Record Reviews

STEPANKA BALCAROVA ~ EMOTIONS ANIMAL MUSIC 117 (Barcode: 8594211850247) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by Czech Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Stepanka BalcarovaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quartet setting with Czech bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz MaslowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are original compositions by Balcarova. This is only the third album by Balcarova as a leader, but she has quite a remarkable recording legacy already, which includes albums by the Concept Art OrchestraFind albums by this artist (4 albums), which she leads, as well as the Czech / Polish Inner SpacesFind albums by this artist quintet (3 albums), all recorded since 2010 and all quite noteworthy, which makes her a busy bee of the local scene. This album offers a double focus: Balcarova’s trumpet playing, which is more prominent here than on any of her previous recordings, as well as her superb compositional talent, which is of course already her trademark. This is also her most relaxed, intimate and perhaps also mature statement to date, after reaching a point in her career, where she does not need to prove anything anymore, and is free just to express her innermost self. The music is mostly very introvert and lyrical, almost romantic at times, with gentle melodic themes floating in the air, waiting for ears willing to get enchanted. The minimalist format of the quartet is ideal for the music and the wonderful team supports the leader superbly, with Kolodziejczyk delicate harmonic support and brief and well-structured soli balancing the melodic layer and of course Honzak on bass, the anchor able to hold any musical ship steady, is there at all times with his round, solid notes, with Maslowski delicate rhythmic support always there when needed and silent, when not essential, a rare quality among drummers. As all Animal Music releases, this album offers a wonderfully warm and perfect sound quality, achieved by the masterful Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist, which makes listening to the music a true pleasure. Overall, this is another beautiful album in Balcarova’s treasure chest, which is a sublime sonic experience and uplifting aesthetic adventure for every true Jazz lover on this planet. It might take more than just a brief listening exposure to discover the depth and gorgeousness of this music, but patience is a virtue and the reward is absolutely worth the effort. Thank you Milady, as usual, for this gift of music!

Updated: 12/08/2023Posted: 12/08/2023

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STEPANKA BALCAROVA ~ LIFE AND HAPPINESS OF JULIAN TUWIM ANIMAL MUSIC 065 (Barcode: 8594155991709) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album as a leader by Czech trumpeter / composer Stepanka BalcarovaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a septet comprising of Czech and Polish Jazz musicians: vocalist Malgorzata HutekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marcel BartaFind albums by this artist, flautist Robert FischmannFind albums by this artist, pianist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz MaslowskiFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the album presents nine poems by Polish / Jewish poet Julian TuwimFind albums by this artist, which were made into songs with original music composed by Balcarova. The album is a typical Jazz & Poetry project, which apparently is a specialty of the Eastern European region (Poland especially), and which keeps the wondrous and much neglected elsewhere idiom alive and kicking. Of course tackling Tuwim´s poems, who after all was the most important 20th Century Polish poet, is an extremely risky undertaking, especially in view of the fact that his poems were already made into songs countless times before by some of the best composers out there. Balcarova decided to compose music to Tuwim´s early poetry, published (with one exception) between 1918 and 1923, which are more rarely used as sources of songs, and therefore she brings forward to the public eye a lesser known facet of his poetry. I am happy to say that Balcarova managed to create a consistent song cycle, with her music being very appropriate to the poetic contents. The music is full of melancholy, perhaps even a bit too somber at times, since these poems are considered as optimistic and vital in comparison to Tuwim´s later work, which was full of cynicism and resentment. Nevertheless the music, as already mentioned, is more than appropriate in this context and its melodic qualities, which incorporate strong Eastern European folkloristic motifs, is definitely impressive. The polyrhythmic compositions are the most successful and interesting musically, but they are a minority. The instrumental work is also very solid from start to finish, with excellent solo parts by the players and supportive rhythm section. Kolodziejczyk is definitely the key player, who keeps the harmonic structures in place and accompanies the vocals amicably, adding some splendid solo parts on the fly. The vocals suffer from some problems: they are way too theatrical and loud; there is way too much vibrato and almost no reference between the actual lyrics (poems) and the way they are expressed. Hutek sings forcefully even in the most intimate moments, which at its extreme manifestations is pretty annoying. I´d rather have these texts whispered rather than sung the way they are. But to be fair these texts are extremely difficult and combined with the music, which also is often challenging, Hutek does the best she can to make it work and overall, with a bit of acquired taste, does fine. But this album is all about the music, first and foremost, and as such it is a splendid piece of work, that deserves to be heard and enjoyed. Beautifully packaged and with a booklet that includes the original poems in Polish and Czech and English translations, this is a piece of Culture that true connoisseurs of the Jazz & Poetry idiom would absolutely love to have in their collections. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 04/03/2018Posted: 04/03/2018

