Record Reviews

ALEX BAND ~ THE ECCENTRIC GAD 015 (Barcode: 5901549197174) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1980 - 1981 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of the second album by the Polish Big Band ensemble Alex BandFind albums by this artist, which was one of very few bands active in Eastern Europe playing instrumental Brass Rock and mixing Jazz-Rock Fusion, Funk and Soul. The band was founded and led by Aleksander MaliszewskiFind albums by this artist and on this album included a nine-piece brass section and a seven-piece rhythm section, with three keyboardists, i.e. a seventeen-piece (including the leader) band – definitely a unique lineup, especially so in Poland which at the time was still very much behind the Iron Curtain. The music was produced at two recording sessions, held six months apart, and released by the Polish Jazz Society´s record label HeliconFind albums on this label in late October 1981 just in time for the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival. Of course shortly thereafter the Martial Law was declared in Poland and all things cultural were washed down the drain into the Vistula River. The album included six original compositions, all by the band members, and for this reissue was expanded by three bonus tracks, all of which are studio outtakes from the album´s sessions. The music is beautifully performed and recorded, with a very unique sound and ambience, which sets it apart from almost anything else recorded at the time in Eastern Europe. On this album the brass parts are more extensive than on the debut album and feature intricate arrangements, similar to the arrangements of modern American Big Bands active at the time. In retrospect this music still sounds fresh and vital, as it was at the time of the recording. Considering the very high level of the compositions and a marvelous execution, there is no way this music will be ever outdated. Reissuing this jewel is another credit to the GADFind albums on this label Records label, which time after time manages to uncover yet another glorious glimpse of the past that in most cases was completely forgotten till now. The music on this album is a first-class example of skillful arrangements and brilliant recording, which should be studied by today´s music students. Of course this is also a historic document of utmost importance and an integral part of the long and winding road that Polish Jazz travelled on over the years. Keeping this music available should be supported by the Polish State, since it has a whole Ministry (of Culture and National Heritage) to do so, sadly very little is done on that level and it is, as always, up to private parties, like Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, the man behind the GAD Records, to do the work of love which keeps Polish Culture alive and remembered. Thank you!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

JACEK BEDNAREK ~ INDEX (SOUNDTRACK) GAD 186 (Barcode: 5903068122750) ~ POLAND ~ Soundtracks Recorded: 1977 Released: 2021 This is an archival album by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Jacek BednarekFind albums by this artist, which presents the music he scored for the film “Index”, originally due to be released in 1977 but finally released only in 1981. Bednarek composed the music and performed the soundtrack all by himself using the bass, celesta and several other instruments. The album presents nine tracks which appeared originally in the film and one bonus track, which is an alternative version of the opening track. The music, although extremely minimalist and concentrated, stands wonderfully not only the test of time, but also the test of being listened to outside of the cinematic context. Despite the fact that the music offers some melodic themes, it is also very unusual and modern in its approach, bordering on Avant-Garde. It completely suits the other musical activities of Bednarek, who was also part of the Polish Avant-Garde scene, playing with the legendary trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist. Bednarek’s tragically premature death in 1990 robbed Polish Jazz of one of its great heroes, before he was able to make a much more significant mark on the scene. Apart from this soundtrack, Bednarek composed also another soundtrack to a film by the same director, called “Kung-Fu”. Overall, this album is a great tribute to one of the unsung heroes of Polish Jazz, which the listeners are able to enjoy thanks to the continuous efforts by Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist and his GADFind albums on this label Records, which gradually builds up an incredible music library of Polish Cultural Heritage, without any public / government support – a monumental labor of love and dedication.

Updated: 14/02/2022Posted: 14/02/2022

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GUSTAV BROM ~ POLYMELOMODUS GAD 032 (Barcode: 5901549197402) ~ CZECHOSLOVAKIA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1976 Released: 2015 This is a reissue of the cult album by the Czech arranger / bandleader Gustav BromFind albums by this artist and his Orchestra, released originally in Czechoslovakia in 1977 by the state owned SupraphonFind albums on this label label. During the post-WWII Socialist Era, the Gustav Brom OrchestraFind albums by this artist was the only Big Band from behind the Iron Curtain, which was known in the West and was considered to be one of the top Big Bands in the world. One of the characteristics of the Brom leadership was the fact that the orchestra performed mainly original compositions by the orchestra members. This album includes six pieces, five of which are original compositions by the orchestra members and one is an arrangement of a Steely DanFind albums by this artist song. This is the first time this album is available on CD and it includes one alternate take as a bonus track. The music is a remarkable amalgam of the Big Band sound with Jazz-Rock and Funk genres, which were popular at the time. Very few traditional Big Bands attempted to tackle the influx of new musical directions and therefore this album is so unique in its openness and forward thinking. The original music played by the orchestra is absolutely stunning, combining high-quality melodic themes with brilliant Big Band arrangements and superb execution by the orchestra members, which were all top Czechoslovak Jazz musicians active at the time. It´s remarkable how fresh and contemporary this album sounds today, losing absolutely nothing of its original charm and quality. Some of the Jazz-Rock arrangements present here are supreme classics of the Brass-Rock idiom. Considering the fact that Big Bands are a dying breed today, it´s so great to be able to listen to this marvel again and perhaps learn from it. This is another superb project by the excellent GADFind albums on this label Records label, which consistently earns a reputation of one of the most important reissue specialist labels in the world, under the leadership of the label owner Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist. Absolutely wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 23/02/2016Posted: 23/02/2016

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KRZYSZTOF DUDA ~ ALTUS GAD 012 (Barcode: 5901549197129) ~ POLAND ~ Electronic & Ambient Recorded: 1980 - 1985 Released: 2013 This album brings back to life a series of compositions by Polish synthesizer music pioneer Krzysztof DudaFind albums by this artist, recorded in the early 1980s mostly for Polish TV. This music was used as soundtrack for various TV programs, among them the cult popular science series called "SondaFind albums with this title", but also others. The album features twenty tracks, all composed and performed by Duda, who used an impressive array of synthesizers including the ARP, Hohner, Korg, Moog, Roland and others, including some custom made instruments. The music is mostly constrained to the three minutes per track timing, but manages to present an impressive array of great melodic themes and an enormous collection of synthesizer sounds, which of course also characterized the Pop and Rock scene at the time. Duda manages to create his own universe of sounds, which is characterized by dramatic, mysterious and wonderfully crafted melodies arranged into multilayered sound sculptures. The four-part suite called "Przez Pryzmat Krysztalu" is the most ambitious and advanced musically piece on the album and a true masterpiece of synthesizer music. As usually with GADFind albums on this label Records this collection is meticulously researched, offers excellent sound quality and is accompanied by an informative bilingual booklet, which provides the historic background relevant to the included music, in short a model for producing reissues and preserving the heritage of Polish music, which would have otherwise simply disappeared in the tides of time, if not for the work of the producer and record label owner Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist. Another great piece of the puzzle!

Updated: 25/02/2016Posted: 20/02/2016

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WOJCIECH GOGOLEWSKI ~ SKOK NR 8 GAD 094 (Barcode: 5903068120275) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1976 - 1977 Released: 2019 This is an archival album, which presents radio recordings by a quartet led by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Wojciech GogolewskiFind albums by this artist, which also included flautist Mieczyslaw WolnyFind albums by this artist, bassist Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw SzymanskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, all by the leader, all previously unreleased except for the title track which appeared on a compilation in "live" version. The music is modern Jazz mainstream, with a touch of Fusion, somewhat similar to the first version of Return To ForeverFind albums by this artist sans the vocals of course. The compositions are all solid and suit the unusual lineup of the quartet perfectly. The balance and the delicate sound created by the electric piano / flute front line results in serene, but beautifully expressive melodic tunes. The superb rhythm section provides the perfect frame for the music with the virtuosic bass lines by Wegehaupt, who despite his young age at the time was already one of the leading Polish Jazz bassists, and the delicate, melodic percussion ornamentation by Szymanski. It is a great pity that this fabulous music had to wait over forty years to be released. Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, the owner of GADFind albums on this label Records, states on the album´s liner notes that this music deserved to be a part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series, probably more than some of the albums that managed to be released as part of that series, and I wholeheartedly agree. This album is also a wonderful tribute to Wegehaupt, who was a dear friend of mine and whose tragic and untimely death was a shock to the entire Polish Jazz community, and is a testimony of his great talent, as clearly audible here. His soli are simply breathtaking. For Polish Jazz fans, flute lovers and European Jazz enthusiasts this album is an absolute must, a true gem finally seeing the light of day. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 07/03/2020Posted: 07/03/2020

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SLAWOMIR KULPOWICZ ~ CALMNESS AND UNISONO GAD 282 (Barcode: 5903068125195) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 - 1985 Released: 2024 This is an archival album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Slawomir KulpowiczFind albums by this artist. It presents six previously unreleased solo piano pieces, recorded by the Polish Radio, two from 1982 and four from 1985, all composed by Kulpowicz. It is a most welcome addition to the four archival albums of music by Kulpowicz, released by Polish Radio in 2013, and an important tribute to his remarkable contribution to Polish Jazz. The music is, as always, wonderfully expressive and combining a myriad of influences from within the Jazz idiom and beyond, including contemporary Classical Music and World Music, which Kulpowicz was strongly associated with, especially the music of India. Kulpowicz died prematurely in 2008, leaving behind a sublime legacy of recorded music, which somehow never received the proper appreciation on the local scene, despite the fact that it was always one of the most advanced and creative music ever created by Polish Jazz Artists. Therefore, this album is especially important, both for the fact that in unearths previously unheard music by Kulpowicz, and that it offers an opportunity for new listeners to get exposed to his Genius. Kulpowicz was strongly influenced by the music of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist and his improvisations offer the listener the same kind of trance-like total submission and free-flow consciousness, but in his case the music never leaves its connection to melody. Although widely improvised, the music here could be easily considered completely cross-genre, and listeners of Classical music might enjoy it as much as Jazz buffs. The album offers a remarkable sound quality, which enhances the listening pleasure to the max. Overall, this is a truly magical album, which offers a condensed serving of brilliant improvised music, with deeply melodic message and aesthetic wealth, achieved only once in a blue moon. It is an absolute must for all true lovers of Polish Jazz and a fascinating beacon of how potent improvised music can be. As much as I love and support the remarkable work by the people behind the GADFind albums on this label Records label (Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist and Lukasz HernikFind albums by this artist), this is definitely one of the most important releases in their 300 albums’ strong catalogue. An absolute gem!

Updated: 29/05/2024Posted: 29/05/2024

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JERZY MILIAN ~ STRATUS NIMBUS GAD 009 (Barcode: 5901549197099) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 - 1987 Released: 2013 The Polish GADFind albums on this label Records label has become a treasure chest of archival recordings by Polish Jazz and Rock artists and in the short period of time since 2010, when the label released its first album, it established its position on the market as a dedicated and reliable source of interesting material. This album follows the already established pattern and is the third volume of archival material by legendary Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Jerzy MilianFind albums by this artist, one of the forefathers of modern Polish Jazz. The material collected here was recorded over a period of several years in the 1980s by the Belgian (Radio & TV) BRT Jazz OrchestraFind albums by this artist, directed by Etienne VerschuerenFind albums by this artist, which included many excellent players, some known also internationally. Milian worked previously with this orchestra in the late 1960 and this was his second spell with them. He wasn´t the only Polish musician working with this orchestra, as saxophonist / composer Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist also recorded an album with them in 1976 entitled "SkleroptakFind albums with this title". The music, all composed by Milian, includes six orchestral suites of varying length, one of which turns into an oratorio with the addition of a choir, which sings a poem by the American poet T.S. EliotFind albums by this artist. The music is quite impressive, with a firm melodic content and elaborate orchestral arrangements, which allow for solo spots. It is less adventurous material than some of Milian´s earlier compositions, but lacks nothing as far as compositional skills, flair and elegance are concerned. The orchestra performs the music spotlessly and with grace and as a result this is a wonderful Big Band / orchestral album, which reflects well on Milian´s talent and vision. It is also a great example of European Big Band / orchestral sound and style, which varies considerably from its American counterparts. In retrospect these recordings are a sad reminder of the Big Band form, which is almost extinct today in comparison to its hay days. With the impossible economics behind keeping a Big Band performing and touring and a dwindling public funding, most Big Bands, including the one present here, were eventually disbanded. Signs of a disappearing Culture. "Luckily, the recordings remain" concludes Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, the owner of GAD Records, in the booklet and I concur wholeheartedly. With remastered and restored sound and informative booklet (including text in English), this album is definitely worth checking out by any connoisseur of European Jazz, looking for another perspective.

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

MUNDINOVA ~ W DRODZE NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903661867201) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by Polish ensemble MundinovaFind albums by this artist comprising of vocalist Dorota KolodziejFind albums by this artist, bassist Marzena CybulkaFind albums by this artist and guitarist Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist. Percussionist Dariusz KaliszukFind albums by this artist and oud player Mateusz SzemrajFind albums by this artist guest on selected tracks. The album presents ten original pieces, eight composed by Cybulka and two by Wilczynski. Cybulka also wrote three of the lyrics (two in English) and co-wrote one with Kolodziej, and four lyrics were contributed by Justyna PaluchFind albums by this artist. Two pieces are instrumentals. The music was recorded at the fabulous Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist with the usual spectacular sound quality. The music is a wonderful Jazz-World Fusion project, with splendid themes beautifully weaved and excellently executed by the trio and guests. Although song oriented, the music offers unusual accompaniment performed basically just by bass and guitar, which again portrays the tendency towards minimalism so characteristic of Polish Jazz in 2019. The World Music influences, although quite obvious both melodically and rhythmically, are not very specific, which is very effective. Attentive listeners will be able to hear some Flamenco (well guitar), Middle East, Slavic and other layers, mysteriously popping up when least expected. Kolodziej offers splendid vocal performances, both while singing the lyrics with sensitivity and heartfelt honesty and even more so when singing marvelous vocalese. Wilczynski plays superbly tasteful guitar accompaniment and solos exuberantly but without unnecessary pathos. But it is Cybulka, who easily steals the show with her bass virtuosity, which should make many bassists truly envious. She is simply sensational and beautifully exemplifies that female intuition and feel are much more important than technical proficiency and showmanship trickery, albeit she lacks neither. She really has the Groove! Szemraj, as expected, adds some hair-raising moments of his own, which are the proverbial cherry on top. Overall the album offers plenty of wonderful music, a rich variety of moods and melodic worlds, brilliant instrumental performances, all this in a pleasant, highly focused atmosphere, which makes listening a truly joyful ride. There is no pretentious slickness, no trying to sound somebody else, just some wonderful, straight-to-the-heart musical message. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 19/03/2021Posted: 19/03/2021

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

POLISH JAZZ QUARTET ~ MEETS STUDIO M-2 GAD 054 (Barcode: 5901549197709) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1964 - 1966 Released: 2017 This is a sensational archival album presenting the recordings by one of the formative modern Polish Jazz ensembles, the Polish Jazz QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprised of saxophonist / composer Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, pianist / composer Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. The music included herein was recorded at the Polish Radio Studio M-2 with the studio orchestra conducted by Boguslaw KlimczukFind albums by this artist. Twelve wonderful pieces of early modern Polish Jazz are included on this album, seven of which are original compositions by Wroblewski, two are original compositions by Karolak and the remaining three are by other Polish composers, arranged by Wroblewski or Karolak. This album is the only source of recorded material by the Polish Jazz Quartet other than their debut album released in 1965 as the third volume of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series. The fact that the album does not include any American standards is extremely significant and points the way towards the development of the newborn Polish Jazz scene, which from its early days tried to create music different from the Jazz tradition, breaking away from the limitations and exploring new avenues, combining Jazz with the European musical tradition, local folklore and other influences, which eventually were to produce the "Polish Jazz Sound", which became an integral part of the Polish Cultural heritage. Stylistically the music moves between Swing, Bebop and Orchestral Jazz, still very much rooted in the American Jazz tradition, but already clearly trying to break away from it, which can be heard especially in Wroblewski´s masterful arrangements, which are very different from the American Big Band convention. The melodies are also much more sophisticated and diverse that the standard Bebop tunes, which served as vehicles for improvisation, whereas in the tunes present here the melodic contents has a much larger presence and position. The performances by all the musicians involved in these sessions are brilliant and one would never guess that this music was recorded beyond the Iron Curtain, where Jazz was in its early stages of development (at least on the National scale) and the musicians involved had very limited access to recorded material or performing experience. Listening to this album feels like taking a time machine trip five decades back in time, in order to visit the early childhood of modern Polish Jazz and the experience is truly magical. As usual the fact that this music is available for us to enjoy is by no means trivial and only thanks to the efforts of Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, owner of the GADFind albums on this label Records label, it became a reality. Polish Jazz connoisseurs should be ever so grateful to this man for his unprecedented work.

Updated: 15/04/2017Posted: 15/04/2017

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JOZEF SKRZEK ~ JOZEF SKRZEK POLSKIE RADIO 2420-2421 (Barcode: 5907812247744) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1974 - 2022 Released: 2022 This is a 2CD collection of radio recordings by Polish Rock bassist / keyboardist / vocalist / composer / bandleader Jozef SkrzekFind albums by this artist, founder of the legendary SBBFind albums by this artist trio and one of Poland’s most renowned musical figures. CD 1 presents eight tracks recorded between 1974 and 2015, two of which feature SBB with guitarist Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist and drummer Jerzy PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist. Legendary trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist plays on one track and saxophonist Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist plays on two tracks. Four of the tracks are solo keyboards performances by Skrzek. CD 2 presents an eleven-part suite performed on solo piano from 1998 and one additional track performed on solo keyboards from 2022. The music reflects Skrzek’s activity over the years, mostly as a solo performer, which is somewhat less documented as his activity with SBB, which is covered by dozens of albums, mostly recorded live. As much as I appreciate Skrzek’s contribution to Polish Rock, Blues-Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion during the early years of his feverish artistic development, the later solo keyboards era somehow seems to me less exciting, often moving into Ambient / Electronic music, which I never felt fully attached to. Of course this is only my very personal feeling and there is no doubt that he is still an important composer and activist on the Polish scene. Overall, this is a nice collection of Skrzek’s solo activity, which should be highly interesting to his many fans in Poland and around the globe. The excellent bi-lingual booklet by Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, the owner of the GADFind albums on this label label, which released many albums by SBB and Skrzek, tells the story behind the music and offers some great photographs of the Maestro. This is definitely something worth pursuing for Skrzek completists.

Updated: 02/04/2023Posted: 02/04/2023

CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ SONDA GAD 011 (Barcode: 5901549197112) ~ POLAND ~ Electronic & Ambient Recorded: 1971 - 1986 Released: 2013 The term "library music" (a.k.a. "production music" or "stock music") is a relatively little know aspect of the music industry, known mostly to composers / recording artists who produce music for music library companies, which then license this music to various media producers, like film, television, radio and others. Most music fans have no idea that many of their favorite composers / artists had at one time or another cooperated with music libraries, which eventually was the reason behind instrumental and vocal tracks popping up as themes for famous films and television shows. The music libraries are very popular in Britain since the 1960, like KSP or Standard Music Library, and in Germany, where the world´s biggest music library Sonoton has its headquarters. This collection of library music pieces has one thing in common: they were all used by the epic / cult Polish TV popular science series called "SondaFind albums with this title", which was extremely popular and run for twelve years between 1977 and 1989. The program was innovative and extremely well done and also excelled in the careful choice of its background music, which was selected from the Sonoton vaults. The program´s theme music, also included on this album, was written by Mike VickersFind albums by this artist (Manfred MannFind albums by this artist) and was taken from the Standard Music Library vaults. The music, which except for the program´s theme composed in 1971, was all composed and performed between 1980 and 1986, which of course means that it is heavily filled with synthesizer sounds, which at the time were highly fashionable. However, in contrast to most popular synthesizer soaked 1980s music, which is simply unlistenable today (and wasn´t that good to start with), the music here withstood the tides of time quite well and sounds pretty excellent today, especially as part of the nostalgia wave that surrounds past decades. As already mentioned, the creators of this music were all top notch composers / musicians, which is plainly obvious to anyone listening to this album. Although this album is primarily a tribute to the legendary TV series, it is also a great trip revisiting some great and mostly forgotten synthesizer music from the 1980s, which is still relevant and worthy of being listened to. The album was beautifully put together by GADFind albums on this label Records and its owner Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, who is setting a standard with his work for all reissue labels to follow.

Updated: 25/02/2016Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ SONDA 2 GAD 023 (Barcode: 5901549197297) ~ POLAND ~ Electronic & Ambient Recorded: 1977 - 1986 Released: 2014 This is the second album which presents a collection of music, which was utilized as background music by the epic / cult Polish TV popular science series called "SondaFind albums with this title", which was extremely popular and run for twelve years between 1977 and 1989. The program was innovative and extremely well done and also excelled in the careful choice of its background music. This collection uses again several tracks selected from the German Sonoton music library vaults, but also includes some original Polish tracks recorded especially by Polish Radio and TV by such pioneering artists as Mikolaj HertelFind albums by this artist, Andrzej KorzynskiFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof DudaFind albums by this artist, Wladyslaw KomendarekFind albums by this artist and even the legendary Polish group SBBFind albums by this artist. The music was all composed and performed between 1976 and 1986, which of course means that it is heavily filled with synthesizer sounds, which at the time were highly fashionable. However, in contrast to most popular synthesizer soaked 1980s music, which is simply unlistenable today (and wasn´t that good to start with), the music here withstood the tides of time quite well and sounds pretty excellent today, especially as part of the nostalgia wave that surrounds past decades. The creators of this music were all top notch composers / musicians, which is plainly obvious to anyone listening to this album. Although this album is primarily a tribute to the legendary TV series, it is also a great trip revisiting some great and mostly forgotten synthesizer music from the 1970s and 1980s, which was previously unreleased and which is still relevant and worthy of being listened to. The album was again beautifully put together by GADFind albums on this label Records and its owner Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, who is setting a standard with his work for all reissue labels to follow.

Updated: 25/02/2016Posted:

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ ZE SZPULOWCA BIGBEATOWCA GAD 108 (Barcode: 5903068120503) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1965 - 1969 Released: 2019 This is an archival collection of Polish Big-beat (East European alias used instead of Rock And Roll, which was considered Western decadence, invented in Poland and later popular also in other countries behind the Iron Curtain). The album presents seventeen original songs performed by seventeen Big-beat groups from around Poland. All these songs were never previously released on record. Before I actually listened to this album my skepticism told me that this is just another nostalgic collection of music that is best left alone to disappear into the historic void. Imagine my surprise when these incredible songs started to flow one after another, presenting an incredible versatile review of the music, similar to what British groups created in the second half of the 1960s, called Rock And Roll. It appears that the Polish Big-beat groups not only knew exactly what was happening abroad but also were able to play and sing this music with such authenticity, that if not for the Polish vocals, most of them could easily have been found in the BBC vaults. Of course a lot of these songs were lost almost completely, since they were mostly performed live and if the group was very lucky their songs were recorded by one of the regional Polish Radio stations, where this collection originates from. The music industry as such did not exist at the time and the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label could not handle the amount of new music that was springing all over Poland. Kudos to Michal OwczarekFind albums by this artist, who collected a plethora of these gems and to Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist from GADFind albums on this label Records, who decided to release this collection, which is such a marvelous document of Polish popular music in the 1960s. Waiting for the next volume of this initiative!

Updated: 13/03/2020Posted: 13/03/2020

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend