Record Reviews

PIOTR DAMASIEWICZ / POWER OF THE HORNS ~ POLSKA ASTIGMATIC 011 (Barcode: 5902860142300) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the second album by Polish trumpeter / composer Piotr DamasiewiczFind albums by this artist and his Power Of The HornsFind albums by this artist ensemble and their first studio recording. It features a nonet version of the ensemble which also includes saxophonists Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist, Adam PindurFind albums by this artist and Gerard LebikFind albums by this artist, trombonist Pawel NiewiadomskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassists Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and Jakub CywinskiFind albums by this artist and Australian born drummer Samuel HallFind albums by this artist. The album presents four (one in two parts) original compositions, all by Damasiewicz. The debut album "AlamanFind albums with this title", recorded live in 2012 (i.e. six years earlier), was the first release of the now legendary For TuneFind albums on this label Records label, and created quite a stir at the time. It was recorded by an eleven-piece version of the ensemble, which included only five of the musicians present on this new recording and presented just three expanded tracks, characterized by extensive improvisations. The raw power of the horns and super-sized rhythm section combined with the youthful excitement associated with the occasion managed to create some magic moments, which the recording certainly reflected, but which did not prove to have a long-lasting value. In retrospect the status of "…one of the most captivating albums in the history of Polish jazz…" is certainly a hype rather that an objective statement. The new album is a complete about face and presents perfectly well-behaved, modern mainstream Jazz, with smooth performances but limited level of enthusiasm. Of course this is a perfectly legitimate approach; considering the time that passed since the debut; maturity, age and experience certainly have their influence. Yet Damasiewicz seems to cling to the past by including on this album older material, like the title tune which originates from 2014 and even one composition already presented on the debut, which perhaps indicates a shortage of new material. But regardless of the past connections, the music on this album is based on rather basic melodic elements, repeated continuously with little variations, except for the ensemble dynamics. The "wall of sound" approach of the debut is now replaced by a more chamber like approach typical of Polish Jazz from the 1960s, and a retro sound and ambience. Damasiewicz dedicates the compositions on the album to the Godfathers of Polish Jazz: Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist and to his teacher Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, all of whom obviously influenced his musical path, which is well reflected within the music on this album, and which, as already stated, often ventures into the climates invented and developed by his Mentors and which characterize Polish Jazz or at least its early days. The album´s title seems to suggest that the music on this album is the continuation of that magic "Polishness" that Polish Jazz offers at its core; a daring statement by all means, which will be judged by history alone. The individual performances by the leader and the ensemble members are, as expected, highly professional, but if not for the excellent, as always, contributions by Wania, who in the period separating these two recordings made one giant step after another, the music would have became almost banal, a déjà vu of sorts. Considering the astonishing level of the musicianship on the Polish Jazz scene, something more spectacular would have been needed in this music to become "…sublime and unique…". The album´s liner notes, from which all the above quotes are taken, is fascinating, full of hints, allegories and references – definitely worth reading!

Updated: 22/12/2019Posted: 22/12/2019

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DOORS NOT SHUT ~ LUTY AUDIO CAVE 2018/013 (Barcode: 5905669566674) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by the sextet Doors Not ShutFind albums by this artist, which comprises of five veteran Polish Jazz musicians: clarinetist Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist, pianist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist, bassists Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. They are joined by Australian percussionist Philip SouthFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions by the sextet members, mostly co-composed by several of the musicians. The concept of the sextet is pretty loosely conceived, since only Szmanda and South play on all the ten tracks, Swies plays on nine tracks, Dys plays on just three tracks and finally Zimpel and Wojcinski play on five tracks. As a result the entire sextet does not play together on any of the tracks. The music is an interesting amalgam of Ambient Music and Free Jazz, with strong World Music influences, especially on the rhythmic plane. The overall sound and approach are quite minimalist and the music mostly flows slowly, rarely displaying any strictly melodic contents. The bass pulsations (either electric or acoustic) and the ethnic / polyrhythmic drumming are the constant elements of the music, with the piano and clarinet being the only melodic anchors. The entire concept definitely works well, displaying a lot of originality and fascination with rhythm, being quite unique in that area. The drummers get most of the exposure, followed by the bassists, with Dys and Zimpel adding spice and color to the proceedings, but not dominating the concept. The three quartet tracks with Dys are closest to Jazz, while the five tracks with Zimpel are Ambient Improvised Music which listeners familiar with other recordings by Zimpel should find quite recognizable. The remaining two tracks featuring only drums and percussion (with some vocal and spoken word ornamentation) are perhaps the roots of the music. Overall this is a bold and highly innovative concept album, which offers originality and excellent musicianship, as well as intellectual challenge, which is often missing from less ambitious Jazz oriented recordings. This album is recommended for the more adventurous and open-minded listeners, who are ready to embrace new concepts. Although Zimpel plays only on half of the tracks, this album presents some of this most moving work, which is an absolute must to his followers. Highly recommended!

Updated: 29/12/2018Posted: 29/12/2018

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MARCO ENEIDI STREAMIN` 4 ~ PANTA REI FOR TUNE 0047 (Barcode: 5902768701531) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by American (resident in Austria) saxophonist Marco EneidiFind albums by this artist and his Streamin` 4Find albums by this artist quartet, which also includes three Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music musicians: saxophonist Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal TrelaFind albums by this artist. The album, which was recorded live, presents four extended pieces, co-credited to all four participants. As appropriate for an Improvised Music / Avant-Garde Jazz encounter, the music is highly energetic and expressive, with the participants trying to stay coherent and communicative towards each other. The double saxophone lineup allows for separate saxophone solos and a side-by-side dialog, which varies in intensity and tension from one moment to the next. The rhythm section is also allowed space to express its notions, but as usual remains in the background for most of the duration. It becomes pretty obvious that at least some of the themes used as the basis for the improvisation were annotated or rehearsed in advance, but of course, as usual in such circumstances, they are really a marginal issue in these proceedings. As I always emphasize, this kind of music is essentially meant to be a part of a live experience and is received in a completely different way by a live listener sitting in the audience than when listening to the recorded music. With the intimacy and immediacy gone, the listener is left with just one more Improvised Music album, which fails to leave a lasting impression. Of course these are very skilled and talented musicians and the music has its intrinsic value, but considering the vast amount of great new music becoming available on a daily basis, this gets pushed back into the low priority stack.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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CHARLES GAYLE TRIO ~ CHRIST EVERLASTING FOR TUNE 0063 (Barcode: 5902768701647) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is a live recording at Poznan´s club Dragon of a trio led by American saxophonist / pianist / composer Charles GayleFind albums by this artist with Polish bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and German drummer Klaus KugelFind albums by this artist. The trio performs nine tunes, four of which are standards and the other five are group compositions / improvisations credited to all trio members. Gayle arrived on the US scene as "the new discovery / profit" of Free Jazz in the late 1980, after years of performing as a homeless street musician. I have followed his recordings over the years and I must admit that somehow Gayle has failed to convince me to be anything more than a curiosity. His extreme political and religious views aside, his "music´ is a raw collection of sounds uttered with great intensity and emotion, but it does not "compute" as music in my brain – my bad of course – despite my passionate love for that kind of music. In retrospect Gayle´s recordings hardly advanced the Free Jazz / Improvised Music idiom in a global sense and everything he does was already done in the 1960s, much more effectively as far as I can see. That does not mean of course that his concerts are not worth attending and his albums not worth being heard, at least as far as one does not expect to be "enlightened". This particular gig caught on this album is pretty typical of Gayle´s concerts but has a wonderful added value of the excellent rhythm section, which literally saves the day. Wojcinski and Kugel, both experienced and talented Improvised Music figures, add the missing musical element to Gayle´s music, the depth and the interface, which enables a player / audience communication. Overall this is an interesting amalgam of free spirited, almost anarchist improvisation with solid and often virtuosic "sensible" rhythm section, which prevents the anarchy to take over completely. The Free Jazz fans will definitely enjoy this music, if not immediately than after a few attempts; more conventionally oriented listeners beware, you have been warned.

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CHARLES GAYLE TRIO ~ SOLAR SYSTEM FOR TUNE 0131 (Barcode: 5906395808380) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album on the Polish For TuneFind albums on this label label by the American Avant-Garde saxophonist / pianist Charles GayleFind albums by this artist and his trio, which includes Polish bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and again a German drummer, this time Max AndrzejewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven improvised pieces, credited to all the trio members, recorded live at Warsaw´s already legendary 12on14 Jazz Club. As I have already stated in my review of the earlier release by the trio, I am completely unable to get the music of Gayle on any level, neither intellectual nor emotional. It sounds like a collection of random, chaotic sounds that make absolutely no sense or is painfully trivial (especially his piano playing). The only thing that makes this music listenable to some extent is the excellent work by the rhythm section, which tries desperately to keep this music in some orderly manner, before it completely disintegrates. I have no idea why Gayle is so difficult for me to get, since I love Free Jazz and Improvised Music since the 1960s and listen to similar music constantly. Must be a mental barrier of some kind? Improvised Music listeners might perhaps enjoy this album, but alas I am simply completely numb here. Good luck with it ;)

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 25/01/2018

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HERA ~ WHERE MY COMPLETE BELOVED IS MULTIKULTI 016 (Barcode: 5907529223161) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011 This is the second album by Polish Avant-Garde ensemble HeraFind albums by this artist, led by multi-instrumentalist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist, one of the most important representatives of the European Improvised Music scene in the last decade. The album comprises of four extended pieces (three of which have a duration of about 20 minutes), as appropriate for this kind of music, where space and freedom are of the essence, which were recorded live. The first piece was composed by Zimpel, the following two are credited as group compositions and the last is a Russian folk song. Zimpel plays bass clarinet and harmonium and the ensemble includes also saxophonist Pawel PostaremczakFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel SzpuraFind albums by this artist. Guest musicians include Sara KaluznaFind albums by this artist, who plays tampura on one track and Maniucha BikontFind albums by this artist, who sings the vocals and plays harmonium on the last track. The music of Hera completely escapes any attempt of classification and is so incredibly rich and amalgamated that expanding on the subject would be pretty futile. After all music is intended to be listened to, not written about, and great music has a tendency to slip through words trying to encapsulate it. There is no doubt that the atmosphere and modus operandi of the ensemble is influenced by Indian and other Far East Cultures, where extended improvisation and contemplative treatment of musical pieces is a way of life, with time playing little or no role at all. The music starts and continues and comes to an end when it naturally concludes its intrinsic message. Naming the pieces after titles of poems written by the Indian mystic poet Kabir are ample evidence as to the intended aesthetic prevailing herein. The meditative / contemplative nature of the music does not mean it lacks excitement, quite on the contrary, it is full of passionate improvisations, which appear on a separate plane, as if floating above the firm recurring basis, complementing the overall result. This is truly a music of the "higher spheres", which requires total attention and acquiescence from the listener joining the musicians in the process of aural communication. Absolutely brilliant stuff wholeheartedly recommended to bold souls with refined taste!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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HERA / HAMID DRAKE ~ SEVEN LINES MULTIKULTI 030 (Barcode: 5907796319512) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the third album by Polish Ethno-Jazz ensemble HeraFind albums by this artist, led by saxophonist / composer Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. The album contains a live concert recording by the ensemble, with featured as special guest the American drummer Hamid DrakeFind albums by this artist. The participating ensemble members are: saxophonist Pawel PostaremczakFind albums by this artist, hurdy-gurdy player Maciek CierlinskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Raphael RoginskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel SzpuraFind albums by this artist. The music consists of five pieces, four of which are over fifteen minutes in duration, all of which are based on World Music ethnic riffs and melodies, partly composed or arranged by Zimpel and in one case including a melody contributed by Drake. Except for Drake´s chanting his own melody, the rest of the music is instrumental and mostly improvised. It is much easier to say what this music isn´t than to say what it actually is, but that is hardly relevant as music is basically created in order to be listened to and not to be written about. Nevertheless one can try one´s best. So this is definitely not Jazz as most people conceive it, not even Jazz-World Fusion, as it goes well beyond the usual boundaries of that sub genre. Yes it is mostly improvised, but so is much of Ethnic music, which after all begot Jazz in the first place. The closest definition that I can come up with is Spiritual Music, a kind of collective trance induced by repeated rhythmic patterns and a feeling of sharing and togetherness, which inspires the musicians involved. However, the problem with such music is that is works absolutely divinely live, but translates less efficiently into albums. Of course in this case the actual music is strong enough to carry on a potent impression, but probably much is also lost in the process. This music is also definitely not for everybody. Conventional Jazz listeners will find it not Jazzy enough; others might find the strong Ethnic influences outlandish and unfamiliar. Only listeners with a highly developed open-mindedness and readiness to accept what is different will discover the true delight of this music. The individual performances are of course blissful as always in Hera´s case. Zimpel and Postaremczak weave some beautiful snaky improvisations; Roginski rocks things up with a great guitar solo and the expanded rhythm section transports the music into a different universe. Overall it is quite a musical experience, which should not be missed. People familiar with the two earlier albums by Hera are of course already hooked for good. I always wonder where Zimpel will take the ensemble next. I guess we´ll all have to wait until the next album appears before us. Until then, may the spirits of music be with you all.

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INFANT JOY QUINTET ~ NEW GHOSTS FOR TUNE 0029 (Barcode: 5902768701319) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut recording by the Polish Improvised Music ensemble Infant Joy QuintetFind albums by this artist, which consists of British (resident in Warsaw) saxophonist Ray DickatyFind albums by this artist, and Polish musicians: saxophonist Jan MalkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Michal KasperekFind albums by this artist and Dominik MokrzewskiFind albums by this artist. Harmonica player Laura WaniekFind albums by this artist appears as a guest artist. The album presents three extensive improvisations, one of which is almost half an hour in duration, all credited to all the quintet members. With a double saxophone / double drums lineup the quintet presents a solid showcase of concentrated group improvisation, which keeps a pretty steady level of intensity from the very first seconds the music starts to play till the very end, leaving almost no place for individual expression. The "wall of sound" effect hints (in addition to the album´s title) as to the intention of the musicians to pay tribute to the legendary Albert AylerFind albums by this artist, which is only partly successful. Wojcinski, who is left alone in the "center" of this music, manages to keep the havoc in check, and his energetic, but well structured bass pulsations save the entire proceedings from disintegration. Collective improvisation is of course based primarily not on the ability of the musicians to play but rather on their ability to listen to what the other ensemble members play. On this album it often appears as if the mutual listening is secondary. Overall this is a typical Improvised Music meeting, all a spur of the moment, completely unique and unrepeatable. As such it has its merits and is worth listening to, but there is hardly any groundbreaking, innovative or extraordinary statement being made here. It is important to listen to such music live but on record it loses its charm considerably.

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WOJCIECH JACHNA & KSAWERY WOJCINSKI ~ CONVERSATION WITH SPACE FSR 2018/04 (Barcode: 5905279364271) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the second duo album by Polish Jazz duo: trumpeter / composer Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist and bassist / composer Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Tomasz GlazikFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album was recorded in two Warsaw locations (Ladom / Mozg) associated with Free Jazz / Improvised Music and presents eleven original compositions co-credited to the duo members and one traditional tune arranged by the duo members. Some people following the Polish Avant-Garde music scene might be quite surprised by the music presented on this album, since it is overall remarkably melodic and tame, and as such accessible to a wide scope of Jazz listeners. The short pieces, averaging about three minutes each, are based on a clear melodic line and the improvisations are kept within the scope of the basic melody, both harmonically and rhythmically. The traditional / religious hymn is perhaps the most surprising piece of the entire album and a brilliantly executed amalgam of improvisation and medieval music. Both musicians display tremendous skills and imagination, which is evident every step of the way. Jachna continuously develops his trumpet chops and watching his progress over the last two decades was an uplifting experience. Wojcinski is able to create a cascade of sounds from his bass and his plucking technique is ferocious. But even more important than their individual abilities is their cooperation, which fully belongs in the "Art of the Duo" idiom. Despite the limitations imposed by just two instruments in action, this music is complete and full and needs nothing to make it better. The trio on the single track where the saxophone is added is also excellent, but definitely not superior to the rest of the tracks. Overall this is a beautiful example of highly spirited Improvised Music at its best, which should make all connoisseurs of the genre perfectly happy. Hopefully listeners from other spheres of interest will also take a while and listen, as this music is definitely too good to be ignored. The Polish FSRFind albums on this label label continues to document the Polish / European Improvising Music scene with dedication and passion, for which it and the people running it deserve our gratitude and praise. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 23/06/2018

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WOJCIECH JACHNA & KSAWERY WOJCINSKI ~ NIGHT TALKS FSR 2015/03 (Barcode: 5905279364028) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is a "live in a studio" recording of spontaneously composed Improvised Music performed by two prominent Polish Jazz musicians: trumpeter Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist and bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven pieces "carved out" from the music recorded during a night session, hence the album´s title. I have been following the development of Wojciech Jachna for over a decade now, closely watching his recordings and inviting him to play at the concerts I organize simply for the reason that he is a symbol of the new generation of the Polish Jazz scene and a wonderful person: immensely talented, always searching, unconventional, open minded and above all modest and unpretentious. Such qualities are very rarely found in one individual, which makes Jachna a true phenomenon. Jachna can be a bit timid when playing with musicians he is not familiar with, and therefore it is very constructive that he and Wojcinski played together before this session was recorded. Consequently there is no timidity or hesitation here whatsoever and these two musicians play as if they played together for ages. Wojcinski is a wonderful bassist and even if I criticized severely his solo album a while ago it does not mean that I don´t admire his talent and virtuosity. On this album he not only serves as a part of the duo but assumes the role of "master of ceremonies", gently pushing the music forward and suggesting the next move, with Jachna responding swiftly and amicably. His arco work is absolutely stunning here. The music is lyrical and melancholic, developing slowly and delicately moment after moment. Obviously nobody is in a rush to just make a statement, and the long lasting tones little by little evolve spontaneously. Although Jachna is obviously the "leading" voice here, it is nevertheless a duo album from beginning to end and the contributions are simply inseparable. After listening to the album a few times it definitely emerges as one of the best Polish Jazz albums released so far this year. Another "Art of the Duo" masterpiece of international scale!

Updated: 27/10/2016Posted:

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KADZIELA & WOJCINSKI ~ 10 LITTLE STORIES FOR TUNE 0052 (Barcode: 5902768701579) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by the duo comprising of two Polish Jazz musicians: guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist. It presents ten original compositions, six of which were composed by Kadziela, one by Wojcinski and three were co-composed by them both. For people familiar with other recordings by these two musicians, this album will be quite a surprise, if not a total shock, as both of them are usually associated with the Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene and their music on this album (at least in part) is melodic, structured and romantic on occasion, with Wojcinski even singing occasionally. Actually this approach is quite refreshing as it shows new facets of their musical personalities and results in the album being diverse and unpredictable. Of course they are both first rate players, which is already a well established fact, but this album emphasizes that they are able to cross genre differences at will, with seemingly no effort. Kadziela keeps his guitar idiosyncrasies to a reasonable minimum, not using the distortion and other devices as much as usually, which enables the listener to hear him play "naked" guitar at last. Wojcinski, as usual, is beyond reproach, always precisely on time and with the appropriate tone, keeping the harmony together. Overall this is a revealing, very personal and delicate album, which perhaps does not break any new ground, but is definitely a display of talent and interesting music making. Since it is more accessible that most other recordings by these artists, perhaps some listeners will be open to listen to their music as a result of hearing this album, which is always a good thing.

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MARCIN LOSIK ~ EMOTIONAL PHRASING DOT TIME 9037 (Barcode: 604043903726) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Marcin LosikFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Robert RaszFind albums by this artist. It presents eight original compositions, all by Losik. From the very onset of the music it is immediately clear that Losik is yet another representative of the incredibly talented new wave of Polish Jazz pianists / composers that is erupting on the local scene in the last decade. His highly sensitive, versatile and emotional piano playing is completely inconsistent with his age and so are his compositional abilities, which are revealed in full herein. The music reflects beautifully the typical Polish approach to Jazz composition, which merges lyricism and romanticism with highly advanced harmonic development, leaving enough breathing space and air for the musicians to express themselves and to have a mystery element floating somewhere between the notes. All eight compositions are equally interesting and intelligent, which by itself is already an outstanding achievement. The individual contributions by the trio members are all stellar, but all quite different from each other. Losik plays with passion but strokes the keys delicately and with great sensitivity, improvising elegantly and often playing around with the tempi, which could be well described by the album´s title. He leaves a lot of space for Wojcinski, who is carrying the burden of the metronome brilliantly along the way but also plays several dazzling solos. I must say that this is definitely some the best playing I have heard by Wojcinski over the years, solid, precise, highly melodic and technically brilliant. Rasz keeps his drumming well in check, painting the rhythmic textures amicably and most of all not trying to dominate the music. As a trio these musicians function as close to perfection as one might expect, obviously communicating and cooperating at all times. If this is what Losik is able to show us on his debut album, it becomes truly frightening to contemplate what he can achieve in a decade. The young European musicians of today show a level of education and proficiency which musicians half a century ago achieved only after decades of playing experience. In any case this is definitely a most impressive debut, which deserves the attention of all fans of European Jazz, wherever they might be. Well done indeed!

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PAWEL NIEWIADOMSKI ~ INTRODUCTION FOR TUNE 0085 (Barcode: 5902768701906) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish trombonist / composer Pawel NiewiadomskiFind albums by this artist recorded in a quartet setting with saxophonist Jakub SkowronskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech RomanowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, all by Niewiadomski. Trombone-led Jazz ensembles are relatively rare and therefore every time one of those lands on my lap it receives special attention. In this case the attention turned out to we well justified, as this album is definitely a surprising gem. The music, although based on melodic themes stated at the beginning, develops into a Free Form group improvisation, which are full of passion and imaginative approach to the expanded Jazz idiom. Although still relatively young, these musicians are all experienced improvisers and excellent instrumentalists, with skills, technique and evident talent. These qualities, combined with the obvious camaraderie and mutual respect between the quartet members enables a creative atmosphere which results in very effective musical achievements. The resulting music is cohesive, highly passionate and aesthetically just right, which is a pleasure to listen to. The individual statements by the quartet members are all top notch: Niewiadomski pushes the limited trombone possibilities into the realm of physically impossible, Skowronski adds his convoluted saxophone statements, Wojcinski holds the entire album together with his superb bass pulsations, which are nothing short of sheer virtuosity and finally Romanowski adds fire and brimstone to the proceedings, topping the overall sound with condensed rhythmic ornaments. The trombone / saxophone unisono parts, which later develop into fiery exchanges, are the highlights of this album, but the overall level of performances is incredibly high. This is definitely a most impressive debut, introducing another player on the Polish Improvised Music scene, which is worth being followed, expecting only the best to come. This album will be very hard to beat, so I´m already waiting to hear the follow up, but in the meantime this is something the trombone connoisseurs and Polish Jazz fans will definitely not want to miss. Magnificent playing!

Updated: 26/02/2016Posted: 26/02/2016

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POLMUZ ~ DRZEWIEJ NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz ensemble PolmuzFind albums by this artist, led by saxophonist Michal FetlerFind albums by this artist, which also includes drummer Rafal IgielFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and synthesizer / electronics specialist Rafal ZapalaFind albums by this artist, who uses a vintage Soviet made analog synthesizer called Polivox. The 2CD album presents contemporary interpretations of archival, over 100 years old recordings of Polish Folklore, which were accidently given to Igiel, who shared them with Fetler and the idea to re-interpret the music was born. Both CDs present the same six original archival pieces, interpreted in alternate versions. Although incorporation of Polish Folklore within Polish Jazz is a continuous and often very fruitful tradition, the interpretations on this album take the matter much further than usually attempted, with a more radical / Avant-Garde approach, which removes the music a long distance away from its original roots. The extensive use of synthesizes and electronics, an ambient sound environment and rhythmic freedom create a much denser soundscapes than those which are the usual result of Jazz / Folklore encounters. As such the music is much more interesting but at the same time also more challenging. It definitely requires attentive listening, with a deeper intellectual and emotional involvement. The idea to present alternate versions proves to be especially effective, as these versions differ dramatically from each other and expand the scope of the interpretations, achieving an enhanced result. Overall this is a very bold, interesting and adventurous musical experiment, which deserves to be heard and enjoyed by connoisseurs of Avant-Garde Polish / European Jazz, which never ceases to surprise. Although this album received very little exposure so far, it is definitely worth seeking out!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 20/02/2019

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SOLARIS ~ SOLARIS NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 190317000531) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz quartet SolarisFind albums by this artist, comprising of guitarist Michal StarkiewiczFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz LicakFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and Chilean drummer Luis Mora MatusFind albums by this artist. The album, recorded live, presents six tracks, all original compositions by Starkiewicz. As the quartet’s name and album’s title suggest, the music is inspired by the writings of Polish author Stanislaw LemFind albums by this artist. The music is a kind of Jazz-Rock Fusion, somewhere between Heavy Metal and Free Jazz, with strong rhythmic patterns and advanced improvisations by the saxophone and guitar, somehow reminiscent of the two albums Starkiewicz and Licak recorded together as partners in the Beat FreaksFind albums by this artist quartet a few years ago, but way less restrained and Free oriented, probably due to the presence of Wojcinski and Matus, who hail from the Improvised Music circles. The music develops gradually from relatively well-organized intros and builds up towards tense crescendos, which gives all the musicians plenty of opportunity to show their individual chops and develop an ensemble statement. It has an industrial tinge to it, which obviously is intentional, as stated on the album’s booklet. Overall, this is quite original, and certainly rare musical statement on the local Jazz scene, which offers a unique approach to improvisation and creation of sound, which might feel quite alien at first, but certainly is highly absorbing and surprising. Listeners looking for new forms of expression within the widely treated Jazz domain, will probably enjoy this music immensely, despite the fact that it is somewhat an acquired taste, which sounds better and better with each listening attempt. Ambitious and unusual enough to be respected!

Updated: 20/12/2023Posted: 20/12/2023

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DOMINIK STRYCHARSKI CORE 6 ~ CZOCZKO FOR TUNE 0072 (Barcode: 5902768701708) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 In the last couple of years the burgeoning Polish Jazz / Improvised Music scene re-discovered Polish Folklore and a long series of albums, which amalgamates these two genres into contemporary Jazz-World Fusion, have been recorded. As usual in such circumstances some of these albums are truly phenomenal and others are distinctly less so. On this album Polish flautist / recorder player Dominik StrycharskiFind albums by this artist presents a series of nine compositions inspired by Kashubian folk songs, arranged and transformed into the Jazz / Improvised Music environment. Three of these pieces are performed by a duo comprising of Strycharski and clarinetist Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist and the remaining six pieces are performed by a sextet which features a double rhythm section: bassists Zbigniew KozeraFind albums by this artist and Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Hubert ZemlerFind albums by this artist and Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist; all of them are top representatives of the Polish Improvised Music milieu. As much as I respect all these musicians, it is completely beyond me why they would invest time and energy into this project, which honestly is simply completely banal and meaningless in my opinion. None of the aims expected form the amalgamation of World Music and Jazz are achieved here; the folkloristic themes remain bare and simple and the Jazz additions plainly don´t stick to them. The double rhythm section is bombastic and overbearing, being mostly contra productive and the overall proceedings are simply pointless and boring. Polish Folklore and Jazz have a proven record of working together wonderfully, both in the early Polish Jazz history in the 1960s and 1970s and currently with brilliant projects, many of which were released by For TuneFind albums on this label Records. This one is sadly a miss. Of course this is only my personal view and others might disagree with me, as usual. The musicians will probably not like these words either, but hey this is what I hear…

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WOJCINSKI / SZMANDA QUARTET ~ DELUSIONS FSR 2016/06 (Barcode: 5905279364066) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2014 Released: 2016 This is a debut album by the Wojcinski / Szmanda QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of trumpeter Maurycy WojcinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon WojcinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. It presents eight original compositions, which are not credited on the album´s cover and are therefore assumed to be co-composed by all the quartet members. The Wojcinski brothers are quite known on the Polish scene, each of them active in a separate setting, and this more or less spontaneous meeting of their respective talents is quite a surprise. They claim that the participation of Szmanda was the decisive factor, which turned the four individuals into a bona fide Jazz quartet. The music, which is very difficult to describe as it eschews most of the Jazz conventions, is a form of conversation, which allows space and freedom for the individual players, but is coherent enough to create an aesthetic whole, which also makes a musical sense, although definitely does not try to make it easy to be absorbed. It develops slowly, often from an individual sound, changing into a duet and then being joined by the others, to eventually reach an ensemble form, with all four musicians contributing with equal intensity. Although all four musicians are obvious masters of their personal instruments, the true hero of this album is beyond the doubt Ksawery Wojcinski, who serves as the binding, driving and steering element, without which this music would have simply fallen apart. His virtuosity and self-confidence construct the spine on which the other performances relay for balance and guidance. Nevertheless the other musicians contribute formidably, with Maurycy producing several scorching solos and Szymon playing many brilliant phrases and laying the harmonic base for the improvisations. Szmanda brilliantly does not attempt to play any straightforward rhythms and turns his contributions into Baroque ornamentations, which simply emphasize the basic beauty of the musical structures created by the brothers. Overall this is a brilliant Free Jazz / Improvised music album, bold, adventurous and interesting, which should make the participants proud of their work. There are endless little gems in this music that are worth being discovered and as such turn this album into a potentially repeated listening experience. It is also a superb example of music, which in spite of the strong element of freedom it is based on, does not venture into chaos and introvert expression that limits communication with the listener. This is definitely one of the strongest statements on the Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene in 2016 (although recorded two years earlier) and another excellent release on the Fundacja Sluchaj Records (FSRFind albums on this label).

Updated: 29/10/2016Posted: 29/10/2016

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WOJCINSKI / SZMANDA QUARTET ~ WITH ALL DUE RESPECT KANSAS ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the second album by the Polish Avant-Garde Jazz ensemble Wojcinski / Szmanda QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of the brothers: trumpeter Maurycy WojcinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents four lengthy compositions co-credited to all four members of the quartet. The music was recorded live as part of the "Quality Jazz Live!" series of concerts at the Quality Studio in Warsaw and offers an excellent sound quality and clarity. The music is less surprising this time, as it continues the direction the quartet developed on the debut recording, but it is by all means no less powerful and expressive. The four strong musical personalities are perfectly merged together to create a flawlessly tuned Improvised Music ensemble, which functions based on just about telepathic communication between the participants. The modus operandi of the quartet remains unchanged and is basically a series of conversations involving two, three or four musicians, often happening simultaneously on two or more parallel planes, which of course does not make it easy for the listener to follow everything that is happening and requires skill and concentration. Although the four pieces, which all last on average for about fifteen minutes, might seem a bit excessive, the result is quite the opposite. The intrinsic structure of these pieces is fascinating and offers a coherent build up of tension and musical scope. Starting with a few single notes, these improvisations fork (Unix users will get this) into several threads existing in parallel and yet cooperating to create a greater whole. One of the most interesting aspects of this music is the treatment of the traditional role of the rhythm section, which is almost completely discarded here. The bass and the drums are assigned totally equivalent credence to the trumpet and the piano and as a result become true partners of the entire process. The beautiful bass parts and the superbly inventive drumming are every bit as important in this music as are the scorching trumpet soli and the intriguing piano parts. Overall this is an amazing piece of music, which is a beacon for the entire Avant-Garde / Free Jazz / Improvised Music idiom, which sadly more often than not misses the "music" part in its essence. It is the epitome of contemporary European / Polish Jazz at its best, which proves again that great Avant-Garde music can be communicative due to its intrinsic power of expression. These fabulous musicians don’t mess around, as so many other representatives of this idiom constantly do, and simply play music. Hats off Gentlemen!

Updated: 15/06/2019Posted: 15/06/2019

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KSAWERY WOJCINSKI ~ THE SOUL FOR TUNE 0041 (Barcode: 5902768701401) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut solo album by the Polish Jazz bassist / composer Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist, best known for his work on the vibrant Polish Avant-Garde scene and his role in the HeraFind albums by this artist ensemble, led by Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist. On this album Wojcinski plays bass, piano, guitar, drums and sings. The album comprises of thirteen tunes, eleven of which were composed by Wojcinski, one was co-composed by him and the sound engineer Michal KupiczFind albums by this artist and the remaining one is a traditional song. As much as I like musical experimentation and unconventional excursions, the music on this album leaves me completely cold. Although the album´s liner notes speak about a dialogue between the musician and the listener, personally I hear just a bunch of self indulgent ditties, which lack any consistence, don´t convey any musical message and make no aesthetic sense whatsoever. There is no doubt that Wojcinski is an excellent bassist, which he had plenty of opportunities to prove, and a sensitive musician. Somehow this music simply does not make any sense to me nor is it satisfactory on any of the planes I relate to music, like melody, harmony, improvisation, compositional depth and virtuosic performances. None of the above is present here as far as I am concerned. Of course solo albums are particularly difficult and perhaps Wojcinski is simply not ready yet to take such a heroic plunge? Or perhaps it is only me not getting it? I have no idea, but this is not something I´ll consider listening to again in the foreseeable future.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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