Record Reviews
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  | EABS ~ REFLECTIONS OF PURPLE SUN
ASTIGMATIC 028 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion
Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024
This is the 6th album by Polish Jazz ensemble EABSFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Olaf WegierFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jakub KurekFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Marek PedziwiatrFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel StachowiakFind albums by this artist and drummer Marcin RakFind albums by this artist. The album presents six tracks, five of which are the ensemble’s interpretation of the tracks included on the legendary album “Purple SunFind albums with this title” by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, who died in 2018, and one is a short tribute to Stanko’s drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist, who died in 2016, credited to Rak. The album was recorded at Stanko’s flat and includes a booklet with extensive and highly informative liner notes by the ensemble’s manger Sebastian JozwiakFind albums by this artist.
The “Purple Sun” album was recorded in Germany in 1973 by the legendary quintet led by Stanko, with included saxophonist / flautist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, who died in 2016, saxophonist / violinist Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, who died in 1979, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist, may he live for many more years, and Stefanski. For various reasons (see the booklet) Suchanek was replaced on this recording by Swiss bassist Hans HartmannFind albums by this artist, who died in 2022. The album presented five compositions (two combined into one track), four composed by Stanko and one by Seifert. Since the album was released only in Germany on an obscure small record label, it remained almost completely unknown to most Polish and international Jazz connoisseurs for many years. The album was never properly reissued / remastered to this very day. Sadly, none of the quintet members, who recorded this album, are with us anymore.
The concept of re-recording entire albums is not exactly neither new nor very revolutionary, even when the music is teleported into an entirely different sphere / universe, like in this case. EABS gradually won me over with their consecutive albums, and I learned to accept their Groove and Funky attitude, which, in their case, can result in deeply Artistic music, despite the appearances. I must admit that I had serious doubts in this specific case, as this particular period in Stanko’s musical chronology sets a certain aesthetic peak, as far as my historic perspective of Polish Jazz is concerned, where his highly adventurous searching produced some of the best Improvised Music / Free Jazz on earth at the time. This new interpretation of “Purple Sun” has absolutely nothing of that searching, subversive, groundbreaking charisma that the original album projects. The links between the original album and this offering are left purely to the spiritual / associative levels. I don’t think anybody not informed about the linkage between these two albums would ever guess its existence.
So the question is if EABS have jumped the proverbial “one bridge too far” this time? I don’t have a precise answer to be honest. I do love the music, without any reservations: it is well played, it is Groovy and Funky as always, the solos are impressive and everything works just fine, including the urge to get up and dance. They have definitely found their very own style and they are consistent. Only some questions remain: what is the relevance of this music as far as its inspiration is concerned? Does it bring Stanko’s ideas forward by fifty years? Does it play tribute to Stanko’s original music, beyond the conceptual envelope? I honestly don’t know…
Overall, this as good EABS album as ever, and people who love their music will enjoy this one as well. They are a talented bunch and it’s always great to hear them play, live or on record. As far as “Purple Sun” is concerned, if this album prompts people to make an effort and listen to the original album, I am more than happy!
| | Updated: 14/06/2024Posted: 14/06/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PIOTR FIGIEL ~ PIOTR
GAD 102 (Barcode: 5903068120411) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2019
This is a reissue of the debut album by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Piotr FigielFind albums by this artist, which was largely overlooked at the time of its release and later became a highly sought-after collector´s item. The album was recorded by Figiel playing the Hammond organ and with an excellent team of musicians that included guitarist Dariusz KozakiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Marian SiejkaFind albums by this artist and drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist. Legendary Polish Jazz figures: trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and saxophonist / flautist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist guest each on one track, and no less prominent vocal group BemibekFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The rest of the team (mostly brass players) remains anonymous, as the exact details about the session disappeared into the void. The original album presents nine tracks, seven of which were composed by Figiel, one is an arrangement of a Classical composition by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist and finally one is by Wojciech PietowskiFind albums by this artist, who was the sound engineer recording the album and a prominent composer. This reissue adds two alternate takes as bonus tracks.
The music is absolutely brilliant, from start to finish, incorporating early Progressive Rock and Fusion explorations, soaked in the sublime sound of the Hammond organ – somewhere between Procol HarumFind albums by this artist and Jimmy SmithFind albums by this artist.
Figiel´s original composition are grandiose, wonderfully melodic and full of sublime lyricism, and his treatment of the Chopin piece puts most of the countless attempts by Polish Jazz musicians to something similar completely to shame.
This is undoubtedly one of the greatest Polish Jazz / Fusion hidden gems and GADFind albums on this label Records deserves the gratitude of all Polish Jazz fans for bringing it back to life. It is had to believe that music recorded five decades ago can be so up to date and fresh, completely timeless and aesthetically perfect. Hearing is believing in this case…
Of all the wonderful reissues on GAD Records this is definitely one of my all time favorites!
| | Updated: 09/03/2020Posted: 09/03/2020 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | MACIEJ FORTUNA ~ JAZZ FROM POLAND VOL. 1
FM 012 (Barcode: 5903240365050) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015
This is a beautiful album by leading Polish Jazz trumpeter Maciej FortunaFind albums by this artist, recorded with his acoustic quartet, which also includes pianist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub MielcarekFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist. Since the album is intended as a tribute to the great Polish Jazz composers, it presents seven compositions by prominent Polish Jazz figures, such as Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist (two compositions), Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist (three compositions), Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist (one composition) and Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist (also one composition); these four representing three generations of post-WWII modern Polish Jazz musicians / composers.
In the liner notes of this album Fortuna mentions the dilemma, which many Polish Jazz musicians struggle with, whether to play Jazz according to the well defined formula originally defined by the American Jazz precursors or play original music with different influences and tendencies, like those characteristic of Polish Jazz for example. This album is his answer, clearly pointing towards the originality and individual search rather than repeated replication of past formulae. Although Fortuna and his cohorts treat the compositions with a great amount of freedom and individuality, the spirit of this wonderful music, its intrinsic Polish melancholy and lyricism, are well preserved and brought from the past to contemporary musical environment.
As usual on all albums by Fortuna, his trumpet performances are the focal point of the music. His virtuosic and almost superhuman abilities keep surprising his listeners with each new release and one wonders how far can he still travel from here. The three musicians playing with Fortuna on this album are also incredible by any standard. The young Dys emerges in the last couple of years as one of the leading contenders for the narrow pedestal of top Polish Jazz pianists and the rhythm section does a phenomenal job to keep up with these two "crazy" Geniuses, keeping the music swinging and pulsating, even in its most free form manifestations.
Almost on every album by Fortuna that I reviewed over the years I couldn´t stop myself from drawing some parallels between Fortuna and Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist. On this album these parallels are stronger and more obvious that ever before, especially in view of the fact that Stanko played in Komeda´s ensembles and is subconsciously always associated with his music. Hearing Fortuna playing Komeda immediately brings Stanko to mind, and with deep satisfaction I can say that Fortuna bears the torch without any inferiority complexes.
This is a second edition of this album, which was initially released as a limited private edition and is now released on the open market, which of course means that it should be immediately grabbed by every Polish Jazz fan, as albums of this quality do not pop in the open very often.
| | | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | GRZEGORSKI / SLUSARCZYK ~ TO MUNIAK WITH LOVE
BLUES&JAZZ 002 (Barcode: 5908254159879) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019
This is an album by Polish Jazz quintet co-led by saxophonists Tomasz GrzegorskiFind albums by this artist and Marcin SlusarczykFind albums by this artist with a rhythm section comprising of pianist Tomasz BialowolskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten Jazz standards and one original composition by Bialowolski, which is both the title track and a bonus track. The album is dedicated to the memory of the legendary Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, who was a Father figure to many younger Polish Jazz musicians. The album was produced by Slawomir MajewskiFind albums by this artist, Polish Jazz activist and a great connoisseur of classic mainstream Jazz.
