Record Reviews
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  | KRZYSZTOF POPEK ~ FRESH AIR PROJECT
POWER BROS 00197 (Barcode: 5906295856610) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 - 2016 Released: 2016
This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz flautist / composer Krzysztof PopekFind albums by this artist, which breaks his seven years long period of silence. It was recorded in a sextet setting with Polish trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, Romanian saxophonist Nicolas SimionFind albums by this artist and an American rhythm section: pianist George CablesFind albums by this artist, bassist Cameron BrownFind albums by this artist and drummer Victor LewisFind albums by this artist. Together they perform seven pieces, of which just one is an original by Popek and another is a short outro by Cables and the remaining five are standards.
As the lineup suggests, the music is typical mainstream Jazz, which has almost nothing to do with Polish or European Jazz, and is soaked in American tradition with a very predictable results. Although these are excellent musicians, the music they perform offers no intellectual challenge whatsoever to the listener.
There are plenty of great instrumental passages, especially Simion´s bass clarinet parts, but again nothing outstanding, which does not appear on almost every CD recorded in the US. Popek´s flute still sounds beautifully romantic, but the instrumental performances alone are simply not enough to make this album exceptional. I still hold fond memories of Popek´s work as the leader of the legendary Young PowerFind albums by this artist, which I´d rather listen to than to this album.
Overall this is a highly professional post Bebop mainstream album, well recorded and pleasurable, but not different from thousands of other similar albums of this type.
| | Updated: 28/02/2017Posted: 28/02/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF POPEK ~ GROOVIN` HEADS
POWER BROS 00179 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Delightful smooth Jazz a la Polonaise - Popek, a veteran flute and keyboards player and the owner of the Power Bros label, produced this fun album to prove that funk / groove can be done outside of the US as well if not better. Some of the top Polish players supply the instrumental parts and 3 soloists front the ensemble. If you don`t mind Polish vocals (he he) this is truly a great fun.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
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