Record Reviews

RASM ALMASHAN ~ YEMENIA SOLITON 365 (Barcode: 5901571093659) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2018 - 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish (of Yemeni origin) vocalist Rasm AlmashanFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Rasm Al-MashanFind albums by this artist), recorded with an excellent group of musicians: percussionist Adeb ChamounFind albums by this artist, oud player Mateusz SzemrajFind albums by this artist, drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Bartozzi WojciechowskiFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Adam LemanczykFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Grzech PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist, who is the musical producer of the album, guests on three tracks and violinist Stanislaw SlowinskiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents nine songs, six of which are composed by Almashan, two are co-composed by her and Piotrowski and one is a traditional Yemenite song, made world-famous by Israeli singer Ofra HazaFind albums by this artist as "Im Nin´alu", who also had Yemenite roots. Most of the lyrics (In Yemeni Arabic and English) were also written by Almashan, except for "Im Nin´alu" which has lyrics in Hebrew written by Rabbi Shalom ShabaziFind albums by this artist, and two songs with lyrics by the great Yemeni singer Abu Bakr Salem BelfqihFind albums by this artist. The music is an amalgam of Pop and Middle Eastern / African Folklore elements with a strong Jazz-World Fusion accompaniment, excellently put together and very entertaining. Melodically and rhythmically the music is mostly quite European, but the arrangements are strongly influenced by Ethnically sounding ornamentations and Jazzy improvisations. For a person like me, who is surrounded by Middle Eastern music every day, this music does not sound "authentic" enough, but for European listeners this might work out perfectly, especially in view of the fact that Middle Eastern scales and phrasing can sound very outlandish to a European ear. However, this music sounds great regardless of its distance from authenticity, thanks to the great melodies and superb performances by all the participants, mixing perfect doses of European melody and exotic Middle Easter spices. Almashan is an excellent vocalist, whom I have been lucky to hear live many times, with a wide range, great sensitivity and wonderful musicality. The Jazzy accompaniment suits her perfectly and personally I love most the songs on which she lets go of the strict melody and ventures into more improvised passages, which are the absolute highlight of this album. Listeners who love Pop songs with strong Ethnic elements and Jazzy accents, similar to the music of the lamented Ofra Haza, should be delighted by this album from start to finish, as it is full of great playing and superb vocal parts, offering new musical layers with each repeated listening session and bridges Cultures in a most accessible and heartfelt manner. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 05/03/2020Posted: 05/03/2020

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MIKOLAJ BLAJDA / ORIENT EXPRESS ORCHESTRA ~ SZEHEREZADA FILHARMONIA FUTURA (Barcode: 5902659800923) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is an ambitious Jazz-World Fusion project by Polish multi-instrumentalist / composer / arranger / conductor Mikolaj BlajdaFind albums by this artist, which reflects his fascination with Arab culture in general and Arabic music in particular. The project is carried out by a large ensemble, which combines musicians originating from Arab countries, like vocalists Rasm Al-MashanFind albums by this artist (living in Poland) and Wissem KarouiFind albums by this artist, oud player Amine MraihiFind albums by this artist and qanun player Hamza MraihiFind albums by this artist, who are joined by Polish Jazz musicians like flautist / saxophonist Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist and duduk player Pawel SoleckiFind albums by this artist. A string quartet also takes part in the recording and the leader plays keyboards, bass, flugelhorn and percussion instruments. The album presents nine original compositions all composed by Blajda and arranged by him, and is relatively short lasting well under forty minutes. As someone who hears original Arabic music on a daily basis and lives in a geographical location soaked in Arabic culture, my perspective on this music is obviously quite different from that of Polish / European public. Therefore I have to start by stating that the music on this album has relatively little in common with original Arabic music. It is a Jazz-World fusion project which incorporates some Oriental / Middle Eastern musical elements, which may sound exotic and carry certain mysticism to a European listener, but it does not go beyond that as far as being close to the origin. Having said that, the album is a most welcome and certainly beautifully weaved attempt to bring Cultures together and offers gorgeous melodic themes and excellent performances by all the musicians involved. European listeners should enjoy the wonderful melodic contents spiced with the oriental elements, as well as the Jazzier improvised parts, which come together to create a most enjoyable musical amalgam. The vocal parts are among the highlights of the album. Overall this is an ingenious attempt to bring the riches of Arabic music one step closer to listeners who have no opportunity to discover them from other sources. It also breaks the xenophobic barriers between People, emphasizing the universality of Music and its beauty, which crosses boundaries much easier that ideologies. The album offers intelligent, well constructed music, which is accessible but makes no opportunistic compromises. For listeners who are open to music reaching beyond their immediate environment this is a most enjoyable adventure.

Updated: 04/07/2019Posted: 04/07/2019

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OLGA BOCZAR ~ TESKNO MI, TESKNO FOR TUNE 0137 (Barcode: 5906395808496) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018 This is the second album by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Olga BoczarFind albums by this artist, recorded with the same quartet of Polish Jazz musicians who accompanied her on her debut album: pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight songs, four of which are Polish Folk songs and the other four are original compositions by Boczar, three of which feature her lyrics (one of them in English) and one is based on a poem by Polish poet Boleslaw LesmianFind albums by this artist. Both the Folk songs and the original compositions get a Jazzy arrangement (which remains uncredited), but are not really transformed into the Jazz idiom, remaining mostly somewhere between Pop and Folk music after all. Boczar sings both lyrics and vocalese, holding her ground skillfully and even gracefully at times, but her vocal parts are somewhat low in the mix being often overshadowed by the instrumental accompaniment. Her flute parts are only marginally featured here. All four Jazz musicians that participate in the recording are of course highly professional, but the music leaves little ground for them to show their skills except for occasional solos. Overall this is a pleasant album, easy on the ear and well put together, mostly for listeners who prefer to be entertained rather than challenged, but one that can be enjoyed by a wide spectrum of music lovers.

Updated: 19/02/2019Posted: 19/02/2019

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OLGA BOCZAR MUSIC ESSENCE ~ LITTLE INSPIRATIONS NOT ON LABEL 001 (Barcode: 5905279086005) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2013 - 2014 Released: 2014 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Olga BoczarFind albums by this artist, recorded with her ensemble called Music EssenceFind albums by this artist, with core members: keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. In addition several other musicians also participate on selected tracks, including bassist Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Dominik GawronskiFind albums by this artist, trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist and several background vocalists; altogether quite a formidable team. The album presents ten original songs all composed by Boczar and with lyrics mostly written by her as well. Only two of the songs feature lyrics in Polish and eight have English lyrics. The music was recorded in three different studios, including the Studio Tokarnia where Smoczynski also served as the sound engineer recording the rhythms section tracks. In spite of the fact that the album features some very prominent Polish Jazz musicians, it is by no means a Jazz album. Except for a few piano solos, the album presents a singer / songwriter Pop / Rock effort with slight Jazzy accents mostly present in some of the arrangements. There is of course nothing wrong with that, but promoting and marketing this album under a Jazz moniker is a conceptual mistake. The music is a collection of mostly low key melancholic melodies, which all sound a bit similar and leave no lasting impression. Everything is "nice" and "smooth", but there is no excitement, zest or attempt hit the listener between his eyes. Boczar´s voice and delivery don´t help much either, as she has a limited range and sings in the same narrow spectrum using repeatedly the same mannerisms, regardless of the text she is singing. Except for a few vocalese attempts, the rest is rather unexciting. And on top of this all these there is the problem with lyrics in English, which sound pretty inappropriate. In contrast, plainly audible, the two songs sung in Polish sound infinitely better. The instrumental work is all quite all right, but again lacks any spark. The arrangements are all rather trivial, and the potential of such mighty team of musicians seems completely wasted. Except for the already mentioned piano solos, there is no attempt to put some excitement into this music. Overall this is all professionally done, but sadly completely uninspired. This album has a potential on the Polish Pop market, if promoted properly. It might even win a Fryderyk award next year, as anything can happen there, but hopefully not in the Jazz category. And before an outcry of angry responses accusing me of ruining young people´s careers erupts again, let me emphasize that this is just my private, subjective opinion, which has absolutely no bearing on anybody´s fate.

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PIOTR FILIPOWICZ ~ JAZZ TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON POLSKIE RADIO 1505 (Barcode: 5907812245054) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 Why, in the name of all the Saints (who go marching in), would a group of talented, experienced and serious Polish Jazz musicians get engaged in recording this monstrosity is beyond me. Bassist Piotr FilipowiczFind albums by this artist is relatively well known on the local scene, with an established record in Jazz, theatre and Classical music. This album is his idea and he wrote all the ten arrangements of songs associated with Michael JacksonFind albums by this artist (either written by Jackson or by other songwriters who worked with him and were performed / recorded by him). His other partners are trumpeter Przemek KostrzewaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marcin GankoFind albums by this artist, pianist Dominik RoslonFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Lena ZuchniakFind albums by this artist sings only on the last track of the album. The album does not fulfill the promise stated in its title, as the only connection between the music it contains and Michael Jackson is limited to stating the songs´ themes in the opening notes of each track. There is no conceptual, spiritual, stylistic or aesthetic connection between this music and the essence of Jackson´s music. The songs quickly turn into mainstream Jazz, which is boring, repetitive and simply uninspired. The arrangements are shallow and detached from the origin and completely meaningless. The track with vocals is even worse that the instrumental ones. Obviously these musicians can play and even play very well, which is immediately evident, but which makes the entire affair even sadder. If opportunism was the motivation behind this project, it was missed by a mile. Jackson´s fans are usually quite disassociated form Jazz and Jazz fans will see through this sham instantly. Such waste of talent always makes me feel sad, mad and Bad (pun intended)!

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ANDRZEJ GONDEK ~ MAZE NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with bass guitarist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. Keyboardist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist guests on three tracks and Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist plays the moog bass on one track. The album presents eleven tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Gondek, one is co-composed with Kurkiewicz, one is by Tomaszewski and one is an arrangement of a song by the American Funk band The MetersFind albums by this artist. Gondek has been around on the local scene in the last decade, recording on quite a few albums as a sideman, and this debut album puts him at last in the focus of things, showcasing his talent as both a great guitar player and composer. The album sparks with its excellent melodies, which are ideal vehicles to display the superb instrumental performances by all the participants. Stylistically, the music is an interesting amalgam of Jazz, Funk and Fusion, with a dash of Blues, featuring the guitar at the epicenter, but involving the rhythm section as an integral part of the collective process. Gondek manages to achieve a very personal guitar sound, something which sounds almost unachievable these days, but definitely is happening here. That sound, combined with his excellent guitar technique and strong, dynamic and perfectly synchronized wall of sound created by the rhythm section generate an impressive “power trio” result, which might surprise guitar lovers, who think they have already heard everything in that idiom. Overall, this is a very impressive debut, which places Gondek on the list of important Polish Jazz guitarists, who are definitely worth being noticed and watched, and which will serve as a head start of the next phase of his career. For the many guitar fans the world over, this is as opportunity to hear some original and unorthodox guitar acrobatics, which are relatively hard to come by these days.

Updated: 26/03/2023Posted: 21/03/2023

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ANNA MARIA JOPEK ~ DWA SERDUSZKA CZTERY OCZY UNIVERSAL 602517947825 (Barcode: 602517947825) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2005 - 2008 Released: 2008 This phenomenal Box Set, or rather book set, combines three albums by Polish vocalist / songwriter Anna Maria JopekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. AMJFind albums by this artist), recorded over a period of several years in the mid 2000s. It includes the album "IDFind albums with this title", a CD full of demos and outtakes which did not make it to be included on "ID" and the live album "JO & COFind albums by this artist". Together these three CDs summarize the "ID" period, which was a groundbreaking step in AMJ´s development as an artist. Packaged with a marvelous book full of black & white photographs of AMJ and the participating musicians, elegantly designed and exquisitely printed, this is a piece of Art in every sense of the word. Surrounded by a group of wonderful musicians form Poland and the world over she performs mostly self-written songs, mixing Jazz and World Music with the typical Polish melodic / lyrical atmosphere, which dominates the proceedings. The list of world famous musicians participating on "ID" is most impressive and includes saxophonist Branford MarsalisFind albums by this artist, bassists Christian McBrideFind albums by this artist and Richard BonaFind albums by this artist, drummer Manu KatchéFind albums by this artist, percussionist Mino CineluFind albums by this artist, oud player / vocalist Dhafer YoussefFind albums by this artist, guitarist / vocalist Oscar Castro NevesFind albums by this artist and pianist Tord GustavsenFind albums by this artist. Polish musicians include keyboardist Pawel Bzim ZareckiFind albums by this artist, guitarists Marcin KydrynskiFind albums by this artist and Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, pianist / arranger Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, who is in charge of the string quartet and orchestral arrangements (performed by the Sinfonia VivaFind albums by this artist Orchestra). The live album includes also organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The music presents a complex panorama of sounds and ideas, which include many cross-genre excursions, vocal experiments, poetic vistas and intimate dialogs between the Artist and the world that surrounds her. AMJ has one of the sweetest voices on this planet and her big artistry is all about not to make sugary music, which would be quite natural for many other singers. She also has an incredible sense of rhythm in general and Jazzy swing in particular, which is quite rare. Her affinity to music originating beyond her native Polish / European sphere of influence is also quite remarkable. All these, combined with her unique expressionism as a singer and delicate, elegant, intricate vocal delivery make her one of my favorite singers of all times. AMJ enjoys a superstar status in Poland, which usually is a sign of tasteless commercialism and total lack of any artistic values. Her ability to be extremely popular and at the same time produce first class music is therefore especially impressive. Although some snobbish Jazz circles in her country deem her commercial and populist, this is simply completely unjustified and probably a sign of narrow-mindedness if not worse. I find it hard to believe that anybody listening to this music would feel anything but total admiration, as it is simply perfect.

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 3 Box Set Recommend To A Friend

ANNA MARIA JOPEK ~ LUSTRA UNIVERSAL 602527835242 (Barcode: 602527835242) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2010 - 2011 Released: 2011 Polish vocalist extraordinaire Anna Maria JopekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. AMJFind albums by this artist) never stops to amaze her faithful fans and devoted listeners, but this, her latest Box Set (or rather book set), which consists of not one, not two but three full-fledged musical projects released simultaneously, is simply awe-inspiring. The three projects, entitled "PolannaFind albums with this title", "HaikuFind albums with this title" and "SobremesaFind albums with this title", were also released separately, but this set includes all three of them packaged with a marvelous book full of photographs and background information, elegantly designed and exquisitely printed, in a format similar to her previous 3 CD set "Dwa Serduszka Cztery OczyFind albums with this title", released three years earlier. The three projects, although diametrically different from each other, form a coherent "whole", which reflects AMJ´s complex artistic vision of this world, which bridges different cultures, traditions and backgrounds, finding the common beauty in all of them, and engulfing her inner spirit. Obviously she feels completely "at home" with her music, regardless if it is rooted in the Polish melancholy, Japanese introversion and minimalism or Portuguese / African pulsations. Spanning the entire world this music is simply a living proof that geography, language and nationality have absolutely no meaning when artistic expression is concerned. As usual AMJ is surrounded by excellent musicians, some from Poland, other from around the world. The list is very long and can be studied by reading the book, but the most significant names include Japanese pianist / composer Makoto OzoneFind albums by this artist, Cuban pianist / composer Gonzalo RubalcabaFind albums by this artist, American keyboardist / producer Gil GoldsteinFind albums by this artist and many more. Polish musicians include, among others, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The music on all the albums is superbly recorded and mastered, being not only perfect musically but also sublime sonically even to the most uncompromising sound quality connoisseurs. This is a "total" listening experience, which is so incredibly rare these days. I must say that every time I confess my love of AMJ´s work my Jazz friends give me a "funny" look, which I find often infuriating. This is not Free Jazz, it´s not freely improvised music, and in fact it is only marginally Jazz at all, or rather a Jazz-World Fusion. So what? I find it fulfilling, challenging, aesthetic and meaningful nevertheless. The fact that this music can be enjoyed by a wide circle of listeners without losing an iota of quality and dedication testifies of its inherent value, which I´m always ready to defend. So overall this is a serious piece of excellent music, diverse and surprising, deeply heartbreaking at times and unboundedly cheerful at others, but always honest and straight to the point, again a rare quality these days. Keep doing what you are doing girl, never look back!

Updated: 26/01/2019Posted:

CD 3 Box Set Recommend To A Friend

PAWEL KACZMARCZYK ~ AUDIOFEELING ARMS 03 (Barcode: 5900238791020) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 Brilliant debut album by Polish Jazz prodigy, pianist / composer Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, aged 22 at the time of this recording. The album presents Kaczmarczyk with his piano trio with bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist, which was his regular group at the time. Three saxophonists: Radoslaw NowickiFind albums by this artist, Tomasz GrzegorskiFind albums by this artist and Grzech PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist join the trio on several tracks, turning it into a quartet and on one track a sextet, when they all play together. Of the ten tracks present here, eight were composed by Kaczmarczyk and the other two co-composed by Kaczmarczyk and Piotrowski. The music is absolutely brilliant, from top to bottom, from start to finish and from the first to the last note. The piano trio showcases their mutual telepathy and the quartets / sextet introduce an ensemble approach. Kaczmarczyk is obviously an outstanding player, elegant and sensitive and above all mature well above what might be expected from a musician of his age. But even more astounding than his technical brilliance are his skills as a composer, which turn him into a full-fledged Jazz personality. His music amalgamates all of the Jazz tradition, ignoring trends and genres, emphasizing the sense of melody and structure which one finds only amongst the finest of Jazz Masters, like Bill EvansFind albums by this artist. Of course all the other musicians are equally excellent, playing with grace and passion, always elegantly and with taste. The overall result is a stunning achievement, especially in view of the fact that it is a musical debut. I can´t imagine any Jazz lover in the world not loving this music to bits, as it is simply overwhelmingly beautiful. A must!

Updated: 26/10/2016Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Gold Recommend To A Friend

PAWEL KACZMARCZYK ~ LIVE PRK 067 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005 Brilliant live album by Polish Jazz prodigy, pianist / composer Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, aged 21 at the time of this recording. The album presents Kaczmarczyk with his piano trio with bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist, which was his regular group at the time. This music was recorded one year prior to the recording of the trio´s sensational "formal" debut album called "AudiofeelingFind albums with this title" and was released by the Silesian branch of Polish Radio, and is now a collectors´ item. Of the four tracks present here, three were composed by Kaczmarczyk and the fourth co-composed by all the trio members. The music is absolutely brilliant, from top to bottom, from start to finish and from the first to the last note. The piano trio showcases their mutual telepathy and individual virtuosity. Kaczmarczyk is obviously an outstanding player, elegant and sensitive and above all mature well above what might be expected from a musician of his age. But even more astounding than his technical brilliance are his skills as a composer, which turn him into a full-fledged Jazz personality. His music amalgamates all of the Jazz tradition, ignoring trends and genres, emphasizing the sense of melody and structure which one finds only amongst the finest of Jazz Masters, like Bill EvansFind albums by this artist. Of course all the other musicians are equally excellent, playing with grace and passion, always elegantly and with taste. The overall result is a stunning achievement, especially in view of the fact that it is a musical debut. I can´t imagine any Jazz lover in the world not loving this music to bits, as it is simply overwhelmingly beautiful. A must!

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JADZKA KLAPA ~ PUNT STYKU NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish vocalist / saxophonist / keyboardist / songwriter Jadzka KlapaFind albums by this artist, recorded with keyboardist Pawel Bzim ZareckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SzczyczynskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist, violist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist and violinist Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents fifteen songs, all by Klapa, and it is lavishly packaged in a box containing a book of short stories written by her, sixteen inserts with the song’s lyrics and details about the participating musicians and of course the CD, all in all a true multimedia package with music, poetry, prose, photography and graphic Art of the highest aesthetic level, an obvious total offering of love, perhaps appropriately designed (as the title suggests) to be a “touching point” of a complex, very personal offerings. The music, although obviously Jazz influenced and encrusted by instrumental improvisation, is all over the place (in the best meaning of this phrase), with traces of Blues, Rock, Cabaret, Polish omnipresent melancholy and a myriad of other influences, creating a magical amalgam, which holds the listener literary by his throat. For a lack of a better definition, the entire package falls neatly into my beloved Jazz & Poetry idiom, and we shall leave it at that. As usual in such cases, the literary layer becomes oblivious to non-Polish language native speakers, but even then the album is able to hold the listeners in its nets of charms, created by the aural layers. Klapa is a wonderful voice manipulator and her vocal range, expressiveness and theatrical characteristic go beyond language limitations. Her cohorts are all, like one, brilliant for the entire duration. The rhythm section handles the tricky rhythm changes and odd meters like a breeze, and the short, concise instrumental solos by Klapa and Zarecki ornament the proceedings with finesse. The two string players, brothers in arms in the Atom String Quartet, fully justify their fame and glory. The sound recording and mix are also extraordinary, enabling all the nuances to be heard vividly, offering a very contemporary approach, more Alternative Rock oriented that Jazz, which usually bothers me, but in this case adds to the mystique and charm of the entire package. Overall, this is a powerful (and yet delicate) and complex piece of Art by a highly multi-talented Lady (she is also a MD I understand), which took a while to develop and ripen, resulting in a truly wonderful piece reflecting her personality, which she gracefully is willing to share with the world. This is definitely one of the most exciting new releases on the Polish scene this year and a most rewarding musical (and more) experience, for which I personally thank you Milady!

Updated: 22/07/2023Posted: 22/07/2023

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MARTA KROL ~ THE FIRST LOOK ŚTM 05 (Barcode: 5908248979056) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is the debut solo album by Polish vocalist Marta KrolFind albums by this artist, a beautiful Silesian Princess whose looks turn men into stone on sight ;) On the album she presents ten Jazz and Pop standards, dressed up in excellent new arrangements, by keyboardist / arranger Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, who also plays some additional keyboards on the album. She is accompanied by a wonderful quartet of Polish Jazz musicians: saxophonist Dawid GlowczewskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. Krol has a delightfully warm voice, which she uses most effectively and with a natural charm and sex-appeal. Her musical education is immediately apparent, as she stays in tune at all times, even during the tricky passages and obviously keeps well in-synch with her band. The accompaniment is excellent, with many interesting solo spots by Glowczewski, beautiful piano and Fender Rhodes parts by Tomaszewski and solid and sympathetic support from the rhythm section with virtuosic, but kept in low profile bass parts by Swies, who is consistently perfect every time he appears on record and earns a well deserved position among the best contemporary Polish bassists. However, in spite of the Jazzy arrangements and instrumental passages, this album is only marginally Jazzy per se. Krol lacks the Jazz sensitivities and fundamental improvisational approach, singing mostly "straight forward". That does not mean she is doing anything wrong, but if the purpose of this album was to present her as a Jazz singer, it fails to do so. Nevertheless it is a very pleasant and well done piece of music, which deserves all praise, especially in view of the fact that it is her debut effort. Of course there is the usual problem of Polish vocalists stubbornly trying to sing in English, which is an insurmountable barrier, which simply keeps reappearing on almost all vocal albums recorded in the country. It´s not that Krol´s pronunciation and accent are terribly wrong; in fact they are not too bad at all, but her struggle to sound "right" takes away her attention from the music, as always. My advice to the lovely young lady would be perhaps to try and find out her unique own style, which would amalgamate Soul, Pop, Blues and just a dash of Jazz, and which would serve her vocal talents to the max. And of course perhaps a bit more risk-taking and ambitious material, original if possible and preferably in Polish – with such a formula she is destined to reach places. But than again, who am I, an old fart, to give advice to lovely young ladies singing the Blues? Overall this is an impressive debut, which holds many promises for those with patience to wait for the lady´s future endeavors. I certainly intend to do so.

Updated: 23/03/2024Posted:

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LNSD QUARTET ~ UNASKED, UNANSWERED HEVHETIA 0223 (Barcode: 8588005259040) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz ensemble LNSD QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Szymon LukowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Gabriel NiedzielaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, five by Lukowski and one each by Smoczynski and Niedziela. The album was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Smoczynski. The music is quite different from the three albums recorded earlier by Lukowski as a leader, which were all pretty mainstream Jazz oriented, whereas this album offers a different approach, still melody based and musically straightforward, but with a highly unique sound created by the synthesized keyboards, at times almost industrial, Funky / Fusiony guitar sound and busy drumming, which together create a heavy, somewhat muddy / murky / distorted sound, and which takes a while to get adopted to and prompts the listener to check his ears / sound system to make sure that what he hears is what was intended to be heard. I admit that it took some effort to accept the music for what it is and by the second listening it started to make perfect sense. There is plenty if great music under the murky exterior and the darkish atmosphere of the album has its fortes. Lukowski and Niedziela play some excellent soli here, and Smoczynski is busy enough with creating the ambient background, while Dobrowolski sets the paste with his usual precision and artistry. Overall, this is a very unusual sounding album, which offers some excellent compositions and great performances, but requires open-mindedness as far as the sound and ambience are concerned. Patience is, as usual, well rewarded! Jazz lovers, who are into novel sound experiments, should have a field day with this album.

Updated: 02/04/2022Posted: 02/04/2022

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MALGORZATA MALISZCZAK ~ ZLOTE MYSLI KOBIETY POLSKIE RADIO 1954 (Barcode: 5907812249540) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is a wonderful album, which presents twelve original compositions by Polish pianist / composer Malgorzata MaliszczakFind albums by this artist, based on poems (by prominent Polish poetesses and poets), which present the feminine "point of view". The beautiful texts and superb music go hand in hand, creating a gorgeous set of songs, carefully arranged and Jazzed up, performed by four vocalists: Lola SzafranFind albums by this artist, Mietek SzczesniakFind albums by this artist, Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist and Agnieszka MaliFind albums by this artist. The vocalists are supported by a great team of instrumentalist, including many of the top Polish Jazz players, like the great pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist, drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist and many others. Kudos to Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist for producing this gem! The album firmly continues the Polish Jazz & Poetry tradition, which goes back to the 1960s and always has been one of the most successful expressions of the local Culture. It is good to see that it has not been abandoned so far, even though the contemporary music scene makes every effort to annihilate every sign of Culture itself. Of course the fact that these poems were written in the Polish language limits the potential audience, I´m pretty sure that even non-Polish speakers should be able to enjoy this album in full. Personally I find Beata Przybytek to be the most striking vocalist on this album, but all four artists make a grand job, including the veteran Szafran, who seems to be still in great form. The instrumental work is perfectly suiting the lyrical atmosphere, with subtle soloing and attentive accompaniment. This album simply says "elegance and grace" minute after minute, and when it is eventually over, one longs for more. Overall this is a splendid effort and everybody who contributed to its creating deserves to be wholeheartedly thanked and congratulated. One can only hope that it will be heard by as many people as possible, who can truly appreciate it.

Updated: 01/01/2016Posted:

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GRZEGORZ NAGORSKI ~ THE OPTIMIST SOLITON 738 (Barcode: 5901571097381) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the third album as a leader by Polish Jazz trombonist / composer Grzegorz NagorskiFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a quartet setting which features keyboardist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. Nagorski plays this time on the euphonium, rather than on his customary trombone, which makes this album quite unique, as euphonium is rarely used as the leading instrument. The album presents six original compositions, all by Nagorski. The music is actually quite surprising, very melodic and mainstream oriented, but definitely not trivial. Most of the time it sounds very Funky and offers a lot of Grove and Soul hints and to me is reminiscent to the music composed by the great George DukeFind albums by this artist and Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist in their electric periods. Overall it could be described as Jazz-Funk, Jazz-Soul or Jazz Rock Fusion. Nagorski´s compositions are all first rate. The euphonium proves to be, as expected, a very difficult instrument as a leading voice of a quartet, and in spite of the fact that Nagorski handles it very skillfully, it is essentially up to the other musicians to provide most of the harmonic and rhythmic contents, which of course they do perfectly, as expected from the highly professional and talented musicians they are. Tomaszewski´s keyboards are an absolute delight and he is definitely as excellent in the electric department as he is in front of the acoustic piano and for some time one of my favorite Polish keyboard players. Overall this is a very pleasant and musically satisfying album, which at the same time offers an attempt to use an unusual instrument in a Jazz environment. The music should be acceptable to a wide circle of Jazz / Fusion listeners and guaranties a well spent time while listening to this music.

Updated: 09/06/2018Posted: 09/06/2018

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JACEK NAMYSLOWSKI ~ MODERATE HASTE BKQ 004 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz trombonist / composer Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, which comes rather late in his career as he has been active on the local scene for quite a while. He is a son of the legendary Polish Jazz figure saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, and since several years has been a member of his father´s ensemble, as well as several other projects. The album was recorded in a classic quintet lineup with saxophonist Lukasz PoprawskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. It presents seven original compositions, all by the leader (although the album´s packaging says nothing about this, I assume it is so). The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia, engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with spectacular sonic quality. The music is kept well within the mainstream Jazz milieu, which means solid melodic themes expanded to make room for solos by the ensemble members, with relatively steady rhythmic approach and no great surprises. The compositions are all well rounded and based on fine melodic themes, mostly lyrical and somewhat melancholic. This is definitely well crafted music, intelligent and subtle, which does not try to create flashy impressions but asks for attentive listening. In some respects it is somewhat similar to the music which Zbigniew Namyslowski wrote in the early days of his career, but does not venture into folkloristic influences, staying firmly within the well threaded Jazz path. The individual performances are all quite excellent, as these are first-class experienced and gifted musicians. Namyslowski plays beautifully and demonstrates a personal voice, which is not easy to achieve for such a difficult instrument as the trombone. Poprawski plays several fiery solos; the young Ojdana demonstrates his exceptional ability once again, turning every little solo of his into an instant gem. The rhythm section does a perfect job driving the music forward steadily and smoothly with flair and obvious sensitivity. Overall this is pleasant, well rounded mainstream Jazz album, with good music and excellent performances, which should make every Jazz fan happy. People looking for more adventurous outings might find this music somewhat "outdated", but honestly every candid and well played Jazz album has its place and its audience. Definitely worth investigating!

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ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ ASSYMETRY NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006 This is a brilliant album by veteran Polish saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, one of the Founding Fathers of modern Polish Jazz active on the scene since the late 1950s. First as a member of the legendary Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist ensemble and later as a leader, Namyslowski was always a superb musician and an intriguing composer. His early work was often characterized by incorporating Polish folklore motifs into his compositions, which was highly unusual at the time in US or Western Europe, but relatively common behind the Iron Curtain. This amazing album, as the (slightly twisted) title suggests, is all about odd meters, you know all those 7/4, 5/4, 7/8 and other crazy rhythmic patterns that only highly skilled musicians are able to play correctly. As much as they are a nightmare to play, they are surely a wonder to listen to and enjoy and this albums offers nine lengthy tunes, one better that the other. Performed by a brilliant quintet: trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist (yes the next generation), pianist Slawomir JaskulkeFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Grzegorz GrzybFind albums by this artist and Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist (on two tracks only), the music is simply divine, clever and enjoyable, all at the same time, which of course id pretty rare. It certainly seems that Namyslowski is getting younger with age, a rare quality indeed. Brilliant!

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MAREK NAPIORKOWSKI ~ HIPOKAMP AGORA 5903111493905 (Barcode: 5903111493905) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is an album by Polish guitarist / composer Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist and Brazilian percussionist Luis RibeiroFind albums by this artist. Veteran saxophonist Adam PieronczykFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album presents nine tracks, six of which are original compositions by Napiorkowski, two are arrangements of songs by David BowieFind albums by this artist and one is by the great Brazilian composer Egberto GismontiFind albums by this artist. It is enormously satisfying to see an Artist achieving a status of stability and security, where his authority / ability / talent are not repeatedly questioned and where he does not have to prove anything any more, all this as a result of consistent hard work and good judgment as to the consecutive steps of his vocation. Napiorkowski is a prime example of such an Artist, enjoying a carefully weaved career built step by step, always surrounded by first class musicians and never resting comfortably on his laurels. This album is full of surprises, starting with the very unusual lineup: basically a duo of guitar and keyboards supported by a rhythmic backbone. The wonderfully multi-talented Smoczynski is able to display the entire palette of his keyboard wizardry, including the beautiful Hammond Organ parts and of course supplying the bass lines in this bass-less setting. Dobrowolski is right on the money with his dynamic and beautifully tasteful drumming and Ribeiro ornaments the proceedings with stylish percussion parts. Pieronczyk does not disappoint either, and his elegant lyrical saxophone parts suit the music ideally. The original compositions by Napiorkowski offer wonderfully coherent melody lines, which are expanded into non-trivial improvisations, at times touching upon imaginative Free Form sections. The two Bowie songs receive unique arrangements, taking the original melody contents into unexpected territory. The Gismonti piece, although very brief, expresses Napiorkowski´s admiration of the Brazilian Genius and fellow guitarist. The entire album offers a wonderful flow and continuity, which turns it into a superb listening experience. Overall this is another excellent step in Napiorkowski´s well paved career, finding him searching and exploring, which of course is commendable. For the lack of a better definition, this is a beautiful example of intelligent and innovative Fusion, which points out that the idiom is far from being stale, when in great hands. Respect Maestro!

Updated: 20/12/2019Posted: 20/12/2019

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MAREK NAPIORKOWSKI ~ TROJKA LIVE POLSKIE RADIO 1914 (Barcode: 5907812249144) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is a live album recorded at the Polish Radio Studio Three by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist. The recording captures Napiorkowski in a sextet setting with some of the absolute top Polish Jazz payers: saxophonists Adam PieronczykFind albums by this artist and Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist (who also plays on bass clarinet), pianist Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist (who also plays flute), bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. They perform six original compositions, all by Napiorkowski. The music is a superb example of modern mainstream Jazz, which combines excellent compositions with perfect execution. Based on beautiful and masterly woven melodic themes, full of romanticism, melancholy and typical Polish mystery, the tunes presented here have been masterly arranged for the sextet by Herdzin, who is celebrated for his ability to create wonderful sonic structures, which are elaborate and highly sophisticated but sound remarkably pleasing. The lineup selected by Napiorkowski ensured a truly marvelous performance, with all the musicians involved having plenty of opportunity to play extended and expressive solos. The leader delivers his usual, slightly Fusion oriented strings of pearls on his electric guitar, which are, as always, dazzling. He also uses the acoustic guitar no less effectively. The saxophonists have plenty of opportunities to play heartwarming solos, the bass clarinet and flute provide nice atmospheric layers, the piano keeps the harmony together and leads the way and the excellent rhythm section takes care of the pulse, always perfectly on time. However, the individual performances are only pieces of the puzzle, which, when combined together, creates a much stronger and more satisfying whole. This is one of the best mainstream Jazz ensemble albums I came across lately, which proves that mainstream Jazz can be fulfilling and sophisticated, if talented and dedicated musicians are involved. The arrangements and the team work present here are a classic example of contemporary mainstream Jazz perfection. As if all this wasn´t enough, the album is also beautifully recorded and considering the fact that this is a live recording, the quality is even more remarkable. Overall this is a superb modern mainstream album, which offers beautiful compositions and perfect execution, and which should satisfy even the sternest connoisseurs and bring joy to all true Jazz lovers. Hats off!

Updated: 29/11/2016Posted: 29/11/2016

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TED NOVAK ~ MONUMENT VALLEY NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the second album by Polish guitarist / composer Ted NovakFind albums by this artist, recoded again in a trio setting, but this time with the excellent organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded at the legendary Studio Tokarnia, with Smoczynski also filling the sound engineer´s chair. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Novak. The presence of the organ introduced a very significant change in the trio´s sound and overall musical direction, taking it to a much higher and more sophisticated level. The sound of the trio resembles the wonderful vintage ambience of early Jazz-Rock ensembles, like for example the Graham BondFind albums by this artist band with John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist. This is Rock sound with Jazz feeling, one of the most attractive and satisfying of the kind. Novak has his own guitar sound and touch, which against all odds manages to create a unique voice. Based on the Blues chords and using just the correct amount of sound effects, the guitar becomes the ideal partner to the sublime Hammond sound, and together they are simply magical. Smoczynski is of course a virtuoso and his usage of the Hammond possibilities is marvelous and seems unlimited. In time his playing expands the palette of the sound colors and honestly there are very few, if any, Hammond players is his class today. Dobrowolski, already a veteran of the Polish Jazz scene, is also a master musicians and his wonderful dynamics and sensitivity, both in the Rock and Jazz areas, are ideal for this music in every respect. As if this wasn´t more then enough to make this album a perfect piece of music, the compositions are the cherry on top. Beautifully melodic, even melancholic at times, they are all perfect vehicles for the trio to tear the roof off, so to speak, and their stylistic, dynamic and rhythmic diversity is an ideal mix, which makes this album to be over in a jiffy. Well in such case it is advised simply to put it on "repeat" of course. Overall this is a superb, mature, elegant album, full of great music performed with flair and passion, which truly has few equals anywhere on this planet. Jazz-Rock Fusion is alive and kicking in Warsaw, even if it is dead almost everywhere else, with a few exceptions of course. An absolute must!

Updated: 25/03/2017Posted: 29/09/2016

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TED NOVAK ~ RUNIT NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the third album by Polish guitarist / composer Ted NovakFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a quartet setting with organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Novak. The music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Smoczynski, with the usual superb sound quality. The music is a mixture floating between Jazz, Jazz-Rock Fusion, Blues-Rock, and even Progressive Rock, featuring extensive improvisations by Novak and Smoczynski wonderfully supported by the rhythm section. The retro sound and overall sonic ambience of the recording create an impression that the music might have been recorded decades ago, when guitar / organ based ensembles ruled the world of Rock and Prog and even Jazz to some extent. Novak is able to weave superb tunes, which are unique both in their harmonic approach and rhythmic complexity and as such are ideal vehicle for improvisations without loosing their melodic contents. The stylistic diversity of the tunes on the album turns it into a fascinating listening experience which is over in a blink of an eye. All four musicians are veterans with attested achievements, which are fully illustrated by the performances on this album. Smoczynski´s organ playing is absolutely brilliant and one can only lament that he makes relatively few recordings featuring his organ "shenanigans". Novak is more reserved on this album in comparison to the predecessors, which enables the listener to be exposed to his more lyrical side. Pacan and Dobrowolski are a perfectly oiled swing machine, which keeps the music afloat and sparkling at all times. Overall this is a very unique, in today´s standards, album, which offers an adventurous cross-genre journey through guitar / organ dominated music, which is a most pleasing listening experience, especially for people with affiliation with Jazz / Fusion / Rock originating on the 1960s. Well done again!

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

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TED NOVAK ~ RURAL CRISIS NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by Polish guitarist Ted NovakFind albums by this artist, recorded with a trio which also includes Polish Jazz veterans: bassist Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight compositions, seven of which are Novak originals and the remaining one is a Miles DavisFind albums by this artist tune. The music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist presiding, as usual, at the console. This is the first heavily electric production that comes to my attention recorded at Studio Tokarnia, which usually excels at acoustic music, and once again I must raise my hat to Mr. Smoczynski for his incredible skills as a sound magician. From the first note heard on this album the listener is exposed to an unfamiliar electric guitar sound, which is pretty original and surprising. After many decades, where the music scene was under complete guitar domination, one is sure that everything that is possible to do with a guitar was already done, but apparently the surprises never cease to pop up. However after a couple of tunes the guitar tone and sound effects get absorbed by our brain and we get back to a quite familiar world of heavy Fusion, which although has some improvisational elements, is much closer to Rock than to Jazz, especially rhythmically. Guitar pyrotechnics are unfortunately a very perilous and slippery ground; how much of it is sheer genius and how much is just a show off and boring repetitious doodling? It´s for the listener to decide in every specific case, and those opinions will probably vary quite a bit. Personally I must say that I have heard all of this before, after all I was lucky to hear Jimmy HendrixFind albums by this artist, Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist and all other significant guitar players in person and at their prime. But does it mean that this album has no merit at all? Not at all, I´m quite sure that many guitar aficionados will absolutely love the distorted, echoing guitar screams to bits. Combined with the unusual sound, superb rhythm section and excellent sound quality, this album is actually a lot of fun. But the album has its drawbacks: with just slightly over half an hour of music it is hardly a full CD and should really be treated as an EP, especially if someone is going to buy it (if that happens at all any more). The Fusion listeners might find it too Rocky and the Rock listeners might find it too complicated. Life is a bitch…I´m already waiting for the next adventure!

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DANIEL POPIALKIEWICZ ~ NADA NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903111492106) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2017 This is the third album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Daniel PopialkiewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with a stellar lineup consisting of keyboardist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Popialkiewicz (although not explicitly stated so the album´s artwork). The music is an exquisite, highly melodic Fusion, full of well crafted melodies, quirky rhythms and unpredictable harmonic charges, which keeps the listener on edge during the entire duration of the album, never quite sure of what to expect next. There is a constant feeling of agility and vitality, which drives the music relentlessly straight into the listener´s sub-consciousness, before he is able to analyze what exactly is going on. It takes several listening session in order to comprehend this music in a more relaxed ambiance and start detecting the myriad of interplays, ornamentations and fast arpeggios that happen as if on a separate plane. In short this is Fusion with a high level of sophistication, which basically happens very rarely within the idiom. Not surprisingly the performances are nothing short of stellar. Popialkiewicz, obviously unfamiliar to Fusion / guitar freaks outside of his country, is such a surprising virtuoso, that most of his fellow Fusion guitar cohorts the world over would be simply left speechless and jaw dropped if they ever listened to this album. He uses a plethora of sounds, techniques, effects and other tricks of the trade, as a result of which he never sounds alike for more than a short while during the entire duration of this album. The only way to understand what I mean is to listen to this music, as words are inadequate to convey it. But Popialkiewicz gets a tremendous support from his colleagues. Tomaszewski is one of the most talented Polish keyboardists, whose progress in the last few years is nothing short of stellar. He feels perfectly natural in mainstream Jazz and in the Fusion environments and his contributions on this album are absolutely stunning. Kubiszyn is probably the most sensitive electric bass player on the Polish scene, and no wonder that he is highly sought after session player with the top Polish Jazz musicians. His fretless bass playing on this album is a worthy of the status of the greatest mavericks of the instrument in Fusion history. Dobrowolski is an incredibly sensitive drummer, with impeccable technique and atomic clock precision, and his playing, which is way beyond just keeping time, in an integral part of this album´s identity and musical significance. In short if I had to pick up just one Fusion album released in 2017, this one beats all others easily, leaving only a cloud of dust behind. Fusion and guitar freaks will be fainting to the sound of this album and even a hard-ass critic like yours truly had a hard time to control his emotions. Fusion heaven is here!

Updated: 01/02/2018Posted: 01/02/2018

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BEATA PRZYBYTEK ~ TODAY GIRLS DON`T CRY FLID 003 (Barcode: 5908254159718) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Soul Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2017 Released: 2017 This is the long anticipated fifth album by Polish singer / songwriter Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist. It presents twelve original songs composed by Przybytek, nine of which feature English lyrics by Alicja MaciejowskaFind albums by this artist, two feature Polish lyrics by Dariusz DuszaFind albums by this artist and one features Polish lyrics by Grzegorz WasowskiFind albums by this artist. There is also a bonus track (lucky thirteen) written by Polish poet Andrzej PoniedzielskiFind albums by this artist and guitarist / composer Jakub ChmielarskiFind albums by this artist. The recording of the album lasted for almost two and a half years, spans several recording studios and features some of the best Polish Instrumentalist, many of them associated with Polish Jazz. Keyboardist Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist is again in charge of the arrangements and production and other musicians involved include keyboardists Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist and Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, guitarists Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist and the a/m Jakub Chmielarski, bassists Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist, Robert SzewczugaFind albums by this artist and Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist, drummers Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist, Filip MozulFind albums by this artist and Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist, percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Marek PodkowaFind albums by this artist and Mariusz MaczkaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Sebastian SoldrzynskiFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Beata BednarzFind albums by this artist guests on one track. About five years ago the previous album by Przybytek ("I`m Gonna Rock YouFind albums with this title") landed accidently on my desk and my enthusiastic review expressed my delight and joy experienced while listening to it, heralding her as one of the great hopes of the Polish vocal scene, despite the fact that she was almost completely unknown at the time. After a long wait it is even more delightful to hear that my "discovery" proved to be spot on and Przybytek delivered another masterpiece, not only on the Polish scale, but surely on a world scale as well. There are only a handful of other singer / songwriters active today who are able to write such wonderfully heartfelt songs and deliver them with such passion, conviction and seductive magnetism. Each and every one of these songs is an absolute gem, with no weak moments on the entire album. Although rooted in Jazz, Przybytek made a very conscious and in retrospect astute decision to move towards Soul, Rhythm And Blues and sophisticated Pop, which suit both her warm, sexy voice and obviously also her musical inclinations better than the Jazz idiom she started with. It takes a lot of intuition and self-confidence to make decisions like that, which in Przybytek´s case paved the way for her spectacular success. She truly "found herself" perfectly on this album, which directly projects on its quality, making it as "perfect" musically as albums get. Of course Przybytek´s vocals are more polished than on her earlier recordings, luckily not destroying her natural vocal qualities, which are still convincing and heartbreaking. Although I prefer her singing Polish lyrics (as usual in my case) her delivery of the English lyrics are spotless and completely natural. The instrumental work by all the musicians involved is absolutely stunning, as expected. My personal favorites are the organ parts played by Tomaszewski, who is superb as always, but the overall level of performances is simply extraordinary. This is obviously one of the best Polish albums released in 2017, regardless of what other critics may say. Over the years I have completely lost confidence in the Polish music awards scene, including the "Fryderyki", which have become a complete farce, but if any Polish album deserves the title of album of the year 2017, this is it! Przybytek is the epitome of talent and professionalism, which sadly are not in high esteem any more. Personally I wish to thank you Beata for fulfilling my belief in you, for writing such beautiful songs, for singing them so exquisitely and for making this dark, sad world a better place, even if only for some fifty six minutes and twenty two seconds ;) Go Women!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 24/12/2017

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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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RAFAL SARNECKI ~ THE MADMAN RAMBLES AGAIN FRESH SOUND 381 (Barcode: 8427328423816) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the 2nd album by the excellent Polish guitarist / composer / arranger Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, following his outstanding debut released a couple of years earlier. Sarnecki manages to repeat the same level of freshness and quality, but the new album is different in many ways, mostly due to the fact that Sarnecki lived in NY for some time, absorbing some of the Big Apple´s influences, which are evident in the brass arrangements, Latin rhythms and overall sound of the recording. But fortunately this amalgamation of American influences did not replace his European roots, which remain intact, especially in his superb compositions. He composed seven of the eight tracks on the album and included one standard, same as last time. His musical cohorts consist partly of the same excellent musicians who recorded the debut album: pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummers Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist (on six tracks) and Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist (on two tracks) (all five are members of the pianist´s Audiofeeling BandFind albums by this artist), strengthened by a brass section: US saxophonist / flautist Lucas PinoFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist. Percussionist Jose Manuel Alban JuarezFind albums by this artist (despite the name he´s Polish) guests on two tracks. The sextet format allows Sarnecki to develop a much richer orchestration and complex arrangements for his superb compositions, which he does beautifully, carefully avoiding overdoing it, which is a rare and commendable approach. The performances are of course stellar and these young musicians bring a wide smile on veterans´ (like me) faces, seeing that Jazz has a future after all. What I particularly admire about Sarnecki is his ability to eschew the Fusion trap – he manages to keep this album 100% Jazz, which is extremely rare for guitar albums these days. The album was released on the Spanish Fresh SoundFind albums on this label label, which releases albums by young and promising Jazz musicians from all over the world, giving them a chance of international exposure, an admirable policy deserving support. Polish Jazz legend Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist gives Sarnecki some warm compliments on the album´s cover, and I´m only happy to concur with his opinion – this is definitely a great piece of music, which deserves repeated listening and an honorable place on the shelves of Polish Jazz discography. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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JOACHIM SEVENITZ ~ Z TYSIACA I JEDNEJ NOCY WIGILIJNYCH NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 798190106458) ~ POLAND ~ Xmas Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is an album conceived of produced by Polish (resident in Germany) bassist / arranger Joachim SevenitzFind albums by this artist, which presents ten well known Christmas Carols arranged in the spirit of the Jazz idiom and involving some top Polish Jazz players like keyboardist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, vocalist Marta KrolFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. A string quartet accompanies the quartet and seven guests play / sing on selected tracks. I usually avoid Christmas Jazz albums like the plague (especially these days), as they usually are the epitome of kitsch, but this album is an exception to the rule. It is both wonderfully arranged and performed, with each of the songs being cleverly referenced to a different musical setting. The instrumental performances are excellent, as expected. Tomaszewski´s enchanting parts, both on the acoustic piano and the keyboards, are simply perfect, and he remains by far one of my favorite Polish keyboard wizards. Sevenitz and Dobrowolski take care of the rhythm section duties with grace and the vocals express the moods nicely. The string quartet parts fit well within the general musical messages and moods and the guests add the proverbial cherries on top. Overall this is a pleasant listening experience, elegant and clever, which turns the somewhat worn-out concept of Christmas albums into a worthy piece of music that can be enjoyed also in the spring ;) Definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 01/04/2020Posted: 01/04/2020

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ANDRZEJ SWIES ~ FLYING LION SJ 071 (Barcode: 5905489720027) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2023 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with guitarist Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, nine composed by Swies and two improvised and credited the trio members. It is hard to believe that after recording dozens of albums as a sideman and two albums as co-leader it is only now that Swies gets to record his true debut, but on the other hand many great musicians share this fate and sometimes never actually get to record as leaders, despite their achievements. Happily, in this case we get to hear this “baby” finally coming to fruition. The music is everything one would expect from a bass-centered album, offering great melodic lines with Funky, Jazzy and sometimes even Rocky rhythmic approach, wonderfully executed by the trio. The sound is saturated by a plethora of bass sounds, some created directly by the instrument and others electronically enhanced / transformed, which allow Swies to display his virtuosity and boundless imagination in full. Contrary to the accepted formula, the music is not dominated by the guitar, which usually captures the front stage, but by the acrobatic bass guitar barrage of notes, which is absolutely dazzling. Swies managed to select two perfect partners for the recording. Sarnecki, definitely one of the top Polish Jazz guitarists, takes a step back and amicably supports the leading bass guitar lines in the background, soloing sparingly, only when appropriate. Dobrowolski, another Polish Jazz maverick, who also likes to stand in the shadows, supports the music by his intense, but highly sensitive barrage, which never disturbs the leader thanks to the right sound balance of the recording. Together the trio manages to achieve a collective sound, which fully conveys the leader’s music, expanding and supporting his ideas constructively and with great aesthetic sensitivity. Overall, this is a highly unique, unusual album, which explores the world of the bass guitar and presents many previously hidden vistas of the instrument. It is not an attempt to show off and prove something, which Swies really does not need to do any more, but an honest attempt to create a bass-centered experience, which is no less than heaven for the lovers of the bass guitar and its world of sound. Now, that the deed is done, we can only hope that it will be repeated, and in the meantime thanks for this revealing piece of bass Artistry.

Updated: 18/03/2023Posted: 18/03/2023

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ROBERT SZEWCZUGA ~ MOONRISE METAL MIND 0788 (Barcode: 5907785039995) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album as a leader by young Polish bassist Robert SzewczugaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with keyboardist Michal RoratFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians are featured on selected tracks. The album presents ten original compositions, presumably all by Szewczuga, although that is not mentioned on the album´s artwork. The music is all within the Fusion / Funk / Groove framework, based on solid melodies, which serve as vehicles for the lengthy improvisations, mostly by the leader. The relaxed atmosphere and beautiful sound quality add to the overall effect, creating an album that is a real pleasure to listen to from start to finish. Szewczuga makes sure that his electric bass playing remains the focal point of this recording, playing with virtuosity and vigor that bring fond memories of Jaco PastoriusFind albums by this artist´ work. Both Rorat and Dobrowolski stand shoulder to shoulder with the leader and support him exactly as appropriate within this environment, emphasizing the Funk and Groove elements. The track featuring Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist on guitar is a classic Fusion tune and a great example of what can still be achieved in that idiom today. The track featuring the vocalist GhostmanFind albums by this artist is a wonderful reminder of his quality and a longing for more of his recorded work. Overall this is an excellent album, which is fun to listen to and proudly represents the role of electric bass in contemporary music, which sadly is often overlooked. Szewczuga´s exquisite sensitivity, which is well demonstrated by his work as a sideman, is even more prominent herein. For electric bassists and fans of the instrument this is an absolute must, an orgy of talent and virtuosity. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 30/03/2018Posted: 30/03/2018

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VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ WODECKI JAZZ `70 - DIALOGI NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5904204733700) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is a tribute album dedicated to the music of Polish singer / songwriter / musician Zbigniew WodeckiFind albums by this artist. Initiated by his daughter Kasia Wodecka-StubbsFind albums by this artist, this highly unusual project consists of archival original recordings by Wodecki made in the 1970s, original recordings overdubbed by parts added especially for this project and finally contemporary arrangements of Wodecki’s compositions recorded for this project. Some top Polish Jazz musicians take part in this project: saxophonist Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, pianists Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist and Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. Obviously the idea behind the project is to show the proximity and affinity Wodecki obviously held for Jazz music, proposing a “what if” alternative, which speculates how his music might have developed in a “parallel universe”, in which he would have chosen Jazz and not Popular Music as his main field of activity. The album shows Wodecki’s superb sense of melody, which of course is no surprise to any Polish music fun, and his wonderful compositional skills, which made his compositions timeless and borderless, paving the way for the arrangements present on this album to sound completely natural, as if the music was composed today. The arrangers and musicians performing on the album are all veterans and Masters of their trade, so it’s not a surprise that the music sounds wonderful and is overall a highly enjoyable listening experience. Of course it is important to keep the music in the correct context, which is all about Jazz arrangements of Popular music, resulting in music suitable for a wide audience and therefore obviously on the easier side of the Jazz spectrum. Nevertheless, the soloists and the wonderful rhythm section do exactly what is best for the music, except perhaps for Mozdzer, whose overdose of sugar-coating is, as usual, exaggerated. Overall this is a highly unusual, ambitious and emotional project, which sheds new light on Wodecki’s legacy and contribution to Polish Culture, which is accessible to a wide audience, not necessarily only to Jazz buffs, but all lovers of Wodecki’s wonderful music. Well done!

Updated: 28/07/2021Posted: 28/07/2021

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MARTA WAJDZIK ~ MY PLANET NOT ON LABEL 001 (Barcode: 5907785040588) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by young (eighteen years old) Polish saxophonist / flautist / composer Marta WajdzikFind albums by this artist recorded in a quartet setting with veteran Jazz musicians: keyboardist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. Zuzanna WajdzikFind albums by this artist (Marta´s sister) adds vocalese on a couple of tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Wajdzik. The music is all melody based mainstream Jazz, bordering on Fusion due to electric keyboards and bass ambience and dynamic drumming. Some ethnic influences are also present in the music, which offers a nice variety. The compositions are solid and coherent, serving as ideal basis for the extended improvisations and the up-tempo rhythmic character of most of the tunes makes the music flow briskly from one tune to another, offering a pleasant listening experience. Most of the solo work on the album is performed by the myriad of keyboard instruments, and Tomaszewski´s limitless imagination finds plenty of opportunities to skyrocket. Wajdzik solos sparingly, which is understandable considering her limited experience and technical skills, and she mostly states the melodic themes, leaving the expressive improvisations in the hands of Tomaszewski. The rhythm section is superb all the way, playing respectively in the background with an occasional bass solo, but offering interesting bottom harmony and rhythmic intensity. One might wonder if the album was not recorded a bit too early as far as Wajdzik is concerned. With all due respect to wunderkinds, their stories usually end in a rather grim manner in the long range. Hopefully this is not the case here and I am anxiously awaiting her real debut sometime in the future. Overall this is an impressive debut, but not entirely earned by Wajdzik herself and with another team of players might have sounded quite different. Good luck and may the Force be with you young Lady!

Updated: 08/08/2020Posted: 08/08/2020

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TOMASZ WENDT ~ CHAPTER B. SJ 047 (Barcode: 5912596066832) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the second album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist recorded in a quartet setting with excellent partners: violinist Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Wendt. The music was recorded at the superb Studio Tokarnia and was engineered by Jan Smoczynski, with the usual spectacular sound quality. The music is modern European Jazz at its best, melody based but allowing for extensive improvisations and odd meters, creating diverse sonic vistas by taking advantage of the unusual instrumental lineup. The melodies are all well structured and coherent, full of romanticism and melancholy, and yet lively and exciting, with often complex rhythm changes. The instrumental work by all the participants is absolutely amazing. Wendt matured and achieved a wonderful tonality over time, Mateusz Smoczynski is absolutely amazing as always and his soloing on this album is especially welcome as it has been a while since he recorded in a pure Jazz environment. Jan Smoczynski, the older brother, not only plays some great keyboard parts but also provides the bass lines. Dobrowolski, who needs to take care of all the rhythmic duties, is also brilliant, which is hardly surprising. Overall this album simply explodes with great musicianship and excellent compositions, creating a most enjoyable listening experience, in spite of its non-trivial instrumentation and rhythmic complexity. It should be accessible to the majority of true Jazz connoisseurs and will also raise a few brows, as it offers a very novel instrumentation and highly unusual sound. Well done indeed!

Updated: 09/01/2020Posted: 09/01/2020

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JAREK WIST / KRZYSZTOF HERDZIN BIG BAND ~ SWINGING WITH SINATRA DUX 0090 (Barcode: 5902547000909) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is a live recording of a concert dedicated, as the title suggests, to the songs which were part of the classic repertoire of Frank SinatraFind albums by this artist. The songs are performed by young Polish vocalist Jarek WistFind albums by this artist, who is accompanied by a Big Band led and conducted by distinguished veteran pianist / composer / arranger Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist. The album includes fourteen tracks, twelve of which are standards from the Sinatra repertoire and two are original compositions by Herdzin, one used as an intro and the other as a showcase to present the members of the Big Band at mid-time. Sinatra, who was often dismissed by narrow-minded Jazz buffs as a crooner and mere entertainer, was in fact one of the greatest American Jazz singers and had more swing in his toes alone than most others, certainly more than his critics. His very individual and unique treatments of the great American Songbook are the absolute Holy Grail of American Jazz vocals and remain untouched by time, incomparable, undefeated and uncontested. Especially notable are his superb recordings with Big Bands, like the Count BasieFind albums by this artist Orchestra and several others, arranged and conducted by such luminaries as Nelson RiddleFind albums by this artist, Neal HeftiFind albums by this artist or Quincy JonesFind albums by this artist. All these recordings are quintessential, pure and unadulterated Jazz classics. It is simply impossible to listen to this album without comparing it, for example, to the classic "Sinatra At The SandsFind albums with this title", recorded with the Count Basie Orchestra conducted by Quincy Jones. Unfortunately the comparison doesn´t leave much space to remain positive about this album, which is a great pity, since the intentions were probably quite honorable and the participants are all excellent musicians. I can understand Herdzin willing to step into the shoes of the great Big Band arrangers of the past and indeed his part as the arranger is probably the best ingredient of the entire package. However even these arrangements sound rather pale and lack the zest and the kick which characterize the original Sinatra recordings. I have no idea if the Big Band had ample opportunity to rehearse and considering the economic realities of a Big Band, they most probably did not, which is immediately apparent. As already stated, the participating musicians, who include pianist Piotr WrombelFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist and thirteen additional brass and reed players, are all able and talented musicians, but obviously have limited opportunities to show their skills within the Big Band collective when accompanying a lead singer. Wist is a rather ordinary singer, completely lacking the theatrical and humorous sides of Sinatra´s stage persona. His interpretations of these classic standards are simply dull and often imperfect technically. And of course there is the dreaded Polish accent and pronunciation, which is perhaps acceptable on the local market but completely unbearable to an English speaker. It´s a pity the producers of this album did not consider the additional step of getting the lyrics translated into Polish; this might have saved the day, al least to some extent. Even the audience´s applause present at the hall where this music was recorded sounds hesitant and weary and the sound quality of the recording suffers from uneven volume, poor separation and overall muddy resonance. In retrospect this was a lost case before it even begun. Tackling the enormity of Sinatra´s talent, heritage and status is not a very wise decision and such things are usually best left alone. The old saying: "a smart man knows how to get out of trouble but the wise man knows how to avoid trouble in the first place" is very appropriate here. During the concert Herdzin complains about the difficulty of his multi-talented persona (he not only arranged the songs, composed two pieces and conducted the band, but also plays the piano on one track and sings on another). Perhaps there is a lesson here for him, since after all he is an extremely talented person. On the other hand those who don´t do don´t make mistakes, and he surely does a lot.

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MICHAL WROBLEWSKI ~ CITY ALBUM ELLITE 5903111529024 (Barcode: 5903111529024) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the third album by the young and very gifted Polish Jazz pianist / composer Michal WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, which sees him returning to the piano trio format with bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all but one by Wroblewski, with the exception being a piece based on the music by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist and arranged by Wroblewski. The music was recorded (same as his debut album) at the now legendary Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist doing his usual sound magic with spectacular results. The music, as stated by Wroblewski, was influenced by playing a concert tour in 2013 with American superstar trumpeter Terence BlanchardFind albums by this artist, but the experience influenced also the trio´s approach to music, which became much more focused and intense. As a result this album is remarkably stronger and vital than the two earlier efforts, even though those two were already first class achievements, and places Wroblewski just a notch higher on his way to fame and fortune. His compositions, as usual, combine the right amount of melodic substance with lyrical contents and harmonic beauty, very much like many Jazz standards do. Listening to this album is a true delight from start to finish, with time passing by in a breeze. Of course a piano trio is only as strong as all three musicians involved and Wroblewski is extremely lucky to find two partners who fulfill him completely, match his sensibilities, his virtuosity and his elegance. This piano trio is a classic example of what a piano trio should sound like in the mainstream Jazz milieu. Yes, this music does not make any groundbreaking discoveries as far as Jazz is concerned, but we need to keep the legacy alive and this trio is just perfect in that capacity. It is difficult to predict how Wroblewski´s career will develop from this point on, but he certainly already made his mark both as a pianist and a composer. I am certainly keeping my eye, or rather ear, on his moves, as he managed to impress me for the third time in a row. Jazz fans who love the piano trio format will have a field day with this one. Well done indeed!

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MICHAL WROBLEWSKI ~ JAZZ I ORKIESTRA ELLITE 5903111529017 (Barcode: 5903111529017) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 Following his debut recording with his piano trio, released a year earlier, Polish Jazz pianist / composer Michal WroblewskiFind albums by this artist returns with a new and much bolder project involving a Jazz quartet playing with a symphony orchestra. The album includes eight compositions, all originals composed and arranged by Wroblewski. Seven of the compositions were recorded by a quartet comprising of Wroblewski, saxophonist Maciej ObaraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and accompanied by the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice conducted by Szymon BywalecFind albums by this artist. The eighth track was recorded live at the Polish Radio Three, without Obara and with drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist replacing Miskiewicz and the Gorzow (Wroblewski´s home town) Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Krzysztof SwitalskiFind albums by this artist. The amalgam of Jazz and contemporary Classical music is quite a common phenomenon on the Polish Jazz scene, definitely more so than anywhere else in the entire world. There are many reasons contributing to this reality: the classical music education that many young musicians are exposed to during their studies, the openness of classical orchestras and their conductors to cooperate with Jazz musicians, the "higher" status of Classical music, which challenges Jazz musician to prove they can embrace the format and improve their standing in the music community and many others. Regardless of the motivation behind them, such projects are very popular and often result in excellent achievements. This particular project presents the "easier" side of the Jazz-Classical Fusion, with a series of beautifully melodic pieces, excellently performed by the quartet and with the orchestra staying mostly in the background, playing the "second fiddle" (pun intended). One can speculate that this music would have sounded great without the orchestra being present; therefore the role of the orchestration seems a priori to be relatively limited. This is not to say that the overall result suffers from the orchestral arrangements, but on the other hand their contribution remains relatively restricted with little synthesis between the two elements, except perhaps for the last piece on the album, which is the most successful on that front. The individual contributions by the players are all splendid, especially those by Obara, who exhibits a truly magical touch and heartbreakingly beautiful, soulful sound of his alto saxophone. Wroblewski plays also very well, with a both elegant, delicate solos and lively up tempo arpeggios, but concentrating mostly on stating the melodies. The rhythm section drives the music steadily and provides the basis, which holds the music together. Overall the album is great fun to listen to and is accessible to a large audience, including music lovers with little Jazz familiarity or those listening mostly to Classical music.

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