Record Reviews

GORZYCKI & DOBIE ~ NOTHING REQUIEM 086 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the third and last part in a triptych of duo recordings by Polish drummer / composer Rafal GorzyckiFind albums by this artist (see his duo albums with Sebastian GruchotFind albums by this artist and Kamil PaterFind albums by this artist), this time with British guitarist / composer Jonathan DobieFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original pieces co-composed by Gorzycki and Dobie. In the last decade or so Gorzycki firmly established his position on the Polish scene as one of the most individual voices, amalgamating Jazz with contemporary Classical music, electronic and ambient influences and above all standing firmly as a symbol of uncompromising music creation. His work as a leader and member of such forward thinking ensembles as Sing Sing PenelopeFind albums by this artist or Ecstasy ProjectFind albums by this artist and his individual projects in duo, trio and quartet settings are all exceptional examples of individuality and excellence. In many respects this duo album is a culmination of Gorzycki´s modus operandi, which presents a minimalistic and fragmented approach to melody and harmony, which often hints at some musical statements rather then expressing them in full, leaving it to the listener to connect the dots. Dobie is obviously an ideal partner and cohort in such circumstances, playing short fragments of rapid guitar fire, which reminds early improvising electric guitarists such as John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist or Jimmy HendrixFind albums by this artist and utilizing ancient fuzz and other sound devices. This retro sound combined with the modern approach creates an absolute stunning effect. Of course, as in every other duo album, the interplay between the two partners is the essential ingredient of the entire project. Gorzycki´s seemingly endless palette of drums and percussion instruments and Dobie´s guitar pyrotechnics are perfectly suited for each other and their dialogs reach telepathic levels. I am very glad that Gorzycki manages finally to achieve at least some recognition by the Polish musical "establishment", after years of being ignored and neglected beyond the small circle of his musical partners. Hopefully this recognition will enable him to create even more of his groundbreaking projects, to the delight of old and new fans. Visiting his personal web site will allow a glimpse at his huge achievements so far. This album is a must have for the many fans of the alternative Polish Jazz / contemporary music scene and is of course is highly recommended.

Updated: 19/01/2018Posted:

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RAFAL GORZYCKI / KAMIL PATER ~ THERAPY (EP) MW 005 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This album presents a live recording by a duo of Polish Jazz musicians: percussionist / composer Rafal GorzyckiFind albums by this artist and guitarist / composer Kamil PaterFind albums by this artist. These two talented personalities met earlier on, when they were both members of quartets, which recorded the splendid "Dziki JazzFind albums with this title" and later "A-KinetonFind albums with this title" albums and here they cooperate in a much more intimate framework of a duo, which is of course more demanding and challenging. The album includes one continuous piece of music, performed without any breaks and edited as a single track. The music is not credited specifically to the participants and therefore should be considered as spontaneously created "on the fly" by the duo members. The music last for about 34 minutes, which marks this album as an EP rather than a full CD. It is a limited numbered edition of 200 copies only. Musically this is a mixture of many different musical elements, inspirations and influences, obviously well based in the Jazz tradition of improvisation, but also encompassing electronic music, Rock and Fusion elements, folkloristic motifs and contemporary Classical structures. Although improvised and spacey / free, it also includes clear melody lines and forms, which makes it much more accessible to less experienced listeners than most Improvised Music recordings. Gorzycki and Pater have both already proven that although they feel very comfortable in the Free Jazz environment, they stay relaxed and elegant cleverly eschewing the aggression and alienation often associated with that genre. As always with duo projects, the most essential quality a listener expects to find is the level of dialogue between the musicians and their mutual understanding / connection. This recording is a superb example of an almost telepathic bond developing between musicians playing together, which is always a source of great pleasure for the listener. In addition both these players display a masterly control of virtuosic proportions of their respective instruments, which is awe inspiring. The music Gorzycki and Pater play here is quite different from what they played on earlier recordings, which of course gives us the opportunity to discover other layers of their complex artistic personalities. It is truly admirable that they continue to create and discover new territory time after time. This restlessness is an essential quality, which characterizes great explorers, and we, the bystanders have the enormous pleasure of reaping the fruits of they labor. Overall this is a beautiful piece of extremely interesting music, which is unconventional, bold and experimental and yet at the same time is quite listenable and inviting. Very well done indeed!

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PATER / KAMINSKI / UROWSKI / GORZYCKI ~ DZIKI JAZZ MW 002 (Barcode: 5905912556926) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2009 This is an excellent album by a quartet of young generation Polish Jazz musicians: guitarist Kamil PaterFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Aleksander KaminskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel UrowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Rafal GorzyckiFind albums by this artist. They have all appeared in different local ensembles since the turn of the Century and have an established reputation as some of the biggest hopes of the future Polish Jazz scene. The album presents eight original compositions, with two each by Pater, Urowski and Pater / Kaminski, one by Gorzycki and the remaining one by all four musicians. The music is an interesting blend of modern Jazz and some Blues, Rock, Electronics and Contemporary Classical influences. The overall atmosphere is contemplative and relaxed and the up-tempo passages are usually brief and serve as a contrast to the low-key attitude, which dominates this recording. There are clear melodic themes stated in each of the compositions, but there is also a lot of freedom and individual expression herein. The two main soloists (i.e. guitar and saxophone) play some beautiful duets and the level of interplay between the four musicians is simply phenomenal. It is great to see musicians finding ne ways to express their talents and innovate, rather than follow the beaten path of mainstream Jazz, which has been over-exploited for decades. This music is original, fresh, fascinating and stylistically diverse to keep the listeners on their toes time and time again. Three of the musicians playing here recorded another splendid album entitles "A-KinetonFind albums with this title" with saxophonist Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist replacing Kaminski, which is also a "must have" for all Polish Jazz connoisseurs.

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PATER / WOJTCZAK / UROWSKI / GORZYCKI ~ A-KINETON OWOC 001 (Barcode: 5903292101378) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This wonderful album, recorded by the Polish quartet comprising of guitarist Kamil PaterFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel UrowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Rafal GorzyckiFind albums by this artist, with guest trumpeter Maurycy WojcinskiFind albums by this artist, is an excellent example of contemporary Jazz, played by young musicians who slowly establish a new school of Polish Jazz, continuing the splendid tradition of the country´s achievements in that area. For people following the scene these names won´t be completely new, as they have been active in many different ensembles during the last decade, like Sing Sing PenelopeFind albums by this artist, Ecstasy ProjectFind albums by this artist, Contemporary Noise SextetFind albums by this artist and others. Pater, Urowski and Gorzycki, with saxophonist Aleksander KaminskiFind albums by this artist, recorded the splendid "Dziki JazzFind albums with this title" (Wild Jazz) album earlier on. Pater wrote five of the eight compositions on this album, with Urowski and Gorzycki contributing one composition each and one being a group composition. The music is excellent modern Jazz, with some basic melodic content, but mostly improvised with a lot of both individual and collective freedom extended towards the participants. The performances are all inspired and highly professional, and overall the album is a great piece of music, which flows elegantly from one composition to another, constantly keeping the listener on the edge. By and large the atmosphere is somewhat similar to the music played by the groundbreaking Polish ensemble Sing Sing Penelope, which of course is not entirely surprising and should be seen as a compliment. Hopefully this quartet has a lot more to offer in the future, and I´m looking forward to hear their next album. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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