The albums holds no surprises, exactly as intended, and is meant to be listened to by lovers of conventional, well known Jazz tunes, which are amicably played by professional musicians. This type of unpretentious, good time and somewhat nostalgic mainstream Jazz is relatively not so easy to come by in Poland, where the new generation of musicians and apparently also listeners tend to prefer much more complex and advanced Jazz explorations, which often distances older and more conventional Jazz connoisseurs from the contemporary scene.
The music offers a nice blend of ballads and up tempo numbers, which should keep the listeners happy and the beautiful piano / saxophone duet closing the album is an appropriate gesture to commemorate one of the most beloved figures in Polish Jazz history.
| | Updated: 12/04/2024Posted: 23/12/2019 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | WOJCIECH KAROLAK ~ EASY! (POLISH JAZZ VOL.81 DELUXE)
MUZA 1081 (Barcode: 5907783420818) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2005
This relatively little known but excellent album presents Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer / arranger / bandleader Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist in a relaxed atmosphere and in company of the crème de la crème of the Polish Jazz musicians of the period that he cooperated with on many occasions before. The idea was to present a less complex / sophisticated music performed by top Jazz players, but in retrospect the result surely surpassed all the intensions and expectations and this is definitely some of the best of his work. Recorded at a time when the Jazz-Rock Fusion in Poland was rapidly developing and achieving the peak of its creativity, spearheaded by Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and his group, of which Karolak was a member. It is hardly surprising therefore that this album includes many of the characteristics of the early 1970s Polish Fusion, which of course in term was strongly influenced by the pioneering and groundbreaking work done by Miles DavisFind albums by this artist at the time, which served as a model to the entire worldwide music community. Although perhaps more melodic than the Urbaniak´s recordings, this album has plenty of innovative moves, like the usage of early synthesizers, electric piano and of course his organ, excellent brass arrangements on some tunes and superb soloing by the musicians involved, which include trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist and many others. Karolak composed seven of the eight tracks on this album with one track being contributed by the great Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. Lovers of Polish Jazz should be rejoiced by the fact that this album was reissued as part of the extended legendary Polish Jazz series. A must!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ LIVE IN BLED 1965
GAD 279 (Barcode: 5903068125096) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 Released: 2023
The archival material presented on this album is a highly important document of the Eastern European Jazz scene, which thrived behind the Iron Curtain in the 1960s. It sheds light not only on the pioneering work of pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, the Godfather of Polish Jazz, but also on the entire Jazz scene that managed to exist against all odds under the Socialist Regime, including the presence of Jazz clubs, festivals, concerts and even recordings released by the State owned record labels.
The music, which is all previously unreleased, was recorded in June 1965 at the 6th edition of the International Jazz Festival in former Yugoslavia, one of the Eastern Bloc countries that boasted a booming music scene and was considered as the most liberal and Western oriented country behind the Iron Curtain. The festival, which was inaugurated in 1960, was held at the picturesque Slovenian town of Bled, and was one of the biggest such festivals, hosting both local and international Jazz musicians. Polish Jazz musicians were a permanent feature of the festival, including the Polish quartet led by pianist Andrzej KurylewiczFind albums by this artist with singer Wanda WarskaFind albums by this artist in 1962, the quintet / trio led by pianist Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist in 1963 and the Polish Jazz QuartetFind albums by this artist in 1964, before the concert by Komeda and his quintet in 1965.
The lineup of the quintet included, alongside Komeda, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and the performance consists of just two extended pieces: “Kattorna” (17:20) and “Svantetic” (21:32), both composed by Komeda and both appearing on his Polish debut album “AstigmaticFind albums with this title”, recorded some six months later and released as part of the legendary “Polish Jazz” series, an album which is often considered as the most iconic Polish Jazz recording of all time.
For every Komeda follower, the comparison between this recording and the “Astigmatic” album is absolutely called for and unavoidable. The obvious differences are as follows: the three different musicians present on the studio recording: saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Gunter LentzFind albums by this artist and drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist, the much shorter versions of the compositions (7:20 and 15:50 respectively) and last but not least the spontaneity and sense of Freedom prevailing on this recording, as opposed to the tension and rigidity present on the studio recording. This, combined with the much better sound quality this recording offers, results simply in a much more striking version of “Astigmatic”, which of course is a sensational discovery, considering the fact that this music was hidden in the vaults for almost sixty years.
The individual performances by the musicians are also quite different. Stanko is way fierier, Komeda soloes more extensively, and the Polish rhythm section of Dylag / Dabrowski is absolutely more inventive and interesting than the German / Swedish one, in short, again, this recording is simply a superior version of “Astigmatic”.
Listeners less familiar with Komeda and his musical world, will find here a musician / composer fascinated with the revolutionary Jazz developments, which happened across the Atlantic, mostly those involving the prophetic work of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. Komeda, perhaps like no other East European Jazz musician, managed to amalgamate the African spirituality, which obsessed Coltrane in the last feverish period of his life, with the European spirituality of lyricism and romanticism, creating a new form of expression, which although existed for a relatively brief period of time, managed to upturn and revolutionize Polish Jazz forever and overflow the borders of his country across the whole of Europe.
Every new piece of recorded material by Komeda, which reveals a previously unknown window into his creativity and Art, is a true Holy Grail of European Jazz. But when it is as significant as the music presented here, it becomes an instant classic and a true treasure of Jazz history, important not only to Polish Jazz but to the entire Jazz universe, being a guiding light, which no true Jazz enthusiast can afford to miss.
Side Note
The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork.
I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years.
The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.
| | Updated: 21/02/2024Posted: 21/02/2024 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PIOTR LEMANCZYK ~ FOLLOW THE SOUL
ALLEGRO 006 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2002 Released: 2003
This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist. It was recorded by several different lineups, mostly quartets, with the following participants: saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, Przemek DyakowskiFind albums by this artist, Wojciech StaroniewiczFind albums by this artist, Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist and Dariusz HerbaszFind albums by this artist, guitarist Maciej GrzywaczFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomasz SowinskiFind albums by this artist. Of the seven tracks on the album, six are original compositions by Lemanczyk and one is a standard.
The music is kept well within the modern Jazz mainstream, but the excellent compositions and performances create a superb piece of Jazz music, which should satisfy every sensitive listener. The use of the vibraphone instead of the usual piano gives the entire recording a "cool" ambience, which suits the music perfectly. The leader gets several solo spots, which emphasize his beautiful tone and sensitivity, rather than needless pyrotechnics.
As usual with Polish Jazz albums, the music is the center of the attention, in spite of the truly excellent playing, which is beyond reproach from start to finish. The melodic content and the rhythmic structures are simply incredible and a source of real joy.
Overall this album is a perfect example of what mainstream Jazz is all about and should be greatly enjoyed by any Jazz connoisseur anywhere in the world. Highly recommended!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | MUNIAK / MENCEL / VON HOMBRACHT / TANSCHEK ~ CONTEMPLATION
INSPIRAFON 03 (Barcode: 5903111259013) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2015
This is a long awaited recording by the legendary Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quartet setting with Polish pianist Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist, American bassist Willem von HombrachtFind albums by this artist and Austrian drummer Harry TanschekFind albums by this artist. Together they perform nine tunes, eight of which are standards and one is an original composition by Muniak.
Although the album is credited to all four quartet members, it is obvious that it celebrates the participation of Muniak, who last recorded an album in 2002, i.e. ten years before this material was recorded three years before it was released. Muniak´s original composition on this album is the title track of that previous album.
It is obviously almost impossible to be even seemingly objective abut this music considering the legendary figure of the leader, who is without a doubt one of the great Godfathers of Polish Jazz. The album is entirely immersed in the mainstream Jazz idiom, both as far as the music which is being performed and the way it is performed. Muniak´s tone is still intact, although he plays mostly softly and keeps his phrases short and sweet. The piano trio supporting him is solid and very amicable, supporting the leader all the way through. Everybody is extremely cautious, trying to be gentle and round, which means there are risks being taken at all.
In many respects this album makes me sad and reflective, as it points out that time is not standing still for anybody. Overall this is a nice mainstream album, no surprises, no risks, no news, a gentle wave of hand by a great Master saying "I can still do it". Respect!
| | Updated: 31/01/2016Posted: | CD 1 Digibook Recommend To A Friend |
  | JANUSZ MUNIAK ~ CRAZY GIRL
POLJAZZ / ANEX 322 (Barcode: 5907513047773) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1986 Released: 2009
This is the third album as a leader by the veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, recorded live with his quartet, which also included pianist Wojciech PuszekFind albums by this artist, bassist Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist and American drummer George BucknerFind albums by this artist. They play only four compositions, one of which is an original by Muniak, another is by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist (the title track) and the remaining two are standards.
Although well played the album offers no innovation whatsoever and is simply one more Bebop set, which is quite forgettable. The leader plays some mighty solos, which are, as always in his case, quite incredible and virtuosic, but the overall effect remains pretty unremarkable.
The album also suffers from a pretty amateurish sound quality, which often victimized live Polish Jazz recordings, with mobile recording equipment in the Socialist country being sadly sub-standard. Nevertheless it is a document both of the times and of Muniak´s legacy, and therefore definitely worth listening and enjoying his bravado performances.
Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label / MuzaFind albums on this label and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums on this label reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.
| | Updated: 01/06/2018Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | JANUSZ MUNIAK ~ PLACEBO
POLJAZZ / ANEX 325 (Barcode: 5907513047803) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1982 Released: 2009
Polish saxophonist / composer / bandleader Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist was one of the most important Polish Jazz figures during the early post WWII period, which flourished in the 1960s / 1970s. He was part of the emerging revolutionary movement of Polish Jazz, where he played along such legendary pioneers as Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist and Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist. Since the late 1970s Muniak leads his own groups and records as a leader. This is his second album as a leader and since then he continued to record a plethora of albums over the years, both as a leader and sideman. He also owns his own Jazz club in Krakow, called "U Muniaka", which is one of the oldest continuously active Jazz venues in the country.
This album presents Muniak in a quartet setting, with pianist Wojciech PuszekFind albums by this artist (playing the Fender Rhodes electric piano), bassist Andrzej CudzichFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof ZawadzkiFind albums by this artist. They perform four lengthy originals, all by Muniak, which allow for extended improvisations, mostly by the leader. The presence of the electric piano sets the overall ambience of this recording, pushing it slightly towards Jazz-Rock Fusion, but the leader keeps the situation in check and well within the modern mainstream bounds. Muniak´s performances on both the soprano and tenor saxophones are first rate as are those by the rhythm section, creating together some excellent, but not very innovative modern Jazz, which most Jazz listeners should enjoy.
Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label / MuzaFind albums on this label and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums on this label reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | JANUSZ MUNIAK ~ QUESTION MARK (POLISH JAZZ VOL.54)
MUZA 1054 (Barcode: 5907783420542) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1978 Released: 2007
This is the debut album as a leader by the great Polish saxophonist / composer Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, one of the forefathers of modern Polish Jazz. His legacy includes the membership in such legendary Polish ensembles as those led by Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist and Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist as well as leading his own groups. He is accompanied here by his quintet, which includes pianist Pawel PerlinskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej DechnikFind albums by this artist and drummer Jerzy BezuchaFind albums by this artist, all excellent players themselves. Muniak has a completely unique, natural style of improvisation, which is passionate and highly expressive, putting him somewhat aside in a class of his own besides the other distinguished Polish saxophonists, like Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist for example. His compositions incorporate beautifully Polish folklore and the Jazz tradition, often unintentionally, but always brilliantly. This is on of the strongest albums in the legendary Polish Jazz series, which is a very high distinction by any standard. This is a must to lovers of Polish and Eastern-European Jazz and a timeless masterpiece.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | JANUSZ MUNIAK ~ REMEMBRANCES
SOLITON 1219 (Barcode: 5903684232192) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2002 Released: 2022
This is an archival live recording by iconic Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer / bandleader Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quartet, which includes pianist Wojciech PuszekFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr KulakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist. The album presents five tracks, all of which are American Jazz standards.
The music is a fragment of a longer concert and is all straightforward standard mainstream Jazz with the tracks lasting on average about ten minutes and offering the usual soloing and bar exchanges between the saxophonist / pianist and the rhythm section. The recording is obviously amateurish and the sound quality is unbalanced, with the piano and bass being somewhat lost in the mix and the saxophone and drums being way too much up front.
It is quite questionable if this album does any good to the memory of Muniak, who was after all one of the leading figures on the Polish Jazz scene for many years. The performances captured here are uninspired and mundane, surely not portraying the musicians in their best form.
Overall, this is a document of an important figure of the Polish Jazz, which sadly contributes very little to commemorate Muniak’s contribution to the genre. It has very little musical value as such and its value as a document is, to me, also questionable.
| | Updated: 15/06/2022Posted: 15/06/2022 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.36
POLSKIE RADIO 2422-2423 (Barcode: 5907812247720) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1974 - 1995 Released: 2023
This is the thirty-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 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 Godfathers of Polish Jazz, saxophonist / composer / bandleader Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, who sadly departed recently (February 2022), paying tribute to his artistry. Namyslowski was active on the scene since the late 1950s and his music embraced diverse environments, playing Jazz in all its forms and idioms, between Traditional Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion. The 2CD album presents nineteen tracks recorded between 1974 and 1995 which are a wonderful collection spanning his various activities. Namyslowski composed all but one of these tracks.
The first four tracks on CD1, recorded in 1974, feature a quintet with saxophonist / flautist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel JarzebskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist.
The next four tracks on CD1, recorded in 1975, feature a sextet with saxophonist Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, Karolak, Jarzebski, drummer Kazimierz JonkiszFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jerzy BartzFind albums by this artist.
The first four tracks on CD2, recorded in 1992, feature a quartet with pianist Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist, bassist Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist and drummer Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist.
The last seven tracks on CD2, recorded in 1995, feature a quintet with the same lineup as the quartet above, with the addition of trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist.
The fact that five of the musicians playing on this album (Namyslowski, Muniak, Karolak, Szukalski and Wegehaupt) 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 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: 25/03/2023Posted: 25/03/2023 | CD 2 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | NIEMEN ~ ON STAGE 1970 / 1972
GREEN TREE 170 (Barcode: 4015689001701) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1970 - 1972 Released: 2018
This is an archival album, which presents live recordings by the greatest Polish Rock / Fusion musician of all times, vocalist / keyboardist / songwriter Czeslaw NiemenFind albums by this artist. Two of the tracks were recorded during the 1970 Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and three other at the 1972 National Festival of Polish Song in Opole. Niemen was at the time at the absolute peak of his artistic creativity as well as at the top of his immense popularity. Four of the tracks time at about ten minutes and one at almost twenty minutes, and all offer extended instrumental improvisations by some of the best Polish Rock and Jazz musicians active at the time.
The 1970 tracks feature organist Jacek MikulaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Tomasz JaskiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz ZielinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist as well as a vocal trio and an ensemble comprising of top Polish Jazz musicians: saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, violinists Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist and drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist.
The 1972 tracks feature the core of what was to become the most famous Polish Fusion band SBBFind albums by this artist: bassist / keyboardist Jozef SkrzekFind albums by this artist, guitarists Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist and drummer Jerzy PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist and two great Polish Avant-Garde Jazz musicians: bassist Helmut NadolskiFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist.
The music is absolutely stunning, as expected, and even the dubious sound quality of these recordings is not able to spoil the unadulterated pleasure this music is still able to generate almost fifty years after it was initially performed. Niemen was always light years ahead of his contemporaries on both sides of the Iron Curtain, and the fact that he remains still relatively anonymous beyond Eastern Europe, despite his revolutionary contributions and pioneering spirit, is a crying shame.
It is a great pity that the entire legacy of Niemen´s recordings made outside of Poland and many of his live recordings remain unreleased and are available only unofficially, like all the Green TreeFind albums on this label titles. His third Box Set, which was to include all these treasures, remains sadly an unfulfilled dream.
For all Polish Rock / Fusion enthusiasts as well as for the numerous Niemen fans this is an essential piece of his discography, which is definitely worth having, despite its technical flaws.
| | Updated: 07/09/2019Posted: 07/09/2019 | CD 1 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 |
  | NOVI ~ RIEN NE VA PLUS (POLISH JAZZ VOL.82 DELUXE)
MUZA 1082 (Barcode: 5907783420825) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2005
This is a reissue of the fourth album by the sensational vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, which was one of the greatest Polish Jazz acts in the 1970s. Continuing the tradition of Jazz vocal groups like the French Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, NOVI expanded the borders further on into more experimental areas and used more instrumental backing, provided the best Polish Jazz musicians at the time.
The quartet was led by singer / arranger / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist and included also the incredible female vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist and two additional male vocalists Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. Together they created beautiful vocal harmonies of exceptional sophistication and unique style, unparalleled to this day. The performed a mixture of original material, mostly composed by Kawka, and standards or contemporary Pop material, but the incredible arrangements turned everything into a distinctive NOVI vocal signature.
On this specific album they are accompanied by an all-star band, led by saxophonist Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, which includes such luminaries as saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and many others. This is definitely one of the climax moments of the Polish Jazz in the 1970s and an absolute must for every vocal jazz connoisseur!
Side Note: This is one of those Polish Jazz albums, released by the Polskie Nagrania / MuzaFind albums on this label label, which should have been released as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series at the time, but somehow never made it. From the historic perspective it definitely deserved to be a part of that series and this was partially corrected by this edition, as it is one of the items in the expanded "Polish Jazz Deluxe" series of reissues.
| | Updated: 13/10/2016Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | SLAWOMIR PEZDA ~ TRIBUTE TO TENOR LEGENDS
NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903819630053) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022
This is an album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer / bandleader Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist – a formidable team indeed. As the album’s title suggests, it is a tribute to leading tenor saxophone Jazz players, seven Americans and one Pole: Joe HendersonFind albums by this artist, Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist, Sonny RollinsFind albums by this artist, Pharoah SandersFind albums by this artist, John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, Albert AylerFind albums by this artist, David S. WareFind albums by this artist and Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, presenting one track each of their compositions.
This highly ambitious undertaking of interpreting the entire modern American Jazz, from Bebop to Free / Avant-Garde, focusing on one instrument, might have proved to be a perilous task, a chutzpah of an unprecedented scale. I must confess that I placed the CD into the player with slightly trembling hands and heart, as I deeply respect the four musicians involved and would have hated to hear them ridiculing themselves. To my sheer amazement, this bold attempt not only works splendidly, but offers some of the best Jazz music I have come across in a long time.
Obviously, the compositions by the eight Jazz Giants are a good starting point, but trying to impersonate the highly idiosyncratic expressionism of all eight performers, which in all cases continuously changed over time, is a momentous task. I must say that Pezda and his cohorts managed to capture the spirit not only of the compositions, but also of the eight Saxophone Colossi. The more experienced the listeners to this album are, the more they will be able to appreciate the depth of the perception Pezda and the quartet managed to achieve.
But most importantly, this album manages to exemplify the process of Europeanization of this music, which is truly astounding. Whereas the American, original form of this music is full of fire and natural, raw, wild power of expression, the music on this album is transformed into elegant, precise, coherent and harmonic beauty, losing absolutely nothing of its strength of expression, depth or penetration. Of course this is not the first time such transformation of American music in the hands of European musicians happens, but this album is a perfect school example of the process, which should be taught in every Jazz institution.
Of course it goes without saying that all these musicians are absolute wizards and already in this relatively early stage of their careers, offer a magnificent control of their relative instruments and superb level of knowledge and creativity.
Overall, this is absolutely brilliant album from start to finish, a wonderful lesson in Jazz history and the fundamental differences between American and European Jazz idioms. Of course, as already stated above, the level of understanding of this music might relate to the level of knowledge of Jazz history and the musical worlds of the eight heroes, who are being paid a tribute herein. In any case, this extraordinary piece of music deserved an honorable place on the pedestal of the best Polish Jazz albums ever recorded. Respect!
| | Updated: 05/03/2023Posted: 05/03/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | TADEUSZ PREJZNER ~ SPACER BRZEGIEM MORZA
GAD 046 (Barcode: 5901549197600) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2016
This is a reissue, first time on CD, of a cult Polish Jazz album, which presents music performed by an ensemble conducted by composer Tadeusz PrejznerFind albums by this artist, which included some of the top Polish Jazz musicians of the day, like vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, pianist / saxophonist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, guitarist Janusz SidorenkoFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist, drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and a nine piece string section. The ensemble performs thirteen original compositions, five of which were composed by Prejzner, two each by Stanko, Nahorny and Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and two more by other Polish composers.
The music is an attempt to create a "lighter", more relaxed music, with strong ties to Jazz but which a wide range of listeners might enjoy – in short an early form of Smooth Jazz. However, as usual with Polish attempts of such projects, the result is quite spectacular and hardly deserves the dubious reputation of Smooth Jazz. Considering the status of the musicians involved as well as the fact that Polish Jazz musicians did not develop the chaltura (look it up) attitude yet, the resulting music is simply wonderful in every respect. Not only are the compositions beautifully melodic and anything but trivial, but also the execution is stunning and includes many first rate solos which would make any Jazz album proud.
Overall this is a wonderful obscure gem, which deserves to be remembered, which is why GADFind albums on this label Records decided to bring it back to life, which is as usual highly appreciated.
| | Updated: 18/01/2017Posted: 18/01/2017 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BEATA PRZYBYTEK ~ WONDERLAND
NOT TWO 767 (Barcode: 5907589871678) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005
This is the third album by Polish Jazz vocalist Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist, recorded with her quartet, which comprises of pianist Dorota ZaziabloFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad BasiukFind albums by this artist and drummer Ryszard BalcerFind albums by this artist. Guest artists include percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist, guitarists Jacek KrolikFind albums by this artist and Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist and veteran saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist. On this album Przybytek says farewell to the Jazz standards songbook, which she used on her two earlier recordings, and dedicates this entire project to songs by the great Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist, selecting ten of his well-known tunes and presenting them in new arrangements, which results of course in a tribute album of sorts.
Wonder´s songs, although catchy and beautifully melodic, are by no means straightforward musically and Przybytek takes quite a risk here attempting to re-invent the Master singer / songwriter by changing his original songs utilizing a Jazzy arrangement but also playing around with the melodies harmonically, twisting them and altering their tempi, usually to half the original speed. Somehow magically all this works out fine and the resulting music has a life of its own; still close enough to the source to be easily identified but at the same time significantly different to make things interesting.
Her vocal performances are her best to date, showing undeniably that she sings well when not limited by stylistic restrictions, i.e. her Jazz education and experience, utilizing mannerisms and vocal routines commonly used in Soul, Rhythm And Blues and even Rock. All these influences finally amalgamate in her vocal performance on this album, which immediately put her on a completely new plane musically. Her vibrato is simply irresistible, causing goose bumps and other inexplicable physical and metaphysical effects to the innocent listener.
She gets a very sympathetic support from the quartet, especially the acoustic bass, which is right at her side at all times supporting her wonderfully. The percussionist plays on several tracks, keeping his arsenal to minimum, which is very tasteful and rare since percussionists often tend to dominate every recording they´re on. Both guitarists and the saxophonist solo briefly, ornamenting the album but not adding any vital contributions, which would change its quality.
All in all this is a very bold statement, beautifully executed and full of wonderfully sensitive musical tricks and treats. It takes more that a single listening sessions to really appreciate this album, but that is quite customary for all quality musical ventures as this one. A few more spins and the listener is hooked entirely. In many respects this album could appeal to a wide range of music connoisseurs, both those who prefer Jazz and those who like Pop material. Quality is a universal heart opener, and this album definitely opens many hearts!
| | Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | S.P.P.T. CHALTURNIK ~ CHALTURNIK (POLISH JAZZ VOL.95 DELUXE)
MUZA 1095 (Barcode: 5907783420955) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2007
This wonderful album is the debut recording by the S.P.P.T. ChalturnikFind albums by this artist ensemble, invented, founded and led by saxophonist / composer / bandleader Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. As the title suggest, the idea behind this ensemble is all about humor in Jazz, a relatively rare attitude in modern Jazz but something quite common in traditional Jazz. The ensemble consisted of the crème de la crème of the Polish Jazz scene: saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, tuba player Zdzislaw PiernikFind albums by this artist, pianist Jan JarczykFind albums by this artist (replaced by Tomasz OchalskiFind albums by this artist on two tracks), bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist and drummer Jerzy BezuchaFind albums by this artist, with the leader playing saxophone and a "mouth synthesizer" (i.e. a comb) and contributing four of his original compositions. The rest of the music comes from various sources, including even one theme by Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist (obviously a tongue in cheek towards modern Jazz). Although the humorous approach to the music is easily detected, the perfect performances and the wonderful arrangements turn this album a true gem. These great musicians prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that sometimes it pays to take a slightly relaxed approach to music. Great stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | S.P.P.T. CHALTURNIK / POLISH RADIO JAZZ STUDIO ORCHESTRA ~ S.P.P.T. CHALTURNIK / POLISH RADIO JAZZ STUDIO ORCHESTRA
POLJAZZ / ANEX 312 (Barcode: 5907513047674) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1973 - 1975 Released: 2009
The material presented on this album originates from two separate LPs released by the PoljazzFind albums on this label label, each contributing one side of the original LP. The logic behind it is that the original Poljazz releases often included two sides of completely unrelated material, artificially combined for a variety of reasons, mostly economic. These two sides of two separate LPs are connected by the central personality behind the music, the Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer / arranger / bandleader Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist.
Wroblewski was the founder and leader of the band S.P.P.T. ChalturnikFind albums by this artist, which was formed in order to present Jazz with a humorous and tongue in cheek attitude, featuring well known standards as well as original material by the leader. The band included the absolute crème de la crème of the Polish Jazz scene: saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. The wonderful arrangements and whimsy performances are all brilliant, especially in view of the fact that they show that Jazz doesn´t have to be treated always so seriously.
Wroblewski was also the director of the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist during the years 1968-1978, which was one of the most important incubators and places of refuge for the young Polish Jazz musicians under the Socialist regime, providing them with a steady income. The orchestra performs a very ambitious piece of music composed by the young pianist Jan JarczykFind albums by this artist called "A Double Concerto For Five Soloists And Orchestra", which features as soloists top Polish Jazz players of the time: violinist Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz Szukalski and Janusz Muniak and trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist. Legendary American drummer Stu MartinFind albums by this artist also participates in the recording. The music is a very interesting example of early Orchestral Jazz works, which combine contemporary Classical techniques with Free Jazz improvisation.
Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label / MuzaFind albums on this label and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums on this label reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.
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  | KRZYSZTOF SADOWSKI ~ AND HIS HAMMOND ORGAN (POLISH JAZZ VOL.21)
MUZA 1021 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2006
This is the first album on the legendary Polish Jazz series, which is dedicated to the Hammond organ, the godfather of the electronic keyboards and probably the most significant new instrument, which dominated Jazz and Progressive Rock in the late 1960s and early 1970s (although available since the 1930s). Keyboardist Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist belongs to the first post WWII generation of Polish Jazz musicians, debuting in the 1950s and active on the local scene for many years. He combined his love of Jazz and Rock, playing with the leading ensembles of both genres with equal dedication and success. This album presents his Hammond organ performances in two different environments: Side A of the original LP captures him accompanied just by drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and the duo moves through a Rocky set, which includes a BeatlesFind albums by this artist medley. Side B finds him accompanied by the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist, led by saxophonist / composer Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and featuring top Polish Jazz players, among them saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist, drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and many others. This set is much closer to Jazz and features a beautiful version of Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist´s ballad from "Rosemary´s Baby".
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | SKUBISZ / LEMANCZYK COOPERATION ~ STORIES ABOUT LIFE AND LOVE
AFRO VIBE 004 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rap Fusion
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022
This is the debut album by Polish ensemble Skubisz / Lemanczyk CooperationFind albums by this artist, which comprises of rapper Bartlomiej SkubiszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. EskaubeiFind albums by this artist), bassist / composer Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomek NowakFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist) appears as a guest musician and plays synthesizers. The album presents nine tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Lemanczyk with texts by Skubisz and one is a composition by iconic Polish Jazz trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist with text by Skubisz, dedicated to Stanko.
Listeners familiar with the Polish Jazz scene are already familiar with the Jazz-Rap Fusion recordings by Eskaubei & Tomek Nowak QuartetFind albums by this artist, which are clear predecessors of this album and include contributions by Nowak and Dlugosz. The format is very similar, but the brilliant compositions by Lemanczyk and his virtuosic electric bass performances take everything one notch higher.
Skubisz, as usual, expresses his unequivocal opinions about the problems and circumstances of contemporary life, including fears and angers caused by politics, human stupidity and the ocean of excrements we all need to swim in, keeping our nose just above the surface, in order to survive. I have always admired his honesty and clear vision of reality, especially since his statements are intelligent and penetrating, rather than being rude and vile. Words of truth are definitely stronger than profanities.
Nowak plays some excellent trumpet parts on this album, and being the main soloist he sets the entire mood of the music. The Jazz-Rap Fusion requires a very delicate balance between the spoken parts and the music, which this ensemble is able to maintain for the entire duration. Lemanczyk contributes the pulse, like a heartbeat, which keeps this music alive.
It is worth to listen to this album several times, each time concentrating on the separate contributions by the participants, apart for listening to the album as a whole; especially Lemanczyk’s bass lines, which are Masterful, the trumpet solos and of course the texts.
Overall, this is a most welcome return to the Jazz-Rap Fusion idiom by Skubisz, who is as always accompanied by excellent musicians, creating some relevant social criticism and life observations, which are not easy to hear but nevertheless absolutely necessary to keep one’s sanity. Kudos for keeping up the good work!
| | Updated: 13/10/2022Posted: 13/10/2022 | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | JAROSLAW SMIETANA ~ FROM ONE TO FOUR
POLJAZZ / ANEX 328 (Barcode: 5907513047834) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1986 Released: 2009
This is the second album as a leader by the fabulous Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, who died recently tragically prematurely, succumbing to cruel illness. Smietana was one of the most active players on the local scene and contributed enormously to its development over the years. This album presents him, as the title suggests, in different settings: solo, duo, trio and quartet, playing with some of the best Polish Jazz musicians active at the time: saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist, bassists Krzysztof ScieranskiFind albums by this artist and Antoni DebskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist. They perform eleven compositions, five of which are originals: three by Smietana and one each by Scieranski and Pelc, and the rest of the material is all standards.
This is one of the Jazziest albums recorded by Smietana, with fewer Fusion ventures, and his beautiful Jazz sensitivity is especially apparent herein. But all the other players also contribute very fine examples of intelligent, intimate musical conversations with the leader. Scieranski´s bass and Baron´s saxophone are simply delightful. Smietana experiments with the guitar synthesizers and performs on three quite distinctly sounding guitars, with his delicate touch being definitely one of the finest ever. Also the three duets with veteran saxophonist Janusz Muniak are among the album´s most enchanting moments.
In retrospect this is a very strong album from start to finish with no weak moments or unnecessary "fillers", and a superb legacy which Smietana left for all of us to enjoy. A must for all Polish Jazz fans!
Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label / MuzaFind albums on this label and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums on this label reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | TOMASZ STANKO ~ JAZZMESSAGE FROM POLAND
B.FREE 6098 ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2016
This is a reissue of a relatively obscure album by the Polish Jazz icon Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, released originally by a small independent German label JGFind albums on this label Records. The album was recorded by the first quintet Stanko formed as a leader, shortly after the death of the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, with whom Stanko recorded extensively for years. The quintet included the best Polish Jazz musicians at the time: violin virtuoso Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, flautist / saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist and drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist. This album is one of three albums this quintet recorded, following the legendary "Music For KFind albums with this title" (from 1970) and proceeding "Purple SunFind albums with this title" (from 1973, with Hans HartmannFind albums by this artist on bass instead of Suchanek), also originally released on a small German label CaligFind albums on this label Records. The album was recorded live and presents just three extensive pieces, the longest almost half an hour in duration. The pieces are credited to Muniak / Stanko, Seifert and Stanko respectively.
The music is a brilliant example of early European Free Jazz / Improvised Music, which illustrates the differences between the American approach to Free Jazz and the European Free Jazz aesthetic, with is much more settled and sophisticated already at this early stage. It also shows the development of Stanko and the members of his quintet and their involvement with Free Jazz, proving to be a major step forward from what they played together on their debut album.
All the musicians are prominently featured on the album, which in spite of the fact that it was recorded live, offers a crystal clear sound quality and allows the individual instruments to be perfectly audible. Seifert is spiritually closest to Stanko´s explorations and proves to be also an equally brilliant instrumentalist, being able to transform the John ColtraneFind albums by this artist inspirations into the European sphere of aesthetics, which Stanko is pursuing as well. Muniak also contributes very valuable input and the rhythm section offers an exquisite mixture of free time and discipline, which holds this music brilliantly together.
In retrospect this is a milestone recording and an essential piece of Polish / European Jazz history, which is worth its weight in gold and should be a part of every serious European Free Jazz collection!
| | Updated: 22/04/2018Posted: 22/04/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | TOMASZ STANKO ~ PURPLE SUN
MILO 003 (Barcode: 5907513047230) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2006
Brilliant early album by Polish trumpeter / composer Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, one of the founding fathers of modern Polish and European Jazz and one of the most important Jazz pioneers in music today. The album was recorded in Germany and originally released on LP by the tiny private CaligFind albums on this label label, being unavailable for 33 years, so this reissue is a true blessing. The album was recorded by Stanko´s quintet, which comprises of the violin virtuoso Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, German bassist Hans HartmannFind albums by this artist and drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist, and is a superb example of revolutionary modern European Jazz. The album is full of brilliant solos and telepathic group interplay with endless climaxes which go right down the listener´s spine. This is European Jazz at its best, with intelligent music and virtuosity predominant at every step of the way. I can´t imagine any serious fan of modern Jazz not wanting this album in their collection. Brilliant stuff!
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  | TOMASZ STANKO ~ W PALACU PRYMASOWSKIM
POLJAZZ / ANEX 219 (Barcode: 5907513047483) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1982 Released: 2009
Brilliant album by Polish trumpeter / composer Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, one of the founding fathers of modern Polish and European Jazz and one of the most important Jazz pioneers in music today. The album includes just two lengthy compositions, the first performed by Stanko´s quintet, which comprises of the violin virtuoso Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist and drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist, and the second a solo trumpet performance, which is a rarity in his repertoire and a stunning display of his craftsmanship. The album is full of brilliant solos and telepathic group interplay with endless climaxes which go right down the listener´s spine. This is European Jazz at its best, with intelligent music and virtuosity predominant at every step of the way. I can´t imagine any serious fan of modern / Free Jazz not wanting this album in their collection. Brilliant stuff!
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  | TOMASZ STANKO QUINTET ~ WOODEN MUSIC I
ASTIGMATIC 020 ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2022
This is an archival live album by the iconic Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and his legendary first quintet, which also included saxophonist / flautist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / violinist Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist and drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded by Radio Bremen on June 15, 1972 and presents six tracks with uncredited music, entitled simply pieces 1-6. The sound quality, clarity and separation of this recording is better than any other album recorded by this quintet, live or in the studio. The album includes a 32 pages bi-lingual booklet presenting historical background about the quintet and the music and photographs.
Stanko formed the quintet in 1968 following his departure from the Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist quintet, and it soon became Poland’s most important, searching and pioneering ensemble on the early 1970s. The quintet activity, which lasted until 1973, marked the first period of Stanko’s career as a leader and his extensive explorations of the Free Jazz / Improvised Music idiom. The quintet performed and recorded more often in Western Europe, especially in Germany, than in Poland and as a result also recorded more albums there than at home. The collective discography of the quintet includes the legendary “Music For KFind albums with this title” (Poland 1970), “Jazzmessage From PolandFind albums with this title” (Germany 1972), “Purple SunFind albums with this title” (Germany 1973), “W Palacu PrymasowskimFind albums with this title” (Poland 1973 / Side A only) and now this album and its successor “Wooden Music IIFind albums with this title”, not yet released at the time of writing.
The album, in addition to the fabulous music of course, offers a highly interesting glance at the European Jazz scene at the time and presents the Polish Jazz contribution to the European emancipation from the American domination, in creating a completely new Jazz aesthetics. Other interesting aspects of the music are the hair-raising virtuosity of Seifert, who left the saxophone and concentrated totally on the violin, revolutionizing the violin’s position in Jazz, or the brilliant contributions by Suchanek, who is the absolute centerpiece of the quintet, without whom this music would never sound as coherent as it does here or the sublime polyrhythmic drumming by Stefanski, who was a superb Master of the trade.
Overall, this is a brilliant addition to the Polish Jazz discography, nothing short of a holy grail, considering it took half a Century for the music to be discovered and released. Polish Jazz owes a huge gratitude to the German radio stations and record labels, which recorded the music at a time when recording in Poland was extremely limited and many treasures, such as this one, would have never been preserved for eternity. This is an essential piece of European Jazz discography and an album deserving an honorable place in any serious record collection.
| | Updated: 07/06/2024Posted: 19/01/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | TOMASZ STANKO QUINTET ~ WOODEN MUSIC II
ASTIGMATIC 026 ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2023
This is the second archival live album by the iconic Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and his legendary first quintet, which also included saxophonist / flautist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / violinist Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist and drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded by NDR Hamburg on November 9, 1972 and presents four tracks with uncredited music, which are collectively improvised. It is the second volume of the German Radio recordings and the sound quality, clarity and separation of these recordings are better than any other albums recorded by this quintet, live or in the studio.
Stanko formed the quintet in 1968 following his departure from the Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist quintet, and it soon became Poland’s most important, searching and pioneering ensemble on the early 1970s. The quintet activity, which lasted until 1973, marked the first period of Stanko’s career as a leader and his extensive explorations of the Free Jazz / Improvised Music idiom. The quintet performed and recorded more often in Western Europe, especially in Germany, than in Poland and as a result also recorded more albums there than at home. The collective discography of the quintet includes the legendary “Music For KFind albums with this title” (Poland 1970), “Jazzmessage From PolandFind albums with this title” (Germany 1972), “Purple SunFind albums with this title” (Germany 1973), “W Palacu PrymasowskimFind albums with this title” (Poland 1973 / Side A only) and now the two “Wooden MusicFind albums with this title” archive albums.
The album, in addition to the fabulous music of course, offers a highly interesting glance at the European Jazz scene at the time and presents the Polish Jazz contribution to the European emancipation from the American domination, in creating a completely new Jazz aesthetics. Other interesting aspects of the music are the hair-raising virtuosity of Seifert, who left the saxophone and concentrated totally on the violin, revolutionizing the violin’s position in Jazz, or the brilliant contributions by Suchanek, who is the absolute centerpiece of the quintet, without whom this music would never sound as coherent as it does here or the sublime polyrhythmic drumming by Stefanski, who was a superb Master of the trade.
Overall, this is a brilliant addition to the Polish Jazz discography, nothing short of a holy grail, considering it took half a Century for the music to be discovered and released. Polish Jazz owes a huge gratitude to the German radio stations and record labels, which recorded the music at a time when recording in Poland was extremely limited and many treasures, such as this one, would have never been preserved for eternity. This is an essential piece of European Jazz discography and an album deserving an honorable place in any serious record collection.
| | Updated: 07/06/2024Posted: 07/06/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | MICHAL TOKAJ ~ THE SIGN
HEVHETIA 0089 (Barcode: 8588005257312) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014
This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, one of the most well-regarded and respected musicians on the local scene, known primarily as accompanist, arranger and composer working with top Polish Jazz vocalists like Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist, Szymon MakohinFind albums by this artist, Grzegorz KarnasFind albums by this artist and others, but also as member of distinguished instrumental ensembles led by Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist, Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, Czech bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and others. The album was recorded in the classic piano trio format, with bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist, the same lineup that recorded Tokaj´s debut album "Bird AloneFind albums with this title" a decade earlier. The music comprises of ten original compositions, nine of which were composed by Tokaj and the album´s closing track, which was composed by the great Polish bassist / composer Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist.
The music is brilliantly performed by the trio, which displays not only superb instrumental abilities but more importantly remarkable affinity and interplay, which is hardly surprising considering the fact that they have been playing together for so many years. Tokaj´s piano playing here is somewhat different, as might be naturally expected, from his delicate accompaniments when playing along vocalists or other leading instrumentalists. It is much more assertive and focused, definitely more complex and adventurous, and yet still incredibly melodic, even during the condensed and expressive improvisational passages. Of course both Baranski and Zyta deserve all the compliments for their intelligent and sympathetic, as well as technically exquisite support.
The music is a true delight from start to finish, a wonderful mixture of melody, lyricism and even romanticism combined with quite complex ventures into intensive improvisation and above all a lot of freedom and breathing space, which make this music crystal clear even during its most demanding moments. It´s pretty obvious that Tokaj´s gift as a composer and his incredible versatility earn his a well deserved position close to the top of the list of Polish Jazz composers.
For me this is easily the best "piano trio playing original music" album recorded in 2014, which is quite a distinction considering how much great music is produced on the Polish scene every year. As usual in such circumstances both a wholehearted recommendation to the fans to grab this gem ASAP and a humble expressions of gratitude towards the musicians are in order. Very well done indeed Gentlemen!
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  | ANDRZEJ TRZASKOWSKI ~ SEANT (POLISH JAZZ VOL.11)
POLSKIE RADIO 0541 (Barcode: 5901448115415) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 - 1966 Released: 2005
This monumental album, perhaps as important as fellow Polish Jazz Godfather Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist´s "AstigmanticFind albums with this title", recorded at the same period, is unfortunately significantly less known and appreciated, both in Poland and abroad, which is a great misfortune. Pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist contributed enormously to the development of Polish Jazz, especially in the field of more experimental, Avant-Garde, Free Jazz music, which was rapidly developing worldwide in the 1960s. This sextet recording, which includes American trumpeter Ted CursonFind albums by this artist (of Charles MingusFind albums by this artist fame), who was spending as much of his time in Europe as at home, playing along brilliant Polish crew: saxophonists Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist and Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek OstaszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam JedrzejowskiFind albums by this artist. The music, all original compositions by Trzaskowski, is simply brilliant and absolutely pioneering in every respect. Listening to this album in retrospect one can hear clearly that in the historic perspective it was as innovative and groundbreaking as anything else created at the time over the pond and beyond the Iron Curtain. In addition it is also aesthetically beautiful and intellectually challenging. An absolute must to any Polish Jazz enthusiast; this is an essential piece of Polish Jazz history.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ ILLINOIS JACQUET IN MEMORIAM
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2017
As the title suggests, this is a tribute album to the great American saxophonist Illinois JacquetFind albums by this artist, recorded live by top Polish Jazz musicians. The album presents eight tunes recorded over a period of one year at the Gdynia Jazz club UCHO and two bonus tracks recorded earlier at the NOSPR concert hall in Katowice. The album features ten Polish tenor saxophone players, whose ages span four generations: Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, Michal Jan CiesielskiFind albums by this artist, Przemek DyakowskiFind albums by this artist, Tomasz GrzegorskiFind albums by this artist, Dariusz HerbaszFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist, Wojciech StaroniewiczFind albums by this artist, Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist and Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. They are accompanied by various rhythm sections comprised of organist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarists: Maciej GrzywaczFind albums by this artist, Marcin WadolowskiFind albums by this artist and Michal ZienkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz MackiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummers: Eric AllenFind albums by this artist (an American in Gdynia who played with Jacquet´s quintet and Big Band) and Tomasz SowinskiFind albums by this artist. Two of the tracks are originals by Jacquet and the rest are standards. Although recorded live, the album offers excellent sound quality.
The music is everything one might expect form a tribute album like this one: familiar tunes, superb playing and an obvious joy ride. This is Swing and Bebop at its best and the participants seem to have great fun but the performances are all professional and heartfelt. It is great to see four generation of Polish Jazz musicians cooperating on one stage and playing every inch as good as any American musician might do, again simply wiping out any inferiority complexes still present among Polish Jazz musicians and many Jazz fans in Poland.
Mainstream classic Jazz fans all over the world should have a great fun with this music, as it is full of the Jazz spirit and offers a high standard of playing well beyond of what is present on similar album recorded over the pond.
The entire project, including this superbly produced album with beautiful artwork and fabulous photography is an obvious labor of love and the people standing behind it deserve all the praise we can offer them, including buying the album. Great stuff!
| | Updated: 24/11/2019Posted: 31/07/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.20
POLSKIE RADIO 1872 (Barcode: 5907812248727) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1964 Released: 2015
This is the twentieth installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. 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. The music was performed by four different ensembles, which are: a quartet led by the German brothers Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist on clarinet and Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist on piano with Polish rhythm section consisting of bassists Tadeusz WojcikFind albums by this artist or Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist (here misspelled as Julian) and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist (four tracks), a trio led by Hungarian bass virtuoso Aladar PegeFind albums by this artist with Polish pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej Dabrowski (also four tracks), a quintet led by Polish pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist with trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek OstaszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam JedrzejowskiFind albums by this artist (one track only) and finally a trio led by Dutch pianist Pim JacobsFind albums by this artist with his brother Ruud JacobsFind albums by this artist on bass and guitarist Wim OvergaauwFind albums by this artist (also one track only).
Most of the music consists of standards and the only original material is one piece by Rolf Kuhn and the only track by the Trzaskowski quintet, which was composed by Stanko and which is absolutely the best and most interesting track on this album.
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: 02/12/2016Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.27
POLSKIE RADIO 2059 (Barcode: 5907812247126) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 Released: 2016
This is the twenty-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. 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 second volume of a collection of tracks from that event.
The first two tracks present a trio led by one of the Godfathers of modern European Jazz, the German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist with bassist Klaus KochFind albums by this artist and drummer Reinhard SchwartzFind albums by this artist. They perform two original compositions by Kuhn and the performance is one of the earliest examples of European Free Jazz. Kuhn´s performance here is absolutely stunning as everything he played at the time, before he moved from East German to West Germany. The fact that his Free Jazz playing was tolerated by the GDR regime is a fascinating story by itself. More details about his activity around the time this music was recorded ban be found in the review of the Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist´s album "Live At Kosmos, BerlinFind albums with this title", which was recorded just a month earlier.
The next four tracks present a quintet led by another Godfather of modern European Jazz, the German trombonist / composer Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist with saxophonists Gunter KronbergFind albums by this artist and Heinz SauerFind albums by this artist, bassist Gunter LentzFind albums by this artist and drummer Ralf HubnerFind albums by this artist. They perform three original compositions by Mangelsdorff and one composition by the British trumpeter / composer Ian CarrFind albums by this artist, a great pioneer of modern British Jazz. Although the music performed by the Albert Mangelsdorff quintet is not as Free Jazz oriented as that by Joachim Kuhn, it is a superb of early modern European Jazz, which was already emancipated from the American Jazz influence and clearly showed the new direction being created in Europe. Both these performances show the importance of German musicians as co-creators of early European Jazz.
The last track present a sextet led by yet another Godfather of modern European Jazz, the Polish Jazz pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist with American trumpeter Ted CursonFind albums by this artist (who was living in Europe at the time), saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek OstaszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam JedrzejowskiFind albums by this artist. They perform one extended original composition by Trzaskowski. The music is again a stunning example of early modern European Jazz and a great precursor of the explosion of the Polish Jazz scene, which was happening at the time.
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: 03/12/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.33
POLSKIE RADIO 2182 (Barcode: 5907812241223) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2021
This is the thirty-third 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 1967 during the tenth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the first volume of a collection of tracks from that event.
The first five tracks present the American multi-reed player Roland KirkFind albums by this artist and his quartet, which included pianist Ron BurtonFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Rahn BurtonFind albums by this artist), bassist Steve NovoselFind albums by this artist and drummer Jimmy HoppsFind albums by this artist. The quartet performs two original compositions by Kirk and three standards, all pretty standard American Bebop, which at the time was already considered somewhat passé in comparison to the work done by the great American Jazz innovators headed by John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, who died just a few months before these tracks were recorded.
The next track presents the quintet led by great Polish pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist with saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek OstaszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Sergiusz PerkowskiFind albums by this artist (mistakenly listed as Sergiusz Piotrowski). The quintet performs one lengthy version of an original composition by Trzaskowski, clearly showing that already at that time Polish Jazz was as good as anything originating across the pond and frankly the composition is light-years ahead of Bebop, somewhat on the thin line between composed and improvised music.
The next two tracks present the German quintet led by trumpeter Manfred SchoofFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Gerd DudekFind albums by this artist, pianist Alexander von SchlippenbachFind albums by this artist, bassist Buschi NiebergallFind albums by this artist and drummer Jaki LiebezeitFind albums by this artist (mistakenly listed as Liebezeit Jaki). The quintet performs two lengthy medleys, each of two compositions, all original by the members of the quintet. The music is a superb example of early European Free Jazz, which was exploding at the time across Europe, with Germany being one of the epicenters of the new direction. The music is absolutely sensational and sounds today as fresh as it was at the time of the recording, perfectly illustrating the notion that Free Jazz can make sense and be aesthetically viable. It also sadly proves that the genre did not move an inch ahead in the fifty-four years that passed since.
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: 23/07/2021Posted: 23/07/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ZBIGNIEW WEGEHAUPT ~ ZBIGNIEW WEGEHAUPT QUARTET
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2004 Released: 2005
Polish composer / bass player Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist (or Wege to his friends – born in the same Polish town like myself!) is one of the most distinguished jazz musicians in the country. In the last 20 years he’s been one of the most intelligent and reliable bassists in the country and a member of bands led by top Polish players like Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and many others. His flawless intonation and incredible swing served as a basis for countless recordings and concert performances. Unfortunately his recordings as a leader have been rather sparse and therefore this new album is a most welcome addition to his discography. For this album Wege formed a new quartet with 3 young and incredibly talented Polish Jazz players: Marcin MaseckiFind albums by this artist on piano, Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist on trumpet and Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist on drums. The music is a collection of Wege’s Jazz compositions from the past, which remained previously unrecorded. With the quartet as a vehicle the music is presented in full glory, flowing and swinging straight to the heart. This is modern Jazz at its best, full of beautiful melodies, superb expression and dramatic crescendos. The level of musicianship is truly astounding and it’s very hard to believe that such young musicians are capable of such mature statements. This is a great joy to see that the new generation of Polish Jazz musicians is living up to the expectations left by the glorious Polish Jazz tradition. Absolutely not to be missed!
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  | MARTA ZALEWSKA ~ JAZZ.PL VOL.2
POLSKIE RADIO 2408-2409 (Barcode: 5907812243869) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022
This is an album by Polish Jazz vocalist / bass guitarist / violinist Marta ZalewskaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a septet setting (Orchestra is a bit overboard) with trumpeter Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Lukasz PoprawskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, guitarist Krzysztof ZagajewskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Michal PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jose Manuel Alban JuarezFind albums by this artist. Violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist appears as special guest, and two backing vocalists are also present. The album presents Fusion arrangements of ten songs by the Polish Rock group DzambleFind albums by this artist, nine of which are taken from their only album entitled “Wolanie O Slonce Nad SwiatemFind albums with this title” released originally in 1971, and one is a non-album single. The album was recorded live by Polish Radio during a series of concerts entitled Jazz.pl, hence the title. The album also includes a bonus CD with radio recordings by the original group, captured between 1969 and 1971.
The idea of reanimating this particular cult album in a Jazz / Fusiony setting is not farfetched, considering that on the original album Dzamble had top Polish Jazz musicians of that time: Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, playing as guests.
The music on this album suffers from a number of problems. The arrangements are rather trivial, the Funky / Brass Rock approach is a bit crude, the vocals are limited and the sound quality of the recording is somewhat muddy. But there are some bright points, like the brilliant solos by Wylezol, who never fails, and trumpet solos by Malek, who is a real pro. The biggest obstacle for me is that the new approach completely does not connect to the concept (musical and ideological) of the original. Altogether, I’d rather stick to the original album than listen to this, but of course each to his own.
The bonus CD with the archival recordings is of course perfect, and emphasizes the gap between the source and the replica.
Overall, this an attempt to revive a legendary classic Rock / Fusion album, which basically misses the target, but offers some nice performances by the musicians involved, but the 2CD package is worth its price just for the bonus CD with the archival material.
| | Updated: 28/02/2023Posted: 28/02/2023 | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
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