Record Reviews

KRYSTIAN BALAWENDER ~ BANGLA JAZZ SOLITON 1283 (Barcode: 5903684232833) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trumpeter Krystian BalawenderFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, pianist Kajetan BorowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin JadachFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist guests on three tracks, adding his own lyrics to the tunes. Several other musicians guest on selected tracks. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are original compositions by the leader (with one track apparently co-composed by Myrczek. I wonder as to the album’s title, since this album has nothing to do with Bangla (i.e. Indian) Jazz? The music is a super nice, Funky Smooth Jazz, splendidly executed by all the musicians involved, which is a great fun to listen to. Balawender is the main soloist and his scorching trumpet sound is reminiscent of Swing bands of the American Jazz Age era, but with a much Funkier, Groovy, up-to-date feel to it. I suppose most hard-ass Jazz critics will dismiss this music outright, but to be honest this is some an absolutely delightful, entertaining and danceable piece of music that I have heard in a long time. It is absolutely non-pretentious and heartfelt, simply stating “let’s have fun” music, with some beautiful music on top. Myrczek is great, as always, and definitely understood what this album is all about :) Overall, this is a really nice, danceable, Funky and Groovy album, which is a delightful listening experience and could be a real hit at a party, where people still dance. I know you people think I am joking, but no – this is honestly great fun you all forgot how to enjoy in Jazz. Please remember that Smooth Jazz done well is better that pretentious Jazz badly played. Just get a copy and let’s see if you can sit still while listening to this. Great idea – congrats and thanks for keeping an open mind!

Updated: 20/01/2023Posted: 20/01/2023

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PIOTR BUDNIAK ESSENTIAL GROUP ~ INTO THE LIFE SJ 022 (Barcode: 5912596066238) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the second album by young Polish Jazz drummer / composer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist with his Essential GroupFind albums by this artist sextet, which also includes saxophonists Wojciech LichtanskiFind albums by this artist and Jakub SkowronskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, pianist Kajetan BorowskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist; definitely some of the best young Polish Jazz lions. The album presents six original compositions (one repeated twice), all by Budniak. Perfectly executed and presenting superb compositions this album is an example of what modern young European Jazz is all about and it is a momentous step forward for Budniak as a composer and bandleader. The music is diverse, interesting, often unexpected and developing constantly. Although based on clearly defined melodic themes, it keeps evolving within each tune, changing moods and tempi, all to the delight of the listener. Although perhaps not intended as such, the albums sound like a continuous suite-like piece of music, which is perfectly coherent and feels like a complete statement. The sextet plays like a dream, at times sounding like a small Big Band, at other times like a Jazz-Rock ensemble, always perfectly in sync, balanced and cooperating towards a common goal. The individual statements are all perfect with the wonderfully structured solos chasing one another. The bass clarinet parts by Skowronski and the guitar parts by Mika are the "secret ingredients" which create the overall wonderful sonic aura, but everybody plays simply superbly. The rhythm section drives the ensemble like a Porsche engine, with sublime sensitivity, with the Big Bear Wykpisz being the maestro of melodic structures at the low end of the sonic spectrum. Budniak himself is a very delicate and considerate drummer, who keeps his rhythmic pulsation at a proper ensemble level not trying to be bossy. Of course Budniak deserves praise for his extraordinary compositions, which are the essence of this music. I must say that it has been quite a while since I heard an album´s length piece of music, which has absolutely no weak parts and keeps the listener at his toes for the entire duration. Absolutely brilliant stuff! Congratulations are in order to everybody involved and I highly recommend this album to all Jazz connoisseurs around the world as an example of what great music means these days. Life is too short for anything less than this!

Updated: 16/09/2017Posted: 16/09/2017

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PIOTR BUDNIAK ESSENTIAL GROUP ~ SIMPLE STORIES ABOUT HOPE AND WORRIES SOLITON 429 (Barcode: 5901571094298) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz drummer / composer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist and his sextet called Essential GroupFind albums by this artist, which also includes trumpeter Pawel PoludniakFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Wojciech LichtanskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, pianist Kajetan BorowskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Michal SobierajskiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents seven original compositions, all by the leader, who also wrote the lyrics to the vocal piece. Budniak, who returned to playing Jazz after a brief encounter with Rock-Folk as member of the ensemble LemONFind albums by this artist, which stirred quite a sensation on the local music scene, explores the Jazz tradition but maintains a fresh perspective, especially as a composer. The resulting music is a mixture of contemporary Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion, with a dash of Pop & Rock, performed efficiently and elegantly by the sextet. The emphasis on melody and lyricism creates an overall atmosphere of relaxation and lack of tension, which can be a two edged sword. The young players, who are members of the sextet, are all upcoming heroes of the next generation of Polish Jazz, many of which have already shown their chops on other recording released in recent years. Mika is the most noticeable soloist by far and Wykpisz slowly emerges as a very promising bass player, who can literally hold a tune like an old pro. These two are definitely worth following with special attention. But all the other players, including the leader, are fine young talents, who will be heard and noticed in the future. The focus of this album is obviously on the compositions, and rightly so, as Budniak has definitely a lot to say in that department. All of his compositions here are nicely crafted and a pleasure to listen to. The only drawback of this music is that it lacks originality and passion to explore uncharted territory, but perhaps it´s unfair to ask for boldness at this stage. This is definitely an impressive debut effort, which should make all the participants proud of their achievements. I am looking forward to their sophomore album in order to follow their progress.

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PIOTR BUDNIAK ESSENTIAL GROUP ~ THE DAYS OF WINE AND NOISES NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the third album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist and his ensemble called Essential GroupFind albums by this artist, which on this album is a quintet and includes also saxophonist Wojciech LichtanskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Kajetan BorowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr NarajowskiFind albums by this artist and as guest Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live and presents five original compositions, all by the leader. Musically the album continues the path set by the earlier recordings by Budniak, presenting excellent compositions well within modern melodic mainstream, performed with vigor and technical proficiency. Lichtanski and Borowski have been with the ensemble since its inception and together with Budniak constitute the core of the group, which is obviously well solidified. The new young bassist has a very though pair of shoes to fit, filling in for the original member of the ensemble, the excellent Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist, but manages to catch up nicely. Doruzka is a very accomplished player and his role on this album proves his versatility and skill, again filling in for the original member of the ensemble Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist. Once again the focus of the album is on the excellent compositions by the leader, which present a diverse palette and a wonderful sense of melody and harmony. The quintet performs the music with grace and elegance, but without any extravagant solo excursions, which is all for the best. On the down side the sound quality of the live recording is rather problematic, which limits the pleasure of listening to the music. It is not entirely sure if this album is a formal release or just a promo release added to the Polish Jazz Forum magazine, but in any case sound quality is a crucial part of any recording and in this case it is simply not up to par with the quality of the music. Overall this is another injection of good Jazz compositions by Budniak and excellent playing by his ensemble, less formally packaged and recorded, but nevertheless very enjoyable.

Updated: 04/05/2018Posted: 04/05/2018

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FOREST TUNER ~ TUNES SJ 015 (Barcode: 5912596066177) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by a young Polish Jazz quartet called The Forest TunerFind albums by this artist, led by trombonist Szymon BialoruckiFind albums by this artist, with pianist Mateusz SobiechowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam TadelFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader, and was recorded at the splendid Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist at the knobs, which as usual guarantees an outstanding sound quality. The music is pretty straightforward, moving between melodic mainstream Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion, excellently performed by all participants. The trombone lead, which of course is fairly rare in a quartet setting, creates an obvious disparity between this particular quartet and most others, with is also characterized by the compositions, which have a stylistic relationship and coherence. Trombone is of course a very challenging instrument, especially when put in front of a Jazz quartet. Bialorucki handles this challenge very well, intelligently avoiding showing off a virtuoso approach to the instrument, and putting the emphasis on feel and melody. Sobiechowski plays wonderfully both as an accompanist and as a soloist and his melodic approach fits the overall mood of the album ideally. The rhythm section stands shoulder to shoulder with the two soloists, with Tadel contributing many impressive bass lines and Budniak providing a solid rhythmic anchor. Overall this is a very promising debut recording, which as usual emphasizes the incredible level of the young Polish Jazz scene, which seems to be blessed with a plentitude of talent and a healthy dose of ambition. Definitely worth investigation!

