Record Reviews

HEFI QUARTET ~ LIVE NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 - 2013 Released: 2013 This is the third album by young Polish Jazz flautist / saxophonist / composer Leszek HeFi WisniowskiFind albums by this artist, this one being released under the moniker of his current HeFi QuartetFind albums by this artist, which also includes the fabulous keyboardist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Tomasz KupiecFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartek StaromiejskiFind albums by this artist. The music includes one studio track (from 2013), three live radio tracks (from 2012) and six live concert tracks (from 2011), which also feature the veteran violinist Krzesimir DebskiFind albums by this artist. All the music was composed by Wisniowski except one track which is credited to the entire group and one which is a traditional folklore tune. The music is exciting Modern mainstream with some World Music influences, a bit of Fusion and other ingredients, all well amalgamated compositionally and beautifully executed. The first part of the album (the radio / studio recordings) is mostly calm and relaxed, whereas the second part (the concert recordings) with Debski is much more energetic, loud and expressive, with Debski´s input being quite dominant. Overall the music is truly excellent, but the album suffers a bit from being a somewhat hectic collection of music recorded under different circumstances rather than an integral statement. Wisniowski also makes a mistake of employing / inviting musicians, who are simply excellent, which sadly makes him the least impressive player of them all, even if he´s the leader. Kaczmarczyk completely "steals" the show with his superb solos, which are all simply brilliant, both technically and emotionally. The rhythm section also performs beautifully, way beyond just supporting the soloist, but actually contributing actively to the process of creating the music. These young musicians have already quite a lot of experience performing and even recordings behind them, which is immediately noticeable. Debski, as already mentioned, is a veteran with a very flamboyant style of playing. As a result the leader´s solos really sound rather pale in comparison. Nevertheless this is still a very strong album, which many Jazz listeners will enjoy immensely. Not too complex and yet interesting and versatile stylistically, this is definitely something worth listening to and at the same time accessible to a relatively wide range of connoisseurs.

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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:

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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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PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING BAND ~ COMPLEXITY IN SIMPLICITY ACT 9484 (Barcode: 614427948427) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2009 This is the first international release by Polish pianist / composer / arranger Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist and his Audiofeeling BandFind albums by this artist. Hailed since several years as Poland´s most promising young Jazz musician, Kaczmarczyk is a typical representative of the third generation of his country´s post-WWII Jazz scene. Whereas the previous generations were largely consumed with political and sociological issues, fighting for the rightful recognition of Jazz music becoming a part of their country´s cultural identity as well as for their personal freedom of expression and life´s harsh realities under the Socialist regime, the new generation is free to concentrate just on making music, free from being concerned by such heavyweight concerns. It´s therefore fascinating to compare the new generation´s music with that made by their predecessors, forefathers of Polish Jazz. One might consider the obvious cliché about Art being most productive at times of great personal frustration, mishap and anguish, but honestly anybody truly familiar with Art knows that serenity and well being can be as much productive and usually more so. This music is definitely serene; there are no tragic howls and expressions of a tormented soul, as those almost omnipresent in early Polish Jazz. This is "triple-e" music: elegant, eloquent and elitist, and above all European. Kaczmarczyk the composer displays here a level of musical maturity, which is quite astounding, way above what one might expect from such a young person. But we all know that time seems to flow faster these days, so this, combined with his extraordinary talent, will have to suffice as the explanation. Considering the diversity, both stylistically and harmonically, displayed by the compositions included on this album (he composed nine of the eleven tunes on this album, which also includes one collective composition and one pop song by Elton JohnFind albums by this artist and arranged them all), one can safely assume that Kaczmarczyk is destined to become a major Jazz composer. The performances are no less stellar than the compositions. The collective ensemble performing on this album lists twelve musicians, who perform in various lineups ranging from a trio to a septet. They include some of the best young Jazz musicians on the contemporary Polish scene, all highly skilled and sensitive players doing an outstanding job. The emphasis on this album is on ensemble playing rather than on showcasing soloist and even the leader rarely plays in the forefront, except for the short, but beautifully sensitive redemption of Elton´s "Blue Eyes", which has all the characteristics of a Jazz standard anyway. Listening to this album can be compared to eating a multilayered cake – each new layer (track) bursts with new flavors and delights, and finally when the whole cake is consumed it leaves a wonderful aftertaste in one´s mouth for a very long time, the memory of which lasts even longer. This is brilliant stuff and a must to all serious Jazz connoisseurs, wherever they might be.

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PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING TRIO ~ SOMETHING PERSONAL HEVHETIA 0100 (Barcode: 8588005257411) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. This rhythm section is also known as the rhythm section of the New BoneFind albums by this artist ensemble. The album presents seven tracks, all of which are original compositions by Kaczmarczyk. It was mixed and mastered by the great Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and released on the Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label, which releases lately a significant amount of Polish Jazz albums, opening new opportunities for Polish Jazz musicians, who face a very tough and crowded local recording market. Kaczmarczyk stormed the Polish Jazz scene over a decade earlier as a young prodigy, winning awards from every possible competition and later recording and releasing three excellent albums as a leader. But the initial impact somewhat subsided over time and although he was visible on the scene quite recurrently, almost six years passed between the release of his last album and this one. No doubt these were years of reflection and reassessment of his musical attitude, as this album clearly proves. The return to the piano trio format and the much less complex arrangements of his compositions signal a kind of return to the roots. Kaczmarczyk was always a great songweaver, and the collection of his new compositions confirms that status again. Wonderfully melodic, deeply lyrical and always full of grace, his music, presented here in a very basic down to earth form, is most effective exactly as it appears here. Gone are the elaborate and intricate rhythmic complexities, instrumental shenanigans and other tricks of the trade; instead we get Kaczmarczyk almost naked musically, but finally mature and truthful to himself. Of course Kaczmarczyk is also a brilliant pianist and on this album, which is modest and very personal, there are limited possibilities to shine as a virtuosic performer; and yet Kaczmarczyk manages to pull this off, playing some amazingly sweet and inspired piano performances. The experienced rhythm section plays along tightly and supportively, being always there when needed. Adamczak plays several nice solos and stands by the leader both harmonically and rhythmically. Fortuna is a very busy drummer, but at all times stays in the background not disturbing the delicate trio balance. In many respects this album could be seen as Kaczmarczyk´s "return", an older, and more mature and focused version of the young star from a decade earlier. The lost charm of excitement and surprise was replaced by musical depth and developed compositional as well as performing skills. It was definitely worth the time we had to wait for this album and hopefully another long lingering will be spared. Welcome back! Side Note: The promo version of this album includes also seven tracks, but two of them are different than those included on the formal album, which of course makes the demo a most desirable collector´s item!

Updated: 27/09/2016Posted:

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PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING TRIO ~ VARS & KAPER DECONSTRUCTION HEVHETIA 0126 (Barcode: 8588005257817) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 - 2015 Released: 2016 Three years ago I initiated a series of concerts / recordings as part of the Singer Jazz Festival, of which I am the artistic director, of music by the great "American" composers: Victor YoungFind albums by this artist, Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, all three of which are in fact Polish Jews, who immigrated to the US at some stage of their life. The fact that they had Polish / Jewish roots is almost completely unknown not only to the American public (which is not surprising), but sadly also to Polish public. The main purpose, therefore, of these concerts / recordings was to bring their Jewish / Polish roots to the attention of music lovers. The music was performed and recorded by my friend, the excellent Polish Jazz pianist Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist and his trio, and the entire series was hugely successful. Neither Kuba nor I anticipated the fact that our project would also influence the entire Polish Jazz scene and produce a huge renewed interest in these three composers, which also produced a string of recordings, of which this album is an example. Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist is of course one of the most brilliant Polish Jazz pianist, who took the local scene by a storm and during the last decade established himself as a one of its central figures. This is the second album with his trio which includes bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. Together they perform nine songs composed by Henryk Wars (four songs) and Bronislaw Kaper (five songs, two split into two parts). In addition to the trio the DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist) adds turntablism and electronics. The trio performs beautifully, as expected, playing the classic compositions with the usual flair and technical brilliance. The turntablism, electronics and other sound effects like vintage voice recordings, suit the music well and are non intrusive, but don’t really add anything substantial to the subject matter, beyond being a novelty of sorts. The usage of the term "deconstruction" in the album´s title is however quite problematic. Personally I can´t hear anything being deconstructed in the music played on this album? These are just pretty standard interpretations of the classic songs, but deconstructions? The philosophical / aesthetic meaning of deconstruction is certainly absent here and in general this term is being used (or misused) way to often these days. Overall this is an excellent piano trio recording, with brilliant Jazz performances, as expected. Just forget the somewhat pretentious title and enjoy the music!

Updated: 27/09/2016Posted: 27/09/2016

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DAWID KOSTKA ~ PROGRESSION SJ 036 (Barcode: 5912596066689) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the second album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Dawid KostkaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with bassist Damian KostkaFind albums by this artist and drummer Mateusz BrzostowskiFind albums by this artist, with two top Polish Jazz musicians as guests: saxophonist Maciej KocinskiFind albums by this artist and pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Dawid Kostka. The music was recorded at the Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist and offers a spectacular sound quality, precision and clarity; a heaven for Hi-Fi enthusiasts. The music is a superb collection of stylistically diverse compositions, all melody based but offering a wide spectrum of moods, feelings and tempi, clearly pointing out Kostka´s compositional abilities. Stylistically Kostka seems to feel equally at ease with post-Bebop, Fusion and Modern European Jazz and listening to the album is a true joy ride through contemporary Jazz. The performances are also nothing short of stellar. The two guest musicians require no introduction to Polish Jazz cognoscenti and their performances here are as good as one might expect, far beyond just a guest appearance, involving a full integration within the quintet sound. Kocinski, who sadly slightly dropped off the horizon lately, delivers some heartfelt soli that are wonderful reminders of his heydays with SoundcheckFind albums by this artist and Kaczmarczyk never disappoints with his fluidity and musicality. The rhythm section is perfectly integrated with the soloists and offers a versatile and interesting technical competence, with solid and clear bass lines that hold the music together and support the harmony and creative drumming pulsations which are both precise and imaginative. But of course Dawid Kostka is the true hero of this album, playing outstanding guitar parts throughout, changing his sound and attack often and presenting a portrait of a mature Artist, who knows exactly where he want to go with his music. His guitar artistry and obvious virtuosity are the absolute highlight of this album, which is definitely the best Polish Jazz guitar offering for 2018. Overall this is the true debut album fully deserving to feature Dawid Kostka´s name on it, with the debut recorded a couple of years earlier being just a forgettable incident, which was just a teaser of his true abilities (as mentioned in my review of that album). This is definitely a major achievement and places Kostka in the forepost of the Polish Jazz guitar players, which is rather small considering the size and the vitality of the scene today. Wonderful from start to finish, this album is a true delight and a must for Polish / European Jazz connoisseurs!

Updated: 20/12/2018Posted: 15/12/2018

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LOUD JAZZ BAND ~ 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT LJB 009 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 As the title suggests, this is a live recording celebrating the 25th anniversary of the multi-national Jazz-Rock Fusion ensemble called Loud Jazz BandFind albums by this artist, founded and led by guitarist / composer Miroslaw KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist. The octet lineup, which is captured on this video, includes also trombonist Erik JohannessenFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Wojciech StaroniewiczFind albums by this artist, pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Sebastian HaugenFind albums by this artist, drummer Ivan MakedonovFind albums by this artist, percussionist Maciej OstromeckiFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Piotr IwickiFind albums by this artist. The concert was filmed at the Polish Radio studios in Warsaw and captures the ensemble performing nine original compositions, all by the leader. The music of the Loud Jazz Band is a highly polished, melodic and mostly lyrical Jazz-Rock Fusion, with a well balanced ratio between the more Jazz oriented brass solos and more Rock oriented guitar and keyboard solos, supported by a superbly slick and well oiled rhythm section. The compositions get expanded treatments, which allow for all the ensemble members to show off their chops. The band is obviously one of the best of its kind in Europe, definitely more ambitious and sophisticated than most. It is a real pleasure to watch and hear this band in action, especially in view of the superb solos performed in the duration, which spice the proceedings enormously. On this particular recording the internal balance of the band is somewhat shifted towards Jazz with the addition of the Polish piano superstar Pawel Kaczmarczyk, who proverbially "steals the show" with his extraordinary performances. Of course his presence adds a new level to the entire sound and well being of the ensemble, but his star quality is a magnet of attention. It is quite surprising to hear Kaczmarczyk to handle Jazz-Rock Fusion so well, albeit the fact that this is not his typical milieu. As good as the music of Loud Jazz Band is the actual video is truly disappointing, almost amateurish with a inadequate camera work, which is limited to an open shot view of the band and some primitive close-ups. The sound quality is, however excellent, clear and well balanced. As a result the visual part of the DVD is in fact redundant (as happens in most music DVDs) and this material holds water based on its audible ingredient alone. For Jazz-Rock Fusion fans this is a highly recommended piece of excellent music, which yields nothing but pure delight!

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LOUD JAZZ BAND ~ LIVE IN OSLO: 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL EDITION LJB 010 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 As the title suggests, this is a live recording celebrating the 30th anniversary of the multi-national Jazz-Rock Fusion ensemble called Loud Jazz BandFind albums by this artist, founded and led by Polish guitarist / composer Miroslaw KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist. The nonet lineup, which is captured on this album, includes also trombonist Oyvind BraekkeFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Wojciech StaroniewiczFind albums by this artist, pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist, drummer Ivan MakedonovFind albums by this artist, percussionist Kenneth EkornesFind albums by this artist and pedal steel guitar player Kjetil RoyslandFind albums by this artist. The concert presents the ensemble performing five original compositions, all by the leader. The music of the Loud Jazz Band is a highly polished, melodic and mostly lyrical Jazz-Rock Fusion, with a well balanced ratio between the more Jazz oriented brass solos and more Rock oriented guitar and keyboard solos, supported by a superbly slick and well oiled rhythm section. The compositions get expanded treatments, which allow for all the ensemble members to show off their chops. The band is obviously one of the best of its kind in Europe, definitely more ambitious and sophisticated than most. It is a real pleasure to hear this band in action, especially in view of the superb solos performed in the duration, which spice the proceedings enormously. Although Fusion is usually quite a limited idiom musically, the Loud Jazz Band consistently manage to prove that with talent and right attitude Fusion can be exciting, interesting and intelligent. The combination of the electric Rock elements and the Big Band Jazz sound they create is unique and remains completely relevant, now in their fourth decade of activity. Although the music on this album was released previously on the band´s studio albums, these live renditions are definitely worth hearing. Overall this is, as usual, an excellent album and for Fusion and Jazz fans a highly recommended piece of excellent music, which yields nothing but pure delight!

Updated: 28/03/2020Posted: 28/03/2020

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LOUD JAZZ BAND ~ THE GIANT AGAINST THE GIRL POLSKIE RADIO 1362 (Barcode: 5907812243623) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the ninth album by the multi-national Jazz-Rock Fusion ensemble called Loud Jazz BandFind albums by this artist, led by Polish guitarist / composer Miroslaw KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist. The ensemble continues in the octet lineup and again features the talents of Polish pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist. A couple of guest artists appear on two tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, all composed by Miroslaw Kaczmarczyk and one live bonus track also composed by him. The music continues the same pattern of melodic themes, which are arranged to feature the brass section (trombone and saxophone), two keyboardists, an extended rhythm section (bass, drums and percussion) and of course the guitar work by the leader, which this time is less dominating than on previous recordings by the ensemble. The powerful orchestral sound is very impressive and enables plenty of opportunities for solos by all the participants. The expanded compositions have their internal dynamics and flow, which makes them very listenable. It seems that the music of Loud Jazz Band is slightly less "loud" this time, with the compositions being more multifarious, both melodically and rhythmically and often quite intimate. The individual contributions are all top notch as far as talent and professionalism are concerned and the ensemble functions in superb unison. At times the music is somewhat reminiscent of Progressive Jazz-Rock bands from the 1970s, which of course is meant as a compliment. The only snag about this album is the fact that the music of Loud Jazz Band has reached a comfortable formula, which allows them to produce album after album of very similar material, which even as good as it is can´t last them forever, which in turn means that a pursuit of new avenues should be contemplated. Overall this album is a very pleasant and polished piece of Fusion, which should keep the fans of the genre very happy and another proof of the fact that Loud Jazz Band are one of the best ensembles in that particular field. Definitely worth checking out!

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

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NEW BONE ~ DESTINED CM 1019 (Barcode: 5904259353564) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the 3rd album by the Polish acoustic Jazz quintet New BoneFind albums by this artist, founded and let by trumpeter Tomasz KudykFind albums by this artist, who also composed all the music included herein, and including in its current lineup saxophonist Marcin SlusarczykFind albums by this artist, pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. Two guest musicians: saxophonist Tomasz GrzegorskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jan PilchFind albums by this artist participate on most of the tracks. All these young musicians are excellent players with a proven record and evident abilities, but the music they perform here presents them with no real challenges. It is mainstream Jazz with strong Afro-Cuban rhythmic tendencies, which sounds good at all times but disappears from one´s mind the minute the sound is over. It seems that New Bone tries very hard to sound exactly like an average American Jazz ensemble, which they definitely manage perfectly, rather than search for a unique identity, which is characteristic of most Polish Jazz. I´m sure many listeners, perhaps even the majority, will enjoy this music immensely, but honestly we should expect more from an ensemble of such high potential. Hopefully they´ll do better next time.

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

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

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RAFAL SARNECKI ~ SONGS FROM A NEW PLACE ARMS 05 (Barcode: 5900238791044) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2008 This is an excellent debut album by Polish guitarist / composer / arranger Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, one of Poland´s most promising young Jazz musicians, recorded with his quartet which also includes pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist (all four musicians are also members of the pianist´s Audiofeeling BandFind albums by this artist and can be heard on the superb "Complexity In SimplicityFind albums with this title" album). Guest flautist Thomas AbbottFind albums by this artist appears on one track. Sarnecki composed all the music on this album, except for one standard, and arranged all the compositions. The music is typical European Jazz, deeply melodic and well structured, with well developed harmonic patterns and rhythmic complexity. Sarnecki emerges as a major talent both as a composer and as a player on this album, with his unique voicing and delicate, yet firm grasp of the guitar´s role in Jazz. In fact this is one of very few and rare albums recorded recently, where the guitar is treated as a Jazz instrument, rather that taking the beaten track treaded by most, which leads straight to Fusion. Sarnecki picks up the Jazz guitar idiom from the place it arrived at in the 1960s and leaps over to the present, purposely ignoring and successfully eschewing any Fusion influences. The effect is truly refreshing and uplifting and enables the listener to enjoy the wonderful sound of Jazz guitar once again, as if listening to old Masters like Joe PassFind albums by this artist, where one can savor each note separately as well as the beautiful flow of many notes building up heavenly structures. The other three young musicians accompanying Sarnecki on this album are all extremely talented as well and display a high level of professionalism and sensitivity, contributing greatly to the overall success of this recording. It´s great to see that the splendor of Polish Jazz is now being continued and expanded by a third generation of players and composers, which is a good omen for the future. This is brilliant stuff and a must to all serious Jazz connoisseurs, wherever they might be, especially the guitar lovers in their ranks.

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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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ALAN WYKPISZ PROJECT ~ CITY JUNGLE AFRO VIBE 005 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the debut album as a leader by prominent young generation Polish Jazz bassist / composer Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist, recorded with an excellent team of musicians, which includes guitarist Jakub MizerackiFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist and Dawid LachFind albums by this artist and drummers Maksymilian OlaszewskiFind albums by this artist and Tymoteusz PapiorFind albums by this artist. DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist) performs turntablism on the title track. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader. The music is absolutely delightful, from start to finish, quite diverse and surprising, fresh and enchanting. The melodic content is lyrical and well put together and the performances by the leader and ensemble members are electrifying. Wykpisz is not shy and offers many brilliant solo parts, both acoustic and electric, and his firm pulsations dominate the music quite noticeably, but the open character of the compositions and the ensemble format allows all the members to solo extensively. The double drums create a dense and complex rhythmic support, which fits the music ideally. The album offers a unique atmosphere, highly electric and sonically charged. Despite the electric guitar, keyboards and bass, the music is distinctly non-Fusion oriented, and offers somewhat nostalgic sense of early electric Jazz. There is a strong dimension of freedom and space, which at some moments is close to Free Jazz, but then the music moves suddenly into a sweet Swing / Funky mode, only to become something completely different soon after. Despite this rapid changes of mood and tempo, the music makes perfect sense at all times, which is truly amazing. The modern, somewhat unusual ambience as far as Jazz recordings are concerned, with a lot of dark bottom layers and sparkling synthesizers, might keep back some of the more conservative listeners, and I hope serious Jazz lovers will be able to overcome prejudice and primal fears. This music is bold and distinctly different, but it is immensely intelligent and enthralling, so please make an effort to embrace it. After all the history of Jazz is full examples, where sublime albums were recognized only decades later. Hopefully this will not be the fate of this great piece of music. Overall, this is an amazing album, one of the most unique Polish Jazz recordings in 2022, and to be honest probably one of the best Jazz albums that landed on my desk worldwide that year. There is absolutely nothing obvious or trivial for the entire duration and the matchless amalgam of all the elements creates a magical piece of music, which left me awestruck. Great to see Wykpisz finally in full blown blossom of his talents after hiding for so long behind his massive instrument. Respect!

Updated: 16/01/2023Posted: 16/01/2023

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend