Record Reviews

AGA DERLAK ~ PARALLEL NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2023 This is the third album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Aga DerlakFind albums by this artist, recorded in a septet setting with trumpeter Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Wojciech LichtanskiFind albums by this artist and Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist, drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist and vocalist Basia DerlakFind albums by this artist. The septet is further expanded by the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (violinists Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist). The album presents nine tracks, all original compositions by Aga Derlak. Following two albums recorded in a classic Jazz piano trio setting, this album is a giant step forward (pun intended) in Derlak’s career, which takes her right into the “serious” league, with complex compositions and elaborate arrangements for an ensemble of eleven musicians, all of which requires not only a lot of work and talent, but also courage to undertake such an adventurous and risky enterprise. I am happy to say that despite my initial concern, she manages to pull it off without a hitch. The music is quite diverse and moves between song oriented parts with the vocals up front, extended instrumental passages spiced with soloing, orchestral movements with the strings parts dominating the proceedings, in short an ever changing stream of aural explorations, which keeps the listener on edge. Aga’s piano is omnipresent, supplying the harmonic and melodic compass to the entire enterprise and she solos sparingly, which is not surprising, considering how much is happening on this album almost at any moment. She weaves beautiful, romantic melodies, which are ideal for the songs (the lyrics of which remain uncredited), which are beautifully performed by Basia, who also offers some lovely vocalese parts, which are used somewhat in the background in instrumental capacity. The brass players offer some excellent soli, with Malek being as always the romantic heartbreaking champion, and the saxophonists moving more into somewhat more advanced Jazz areas. The rhythm section is as perfect as can be, despite the fact that I personally have a problem with the dry and muffled sound of the drums (not the playing, just the sound), which unfortunately seems to be the latest fashion, but of course this is a minor issue and a matter of taste. Overall, this is a wonderful Jazz album, which offers a capsule of contemporary European Jazz aesthetics, with great instrumental work, vocals and string arrangements, all coherently combined and balanced, and of course a set of great compositions. Hats off Aga for your vision and the stamina to make it happen. You have earned my respect and the well-deserved position on the Polish Jazz scene, which nobody can deny.

Updated: 19/08/2023Posted: 19/08/2023

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WLODZIMIERZ KNAS ~ PO PIATE NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Wlodzimierz KnasFind albums by this artist, recorded in a sextet setting with trumpeter Pawel SurmanFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Lukasz KluczniakFind albums by this artist, pianist Michal RoratFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz MaslowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Knas. The music sits well within the contemporary mainstream Jazz, with very well structured compositions and ensemble arrangements, which allow all the participants to show their respective chops. Knas selected representatives of the young Polish Jazz generation, which invigorated the entire proceedings and creates a splendid flow and resourceful atmosphere. Knas plays very well in a diverse stylistic range, from classic to modern electric Jazz guitar, performing with fluency and excellent feel. All the members of the sextet also play flawlessly and display technique and talent. The rhythm section drives the music steadily, without being over dominant and the brass players contribute solid solos and excellent background sound layers. Overall this is an excellent mainstream Jazz album, with great melody lines and elegant ensemble execution, which is a pleasure to listen to. Guitar enthusiasts should find this especially interesting, as most albums featuring guitar tend to present the Fusion approach, and this album stays within the good old Jazz guitar idiom. Recommended!

Updated: 17/04/2017Posted: 17/04/2017

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JACEK KOCHAN / MUSICONSPIRACY ~ PARENTES HEVHETIA 0158 (Barcode: 8588005258210) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz drummer / composer Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with young virtuoso accordionist Zbigniew ChojnackiFind albums by this artist, Italian guitarist Fabrizio BruscaFind albums by this artist and bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist. Ten additional musicians (brass and string sections) play on some tracks. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Kochan. The music is dominated by odd meters and irregular rhythmic patterns as well as World Music motifs and Rock / Fusion excursions, with strong Jazz affiliations but not really Jazz per se; altogether pretty weird and intriguing mixture of styles and influences. The melodic content is ragged and difficult to follow for an average listener. The overall result is quite a challenge to the listeners, but also offers plenty of opportunities to find a connection with fairly uncommon music. The individual performances are all excellent with Chojnacki stealing the show with his incredible sensitivity and layers of melodic revelations. Brusca is more proficient in the Rock / Fusion environment than within the Jazz idiom. Kapczuk plays well and provides a solid bottom that holds the music together. The leader´s assertive drumming dominates the proceedings taking no prisoners. The occasional orchestral arrangements do not change the character and outcome of the music significantly. Overall this is an interesting and challenging album, which may require several listening sessions to win the listener over. Kochan does not stay still and constantly tries out new ways to express his musical ideas and doing his own thing, for which he deserves to be praised. This is not easy stuff, but definitely worth investigating.

Updated: 03/11/2017Posted: 03/11/2017

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JACEK KOCHAN / NAKAJEE ~ LIFE, STRESS AND OTHER PLEASURES AUDIO CAVE 2022/005 (Barcode: 5908298549353) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer / bandleader Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist recorded with the NakajeeFind albums by this artist ensemble, which includes Canadian guitarist Jerry De Villiers Jr.Find albums by this artist and Polish keyboardist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and a mysterious bass guitarist Mo BooFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader. The music is completely beyond any genre classification, characterized by strong Groove, but entirely uneven rhythm patters, which create a completely unique aural experience. Kochan takes his music “further out” in comparison to his previous album, which also featured Wania and Prucnal, and although it contains clear melody patterns, the rhythm is the leading inspiration at all times, and the melodies remain secondary. As a result of this innovative approach the music is certainly quite difficult for listeners accustomed with “straightforward” rhythmic patterns and takes a while to get accustomed to even by experienced listeners. Kochan confirms his role as drummer / leader / composer, which characterizes his music since the early days, and for me reaches an apogee with this album, with all the elements falling right into place, creating a perfectly coherent sonic landscape. Of course this perfection is largely achieved thanks to the incredible contributions by the ensemble members, with Wania at the helm, who is in charge of the tricky melodic layers. Wania plays both acoustic piano and synthesizers, always with elegance and technical perfection, but more importantly with sublime taste and flexibility. Prucnal and De Villiers add solid improvisations and impressive soloing, and the basses keep the complex net in check, providing depth and anchor. Kochan is fully in charge of the rhythmic / polyrhythmic engine, which drives the ensemble forward. Overall, this is a very impressive, mature, complex and delightful piece of music, which firmly establishes Kochan as one of Polish Jazz great talents, who certainly creates his very own musical universe, quite apart from the mainstream of the local scene. Kochan certainly deserves a much wider recognition, but fame and glory where never his goals – the music and his inner truth are what matters, and this is why I love him and his music. An absolute must to listeners, who think they have already heard everything!

Updated: 10/06/2022Posted: 10/06/2022

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LICHTANSKI SOUND LAB ~ LIVE PRK 0127 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz quartet led by saxophonist Wojciech LichtanskiFind albums by this artist with pianist Michal SzkilFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The quartet, recorded live in the Katowice studio of the Polish Radio, performs six original compositions, all by Lichtanski. All the musicians are students of the Jazz Institute at the Katowice Academy of Music with ages ranging between 21 and 28 at the time of the recording. As usual is such cases, it is very hard to believe that this music was created by such young musicians. The level of confidence, skill and most importantly composition present herein is simply outstanding and usually associated with established artists rather than novices. Perhaps this is one of the secret ingredients, which make the contemporary Polish Jazz scene to be one of the best and most exciting in the world. Of course one has to be careful not to boost the egos of these young musicians beyond proportions, but honestly this music is simply too good to be parsimonious with compliments. It is scary to think what these young cats will come up with when they grow up? Lichtanski´s compositions are quite diverse both stylistically and dynamically, ranging from lyrical ballads characterized by that typical Polish lyricism and sweetly melancholic melody lines, to up-tempo numbers full of vigor and swinging magnificently. Yes, it is mainstream Jazz, but as such it represents the best side of mainstream, far away from the worn-out boring doodling, which is often associated with mainstream Jazz, giving it its bad name. As performer, Lichtanski has a beautiful tone, which normally takes years to acquire, which is as effective on the listener as a snake charmer. His technique is also quite remarkable. Hs companions are all first-rate players, giving him excellent support throughout. The quartet functions very well as a group, with the musicians listening to each other carefully and respecting their individual space. I´d love to hear more solos by the other quartet members, but I´m sure there will be plenty of opportunity for this in the future, as these musicians are here to stay. The pianist is the most intriguing contributor, with some blood-hurdling effectiveness during his solos, but the rhythm section is also exactly right were it´s needed, strong, precise and imaginative. In short this is one stunning debut album, which simply lifts up the spirit and leaves the listener longing for the next chapter, full of expectations. Well done indeed lion cubs!

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BERNARD MASELI SEPTET ~ GOOD VIBES OF MILIAN FOR TUNE 0151 (Barcode: 5906395808663) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2021 This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Bernard MaseliFind albums by this artist and his septet, which comprises of four vibraphonists (Maseli, Bartosz PieszkaFind albums by this artist, Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist and Karol SzymanowskiFind albums by this artist) and a rhythm section (pianist Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Marcin JahrFind albums by this artist), a classic “Summit” format, which I utilize since many years in my Singer Jazz Festival, and which was initially devised by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist. The album is a tribute to one of the Godfathers of Polish Jazz, vibraphonist / composer / bandleader Jerzy MilianFind albums by this artist, a pillar of modern Polish Jazz and one of the greatest composers, especially of orchestral Jazz, on the European Jazz scene. It presents a live recording of a concert recorded a few years back, which offers seven tracks, six of which were compositions by Milian (one co-composed with Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, another iconic figure of Polish Jazz) and one composed by Pieszka. The sound quality and clarity is excellent. The artwork features Milian’s wonderful paintings, an Artform Milian embraced after retiring from active performing life, which are reproduces in full color, for the first time in the many years of For TuneFind albums on this label Records history ;) The lines notes by Krzysztof BalkiewiczFind albums by this artist are well written and informative. The music holds no surprises, perfectly executed by the professional team and beautifully weaved by the Master composer, with the expected focus on the vibraphone (and marimba) as the tool of delivery. The vibraphone is a very dominant instrument and the thought of four vibraphone playing simultaneously is pretty scary; fortunately, most of the time it is just one of the four vibraphones (or two of them) that plays at a given moment, which makes the music perfectly audible and balanced. Since the listener is not present at the performance, it would have been nice to have a list of who is soloing on which track, but credits aside, all the players do a perfect job, as does the excellent rhythm section, driving the music steadily and securely. Overall this is an important tribute to the composing Genius of Milian and a very pleasant listening experience. For vibraphone enthusiasts this is of course a true feast. Of course it is also a well-deserved tribute to Polish Jazz history. Well done Gentlemen!

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 17/07/2021

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ANIA MICHALOWSKA ~ SNOW PEJZAZE SJ 023 (Barcode: 0105912596066) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz vocalist Ania MichalowskaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a core trio comprising of keyboardist Michal IwanekFind albums by this artist, who was also in charge of the arrangements, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. On three of the songs she is accompanied additionally by a brass section and on four by a sting quartet. The album presents nine original songs, all of which were composed by Ania´s husband Jakub KotyniaFind albums by this artist (two co-composed by her), who also plays guitar on four of the songs. The lyrics to the songs were written by four different lyricists. All of the songs feature lyrics in Polish, except two which utilize lyrics in English. The album also offers excellent sound quality. The songs are all beautifully lyrical and offer incredible melodic sensitivity. The typical Polish melancholy is omnipresent, which is hardly surprising, and is often emphasized by the lyrics, which are all intelligent and insightful. The music is wonderfully and skillfully arranged, to offer sound versatility and emotional vistas, which keep changing from one song to another. Musically the album is a true gem, masterfully weaved by all the participants. Although Michalowska is able to sing the English lyrics quite elegantly, my advice would be to give this a rest, as her Polish delivery is simply infinitely more effective. Michalowska has a steady, refined voice, which she uses smoothly and without effort, applying her abilities skillfully to express emotions. She treats the non-trivial melody lines with ease and elegance, even with finesse, showing absolutely no signs of stress. At time she adds small vocalese parts, which fill the blanks and hopefully she will use this technique more often in the future, as she does more extensively on the last tune. The instrumental performances are also absolutely brilliant. Iwanek is a superb accompanist and plays many stunning solo parts, mostly on acoustic piano. Kapczuk and Kuchczynski are an ideal rhythm section, perfectly on time and in tune, always right there behind the vocals, but never disturbing them with over presence. Kotynia plays some hot guitar parts and it is a pity he wasn´t featured on the entire album. The brass and string sections and even the background vocals all work perfectly. Overall this is a dreamy debut album, which every young Jazz vocalist would have been proud off. Great music, great lyrics, great vocals and a great team are such a rare combination, and she has it all on this album. Warmly and wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 20/10/2018Posted: 20/10/2018

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WOJCIECH MYRCZEK ~ CELEBRATING THE JOURNEY FOR TUNE 0155 (Barcode: 5906395808694) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 - 2021 Released: 2022 This is the third album by Polish Jazz vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist recorded with a classic piano trio accompaniment, which features pianist Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine songs, eight of which are American standards (sung in English) and one is a Polish song, obviously sung in Polish. Myrczek debuted a dozen years ago (2010) and his sophomore album “Love Revisited” was released in 2014, which means that eight years passed since we last heard from him, which on the hyper-busy Polish Jazz scene is almost an eternity. Lucky for Myrczek, as far as male Jazz vocals are concerned, nothing happened during this time to endanger his position at the top of that particular genre, and this album continues exactly where the previous one left us lingering, wishing for more. So yes, Myrczek is still a formidable vocalist, with a velvety voice and superb feel for the Swing. The trio accompanying him is also absolutely unblemished, comprising of some of the busiest relatively young Polish Jazz musicians, all with a considerable recording legacy. Kaczmar, who took part in several excellent vocal Jazz projects during the last few years, is an ideal choice for this kind of music and the rhythm section, despite a limited opportunity to show their chops, performs without a hitch. The question of course is, if riding the same horse will lead our hero safely into the sunset? Many Jazz vocalists succeeded in the past to ride on the wave of accomplishment for decades, without any dramatic modification of their style and aesthetics, but times they a-changin’, and musicians are expected to adopt new artistic paths in time, to keep being relevant. Although Myrczek offers slight stylistic diversion on a couple of tracks herein, this certainly does not go beyond an eyebrow rise. If my advice is worth anything, I’d love to hear an album with Polish songs (there are so many great ones) and more vocalese and elaborate instrumental arrangements, perhaps even a Big Band? One can always dream… Overall, this is a great classic male vocal Jazz album, which is a great fun to listen to and offers some both refined and enjoyable musical moments. Please don’t make us wait for another eternity to hear the next album, and take some risks next time. We will still love you whatever happens!

Updated: 09/06/2022Posted: 09/06/2022

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WOJCIECH MYRCZEK ~ WE`LL BE TOGETHER AGAIN SST 002 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet which also includes saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album, recorded at Polish Radio Katowice, presents seven vocal Jazz standards. Myrczek has a beautiful classic Jazz voice and his talent is immediately apparent even on this early recording, which obviously does not display his full palette, which he learned over time, as evident on his duo album with pianist with Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded four years later ("Love RevisitedFind albums with this title"). He does show his ability to learn the tricks of the trade, moving freely between singing lyrics (in English, problematic but tolerable), scat or vocally imitating bass lines. On this album Myrczek still lacks his own personal style and expression, obviously imitating a plethora of influences and searching for the most appropriate path to find his own way. Nevertheless it still is a solid debut album, especially in view of the fact that male vocalists are a rare commodity on the Polish Jazz scene. The instrumental support Myrczek receives from his cohorts is also very solid, nothing sensational but well played and supportive of him as a soloist. Wierba is the most gifted player and the players are all used to play together as members of the Wierba / Schmidt QuintetFind albums by this artist, therefore their performance as a unit is quite predictable. Overall this album is a nice effort, capturing a young vocalist at the early stage of his career, which remains as a nice document of his musical biography.

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NAK TRIO ~ AMBUSH FOR TUNE 0122 (Barcode: 5906395808243) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz ensemble called NAK TrioFind albums by this artist, led by veteran drummer / composer Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist and also including pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist. The trio is accompanied by a nine players strong string section, which includes violinist Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays solos on a couple of tracks. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Kochan and all arranged by him except for one of the string arrangements done by Smoczynski. The music is quite complex and although melody based, in features confusing rhythmic patterns and fragmented pieces of melodies, which don´t make it easy on the listener to find his way along the tunes. The string arrangements add another layer of complexity to the proceedings and the final result presents music which moves between modern Contemporary Classical elements and Jazz and require attentive listening and patience. Wania, who plays electric piano on this album (Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer), is the chief soloist and his playing is, as usual, very convincing and technically perfect. He handles the odd meters and tempi changes with ease and elegance. Kapczuk supplies the basic bottom lines all along with a few nice solos on the way. Kochan delivers the complex polyrhythmic drive with obvious talent and skill. Overall this is a very ambitious undertaking, which might be a tad too much for the average Jazz listener. The electric piano combined with the Classical sound of the strings and the unfamiliar rhythmic patterns are an acquired taste. Wania´s piano playing and the violin solos are the highlights of this unusual album, which is definitely worth investigating by the more motivated listeners. The album also emphasizes the diversity and multifaceted involvedness of the Polish Jazz scene.

Updated: 11/04/2017Posted: 11/04/2017

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NAK TRIO ~ THE OTHER SIDE OF IT CHALLENGE 71154 (Barcode: 608917115420) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz NAK TrioFind albums by this artist, led by drummer Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist, with pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all composed by the leader. The music is a beautiful example of modern European Jazz, superbly performed by the trio. It showcases the outstanding virtuosity of Wania, although this is a relatively early recording in his impressive career. Wania played in Kochan’s groups since 2008, which undoubtedly served as a great environment to perfect his skills. By the time this album was recorded Wania was already in full bloom, which is plainly evident herein. Kochan is a great example of my observation, that Jazz drummers are often some of the most impressive composers, and his extensive recorded legacy is an undeniable proof of that. He is able to combine beautiful melody lines and complex rhythmic layers, which makes his often intricate music flow smoothly and convincingly. He is certainly one of my favorite Polish Jazz composers. Overall, modern Jazz piano trio albums don’t get any better that this, and although this album is relatively obscure to Polish Jazz lovers, it definitely deserves to be heard and loved, and can be found relatively effortlessly. Of course I wholeheartedly recommend grabbing a copy ASAP.

Updated: 16/02/2025Posted: 16/02/2025

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BARTOSZ PERNAL / MICHAL SZKIL ~ JAZZ GETXO ERRABAL 065 (Barcode: 8436010304357) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 Like several other young Polish Jazz ensembles before them, the quintet co-led by trombonist Bartosz PernalFind albums by this artist and pianist Michal SzkilFind albums by this artist won the international Jazz Festival Competition at Getxo, Spain, and as a result their concert was released by a local record label, which is also their debut album. In addition to Pernal and Szkil the quintet also includes trumpeter Maurycy WojcinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz MaslowskiFind albums by this artist. The live recording presents five tunes, three of which are original compositions by Pernal, one is a John ColtraneFind albums by this artist composition and the remaining one is a Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist piece. As usual in such cases it is quite amazing to witness the level of musicianship and skill presented by these young musicians. Obviously well schooled and full of individual talent they create energetic and highly sophisticated modern mainstream. The original compositions are all top notch and their treatment of the standards is unusual and very sensitive. Of course the live recording reveals also minor glitches committed in the heat of the process, but those are completely insignificant in the overall view of things. The quintet has a somewhat unusual sound with the trombone / trumpet front, which adds to its attraction. As far as the individual performances are concerned, the two co-leaders present the highest level of technical skill and inventiveness. Szkil is particularly worth following as his piano magic will surely find a large following sooner or later. The trumpeter is full of bravado and imagination, but he keeps missing a note here and there, which is noticeable. The rhythm section is excellent and adds a significant layer to the overall sound and presentation. Overall here comes another group of young Polish Jazz lions, which will create the next generation of the local Jazz scene in the years to come. Considering how great they are already, the future definitely looks bright!

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RAFAL ROKICKI ~ CHOPIN REVISITED ELLYAH 808114 (Barcode: 888174875125) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the second album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Rafal RokickiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the album presents seven compositions by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist, transformed into the Jazz setting. Since Polish Jazz musicians "discovered" the music of Chopin as a source of inspiration, more or less a couple of decades ago, hundreds of Jazz albums with Chopin´s music were recorded and released in Poland over time. Such multitude usually has some adverse effects, reaching a stage when some people seeing a new album in that specific niche react with a: "Please, not another Chopin Jazz album…" Not that God forbid we have anything against Chopin or even Chopin Jazz, but what else can be said and done after everybody who is anybody already tried to present their point of view on the subject. Therefore this album lands on a most perilous ground, where it will be, willingly or unwillingly, compared to all its predecessors placing it face to face with the best out there. Rokicki and his cohorts should have thought about that and perhaps they did and said: "what the heck, we´ll try anyway…" Be as it may, unfortunately vis-a-vis the best Chopin Jazz out there, this album simply does not compare well. Not that there is anything badly wrong with it, it is simply not up to par with the others. The biggest problem with this album is the liberty with which Rokicki approaches Chopin´s music as an arranger. His particular approach is to move away from the original, mostly simplifying, or even worse trivializing the phenomenal original music. The result sounds somewhat like a New Age doodling, which is meant not to bother anybody – more or less the complete opposite of what Chopin´s music is all about. Now this music is pretty and very well played. The rhythm section, with veteran and highly professional players, does its job perfectly, but again mostly unobtrusively. Yes the album has its moments, and is rather well recorded, so not everything is lost. I suppose enthusiasts of the easy Jazz will love this stuff to bits, but I´m not sure is Chopin himself is so excited about this revisit?

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ANNA RUTTAR ~ HEART MADE UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 602547647313 (Barcode: 602547647313) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish vocalist / keyboardist / songwriter Anna RuttarFind albums by this artist recorded with a core trio featuring guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Wojciech GasiorFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. Bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and kalimba player Bernard MaseliFind albums by this artist guest on one track each. The album presents ten original songs, all composed and arranged by Ruttar. She also wrote lyrics to nine of the songs and one song uses a poem by American poet E. E. CummingsFind albums by this artist. Nine of the songs use English lyrics and only one uses Polish lyrics. The album is an excellent example of sophisticated Jazz-Pop Fusion, with the beautifully melodic songs dressed up in a Jazzy (and sometimes Bluesy) arrangements, superbly performed by the participating musicians. Combined with intelligent and meaningful lyrics, these songs are a great fun to listen to from start to end, presenting a truly exquisite collection of diverse, coherent, and rare quality music. The vocals / bass duet, which is the most Jazz oriented song on the album, is an instant classic and the solo track closing the album is perhaps a road sign for the future? Ruttar has a nice, expressive voice and makes a good use of her vocal abilities throughout the album. My usual grunt about Polish vocalist singing in English is not really needed this time, as she does a good job with the English pronunciation and her foreign accent is rather charming. Nevertheless I would have preferred of course if the songs all had Polish lyrics, like the closing song of the album. Instrumentally the album is pretty minimalist, and the most important, and by all means superb, contributions are by the guitarist, who plays some absolutely stunning licks here, all perfectly matched to the music. The rhythm section does an ideal job, being supportive, precise and professional, and most importantly not getting in the way. Overall this is a superb debut effort, which sadly slipped under the radar when released, probably simply for the reason that it was too good to noted. I´d truly love to here more music from Ruttar, at the earliest convenience. Delightful stuff!

Updated: 07/10/2018Posted: 07/10/2018

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KARI SAL ~ BETESDA HEVHETIA 0153 (Barcode: 8588005258135) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish singer / songwriter Kari SalFind albums by this artist, recorded with a dream-team backup group consisting of top Polish Jazz musicians: violinist Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist (Sal´s husband), violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist also guests on several tracks. The album presents seven original songs, five of which were composed by Sal, one was co-composed by Sal and Baldych and one was co-composed by Sal, Baldych and Kaczmarczyk. Sal wrote the lyrics to five of the songs and two songs have lyrics based on Biblical texts. There is also one track featuring wordless vocalese with music by Baldych. The music is a mixture of many diverse influences, which include Polish Folklore roots, Scandinavian Alternative Pop and others; altogether close in spirit to the Polish sung poetry idiom. The arrangements add a distinct Jazzy flavor, but the music is not rooted in Jazz per se. Sal´s songwriting is full of typical Polish lyricism and melancholy, both on the musical and textual planes. Influenced by her visit to Island, the music also encompasses the Nordic characteristics, which are not that far away from the Slavic sources, which perhaps explains why Polish and Scandinavian musicians feel so much affinity towards each other. The biblical sources and Sal´s own lyrics reflect deeply religious / spiritual involvement, which is rarely present in contemporary Art. Sal´s compositions are all remarkably mature, harmonically coherent, stylistically consistent and aesthetically rounded, which of course deserves praise and admiration. As expected, the performances by all the instrumentalist present on this album are nothing short of stellar. There are numerous exquisite solos and the accompaniment by the basic violin / piano / rhythm section quartet is superbly and consistently executed. But of course the vocal parts by Sal are the focus of this album. She has a wonderfully clear, steady and colorful voice, which she uses wisely and cleverly. Both her lyrics and vocalese parts are moving and fascinating, and although she demonstrates self-confidence and clear musical vision, she is not over-confident and respectfully cooperates with the band members. The decision to sing in Polish is also extremely important and it´s encouraging to see that some Polish vocalists are free of the "singing in English" complex, which is a plague and keeps Polish vocalists in many cases back from achieving its full potential. Overall this is a beautiful and most impressive debut album, which proves that determination and talent conquer all. Obviously Sal received a lot of support and help from the musicians playing on this album, but it is first and foremost her own achievement, both as a songwriter and performer and she deserves every bit of our gratitude for creating this sensitive, intelligent music. I already can´t wait for the next album… Thank you, Milady!

Updated: 04/11/2017Posted: 04/11/2017

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SCHMIDT ELECTRIC ~ LIVE SJ 020 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by the Schmidt ElectricFind albums by this artist ensemble, led by trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist and also including keyboardist Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist, drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist and British guitarist Alex HutchingsFind albums by this artist. The core quintet was expanded for this live recording by DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist), electronics wizard Joanna SzymalaFind albums by this artist and vibraphonist Bartosz PieszkaFind albums by this artist. The ensemble performs six original compositions, four composed by Schmidt and two by Bura, a short solo trumpet intro by Schmidt and another intro by Szymala, altogether eight tracks. Yours truly was present during the live recording in Katowice, one of the two venues where these live recordings were captured, and therefore a part of my soul is also captured on this album, like every other person who was ever present in the audience during a live recording. The music is a natural extension to what the released earlier studio debut album offered, i.e. an excellent melodic version of modern Fusion, which flows smoothly from one tune to another, but preserves class and elegance and above all is great fun to listen to. The live ambience allows the musicians to take extended solo parts and show their chops, which they all do to the max. The music is diverse and offers many moods, which of course contributes significantly to the fact that the album keeps the listener on his toes for the entire duration. It is great to see Schmidt to finally settling down within a domain, which suits him the best in my opinion. This music allows him to express his superb compositional talents and lead a highly professional ensemble, which can make him proud as a leader. His trumpet playing also reaches a refined stage of expressiveness and eloquence, especially effective on the slow tempo ballads, which are absolute goose bumps generators. The use of turntablism and electronics adds an up to date flavor to the music, without overshadowing the main melodic, harmonic and rhythmic coherence and the strong Jazzy groove. Schmidt manages to create music which can be enjoyed by a wide age range of listeners, which of course is commendable. Overall a great contemporary Fusion album, full of great melodies, fine arrangements, excellent performances and above all great fun! Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 02/10/2022Posted: 07/07/2017

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SCHMIDT ELECTRIC ~ TEAR THE ROOF OFF SJ 012 (Barcode: 5912596066146) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist mangers to teleport smoothly between acoustic mainstream Jazz and electric Fusion, an ability he already demonstrated clearly by releasing several albums on his own label since 2000, which cover both subgenres. This time he expands his modus operandi to touch upon additional areas, which include smooth Jazz, Rap and Ambient, but manages to do so without compromising his integrity as a Jazz musician. The album, which was recorded in a quartet setting, with keyboardist Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist, features also several guest artists, who appear on selected tracks, a couple of them from Britain, including guitarist Alex HutchingsFind albums by this artist. The eleven tracks on the album are all originals, five of which were composed by Schmidt, four by Bura, one is credited to Bura and the whole ensemble and one is by ambient / electronic keyboardist / composer Joanna SzymalaFind albums by this artist, who also performs here. The music is very diverse and constantly performs a chameleonic transformation, starting with a Rap track, moving into an electronic / ambient passage and continuing with a series of Jazz / Fusion tracks, ranging from lyrical ballads to energetic electric statements. Although this might sound a bit chaotic, in fact the music presents a coherent and consistent continuum. There are plenty of great melodies and catchy riffs, but the music is anything but trivial at any point. The individual performances are all excellent; Schmidt is a very gifted trumpeter and his melodic ballads are simply heartbreaking, Bura is the great discovery of this album, playing a wide range of sounds, improvising elegantly and simply being there every time just when a chord or an arpeggio are needed to fill the space. The rhythm section is dynamic, melodic and incredibly supportive. Kapczuk plays some superb solos and Kuchczynski stays behind the players at all time, not trying to show off beyond exactly what is required of him. Hutchings also adds some several scorching solos, which ornament the overall sound of the band. Schmidt juts might have found on this album the exact formula that suits his musical karma. Cross-genre, cross time, contemporary and melodically advanced, this music is a pleasure to listen to, without compromising even the sternest connoisseurs. Although some of Schmidt´s earlier attempts to find his way in the straightforward mainstream Jazz milieu were a bit shaky, this album finds him determined, mature and unmistakably doing his own thing. Beautifully done, my young friend; kudos!

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PIOTR SCHMIDT / ELECTRIC GROUP ~ SILVER PROTECT SJ 005 (Barcode: 5902596066048) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the debut recording by the Polish Fusion band Electric GroupFind albums by this artist led by the young trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist and including also keyboardist Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist, drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist and vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of six original compositions, four of which are by the pianist and two by the leader. In addition to leading this group, Schmidt also co-leads a Jazz quintet with pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist, which uses the same rhythm section as this group. It seems that the Polish Jazz scene is not only capable of grooming excellent piano players, but apparently also brilliant young trumpeters, as evident from the recent wave of extraordinary new releases. This album certainly falls into the same category as far as presenting new trumpet players, but it is quite different in every other sense, most notably being a Fusion recording, a genre which nowadays rarely features the trumpet as the leading instrument, as it used to in its heydays. This album in however not just one more Fusion album, as it includes many other elements, especially Funk, which makes it particularly interesting. The compositions present a diverse musical approach, with excellent melody lines supported by Funky rhythms, memorable vamps and overall superb execution, which is simply heartwarming, especially in view on the musicians´ age. I must admit that its been quite a while since I´ve had the pleasure to listen to such Funky high quality music, which at best brings back fond memories of Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist´s "MwandishiFind albums with this title" period. Schmidt sounds great regardless if he plays a muted trumpet, an electronically processed one (a la echoplex) or simply blows straight forward. Bura is best (in this environment) playing the electric piano rather than synthesizers and the rhythm section is close to stealing the show at times, with those bass slaps that make your ass dance and the extraordinary drumming, which is all over the place and yet so on time. The vocals are used mostly as vocalese, where they are most effective. When they turn to singing lyrics (in English), they quickly become the weakest link of the otherwise excellent effort. Overall this is definitely a most impressive debut recording, which is both fun to listen to and a quality listening experience. I´m really looking forward to hear their next one, hopefully soon. Not to be missed! Schmidt, a native of Silesia, the southwestern Polish region (where I come from as well) is one of a growing number of important Polish Jazz musicians originating there. The region is cultivating an active and first-rate local Jazz scene in the last decade, including clubs and festivals. In short, Silesia rulez!

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SOUND PACK ~ ON AIR SJ 045 (Barcode: 5912596066801) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz vocal quartet The Sound PackFind albums by this artist, led by Marcin WawrzynowiczFind albums by this artist, which also includes three female singers: Joanna Swiniarska-SzebeszczykFind albums by this artist, Katarzyna MirowskaFind albums by this artist and Malgorzata BiniekFind albums by this artist. They are accompanied by a splendid instrumental septet, which comprises of trumpeter Dominik MietlaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, trombonist Lukasz RakalskiFind albums by this artist (who was in charge of the excellent instrumental arrangements), guitarist Gabriel NiedzielaFind albums by this artist, pianist Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist (who was also in charge of the album´s mix). The vocal arrangements were supplied by veteran Polish Jazz musician / arranger Aleksander MazurFind albums by this artist (more about him later). The album presents ten Jazz standards, nine of which are evergreens known to every Jazz fan around the world and one originates in Poland. The album was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist offering the usual splendid sound quality. To anybody familiar with Polish Jazz this album immediately brings on the obvious association with the legendary and phenomenal Polish Jazz vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, which clearly also sets an incredibly tough and perhaps even unfair standard of comparison. After just a few seconds into the music the association becomes a reality, which is not entirely surprising considering the fact that Mazur worked with NOVI on one of their later albums and was involved with arranging for vocal groups for years. Therefore rather than comparing this album with those made by NOVI, I´d like to say that it is good to see (well, hear) finally someone who dares to stand up to the challenges and continue the Polish Jazz vocal quartet legacy. The album offers excellent vocal arrangements and up to date instrumental approach, which allows for soloing by the individual players. All the performances, vocal and instrumental as one, are first rate and represent the fabulous level of the young Polish Jazz generation. The bluesy guitar parts by Niedziela and lyrical piano parts by Kaczmar are my personal favorites, but again everybody performs splendidly. The vocal parts deliver both lyrics and vocalese with the same level of harmonic perfection. Some critical notes, however, are also in order: the choice of material is a tad too obvious / trifling, which can be forgiven considering this is a debut outing, and hopefully will be improved on future recordings. Although the singing of lyrics in English is not particularly ostracizing here, the sole song in Polish is an example of how things could be done better? Overall this is a splendid debut offering, which is a true pleasure to listen to from start to finish and a delightful experience for Jazz vocal group connoisseurs. Looking forward for the next album already, well done Ladies and Gents!

Updated: 13/02/2023Posted: 26/10/2019

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WIERBA / SCHMIDT QUINTET ~ BLACK MONOLITH SJ 001 (Barcode: 5902020415008) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the third album by the Polish Jazz quintet, which was founded by two young players / composers: pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. The quintet also includes saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. On this album the quintet is expanded into a sextet with the addition of American trombonist Dante LucianiFind albums by this artist. The sextet performs six tunes, three of which are original compositions by Wierba, two are standards and the remaining one is a composition by Czech trumpeter / composer Stepanka BalcarovaFind albums by this artist, who studied at the Katowice Music Academy as did all of the quintet members. The album was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and was engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with excellent, as usual, sonic results. Although the music is all within boundaries of typical Jazz mainstream, it is superbly arranged and executed. The original compositions are interesting and poise perfectly the melodic themes and the spirited attitude; the piece by Balcarova is the most impressive on the album. Overall this is a very pleasant well rounded Jazz album, which presents the sextet as a small Big Band, balancing between the brass and rhythm sections, features many excellent solo spots and shows that young Europeans can play mainstream as well as anybody else anywhere. The individual skills of the musicians involved are of course spotless. This album is the first release on the SJFind albums on this label label, owned by Schmidt, which is one of the small independent Polish Jazz labels releasing music by young Polish Jazz musicians, a most welcome phenomenon of course, spreading the local Jazz gospel around the world.

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WIERBA / SCHMIDT QUINTET ~ THE MOLE PEOPLE SJ 004 (Barcode: 5902596066017) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is the fourth album by the Polish Jazz quintet, which was founded by two young players / composers: pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. The quintet also includes bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The fifth member of the quintet is a guest artist and in this case it the fabulous Polish saxophonist Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist. The quintet performs seven tunes, five of which are original compositions by Wierba, one by Schmidt and the remaining one is a Jimmy RowlesFind albums by this artist standard. The music sits well within the comfortable boundaries of typical Jazz mainstream, moving vaguely between Bebop and Hard Bop. The original compositions are all quite solid, but overall unremarkable and lack an edge which could keep the listener focused for the duration of the music. The performances are also very good, but than again there´s nothing here that every Jazz fan never heard before. Baron, who obviously represents a completely different league, sadly contributes very little, as most of the music is performed without his direct involvement. The only moment when the music becomes truly inspired is when the beautiful standard is performed solo by the pianist. To make things perfectly clear this is not a bad album; there are plenty of interesting moments and excellent solos (Baron´s solos in particular) but it is not enough to make it a remarkable album. In view of the music made by the very young Polish Jazz players, even younger than the ones on this album, constantly breathing on the neck of their slightly older colleagues, the level of competition requires everybody to try ever so harder. Life is a bitch.

Updated: 12/06/2018Posted:

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MICHAL WROBLEWSKI / RADIOSTATIK ~ LUCID DREAM – LIVE AT FILHARMONIA SZCZECIN FILHARMONIA SZCZECIN 007 (Barcode: 5903111493431) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Michal WroblewskiFind albums by this artist recorded live with his ensemble called RadiostatikFind albums by this artist and the Szczecin Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist. Radiostatik was originally formed in NY in 2015, when Wroblewski was invited by trumpeter Terrence BlanchardFind albums by this artist to record an album, which resulted in the studio version of "Lucid Dream", and which sadly remains so far unreleased. The American-Polish lineup of Radiostatik, which was created to perform the material live, includes two American vocalists: singer Andre WashingtonFind albums by this artist and rapper Raashan AhmadFind albums by this artist, the leader on Fender Rhodes, guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve original compositions, all by Wroblewski and arranged by him, with lyrics by him and Ahmad. The music is a exactly what it promises to be, a Jazz-Pop Fusion with orchestral arrangements, based an excellent melodic themes, which sounds as American as American goes, the kind of stuff which usually gets nominated for Grammy over the pond. It is catchy, groovy, smooth and easy on the ear, but in this case it is also highly musical and truly excellently put together. If it proves anything, it is the fact that European composers and musicians can easily beat the Americans at their own game. Except for a few instrumental soli, the music has very little to do with Jazz, which means that the Polish Jazz lost the talents of Wroblewski for a while, but personally I am quite convinced he will be back to his musical roots again. In the meantime he can pursue other goals and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this as long as the music is well done and does not deteriorate to the normal level of contemporary Pop, which is killing us mercilessly. The orchestral parts are the real surprise of this album, ideally suited to the music and performed with great taste and skill. Such class of Pop instrumentation is almost completely absent from contemporary Pop music, probably because it is simply too expensive. But the album proves that a real orchestra can not be replaced by synthesizers. Overall this is a highly entertaining and classy Pop album with some Jazzy features and orchestral ornamentation, beautifully executed and accessible to a wide music loving audience, which should satisfy every true popular music connoisseur. Definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 21/06/2019Posted: 21/06/2019

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