Record Reviews

EVENT HORIZON ~ EVENT HORIZON SJ 017 (Barcode: 5912596066191) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2013 - 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish duo Event Horizon, which comprises of drummer Gniewomir TomczykFind albums by this artist and keyboardist / bassist Andrzej MikulskiFind albums by this artist. A plethora of guest musicians, some form the echelons of the young Polish Jazz circles and others from different areas, add their contributions, including Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, Aga DerlakFind albums by this artist, Krzysia GorniakFind albums by this artist, Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist, Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and many others. The album presents ten original compositions (one repeated twice), recorded over a period of several years, five of which were co-composed and arranged by Tomczyk and Mikulski, others composed either individually by one of the duo members or co-composed with others, improvised or being arrangements of Classical themes, in short a very diverse collection of ideas. Three of the pieces feature texts / lyrics in English. The music is strongly melody based and rooted in Jazz, but emphasizes production and sound at least as much as improvisation, creating wonderful contemporary vistas, which feel completely cross-genre and can be liked by a very wide spectrum of listeners, predominantly belonging to the younger generation. The music is intelligent and wonderfully coherent, offering a superb selection of melodies and harmonies, which often are absent in the so called "serious Jazz" recordings. Although this music can be categorized as Smooth Jazz for lack of a better definition, based on the "cool" and seemingly "smooth" approach, it is full of excellent musicianship and masterly music production. Overall this is a classic example of "don´t judge a book by its cover" (here both metaphorically and directly, as the album´s cover art is rather bleak, completely uncharacteristic of its contents). What might be considered as a youthful experiment turns out to be a solid piece of excellent music, which stands its own ground, regardless what the Jazz purists might say. In many respects this album represents what the new generation of Jazz players feels about Jazz, respecting the tradition but reaching out to electronics, new sounds and original approach, which attempts to discover new ground, which after all is the most important aspect of music making. This is definitely one of the most interesting releases so far in 2017, as far as I am concerned. Well done Wonder Kids!

Updated: 07/04/2017Posted: 07/04/2017

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HUNGER PANGS ~ II AUDIO CAVE 2020/004 (Barcode: 5905669566940) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2020 This is the second album by the Hunger PangsFind albums by this artist trio, which comprises of Polish guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, Polish (resident in Denmark) trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and Danish drummer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, three by Kadziela, two by Christiansen and one by Dabrowski. For reasons unknown to me, the album recorded four years earlier, is being released only now. The music continues the direction set by the trio´s debut, which mixes composed themes with free (collective) improvisation on one hand and Rock versus Free Jazz interactions on the other. The music is often rather minimalist, with three distinct instrumental voices merged together into one fabric. The individual parts are perfectly audible at all times and the amalgam happens more in the listener´s brain than actually within the music. All three musicians are strong individual voices, each of them with impressive recorded legacy under the belt in spite of their relative young age. Their work together is a typical example of being more than just a sum of their individual contributions, and certainly manages to be a fascinating listening experience throughout. As a big fan Dabrowski, his contributions usually draw my attention immediately and as usual he does not disappoint here. His virtuosic trumpet parts are simply outstanding; both technically and emotionally, and firmly assert his position as one of the leading European Jazz trumpeters of the last decade. It took me a while to appreciate the talents of Kadziela, but hearing him perform live several times in the last years broke the ice and convinced me as to his great talent as well. He is a very unique and forward thinking player and composer, firmly stuck in the proud legacy of the Rock idiom, but always taking his music beyond the ordinary. He is certainly one of the most interesting guitar players in the Polish scene at the moment. Christiansen has also an impressive recorded legacy, which proves his outstanding position as a drummer, bandleader and for me especially as a composer. All his albums are superb examples of contemporary European Jazz and his contributions here are all in par with his usual excellence. Overall this album is every bit as good as the debut and connoisseurs of contemporary Improvised Music / Avant-Garde Jazz should be perfectly happy with every note this album has to offer.

Updated: 22/05/2020Posted: 22/05/2020

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HUNGER PANGS ~ MEET MEAT FOR TUNE 0008 (Barcode: 5902768701081) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 - 2011 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by the Hunger PangsFind albums by this artist trio, which was formed in 2006 by students of the Music Academy in Odense, Denmark. It comprises of two Polish musicians: guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, who is also the trio´s main composer, and the upcoming excellent trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, together with Danish drummer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist. The album includes nine compositions, which were recorded over a period of two years in Germany and Denmark, six of which were composed by Kadziela, one each by Dabrowski and Christiansen and the remaining one being credited to the trio. The album´s liner notes, entitled "A Vacation From Bebop", seem to point out the musical direction undertaken by the trio, which proves once again that the development of Jazz did not stop with Bebop and continues to this very day way beyond the established ground rules. The essence of this music is all about freedom of expression limited only by the artists´ abilities and talents. Stylistically the trio moves between diametrically different environments like Jazz-Rock Fusion and Improvised Music, but the music remains coherent and beautifully expressive at all points. The absence of bass, which usually glues the music together and adds tremendously to the overall atmosphere of most Jazz recordings, is not a major hindrance here and is hardly even felt. As usual is such circumstances, the musical cooperation of the trio members is more important than the individual contributions, notwithstanding the fact that all trio members present plenty of talent and professionalism. Personally the focus of my attention converges on the absolutely stunning performances by the trumpeter Tomasz Dabrowski, who is firmly emerging as one of the most promising trumpet players of the young Polish Jazz scene, which can be easily verified by listening to a series of recordings he made recently, including his excellent debut album released a year earlier. Both the guitarist and the drummer play very well but have not reached a point of clear-cut personal identity, which usually comes in time. The years spent in Denmark by the two Poles as well as the presence of a Danish drummer contribute to the specific Scandinavian sound / spirit present on this album, perhaps more subconsciously than intended. This recording is one of the multiple steps taken by the young generation of Polish (in particular) and European (in general) young Jazz musicians on the way to establish a new Renaissance of the Jazz artistry, which seems to overflow the continent with a Tsunami like wave of new talent. Considering the level of maturity and power of expression present here, usually associated with musicians at the peak of their artistic powers, it´s truly scary to realize that these are players at the early stage of their career. Released by the excellent new Polish For TuneFind albums on this label label, this album deserves to be heard by all European Jazz fans, as it heralds the shape of things to come.

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JAZABU ~ LODZ KOSMICZNA AUDIO CAVE 2017/009 (Barcode: 5905669566414) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish Avant-Garde Jazz quartet JazabuFind albums by this artist, which consists of trumpeter Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz GlazikFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek BuhlFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions / improvisations, which are not credited on the album´s artwork and therefore assumed to be all co-composed by the four quartet members. The music is quite typical Free Jazz / Improvised music offering, with short melodic lines stated at the beginning of the tracks, which are then developed into group improvisations and feature solos by the individual quartet members. Some of the tracks lack even the basic melodic theme and are completely improvised. The music appears to be working best when it is more contemplative and introvert, and as such delivers a deeply atmospheric musical aura. The more energetic pieces sometimes move into chaotic intensity. The lack of bass, which is only partly compensated by the guitar, creates a fluid, less rigorous rhythmic setting, which suits this music well. Jachna and Glazik were members of the legendary Sing Sing PenelopeFind albums by this artist ensemble, which was active since the turn of the Millennium, and their musical attitude was largely influenced by their formative years. Jachna and Buhl recorded several albums together in duo and trio formats and all three of them come from similar background. Kadziela is a bit of an outsider here, having been mostly associated with young Polish Jazz musicians active on the Danish scene, but since his return to Poland he is certainly more active on the local scene in several quite diverse environments. Together they represent an interesting amalgam of talent and musical experience, which definitely has a lot to offer. Although I was not overwhelmed by the music on this album, probably mostly due to the fact that although beautifully performed it offers little innovation, I believe that their future offers might be much more exciting, considering their potential. Of course the album offers some great moments and impressive soloing and the connoisseurs of the Polish Avant-Garde scene should be quite happy with this music, which more than anything proves that Polish musician are still searching and making an effort to cover uncharted territory, rather than succumb to lethargy.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 29/12/2017

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K.R.A.N. ~ THE ZOMBIE CHORDS FOR TUNE 0099 (Barcode: 5902768701999) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the second album by the Polish / Danish quartet K.R.A.N.Find albums by this artist, which consists of Polish clarinetists / saxophonist Tomasz LicakFind albums by this artist and guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and Danish bassist Richard AnderssonFind albums by this artist and drummer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist. They perform seven original compositions: three by Licak and two each by Andersson and Christiansen. The music is typical young contemporary European Jazz, full of complex and passionate statements by the quartet members. The brief melodic intros give way to extended improvisations by Licak and Kadziela, admirably supported by the excellent Danish rhythm section, with both Andersson and Christiansen already recognized as some of the best new generation European players on the scene. The quartet manages to balance skillfully between discipline and freedom, both individually and as an ensemble. Some of the soloing plunges deeply into Free Jazz, but the rhythm section keeps things right in check, successfully avoiding mayhem and cacophony. Licak sounds great both on clarinet and saxophone and Kadziela adds some electronic effects to his guitar vocabulary, enhancing the overall sound of the quartet. He also supports Licak very skillfully during his solo parts and plays beautiful unisono parts with him. It is very encouraging seeing K.R.A.N. make such a progress since their debut album some years ago, recorded when they were still students. The experience they all gained during the years that passed since then is plainly evident. By now they are a mature and fully equipped unit, which is capable of delivering solid musical statements. Overall this is definitely a very fine effort, which brings forward some fresh ideas and a lot of interesting music, which speaks volumes about the future of European Jazz. Definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 11/08/2016Posted: 11/08/2016

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KADZIELA & WOJCINSKI ~ 10 LITTLE STORIES FOR TUNE 0052 (Barcode: 5902768701579) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by the duo comprising of two Polish Jazz musicians: guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist. It presents ten original compositions, six of which were composed by Kadziela, one by Wojcinski and three were co-composed by them both. For people familiar with other recordings by these two musicians, this album will be quite a surprise, if not a total shock, as both of them are usually associated with the Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene and their music on this album (at least in part) is melodic, structured and romantic on occasion, with Wojcinski even singing occasionally. Actually this approach is quite refreshing as it shows new facets of their musical personalities and results in the album being diverse and unpredictable. Of course they are both first rate players, which is already a well established fact, but this album emphasizes that they are able to cross genre differences at will, with seemingly no effort. Kadziela keeps his guitar idiosyncrasies to a reasonable minimum, not using the distortion and other devices as much as usually, which enables the listener to hear him play "naked" guitar at last. Wojcinski, as usual, is beyond reproach, always precisely on time and with the appropriate tone, keeping the harmony together. Overall this is a revealing, very personal and delicate album, which perhaps does not break any new ground, but is definitely a display of talent and interesting music making. Since it is more accessible that most other recordings by these artists, perhaps some listeners will be open to listen to their music as a result of hearing this album, which is always a good thing.

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MAREK KADZIELA ~ JAZZ ENSEMBLE AUDIO CAVE 2021/004 (Barcode: 5908298549254) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2021 As hard as it is to believe, this is only the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a quintet setting with his brother saxophonist Maciej KadzielaFind albums by this artist, trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist and drummer Radoslaw BolewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Marek Kadziela. During the second decade of the 2000s Kadziela participated in numerous recordings and co-led several Polish and international ensembles, as diverse as Hunger PangsFind albums by this artist, JazabuFind albums by this artist, K.R.A.N.Find albums by this artist and KaMaSzFind albums by this artist as well as his own ADHDFind albums by this artist. These recordings present a restless, searching spirit, who is constantly trying to re-invent himself and drive towards uncharted territory, crossing genres with ease and competence. Over the years I have had the pleasure to listen to him live as well, which often exposed other aspects of his wide-ranging musical personality. There is no doubt that during that time he established himself not only as one of the leading Polish guitarists, but also as an important leader and trendsetter. In many respects this album (as Kadziela himself states on the album’s liner notes) is an amalgamation of his experiences up to now, with an emphasis on composition, as much as on his guitar playing skills. The rather unusual sounding ensemble highlights his originality as a sound creator, which enhances the acoustic quintet with skillful use of electronics, creating a modern, somewhat rough and toothed exterior, which hides the melodic contents, without damaging it. The individual performances are all absolutely stunning, with the leader moving between Wes MontgomeryFind albums by this artist and Jimi HendrixFind albums by this artist and back in an instant, always being himself. Namyslowski is a surprise as his playing is more open and daring than usual and the rhythm section does a wonderful job driving the music forward and filling the blanks. Overall this is a wonderful modern Jazz album, full of great music and intricate individual performances, not easy on the ear and demanding attentive listening, but highly rewarding. Although Kadziela made a giant step forward in his career, deep down he is still a Blues / Rock kid who loves to show his guitar licks, which I personally love as much as all the serious stuff he is playing. Having said that, this album is almost completely free of any Fusion accents, announcing the leader’s full commitment to the Jazz idiom. Hats off!

Updated: 10/04/2021Posted: 10/04/2021

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MAREK KADZIELA ADHD ~ IN BLOOM FOR TUNE 0079 (Barcode: 5902768701807) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by an international Jazz quartet ADHDFind albums by this artist, led by Polish Guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist with German bass clarinetist Rudi MahallFind albums by this artist and a Danish rhythm section: bassist Andreas LangFind albums by this artist and drummer Kasper Tom ChristiansenFind albums by this artist – the latter three being all members of the excellent FUSKFind albums by this artist quartet. Two distinguished Polish Jazz musicians participate as guests: saxophonist Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr DamasiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions (one appears in two versions), all by Kadziela and one standard by Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist. Although free spirited and unconventional, the music is perfectly well rounded and aesthetically pleasing, flirting with Free Jazz and Improvising Music but also presenting melodic motifs and straight forward progressions. Across the board this music is quite accessible even to listeners who are embedded within modern mainstream Jazz. Kadziela´s guitar playing on this album is quite different from his earlier recordings, and most of the time it is pretty straight forward, almost acoustic, and avoids the usage of electronics and heavy sound effects. He manages to completely keep away from the dreaded Fusionist banalities that most modern guitar players suffer from, which is truly praiseworthy. Therefore it is perhaps the first time the listener can truly appreciate his ability to play melody and complex improvisations, which sound perfectly clear and vivid. The solo guitar piece on this album is definitely one of its absolute highlights. The contributions by the other members of the quartet, as well as those by the guests, are all excellent as well. I have already written much about the FUSK quartet and these are some of my favorite European musicians, so their performances here are hardly surprising. The Lang / Christiansen rhythm section in one of the top of its kind at the moment and Mahall´s legendary status is already well established. Kadziela couldn´t have found better partners for his musical explorations anywhere else to be honest. The two Polish guests are also masters of their trade and the tracks that feature their contributions add generously to the diversity of this album. I admit to having digestion problems with some of Kadziela´s earlier recordings, but I completely love this one, and I am very happy to say so. This music makes perfect sense to me, worms up my brain cells and keeps me smiling. For me it definitely is the best piece of music I have heard, that he produced. But of course the future is ahead of us…

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KAMASZ ~ EIGHT ROCKS FROM GRANDMA´S BOX MULTIKULTI MPI 041 (Barcode: 5907529223772) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2015 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish Improvising Music trio KaMaSzFind albums by this artist comprising of guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek MazurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions / improvisations co-credited to all three members of the trio. Despite the fact that this album firmly belongs to the Improvised Music idiom, the music is relatively well "organized" and accessible, including melodic fragments and logical harmonic developments, wrapped up in minimalistic low key, spaced-out ambience, which overall is remarkably listenable. For one reason or another, this music remained unreleased for five years and only now sees the light of day. In the meantime the musicians involved in creating it recorded intensively, so this album allows a glance into the past, as well as comparison with their recent work. Whatever the reason, it is great to have this music out in the open. All three musicians contribute not only cohesive and sympathetic collaborative statements as a trio, but also interesting individual statements. Kadziela offers a diverse palette of sounds, often returning to his Rock roots, Mazurkiewicz keeps the music on track with excellent bass lines and Szmanda masterly plays in and around the rhythms, still able to swing al all times. Overall this is a highly enjoyable album, full of great playing and despite the open improvisations sounding organized and structured enough for most Jazz listeners to be able to have fun, giving it some slack. Recommended!

Updated: 05/01/2020Posted: 05/01/2020

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MICHAL KOBOJEK ~ THE OUTSIDE MANXIMUM 5908254159596 (Barcode: 5908254159596) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the second album as a leader by Polish saxophonist / composer Michal KobojekFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Witold JaniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw KuczynskiFind albums by this artist. Guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist appears as a guest artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Kobojek. Kobojek´s career is mostly associated with the Polish Pop / Rock scene due to his cooperation with many top Polish artists / groups in that area. But obviously the Jazz streak has always been there as part of his musical personality. The music is, as expected, definitely on the lighter side of the Jazz idiom, somewhere near the Smooth Jazz concept, which, as I have stated many times, does not mean that the music is necessary inferior in any way to other Jazz styles, as this album overwhelmingly proves. The album is full of absolutely beautiful melodies, all of which manage to avoid the schmaltzy stigma of the bad side of Smooth Jazz. The music is romantic and beautifully lyrical and presents Kobojek as a gifted composer, who mixes feeling with professionalism. The performances are all highly professional, but relatively constrained without presenting any virtuosic solos or complex improvisations, which of course goes hand in hand with the album´s intended character. Kobojek plays with a sweet timbre and stays close to the melody lines, but his skills are obvious as is his feel for the music. Janiak plays excellent accompanying chord structures, exactly what is required in this case, inserting several nicely structured solos. The rhythm section is doing a superb job in the background, with Pulcyn, as always, being the Master of bass accompaniment. Overall this is a very good straightforward Smooth Jazz album, full of great melodic music, which does not make any compromises as far as the quality is concerned. Listeners, who are Romantics at heart, regardless of their age, should find this album exactly what they need to make their day (or night).

Updated: 12/05/2017Posted: 12/05/2017

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VIT KRISTAN ~ IMPRINTS ANIMAL MUSIC 036 (Barcode: 8594155997121) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 - 2013 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by young and upcoming Czech pianist / composer Vit KristanFind albums by this artist recorded with his trio called Vit Kristan ProjectFind albums by this artist which includes veteran bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and drummer Roman VichaFind albums by this artist, and guests: Slovak trumpeter Oskar TorokFind albums by this artist and Polish guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and vocalist Agnieszka TwardochFind albums by this artist (on one track only). The album presents twelve original compositions, all by Kristan. The music was splendidly recorded at the SONO Records studio and engineered by Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist. The music is melody based modern European Jazz, typical of Eastern European ensembles and offering excellent and highly original compositions and conceptually atypical approach to the Jazz idiom, now rejuvenated by the rapidly growing new generation of European musicians, who refuse to simply follow the tradition and are ready to innovate even at a very young age, like in this case. Schooled at the Katowice Music Academy Kristan´s ties with the young generation of Polish Jazz musicians is pretty natural and continued in the years following his return home. The participation of Kadziela effectively expands the sonic range and stylistic diversity of the music with his Rock / Fusion soaked approach. Kristan consistently displays an affinity towards guitar players in his recordings following this debut, often with Czech guitarist Dawid Doruzka. The superb rhythm section of Honzak and Vicha bless this music with a wonderful feel of swing, despite the relatively open playing by these veterans, with a superb diversity and flexibility, which allow Kristan to venture into extensive soloing utilizing uneven rhythmic patterns. Listening to this album in retrospect, since for some strange reason it did not reach me earlier, and after being familiar with quite a few of his recordings released since, it clearly shows that although it is perhaps a tad hesitant, he was already a mature musician and even more so a highly promising composer blessed with an unusual talent. It is a bit strange that Kristan did not record a follow up album as a leader so far, and I certainly hope he won´t let as linger for much longer. In the meantime we can enjoy his work as a sideman or co-leader, which is always excellent, but it is high time for new original compositions, by a fully blossomed Artist. This album is still highly recommended of course!

Updated: 05/10/2020Posted: 05/10/2020

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JACEK MIELCAREK ~ ZYCIODAJNA WODA NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish Jazz clarinetist / saxophonist / composer Jacek MielcarekFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub MielcarekFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz StworzewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents five lengthy improvised pieces, inspired by the New Testament Gospel of John, fragments of which are recited by Waldemar KotasFind albums by this artist. The music is co-credited to all four musicians. Spiritual / religious beliefs have been inspiring music as far back as the human race exists, so the fact that such inspirations occur still today is nothing out of the ordinary. Jazz music offers plenty of such inspirations as well, those reaching the absolute peak with the late period John ColtraneFind albums by this artist’s divine and deeply spiritual musical Artistry. The music on this album is Freely Improvised by four excellent Polish Jazz musicians, all with impressive recording legacy. Together they are able to communicate and produce an interesting flow of Improvised Music, engaging mutual exchanges and sound variations between more ambient and electronics soaked vistas to acoustic planes dominated by the bass clarinet. The spoken word is a double edged sword here: on one hand the texts taken from the Biblical source are obviously highly dramatic and meaningful, and excellently performed by the lector, becoming part of the entire message, but on the other hand they are in Polish, which obviously limits the audience to Polish-speaking listeners and since they are quite extensive, lasting for long minutes, they stay in the way of the listener, who tries to concentrate on the music played in the background. This is obviously an Artistic decision by the creator of this project, which is perfectly valid as it is. Overall, this is highly interesting and ambitious musical project, with a profound spiritual message, to those who are ready to listen, but even without its religious implications it offers some excellent Improvising Music by superb instrumentalists, which is obviously heartfelt, original and aesthetically sound. A call for reflection of any kind is always a welcome initiative in this chaotic, Godless world we were destined to live in. Be with God, my Friends!

Updated: 15/02/2023Posted: 15/02/2023

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JACEK MIELCAREK KWARTET BASMYT ~ CORAZ AUDIO CAVE 2023/015 (Barcode: 5908298549766) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / clarinetists / composer Jacek MielcarekFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub MielcarekFind albums by this artist (Jacek’s son) and drummer Lukasz StworzewiczFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Emilia HamerlikFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents eight tracks, two composed by Jacek Mielcarek, one each by Jakub Mielcarek, Marzena MielcarekFind albums by this artist (Jacek’s wife) and Kadziela, two co-composed by the quartet and one is a standard. The music floats between Freely Improvised and more conventional Jazz vistas, beautifully played by Jacek Mielcarek and his cohorts, displaying strong spiritual trends, mysticism and contemplative moods, similar to his earlier recordings. Despite the high degree of freedom, the music remains completely cohesive and coherent, which of course is remarkable in itself. The fact that the compositions are contributed by several musicians adds to the diversity and scope of the music. Kadziela’s dense guitar passages and his utilization of electronically generated sounds also expand the range of the sonority and the rhythm section is hardly keeping time in the traditional sense, adding active tempo / rhythmic improvisation on top or perhaps just under everything else. The arrangement of the classic standard is one of the highlights of the album, demonstrating a perfect merger of tradition and innovation, all with sympathy and respect to the past put looking forward for new forms of expression. Overall, this is a wonderful example of Improvised Music, which makes sense, is reasonably easy to listen to, offers a balanced portion of high energy and tranquility, in short being a highly absorbing and fascinating listening experience, which continues previous achievements by Jacek Mielcarek and his favorite team of musical Argonauts. As usual I had a wonderful time listening to this music as should all open-minded listeners the world over.

Updated: 07/03/2024Posted: 07/03/2024

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ODPOCZNO ~ DRYF AUDIO CAVE 2022/010 (Barcode: 5908298549551) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the second album by Polish ensemble OdpocznoFind albums by this artist, which comprises of vocalist / bassist Joanna SzczesnowiczFind albums by this artist, violinist Marcin LorencFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr GwaderaFind albums by this artist. Synthesizer player / electronics performer Pawel CieslakFind albums by this artist appears as guest on all tracks and vocalist Joanna GancarczykFind albums by this artist, who was a former member of the ensemble, before she was replaced by Szczesnowicz, appears on one track. The album presents eight tracks and lasts only slightly over half an hour, making it rather an EP than a full album. The music is mostly based on Folkloristic Polish melodies, except for two original motifs by Szczesnowicz, adapted and transformed into a unique new environment, which combines electronic drone music, Jazzy improvisations and ambient vistas. The lyrics are mostly by Szczesnowicz, with some original Folk lyrics and in one case a poem by Japanese poet Basho MatsuoFind albums by this artist. The resulting effect is quite innovative and original, but it requires some time to get used to, and might prove too weird to many listeners, who suffer from the “instant gratification” syndrome. The sound is often intentionally muddy and the music is highly repetitive, all which does not make it easy to swallow the idiosyncratic amalgam. Probably several listening sessions might prove helpful. Overall, this is a fascinating experiment of cross-genre exploration, with strong ties to Polish Folklore and contemporary popular music. The production is excellent and the ideas spark with originality, but the album is way too short and somewhat hesitant, which might prove to be an obstacle. Highly recommended to listeners, who have already heard everything and are looking for something unexpected.

Updated: 07/11/2022Posted: 07/11/2022

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TOMASZ PRUCHNICKI ~ GNOMONIKA JB 018 (Barcode: 5900308517185) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz saxophonist Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech BulinskiFind albums by this artist. It presents ten selections, five of which are original compositions by Pruchnicki, four are his arrangements of Polish Folk songs and one is a "paraphrase" on a standard. The music is modern mainstream Jazz, with focus on the re-working of folkloristic themes in a Jazz form, which is a distinct Polish Jazz sub-genre, usually producing very interesting results, like the ones herein . Even in the original compositions by Pruchnicki it is possible to discover some basic Slavic elements and the typical Polish melancholy, which has almost no parallels anywhere else. Overall the level of the music is very high; both as far as the original compositions or the arrangements are concerned, full of stylish melodic and harmonic vistas and aesthetic elegance. The personal performances are all excellent, with the leader being up front most of the time and the guitar staying respectfully in the background, which works very well for this specific music. In addition to his saxophone parts Pruchnicki also uses very effectively the ocarina, which plays the traditional role of the flute, and adds some electronic effects, which bring the sound of the album up to date. The guitar adds a supportive harmonic layer and manages to fill the space effectively. The rhythm section does a fine job supplying the steady base and supporting the soloists amicably and capably. Some of the rhythmic patterns are quite tricky, but the rhythm section has no trouble taking care of them. It is a pity we had to wait for so long for the debut album by Pruchnicki, as he definitely has his very personal approach and voice, which is absolutely worth following. This is a very mature, balanced and excellently executed debut album, which hopefully will be followed by more recordings in the not too distant future. In the meantime we can savor this solid and inspired musical offering. Well done indeed!

Updated: 01/11/2016Posted: 01/11/2016

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SPHERE ~ SYNESTHESIA HEVHETIA 0085 (Barcode: 8588005257268) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by Polish trio SphereFind albums by this artist, which comprises of vocalist / composer Ania RybackaFind albums by this artist, guitarist / composer Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and clarinetist / composer Jakub DybzynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven relatively short original compositions, seven of which were composed by Rybacka, one by Kadziela and three by Dybzynski. Stylistically Sphere crosses genres and styles freely from one composition to another and often even within one composition, moving from clear melodic statements to Jazzy improvisations and even a serene form of Improvised Music bordering on Avant-Garde. The unusual lineup produces a unique and quite unusual sound environment, in which the human voice is treated as an instrument, playing along with the two instruments. The trio often uses a technique where two of the three members play / sing more or less unisono and the third instrument / voice plays "against" the duo, as if on a separate plane. This allows for a multitude of different combinations, which save the album from being repetitive or monotonous. Rybacka sings wordless vocalese on all the tunes, except for the last piece on the album, which uses a poem by Polish poetesses Wislawa SzymborskaFind albums by this artist (translated into English) as spoken lyrics. She also multi-tracks her voice to create a chorus effect and uses electronics to synthesize many different vocal effects. The guitar, although electrically amplified and the clarinet stick to natural acoustic sound. The resulting harmony and sound of the trio is quite eerie at times, but does not cross the border into cacophony. The most important factor of this album is the endeavor to search for new forms of expression, in an intimate environment and without stylistic limitations. These three young musicians are all well established Artists by now and Sphere is just one of several different projects they are all involved with. They obviously share the vision of creating new musical vistas and expanding the horizons, which by itself is commendable. This is not easy music by any means, even if it is mostly intimate and low-key. It requires from the listener a certain level of attention and dedication, as well as open-mindedness, involved with both intellectual and emotional process of absorption. But since ambitious music is never easy, the effort required to listen to this music is refunded in full eventually. Definitely a worthy effort which should make the band members proud and a high quality debut album by all means!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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PIOTR WOJTASIK ~ TRIBUTE TO AKWARIUM INDYGO 001 (Barcode: 5907222872000) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is a sensational album by veteran Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist recorded with a large ensemble which comprises of some of Poland´s top Jazz musicians and a few guests from outside of Poland. In addition to the leader who plays trumpet and flugelhorn the other musicians are: trumpeter Sebastian SoldrzynskiFind albums by this artist, shakuhachi and other wind instruments player Igor PietraszewskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Viktor TothFind albums by this artist (Hungary) and Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist and Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist, drummer Eric AllenFind albums by this artist (USA resident in Poland) and percussionist Jakub MiarczynskiFind albums by this artist. Two female vocalists are featured on one of the tunes. The album presents a five part suite composed and arranged by Wojtasik and dedicated to the memory of the legendary Warsaw Jazz club Akwarium (active between 1977 and 2000), which used to be the Mecca of Polish Jazz in the past. A sixth bonus track is also included, which offers an alternate version of one of the suite´s parts. The music was recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Lukasz OlejarczykFind albums by this artist, who as usual stood up to the challenge. I recently had the opportunity to hear this music performed live at its premiere concert at the Silesian Jazz Festival in Katowice, with a slightly different lineup, and the impact of the music was truly astounding. This studio version is of course much tamer and orderly, so in some respects it sounds quite differently, but of course it is no less remarkable. Wojtasik managed to combine several sub-genres of the Jazz idiom into one coherent piece of music, which presents a kaleidoscope of modern Jazz, pointing to its many sources from Bebop through Jazz-Rock Fusion to electronics. Based on strong melodic themes but allowing a lot of freedom to the individual musicians to explore and probe, this is a wonderful example of modern Mainstream Jazz, which manages to be fascinating, unexpected and searching. The individual performances are all great, as expected from this level of musicians. Kadziela´s guitar parts are the nicest surprise as he manages to transform the last part of the suite into a modern day "Bitches BrewFind albums with this title" ambiance, which should make Miles DavisFind albums by this artist happily turn in his grave. Mozdzer´s synthesizer parts are somewhat tedious, especially in comparison to what Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist managed to come up with during the concert. Of course Dominik Wania plays some stunning piano parts and it is interesting to hear him in a large ensemble setting. But overall everybody plays their heart out and the result is simply superb. It is great to see (and hear) that Wojtasik is still in great shape as a player / composer / bandleader and as a friend I wish him many years of good health and creativity. He can certainly be proud of his achievement here and I look forward to hear more of his work soon. His blessed work as an educator at the Katowice Music Academy is of course no less important, but seeing him play is a true Jazz experience. Te old lion is still capable of a mighty roar, which the younger lions are happy to return. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 30/12/2017Posted: 30/12/2017

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ZAWARTKO / PIASECKI ~ LEC GLOSIE NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz duo comprising of vocalist Magdalena ZawartkoFind albums by this artist and bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist, recorded with other top Polish Jazz musicians: trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist, pianist Artur TuznikFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, drummer Wojciech BulinskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jose TorresFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight compositions (one repeated twice as intro and outro) which include Classical and Folklore pieces and two original compositions, one each by Zawartko and Piasecki, also inspired by external sources. The concept behind the music is the amalgamation of Folklore and Classical Music with Jazz, which of course has been already attempted numerous times before, but in this case the selection of the music, the arrangements and the entire production of the project, which were entirely in the hands of the duo, as well as the superb execution of the music by the excellent team generate a wonderful and entirely successful outcome. Zawartko sings occasional lyrics but mostly uses vocalese and her voice is by and large used as another instrument within the instrumental environment. Piasecki plays brilliant bass parts and naturally gets more exposure than bassists usually get in ensemble projects. The rest of the instrumentalists, mostly veterans of the scene, perform accordingly, without a hitch. Overall this is an excellent piece of music from start to finish, intelligent, elegant and highly sensitive, tastefully conceived and brilliantly executed, in accordance to the usual high standards of the Polish Jazz scene. I have no idea why this album landed on my desk years after it was released, but better late than never. Highly recommended!

Updated: 25/05/2019Posted: 25/05/2019

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ZK COLLABORATION ~ SLOW FOOD (POLISH JAZZ VOL.86) WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190296508127 (Barcode: 190296508127) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the second album by Polish Jazz outfit ZK CollaborationFind albums by this artist co-led by drummer Adam ZagorskiFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Maciej KadzielaFind albums by this artist, this time expanded to a quintet with original pianist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist and new members: guitarist Jakub MizerackiFind albums by this artist and bassist Roman ChraniukFind albums by this artist (the last two are members of the Skicki-SkiukFind albums by this artist quartet). The album was recorded at the Warsaw Jasmine Jazz Club, but not live, and presents eight original compositions, seven of which were co-composed by the two leaders and one by Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, Maciej’s brother. The music is deeply soaked in Fusion and the guitar is the most dominant instrument in the proceedings, which remind the humorous “Heavy Metal Be-Bop” moniker almost perfectly. The compositions are all solid, but contrary to the statement in the liner notes, are completely mainstream oriented and bring nothing new to the table. The recording suffers from a murky / muddy sound, which makes listening to the album an effort and requires the volume knob to be turned down. The balance between the instruments is also heavily influenced, with the saxophone and piano often disappearing in the mix. Of course one can assume all this was done purposely and was the choice of the musicians. The members of the group are all experienced and talented musicians of course and there are many potentially enjoyable moments on this album, like the baritone saxophone parts and the more relaxed guitar soli, but this album sounds like something recorded in the 1970s, which might have worked well than, but sound rather outdated today. Overall, this is a rather mundane effort, which does not exploit the tremendous potential these musicians have to offer, and which suffers from some bad decisions involving the recording process. A pity but not a tragedy ;) Side Note The iconic "Polish Jazz" series of recordings, originally released between 1965 and 1989 by the Polish state owned record company Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label, which used the MuzaFind albums on this label label as its moniker, consists of seventy six LP albums. It presents the history of Polish Jazz recordings during that period, which includes some of the most important Polish / European modern Jazz milestones and reflects the extraordinary development of Jazz music behind the Iron Curtain. It is one of the most important historic documents of Polish Music and of course Polish Culture in general. The series had an eminent logo designed by Roslaw Szaybo and the albums were numbered sequentially from Vol.1 to Vol.76 accordingly. The album's artwork was wonderfully stylish and modernist, featuring the brilliant photographs and characteristic design by the legendary Polish Artist Marek Karewicz. Stylistically the series presented all Jazz genres, from Traditional Jazz to Avant-Garde / Free Jazz, which was extraordinarily liberal considering the cultural censorship imposed by the Socialist Regime. It suffered from some inconsistency, as far as the musical quality and aesthetics were concerned, as well as the internal "politics" of the Polish Jazz scene at the time, but in retrospect it achieved a spectacular overall result, unparalleled as far as consistently documenting a national Jazz scene is concerned. After the Polskie Nagrania catalogue was bought by Warner Music PolandFind albums on this label, the new owner started a reissue process of the Polish Jazz series, carefully remastered, repackaged and including extensive liner notes, which keeps the artwork as close to the original design as possible. So far forty four volumes of the original series were reissued. In 2016 Warner Music Poland decided to continue the original series by releasing new contemporary Polish Jazz recordings under the same format and even to continue the sequential numbering starting with Vol.77 – a decision I personally consider almost sacrilegious. Some things are simply untouchable, and the "Polish Jazz" series is surely one of those things. If Warner Music Poland wants to produce Jazz albums, which is always more than welcome, they could have started a new series, under a new title, rather than exploiting the reputation of the historic series. As a result, some artist whose albums are released as part of the new series might be led to expect instant gratification, fame and stardom, just for being an artificial part of a prestigious past, which of course is as bogus as it is sad.

Updated: 06/01/2022Posted: 06/01/2022

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