Record Reviews

MARCIN PATER ~ NOTHING BUT TROUBLE EMME 1917 (Barcode: 850869006503) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Marcin PaterFind albums by this artist recorded in a trio format with bassist Mateusz SzewczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam WajdzikFind albums by this artist. Guitarist Jakub MizerackiFind albums by this artist guests on three tracks. The album presents nine original compositions, eight of which were composed by Pater and one co-composed by him with other musician. The album was released by the Italian label EmmeFind albums on this label Records, as the result of the trio winning the first prize at the 2018 Jazz Juniors competition in Krakow. The music is a wonderful amalgam of cross-genre explorations, moving between modern mainstream Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion, based on beautifully melodic themes. The level of all the compositions is truly excellent and very surprising considering the young age of the composer. The three tracks featuring Mizeracki are understandably much more Fusion oriented, due to the dominating sound of the electric guitar, whereas the trio tracks are much more airy and atmospheric. Pater emerges as a surprising vibraphone Master, playing with remarkable confidence and technical proficiency. Every strike of his mallets is precise and superbly expressive, using sustain and delicate variations of the pressure to produce a wonderful palette of sounds. It is truly heartwarming to see the much neglected instrument finally being treated with respect and virtuosity it deserves. The rest of the crew is also excellent of course. Szewczyk and Wajdzik support the leader with swinging fluidity and Mizeracki adds another layer to the music, stirring things up with his edgy approach, but also remarkable flexibility. Altogether the trio / quartet present a clockwork precision and a velvety sound, which work like a dream. The album brings on some fond nostalgic memories or early Gary BurtonFind albums by this artist quartet featuring Larry CoryellFind albums by this artist (or the birth of Fusion), which are still some of best examples of vibraphone virtuosity not related to Bebop. Overall a very impressive debut album, perhaps not very innovative musically, but very refreshing and focusing on a neglected and much loved instrument, which definitely put this album in the short list of best Polish Jazz debuts for 2019. Well done and definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 31/12/2019Posted: 31/12/2019

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ROBERT SWISTELNICKI ~ PIOSENKI MILOSNE WCZESNEJ POSTKOMUNY I POZNEGO KAPITALIZMU I SJ 075 (Barcode: 5905489720409) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2022 - 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish multi-instrumentalist / songwriter Robert SwistelnickiFind albums by this artist, featuring five top Polish Jazz vocalists: Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, Jorgos SkoliasFind albums by this artist, Natalia KordiakFind albums by this artist, Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist and Klara CloudFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Sylwia Klara ZasempaFind albums by this artist) and instrumentalists: Swistelnicki on piano, vibraphonist Marcin PaterFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Pawel PalcowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and guitarist Pawel UrbanskiFind albums by this artist. Several additional musicians participate on selected tracks. The album presents fifteen tracks, with all lyrics and most compositions by Swistelnicki, except three composed by Palcowski and one by Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The concept is obviously a Jazz & Poetry presentation, although the music floats all over the place, from Blues via mainstream Jazz and a few almost Avant-Garde pieces. The vocal and instrumental performances are all as good as one might expect from these highly experienced singers and talented young musicians, but the scope might have been miscalculated to a degree, especially in comparison to Swistelnicki’s debut album “PiosenkiFind albums with this title”, which is way more coherent. There is simply way too much going on here musically, which combined with the complex and often vague lyrical layer, makes this album difficult to embrace, certainly on the first attempt. Of course one should appreciate the complexity of pulling such a project off. The somewhat murky sound quality does not help as well. Since the Jazz & Poetry idiom is by far one of my favorites, I pondered at length why this specific album failed to win my immediate approval, listening to it repeatedly several times. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it per se, but the abundance of musical ideas, which don’t have a clear continuity of focus is probably what causes my reservations. Also, it is difficult to hear clearly the lyrics, which in a project like this are an absolutely essential ingredient. A booklet with the lyrics might have saved the day perhaps, but alas it is not included. On the positive side, the trumpet playing by Palcowski is nothing short of sensational and the soul-shaking vocals by Skolias are simply exquisite. Overall, this is a highly ambitious Jazz & Poetry project, excellently sung and played by talented musicians, which should be very interesting to the Polish aficionados of the idiom. It is probably a matter of personal taste to decide if it fulfills all the potential expected from such a gathering of distinguished Polish Jazz Artists.

Updated: 30/10/2023Posted: 30/10/2023

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