Record Reviews

KRZYSZTOF PUMA PIASECKI ~ BACKWARD / FORWARD HRPP 043 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the sixth album by Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion guitarist / composer Krzysztof Puma PiaseckiFind albums by this artist. He is accompanied by a team of musicians, which includes bassist Andrzej RusekFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Charli GreenFind albums by this artist, vocalist Katarzyna Puma PiaseckaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Tadeusz LesniakFind albums by this artist and drummer Arek KondrowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve original compositions, all by Piasecki. The music is a great collection of melodic Fusion tunes, beautifully crafted and most importantly honest and down to earth. Piasecki is of course "old school" and for him a good tune is the basis for a great performance. These tunes are almost danceable, and certainly a great fun to listen to, which basically scream pure unadulterated musical fun. Of course the guitar is the focus of this album, and Piasecki is a Master of the trade. He plays many different guitars, with different sound effects and in many different moods, doing so always right on the money and straight to the heart. People like me, who still remember the good old days when guitar was the King of the musical Universe, are probably more prone to the heartwrenching guitar sounds that this album is full of. The other players all contribute amicable and highly professional parts on this album, staying however mostly in the background and leaving the spotlight for Piasecki and his stunning guitar parts. Sometimes music should simply serve as an island of sanity in this crazy world of ours, and this album is a great example of such music. Flowing smoothly from one tune to another this music has no dull moments and keeps the listener in a state of bliss. Forget the cerebral doodling and pretentious over sophistication – this is 100% pure delight. Of course this album is an absolute must for all guitar fanatics all over the world and the hordes of Fusion fans, who still populate this earth. This is no bullshit real deal - please remember you heard it from me first!

Updated: 23/09/2017Posted: 23/09/2017

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KRZYSZTOF PUMA PIASECKI ~ CIEPLY KRAJ NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is an album by veteran Polish guitarist / composer Krzysztof Puma PiaseckiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a tight quartet setting with keyboardist Zdzislaw KalinowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Filip HornikFind albums by this artist and drummer Olek GasiorFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians appear on selected tracks as well as five guest vocalists, each appearing on a different track, including the Jazz singer Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist and Krzysztof’s daughter Katarzyna Puma PiaseckaFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Piasecki. The music is very diverse and covers a wide stylistic spectrum, from Rock via Fusion, Blues and Jazz and even Rap in one case, but this diversity offers a completely coherent portrait of an experienced musician / composer, who feels confident in any genre. The fact that half of the album features vocals is an attempt to reach a new audience, beyond the pigeonholed Blues / Fusion guitar dominated music, that most listeners associate Piasecki with, which hopefully will eventually reach some of the music lovers of the younger generation. But despite the fresh approach, the magnificent guitar playing is still very much present here, and Piasecki’s wonderful tone and phrasing are absolutely intact and his soloing is completely brilliant as always. He remains one of my favorite Polish guitarist in the long run. The performances of all the musicians involved is also excellent and all this combined with the clear and well balanced sound quality offers a refreshing and highly entertaining listening experience. Overall, this is a superbly woven collection of songs and instrumentals, all excellently executed by highly skilled musicians, with some exemplary guitar playing, which knows very few competitors and serves as the proverbial cherry on top. Definitely oriented towards a wider audience, which of course does not mean any quality compromise whatsoever. Just grab a drink and enjoy, which of course is much easier in the warm climate countries ;)

Updated: 30/01/2023Posted: 30/01/2023

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KRZYSZTOF PUMA PIASECKI ~ ILLUSION NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the fifth album by veteran Polish guitarist / composer Krzysztof Puma PiaseckiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet format with keyboardist Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam SkrzypekFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian SkrzypekFind albums by this artist. Katarzyna Puma PiaseckaFind albums by this artist adds some improvised vocals on one track. The album presents ten original compositions, six of which were composed by Piasecki and four were co-composed by Piasecki and Konikiewicz. The material on this album presents two quite separate musical universes: The music composed by Piasecki moves between Blues-Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion and is based on strong melodic motifs, which serve as vehicles for extended improvisations by the guitar and the keyboards. Both the lyrical / melancholic ballads and the bluesy rockers are nicely and intelligently crafted. The entire sound of the ensemble is somewhat retro oriented and quite reminiscent of many late 1960s / early 1970s Blues based electric instrumental albums. Piasecki plays some great guitar licks, which still send a shiver down the listener´s spine, at least in the case of those of us who grew up when this type of music ruled the world. Konikiewicz plays a variety of keyboards, from acoustic piano, on the mellow acoustic tunes on which the acoustic guitar is also used, to mean synthesizers on the more rocky tunes. The rhythm section (with acoustic bass) is supportive and tight, exactly as needed, and produces an unobtrusive background, which carries the solos with grace. In contrast, the music co-composed by Piasecki and Konikiewicz is less conventional, mostly ambient / improvised, performed by guitar and keyboards only, except for one track, which also uses vocals. This music is obviously more complex and adventurous, and as a result more difficult to be absorbed by an average listener. It is also much more interesting as far as more experienced and daring listeners are concerned. In spite of the obvious differences, the two musical universes work well together, balancing the overall effect both aesthetically and emotionally, creating a multifaceted musical experience. Although this album does not break any new ground musically, it contains excellent musical content, which is based on creative compositions and superb execution by high class instrumentalists, which is already more than most album released today. Listeners who still listen to Blues-Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion have a great opportunity here to get an injection of fresh music, which is right up their alley. This is definitely an album worth investigating by all guitar fans and just anybody with any musical taste left in them. Well done!

Updated: 23/09/2017Posted:

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