Record Reviews

ACCEPDANCECOLLECTIVE ~ A HANDFUL OF ACCEPDANCE SESSION WORK 115 (Barcode: 9005321115199) ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by the Austrian / Polish quintet AccepDanceCollectiveFind albums by this artist comprising of Austrian guitarist Martin WeselyFind albums by this artist, bassist Flo HupfaufFind albums by this artist and drummer Andreas SchifferFind albums by this artist and Polish guitarist Piotr DomagalaFind albums by this artist and multi-instrumentalist Oleg DyyakFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, four by Wesely, three by Domagala, two by Schiffer and one by Wesely / Schiffer. The music is strongly influenced by various World Music themes, including Flamenco, Middle Eastern, Balkan and many other atmospheres, primarily very lyrical and delicate, spiced by extended Jazzy improvisations by Wesely, Domagala and Dyyak (mostly on accordion). The rhythm section adds a steady support and harmony, with excellent bass parts by Hupfauf and delicate but firm drumming by Schiffer and percussion ornamentations by Dyyak. The double guitar front line offers of course plenty of excellent soloing both individually and as a duo, and considering the excellent recording quality, which allows each and every note to be heard perfectly, this album offers a true musical feast Overall this is an excellent debut effort by seasoned musicians, which combines great compositions and virtuosic performances offering a rich tapestry of sounds and emotions. Connoisseurs of Jazz-World Fusion should find this album as an ideal listening experience, but this music should be appealing to a wide spectrum of music lovers, across any genre borders. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 28/04/2020Posted: 28/04/2020

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PIOTR DOMAGALA ~ PNACZA KAAN 003 (Barcode: 5908259907031) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the third album by Polish guitarist / composer Piotr DomagalaFind albums by this artist, recorded in an intimate trio format with trumpeter / flautist Adam KawonczykFind albums by this artist and percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist. The same lineup recorded also Domagala´s previous album called "Slavonic TalesFind albums with this title". The album presents nine original compositions, all by Domagala. The music is a wide amalgam of influences, including World Music form Far and Near East and Domagala´s domestic Polish Folklore, obviously Jazz but also some Classical Music hints, in short a cross-genre offering, which sounds absolutely brilliant from start to finish. The music is serene and relaxed, based on exquisite melodies, which serve as a basis for extensive improvisations and elaborate expansions. Even the up-tempo numbers sound perfectly peaceful and focused. The guitar is of course at the center of the listener´s attention, often multi-tracked to achieve a richer and more spacey sound, but the trumpet / flute and the superb percussion work all add up to make this album an unforgettable experience. In addition the music is beautifully recorded, with excellent detail and separation, which allows every singe note and tone to be perfectly audible. Domagala´s guitar playing is nothing short of virtuosic and his technique allows him to express the depth of his aesthetics and the beauty of his compositions. When talent, experience and dedication come together, like on this album, the result is simply overwhelming and the minimalism of this music works in its favor, creating a superb result in which every single note counts. Overall this is an album of rare beauty, which every guitar connoisseur on this planet should absolutely fall in love with. Although recorded a few years before it arrived on my desk (courtesy of the creator) it is definitely way too good to be ignored and I hope some people will discover this gem now; better late than never. An absolute must!

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

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PIOTR DOMAGALA / KWARTET SLASKI ~ CHOWANCE GAP (Barcode: 5905669506014) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Piotr DomagalaFind albums by this artist, recorded in an unusual setting with the Kwartet SlaskiFind albums by this artist String Quartet (violinists Szymon KrzeszowiecFind albums by this artist and Arkadiusz KubicaFind albums by this artist, violist Lukasz SyrnickiFind albums by this artist and cellist Piotr JanosikFind albums by this artist) and percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist. Together they perform eleven original compositions, all by Domagala. The music is an interesting amalgam of Jazz, Fusion, Classical Music and World Music, a true cross-genre voyage, based on beautiful melodic themes and featuring interesting and unique arrangements. The compositions are full of typical Polish / Slavic melancholy and mysticism, expressed both by the melodic / harmonic setting and the complex arrangements, fabulously executed by the string quartet, which often sounds like layers of synthesizers rather than violins, viola and cello. In that respect this is one of the most unique projects I came across in 2016 not only on the Polish scene, but worldwide. Domagala is a very accomplished guitarist and plays many breathtaking passages on this album. Most of the guitar work is acoustic and uses a plethora of different guitar techniques. A few electric parts are also present, but those are overall less significant as the album presents mostly a serene, intimate atmosphere, which is best served by the acoustic approach, which of course also corresponds well to the string quartet. The string quartet, as already mentioned, is absolutely superb, playing completely originally and free of any Classical Music conventions, which often limit classical musicians and cause their cooperation with Jazz musicians to fail miserably. In this case the cooperation works out perfectly and the string quartet contributions are equally important to those of the leader. Berny is an ideal choice for this album, where his great sensitivity and rhythmic proficiency suit the music perfectly. Berny´s experience with World Music and Jazz oriented projects is very extensive and his contributions here emphasize the rhythmic qualities of the music gracefully. Overall this is a striking album, which presents ambitious and innovative music, superbly executed by the participating musicians. It is a wonderful example of intelligent music, which can also be very emotional and aesthetically pleasing. The album, which was recorded in the excellent RecPublica Studios, offers a stunning sound quality, which should satisfy even the sternest Hi-Fi connoisseurs. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 25/11/2016Posted: 25/11/2016

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PIOTR DOMAGALA & MAREK TOPOROWSKI ~ MUSIC FOR JAZZ GUITAR AND HARPSICHORD DOX 2010 (Barcode: 5902547020105) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the debut album by the duo comprising of Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Piotr DomagalaFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Marek ToporowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Domagala and one is by flautist / composer Ryszard BorowskiFind albums by this artist. The music offers a highly unusual combination of two instruments rarely heard together and offers an exciting, novel sound and conceptual approach, which is truly exciting and aesthetically pleasing. Musically somewhere between Bossa Nova and Baroque Music, with everything in between, the highly melodic tunes serve as basis to extended improvisations, and as already stated the result is absolutely unique. I admit to be unfamiliar with Toporowski’s accomplishments, which of course is my bad, hopefully to be corrected soon, but he certainly is a Master of the harpsichord, one of my favorite instruments, able to produce a plethora of sounds one would never except to hear from that instrument, which sound absolutely contemporary, if not avant-garde. I am, however, well acquainted with the superb work by Domagala, who is obviously one of the greatest Polish guitarists, but who is also mostly underappreciated by his peers and the Polish Jazz scene as one. His recording legacy speaks for itself and the usual “being too good for his own good” definitely applies, as far as he is concerned. Overall, this is a wonderful piece of music, very unusual and unconventional, but which is accessible to a large audience of music connoisseurs, if brought to their attention. Hopefully that will happen, and I can only contribute my wholehearted recommendation. Listeners looking for originality and thinking out of a box, should grab this album unquestionably!

Updated: 12/04/2024Posted: 12/04/2024

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