Record Reviews

BIG BAND WYDZIALU JAZZU PANS W NYSIE ~ SINGING AND SWINGING NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by a Big Band comprising of students and staff of the Jazz Department of the Nysa Academy, conducted by trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, featuring five young vocalists. The staff includes pianist Przemyslaw RaminiakFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jakub MizerackiFind albums by this artist and others. The album presents eight tracks, all standards, most from the repertoire of Frank SinatraFind albums by this artist and the Count Basie OrchestraFind albums by this artist. The playing time is just above half an hour, which makes this an EP rather than a full album. There is of course nothing new or surprising about the music, except the fact that is does sound perfectly professional and similar to any school Big Band around the globe, which testifies to the fertile ground for Jazz in Poland with such talented young players. Even the English accent and pronunciation by the vocalist is bearable. The staff of the Academy can be proud of their students, who stand up to the challenge without a hitch, producing a highly entertaining, nostalgic and pleasant vocal / Big Band album, which can be enjoyed by every Swing Big Band fan anywhere in the world. Overall, although “just” a school recording, this is a highly entertaining, perfectly played and excellently recorded Big Band album, making of which was surely a valuable lesson to all the students. Congrats to Piotr Schmidt for pulling this together!

Updated: 21/06/2023Posted: 21/06/2023

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MARIUSZ BOGDANOWICZ ~ SYNTONIA CONFITEOR 007 (Barcode: 5902020591047) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the third album by veteran Polish Jazz bassist / composer Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quartet which also includes saxophonist Adam WendtFind albums by this artist, pianist Milosz WoskoFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians participate on selected tracks. The album comprises of nine original compositions, all by Bogdanowicz, eight of which are instrumentals and one features vocals. The music is typical modern Polish Jazz mainstream, with beautiful melancholic melodies, lyrical moods and almost Scandinavian gloominess in the air. All the performances are excellent technically and proficiently executed, with some brilliant moments, especially when trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist joins the ensemble and the overall atmosphere becomes somewhat less constrained. The compositions are all quite gorgeous and sometimes it seems that they could have served as a basis for a much more adventurous approach. Bogdanowicz plays delightfully from start to finish and his partners all deserve applause. It is almost impossible to say anything negative about this album; it is after all a superb mainstream recording by any criteria. Many Jazz lovers, especially Americans (if this album was to reach the US market – which it won´t) would simply love it to bits. However, as good as it is, it does not break any conventional barriers and contributes very little to the development of the genre. But who says every album has to do so? So here we have a very pleasant mainstream album, well played and excellently recorded and full of good music, lacking only a bit of the audacious spark. Perhaps next time?

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TOMASZ BURA ~ RITUAL SJ 013 (Barcode: 5912596066160) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by young Polish (resident in London) Jazz pianist / composer Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist. It was recorded "live in the studio" in a solo piano format and presents eight compositions, six of which are by Bura, one is a standard and one is by Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist (Bura plays keyboards in Schmidt´s ensembles). The music is mostly lyrical and introvert, quite in contrast to what Bura played earlier on Schmidt´s albums, which were Fusion oriented. Here Bura definitely exposes his Classical influences as a performer and composer, with emphasis on romanticism and European melancholy. Although based on solid melodic themes, the music floats harmonically in different directions, often quite distantly from the initial ideas. Certain passages seem to be improvised on the spot, even though obviously well prepared in advance. The entire approach seems to draw the listener into a semi-meditative trance, taking him on a journey of dreamy reflections. The more energetic improvisations serve as a wake up calls between the music induced dreams. This kind of music really requires complete attention and submission in order to be fully enjoyable. Overall this is a surprising and inspiring debut album, which manages to overcome the obvious complicatedness of solo piano albums with flying colors. It certainly makes me curious to hear Bura in a classic acoustic piano trio format, which would be the ultimate test of his abilities. In the meantime let´s enjoy this eloquent "ritual´.

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EVENT HORIZON ~ EVENT HORIZON SJ 017 (Barcode: 5912596066191) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2013 - 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish duo Event Horizon, which comprises of drummer Gniewomir TomczykFind albums by this artist and keyboardist / bassist Andrzej MikulskiFind albums by this artist. A plethora of guest musicians, some form the echelons of the young Polish Jazz circles and others from different areas, add their contributions, including Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, Aga DerlakFind albums by this artist, Krzysia GorniakFind albums by this artist, Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist, Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist and many others. The album presents ten original compositions (one repeated twice), recorded over a period of several years, five of which were co-composed and arranged by Tomczyk and Mikulski, others composed either individually by one of the duo members or co-composed with others, improvised or being arrangements of Classical themes, in short a very diverse collection of ideas. Three of the pieces feature texts / lyrics in English. The music is strongly melody based and rooted in Jazz, but emphasizes production and sound at least as much as improvisation, creating wonderful contemporary vistas, which feel completely cross-genre and can be liked by a very wide spectrum of listeners, predominantly belonging to the younger generation. The music is intelligent and wonderfully coherent, offering a superb selection of melodies and harmonies, which often are absent in the so called "serious Jazz" recordings. Although this music can be categorized as Smooth Jazz for lack of a better definition, based on the "cool" and seemingly "smooth" approach, it is full of excellent musicianship and masterly music production. Overall this is a classic example of "don´t judge a book by its cover" (here both metaphorically and directly, as the album´s cover art is rather bleak, completely uncharacteristic of its contents). What might be considered as a youthful experiment turns out to be a solid piece of excellent music, which stands its own ground, regardless what the Jazz purists might say. In many respects this album represents what the new generation of Jazz players feels about Jazz, respecting the tradition but reaching out to electronics, new sounds and original approach, which attempts to discover new ground, which after all is the most important aspect of music making. This is definitely one of the most interesting releases so far in 2017, as far as I am concerned. Well done Wonder Kids!

Updated: 07/04/2017Posted: 07/04/2017

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F.O.U.R.S. COLLECTIVE ~ TREEZZ SJ 010 (Barcode: 5912596066092) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by a young Polish Jazz ensemble F.O.U.R.S. CollectiveFind albums by this artist, formed in 2010. The current quintet lineup was completed when the trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist joined the existing members: saxophonist Stanislaw PlewniakFind albums by this artist, pianist Michal SalamonFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub DworakFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, five composed by Salamon and four co-composed by Salamon and Plewniak. The music is immediately recognizable as "spanking new", full of energy and vigor, which often characterizes the young Polish Jazz generation. Although kept well within the mainstream / melodic idiom, the music demonstrates a wide range of stylistic approaches, touching upon Jazz-Rock Fusion, classic modern Jazz and amalgamating World Music elements. But most importantly the level of the compositions is absolutely outstanding. Every tune on this album is a little gem, with a beautiful melody line, flowing structure and an ideal vehicle for improvisations. The individual performances are also first class; Salamon plays delicate acoustic piano and funky electric, Plewniak is especially effective on the soprano and the rhythm section does exactly what is right at all times, driving the music forward and providing the pulse which is an essential ingredient of this music. Schmidt, who is the most experienced player in the ensemble, sounds also invigorated in this setting and delivers some scorching trumpet solos. As a debut this is quite an achievement in any sense. Superb music, great playing, talent, determination and musical intelligence are all clearly visible here and hopefully this is just the first stem in a long a successful future career. Well done amigos!

