Record Reviews

COHERENCE QUARTET ~ SAGAYE CHALLENGE 73457 (Barcode: 608917345728) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 - 2018 Released: 2018 This is the second album by the Polish Jazz Coherence QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Lukasz KluczniakFind albums by this artist, pianist Robert JarmuzekFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz MaslowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, two each by Jarmuzek and Kluczniak, one by Lamch and one co-composed by Kluczniak and Lamch. According to the album´s liner notes, the music was recorded in the bassist´s living room, using just a very basic miking setup, which worked out splendidly with the sonic result being just spectacular. The album was released on the Dutch ChallengeFind albums on this label Records label, which seems to have discovered the young Polish Jazz scene as of late. The music is all within the European Jazz mainstream, strictly melodic and "well behaved", mostly relaxed, contemplative and melancholic, but certainly very aesthetic and interesting. Each of the compositions is splendidly developed by the quartet and offers excellent soloing by all participants and great ensemble playing as well. To quote the liner notes again, the quartet failed to come up with a satisfactory result in their attempts to record the second album for quite a while, and the homey atmosphere and intimate interplay that these home sessions offer turned out to be the catalyst, which added the missing ingredient. Overall this album offers superb contemporary European Jazz mainstream, beautifully composed and perfectly executed, which offers the listener a pleasant, but far from trivial listening experience, which keeps him on his toes. Since I am not familiar with the debut recording, it is impossible for me to compare this album to its predecessor, but from what I have read about it, the quartet certainly managed to fulfill the high hopes the debut album delivered. For the many young Polish Jazz followers, this album is exactly what they expect to hear – great music, first class playing and that specific "Polish" resonance, which is instantly recognizable. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 27/06/2018Posted: 18/06/2018

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JANUSZ YANINA IWANSKI ~ YANINA FREE WAVE MTJ 10934 (Barcode: 5906409109342) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011 This is an excellent album by veteran Polish Rock and Jazz guitarist / composer Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with a quintet which also includes saxophonists Lukasz KluczniakFind albums by this artist (alto) and Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist (soprano and tenor), bassist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of six original compositions, five of which were composed by Iwanski and one is a group composition. Three of the compositions are quite extensive and last between eleven and sixteen minutes. The last track on the album is dedicated to the memory of the great Polish trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, who died shortly before the album was released and with whom Iwanski played in the past. The music is a unique cross-genre amalgam, which moves between Jazz-Rock Fusion, ambient / atmospheric improvised stretches and quite Free passages with the guitar and both saxophones improvising simultaneously. A strong melodic presence is felt throughout the entire duration, moving between the foreground and the background of whatever is happening in the course of the performance. Overall the album is mostly Free Jazz oriented and most of the time the group improvisation is the focus, although several simpler and more lyrical moments also materialize. Regardless of any attempts to categorize this music, it is quite elusive and listening to it is the only proper way to deal with it. The individual instrumental performances are all quite excellent, as all these musicians are obviously highly talented. Iwanski plays some superb guitar licks, which one expects to find only on albums by the top guitar players around. His tone is fairly unusual and clear and his work will surely make many guitar freaks extremely happy. Both saxophonists play with passion and conviction, both able to play unisono or play against each other like fighters in a ring. The rhythm section does a perfect job, keeping the music right on track. The bass is solid and steady and the drums strongly present and almost as aggressive as the soloists, which is exactly what this music needs. It´s a pity this album found only a limited audience, as it truly deserves to be heard by a lot of people, who listen to the different sub-genres of Jazz, as there is something for everybody herein. As all good music this is not easy-listening by any standard, but will definitely grow on the listener with consecutive listening sessions. Therefore people looking for challenging, innovative and highly absorbing new musical vistas should check this album out as soon as possible and as long as it can be found on the market, before it disappears into the great limbo, where all good music seems to be sucked into these days. Great stuff!

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JARMUZEK / PAKOWSKA ~ PRZED SKONCZENIEM SWIATA NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5907731954853) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by Polish duo comprising of keyboardist / composer / arranger Robert JarmuzekFind albums by this artist and vocalist Kasia PakowskaFind albums by this artist. They are supported by a rhythm section comprising of bassist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist and Hungarian drummer Peter SomosFind albums by this artist. A few guests also participate on selected tracks. The album presents thirteen Polish Folk songs, mostly from Lower Silesia, arranged by Jarmuzek. The album was partly recorded at the Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, and offers a spectacular sonic experience. The music sounds completely contemporary due to the masterly arrangements, which offer a strong Jazz under-taste, mixed with ambient sonic vistas. The Folklore basis is still present in the vocal layer, which is kept close to the traditional atmosphere, but modernized slightly in pronunciation and vocal ornamentation, which Pakowska manages to keep under remarkable control. It is encouraging to hear the young generation of Polish musicians discovering the riches of the Polish Culture, especially the regional Folklore, which is extremely diverse and offers endless hidden treasures. This album is an excellent example of tradition being handled with respect and class, as well as imaginative contemporary adaptation. Overall, this is an excellent album, intelligent and highly aesthetic, which offers a glimpse at the depth of Polish Folklore in an exciting, Jazzy perspective, which deserves to be heard by every music lover. It is certainly one of the most rewarding albums on the Polish scene that arrived on my desk lately. Well done!

Updated: 06/05/2022Posted: 06/05/2022

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KAPELA YANINA ~ 2001 SELLES 0115 (Barcode: 5908260401153) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1998 - 1999 Released: 1999 This is the debut recording by the Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion quartet Kapela YaninaFind albums by this artist led by the veteran guitarist / composer Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Lukasz KluczniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. They perform 8 compositions, five of which are originals by Iwanski, two are group compositions by Kluczniak / Pacan / Lamch (known together as the Kapela TrioFind albums by this artist) and the remaining one is by John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. By the turn of the Century (and the Millennium as well) Polish Jazz was entering a new and exciting period. The first decade (the 1990s) of the country´s political freedom influenced Jazz potently and led to the development of the Yass phenomenon, which was primarily an expression of rebellion against tradition and destruction of limitations and formulas, which ruled previously for decades. Although aesthetically Yass was rather rough and often limited musically, its main contribution was the openness, especially among the younger Polish Jazz players, which allowed for cross genre / cross Culture exploration and experimentation. Kapela Yanina exemplifies splendidly this new direction. Iwanski, a Blues, Rock and Jazz influenced player, manages to create a perfect new amalgam by inviting a saxophonist, who plays almost completely Free, a bassist, who is the personification of Funk and a drummer, who is steady as a Rock (pun intended). Together they are simply unstoppable and the music they create sweeps everything aside like a bulldozer. Just imagine John Coltrane and Jimmy HendrixFind albums by this artist blowing their chops together. Iwanski has a completely unique approach to his instrument. He plays only occasional solos, where he uses notes, but most of the time he plays chords, which are sustained, distorted and twisted and create complex, almost keyboards-like ambient background, which features the saxophonist as the main soloist. It is exceptional for a leader to give up his ego and allow someone else to play the first fiddle. Kluczniak is simply superb and plays with such confidence and fluidity, that one would never guess his age at the time this music was recorded. The fact that he remains relatively unknown to this very day is a travesty. The rhythm section is simply perfect, playing just what is right, from soft and delicate touches to a hurricane like storm at the climatic moments. Kapela Yanina was one of the most interesting groups, which were active on the Polish Jazz scene at the time. They managed to record one more album, called "The Searchers For Something…Find albums with this title" a couple years later and then after an almost ten years long break they reunited and recorded the excellent "Yanina Free WaveFind albums with this title" album. The fact that all these three albums received little attention is simply beyond comprehension, as they all belong to the canon of Polish Jazz recordings. This is an important piece of the puzzle, which is Polish Jazz, and anybody interested in it should definitely have this album in their collection. Apparently this album is still available and therefore I urge everybody to grab a copy ASAP, as this is definitely too good to be missed. Act now or be repentant later!

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KAPELA YANINA ~ THE SEARCHERS FOR SOMETHING… GOWI 56 (Barcode: 786497356225) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2000 - 2001 Released: 2002 This is the second recording by the Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion quartet Kapela YaninaFind albums by this artist led by the veteran guitarist / composer Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Lukasz KluczniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. They perform eight compositions, six of which are originals by Iwanski, one is a group composition by all four players and the remaining one is by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Stylistically and musically this album is a direct continuation of their debut effort called "2001Find albums with this title", which was recorded a couple of years earlier. It uses the same formula of playing long and extended improvisations, with the saxophone being the leading voice, and the guitar setting up the background, playing almost ambient chords and the rhythm section supporting the free / ambient structures with steady Funk / Rock oriented pulsations. The overall effect of this music is truly unique, combining seemingly incompatible elements into one coherent whole. In comparison with the debut, this album is more open and less constrained, but of course looses the element of surprise (or rather shock) which of course every new direction, musical or otherwise, is able to achieve only once. Listeners familiar with Polish Jazz are able to compare the version of Komeda´s "Kattorna" performed here with the original recording by the composer on his legendary "AstigmaticFind albums with this title" album, recorded 35 years earlier. Of course, depending on the listener´s taste and open-mindedness the comparison might result in a verdict anywhere between sacrilegious to genius. Whatever the result, it´s pretty obvious that this is simply excellent music any way one looks at it. Although roughly belonging to the Jazz-Rock Fusion genre, it goes much further beyond what is usually considered as part of that genre, adding elements of Free improvisation, Rock fierceness, Far East meditative moods and a plethora of other, probably mostly subconscious revelations. In retrospect is clear that Kapela Yanina was one of the most interesting groups, which were active on the Polish Jazz scene over time. The two early albums and the additional album they recorded following a ten years long break, "Yanina Free WaveFind albums with this title", all belong to the canon of Polish Jazz recordings. This is an important piece of the puzzle, which is Polish Jazz, and anybody interested in it should definitely have this album in their collection. Apparently this album is still available and therefore I urge everybody to grab a copy ASAP, as this is definitely too good to be missed. Act now or be repentant later!

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WOJCIECH KONIKIEWICZ ~ MY ROOM 101 KONTRA BANDA (Barcode: 5906713270011) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and his trio called TransgrooveFind albums by this artist, which also includes bassist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions (and a bonus remix of the opening track), all by Konikiewicz. The music is a keyboards-soaked Groove, Funk, Jazz-Rock Fusion, which has been the modus operandi of Konikiewicz since years. Layers upon layers of keyboards supported by a tight, funky rhythm section are a vehicle which carries a series of lengthy and well developed keyboard solos soaring above with passion. In contrast to most Groove recordings however, this music offers a very diverse melodic content, which Groove music seems to carry little about in most cases. The melancholic and lyrical acoustic track (where Konikiewicz plays acoustic piano) is one of the highlights of the album. Konikiewicz is an absolute wizard with his synthesizers, able to create an infinite variety of sounds and colors, which is truly amazing. The music on this album sparkles with new ideas constantly, and there is not a dull moment for the entire duration of the album. Same goes for the many moods and atmospheric soundscapes, which seem to float in front of the listener like an imaginary movie. The rhythm section is quite ideal for these proceedings, switching between straightforward timekeeping to delicate accompaniment on the more lyrical tunes. Lamch plays a superbly melodic acoustic bass solo on one track but is forceful and funky on other occasions. The same can be said about Pacan as well. The level of interplay and musical respect between the trio members is remarkable. This album should reestablish the reputation of Konikiewicz as one of the best among the veteran Polish Jazz musicians. Hopefully he will be able to grace us with new recordings more often than earlier, as we are nor getting any younger. Lovers of Groove, Funk and just great keyboards oriented music should find this irresistible!

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TUBIS TRIO ~ THE TRUTH CHALLENGE 73445 (Barcode: 608917344523) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz piano trio (Tubis TrioFind albums by this artist) led by pianist / composer Maciej TubisFind albums by this artist, with bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist, who replaced the original bassist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist, and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Tubis. The album was recorded at the excellent RecPublica Studios in Poland, and presents a superb sonic quality with a somewhat unusual timbre and was released by the prestigious Dutch ChallengeFind albums on this label Records label. This album follows the debut album "Live In LuxembourgFind albums with this title", which was recorded nine and released seven years earlier, and which achieved some international acclaim. The music is in fact only partly directly connected with the Jazz idiom, and belongs to the modern European instrumental music variety, which is strongly based on deeply melodic themes and lengthy lyrical, somewhat introvert improvisations, which use typical European harmonic approach, creating a manner similar to many other contemporary pianists, who record for the ECMFind albums on this label, ACTFind albums on this label and related labels. In most cases the compositions are slow and melancholic, with just a few of the album´s tracks using an up tempo pace. The music is dominated by the piano parts and the rhythm section has limited opportunity to show off, but supports the leader very solidly and amicably. The bass provides the bottom notes all the way and its pulsations are vital to this music. The drums provide a steady rhythmic support, which suits this music perfectly. The instrumental performances are of course first class from start to finish. Overall this is an excellent example of contemporary instrumental music, which is accessible to a wide audience without making any compromises as far as the music quality is concerned. This Polish trio proves again that Poland is a reliable source of great European music, which is on par with anything being created beyond its borders, usually quite ahead of the pack. This is definitely a welcome comeback, which hopefully will not be followed by another long term of silence.

Updated: 27/06/2018Posted: 11/09/2017

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