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NIKOL BOKOVA ~ PROMETHEUS ANIMAL MUSIC 094 (Barcode: 8594155997206) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the third album by Czech Jazz pianist / composer Nikol BokovaFind albums by this artist recorded with an impressive team of Czech musicians: French horn player Radek BaborakFind albums by this artist, guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, Maestro Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist on bass and finally drummer Michal WierzgonFind albums by this artist. The album offers ten original compositions, all by the leader. The music was recorded at the excellent SONO Records studio and engineered by Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist, with the usual spectacular sound quality. The music on this album shows another step in Bokova’s artistic development, which seems to have found the necessary focus this time, based on solid melodic themes, which serve as basis for the superb improvisations by the quintet members. The French horn is a link to her Classical Music ties, and adds a nice touch to the entire sound produced by the quintet, supplying a melancholic, almost orchestral layer. Doruzka is the most impressive / intensive soloist, creating some unearthly beautiful phrases, which leaves Bokova to state the melodies and harmonize, soloing rather sparingly. Honzak is in charge of the rhythmic background, safe in his steady hands, masterly filling the blanks, and Wierzgon adds subtle drum parts, which are more coloristic than actually rhythmical. Most of the tracks are rather short and the entire album lasts for only slightly over forty minutes, which reflects the minimalist approach of the complete statement that Bokova wishes to leave the listen with. There are many understatements in the music, leaving the listener to fill the blanks; an approach often used by contemporary young Jazz Artists. Of course the assumption that the listeners will stand up to the challenge is not without its risks. Overall, it is satisfying to see / hear Bokova finding her own aesthetics and direction, following a rather hesitative start of her Jazz adventure. This album is certainly a fruit of maturity and dedication, wonderfully balancing her roots and making a unique statement, which is a joy to listen to from start to finish. With the help of some of the best European musicians, she certainly reached a save harbor this time. Well done!

Updated: 24/02/2023Posted: 02/08/2022

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

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

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JAROMIR HONZAK ~ BLOOD SINGS ANIMAL MUSIC 033 (Barcode: 8594155996049) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the seventh album by Czech Jazz bassist / composer / bandleader Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist recorded with Norwegian (resident in Denmark) vocalist Sissel Vera PettersenFind albums by this artist, Czech keyboardist Vit KristanFind albums by this artist and guitarist Josef StepanekFind albums by this artist and Polish drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist. The album is dedicated to the songs by American singer / songwriter Suzanne VegaFind albums by this artist and nine out of the ten pieces on the album were written or co-written by her. The remaining piece is an instrumental improvisation credited to Honzak, Pettersen, Kristan and Zyta. The music is a somewhat Jazzed up interpretation of the songs by Vega, which retains the melancholy and delicate melodic lines of the origin. The arrangements are very modest and subdued, preserving an intimate climate and respectfully remain within the Pop idiom, without trying to transform the songs into overtly Jazz language, which I personally find very commendable. Even Pettersen, known for her experimental vocal techniques, stays pretty “conventional” for the entire duration of the album. As beautiful and heartfelt the music on this album is, I personally fail to see the “added value” it offers over the original material performed by Vega, which is often more expressive at its “naked” minimalist delivery. There is plenty of beautiful music and superb performances herein, as expected, and the album easily holds its ground, but is somewhat less challenging and exciting than the rest of Honzak’s recorded legacy. The a.m. improvised piece is, for me, the highlight of the album and I wish more of such music was included on this album. Overall this is an elegant piece of music, which pays tribute to a sublime songwriter and should keep both the Jazz and more sophisticated Pop listeners very happy.