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GENERATION NEXT ~ LIVE AT JAZZ NAD ODRA SJ 007 (Barcode: 5902596066062) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz sextet, which as the name suggests, presents the Father-to Son continuity on the local scene; four of the sextet´s members are second generation of Polish Jazz personalities. Trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist is a son of Andrzej SchmidtFind albums by this artist, a renowned educator and author of Jazz history books, trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist is a son of the legendary saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Gabriel NiedzielaFind albums by this artist is a son of the celebrated bassist / composer Jacek NiedzielaFind albums by this artist and finally saxophonist Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist is a son of saxophonist Adam WendtFind albums by this artist. The remaining two members of the sextet are Italian bassist Francesco AngiuliFind albums by this artist and veteran drummer Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist. The sextet performs seven original compositions, two each by Schmidt, Namyslowski and Wendt and one by Niedziela. The material was recorded live at the Jazz Nad Odra Festival and at the Polish Radio´s Warsaw studio. The idea of forming a musical ensemble based on the fact that the members have something in common, other than the music they play, is always a perilous affair. Just imagine a group of left-handed players, or red-haired players or musicians who like strawberry ice cream? This is perhaps not the case at hand, but on the other hand it is difficult to guess what the purpose of this sextet really is. The music they play is straight-forward mainstream, which is completely déjà-vu and contributes no thrill and no challenge. Yes, they are all excellent players individually, but does their presence together on this album create any special interaction, which would have not happened in different circumstances? Not really. So here we have it, an unremarkable Jazz recording, which is listenable enough but simply fades away as soon as the music is over. Considering the fact that there are hordes of fabulous young Jazz musicians on the Polish scene, who make outstanding music, this is sadly an example of what should be avoided.

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INGA LEWANDOWSKA ~ PRZEBUDZENIE SJ 051 (Barcode: 5902596066611) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2018 - 2019 Released: 2020 Although hardly a newcomer on the Polish Jazz scene, this is the bona fide debut album by vocalist / composer / lyricist Inga LewandowskaFind albums by this artist. Recorded in a quintet setting with trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Przemyslaw RaminiakFind albums by this artist, bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist and drummer / percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist – a formidable team by all means. The music also features the Baron Chamber OrchestraFind albums by this artist, led and conducted by Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original songs, all composed by Lewandowska and featuring her lyrics, as well and ten poems and numerous paintings also by her, included in the lavish digibook packaging of the album. It is not surprising that the album firmly belongs to the Polish Jazz & Poetry idiom, since Lewandowska´s earlier recordings were also strongly connected to literary / poetry subject matter. She continues this heartfelt affiliation splendidly also herein. The songs are all absolutely wonderful, offering modern Jazz without compromise and shortcuts, melody based and precisely arranged, but in many respects also unconventional and innovating, still within the mainstream but obviously at the very edge of the idiom. Not surprisingly the Polish melancholy is omnipresent, but not overbearing. Surprisingly Lewandowska utilizes a significant amount of vocalese in addition to straightforward singing of the lyrics, which transports this album somewhat away from a traditional vocal Jazz album. Her highly theatrical delivery of the texts, full of wonderful mannerisms that seem to pop out of nowhere, but make perfect sense time after time, is really refreshing. As a result the vocals become as much an instrument performing side by side with the four instrumentalists, with the vocals standing "separately" on their own. Her vocal abilities and surprisingly "youthful" timbre, which creates a charming contrast to the content of the lyrics, ale absolutely delightful. The four instrumentalists are all Masters of the trade and they manage to utilize their experience and talents to suit this music ideally. Schmidt torches the air with his trumpet soloing, Raminiak lays out layers of delicate harmonic accompaniment and most of the time stays in the background. Soloing sparingly. Piasecki is a pillar of stability and precision, keeping the music chronometrically in time and swinging, whereas Berny brilliantly ornaments the proceedings with his percussive paraphernalia, rather than just keeping the time. The string arrangements are no less brilliant, very delicate and sophisticated, adding another layer of sound and harmony, which takes the music far and beyond. Overall this is a wonderful album, long expected and deserving a lot of praise in view of its qualities, which arrives late, but the awakening (pun intended) is never too late, and in these gloomy days of despair and desolation, is a true ray of sunshine. Well done Milady, Godspeed!

Updated: 29/10/2020Posted: 29/10/2020

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NIKA LUBOWICZ ~ NIKA`S DREAM FOR TUNE 0065 (Barcode: 5902768701654) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist / composer Nika LubowiczFind albums by this artist, who is accompanied by a very impressive group of musicians, which includes her siblings: violinist Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist (Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist) and keyboardist Jakub LubowiczFind albums by this artist, cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist (also Atom String Quartet), bassist Marcin MurawskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Marcin UlanowskiFind albums by this artist, percussionist Bogusz WekkaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Artur GierczakFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. Veteran pianist Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist guests on a couple of tracks. The album presents nine tracks, three of which are standards, two are by Dawid Lubowicz, another two by Krzysztof Lenczowski and yet another two by Nika Lubowicz herself. All songs feature English lyrics except for the last track which has lyrics in Polish. From the very first notes of this album it´s plainly evident that this is no ordinary vocal Jazz album. The arrangements, which in most cases feature either the violin or the cello up front alongside the vocal parts, replace the usual "vocals with piano trio" setting. The arrangements also include other unusual lineups, keeping the listener on his toes at all times. The overall atmosphere of this album is all about the essence of music, freely crossing genre boundaries, comfortably and elegantly touching upon mainstream Jazz, ethnic music, Pop and Soul with the same artistically predetermined frivolity. I even have to agree with all the compliments listed in the album´s liner notes authored by Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, which happens extremely rarely. Nika Lubowicz uses her vocal abilities wisely and intelligently, switching between lyrics and vocalese with grace. Her vocalese parts are in fact way more impressive than her actual singing lyrics, which as always in such cases suffer from the English pronunciation, being far from ideal. The closing track sung in Polish is a sore proof of this. Luckily her singing lyrics are altogether just a minor part of the entire endeavor. I have not timed the album but about half of the album´s duration is instrumental, which is highly unusual for albums involving vocals, and which is a very courageous and in this case extremely tasteful decision. This is the second album in the "pink" (Jazz vocals) series by For TuneFind albums on this label Records, and it is again a big time winner. Albums of such quality and obvious aesthetic approach are extremely rare and the fact that at least once a year they do materialize makes life worth living, at least for people who love music. This is definitely a most impressive debut and so far the best vocal Jazz album released this year on the Polish Jazz scene. Well done girl!

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MYRCZEK & SCHMIDT QUINTET ~ MLYNARSKI. BYNAJMNIEJ. SJ 080 (Barcode: 5905489720904) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is an album by a Polish Jazz quintet co-led by vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, which also includes pianist Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. French percussionist Mino CineluFind albums by this artist guests on five tracks and the AUKSO Chamber OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by Marek MosFind albums by this artist, performs the strings arrangements. The album presents nine tracks, composed by various Polish composers and arranged by Herdzin (six tracks), Sabina MeckFind albums by this artist (two tracks) and Joanna SzymalaFind albums by this artist (one track), all with the lyrics by Wojciech MlynarskiFind albums by this artist, a distinguished Polish lyricist, who contributed lyrics to numerous classic Polish songs, whose talent this album celebrates by presenting them in a Jazzy framework. The music is all absolutely perfectly suited to the purpose, with superb arrangements that go hand in hand with these mostly highly lyrical / romantic songs, emphasizing their beauty. Myrczek, often called “the Polish Frank Sinatra” which is not entirely without a basis, is absolutely ideal for the job. Schmidt ornaments the songs by his short, concise but again perfectly crafted soli, and the rest of the participants are all Masters of their trade, and as usual do all in their power to make everything work as planned. Encrusted with the delicate string arrangements, this music is a true “whole package” in every sense. Of course I can only pity all my friends, who are not Polish language speakers, who are obviously destined to miss the pleasure of enjoying these sophisticated, intelligent and masterly woven lyrics by Mlynarski, but on the other hand my better half, whose knowledge of the Polish language is limited to “pierogi” and “prosze Pani”, loves this album and anything else by Myrczek, she just ignores the lyrics and enjoys the velvety voice, so here you are. This honestly is a universal piece of music. Overall, this is a beautiful vocal Jazz album, which borders on “Jazz & Poetry” due to Mlynarski’s sublime lyrics, with superb instrumental parts performed by some of the best Polish Jazz players, masterfully arranged and altogether delightful. What a joy!

Updated: 07/02/2025Posted: 07/02/2025

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WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ FREEDOM BOOK / ECHOES OF HEYDAY SJ 066 (Barcode: 5902596066970) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 Recently I realize that the Polish Jazz Olympus is getting sadly scarcely populated by its founding Forefathers, as the time goes by. Many of the great Polish Jazz musicians, that I knew for decades, are no longer with us, which of course makes me appreciate even more those, who are still around, and even more so if they are still creatively active. Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist (born 1941 and active since 1959) belongs to this intimate group for many reasons, not only as a superb musician and composer, but also as a human being. This new album was recorded with his trio, which functions steadfastly since over thirty years, with bassist Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BiskupskiFind albums by this artist, which was expanded here to a quartet with the addition of the “young” (born 1985) trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. It presents eleven tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Nahorny and three are short quartet improvisations. The music is delightfully lyrical and superbly melodic, based on Nahorny’s unique capability to weave heartbreaking tunes, which are captivating and heartwrenching, but never simplistic. Despite some flirting with Avant-Garde during his early years, Nahorny remained a full blown Romantic for the majority of his composing career, and has very few competitors in this field on the local scene. The performances are all stellar, which is hardly surprising, with Nahorny still playing steadily and convincingly, Bogdanowicz providing excellent continuity and harmony to the proceedings and Biskupski gently but firmly keeping the chronometric time stamp just right. Schmidt is, for me, the absolute surprise of this album, as his trumpet playing sounds simply stupendous and sublimely sensuous, with a shadow of subconscious Chet BakerFind albums by this artist-ism, summarizing beautifully his enormous progress made during his career in the last few years, now joining the major league with full credentials. Overall, this album is an instant classic, which deserves to be heard by as many people as possible around the globe. This is European Jazz at its best, solid, beautiful and elegant, without an iota of pretentiousness and fakery. Despite its seemingly simplistic approach it is intelligent and highly professional, not to mention pleasing and genuinely musical. Well done Gentlemen!

Updated: 28/11/2022Posted: 28/11/2022

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SCHMIDT ELECTRIC ~ LIVE SJ 020 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by the Schmidt ElectricFind albums by this artist ensemble, led by trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist and also including keyboardist Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist, drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist and British guitarist Alex HutchingsFind albums by this artist. The core quintet was expanded for this live recording by DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist), electronics wizard Joanna SzymalaFind albums by this artist and vibraphonist Bartosz PieszkaFind albums by this artist. The ensemble performs six original compositions, four composed by Schmidt and two by Bura, a short solo trumpet intro by Schmidt and another intro by Szymala, altogether eight tracks. Yours truly was present during the live recording in Katowice, one of the two venues where these live recordings were captured, and therefore a part of my soul is also captured on this album, like every other person who was ever present in the audience during a live recording. The music is a natural extension to what the released earlier studio debut album offered, i.e. an excellent melodic version of modern Fusion, which flows smoothly from one tune to another, but preserves class and elegance and above all is great fun to listen to. The live ambience allows the musicians to take extended solo parts and show their chops, which they all do to the max. The music is diverse and offers many moods, which of course contributes significantly to the fact that the album keeps the listener on his toes for the entire duration. It is great to see Schmidt to finally settling down within a domain, which suits him the best in my opinion. This music allows him to express his superb compositional talents and lead a highly professional ensemble, which can make him proud as a leader. His trumpet playing also reaches a refined stage of expressiveness and eloquence, especially effective on the slow tempo ballads, which are absolute goose bumps generators. The use of turntablism and electronics adds an up to date flavor to the music, without overshadowing the main melodic, harmonic and rhythmic coherence and the strong Jazzy groove. Schmidt manages to create music which can be enjoyed by a wide age range of listeners, which of course is commendable. Overall a great contemporary Fusion album, full of great melodies, fine arrangements, excellent performances and above all great fun! Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 02/10/2022Posted: 07/07/2017

