Record Reviews

BLACKBIRD ~ BLACKBIRD MULTIKULTI MPJ 012 (Barcode: 5907796319710) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by the young Polish Jazz quintet BlackBirdFind albums by this artist, which comprises of trumpeter Pawel SurmanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Michal WalczakFind albums by this artist, pianist Michal RoratFind albums by this artist, bassist Bartek BednarekFind albums by this artist and US drummer Frank ParkerFind albums by this artist. Veteran vibraphonist Bernard MaseliFind albums by this artist appears as a guest artist on a couple of tracks. The album presents seven original compositions (one of which is repeated four times), four by Walczak, two by Rorat and one by Bednarek. The album was recorded live and has a very good sound quality. The music is dominated by the sound of the electric guitar and immediately falls under the typical Fusion imagery. The combination of lead guitar and trumpet, which was favored by early Jazz-Rock / Fusion artists, like Larry CoryellFind albums by this artist and his Eleventh HouseFind albums by this artist ensemble for example, was pretty dormant lately and the attempt by BlackBird to bring it back is very effective. With the guitar / trumpet lead balanced by the acoustic piano and the electric bass and drums pulsating vigorously, the overall sound of the quintet floats somewhere between Fusion and the Scandinavian ECMFind albums on this label sound, which of course turns it immediately into a very likeable piece of music. Once we have established that the album sounds great the question of course arises as to its musical contents, which is definitely not on the same level as the sound. The melodies are rather simplistic and a bit repetitive, which makes the album to sound like one continuous piece of music with very little diversity. Even the attempt to break the monotony by repeating the theme song four times does not help much. It´s not that the music is bad or anything, it just sort of stays in one place all the time. But of course this is only my personal opinion and others may find it completely misguided. The personal performances by the quintet members are all quite adequate, although the guitar is definitely too loud and aggressive. For me Rorat delivers the most impressive solos, even if he is the most introvert and timid player herein. His piano strokes are a true joy throughout. Overall this is a pleasant Fusion album, which many Fusion fans might find attractive and which sounds absolutely divine, but is hardly a brainer. Since it is a debut effort, things will probably improve with their next release, which I am impatiently waiting for already.

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

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

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

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

SOUNDMECK ~ ERUPTION POLSKIE RADIO 2109 (Barcode: 5907812244972) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz vocalist / composer / lyricist Sabina MeckFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Sabina MyrczekFind albums by this artist) and the first under the ensemble moniker SoundmeckFind albums by this artist, a quintet led by Meck and also including trumpeter Pawel SurmanFind albums by this artist, guitarist Lukasz KokoszkoFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam TadelFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original songs, one of which has a short instrumental introduction. Seven of the songs feature lyrics in English and one song has lyrics in Polish. Meck wrote all the music and the lyrics. The music on this album is quite different from what Meck presented on her sensational debut a year earlier. The ensemble has a much richer sound than the previously featured classic piano trio and the sound is much more contemporary, electric, vibrant and sparkling. The music, although still very much Jazzy, opens out to other directions, like Pop, Rock, Cabaret and other genres. Meck´s songwriting reaches here the full bloom and presents her as a diverse, sensitive and sophisticated songweaver. Meck´s vocal performances on this album are also a major step forward, again presenting a wider, much more varied vocal technique, use of vocalese and theatrical trickery, which is fascinating and extremely attractive. She handles the English lyrics well, perhaps not completely "properly" as far as the pronunciation is concerned, but her idiosyncrasies are charming rather than problematic. Personally I still love the song with the Polish lyrics best, but that is just me. The accompanying quartet´s instrumental performances are all absolutely brilliant. Kokoszko plays a really tasty guitar and solos abundantly and it is his stylistic diversity that takes the music out of the strict Jazz environment into other areas. His Rock oriented solo on one of the tracks is one of the best Rock guitar solos I came across in a long time. Surman plays less up front, but his unisono parts with Meck are exquisite and are one of the trademarks of the music presented on this album. The rhythm section is also superb all along, keeping the complex music afloat and supporting the vocals amicably, always with grace and elegance. It is remarkable to hear the delicate balance between the vocals and the instrumental work on this album, one of the best examples of such cooperation. There is an implicit sharing of responsibilities between the ensemble members, mutual respect and a sense of common goal. The time span of vocal and instrumental parts is beautifully balanced, which of course emphasizes the ensemble effect. Overall this is a remarkable and outstanding album in every respect, definitely one of the best Polish Jazz (and beyond) vocal albums so far this year and a giant step forward for Meck and her compadres. The average age of these musicians is nothing short of astounding and the proportion between their ages and abilities is frightening – in the best way of course. A brilliant piece of music from start to finish, which deserves nothing but praise and respect!

Updated: 10/06/2017Posted: 10/06/2017

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend