Record Reviews
18 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | BIG BAND SLASKI ~ A WIDE SPECTRUM
TEATR ROZRYWKI 002 (Barcode: 5902596066819) ~ POLAND ~ Big Band Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022
This is the debut album by a new Jazz Big Band on the Polish scene, appropriately called Big Band SlaskiFind albums by this artist (Silesian Big Band), as it was founded in Chorzow (the town where I was born) and includes many of the musicians who graduated from the Katowice Music Academy, like trumpeter Pawel PalcowskiFind albums by this artist or saxophonist Jaroslaw BothurFind albums by this artist, to mention just a few. The Big Band is led by its Artistic Director, trombonist / composer Grzegorz NagorskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven compositions, one by Nagorski, one by trombonist / composer Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, one by pianist / composer Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, who appears as a special guest on the album, two by American trumpeter / composer Tim WaltersFind albums by this artist and the remaining two by another American trumpeter / composer / arranger Michael Philip MossmanFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at Radio Katowice and offers a splendid sound quality and separation, which makes the music resound clearly and brightly.
The music is all strictly within the mainstream Jazz idiom, offering melodic compositions arranged skillfully for the Big Band and performed spotlessly by all the musicians, featuring many splendid solo parts. Most of the music is pretty straightforward, except for the closing track by Tomaszewski, and is obviously dominated by the American Big Band tradition, which sounds somewhat outdated today, despite its slick and professional glamor. I would have expected from a contemporary Polish Jazz band to be somehow more aligned with the European approach to Jazz Big Bands, which is more daring and innovative, but all things considered and in view of the fact that Jazz Big Bands are such a rare phenomenon today, we should rejoice every time some new Big Band music is being created.
Overall, this is a very pleasing and entertaining, almost danceable, Jazz Big Band album, which should make many enthusiasts of the genre happy. The music is accessible and the performances are highly spirited, which results is a most enjoyable listening experience. Hopefully the Big Band Slaski will be able to continue its activity in the uncertain, economically and otherwise, atmosphere that surrounds the music scene these days.
| | Updated: 28/12/2022Posted: 28/12/2022 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PRZEMYSLAW FLORCZAK ~ IMAGE OF MY PERSONALITY
SJ 003 (Barcode: 5902596066024) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2012
This is the debut album by a young Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Przemyslaw FlorczakFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quartet which includes also organist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, six of which are original compositions, all by Florczak, and one is a Charles MingusFind albums by this artist piece. Florczak is also a member of the excellent group BiotoneFind albums by this artist.
The album is very impressive, especially as a debut, and presents a portrait of mature musicianship by the leader both as a performer and a composer. All the quartet members are excellent players, both as individuals and collective contributors. The decision to use the organ, rather than acoustic piano, turns this album into a completely unique experience, as this highly unusual combination opens a whole new world of sonic experience and wonderful unisono passages. The saxophone and the organ simply blend together fabulously and one wonders why they are not used together more often.
The compositions are also surprisingly excellent, well within the Jazz mainstream but incorporating many cross-genre elements, like bits of Funk, Bossa and even World-Music influences. Beautifully put together and intelligently arranged, they are a true pleasure to listen to. This music is fun (in the best meaning of the word) from start to finish, being both accessible to a wide range of listeners and sophisticated enough to draw the attention of the connoisseurs.
Florczak plays beautifully throughout, being especially impressive on the lyrical pieces, where his wonderful tone and delicate delivery is often breathtaking. Tomaszewski is also "stealing" a large part of the show with his superb organ lines, which bring on memories of times long gone. The rhythm section is simply perfect for the job, providing the vehicle for the two soloists to shine and keeping the wagon on the road.
The album has a surprisingly exquisite sound quality, which turns out to be less surprising after reading the bane of sound engineer Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist on the cover, who was in charge "only" of mix and mastering this time, but his signature is well recognized.
Overall this is a true gem, sadly somewhat overlooked on the crowded Polish Jazz scene, where albums are being released at an incredible rate, but definitely worth digging out and investigating. Well done indeed!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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: | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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: | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MYRCZEK & TOMASZEWSKI ~ LOVE REVISITED
FOR TUNE 0038 (Barcode: 5902768701432) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014
This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz duo: vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist and pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist. Myrczek recorded his debut album three years earlier while he was still a student at the Katowice Academy of Music, where he is now a member of the faculty. Tomaszewski, a graduate of the same Academy, is a seasoned and much respected pianist with an impressive recorded legacy, mostly as a sideman. The album presents ten classic vocal standards performed by the duo, recorded in a Swiss studio with astounding sonic quality.
In many respects this is the most surprising album released on the Polish Jazz scene in 2014. I mean the sheer chutzpah of these two guys fooling around with the holy grail of Jazz vocals? Who do they think they are? The trifling comparison often quoted in the duo´s PR material and other reviews referencing this album to the archetypal Tony BennettFind albums by this artist & Bill EvansFind albums by this artist albums from 1975 & 1977 is completely counterproductive in this case. This music sounds nothing like the referenced albums, which of course is all for the good, since letting the bygones be bygones is the only way to get anywhere.
Initially the album has everything working against it. The Polish Jazz male vocalists are few and far between, and with rare exceptions are all quite insignificant. The standards all feature lyrics in English and Polish vocalist singing in English usually simply stink (again with very few exceptions). But most importantly: the concept of this duo, which places a vocalist, who uses conventional (well mostly) techniques against a pianist who plays completely unconventionally, often pretty wildly and freely, is absolutely atypical for a vocals / piano setting.
And yet, against all odds, this album is simply a gem from start to finish. Myrczek arises as a gifted vocal magician, able to use a wide vocabulary of possibilities, from crooning sweetness to improvised scat, vocalese and imitating bass lines vocally. It is obvious that he is having a great time and there is no tension (other that creative tension of course) limiting his performances. Although there is not much innovation as far as Jazz singing is concerned, with obvious references ranging from Kurt EllingFind albums by this artist to Bobby McFerrinFind albums by this artist, the overall effect of his singing is simply irresistible. There is also an obvious pinch of humor omnipresent herein, most evident when Myrczek recites a fragment of a book in the Polish language in the middle of one of the songs. Even his English accent and pronunciation are only very slightly off, which can be considered as charming, rather than disturbing.
Tomaszewski, in complete contrast to Myrczek, treats the music completely on his own terms, playing anything but what would normally be expected of him and taking liberties with the melodies, the chords and even the time, which although must have been very difficult for Myrczek to sing along with, is wonderfully effective, creating a much more expressive result than the usual vocals / piano setting. Comparing his work on his earlier recordings, including those featuring vocalists, his playing here is the more adventurous and daring than ever. His work on this album definitely marks him as one of the Polish Jazz pianists who deserve a much wider exposure than what he enjoys currently.
So here we are again; the Polish Jazz scene is able to come up with another pleasant surprise, which is pretty astonishing, considering the overly excellent level of music released in Poland. The music this album offers is nothing but pure joy, elegance, class and panache, all of the highest caliber. It is definitely one of the nicest releases of 2014, which should stay with the listeners for many years to come.
Another surprising element is the fact that this album was released by the For TuneFind albums on this label label, which is usually associated with Avant-Garde and other alternative music forms. It is heartwarming to see that the label recognized the fact that seemingly conventional music can also be challenging and adventurous. The album is the label´s debut on the new "pink" series (the exact meaning of the various colors of their releases is kept in deep secret), and regardless of the "pinkness", will be very had to beat.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | WOJCIECH MYRCZEK ~ WE`LL BE TOGETHER AGAIN
SST 002 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010
This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet which also includes saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album, recorded at Polish Radio Katowice, presents seven vocal Jazz standards.
Myrczek has a beautiful classic Jazz voice and his talent is immediately apparent even on this early recording, which obviously does not display his full palette, which he learned over time, as evident on his duo album with pianist with Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded four years later ("Love RevisitedFind albums with this title"). He does show his ability to learn the tricks of the trade, moving freely between singing lyrics (in English, problematic but tolerable), scat or vocally imitating bass lines.
On this album Myrczek still lacks his own personal style and expression, obviously imitating a plethora of influences and searching for the most appropriate path to find his own way. Nevertheless it still is a solid debut album, especially in view of the fact that male vocalists are a rare commodity on the Polish Jazz scene.
The instrumental support Myrczek receives from his cohorts is also very solid, nothing sensational but well played and supportive of him as a soloist. Wierba is the most gifted player and the players are all used to play together as members of the Wierba / Schmidt QuintetFind albums by this artist, therefore their performance as a unit is quite predictable.
Overall this album is a nice effort, capturing a young vocalist at the early stage of his career, which remains as a nice document of his musical biography.
| | | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PIOTR SCHMIDT INTERNATIONAL SEXTET ~ HEARSAY
SJ 074 (Barcode: 5905489720379) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023
This is an album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, who leads an international sextet, with Lithuanian saxophonist Kestutis VaiginisFind albums by this artist, Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, Polish pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist and alternating American / Polish rhythm sections of Harish RaghavanFind albums by this artist and Jonathan BarberFind albums by this artist / Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six tracks, five of which are original compositions by Schmidt and one is a composition by Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Bartosz PieszkaFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at the same sessions and with the same lineup, as the material for the previous album by Schmidt, called “Komeda Unknown 1967Find albums with this title”. To Hi-Fi enthusiasts, the CD is gold plated.
The music is another great collection of highly melodic and lyrical tunes, characteristic of the Polish melancholy, excellently performed by the sextet, which includes superb instrumentalists of international fame. Schmidt offers some scorching trumpet soloing, Vaiginis and Doruzka add their harmonic support and solo occasionally, Tomaszewski anchors everything with his sublime piano work and the rhythm section adds the swinging element. Together they create truly classic Jazz sextet sound, which reminds the best such ensembles, active throughout the Bebop era and beyond.
Overall, this is a beautiful example of modern mainstream Polish Jazz, full of the melancholy elements that characterize the local strain of the genre since the 1960, continuing the great tradition with honors. Schmidt, who firmly established his position as a musician / composer, bandleader and activist on the local scene, is a proud representative of the second-generation of Polish Jazz musicians, which continues to develop the scene and keep the flame burning.
| | Updated: 01/08/2023Posted: 01/08/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PIOTR SCHMIDT INTERNATIONAL SEXTET ~ KOMEDA UNKNOWN 1967
SJ 062 (Barcode: 5902596066796) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022
This is an album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader / label owner Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, recorded with an international sextet, which includes Lithuanian saxophonist Kestutis VaiginisFind albums by this artist, Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, Polish pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassists American Harish RaghavanFind albums by this artist or Polish Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummers American Jonathan BarberFind albums by this artist or Polish Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The sextet performs seven compositions, all by the Godfather of modern Polish Jazz, pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist.
The music is quite sensational, as six of these compositions by Komeda are recorded here for the first time, fifty-five years after they were created. They were originally written as part of the project originated by my Friend and Mentor, German producer Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, which resulted in the Jazz & Poetry album “Meine Susse Europaische HeimatFind albums with this title”, that combined Komeda’s music with contemporary Polish poetry. Krzysztof BalkiewiczFind albums by this artist, Polish archivist in charge of Komeda’s heritage, found these additional compositions, which were not used in the process of creating the above album and passed them to Schmidt, who arranged them and recorded with his sextet. Obviously such discovery is a major event as far as the history and legacy of Polish Jazz is concerned.
The music is everything that every Komeda fan (and therefore every Polish Jazz fan) might expect, full of brilliant melodic lines, lyricism and melancholy, which are the epitome of Polish Jazz, a big dash of tension and mystery, which characterize Komeda’s compositions and a series of brilliant performances by some of the best Polish, European and American musicians.
The album has all the ingredients of an instant classic, which of course is hardly surprising. Although these compositions were not included on the original album, they are by no means less perfect. The playing time restrictions of the LP format dictated the cruel choices, and the budget restrictions dictated the fact that the planned double LP project was rejected. I often wandered over the years where did those additional compositions disappear, and in my talks with Balkiewicz over the years the subject also came up. It is absolutely delightful to see the music being alive again and the prospect that it might inspire future Jazz generations is truly uplifting.
Overall, this is a monumental piece of Jazz history, a great discovery and a glorious occasion to discover another element of Komeda’s genius. Everybody involved in this project deserves my sincere thanks: the brilliant musicians, the archivist / detective, the people who brilliantly recorded the music, etc. Every true Jazz enthusiast on this planet should listen to this album, as not hearing it constitutes a big void in the ability to comprehend the European musical aesthetics.
| | Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 10/07/2022 | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PAWEL TOMASZEWSKI ~ COINCIDENCE
FILHARMONIA SZCZECIN 025 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023
This is an album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with several leading Polish Jazz instrumentalists and the Szczecin Philharmonic Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Szymon BywalecFind albums by this artist. The album presents two suites, one two-parts and the other seven-parts, with the second being inspired by a film theme composed by Polish composer Wojciech KilarFind albums by this artist. The quartet comprising of Tomaszewski, saxophonist Marek PodkowaFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Marcin JahrFind albums by this artist play on the entire album, while marimba player Bernard MaseliFind albums by this artist, vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist and American guitarist Mark LattieriFind albums by this artist play on the first suite and trumpeter Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist plays on the second suite only.
The music is wonderfully melodic, full of typical Polish melancholy and lyricism, which characterizes both Polish Jazz and Polish Cinematic music at their best. The balance between the Jazz instrumental parts and the orchestral accompaniment and statements is absolutely perfect, and offers a pleasant cross-genre listening experience.
All the musician are of course Masters of their relative areas, offering excellent soloing and ensemble performances. This delicate and mostly tranquil music is all about balance and harmonic cooperation, which means that there is no space for much individual statements, but rather a collective effort. Of course Tomaszewski’s piano work leads the music consistently all the way through.
Overall, this is a very elegant and beautifully performed album, which offers music that is widely accessible to audiences from both Jazz and Classical Music circles. Tomaszewski is an excellent pianist and talented weaver of beautiful compositions, and all the musicians taking part in this project and the orchestra definitely fit the bill perfectly. Highly recommended!
| | Updated: 05/06/2023Posted: 05/06/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF URBANSKI ~ URBANSKI
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010
This is a brilliant debut album by the young Polish Saxophonist / composer Krzysztof UrbanskiFind albums by this artist and his quartet, with pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomasz TorresFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven compositions, five of which are his originals and two are standards.
From the fist note it is quite apparent that Urbanski is not just one more upcoming saxophonist on a scene overflowing with young talent; he has star quality which is unmistakable. Although the music on this album fits well within the classical Jazz convention (and I´m purposely avoiding the term "mainstream", which unfortunately over the years becomes more often than not associated with mediocrity), Urbanski manages to find very early in his career a very individual tone and approach, which happens very rarely with young players. It is obvious he is capable of reaching beyond the obvious and daring without apprehension, as evident herein for example on his treatment of the two standards, especially the John ColtraneFind albums by this artist´s "Giant Steps", which he in a transfixing way manages to turn upside down rhythmically.
Urbanski the saxophonist is truly something else; his beautiful tone, which in its gentle and sweet manifestation is somewhat similar to Stan GetzFind albums by this artist and on the more energetic side to the young Wayne ShorterFind albums by this artist. Anybody in doubt should simply listen to the solo saxophone track on this album to comprehend Urbanski´s qualities. The five original compositions also prove a maturity one hardly expects to find in young Jazz composers. His melodic, harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary spans the Jazz tradition and presents elegant, intelligent and highly aesthetic listening experience, which simply grows with each listening session.
Very worm words of praise also go to the superb rhythm section, which enables his to spread his wings but also contributes some excellent moments on its own right, with interesting solos and fabulous team work throughout this album. Tomasz Torres, the son of the legendary Polish (of Cuban origin) percussionist Jose TorresFind albums by this artist, pushes the quartet with beautiful polyrhythmic and Afro-Cuban influenced drive. Michal Baranski is already a household name on the Polish scene, known as one of the best new generation bassist in the country and his beautiful work on this album reflects his amazing talent. Pawel Tomaszewski also managed to establish quite a reputation despite his young age, with numerous recordings behind him. His solos on this album are simply top class, and his support of the leader is simply perfect.
This is definitely one of the strongest debut albums released on the Polish Jazz scene in recent years, deserving a much stronger applause then it received in actuality. Urbanski is definitely someone to keep an eye on. Wholeheartedly recommended!
Visitors' Comments
Krzysztof Urbanski
I have never before read such a constructive review of my music. I´m happy and wish to thank you again, Adam!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PIOTR WOJTASIK ~ TRIBUTE TO AKWARIUM
INDYGO 001 (Barcode: 5907222872000) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017
This is a sensational album by veteran Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist recorded with a large ensemble which comprises of some of Poland´s top Jazz musicians and a few guests from outside of Poland. In addition to the leader who plays trumpet and flugelhorn the other musicians are: trumpeter Sebastian SoldrzynskiFind albums by this artist, shakuhachi and other wind instruments player Igor PietraszewskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Viktor TothFind albums by this artist (Hungary) and Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist and Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist, drummer Eric AllenFind albums by this artist (USA resident in Poland) and percussionist Jakub MiarczynskiFind albums by this artist. Two female vocalists are featured on one of the tunes. The album presents a five part suite composed and arranged by Wojtasik and dedicated to the memory of the legendary Warsaw Jazz club Akwarium (active between 1977 and 2000), which used to be the Mecca of Polish Jazz in the past. A sixth bonus track is also included, which offers an alternate version of one of the suite´s parts. The music was recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Lukasz OlejarczykFind albums by this artist, who as usual stood up to the challenge.
I recently had the opportunity to hear this music performed live at its premiere concert at the Silesian Jazz Festival in Katowice, with a slightly different lineup, and the impact of the music was truly astounding. This studio version is of course much tamer and orderly, so in some respects it sounds quite differently, but of course it is no less remarkable. Wojtasik managed to combine several sub-genres of the Jazz idiom into one coherent piece of music, which presents a kaleidoscope of modern Jazz, pointing to its many sources from Bebop through Jazz-Rock Fusion to electronics. Based on strong melodic themes but allowing a lot of freedom to the individual musicians to explore and probe, this is a wonderful example of modern Mainstream Jazz, which manages to be fascinating, unexpected and searching.
The individual performances are all great, as expected from this level of musicians. Kadziela´s guitar parts are the nicest surprise as he manages to transform the last part of the suite into a modern day "Bitches BrewFind albums with this title" ambiance, which should make Miles DavisFind albums by this artist happily turn in his grave. Mozdzer´s synthesizer parts are somewhat tedious, especially in comparison to what Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist managed to come up with during the concert. Of course Dominik Wania plays some stunning piano parts and it is interesting to hear him in a large ensemble setting. But overall everybody plays their heart out and the result is simply superb.
It is great to see (and hear) that Wojtasik is still in great shape as a player / composer / bandleader and as a friend I wish him many years of good health and creativity. He can certainly be proud of his achievement here and I look forward to hear more of his work soon. His blessed work as an educator at the Katowice Music Academy is of course no less important, but seeing him play is a true Jazz experience. Te old lion is still capable of a mighty roar, which the younger lions are happy to return. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 30/12/2017Posted: 30/12/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
|
