Record Reviews

MIKOLAJ BLAJDA / ORIENT EXPRESS ORCHESTRA ~ SZEHEREZADA FILHARMONIA FUTURA (Barcode: 5902659800923) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is an ambitious Jazz-World Fusion project by Polish multi-instrumentalist / composer / arranger / conductor Mikolaj BlajdaFind albums by this artist, which reflects his fascination with Arab culture in general and Arabic music in particular. The project is carried out by a large ensemble, which combines musicians originating from Arab countries, like vocalists Rasm Al-MashanFind albums by this artist (living in Poland) and Wissem KarouiFind albums by this artist, oud player Amine MraihiFind albums by this artist and qanun player Hamza MraihiFind albums by this artist, who are joined by Polish Jazz musicians like flautist / saxophonist Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist and duduk player Pawel SoleckiFind albums by this artist. A string quartet also takes part in the recording and the leader plays keyboards, bass, flugelhorn and percussion instruments. The album presents nine original compositions all composed by Blajda and arranged by him, and is relatively short lasting well under forty minutes. As someone who hears original Arabic music on a daily basis and lives in a geographical location soaked in Arabic culture, my perspective on this music is obviously quite different from that of Polish / European public. Therefore I have to start by stating that the music on this album has relatively little in common with original Arabic music. It is a Jazz-World fusion project which incorporates some Oriental / Middle Eastern musical elements, which may sound exotic and carry certain mysticism to a European listener, but it does not go beyond that as far as being close to the origin. Having said that, the album is a most welcome and certainly beautifully weaved attempt to bring Cultures together and offers gorgeous melodic themes and excellent performances by all the musicians involved. European listeners should enjoy the wonderful melodic contents spiced with the oriental elements, as well as the Jazzier improvised parts, which come together to create a most enjoyable musical amalgam. The vocal parts are among the highlights of the album. Overall this is an ingenious attempt to bring the riches of Arabic music one step closer to listeners who have no opportunity to discover them from other sources. It also breaks the xenophobic barriers between People, emphasizing the universality of Music and its beauty, which crosses boundaries much easier that ideologies. The album offers intelligent, well constructed music, which is accessible but makes no opportunistic compromises. For listeners who are open to music reaching beyond their immediate environment this is a most enjoyable adventure.

Updated: 04/07/2019Posted: 04/07/2019

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ROBERT DICK / LESZEK HEFI WISNIOWSKI ~ POWERS OF TWO HEFI 2023/01 (Barcode: 3266524278081) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is a duo album by American and Polish flautists / composers Robert DickFind albums by this artist and Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist, who cooperated for over ten years performing together as a duo and finally recorded the music in NY. The album presents eight improvised / co-composed pieces, performed on a plethora of flutes and other instrument, all completely acoustic. Although the music is freely improvised, it does offer many short melodic themes in between the improvisations, which altogether sounds wonderfully organized and coherent, at least to the cognoscenti. The flute, in all its shapes and sizes, is probably the most “natural” instrument, preceded only by the drum, and is able to express human emotions very directly, rewarding the listener with its delicacy and penetration depth. In the hands (and mouths) of these two virtuosi, the flute becomes truly “magical”, going perfectly hand in hand with the fact that it is one of my most loved instruments. Improvised music is, by definition, intrinsically unlimited, and therefore many of the sounds the two musicians are able to produce herein might sound strange and even weird, but balanced by each other’s support are always perfectly matched, taking the listener on an enchanted carpet ride over deserts and hills, seas and mountains. Although perhaps not suitable for a casual listener, this music could win over a much wider circle of admires than initially expected. Overall, this is a remarkable excursion into the world of flute music, which presents a wide array of sounds achievable by that magic instrument, and a beautiful example of the “Art of the Duo”, which creates a bond between two souls, expressed by the music they are able to create together. Wholeheartedly recommended to music lovers, who are able to open their hearts to the roads less travelled.

Updated: 18/03/2024Posted: 18/03/2024

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GAWLAS / WISNIOWSKI / HERZYK ~ ABSTRACT TRIO REQUIEM / OPUS 2021/68 ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the debut album by Polish trio comprising of synthesizer / electronic music sound creator / composer Krzysztof GawlasFind albums by this artist, Jazz flautist / saxophonist / composer Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Wojciech HerzykFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, all being improvisations by the trio members and therefore uncredited as far as composing credits are concerned. The music is all about searching and experimentation, which of course means that it has much in common with Avant-Garde Rock and Jazz Improvised Music, being perhaps a tad more restrained and “cultural”, but in general displaying the characteristics of Freedom and spur of the moment music making, common to all such genres. The presence of Wisniowski naturally takes the music closer to the Jazz spectrum, whenever he becomes the focus of the music, whereas during his absence the music drifts more towards outer space, but the entire affair stays well within well-behaved so called “New Music”, which the Classical Academics like to call such experiments for the lack of a better term. The same question as to the validity of such music in a recorded form applies here as much as it does in Jazz Improvised Music – it might be quite a powerful and emotional experience when performed live in front of an audience, but the likelihood of someone listening to this music in a home environment is highly questionable. Nevertheless, artistic freedom and aesthetic expression make the recording of such music perfectly legitimate and praiseworthy. Overall, this is a very interesting and somewhat challenging aural experience, which although directed toward a narrow / limited audience, is definitely worth investigating by those fearless sound explorers, who are not avoiding challenges and exploring uncharted territories. I, for one, had a great time listening to this album!

Updated: 05/03/2022Posted: 05/03/2022

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HEFI QUARTET ~ LIVE NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 - 2013 Released: 2013 This is the third album by young Polish Jazz flautist / saxophonist / composer Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist, this one being released under the moniker of his current HeFi QuartetFind albums by this artist, which also includes the fabulous keyboardist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Tomasz KupiecFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartek StaromiejskiFind albums by this artist. The music includes one studio track (from 2013), three live radio tracks (from 2012) and six live concert tracks (from 2011), which also feature the veteran violinist Krzesimir DebskiFind albums by this artist. All the music was composed by Wisniowski except one track which is credited to the entire group and one which is a traditional folklore tune. The music is exciting Modern mainstream with some World Music influences, a bit of Fusion and other ingredients, all well amalgamated compositionally and beautifully executed. The first part of the album (the radio / studio recordings) is mostly calm and relaxed, whereas the second part (the concert recordings) with Debski is much more energetic, loud and expressive, with Debski´s input being quite dominant. Overall the music is truly excellent, but the album suffers a bit from being a somewhat hectic collection of music recorded under different circumstances rather than an integral statement. Wisniowski also makes a mistake of employing / inviting musicians, who are simply excellent, which sadly makes him the least impressive player of them all, even if he´s the leader. Kaczmarczyk completely "steals" the show with his superb solos, which are all simply brilliant, both technically and emotionally. The rhythm section also performs beautifully, way beyond just supporting the soloist, but actually contributing actively to the process of creating the music. These young musicians have already quite a lot of experience performing and even recordings behind them, which is immediately noticeable. Debski, as already mentioned, is a veteran with a very flamboyant style of playing. As a result the leader´s solos really sound rather pale in comparison. Nevertheless this is still a very strong album, which many Jazz listeners will enjoy immensely. Not too complex and yet interesting and versatile stylistically, this is definitely something worth listening to and at the same time accessible to a relatively wide range of connoisseurs.

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HEFI QUARTET ~ PARALLAX ERROR SJ 019 (Barcode: 191061111023) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz flautist / composer Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist and the second under the HeFi Quartet moniker. The quartet features this time the excellent pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and the familiar rhythm section which accompanies Wisniowski since several years: bassist Tomasz KupiecFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartek StaromiejskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents fourteen relatively short original compositions, all by Wisniowski, two of which were co-composed by Kupiec and one by Wania. From the very onset of this album it becomes clear that this is by far the most mature, coherent and balanced recording by Wisniowski, which presents him as a gifted composer and excellent instrumentalist in a best possible setting. The music ideally combines melodic elements with modern Jazz approach, which allows the players plenty of space to express their individual statements and at the same time maintains the unity of the quartet as an organic ensemble. Wisniowski treats his instrument with an utmost respect, flirting and even making love with it all along, always in perfect harmony and perfect balance between the emotional expressionism and the technical virtuosity. The pieces move between solos, duos and quartet performances, each of these settings emphasizing different aspects of the music, which is completely absorbing and magnetic in its depth of emotion. The presence of Wania is a crucial element of the album´s aura and its overall success to create to desired effect. Among the many Polish Jazz pianists, Wania is not only one of the very best, but also the most modest and most profound as a player, being able to find the ideal expression suitable to a diverse set of environments. He never "steals" the show and always fills the space with his stunning, delicate and perfect phrases. His performances on this album are definitely among his most beautiful and Wisniowski made a very wise decision to select him as a partner, which resulted in a brilliant piece of recorded music, definitely one of the best so far this year on the Polish Jazz scene. It is very satisfying to see that Wisniowski finally found his true realm on this album. After many years of searching, this album is simply a pinnacle of his achievements and a well deserved glorification of his talents, which will hopefully be followed by many more such fabulous musical vistas. Well done indeed!

Updated: 08/07/2017Posted: 08/07/2017

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LESZEK HEFI WISNIOWSKI ~ LECHOECHOPLEXITA CM 1002 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2003 - 2006 Released: 2006 This is the second album by the Polish Jazz flautist / saxophonist / composer Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded solo using the multichannel technology, which allows him to overdub his playing many different instruments to produce the final result, which sounds often like an orchestral recording. The album comprises of fifteen tracks, thirteen of which are his original compositions, one is a folk tune and the remaining one if co-composed with one of the guest artists, who play on six of the tracks. The music is a mixture of many different influences, like World Music, contemporary Classical and of course the Jazz tradition. The melodic element is very strong, which makes this music highly accessible to a wide audience. At times it crosses the delicate border between ambitious and elevator music, but that is of course a matter of taste. The overall sound of multilayered saxophones, flutes and other instruments is quite impressive and again very likeable. Since this is not predominantly a Jazz recording, it should not be judged by Jazz criteria. As a piece of Jazz-World Fusion it is quite unique and interesting, albeit hardly innovative. If this album was made sometime in the 1990s it had a chance to become quite a hit with the New Age listeners, but now, with the New Age trend discarded and forgotten, it sort of falls in between the currently popular sub-genres. Still it is worth to be listened to just for the sake of the original approach to making music and of course flute enthusiasts might find it appealing.

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LESZEK HEFI WISNIOWSKI / EWA LIPSKA ~ AWARIA SWIATA REQUIEM / LYDIAN 2021/23 (Barcode: 198002738196) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is an album by the Polish Jazz flautist / saxophonist / composer Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist, who plays on a plethora of flutes, saxophones and other “virtual” instruments, and Polish poetess Ewa LipskaFind albums by this artist, who recites her poems originating from two collections of her works. The album presents nineteen short tracks, four of which are instrumental intros and the rest include recitations of the poems accompanied by Wisniowski’s improvisations. The album is an obvious Jazz & Poetry project, but it’s minimalism and the fact that the poetry is recited rather than sung, makes it a completely unique and deeply moving piece of aesthetic wonder. This album makes me extremely happy not only because Lipska’s poetry is one of my favorite contemporary manifestation of Polish Poetry, but even more so because she remains relatively little known in her own country, despite the fact that her poetry has been translated into many languages and published outside of Poland. Sadly, this kind of “Cultural anomaly” repeats itself way to often in Poland. As if this was not enough, Wisniewski is also highly underappreciated on the Polish Jazz scene, so this album is a double vindication of sorts. Wisniowski’s improvisations fit the poetry like a glove, subdued and lethargic they emphasize the “dark” nature of the poetry, often bordering on tragic or even macabre, with the music and words intertwined with each other in a perfect way, which is truly magical. I am full of admiration for Wisniowski and Lipska for their courage and vision to instigate this project and execute it with such deep devotion and artistry. Obviously poetry and music are some of the most directly stimulating phenomena and while combined, their power of expression becomes an emotional tsunami. Overall, this is a stunning piece of Art, a Cultural capsule, which should inspire deep emotions and reflections in those, who are still open to such input. I hope this album gets the exposure it deserves, but lately life makes us all even more pessimistic than our age requires, so the outcome is as fragile as our lives. Nevertheless, I remain deeply grateful to the creators of this treasure, raising my virtual hat in a gesture of gratitude…

Updated: 03/03/2022Posted: 03/03/2022

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LESZEK HEFI WISNIOWSKI / EWA LIPSKA / GERARD KILROY ~ WORLD FAILURE REQUIEM / LYDIAN 2023/23 (Barcode: 3265584557891) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 The concept of cross-pollination between various disciplines of Art is as ancient and Culture itself, but its potency is never exhausted. Being a lover of Jazz music and Poetry, the combination of the two fascinated me since my adolescence, when I was exposed to some of its early appearances, both in Poland in the 1960s, and later in different counties around the World. There seems to me a mighty affinity between Poets and Jazz musicians, which of course is not really that surprising, since improvising with notes or words is not all that different after all. Sadly, poetry, as opposed to music, has one limitation, of which music is free, i.e. the language barrier. As a result, often upon hearing a sublime Jazz & Poetry album, I immediately ponder on the fact that people, who do not understand a specific language, like Polish for example, are deprived of the ecstatic pleasure associated with the interplay between words and notes. Therefore, it brings me a great pleasure to see this excellent Jazz & Poetry album, which combines the exquisite poetry of Ewa LipskaFind albums by this artist with the sublime improvisations by Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist, to be now available with the English translations of the poems, opening the possibility to enjoy this union of words and notes to a much wider audience. The poetry is recited by Gerard KilroyFind albums by this artist. The album is an obvious Jazz & Poetry project, but it’s minimalism and the fact that the poetry is recited rather than sung, makes it a completely unique and deeply moving piece of aesthetic wonder. This album makes me extremely happy not only because Lipska’s poetry is one of my favorite contemporary manifestation of Polish Poetry, but even more so because she remains relatively little known in her own country, despite the fact that her poetry has been translated into many languages and published outside of Poland. Sadly, this kind of “Cultural anomaly” repeats itself way to often in Poland. As if this was not enough, Wisniowski is also highly underappreciated on the Polish Jazz scene, so this album is a double vindication of sorts. Wisniowski’s improvisations fit the poetry like a glove, subdued and lethargic they emphasize the “dark” nature of the poetry, often bordering on tragic or even macabre, with the music and words intertwined with each other in a perfect way, which is truly magical. I am full of admiration for Wisniowski and Lipska for their courage and vision to instigate this project and execute it with such deep devotion and artistry. Obviously poetry and music are some of the most directly stimulating phenomena and while combined, their power of expression becomes an emotional tsunami. Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 25/02/2024Posted: 25/02/2024

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