Updated: 25/03/2017Posted: 10/09/2016

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MARCELINA GAWRON ~ NOTES OF LIFE SJ 040 (Barcode: 5912596066733) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz vocalist / songwriter Marcelina GawronFind albums by this artist, recorded with an excellent quartet comprising of trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Adam JarzmikFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original songs, all by Gawron, seven of which have lyrics in English and two in Polish. The music is all melodic mainstream Jazz, mostly melancholic and somewhat somber, mostly kept on the same emotional level, which makes the album a bit uniform. The English lyrics are not very helpful either. But all things considered, there is plenty of music herein that should keep vocal Jazz enthusiasts happy. The accompaniment is of course first class, with Majewski and Baranski representing the Polish Jazz veterans and Jarzmik (who was in charge of the arrangements) and Budniak proudly representing the new generation. Jarzmik´s wonderful flow and excellent soloing are the album´s highlight and Majewski´s solo parts add a nice topping. Gawron could hardly find a more able team to support her vocals than the one present here. The vocal parts, both lyrics and vocalese, are all well executed and combined with the quartet´s accompaniment, but they are a bit timid and lack strong emotional expression, which of course is a question of choice and a decision the vocalist obviously made. Overall this is a very accessible vocal Jazz album, which can be listened to by a wide and not necessarily strictly Jazz audience.

Updated: 22/05/2019Posted: 22/05/2019

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ADAM JARZMIK ~ EUPHORIA AUDIO CAVE 2017/004 (Barcode: 5905669566254) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Adam JarzmikFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quintet setting with trumpeter Pawel PalcowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jakub LepaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions by Jarzmik and one arrangement of a standard. The music is all within the mainstream Jazz idiom, with solid compositions and sleek execution, not very innovative but definitely worth hearing, especially in view of the age of the musicians involved. It is amazing how young Polish Jazz musicians are able to achieve a level of professionalism at an amazingly young age, which often takes musicians elsewhere twice the time. Jarzmik´s compositions are his true forte and their quality and imaginative themes are the focus of this album. Although they are mostly rather atypical as far as the Polish Jazz scene is concerned, being more inclined towards the American Jazz tradition with the post Bebop dominance, they are still interesting enough to save the day. The lyrical ballads, like the title track, are more characteristic of Polish Jazz, and are the best pieces on the album by far. Overall this is a very presentable debut album, which shows a lot of potential both as far as the leader / composer is concerned and as far as the musicians in the quintet, some of which already have a recording history, especially the drummer, are concerned. For many musicians some decades ago, albums like this one were the pinnacle of their career, and since this is after all a debut, it definitely shows the level of extraordinary musicianship these young people already posses at their early age. These musicians are definitely worth listening to and watching for their future achievements, which are sure to be even more accomplished.

Updated: 25/05/2017Posted: 25/05/2017

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ADAM JARZMIK ~ LIVE AT RADIO KATOWICE PRK 0135 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the second album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Adam JarzmikFind albums by this artist, recorded with the same quintet as his debut album released just a few months earlier, this time recorded "live in the studio". The quintet includes trumpeter Pawel PalcowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jakub LepaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. Guitarist Jakub MizerackiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents five original compositions, all by Jarzmik, all different from the compositions featured on the debut album, which proves that Jarzmik is a very prolific composer. Considering the rather short playing time of the album (about thirty five minutes) this is rather an EP than a full album. The music is kept within the contemporary mainstream Jazz, but the compositions on this album are more ambitious and focused than those on the debut, which means that the music flows flawlessly from one track to another, serving as a vehicle for the individual improvised parts. The ensemble sound is very well defined and kept in check, with the saxophone and trumpet stating the melodic themes unisono, before the music is "released" to the soloists to state their parts. The individual performances are all perfectly executed, considering the fact that this is a live recording and the young age of the musicians involved, and are a faithful testimony of the overall high level of the young Polish Jazz musicians. The track which features the guitar takes off in a slightly different direction, emphasizing the Fusion approach, which might be interesting for future ventures by Jarzmik. Overall a solid effort, with great music and excellent playing, which should keep most mainstream Jazz fans happy. The album offers nothing groundbreaking or extraordinary, but is definitely worth checking out.

Updated: 19/09/2017Posted: 19/09/2017

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ADAM JARZMIK ~ ON THE WAY HOME AUDIO CAVE 2019/005 (Barcode: 5905669566742) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the third album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Adam JarzmikFind albums by this artist recorded with the same quintet that accompanied him on the two previous albums: saxophonist Jakub LepaFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Pawel PalcowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist, but expanded to a sextet by the presence of the American guitarist Mike MorenoFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, all by Jarzmik. The music was recorded at the Monochrome Studio by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, and offers the expected excellent sound quality. The music is again kept strictly within the mainstream Jazz idiom and although the compositions are solid and well developed, they seem to be stuck in the same mold that created the two earlier recordings. Usually by the third album young Polish Jazz composers come up with a more open formula, which allows them to spread their wings and move into new territory, but this does not happen on this album. This does not mean that the music is not valuable, but it does not fulfill the high hopes that were expected. Of course the musicians involved are all highly professional players, with slick licks and polished technique, and the music is definitely very well performed, but remains somewhat mechanical and lackluster. Moreno, albeit his experience and reputation adds very little, if anything at all to the album´s contents, and the music would have sounded about the same without him. Overall this is a relatively less successful effort by Jarzmik and his excellent team, definitely not up to par with his earlier work, but still offering highly professional original mainstream Jazz. Better luck next time I hope ;)

Updated: 14/04/2019Posted: 14/04/2019

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JULIA KANIA ~ HERE SJ 026 (Barcode: 5912596066283) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by young Polish singer / songwriter Julia KaniaFind albums by this artist recorded with excellent young Polish Jazz players: pianist Kajetan BorowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam TadelFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist, the above members of Kania´s quartet, and guest guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original songs composed and written by Kania, eight of which have lyrics in English and one in Polish. The music is only marginally Jazz oriented and offers a collection of melodic themes, performed in a Jazzy atmosphere by the instrumentalists. Musically the entire album stays on the same level emotionally and contains no surprises. The songs are well structured, but stay mostly within a similar gloomy atmosphere, which offers no excitement or empathy. The instrumental layer is highly professional and sleek, and shows the individual talents of the players, with solid and skillful solos by Borowski and Mika, whose electric guitar work takes this album into the Alternative Rock idiom. Kania´s vocals are very limited, staying always within a safe range of her vocal abilities. She sticks to singing the lyrics and uses none of the infinite vocal possibilities available today, which results in this album being pretty monotonous. She sounds like most Polish Pop singers, who to me all sound completely alike. The use of English lyrics is also very problematic, as the lyrics are difficult to comprehend due to her pronunciation and accent. As usual in such circumstances, the sole song with Polish lyrics works better than the rest of the album. Of course all of the above are my personal views and I wish Kania a lot of success in the future. Sadly this album is not my cup of tea.

Updated: 02/03/2018Posted: 02/03/2018

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KLARA CLOUD & THE VULTURES ~ VAUNA CHALLENGE 73476 (Barcode: 608917347623) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz ensemble Klara Cloud & The VulturesFind albums by this artist which comprises of vocalist Sylwia Klara ZasempaFind albums by this artist, violinist Bartosz DworakFind albums by this artist, pianist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam TadelFind albums by this artist and drummers Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist and Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. Legendary guitarist Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents ten tracks, eight of which are original compositions mostly by Zasempa and some created with the help of the entire ensemble (the two instrumental tracks) and finally two are traditional. Most of the lyrics are also by Zasempa. The subject matter of the album refers to Nature, wildlife and harmonious coexistence. The music was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sound quality. The music offers a fascinating concept, combing Jazz-World Music Fusion with Free Jazz, which is quite striking. Although Polish Jazz often sources Slavic music, typical Polish melancholy and Polish Folklore, amalgamating it usually with original mainstream Jazz, but rather rarely so with more adventurous forms, which makes this music immediately outstanding. This does not mean that the music loses contact with melody per se, but the improvisations offer a wide range of freedom, both rhythmically and harmonically, which are not usually found within the Jazz-World Fusion idiom. Dworak and Gaweda, who are amongst the most celebrated young Polish Jazz players, have plenty of opportunity to show their chops on this album, standing up to the expectations in full. The reinforced rhythm section, with the polyrhythmic double drums (in stereo) and solid bass pulsations, pushes the music steadily forward and serves as an anchor for the listener to keep his bearings. The guitar solo by Anthimos on the final track is simply divine. Of course the vocals are the epicenter of this music and Zasempa stands up to the challenge with flying colors. She keeps to the basics, avoiding unnecessary theatrics and meanderings, and invests directly in the delivery of the lyrics, often improvising in the process. She does not use vocalese extensively, preferring to "play with the words" rather than with the sounds, but when she does, it works perfectly and hopefully will be used more in future projects. Zasempa is a "total" musician, being obviously the leader, the composer, the lyricist and the main soloist – Woman power incarnate. Overall this is a beautiful piece of music, excellently put together and executed, original, ambitious and intelligent. Definitely one of the most interesting Polish Jazz releases of 2019. It is also the fifth album by young Polish Jazz musicians to be released on the prestigious Dutch Challenge label, which proves that this music is being recognized beyond the local market and steadily captures the position it truly deserves. Well done Lady and Gentlemen!

Updated: 10/11/2019Posted: 10/11/2019

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KATARZYNA PIETRZKO ~ EPHEMERAL PLEASURES NOT ON LABEL 02 (Barcode: 5907779691222) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album by Polish pianist / composer Katarzyna PietrzkoFind albums by this artist recorded again in a classic piano trio setting, this time with veteran bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and young drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten pieces, four composed by Pietrzko, one by Swies and five are not credited and are assumably improvised by the trio. The music was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio. The names of the rhythm section musicians and the name of the recording engineer are not mentioned on the cover art, and the CD is a CD-R, which somewhat spoil the fun. Pietrzko debuted a couple of years earlier with an excellent album, which introduced her as a new player on the local scene and a promising composer and which was warmly received. The decisive strength of the debut was the strength of the compositions rather than the actual piano playing ability. This sophomore effort moves from the modern mainstream Jazz environment into a much more open territory. The five compositions are still melody based, but the melodic content is less emphasized and the improvisations take over. The five improvised "Episodes" are all naturally dedicated to free expression. As a result the album is overtly less melodic, and as such loses much of the charm of the debut, taking the pianist into a much more treacherous territory, undermining the pianist´s capabilities. Pietrzko piano playing did not develop significantly since the debut and is still somewhat limited, which results in the rhythm section de facto taking over the proceedings, especially Swies, who dominates the performances with his excellent, but very strong presence, emphasized by the bass being rather high up in the mix. Overall this is an interesting and ambitious effort, which shows the young pianist exploring new ground and growing, which is commendable. The result is somewhat uneven and less coherent, but Pietrzko is certainly an important new arrival worth being watched.

Updated: 15/08/2020Posted: 15/08/2020

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KATARZYNA PIETRZKO ~ FORTHRIGHT STORIES NOT ON LABEL 01 (Barcode: 5907779691123) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by the female Polish Jazz pianist / composer Katarzyna PietrzkoFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio format with renowned American bassist Corcoran HoltFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. Cellist Julia KotarbaFind albums by this artist plays on one track. The album presents nine original compositions, eight by Pietrzko and one by Holt. Pietrzko is one of several young female piano players / composers, who have taken the Polish Jazz scene by a storm in the last few years, an unprecedented phenomenon in the male dominated Jazz world. The music is contemporary mainstream Jazz, based on melodic compositions beautifully crafted by Pietrzko, which present a coherent kaleidoscope of remarkably mature creations, in spite of her young age. The compositions are multi-layered and complex, often moving outside of the traditional Jazz idiom into contemporary Classical Music and other territories. The dynamic range and a developing musical continuity within each composition are certainly some of the most interesting Jazz pieces produced in Poland this year (2017), which considering the huge amount of sublime music produced in Poland every year, is a considerable distinction. Pietrzko is able to create her unique compositional environment, which is substantially different from the "typical" Polish Jazz tinge. It still includes plenty of melancholy and Eastern European lyricism, but is free from most of the mannerisms, which often characterize Polish Jazz, making it sometimes a bit too much of the same. The performances, although obviously excellent, are less unique than the compositions and stand shoulder to shoulder with the top Polish Jazz piano trios, but do not break any new ground. Pietrzko plays very proficiently and heartfelt, but her dynamics as a pianist and her technical capabilities have not reached the virtuosic level I´d love to hear. Surely she will progress on the fly and her piano playing will be as good as her compositions on her next album. Holt is a pro and plays by the book, like most Americans, with superb technique, but he does not contribute anything beyond what every professional player would have done in his place: play the right notes in the right places. I feel no passion in the bass parts. Budniak on the other hand is excellent throughout, adding some of the dynamics that the piano parts are unable to create, always perfectly amicable with the leader and choosing the perfect percussive tools for the job. Overall this is a stunning debut which should bring much joy to all Jazz connoisseurs, especially the piano trio enthusiasts. The music was sublimely recorded and the sound quality is simply perfect. This is definitely one of the best Polish Jazz debuts this year, wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 03/07/2019Posted: 24/10/2017

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FRANCISZEK RACZKOWSKI TRIO ~ APPRENTICE FOR TUNE 0066 (Barcode: 5902768701722) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Franciszek RaczkowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio setting with bassist Pawel WszolekFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. It presents seven original compositions, all by Raczkowski. As the title suggests, Raczkowski is still at the very early stage of his career and is searching for his personal language, both as a player and a composer. His music is floating somewhere between mainstream Jazz and more ambitious explorations of the melodic and harmonic spheres, quite diverse and obviously still uncertain as to the final outcome. As a result the album is somewhat uneven, with some of the pieces being very interesting and others significantly less so. Although the music sounds very melodic, there are but a few clear melodic themes to which the listener can cling to or follow. The rest sounds just as fragmented statements, hold together by the framework of a tune, but not really making sense musically. The music is very well performed, although Raczkowski does not display a wide dynamic range in his performances, which is splendidly picked up by the rhythm section, which does a wonderful job here. Wszolek keeps the tunes together bravely, even when the music seems to disintegrate, and Budniak keeps it alive with his delicate but masterly strokes. After repeated listening to this album I could not honestly make up my mind if it presents a pianist / composer of great hope, as some of the statements I read about it claim. The comparisons to Keith JarrettFind albums by this artist are pretty far fetched and might prove more damaging than constructive. I´ll have to wait patiently for the next album to see if Raczkowski is the "next" big thing on the Polish scene. In the meantime this album surely deserves to be listened to and as a debut it is altogether quite nice.

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MARTYNA SABAK ~ BYLAM JESTEM BEDE NOT ON LANEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is the debut solo album by Polish vocalist / songwriter Martyna SabakFind albums by this artist recorded with a quintet of young but experienced Polish Jazz musicians: pianist Adam JarzmikFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Ignacy WendtFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Jakub LepaFind albums by this artist, bassist Tymon TrabczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten songs, all co-composed by Sabak and Jarzmik, with lyrics by Sabak, three of which are in English and the rest in Polish. The music is an amalgam of quality Pop, Soul and mainstream Jazz genres, excellently arranged for the accompanying quintet and a great fun to listen to from start to finish. Although definitely on the lighter side of the Jazz idiom, it is well put together and offers a pleasant musical experience. Sabak has an expressive, soul oriented vocal technique, which fits the material perfectly. The arrangements and the accompanying musicians set the songs into an attractive framework, which can be enjoyed by a wide audience. I am not a great fan of Polish vocalists singing in English, but since the majority of the songs are in Polish, this is not a major hurdle. My advice is to avoid this in the future. Overall, this is a very nice debut effort, which offers great contributions both in the vocals and songwriting departments, showing a lot of potential. Sabak needs to find her personal style, which will be more stylistically refined than what she presents here, but she is surely on the right path. All the best with your future projects, young Lady!

Updated: 14/12/2023Posted: 14/12/2023

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MARIUSZ SMOLINSKI ~ 10 MINUTES LATER NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by young Polish keyboardist / composer Mariusz SmolinskiFind albums by this artist recorded in a trio format with bassist Bartosz KuczFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Smolinski. The music is all strictly melody based mainstream Jazz / Fusion, with a distinct retro feel reminiscent of Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist 1970s / 1980s recordings, constantly moving on the border between Jazz and Fusion. Smolinski plays both acoustic piano and the Fender Rhodes (or synthesizer), which naturally swing the mood between the Jazz and Fusion idioms. Kucz plays a distinct Fusion oriented electric bass whereas Budniak´s drumming is more Jazz oriented, which again emphasizes the stylistic dichotomy of the album. The compositions are all solid and well structured, the ballads being typically drenched in Polish melancholy and for me stronger than the up-tempo numbers, with have less distinct character. But all in all the music is certainly very well crafted and offers a pleasant experience to a wide range of listeners. The performances are all first class, as usual with the young and well schooled Polish Jazz musicians. Smolinski has what it takes to play a wide range of stylistic nuances, sounding confident and sparkling. Kucz gets a lot of exposure and soloing opportunities, and his bass work is truly inspiring, with a wonderful fretless sound and fluidity. His contributions on this album are an essential part of the entire result and for Fusion bass lovers are probably the focus of interest. Budniak, who is a frequent participant in on the Polish Jazz / Fusion recording scene, is as precise and inspiring as always. Overall this is an excellent debut effort, which shows potential and professionalism of the leader in this early stage of his career. Smolinski needs to find his personal voice and style in time, which will surely happen very quickly based on the rapid development displayed by the young generation of Polish Jazz players, and I´m already curious to hear his sophomore effort.

Updated: 14/10/2020Posted: 14/10/2020

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MARIUSZ SMOLINSKI ~ MYSLIWSKI NA GLOS NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the 2nd album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mariusz SmolinskiFind albums by this artist, recorded again in a classic piano trio setting with bass guitarist Bartosz KuczFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. Cornet player Artur MajewskiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. Two speakers recite fragments from three novels written by Polish author Wieslaw MysliwskiFind albums by this artist at the start of each of the six tracks, which remain title-less, all composed by Smolinski and inspired by Mysliwski’s works. Although not strictly a “Jazz & Poetry” project, this album is close enough to belong to the category. In contrast to the debut album, this recording presents straightforward Jazz played on acoustic piano, and the only “link” to the Fusiony debut is the sound of the electric bass guitar. The compositions are also way more advanced and offer a beautiful melodic themes, full of typical Polish lyricism, excellently weaved and obviously inspired. The trio performances are also absolutely perfect and the presence of the electric bass guitar is refreshing and ornaments the music structurally and rhythmically, with obvious technique and feel. Smolinski plays with confidence, without any excessive soloing, which would have been out of place in this delicate lyrical environment. Budniak is also perfect for the job, precise, inventive and most importantly supportive. Overall, this is a wonderful piano trio album, which should keep Jazz lovers around the globe perfectly happy. This is pure Jazz, completely devoid of fleshy exhibitionism and pretenses. The Polish texts are kept to a minimum, and should not disturb listeners, who do not speak the language, and are a nice spicing for those who do. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 29/01/2025Posted: 29/01/2025

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ROBERT SWISTELNICKI ~ PIOSENKI MULTIKULTI MPO 005 (Barcode: 5903068680137) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2020 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz guitarist / composer / lyricist Robert SwistelnickiFind albums by this artist, recorded with his sextet, which also includes trumpeter Pawel PalcowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Adam BlawickiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Kajetan BorowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. Vocalists Klara CloudFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Sylwia Klara ZasempaFind albums by this artist) and Lukasz LipskiFind albums by this artist guest on one track. The album presents nine original compositions and texts, all by Swistelnicki, recorded at the legendary Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, with the usual splendid sound quality. The album falls into the Jazz & Poetry idiom, although Swistelnicki recites his texts / poems / songs (the album’s title) on top of the music, rather than singing them, coming back to the early days of the Jazz & Poetry movement of the Beat Generation in America in the 1950s, when Allen GinsbergFind albums by this artist and others recited their revolutionary poetry accompanied by Jazz bands. A decade later the idiom appeared also in Europe, in London, Paris and other European cities, spilling over the Iron Curtain like molten lava and soon popped up in Poland and Czechoslovakia, despite the political regime’s censorship. Therefore, this album definitely has its nostalgic / retro aspects, although there are some important stylistic differences, both literary and musical. The texts are highly personal and reflect the alienation of contemporary human condition, as often reflected in contemporary Rap music, rather than social / political / ideological rebellion, which was the essence of the Beatniks. The music is also much more tamed and mainstream oriented, mixing elements of Jazz with Rock and even Pop, rather than Bebop or early Free Jazz. But notwithstanding nostalgia, etc. this is quite a remarkable album in many respects, with offers some excellent musical ideas and (retro) innovative approach to the Jazz & Poetry idiom, which surely proves open-mindedness and courage. The musicianship is of course beyond reproach, which is hardly surprising, and the listeners are offered a diverse collection of compositions and non-trivial texts, which elegantly kick the butt. Overall, this is an impressive debut album, which hopefully will be followed by future achievements by Swistelnicki and his colleagues. Kudos to the MultikultiFind albums on this label label, which bravely keeps releasing unusual / pioneering projects against all (mostly economic) odds. Well done everybody!

Updated: 20/12/2022Posted: 20/12/2022

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ROBERT SWISTELNICKI ~ PIOSENKI MILOSNE WCZESNEJ POSTKOMUNY I POZNEGO KAPITALIZMU I SJ 075 (Barcode: 5905489720409) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2022 - 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish multi-instrumentalist / songwriter Robert SwistelnickiFind albums by this artist, featuring five top Polish Jazz vocalists: Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, Jorgos SkoliasFind albums by this artist, Natalia KordiakFind albums by this artist, Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist and Klara CloudFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Sylwia Klara ZasempaFind albums by this artist) and instrumentalists: Swistelnicki on piano, vibraphonist Marcin PaterFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Pawel PalcowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and guitarist Pawel UrbanskiFind albums by this artist. Several additional musicians participate on selected tracks. The album presents fifteen tracks, with all lyrics and most compositions by Swistelnicki, except three composed by Palcowski and one by Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The concept is obviously a Jazz & Poetry presentation, although the music floats all over the place, from Blues via mainstream Jazz and a few almost Avant-Garde pieces. The vocal and instrumental performances are all as good as one might expect from these highly experienced singers and talented young musicians, but the scope might have been miscalculated to a degree, especially in comparison to Swistelnicki’s debut album “PiosenkiFind albums with this title”, which is way more coherent. There is simply way too much going on here musically, which combined with the complex and often vague lyrical layer, makes this album difficult to embrace, certainly on the first attempt. Of course one should appreciate the complexity of pulling such a project off. The somewhat murky sound quality does not help as well. Since the Jazz & Poetry idiom is by far one of my favorites, I pondered at length why this specific album failed to win my immediate approval, listening to it repeatedly several times. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it per se, but the abundance of musical ideas, which don’t have a clear continuity of focus is probably what causes my reservations. Also, it is difficult to hear clearly the lyrics, which in a project like this are an absolutely essential ingredient. A booklet with the lyrics might have saved the day perhaps, but alas it is not included. On the positive side, the trumpet playing by Palcowski is nothing short of sensational and the soul-shaking vocals by Skolias are simply exquisite. Overall, this is a highly ambitious Jazz & Poetry project, excellently sung and played by talented musicians, which should be very interesting to the Polish aficionados of the idiom. It is probably a matter of personal taste to decide if it fulfills all the potential expected from such a gathering of distinguished Polish Jazz Artists.

Updated: 30/10/2023Posted: 30/10/2023

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