Updated: 16/02/2021Posted: 16/02/2021

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JAROMIR HONZAK ~ EARTH LIFE CUBE / METIER 20-09 (Barcode: 8591562000093) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1998 Released: 2000 This is the second album as a leader by Czech bassist / composer Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist, recorded with two Polish Jazz musicians: saxophonist Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist and pianist Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist, Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist and Spanish drummer Jorge RossyFind albums by this artist. Three guests are featured on selected tracks. The album presents eight pieces, seven of which are original compositions by Honzak and one is a Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist standard. The album´s liner notes were written by my Friend and Mentor Lubomir DoruzkaFind albums by this artist. During his studies at the Berklee College of Music in Boston Honzak met fellow students Stankiewicz and Rossy and invited them to take part in this recording. Stankiewicz brought over Baron and Honzak invited David Doruzka (only eighteen years old at the time of the recording), a promising young musician and future Berklee student, an association that would flourish for years to come. Already at this early stage of his career, Honzak proves his strength as a composer and each of the original compositions presented here are exceptionally well written and coherent, already showing the European musical aesthetics and avoiding the dominance of the Bebop tradition. The beautiful harp / bass duo closing piece and the delicate piano trio and vocalese piece are superb examples of the forthcoming inspirations, which will dominate Honzak´s compositional palette. However the Berklee schooling and American Jazz tradition can be more clearly heard in the way the music is performed on the straightforward quartet numbers, but even those are spiced by Baron´s fiery almost-free soloing and superb piano touches by Stankiewicz. Overall this is a wonderful early recording by Honzak, which is definitely worth of being discovered, even some twenty-two years after it was recorded. The music proves to be timeless and the heartfelt execution still manages to excite. Like great wine, this music ages well over time…

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 26/10/2020

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JAROMIR HONZAK ~ FACE OF THE BASS ANIMAL MUSIC 025 (Barcode: 8594155995134) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 - 2011 Released: 2011 This is the sixth album by Czech Jazz bassist / composer / bandleader Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist recorded with keyboardists Beata HlavenkovaFind albums by this artist and Michal NejtekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / clarinetist Marcel BartaFind albums by this artist and drummer Roman VichaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine pieces, four of which are original compositions by Honzak, two are original compositions by Nejtek, one is an original composition by Hlavenkova and the final two are Honzak’s arrangements of Pop songs. Two of the tracks feature string orchestra arrangements. The music is beautifully recorded at SONO Records studio by Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist. The album has a unique atmosphere, quite different from most of Honzak’s recorded legacy, being perhaps his most Fusion oriented work to date. It is still very much rooted in Jazz of course, but the synthesizer soaked sound and the choice of material gives the music a more contemporary feel, definitely way more accessible to a wider and perhaps younger audience. But the music is, as always, wonderful from start to finish and so are the performances. The double keyboards sound, electric and synthesized, inspires a somewhat reminiscent aura of the early Weather Report at its best. Honzak bass is always at the very core of the music, leading it steadily and keeping things in perfect balance. Honzak proves again his versatility as a composer and arranger, capable of playing around with moods and emotions, like only very few other musicians can, always preserving his aesthetic integrity, regardless of the stylistic proximity of the music at hand. The arrangements of the AbbaFind albums by this artist song “Dancing Queen” or the electronics / house hit “Poor Leno” by RöyksoppFind albums by this artist are a schoolbook example of his ability to play with the original melody like it was made of plasteline. Overall this is another superb album in Honzak’s impressive discography, which never ceases to amaze, surprise and delight. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 24/02/2021Posted: 23/02/2021

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JAROMIR HONZAK ~ HARD TO UNDERSTAND ANIMAL MUSIC 085 (Barcode: 8594155998715) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the tenth album as a leader by Czech Jazz bassist / composer Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist recorded by an all-Czech quintet comprising of some of the top Jazz players in the country: guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, clarinetist / saxophonist Lubos SoukupFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Vit KristanFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin NovakFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions by Honzak and a couple of adaptations of a medieval theme. The music was splendidly recorded at the SONO Records studio and engineered by Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist, offering a spectacular sound quality. Listeners familiar with Honzak´s numerous recordings should be able to immediately recognize the two idiosyncratic qualities that are eminently present in his music: first and foremost the quality and depth of his compositions and then his unique way of playing the bass, both acoustic and electric. These qualities have ensured a certain seal of quality present in all his recordings in the last quarter of a Century, which not surprisingly has steadily strengthened over time. The sonority of the music and its somewhat mythical atmosphere is deeply European in nature, and offers a sublime amalgam of European music, which could be considered as Classical or folkloristic in its nature, with the Jazz idiom. It is hard to distinguish how much if this aesthetics is created subconsciously and how much is cleverly conceived, but regardless of the thought processes behind it, the result is simply overwhelming. This music could have never happened the way it does, touching on every string of the listener´s musical consciousness, if not the formidable team of musicians performing it. The strangely wonderful harmony achieved by Doruzka, Soukup and Kristan, which mixes acoustic and electric sounds into new sound vistas one could never imagine possible, is the heart of the magic that happens on this album. The use of the electronics by Kristan is simply masterly and his way of balancing the quantity of synthesized sounds with the acoustic ones is brilliant. Honzak is, as always, the spine of the entire complex structures created by the team and Novak keeps the time code wonderfully present, without being obtrusive. All these musicians are great masters of their relative instruments, which combined with their impeccable taste and talent results in music that is pure nectar to the ears. This album is a remarkable piece of music, which perhaps might demand certain intellectual as well as emotional involvement form the listener in order to be able to comprehend its depth and aesthetic beauty. Repeated listening sessions are highly recommended, since peeling layer after layer from this strange fruit is a delightful experience; "hard to understand"? not really if you approach this music with the same amount of love it was created with. Thank you Jaromir and co. for this beautiful gift of music!

Updated: 17/09/2020Posted: 17/09/2020

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JAROMIR HONZAK ~ LITTLE THINGS ANIMAL MUSIC 013 (Barcode: 8594155994335) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2009 This is the fifth album as a leader by Czech bassist / composer Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and his second release on the excellent Czech label Animal MusicFind albums on this label. It was recorded by the same Czech / Polish quartet which recorded the previous album "A Question To All Your AnswersFind albums with this title" which also included Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist – this time expanded to a quintet with the addition of American saxophonist Chris CheekFind albums by this artist, Honzak´s colleague from the Berklee College of Music days. The PKF String QuartetFind albums by this artist plays on one track. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Honzak. The music was splendidly recorded at the SONO Records studio and engineered by Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist. The music is, as usual, a wonderful collection of beautiful melodies, deeply melancholic and superbly crafted, which Honzak manages to produce time after time from the depth of his Artistic mind. After listening to his almost entire recorded legacy, he emerges as one of the most consistent European Jazz composers today, appearing to be able to reinvent himself time after time without repeating any idea more than once. The quintet also does not disappoint, with all the participants playing absolutely perfectly. Tokaj is, as always, the epitome of melancholy, young Doruzka has always something new up his sleeve, Zyta is a true Master of the percussive sounds and even Cheek, out of his American habitat, sounds remarkably European and solos beautifully, especially on the saxophone trio track, which is the most open piece on the album. Honzak´s bass parts are of course the skeleton of the music, always perfectly in tune and on time, leading the way but in fact creating a perfect spacetime for the music to develop within it. Overall this is another brilliant album by Honzak, a wonderful example of the intrinsic beauty of European Jazz and the importance of composition in Jazz, without which all music sound simply hollow, regardless of how well it is played. Recorded eleven years before these lines are written, this music proves to be absolutely timeless and deeply moving, as always. Obviously, this is a must have for all European Jazz connoisseurs, whenever they might be…

Updated: 14/11/2020Posted: 14/11/2020

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JAROMIR HONZAK ~ THE BLUES OF A STRING HANGING IN THE WIND ANIMAL MUSIC 127 (Barcode: 8594211850452) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the 12th album by Czech Jazz bassist / composer / bandleader Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist, recorded with his regular quintet, with includes saxophonist Lubos SoukupFind albums by this artist, guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, pianist Vit KristanFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin NovakFind albums by this artist, and the Prague Radio Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Bastien StilFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, which are in fact parts of a suite for Jazz quintet and Symphonic Orchestra, all composed by Honzak. The music was recorded live and offers an exceptional sound quality, as all Animal MusicFind albums on this label releases. Life is full of surprises, sometimes very pleasant ones, and writing about this album is one of them, as only a couple of days ago I wrote about another album, which is not only of very similar nature but also features almost identical lineup, both originating from the Czech Republic (see the “Scandinavian ImpressionsFind albums with this title” album by Soukup). Despite the obvious similarities, these two albums are also very different musically, which is even more wonderful. It is not a secret that Honzak is one of my favorite European bass players, but even more so composers. His music is always absolutely breathtaking, and despite its complexity, it manages to be superbly coherent and melodic. Here, with the additional layer of orchestral arrangements (by Tomas SykoraFind albums by this artist) on top of the Jazz quintet performances, the music is even more dense and intricate than usual, and yet, as usual, it is almost clairvoyant in its intellectual verity and emotional strength. The two layers, Jazz and orchestral, complement one another perfectly, but rather oddly, whereas Honzak uses the orchestra to expand the rhythmic and even improvisational nature of the music, rather than only support the harmonic / melodic elements, which is the usual modus operandi applied in most Jazz-Classical Fusion ventures, and as such this album stands out in its originality. It goes without saying that the quintet’s performances are nothing short of stellar, as expected. Soukup is in charge of the melody lines, leading the proceedings like the pied piper of Hamelin, Doruzka spices the mixture with his tasteful chords and strings of notes, Kristan sets the harmonic base and Novak tastefully sets the paste of things. And Honzak, like always, stands firmly, like the ship’s mast, in the epicenter of the music at all times, making sure everything works, as it is supposed to. Overall, Honzak delivers again a sublime piece of music, which offers a fascinating emotional journey, and which swipes the listener off his feet the minute the music starts, and never lets go. I can’t imagine anybody who loves music not to like this album, even if it sounds somewhat strange at the first moment. This is some of the finest music one can come across these days, and it should not be missed by whatever excuse. And yes, if you listen carefully, the Blues is there…

Updated: 12/08/2024Posted: 12/08/2024

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JAROMIR HONZAK ~ TWENTIES ANIMAL MUSIC 111 (Barcode: 8594211850131) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the eleventh album as a leader by Czech Jazz bassist / composer / bandleader Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist, recorded with his stable quintet, which includes also saxophonist Lubos SoukupFind albums by this artist, guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Vit KristanFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin NovakFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Honzak. The music was recorded at the fabulous SONO Records studio, engineered by Adam KarlikFind albums by this artist and mixed by Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist, with the usual spectacular sound quality. I waited through the entire Covid period for this album with great anticipation, as Honzak’s music has a magic effect on me with its intrinsic tranquility and almost stoic unobtrusive peacefulness, which all of us desperately lacked when the world was going mad. Well, the world is still very much insane, but at least now the music is here to console. Honzak is a great songweaver and his melodies go always straight to one’s heart. Although the music is brilliantly performed by the quintet members, it just wouldn’t be enough to achieve its full effect without those melancholic themes underlying everything, leading the listeners subconsciously on the emotional plane. Even when the music is highly improvised and less melodic per se, it still is able to bond the listener to the flow, almost involuntarily. This album is perhaps the most Ambient / Electronic in its character, more than all Honzak’s earlier recordings, possibly an echo of his innermost fears and insecurities, that we all share. The musicians playing here are amongst the finest European instrumentalist out there. Doruzka (or the “young” Doruzka, as I call him) is absolutely phenomenal, growing and developing with every new album he plays on, being most probably one of the finest guitar players today. His role on this album is central and his playing sublime, which makes me very happy as he worked extremely hard to get where he is now. Soukup, Kristian and Novak create layers upon layers of sound, which fill the entire sonic space with dense, but not obtrusive contents, and concentrate less on soloing, which of course does not diminish their contribution. The leader’s bass playing is as expressive, imaginative and virtuosic as always. It is extremely difficult to comprehend how Honzak manages to consistently create such exquisite albums, one after another, but it is simply an undeniable reality. Overall, this is another masterpiece by the Czech Giant, who unwaveringly amazes with his quiet, humble and seemingly simple music, which is able to move proverbial mountains. This music penetrates deeper with every listening session, enabling the attentive listener to discover new hidden treasures time after time. I can do nothing but to raise the proverbial hat in deep respect for these eloquent, wonderful musicians and their fearless leader. Thank you for the music, my Friends!

Updated: 19/02/2023Posted: 19/02/2023

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JAROMIR HONZAK ~ UNCERTAINTY ANIMAL MUSIC 047 (Barcode: 8594155990443) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the eighth album as a leader by Czech Jazz bassist / composer Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist recorded by an international quintet comprising, in addition to the leader, of French clarinetist / saxophonist Antonin-Tri HoangFind albums by this artist, Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Vit KristanFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer Jon FaltFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions by Honzak. The music was splendidly recorded at the SONO Records studio and engineered by Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist, offering a spectacular sound quality. As usual with Honzak´s musical endeavors, it is first and foremost the music he composes that touches the listener deepest. The wonderful team plays brilliantly all the way through of course, which is hardly surprising considering the quality of these instrumentalists, but the delicate and completely unique compositions are the focus of this album, especially so as this one is the most fragile, introvert and as if hesitant collection of his tunes, perhaps reflected by the album´s title. Honzak is completely atypical as a Jazz composer and his compositions are not based on the usual theme / improvisations / theme structure, but each and every one is like a micro-suite with several intertwining melody lines and fragments, which create a charming puzzle. As a result each of his albums is dissimilar from the rest of his work and has a unique character, something that rarely happens so vividly with Jazz composers. The presence of Hoang and Falt has perhaps also part in this album sounding differently. Honzak usually tends to record his album with a steady team of musicians, who repeatedly appear on his albums, which of course has its advantages. But obviously "new blood" can work wonders as well, as this album proves. Overall this is a beautiful, somewhat reserved and even minimalist piece of music, which wonderfully exemplifies the "less is more" concept as far as the performances are concerned, and offers another splendid collection of Honzak´s brilliant compositions. This is a pure delight from start to finish and is wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 30/09/2020Posted: 30/09/2020

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VIT KRISTAN ~ IMPRINTS ANIMAL MUSIC 036 (Barcode: 8594155997121) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 - 2013 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by young and upcoming Czech pianist / composer Vit KristanFind albums by this artist recorded with his trio called Vit Kristan ProjectFind albums by this artist which includes veteran bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and drummer Roman VichaFind albums by this artist, and guests: Slovak trumpeter Oskar TorokFind albums by this artist and Polish guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and vocalist Agnieszka TwardochFind albums by this artist (on one track only). The album presents twelve original compositions, all by Kristan. The music was splendidly recorded at the SONO Records studio and engineered by Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist. The music is melody based modern European Jazz, typical of Eastern European ensembles and offering excellent and highly original compositions and conceptually atypical approach to the Jazz idiom, now rejuvenated by the rapidly growing new generation of European musicians, who refuse to simply follow the tradition and are ready to innovate even at a very young age, like in this case. Schooled at the Katowice Music Academy Kristan´s ties with the young generation of Polish Jazz musicians is pretty natural and continued in the years following his return home. The participation of Kadziela effectively expands the sonic range and stylistic diversity of the music with his Rock / Fusion soaked approach. Kristan consistently displays an affinity towards guitar players in his recordings following this debut, often with Czech guitarist Dawid Doruzka. The superb rhythm section of Honzak and Vicha bless this music with a wonderful feel of swing, despite the relatively open playing by these veterans, with a superb diversity and flexibility, which allow Kristan to venture into extensive soloing utilizing uneven rhythmic patterns. Listening to this album in retrospect, since for some strange reason it did not reach me earlier, and after being familiar with quite a few of his recordings released since, it clearly shows that although it is perhaps a tad hesitant, he was already a mature musician and even more so a highly promising composer blessed with an unusual talent. It is a bit strange that Kristan did not record a follow up album as a leader so far, and I certainly hope he won´t let as linger for much longer. In the meantime we can enjoy his work as a sideman or co-leader, which is always excellent, but it is high time for new original compositions, by a fully blossomed Artist. This album is still highly recommended of course!

Updated: 05/10/2020Posted: 05/10/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

NAIMA ~ NAIMA INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 772 (Barcode: 8595026677227) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1985 - 1986 Released: 2018 This is a reissue of the debut album by Czechoslovak Jazz quartet NaimaFind albums by this artist, which comprised of keyboardist Zdenek ZdenekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Frantisek KopFind albums by this artist, bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin SulcFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, all composed by Zdenek except one co-composed by him and Honzak, recorded in 1985. These tracks were released as the debut LP only in 1988. This reissue adds three additional tracks, also composed by Zdenek, recorded in 1986 and produced by my great friend Antonin MatznerFind albums by this artist (now sadly departed), released originally in 1986 (before the debut album was released) as part of a Various Artists compilation. One of these tracks features violinist Martin ZbrozekFind albums by this artist. All the music is beautifully remastered and the album comes with extensive liner notes, extremely well researched and full of discographical information, sadly only in Czech language (which works fine for me, but probably less so for other enthusiasts who also might be interested). The group´s name originates of course from the title of the John ColtraneFind albums by this artist composition, suggested by Kop, who was a dedicated Coltrane follower. In the years that followed Naima released three more albums, following some lineup changes. The music is all melody based, offering mostly ballads, and quite typical of the 1980s European mainstream Jazz, with clear connections to the Jazz tradition but with an updated attitude and sound-wise often close to the European Fusion. The compositions are all well structured and prove that the second generation of the Czech Jazz scene was well versed in the Jazz idiom. The performances are also all excellent, especially those by Kop, who offers brilliant soprano and tenor saxophone soli, which drive the music forward. Zdenek plays fluent piano and synthesizer parts, technically perfect but a bit over-influenced by Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist´s style. Honzak, a great bassist, adds the pulse, and only Sulc suffers from being way too low in the mix making his contributions hardy audible. Overall this album is a great listening experience, accessible to a wide audience, which still sounds great today. For fans of European Jazz and its history, reissues of this kind are an absolute must, and the fact that this music is available on CD for the first time makes it a wonderful treasure. Brilliant stuff! My personal thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, for his friendship and the incredible job he is doing to keep this music alive! Side Note Since the 1950s Czechoslovakia had a highly developed Jazz scene, certainly in proportion to its population, which included many successful ensembles and even Big Bands, as well as Jazz clubs, festivals and publications, all this in spite of state censorship and political limitations. The similar situation existed since the 1960s as far as Rock (including Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion) was concerned, resulting in many excellent, interesting and innovative ensembles. The music was relatively well documented by the three state owned record labels: SupraphonFind albums on this label (founded in 1927), PantonFind albums on this label (founded in 1968) and OpusFind albums on this label (founded in 1971 and based in Bratislava, created on the base of Slovak division of Supraphon). Following the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, the state owned record labels were privatized, with Supraphon dominating the local market. However, Supraphon was quite reluctant as far as exploring its vast back catalogue is concerned, and this is where the small independent Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records, a reissue label dedicated to the preservation of the recorded legacy of Czechoslovak music, owned and run by the devoted enthusiast / historian Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, founded in 2007, comes in. Over the years the label released a plethora of brilliant music, reissuing long deleted LPs and extensively exploring the archives in search of bonus material. The quest of Indies Happy Trails is similar to what the GADFind albums on this label Records label, run by Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, is doing for Polish music, with similar consistency and praiseworthy dedication.

Updated: 29/02/2020Posted: 29/02/2020

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

NEJTEK / HRUBY / HONZAK / SOLTIS ~ PHOENIX AMPLION 152001 (Barcode: 8594179220021) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by a quartet comprising of four experienced Czech Jazz musicians: keyboardist Michal NejtekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Pavel HrubyFind albums by this artist, bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel SoltisFind albums by this artist. The concept, conceived by the label’s owner and producer Alexej CharvatFind albums by this artist, was to gather the musicians without any preparation and let them improvise together, creating spontaneous compositions. The album presents nine tracks with eight compositions (one repeated twice), and offers a spectacular sound quality, as usual with recordings made at the SONO Records studio under the supervision of Charvat and help from Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist. Despite the fact that the music is completely improvised and spontaneous, the result offers a remarkable melodic content, which makes listening to the music not only “easier”, but above all instantly acceptable and embraceable. Of course some of the improvisations are pretty “wild”, but the music stays at all times completely coherent and “organized” and even well behaved, which is pretty astonishing, and could be labelled as oxymoronic “Organized Freedom”. In the liner notes of the album all four musicians state their opinions concerning free improvisation, which are very enlightening and to some extent also explain the success of the music making found on this album. Obviously such music requires a lot of mutual respect and complete abandonment of the respective egos, as well as a lot of experience and open-mindedness, all of which can be found here aplenty. Personally I think that everything works so well thanks to Honzak’s incredible performances not only as a virtuoso bassist, but mostly as creator of the adhesiveness that keeps everything together, an invisible “dark matter” without each the universe would collapse. Of course all the musicians contribute absolutely wonderfully, but Honzak is for me the pivotal ingredient. Overall this is a stunning piece of music, which opens a window into the incredible Czech Jazz scene, which has truly a lot to offer and is worth following, same as the Jazz made in its southern neighbor Poland, which gains more worldwide popularity lately. The delicate and deeply European aesthetics that prevails over most of the Czech Jazz is a unique phenomenon deserving a much wider worldwide recognition that it enjoys at the moment, hopefully to be improved in the future. Fans of Improvised Music at its best incarnation should be delighted with this album, which is naturally wholeheartedly recommended.

Updated: 12/02/2021Posted: 12/02/2021

CD 1 Slipcase 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!

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

KAREL VELEBNY ~ ZTRATA NALEZENEHO SYNA INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 732 (Barcode: 8595026673229) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1966 - 1967 Released: 2016 This is the fifth of a series of eight reissue / archival albums presenting the recorded legacy of one of the Godfathers of Czechoslovak modern Jazz, vibraphonist / pianist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Karel VelebnyFind albums by this artist and his SHQFind albums by this artist ensemble. All the music is beautifully remastered and the album comes with extensive liner notes, extremely well researched and full of discographical information, sadly only in Czech language (which works fine for me, but probably less so for other enthusiasts who also might be interested). This album presents material captured during two recording sessions from April and September 1966. The seven tracks that were recorded during these sessions were released as a Various Artist compilation LP, with the two lineups that recorded this music enigmatically named "All Stars" and "Jazz Soloists" respectively, with the SHQ moniker being omitted, but with Velebny present. The different lineups on these sessions included Velebny, who played vibraphone, saxophone and piano, trumpeters Jaromir HnilickaFind albums by this artist and Laco DecziFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist, Milan UlrichFind albums by this artist and Evzen JegorovFind albums by this artist, trombonist Zdenek PulecFind albums by this artist, clarinetist Karel KrautgartnerFind albums by this artist, flautist Zdenek ZikaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rudolf DasekFind albums by this artist, pianists Karel VejvodaFind albums by this artist and Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jiri MrazFind albums by this artist and drummer Milan MaderFind albums by this artist, altogether a gathering definitely deserving the "All Stars" description. All the music is original with Velebny contributing three compositions and Krautgartner, Hnilicka, Mraz and Ruzicka each contributing one composition. Additionally this album also includes one side (ten tracks) of a LP dedicated to a Jazz & Poetry project, which features SHQ (Velebny, saxophonist Miroslav KryslFind albums by this artist, Pulec, Dasek, bassist Petr MarcolFind albums by this artist and Mader) accompanying actor Jan TriskaFind albums by this artist who recites fables by Vaclav HrabeFind albums by this artist, the most important representative of the Czech Beat Generation, who died tragically at the ridiculous age of twenty four. All the music was composed by Velebny. The music is all original and a giant step forward as far as Modern European Jazz is concerned, very advanced and complex, already using elements close to Free Jazz, multi-theme extended compositions, rapidly changing tempi and eschewing conventions, which dominated American Bebop. Although recorded just over a year of so after the second SHQ album was recorded, this music sounds as if coming from a different planet, being very similar to the revolutionary Polish Jazz, which was also exploding at the time in the "neighborhood". All the performances are simply stellar and this music sounds absolutely as fresh as it did at the time it was recorded and in retrospect one can but wonder how such a revolutionary music was allowed to be performed and recorded during some of the darkest hours of the Socialist regime and the Prague Spring and Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia being just around the corner. For fans of European Jazz and its history, the entire series is an absolute must, and the fact that most of this music is available on CD for the first time makes it an absolute treasure. Absolutely brilliant! My personal thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, for his friendship and the incredible job he is doing to keep this music alive! Side Note Since the 1950s Czechoslovakia had a highly developed Jazz scene, certainly in proportion to its population, which included many successful ensembles and even Big Bands, as well as Jazz clubs, festivals and publications, all this in spite of state censorship and political limitations. The similar situation existed since the 1960s as far as Rock (including Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion) was concerned, resulting in many excellent, interesting and innovative ensembles. The music was relatively well documented by the three state owned record labels: SupraphonFind albums on this label (founded in 1927), PantonFind albums on this label (founded in 1968) and OpusFind albums on this label (founded in 1971 and based in Bratislava, created on the base of Slovak division of Supraphon). Following the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, the state owned record labels were privatized, with Supraphon dominating the local market. However, Supraphon was quite reluctant as far as exploring its vast back catalogue is concerned, and this is where the small independent Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records, a reissue label dedicated to the preservation of the recorded legacy of Czechoslovak music, owned and run by the devoted enthusiast / historian Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, founded in 2007, comes in. Over the years the label released a plethora of brilliant music, reissuing long deleted LPs and extensively exploring the archives in search of bonus material. The quest of Indies Happy Trails is similar to what the GADFind albums on this label Records label, run by Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, is doing for Polish music, with similar consistency and praiseworthy dedication.

Updated: 28/02/2020Posted: 27/02/2020

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend