had a unique style, which was a mixture of Classical and Polish Folklore roots and Jazz, which was completely distinctive. He also had a very personal sound and technique, which created the impression that he barely touched the keys even during the most powerful passages. And of course he was also a superb composer, spinning superb melody lines, which often included sophisticated hooks and twists. His expression "only sadness is beautiful" reflects perfectly his tormented personality and private life, as well as most of his compositions. Some of his later compositions encompassed strong Free Jazz elements, which would have probably played a more central role in his music, which sadly remains a speculation.
But above all Kosz was a virtuosic pianist, which is immediately apparent to anybody listening to any of his recording. His technique and even more importantly his wonderful feel for Jazz was simply phenomenal. His playing is captivating and mercilessly overwhelming, and in retrospect emphasizes the scale of the loss Polish and European Jazz suffered as a result of his death.
The first track, recorded in 1967, is a solo piano piece
The next three tracks, recorded in 1968, feature a trio with bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Sergiusz PerkowskiFind albums by this artist.
The next six tracks, recorded in 1969 and 1970 (three each year), are piano solo pieces
The next track, recorded in 1970, is a duo with bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist.
The next five tracks, recorded in 1971, are solo piano pieces.
The last two tracks, recorded in 1971, are excerpts from radio interviews.
The series, which was brought back to life after three years of absence, offers an upgraded packaging, which finally offers bi-lingual liner notes, fitting the importance of this music. The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. Overall this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan should consider as a must.
| | Updated: 05/07/2023Posted: 05/07/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ LIVE AT KOSMOS, BERLIN
ITM 920007 (Barcode: 4250079750061) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 Released: 2008
This is an iconic recording by the Polish Jazz quartet led by saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, with German pianist Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. Recorded live on November 30, 1965 at the East Berlin Kosmos cinema, this is a quintessential piece of Polish and European modern Jazz history. Of the eight compositions present on this album, seven are by Namyslowski and one is by Kuhn.
In order to fully comprehend the meaning of the music captured here, one must in fact look at (and hear) three separate recordings by the Zbigniew Namyslowski quartet spanning a mere one and a half year period, which fully present the history of the Polish Jazz in the making. Starting with the album "LolaFind albums with this title", recorded in August 1964 in London, which was the first Jazz album recorded and released beyond the Iron Curtain by an East European artists, followed by this album from late 1965 and finally by the album "Zbigniew Namyslowski QuartetFind albums with this title" recorded in January 1966, which was Namyslowski´s first recording released as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" Series.
In the liner notes accompanying this album German critic / historian Bert NoglikFind albums by this artist describes the historic background and the enormous significance of the modern Polish Jazz, which developed independently, almost isolated from the sources of information and influences, reliant only on sporadic radio broadcasts, few LPs trickling illegally and played till they were flat and ever rarer visits abroad. The fact that the Polish Jazz scene was so incredibly vibrant, inventive and beyond all revolutionary is one of the greatest miracles, which escape any attempt of logical or sociological explanation. But the fact remains that Namyslowski and many other Polish Jazz musicians spontaneously re-invented modern Jazz by daring to go where nobody ventured before.
The presence of the German pianist / composer Joachim Kuhn is another fabulous bonus. Kuhn would of course become one of the great leaders of the German Jazz scene in the years to come, but first he drifted where the great East European Jazz revolution was happening, living in 1964 in Czechoslovakia and playing with the legendary SHQFind albums by this artist led by Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and then moved to Poland, where he lived in 1965 and met Namyslowski, only to be invited to sit in the piano chair of his quartet. The following year Kuhn, like many other fellow East German musicians, would move over to the West and develop a fabulous musical career of his own.
The music is, of course, absolutely brilliant and the live setting allows for a considerably less constrained treatment of the themes, allowing for truly expanded improvisations, one of which goes beyond the half hour mark, something which was completely unthinkable earlier on. Again, when examining the three a.m. albums, it is interesting to see how the same compositions developed, which of them survived and which were dropped and most interestingly noting Namyslowski´s fascination with odd meters, which would become his trademark.
Drummer Bartkowski, who is the only musician present on all the three a.m. recordings alongside Namyslowski, is an outstanding example of how these young musicians developed rapidly, almost overnight. His contribution is an integral part of the music. Bassist Kozlowski, who plays on this album, was also present on the studio album recorded a few months later. His performance is also absolutely top notch.
Surprisingly enough, the sound quality is very decent compared to other archival recordings of that period, which enhances the overall experience of listening to these fabulous recordings. In all honesty there have been very few other archival Polish Jazz discoveries, if any at all, which are comparable to this monumental document. The fact that this music was buried for over forty years is a crime, but now that it finally sees the light of day, all serious music connoisseurs should be absolutely delighted. Such gems are as rare as the Koh-i-Noor and should be treated accordingly. Absolutely essential!
| | Updated: 18/07/2020Posted: | CD 2 Slipcase Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | NOVI ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.24
POLSKIE RADIO 1670 (Barcode: 5907812246709) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1968 - 1971 Released: 2016
This is the twenty-fourth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The thirteen tracks collected here were recorded during three separate occasions by the sensational Polish Jazz vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist Singers: a Polish Radio Studio session from 1968 (four tracks), a live performance at the 1969 Jazz Jamboree Festival (five tracks) and finally a live performance at the 1971 Jazz Jamboree Festival (four tracks). NOVI, formed in 1964 by Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist, included also Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. During the studio session they were accompanied by an orchestra of unknown lineup, during the 1969 concert they were accompanied by a trio comprising of organist Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and finally during the 1971 concert they were accompanied by a Big Band which included trumpeters Stanislaw MizeradzkiFind albums by this artist and Bogdan SkawinaFind albums by this artist, trombonist Stanislaw CieslakFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Jan JarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Tadeusz GogoszFind albums by this artist and drummer Kazimierz JonkiszFind albums by this artist.
The material is mostly original with five compositions by Kawka, two by Parzynski and one by Mych. Three tracks are standards, one was composed by Namyslowski and one is an arrangement of a Classical piece by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist, which the quartet performs a cappella.
Inspired by such vocal groups like the French Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, also originally formed in France, NOVI took the vocal group artistry a notch further, presenting a wide and ambitious repertoire ranging from arrangements of Classical Music via complex Jazz compositions, mostly original, featuring advanced vocal shenanigans and finally arrangements of Pop material. They used lyrics in some of their material but were absolutely at their best when singing wordless vocalese, which they brought to perfection.
This particular album had the potential of being one of the most interesting releases in this series, since live material by NOVI is almost completely absent from their recorded legacy, but sadly it suffers from some problems, which make it much less attractive that it should have been. Firstly the tracks recorded during the three separate sessions have been sequenced here quite randomly, rather than being presented grouped together by session. Secondly the recording quality is sadly very problematic on most of these tracks and even the careful restoring and remastering was not able to make them sound better. Of course the human voice is the most difficult recording challenge and considering the limitations present at the time the quality should be judged leniently, but in this case the sound quality seriously hinders the listening experience. Thirdly, as usual for this series, there is no background information about the artists, historic background, etc. which recordings of such importance truly deserve.
Nevertheless all things considered, this is still a very important document of the Polish Jazz legacy and considering the importance of this material this album immediately becomes another must have for all Polish Jazz fans and collectors of Polish Jazz recordings.
| | Updated: 17/07/2016Posted: 17/07/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.22
POLSKIE RADIO 1874 (Barcode: 5907812248741) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1964 Released: 2015
This is the twenty-second installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The ten tracks collected here were recorded during the seventh Jazz Jamboree Festival, which took place between October 24 and 26 1964 in Warsaw. This is the third part of the Jazz Jamboree 1964 recordings. The music was performed by four different ensembles, which are: the Italian Flavio Ambrosetti All StarsFind albums by this artist (five tracks), led by saxophonist Flavio AmbrosettiFind albums by this artist with trumpeter Franco AmbrosettiFind albums by this artist, Swiss pianist George GruntzFind albums by this artist, Polish bassist Tadeusz WojcikFind albums by this artist and Swiss drummer Pierre FavreFind albums by this artist and three Polish Jazz ensembles, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist Quintet (one track) with trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, Polish Jazz QuartetFind albums by this artist (two tracks) led by saxophonist Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist with pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist Quartet (two tracks) with pianist Wlodek GulgowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Tadeusz Wojcik and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski.
This is by far the most interesting of the three volumes of the Jazz Jamboree 1964 recordings, as it presents the modern Polish Jazz about to explode into modernism, which will shape its destiny for generations to come. Stanko, Urbaniak, Wroblewski, Bartkowski are still active on the Polish scene, fifty years latter, carrying the fire which was first sparkled around the time these recordings were made. The Ambrosetti set is also interesting, as it allows a glance at two legendary Jazz figures: Gruntz and Favre, at their early days. Most of the music performed on this album is original.
The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.
| | Updated: 08/07/2020Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.26
POLSKIE RADIO 2058 (Barcode: 5907812247119) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 Released: 2016
This is the twenty-sixth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The tracks presented here were recorded live in December 1965 during the eighth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the first volume of a collection of tracks from that event.
The first five tracks present the great British vocalist Annie RossFind albums by this artist, who revolutionized the vocal Jazz idiom as a member of the legendary trio Lambert, Hendricks & RossFind albums by this artist, which she left in late 1962 to start her solo career. She is accompanied by a trio consisting of Polish pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist. All the songs are Jazz standards.
The next four tracks present the great Polish vocal ensemble NOVIFind albums by this artist in their earliest incarnation as a quintet, which includes in addition to their leader Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist also Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist, Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist and Aleksander GluchFind albums by this artist, who left the ensemble before they recorded their debut album Bossa NovaFind albums with this title in 1967. NOVI modeled their vocal style on earlier vocal Jazz ensembles like Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, and their tracks appearing immediately following the Ross´s tracks is symbolic. NOVI are accompanied by pianist Adam MatyszkowiczFind albums by this artist (Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist), bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. All the tracks are vocal arrangements of Jazz standards.
The next three tracks present a quartet led by legendary Polish Jazz pianist / trombonist / composer Andrzej KurylewiczFind albums by this artist with guitarist Janusz SidorenkoFind albums by this artist, bassist Edward DylagFind albums by this artist (older brother of Roman DylagFind albums by this artist, who is mistakenly listed here) and drummer Jerzy BartzFind albums by this artist. The rare appearance of Kurylewicz playing the trombone is one of the highlights of this album. They perform a couple of adaptations, one of a classical piece by Polish composer Stanislaw MoniuszkoFind albums by this artist and the other of a folk tune and finally one original composition by Kurylewicz.
The last two tracks present a quartet led by legendary Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist with pianist Wojciech Karolak, bassist Juliusz Sandecki (here misspelled as Janusz), and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. They perform on original composition by Wroblewski and an extended version of a Miles DavisFind albums by this artist classic.
The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.
| | Updated: 03/12/2016Posted: 02/12/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.30
POLSKIE RADIO 2063 (Barcode: 5907812244026) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1966 Released: 2017
This is the thirtieth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The tracks presented here were recorded live in October 1966 during the ninth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the second volume of a collection of tracks from that event.
The first ten tracks present the legendary French vocal group The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, led by Ward SwingleFind albums by this artist (an American in Paris) and including seven more vocalists. The vocal octet is accompanied by bassist Guy PedersenFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. In contrast to the earlier iconic French vocal ensemble Les Double SixFind albums by this artist (which included several of the Swingle Singers members earlier on), which sung vocal versions of Jazz standards, The Swingle Singers performed mostly vocal Jazz arrangements of Classical Music pieces, by Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist, Wolfgang Amadeus MozartFind albums by this artist and others. The tracks present here are all in this particular idiom.
The next two tracks present a trio led by American organist Lou BennettFind albums by this artist, who moved to Paris in 1960. The other members of the trio are: Belgian guitarist Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist and Italian drummer Franco ManzecchiFind albums by this artist. These tracks are of interest as early examples of Catherine´s playing before he started his illustrious solo career.
The last track presents a Polish Jazz quartet led by saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, which also includes pianist Adam MatyszkowiczFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist), bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. They perform an original composition by Namyslowski, recorded on his debut Polish album by the same lineup.
The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.
| | Updated: 07/07/2017Posted: 07/07/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
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