Record Reviews

WOJTEK MAZOLEWSKI ~ GRZYBOBRANIE UNIVERSAL 602517939738 (Barcode: 602517939738) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2008 This is the debut solo album by Polish bassist / composer Wojtek MazolewskiFind albums by this artist, well-known as the founder / leader of the legendary Polish Jazz ensemble Pink FreudFind albums by this artist, which managed to achieve considerable success on the local and international scene. He is supported on this album by a group of musicians, who were at the time members of Pink Freud or were associated with the group in one way or another. They are: trumpeters Kamil SzuszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and Tomasz ZietekFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist and Tomasz DudaFind albums by this artist, pianist Marcin MaseckiFind albums by this artist and his wife Candelaria Saenz ValienteFind albums by this artist, who provided the vocal parts, drummer Kuba StaruszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and percussionist Lukasz MoskalFind albums by this artist. The album includes nine tracks, which although not specifically accredited to Mazolewski on the album´s cover, are his compositions. Recorded shortly after the excellent "AlchemiaFind albums with this title" album, which Mazolewski recorded with Pink Freud, this solo album is in many respects a continuation of the musical direction initiated there, i.e. a return to highly improvised Jazz. The music is not completely free and is based on pre-composed motifs, but with a lot of freedom awarded to the individual musicians, leading to lengthy expanded improvisations. Being very atmospheric, it develops slowly from delicate hints and low volume statements, gradually arriving at magnificent crescendos, with all the musicians playing together. There are many World-Music influences, some more obvious than others, like the distinctive Flamenco feel on the pieces featuring the Spanish vocals, which Candelaria delivers with a chilling sensitivity. Although all the performances on this album are truly outstanding, I personally think that the work done by Masecki is the dominant factor, which turns this music from excellent to absolutely brilliant. The piano parts just keep everything together, filling the blanks and hinting towards the possible directions to be taken by the entire ensemble. Although not really up-front most of the time, his contribution is simply invaluable. This is a complex album, which requires several (if not many) listening session in order to truly digest it and to appropriately comprehend its depth as well as appreciate its beauty. Regardless of one´s favorite Jazz sub-genre, there is definitely something for everybody here, without compromising the quality or musical truthfulness herein. This is something no serious Polish Jazz lover should ignore, so if you don´t have it yet, get it as soon as possible. This stuff is timeless and although only a few years old, already feels like a classic.

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MILOSC ~ MILOSC AGORA 9788326812972 (Barcode: 9788326812972) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 - 2012 Released: 2012 This is the DVD version of the film "Milosc" by Polish director Filip DzierzawskiFind albums by this artist, which is a documentary about the Polish Jazz ensemble MiloscFind albums by this artist, which was the most influential group on the Polish Jazz scene in the 1990, revolutionizing the approach to Jazz in the country, establishing the Yass sub-genre and most importantly waking up the local scene from the mainstream lethargy, which was overwhelmingly dominating the scene for almost two decades that preceded the 1990s. Milosc was formally founded in April 1988, when the group which included bassist Tymon TymanskiFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist changed its name to Milosc. Soon after the group was joined by clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist, who left after a brief stay and then the drummer Jacek OlterFind albums by this artist and pianist Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist joined the group creating the core quartet of Tymanski / Trzaska / Olter / Mozdzer, which recorded the group´s debut album. A year later the quartet expanded into the full stable lineup when saxophonist Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist joined them to create the quintet version of Milosc. After several fruitful years and a series of brilliant albums, two with legendary American trumpeter Lester BowieFind albums by this artist, the group started to disintegrate, when Mozdzer left in 1998 to pursue a solo career, Olter died tragically after a long mental illness and Trzaska left the group in 2001. A year later the group played its last gig and formally announced the end of its activity in July 2002, after fourteen years of existence. The documentary, which was filmed during a four years period (2008-2012) pays tribute to the group´s history and to the individual personalities, focusing on the meeting of the Milosc members organized in order to prepare for a concert by the legendary original lineup, less Olter of course who was replaced by drummer Kuba StaruszkiewiczFind albums by this artist. The documentary moves between the scenes captured during these rehearsals, historic footage and interviews with individual members, speaking their minds out. The director wisely avoids any external commentary, simply presenting the reality portrayed by the camera, leaving the spectator free to reach his own conclusions. Although not a typical documentary by any standard, the film presents a cohesive and intelligent document, which highlights several profound observations about people, music and culture. Milosc was all about freedom. Considering the fact that the group was established at the crucial point of modern Polish political history, when the oppressive Socialistic Regime was about to collapse and Poland was finally to achieve its new political Freedom, Milosc expressed the same feeling of upheaval, but on an artistic plane. Polish Jazz, which exploded with incredible vitality and freedom of expression in the 1960s, slowly ran out of steam as a result of economic and social hardships and by the late 1970s and 1980s it was almost completely devoid of any truly spirited, adventurous, inspired activity and completely immersed into ambitionless mainstream. The young generation of Polish Jazz musicians and fans was about to rebel against this stagnant state of affairs and Milosc was one of the first and most successful demonstrations of this rebellion. Although initially associated with Free Jazz, Milosc never actually played Free Jazz, surely not close to its American origins established by Albert AylerFind albums by this artist, Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist and John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. The group was an amalgam of many musical influences and created a unique and new approach and stylistic expression, which eventually was christened Yass. And Yass was more clear about what it didn´t want to be rather than about what it wanted to be, a rebellion against "pretty" melodic, carefully planned, well defined by harmonic conventions music. No more of that old-fashioned bullshit! Yass was "dirty", imperfect, spontaneous, unconventional and constantly changing, but it did not exclude the element of melody and standard meters. Free? Yes by all means, but definitely not Free Jazz. From the very start Milosc was an impossible combination of conflicting strong personalities and diametrically different musical approaches. Why it managed to exists for such a long time is a mystery and a miracle. But musical miracles do happen and when they do, the listeners are the ones to collect the crops. The musicians, initially euphoric, start to suffer at some point and then simply can´t take it any more. The key conflict inside Milosc was always the clash between Trzaska and Mozdzer: a rebel and visionary and a classically trained hipster. This fundamental conflict was what brought Milosc to its knees, but it wasn´t of course the only factor. Poland and its cultural environment went through a dramatic change following the fall of the Socialist Regime, and a new reality emerged; politically, socially and of course culturally. This new reality opened up new possibilities and closed the lid on many others, which existed earlier. Such dramatic environmental changes have a profound impact on people, and musicians are people after all. The 2008 meeting between the Milosc members, which is the focal theme of this film, shows how profound these changes are, so profound that although they are able to play together, they are unable to communicate as human beings. Separated by an unbreachable chasm Trzaska and Mozdzer are further apart that ever, the former representing the Polish Avant-Garde scene still being its non-formal leader in every sense and the latter representing the absolutely opposite ad-nauseam commercialism; a clash of Titans, which simply has no peaceful solutions. So is this a film about failure? About ideas and values that get outdated? Personally I don´t think so. Yes, sometimes not everything works as planned, but that does not necessarily mean a failure and in some rare occasions failures can be magnificent. I still very much believe that the same values that stood behind Milosc: freedom, pioneering search for artistic truth, personal integrity and the courage to do your own thing, are as much valid today as they have always been. Opportunism and conformism have always been and still are the root of evil. This film is a wonderful piece of musical history, which sheds some light on a much neglected period in the history of Polish Culture. Although perhaps unintended, it also spotlights some profound artistic and ethic dilemmas, leaving the resolutions to the spectators. An absolute must to all Polish Jazz connoisseurs, wherever they might by!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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PINK FREUD ~ ALCHEMIA UNIVERSAL 602517578845 (Barcode: 602517578845) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 This is the 6th album by Polish ensemble Pink FreudFind albums by this artist, which managed to gain considerable popularity on the local scene, both with Jazz and non-Jazz listeners and critics alike. Formed in 1998 by bassist / composer Wojtek MazolewskiFind albums by this artist, the group changed its lineup several times over the years but succeeded to maintain its popularity and gradually achieved a cult following and a large fan base. Musically the group offers a unique amalgam of genres and musical directions, originating with Jazz and improvisation, but also encompassing elements of Punk Rock, dub, jungle, drum and bass and electronic music. In many respects it is a direct continuation of the Yass movement, which flourished in Poland in the 1990s, and could be referred to as post-Yass. Since Yass was initially intended as an expression of rebellion against the established Jazz canons, which many young musicians felt to be stagnant, post-Yass took the rebellion a bit further out, emphasizing the cross-genre trend, groove and even dance elements, which resulted in the music being much more widely accessible. As opposed to the intellectual image that Jazz is usually associated with, this music is intelligent fun music, with some Jazz associations, and should be treated as such, no more and no less. This album, which was recorded live at the legendary Jazz club "Alchemia" in Krakow, finds Pink Freud in an expanded quintet lineup, with trumpeter Tomasz ZietekFind albums by this artist and drummer Kuba StaruszkiewiczFind albums by this artist supported by saxophonist Tomasz DudaFind albums by this artist (who recorded with the group earlier) and brilliant young keyboardist Marcin MaseckiFind albums by this artist. Five of the six expanded tracks (all over 10 minutes long) on this album are originals by the band members and the remaining one is their interpretation of a Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist tune. In many respects this album is a "back to the roots" experience for the band, which returns to extensive Jazz improvisation, which although always present at the root of their music, was often subdued on their previous albums. The special atmosphere and ambience of the club and above all the presence of Masecki transform the band into a full-fledged Jazz combo and a great one at that. The trumpet / saxophone front line enables the players to stretch out, supported comfortably by a full rhythm section, with Masecki supplying some breathtaking solo spots as well. The emotional and more importantly musical level of the band heard here surpasses everything they managed to achieve earlier, and is truly exquisite. True to their basic approach, the band emphasizes personal expression and spontaneity rather that elaborate skills or scholarly musical background. For listeners, who can appreciate such approach to music, this is quite an experience. But this music is important enough to be heard by any music connoisseur and definitely should be re-visited for in-depth listening experience. Great stuff!

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PINK FREUD ~ MONSTER OF JAZZ UNIVERSAL 602527377025 (Barcode: 602527377025) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010 This is the 7th album by Polish ensemble Pink FreudFind albums by this artist, which managed to gain considerable popularity on the local scene, both with Jazz and non-Jazz listeners and critics alike. Formed in 1998 by bassist / composer Wojtek MazolewskiFind albums by this artist, the group changed its lineup several times over the years but succeeded to maintain its popularity and gradually achieved a cult following and a large fan base. Musically the group offers a unique amalgam of genres and musical directions, originating with Jazz and improvisation, but also encompassing elements of Punk Rock, dub, jungle, drum and bass and electronic music. In many respects it is a direct continuation of the Yass movement, which flourished in Poland in the 1990s, and could be referred to as post-Yass. Since Yass was initially intended as an expression of rebellion against the established Jazz canons, which many young musicians felt to be stagnant, post-Yass took the rebellion a bit further out, emphasizing the cross-genre trend, groove and even dance elements, which resulted in the music being much more widely accessible. As opposed to the intellectual image that Jazz is usually associated with, this music is intelligent fun music, with some Jazz associations, and should be treated as such, no more and no less. This album was recorded by an expanded sextet version of the group, which includes, apart from the leader, trumpeters Adam Milwiw-BaronFind albums by this artist (son of the great Polish saxophonist Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist) and Tomasz ZietekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz DudaFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Jerzy RogiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Kuba StaruszkiewiczFind albums by this artist. Of all the Pink Freud albums, this is the most "radical" one, with the electronics, dub and jungle elements taking the lead, pushing the Jazz improvisations aside considerably. As a result this album will be probably the least "appealing" to listeners with a strong Jazz background. Of the twelve tracks present on the album, eleven are original compositions by the group members and the remaining one was adopted from a composition by the British electronic duo AutechreFind albums by this artist, a choice which hints as to the general direction of this album. Although there is plenty of inspired blowing by the horns, the overall mood is somewhat hectic and lacks a clear musical direction. There is an apparent absence of well formed melody lines, which characterized the groups´ earlier outings. As much as the group´s intention to continue their restless journey in search of new expressions is commendable and admirable, it often is a treacherous path which could lead to disaster if moderation is not applied. One must hope that they will re-invent themselves anew with their future efforts, leaving this one behind as a document of their quest. Of course there is plenty of music here to be enjoyed and the album is worth listening to, even if one somehow expects something more from such a great group.

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PINK FREUD ~ PUNK FREUD UNIVERSAL 602517235328 (Barcode: 602517235328) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2005 Released: 2008 This is the 5th album (and the first on UniversalFind albums on this label) by Polish ensemble Pink FreudFind albums by this artist, which managed to gain considerable popularity on the local scene, both with Jazz and non-Jazz listeners and critics alike. Formed in 1998 by bassist / composer Wojtek MazolewskiFind albums by this artist, the group changed its lineup several times over the years but succeeded to maintain its popularity and gradually achieved a cult following and a large fan base. Musically the group offers a unique amalgam of genres and musical directions, originating with Jazz and improvisation, but also encompassing elements of Punk Rock, dub, jungle, drum and bass and electronic music. In many respects it is a direct continuation of the Yass movement, which flourished in Poland in the 1990s, and could be referred to as post-Yass. Since Yass was initially intended as an expression of rebellion against the established Jazz canons, which many young musicians felt to be stagnant, post-Yass took the rebellion a bit further out, emphasizing the cross-genre trend, groove and even dance elements, which resulted in the music being much more widely accessible. As opposed to the intellectual image that Jazz is usually associated with, this music is intelligent fun music, with some Jazz associations, and should be treated as such, no more and no less. On this album Pink Freud appear as trio with the leader and two other founding members: trumpeter Tomasz ZietekFind albums by this artist and drummer Kuba StaruszkiewiczFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Tomasz DudaFind albums by this artist appears on five of the ten tracks and two female strings players guest on two of the tracks. Nine of the ten tracks on this album are original compositions by the participants and the last track is their interpretation of a Charles MingusFind albums by this artist tune. The music is a typical Pink Freud mix of musical ideas, stylistically all over the place, but unified by the highly energetic and expressive delivery. The music definitely retains the rebellious spirit and often lacks the precision and flawlessness a Jazz fan might expect, but one must not forget this music is not about these qualities at all and therefore should not be judged by them. The ultimate question is the overall impression and effect this music has on a listener and if it is successful to make the listener spend an hour having fun while listening, it achieved its goal. Let´s make no mistakes here; parts of this music are quite complex and advanced, requiring attentive listening and seriously challenging the listener´s ear. Some listeners will mentally "skip" these parts at first, but might (hopefully) discover them later. Regardless of what one might think about Pink Freud and their music, one thing is sure: they can not be ignored. Definitely worth investigating!

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IREK WOJTCZAK ~ OUTLOOK ALLEGRO 016 (Barcode: 5901157049162) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2005 Released: 2007 This is an excellent album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / flautist / composer Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist and his quartet OutlookFind albums by this artist, which also includes pianist Piotr ManiaFind albums by this artist, bassist Patryk StaruchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Kuba StaruszkiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of six original compositions, three of which are by Wojtczak and the other three are co-credited to all the quartet members. Wojtczak is one of the busiest players on the local scene and is featured on quite a few recordings made in the last decade, both as a leader and a sideman, which span very versatile musical settings, proving that he feels comfortable in any situation. His technical proficiency and musical maturity are truly admirable, as are his compositional skills. This particular recording is kept in a "retro" Jazz-Rock Fusion atmosphere, emphasized by the excellent utilization of the electric piano, re-creating the ambience of early days of the genre à la Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist. But the music is completely original and up to date, with brilliant melody lines, which serve as a vehicle for expanded improvisations by the leader and the pianist. The rhythm section is also first class, providing just the right amount of support for the soloist during their solos and keeping the entire show appropriately slick and funky. Overall this album is a most pleasant listening experience, with intelligent and aesthetically satisfying music and first rate playing. Both mainstream and Jazz-Rock listeners should find listening to this album a valuable experience. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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IREK WOJTCZAK ~ PLAY IT AGAIN FSR 2018/06 (Barcode: 5905279364295) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2018 This is a live recording by a quintet led by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist, which also includes trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr ManiaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam ZuchowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Kuba StaruszkiewiczFind albums by this artist. The quintet plays music that was recorded by the "American" quintet led by Wojtczak, which recorded the splendid "Folk FiveFind albums with this title" album for the For TuneFind albums on this label label slightly over a year before this music was recorded. As the title suggests, this recording is another attempt to play almost the same music that was recorded for the "Folk Five" album, but this time by an all-Polish quintet. The album presents eight tunes, all originating in Polish Folklore and arranged by Wojtczak, six of which were already recorded on "Folk Five" and two are new tunes used here for the first time. The musical concept is of course quite clear: Jazz-World Fusion which transfers some of the treasures of Polish Folklore into the Jazz idiom, an idea that is quite common in Polish Jazz since its Genesis. As usual, some efforts dealing with this concept worked out better than others, but overall the seven or so decades of Polish Jazz produced a sizable and highly original amount of superb music created under this moniker. The aforementioned "Folk Five" album was definitely one of the highlights of that idiom and the attempt to try and repeat the magic that happened on that album was a bold and audacious undertaking. I am happy to say that Wojtczak and his cohorts not only managed to recreate the magic, but also managed to take the music to a higher plane. There is of course no doubt as to the quality of the music or the level of the execution, they are both simply extraordinary. Therefore the comparison between the two versions of the music must touch upon the fundamental differences between American and European Jazz, of which these two albums are a textbook example or even a paradigm. One might of course say that such comparison is a priori unfair, as the Polish Jazz musicians are way more familiar and culturally accustomed to the Polish Folklore element of the music than their American counterparts. But such argument is simply irrelevant, as these two albums clearly show. These albums are different not because the lack of familiarity with Polish Folklore by the American musicians, but by the intrinsic attitude towards improvisation and even more broadly towards music making, between the American and the European Jazz musicians. As a result of these fundamental differences "Folk Five" remains an excellent, very well played album, whereas "Play It Again" shows where the same music can get to, when played without the restrictions the American Jazz tradition imposes even on the best musicians. The flair, elegance, imagination, feeling and openness present on this album takes it to a completely new level of awareness and creativity. But comparisons aside, this is above all a masterpiece of modern Polish / European Jazz, which takes the Jazz-World Fusion idiom light years ahead in comparison to its rather humble beginnings, clearly showing that Polish Jazz is a stronghold of originality, imagination and musical ingenuity. This is an absolute must to every Polish Jazz fan and a supreme gem of an album for all seasons. Hats off!

Updated: 20/09/2018Posted: 20/09/2018

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