Record Reviews

MAREK KADZIELA ~ JAZZ ENSEMBLE AUDIO CAVE 2021/004 (Barcode: 5908298549254) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2021 As hard as it is to believe, this is only the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a quintet setting with his brother saxophonist Maciej KadzielaFind albums by this artist, trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist and drummer Radoslaw BolewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Marek Kadziela. During the second decade of the 2000s Kadziela participated in numerous recordings and co-led several Polish and international ensembles, as diverse as Hunger PangsFind albums by this artist, JazabuFind albums by this artist, K.R.A.N.Find albums by this artist and KaMaSzFind albums by this artist as well as his own ADHDFind albums by this artist. These recordings present a restless, searching spirit, who is constantly trying to re-invent himself and drive towards uncharted territory, crossing genres with ease and competence. Over the years I have had the pleasure to listen to him live as well, which often exposed other aspects of his wide-ranging musical personality. There is no doubt that during that time he established himself not only as one of the leading Polish guitarists, but also as an important leader and trendsetter. In many respects this album (as Kadziela himself states on the album’s liner notes) is an amalgamation of his experiences up to now, with an emphasis on composition, as much as on his guitar playing skills. The rather unusual sounding ensemble highlights his originality as a sound creator, which enhances the acoustic quintet with skillful use of electronics, creating a modern, somewhat rough and toothed exterior, which hides the melodic contents, without damaging it. The individual performances are all absolutely stunning, with the leader moving between Wes MontgomeryFind albums by this artist and Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist and back in an instant, always being himself. Namyslowski is a surprise as his playing is more open and daring than usual and the rhythm section does a wonderful job driving the music forward and filling the blanks. Overall this is a wonderful modern Jazz album, full of great music and intricate individual performances, not easy on the ear and demanding attentive listening, but highly rewarding. Although Kadziela made a giant step forward in his career, deep down he is still a Blues / Rock kid who loves to show his guitar licks, which I personally love as much as all the serious stuff he is playing. Having said that, this album is almost completely free of any Fusion accents, announcing the leader’s full commitment to the Jazz idiom. Hats off!

Updated: 10/04/2021Posted: 10/04/2021

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KAMASZ ~ EIGHT ROCKS FROM GRANDMA´S BOX MULTIKULTI MPI 041 (Barcode: 5907529223772) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2015 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish Improvising Music trio KaMaSzFind albums by this artist comprising of guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek MazurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions / improvisations co-credited to all three members of the trio. Despite the fact that this album firmly belongs to the Improvised Music idiom, the music is relatively well "organized" and accessible, including melodic fragments and logical harmonic developments, wrapped up in minimalistic low key, spaced-out ambience, which overall is remarkably listenable. For one reason or another, this music remained unreleased for five years and only now sees the light of day. In the meantime the musicians involved in creating it recorded intensively, so this album allows a glance into the past, as well as comparison with their recent work. Whatever the reason, it is great to have this music out in the open. All three musicians contribute not only cohesive and sympathetic collaborative statements as a trio, but also interesting individual statements. Kadziela offers a diverse palette of sounds, often returning to his Rock roots, Mazurkiewicz keeps the music on track with excellent bass lines and Szmanda masterly plays in and around the rhythms, still able to swing al all times. Overall this is a highly enjoyable album, full of great playing and despite the open improvisations sounding organized and structured enough for most Jazz listeners to be able to have fun, giving it some slack. Recommended!

Updated: 05/01/2020Posted: 05/01/2020

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