Record Reviews

MICHAL CHWALA ~ IDI SJ 049 (Barcode: 5912596066856) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Michal ChwalaFind albums by this artist recorded in a sextet setting with vocalist Paulina Maczka-MichotaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Michal LukaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Maciej ChwalaFind albums by this artist, bassist Artur SiejkaFind albums by this artist and drummer Kamil KuklaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, all original compositions by Michal Chwala arranged by all the members of the sextet. The music is a deeply melodic and excellently put together Fusion, superbly performed by the sextet members. The compositions are well crafted and coherent, ideally suited for the idiom and the instrumental exhibitionism that characterizes it. Some of the compositions offer a multi-themed and rhythmically diverse structures, which make the music more interesting than most of the “usual” Fusion outings. The usage of the vocalese treated as one of the instruments is also a nice novelty. Considering the limitations of Fusion as a genre and the fact that everything that the genre had to offer was already said fifty years ago, this album still holds water and has some nice, enjoyable music to offer, and combined with the obvious talents of the composer and the instrumentalists / vocalist it is definitely a most entertaining affair, certainly as good, if not better than similar efforts released all over the world. Personally I had a blast listening to this album (oh well, I am a dinosaur who experienced Fusion at first hand) and can wholeheartedly recommend this album to the diehard fans of the genre, but I also hope these young musicians will discover more ambitious music in time.

Updated: 31/05/2021Posted: 31/05/2021

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