Record Reviews

EL GRECO ~ SING CUCKOO INSPIRAFON 02 (Barcode: 5903111259006) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by Polish ensemble El GrecoFind albums by this artist, led by keyboardist / composer Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist, which also includes vocalist Jorgos SkoliasFind albums by this artist, DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist) who performs turntablism, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and Austrian drummer Harry TanschekFind albums by this artist. The album includes ten tracks, eight of which are songs and the remaining two instrumental pieces. The eight songs are all composed by Mencel to lyrics by Polish poets (five of the songs, naturally sung in Polish) and literary texts in English (the remaining three, sung in English). One of the instrumentals is a group composition and the remaining one is by Gil EvansFind albums by this artist. This is obviously quite an ambitious project, well within the Jazz & Poetry realm, which seems to be a favorite of the Polish music scene. However, contrary to many splendid efforts in this area this album leaves me quite cold. It´s quite difficult to pinpoint the exact reasons for my opinion, but somehow the mixture of complex, sophisticated poetry with the rather simplistic music does not work for me. Anybody engaging in the poems of Cyprian Kamil NorwidFind albums by this artist must be aware of their masterly interpretation by the legendary NiemenFind albums by this artist or more recently by Stan BorysFind albums by this artist and in comparison the versions presented here seem to be quite pale. The music seems to be by and large based on blues themes, with a modernistic rhythm patterns emphasized by the turntablism. There is a limited space for serious improvisation and the atmosphere is more of an alterative Rock album than a Jazz album, which of course might be just what the ensemble (or the leader) wanted to achieve. The only thing that makes this album enjoyable as far as I´m concerned is the truly excellent work by Andrzej Swies, who emerges as the star of this particular project and without whom this music simply wouldn´t work at all. As usually the attempt to sing in English proves to be fatal. Overall this is not a bad album and many people will probably enjoy it, but I just can´t seem to be able to warm up towards it. Mea culpa!

Updated: 31/01/2017Posted:

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GLYK P.I.K TRIO ~ RELEASED AT LAST NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is a debut recording by the Glyk P.I.K TrioFind albums by this artist, a family trio comprising of father vibraphonist / composer / arranger Irek GlykFind albums by this artist and his two children: daughter Kinga GlykFind albums by this artist who plays bass and son Patryk GlykFind albums by this artist who plays drums. Pianist Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist and accordionist Mirek StepienFind albums by this artist guest on selected tracks. The album includes nine tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Irek and one is a standard. Usually such family affairs are more a social event than a serious music making endeavor, but quite surprisingly this album has some merit. Both the compositions, which are quite solid and although pretty mainstreamish provide an adequate basis for improvisation, and the performances, which are quite professional make this a nice listening experience. Of course the more experienced head of the family carries most of the responsibilities here, but the young generation supports him with obvious talent. Personally Mencel´s contributions are the highlight of this album. Overall this is a standard mainstream effort with original music, which does not innovate but holds water and has its value as a generation gap bonding element. Considering the fact that the vibraphone and marimba are such neglected instruments, this is an opportunity to hear their beautiful sound. Don´t expect any surprises and take it easy…

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IBRAHIM TRIO ~ LIVE AT MANGGHA - EAST MEETS WEST NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is the 2nd album by Syrian (resident in Poland) oud player / vocalist / composer Wassim IbrahimFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a trio setting with two excellent Polish musicians, Hurdy-gurdy player / keyboardist Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live at the beautiful Japanese Culture museum Manggha in Krakow (a must visit when in the city). It presents six lengthy tracks, two composed by Ibrahim, one each by Mencel and Madej, one is by the legendary Lebanese singer / composer Zaki NassifFind albums by this artist and one is a traditional tune. All the music was arranged by the trio members. The music, although based on wonderful melodic themes, is largely improvised and mostly instrumental, not surprisingly with a strong Middle Eastern flavor. The completely native musical environment for Ibrahim, was splendidly adopted by the two Poles, who sound as if they played football with Ibrahim in the narrow streets of Damascus since childhood. Mencel manages to make the hurdy-gurdy and keyboards sound similar to Middle Eastern reed instruments, and Madej rhythmic approach sound as genuine as if he spent many hours riding camels. Ibrahim is a Master oud player and his vocals are absolutely heartbreaking. In short, I am sorry that I couldn’t be there to listen to this music live, but this album surely captures the magic in full. With the recent and unexpected changes in Syria, perhaps the prospect for me and Wassim having coffee in Damascus, accompanied by some sublime sweets, like knafeh and baklava, is just one little step closer to reality, Inshallah! Overall, this is a lovely, deeply moving example of Middle Eastern music, which Ibrahim makes as native and natural as possible, away from his hometown, with the help of his wonderful musician friends. Warmly recommended to all listeners who love the improvised nature of Middle Eastern music and its heartwrenching melodies. Thank you, my Friend!

Updated: 09/01/2025Posted: 09/01/2025

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JOACHIM MENCEL ~ ARTISENA FOR TUNE 0134 (Barcode: 5906395808458) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2018 This is an album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with violinist Weronika PluteckaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel WszolekFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. It presents a cycle of eight original compositions, all by Mencel, based on Polish Folklore dances. Originally Mencel composed and arranged these compositions for a Jazz nonet, but over time as a result of his process of mastering the hurdy-gurdy, he changed the concept and recorded these compositions in a Jazz-World Fusion approach with the above quintet. Polish Folklore seems to be and endless source of inspiration to Polish Jazz musicians and the numerous Jazz-World Fusion projects that appear on the Polish Jazz scene like mushrooms after the rain are ample proof of this phenomenon. One can reflect on the early days of Polish Jazz, during the Socialist regime, when Jazz was often presented as Folk music of the oppressed Afro-American community in order to get clearance from the Cultural censorship to organize Jazz events, and later on Jazz musicians had to include Polish Folklore in their compositions in order to be allowed to record an album (same methods applied also to Polish contemporary Classical Music and Rock). In retrospect perhaps these despicable political manipulations achieved an after effect, which is now coming to a most successful fruition out of good will this time. The music on this album is very melodic and basically mainstream oriented, with the Folklore influences being rather subtle and present most vividly in the rhythmic layer of the compositions. Listeners familiar with Polish Folk dances like Polonaise, Oberek, Mazurka or Kujawiak will probably recognize the patterns, but to those less well-versed in the matter they will become simply a part of the music as a whole. Nevertheless the overall effect is very impressive and aesthetically pleasing. The Jazz facet of the music comes forward during the guitar and piano solo parts and the excellent work by the rhythm section, behind the front players. The individual performances of the quintet members are all top notch, although Mika simply steals the show with his guitar magic. Mencel is an accomplished pianist but his soloing is rather reserved, which emphasizes the guitar parts even more. The violin and hurdy-gurdy stay mostly in the background and are merely an ambient coloring to the rest of the music. Overall this is a very pleasant, highly melodic album, which flows gently from one tune to the next, with the Folklore impact being mostly secondary. Great guitar solos spice the proceedings and keep the music on a Jazzy path, to the delight of the many guitar enthusiasts. Definitely on the lighter side of the spectrum, this music is accessible to almost all music connoisseurs, who like cross-genre explorations without too many cerebral obstacles.

Updated: 08/05/2018Posted: 08/05/2018

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JOACHIM MENCEL ~ BROOKLYN EYE ORIGIN 82806 (Barcode: 805558280627) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is an album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist, recorded in US with three American musicians: guitarist Steve CardenasFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ColleyFind albums by this artist and drummer Rudy RoystonFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Mencel. In addition to the piano, Mencel also plays the hurdy-gurdy, which is usually associated with Folk music in many European Cultures, and is very rarely used in Jazz, but not entirely unheard off. On the album´s lines notes Mencel describes the making of this album and the fact that it was recorded in America with American musicians as "the fulfillment of his long-standing dream" and "his dream come true". He also describes childhood memories and feelings about America and "American way of life", which of course are shared by many Poles who grew up behind the Iron Curtain during the Socialist regime (yours truly included), for whom America was a symbol of Freedom and prosperity. Some of us did grow up in the years that followed to witness that dream being shattered… The music is in part pretty straightforward mainstream Jazz, as appropriate for a Polish version of "American Jazz". Mencel writes nice, solid melodies, which serve as vehicles for the quartet´s performances. The musicians are all seasoned veterans and do everything that is expected of them. Mencel plays nice melodic piano phrases, as does Cardenas, and the music flows pretty uneventfully, with the rhythm sections counting the time. Some other pieces are however distinctly different, more open and less constrained by melodic continuity, which allows the musicians to stretch out and include some breathing space between the notes. In other cases the melodies include more Polish lyricism and even melancholy, taking the music into a more ambitious direction, both harmonically and rhythmically. The truly unusual moments arrive when Mencel switches to play the hurdy-gurdy, which sounds for a less trained ear like a violin or viola. He uses the instrument to improvise and play solo parts, which of course is, as already mentioned, pretty unique. As a result the music becomes much closer to the European aesthetics, with shades of folkloristic nuances. The delicate hurdy-gurdy / guitar duo piece is a wonderful example of a moment when the magic indeed happens. Overall this is a mixed bag with some wonderful moments and some less exciting ones, but all obviously very professionally performed and to some degree innovative, as far as the use of the hurdy-gurdy is concerned. Therefore if the mainstream pieces were replaced by more of the hurdy-gurdy / World Music explorations, the album would have been much more coherent and rewarding, as well as less "American"…

Updated: 18/09/2020Posted: 18/09/2020

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SZYMON MIKA ~ TOGETHERNESS HEVHETIA 0175 (Barcode: 8588005258425) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the second album by the Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, recorded, same as the debut album, in an intimate trio format with bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and Israeli drummer Ziv RavitzFind albums by this artist. Three guest musicians appear on selected tracks: vocalist Basia DerlakFind albums by this artist, who also contributed the lyrics to the four songs she appears on, Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist who plays the hurdy-gurdy on three tracks and pianist Mateusz PalkaFind albums by this artist, who plays on five tracks. The album presents eleven original compositions, all by Mika. It album was beautifully recorded at the Monochrom Studio and engineered by Maciej StachFind albums by this artist. The music on this album is decidedly more diverse and shows a more searching attitude than the excellent debut album, which is very encouraging and promising development. There are obvious World Music influences present in this music, but also openness and noticeable reach beyond mainstream Jazz, which was still the core of the debut album. Mucha and Ravitz are ideal partners in this quest for new identity, both of them being unconventional in their approach to music and exceptionally gifted, providing exquisite support to Mika´s lead parts and building a solid, but adventurous, rhythmic layer behind him. The four vocal tracks are also quite surprising and show another facet of Mika´s talent. Derlak sings in Polish, which is already a good starting point, and handles the relatively complex music with ease and obvious flair. Her Folksy mannerisms are a nice addition to the Jazz setting and I´d love to hear more of her in such setting. The tracks with Mencel and Palka, when the ensemble becomes a quintet (or even sextet with the addition of vocals) are somewhat different form the trio tracks, offering more conventional melody lines and ambience and adding to the overall diversity and fluency of the album as a whole. Overall the album is a clear and elegant step forward for Mika in many respects: as a composer, a bandleader and a guitarist. He joins the ranks of the new generation of Polish Jazz musicians, who are gradually taking over the center of the stage both in Poland and in Europe. Kudos are also due to the Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label, which is rapidly becoming one of the most important, open minded and active record labels in Europe and manages to expand its roster of artist to include many of the young generation´s top artists, including neighbors from across the Tatra Mountains, and support them loyally. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 11/08/2018Posted: 11/08/2018

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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:

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LIDIA POSPIESZALSKA ~ INAIJE MTJ 11844 (Barcode: 5906409118443) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2018 This is a reissue of the debut album by Polish singer / songwriter Lidia PospieszalskaFind albums by this artist recorded in 2007 with a formidable team of excellent musicians, many from the Polish Jazz scene, including her husband / bassist Marcin PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and many other members of the Pospieszalski musical clan, as well as keyboardist Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist, drummer Kamil CudzichFind albums by this artist and others. The album presents ten original songs, all composed or co-composed by Pospieszalska with her husband, and one arrangement of a traditional Folk song. It is worth mentioning that the album was also recently beautifully reissued on vinyl. Although I try to keep my ears close to the ground as far as the Polish music scene is concerned, I admit that I was completely unaware of this album at the time of its release, and the recent vinyl reissue prompted me to listen to it for the first time. Shame on me of course. Although not a strictly Jazz album, the music has a strong Jazzy feel and many of the exquisite instrumental arrangements are soaked with Jazz undercurrents and instrumental soloing. Therefore, the album can be easily considered as a vocal Jazz album, honestly more than many other albums that claim to by just that, even if it includes some Blues, Funk, Brass Rock and Groove influences and even Rap parts. Music knows no genre limits, as we all know. It is pretty amazing how fresh and relevant this album sounds today, fifteen years after it was recorded, which means that excellent music ages well, especially when there is little competition all around. Pospieszalska has a wonderful gift of songweaving and her melodies go straight into the heart of the listener. Combined with the intelligent lyrics these songs are both a great fun to listen to and a pleasant aesthetic offering, which is captivating. Overall, this is a wonderful piece of music, and it is great to have it available again. It’s never too late to grab a copy and enjoy this album, which is a true gem. Thank you, my Dear, for this gift of music.

Updated: 17/08/2022Posted: 17/08/2022

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RYSZARD WOJCIUL UNITED ORCHESTRA ~ ZORZA PRZESLICZNA WYNIKA FILMOTEKA NARODOWA (Barcode: 5908259554495) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / clarinetist / keyboardist / bandleader / producer Ryszard WojciulFind albums by this artist, recorded by a large ensemble of some of the best Polish musicians from various stylistic associations. The list is way too long to be included here, but includes vocalists Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist and Dorota MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Maria PomianowskaFind albums by this artist, hurdy-gurdy player Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marcin OlakFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist and many others. The album presents twenty-three tracks, twelve of which are short solo vocal cantos providing the continuity to the entire musical concept of this album, and eleven are Polish Folklore Easter songs, which served as inspiration to the new, much extended songs Wojciul and his team create, preserving the traditional lyrics but taking quite a lot of liberty with the instrumental and vocal arrangements. In his liner notes Wojciul explains that despite the beautiful and extremely rich Polish Folklore Easter songs tradition it remains mostly unknown, which prompted him to produce this wonderful album, and which I of course second wholeheartedly. Wojciul manages to transform the highly sacral / religious character of the original material into completely universal / modern musical environment, which is accessible to a much wider audience and succeeds to open up the little know beauty of these songs to general audience. His arrangements, general concept, choice of material and the participating musicians is absolutely perfect, creating an uplifting, highly spiritual and moving musical experience, which is breathtakingly beautiful. Overall, this is a very unique and highly sophisticated musical undertaking, creating a bridge across styles, cultures, genres and emotional frames, producing a superb piece of music, which has a universal aesthetic value, beyond its original source. This is a truly inspired piece of music and the producer and the entire team can be proud of their achievement, which is absolutely heartfelt and artistically inspired. Hats off!

Updated: 05/04/2023Posted: 04/04/2023

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