Record Reviews

CRACOW JAZZ COLLECTIVE ~ NO MORE DRAMA FOR TUNE 0093 (Barcode: 5902768701692) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz ensemble Cracow Jazz CollectiveFind albums by this artist, an octet led by pianist / composer Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, one of the most notable upcoming Polish Jazz musicians in recent years. The rest of the ensemble consists of other young and upcoming Polish Jazz musicians: trumpeters Cyprian BaszynskiFind albums by this artist and Dominik MietlaFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Marcin SlusarczykFind albums by this artist, Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist and Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr PoludniakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. The album presents three expanded compositions, all originals by Gaweda. The music embodies an amazing amalgam of contemporary Modern Jazz, which moves stylistically between swinging melodic themes and collective group improvisation with elegance and grace. The sound of the octet is typical of much larger ensembles and is no less powerful than a Big Band at times. The arrangements, which call for unisono brass parts and almost Rock like rhythmic riffs, create a fat sound, which is extremely effective. All these contribute to the fact that this is one of the most quite recordings on the Polish scene lately. The extended pieces offer plenty of opportunity to show the individual talents of the ensemble members, which are all very impressive, but also emphasize the ability of the musicians to sub-divide the lineup into sections, which play in a variety of combinations from unisono to individual improvised statements. The majority of the music is however very "well behaved" and follows strictly wonderfully arranged scenarios. This album reveals a much lesser known side of Gaweda, who so far is mostly known as a piano virtuoso of highly individual style, who plays mostly Free Jazz and Improvised Music, whereas here he symbolizes the Jazz tradition not only as the composer and arranger but also as a player, which can be followed through out this album. Perhaps the fact that this music was recorded a couple of years before it was released, portrays Gaweda at that time, which is not what he does now, but I certainly hope he will make more music as majestic and skillfully arranged as this one in parallel to his explorations of the Free realms. There is little doubt as to the fact that music is such complexity on one hand and perfect execution on the other is the proof of the incredible level of the young generation of Polish Jazz musicians, who are slowly taking over the local scene into their capable hands. In fact it is so good that it should studied by other young musicians as a model of what Jazz is all about. Definitely a shining gem of an album!

Updated: 15/07/2016Posted: 15/07/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MATEUSZ PALKA ~ MELODIES. THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN POLSKIE RADIO 2431 (Barcode: 5905610870034) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the 3rd album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mateusz PalkaFind albums by this artist, and the 2nd recording by his trio with bassist Piotr PoludniakFind albums by this artist and drummer Patryk DoboszFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, nine of which are original compositions by Palka and one is an improvised solo bass piece by Poludniak. The album offers excellent sound recording quality, which for piano trio albums is an absolute must. The music is wonderfully melodic and full of typical Polish lyricism and melancholy, strongly influenced by Polish Classical and Folklore traditions. Palka continues to develop the stylistic directions set by his two previous albums, adding a bit of Jazzy openness and even Freedom to the prevailing melodic dominance, clearly showing an aesthetic development. But the main focus of the music remains on the melodic content, which is somewhat minimalist and uses moments of silence as an integral part of the aural message. The rhythm section plays wonderfully along, with Poludniak standing prominently beside the leader, adding his harmony and rhythmic pulsations. Dobosz plays sparingly and a bit quietly, which is exactly what this music requires, but when the music calls for more dynamics, he’s there 100%. The sound of the trio is somewhat unusual, especially since the music is mostly low-key, and as a result requires more than usual attentive listening to catch all the details. Overall, this is a very elegant, delicate Jazz piano trio album, which should delight the many followers of this format. The music is beautifully flowing from one tune to the next, a true blessing in today’s noise dominated environment. Polish / European Jazz lovers will definitely enjoy this album for all it stands for. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 31/12/2023Posted: 31/12/2023

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MATEUSZ PALKA ~ SANSA EMME 1704 (Barcode: 850869006145) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mateusz PalkaFind albums by this artist and his trio which also includes bassist Piotr PoludniakFind albums by this artist and drummer Patryk DoboszFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine compositions, seven of which are originals by the leader, one is composed by Poludniak and one is a standard. The album was beautifully recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Maciej StachFind albums by this artist. The album´s title and artwork obviously hint as to someone´s adoration of the "Game Of Thrones" imagery. The album was released by an Italian label, which means that the young Poles age definitely going places! The music is deeply melodic and typical of contemporary mainstream European Jazz idiom, with emphasis on the Polish lyricism and melancholy, which are almost omnipresent on recordings by Polish Jazz musicians / composers. The themes are developed gradually and lingeringly, which adds to the tension this music creates and keeps the listener on edge. The overall level of composition is excellent and composition is the focus of this album. The trio plays very well together, with the piano clearly dominating the proceedings, but the rhythm section being audible and leading the music amicably. Dobosz displays a wide array of percussive trickery, which suits the music perfectly, while Poludniak keeps his bass lines down to earth and solid like a rock. The overall sound and attitude of the trio is fresh and innovative, especially in view of the fact that it rarely swings in the traditional meaning of the term, but allows for a large degree of rhythmical space, which is intriguing and very effective. Overall this is a stunning debut effort, as surprising as many other debut efforts by young Polish Jazz musicians, who seem to have found the formula to keep Jazz alive and kicking and intellectually challenging. These young lions are the hope of European Jazz, and in the not to distant future should achieve the acclaim they so well deserve. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 14/09/2017Posted: 14/09/2017

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PEGAPOFO ~ SWIEZOSC FOR TUNE 0053 (Barcode: 5902768701609) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz quartet PegapofoFind albums by this artist, which consists of saxophonist Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist, pianist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr PoludniakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. It presents six original compositions (the title track appears in two versions), five of which were composed by Gaweda and one is a group composition by all quartet members. From the first moment this album starts to play it becomes immediately obvious that this is the direction young Polish Jazz musicians should follow, as it portrays the essence of contemporary modern Polish Jazz at its best. With a miraculous balance of Freedom and discipline, cooperation and individualism, intensity and relaxation, this music simply overwhelms the listener from start to finish, driving hard into the heart of the Jazz idiom. Pegapofo is an unusual conglomerate of talent and visionary, uncompromising approach to music. There are no limitations, no conventions, no boundaries, just a passion to play what is on their minds, and doing it totally. I was lucky to hear these amazing musicians live and the ultimate test of creating on the spur of the moment seems to be completely effortless to them, which is a true wonder. Despite their young age they are all quite experienced already and God only knows where they´ll travel next. The music of Pegapofo is intense and engaging, and yet despite the obvious complexity and intellectual effort engaged in its comprehension, it sound completely "easy" and friendly, in complete contrast to its intrinsic nature. Perhaps they have found the magic formula of creating ambitious music, which is also accessible to the average listener. Whatever the reason, this phenomenal music simply wins the listener over mercilessly. Albums of such quality are extremely rare and even on the Polish Jazz scene, which is completely overrun by talent, a release like that happens once or twice a year. Therefore my recommendation is to get hold of this gem ASAP, as it is like bittersweet chocolate, a taste of which stays in your mind forever. The album´s title means "freshness" in Polish and this is a breath of fresh air indeed. Absolutely brilliant!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend