Record Reviews

JOANNA BEJM ~ JESTES SOLITON 972 (Barcode: 5901571099729) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish vocalist / songwriter Joanna BejmFind albums by this artist recorded with a Jazz trio consisting of keyboardist Rafal StepienFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. Violinist Marcin SkabaFind albums by this artist plays on six tracks and several additional guests participate on selected tracks. The album presents ten original songs, all composed by Bejm or co-composed by her and Skaba. All the lyrics are by Polish poetess Halina PoswiatowskaFind albums by this artist, one of Poland´s most striking literary figures. As such the album falls comfortably within the Polish Jazz & Poetry idiom. As someone familiar with Poswiatowska´s poetry I admit approaching this album with great anticipation mixed with some trepidation, considering the depth and intellectual complexity of the literary layer. I am glad to say that Bejm managed to embrace the poetry with considerable talent and respect, carefully selecting the poems and dressing them in appropriate musical attire. There is always a danger that profound literary work could be trivialized by inappropriate musical treatment, which sadly does happen from time to time, but certainly did not happen in this case. The music is, as expected, full of typical Polish melancholy and lyrical emotionality, which Polish Jazz warmly embraces on a day to day level, but in particular within the Jazz & Poetry projects. Low key ballads with slow intrinsic motion are like a gentle wind carrying the words like yellow autumn leaves. The deep sadness, which characterizes the poetry, is somewhat softened by the music, making it perhaps more approachable to the listeners. The instrumental parts are all excellent, as expected from these seasoned veterans. The rhythm section is steady like a rock and sensitive like velvet, Stepien is a superb player both on the acoustic piano and the electric keyboards, always playing only what is truly needed and his piano soli are the cherry on top. The guests add their part amicably and the entire album offers a coherent musical continuity. Bejm manages the vocal parts with respect and restrain, which of course is ideal in this case. She is an instrument delivering the poems, which are the focus of this album and she cleverly eschews unnecessary theatrics, which would have spoiled the magic. Considering the fact that this is her debut album, she does a remarkable job. The only small criticism I could think of is the packaging of the album, which sadly does not include the printed version of the poems – an addition that as a Jazz & Poetry buff I consider absolutely necessary. Of course there are copyright issues, etc, but it would have been nice to have them. Overall this is a beautiful piece of Art, an absolute must for all Jazz & Poetry lovers around the world, even those who are not native Polish speakers – the music transcends language barriers. Well done Milady!

Updated: 25/11/2019Posted: 25/11/2019

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BARTOSZ SMORAGIEWICZ ~ HUSTLE & BUSTLE ARTISTS RECORDS ~ POLAND ~ Gypsy Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by the Polish ensemble led by clarinetist / saxophonist / composer Bartosz SmoragiewiczFind albums by this artist, which also includes violinist Marcin SkabaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Sebastian IwanowiczFind albums by this artist and bassist Piotr DomagalskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader. The music is an updated version of early Gypsy Jazz ensembles going back to the legacy of Django ReinhardtFind albums by this artist, with uses the tango and the waltz as departure points into improvisation, all kept within the melodic and harmonic conventions set up eighty years ago. The acoustic quartet lineup is also faithful to the tradition, although clarinet and violin are not the first association fans of Gypsy Jazz would come up with. Nevertheless the music is all coherent and well weaved, with plenty of excellent melodies and vitality, which are the core of this idiom. Some other musical traditions can be also found within this music, like Hassidic and Spanish motifs Smoragiewicz, who studied with my friend Leszek ZadloFind albums by this artist in Germany, is obviously a very proficient and talented player and his clarinet work is excellent. Skaba plays very nice violin parts and Iwanowicz, although slightly less present as a soloist, plays excellent accompaniment. Domagalski stands solidly in the background serving as the backbone of the quartet´s performances. Although on the lighter side of the Jazz spectrum, this is overall a very enjoyable album, which at the same shows a high quality of composition and performance and keeps the Gypsy Jazz tradition alive. Definitely worth investigation!

Updated: 03/04/2018Posted: 03/04/2018

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KAPELA HANKI WOJCIAK ~ ZNACHORKA RADIO KRAKOW 16 ~ POLAND ~ Folk-Rock Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is a phenomenal debut album by Polish singer / songwriter Hanka WojciakFind albums by this artist and her ensemble (called together Kapela Hanki WojciakFind albums by this artist), which presents a superb set of fourteen original pieces, thirteen songs and a short instrumental epilogue, all composed or co-composed by Wojciak and all featuring her lyrics, except for one piece which combines her poetry with that of the great Polish playwright Stanislaw WyspianskiFind albums by this artist. The ensemble consists of mandola (a type of mandolin) player Andrzej ZagajewskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jacek DlugoszFind albums by this artist, violinist Marcin SkabaFind albums by this artist, bassist Mateusz FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomasz CzaderskiFind albums by this artist. A few guest artists participate on selected tracks. The album´s musical production was executed by the ensemble and Dariusz GrelaFind albums by this artist, who also was the recording engineer. In her songs Wojciak and her ensemble manage to combine her Highlander roots and other Polish folklore influences with contemporary Alternative Rock / World Music feel and sound, doing it better that any other Polish ensemble that I have ever come across. This music is fresh, elegant, moving and extraordinary sophisticated, with layer upon layer of both musical and poetic insightfulness. The melodies are wonderfully woven, serving as perfect vehicles for Wojciak´s impressive vocal abilities, changing from sweet innocence to witched nastiness, always delivered with taste and seemingly effortless ease. Her lyrics are also outstanding, using incredibly rich Polish language, which is almost never heard in today´s Polish songwriting. She uses old Polish words and words borrowed from dialects that are on the brink of extinction, words that make me think of my childhood when people actually used to talk like that, rather than using the "Polish idiot´s" version of the language which utilizes altogether about 300 words with every other word being the one starting with the letter k. The vocals and the instrumental work on this album, as well as the recording quality, are all exemplary. There are no exaggerated theatrics, no unnecessary over-complicated instrumental arrangements or studio mannerisms. Everything is crystal clear and straightforward sonically, which allows the listener to concentrate what is truly essential at any given moment. I have no idea why this album took so long to get to me (thanks to Mateusz Frankiewicz who actually sent it to me), but at least I´m able to enjoy it rather than stay ignorant. It is a major event on the Polish scene in the last decade, which sadly passed almost unnoticed. Why this album did not win all the awards on the Polish music market in 2014, as it should have, is another proof of the fact that garbage rules and the industry has no taste or idea about the aesthetics involved in making music. Thank you Milady for this wonderful gift of music!

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