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SCHMIDT ELECTRIC ~ TEAR THE ROOF OFF SJ 012 (Barcode: 5912596066146) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist mangers to teleport smoothly between acoustic mainstream Jazz and electric Fusion, an ability he already demonstrated clearly by releasing several albums on his own label since 2000, which cover both subgenres. This time he expands his modus operandi to touch upon additional areas, which include smooth Jazz, Rap and Ambient, but manages to do so without compromising his integrity as a Jazz musician. The album, which was recorded in a quartet setting, with keyboardist Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist, features also several guest artists, who appear on selected tracks, a couple of them from Britain, including guitarist Alex HutchingsFind albums by this artist. The eleven tracks on the album are all originals, five of which were composed by Schmidt, four by Bura, one is credited to Bura and the whole ensemble and one is by ambient / electronic keyboardist / composer Joanna SzymalaFind albums by this artist, who also performs here. The music is very diverse and constantly performs a chameleonic transformation, starting with a Rap track, moving into an electronic / ambient passage and continuing with a series of Jazz / Fusion tracks, ranging from lyrical ballads to energetic electric statements. Although this might sound a bit chaotic, in fact the music presents a coherent and consistent continuum. There are plenty of great melodies and catchy riffs, but the music is anything but trivial at any point. The individual performances are all excellent; Schmidt is a very gifted trumpeter and his melodic ballads are simply heartbreaking, Bura is the great discovery of this album, playing a wide range of sounds, improvising elegantly and simply being there every time just when a chord or an arpeggio are needed to fill the space. The rhythm section is dynamic, melodic and incredibly supportive. Kapczuk plays some superb solos and Kuchczynski stays behind the players at all time, not trying to show off beyond exactly what is required of him. Hutchings also adds some several scorching solos, which ornament the overall sound of the band. Schmidt juts might have found on this album the exact formula that suits his musical karma. Cross-genre, cross time, contemporary and melodically advanced, this music is a pleasure to listen to, without compromising even the sternest connoisseurs. Although some of Schmidt´s earlier attempts to find his way in the straightforward mainstream Jazz milieu were a bit shaky, this album finds him determined, mature and unmistakably doing his own thing. Beautifully done, my young friend; kudos!

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PIOTR SCHMIDT ~ DARK FORECAST SJ 052 (Barcode: 5902596066635) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 Polish trumpeter / composer Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist returns, undeterred by the pandemic that is changing the face of our globe, to share with us some joyful moments inspired by the music we love so much. Supported by his regular quartet, which includes top Polish Jazz musicians: pianist Wojciech NiedzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist, Schmidt presents a set of nine wonderful original compositions and two arrangements of compositions by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, which offers a highly aesthetic Jazz experience, superbly amalgamating the mainstream Jazz tradition and more open European attitudes. Two North American players, Canadian guitarist Matthew StevensFind albums by this artist and US saxophonist Walter Smith IIIFind albums by this artist, guest on six of the tracks, transforming the quartet into a quintet and spicing the proceedings with an enhanced instrumental variety. Although the majority of the music is firmly based on the beautifully weaved melodic themes, there is also plenty of space for more freely improvised playing, which characterizes contemporary Polish Jazz tendencies, clearly proving that the quartet is able to operate brilliantly in both idioms with the same ease and elegance. Attentive listening will reveal the incredible level of musicality and creativity displayed by these seasoned musicians. The quartet is by far more than just a trumpeter accompanied by a piano trio; it is an organic body performing music as one, which fully shares the responsibility for the final result. Just close your eyes and listen… The album closes with a tune called "A Place Of Hope…" which clearly reflects the universal human sentiment we all share today. Hope for times when the dark forecast will change into brightness and this and every other kind of music can be shared by thousands of people attending live concerts again… Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 17/01/2021Posted: 17/01/2021

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PIOTR SCHMIDT ~ SAXESFUL SJ 032 (Barcode: 5912596066658) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 What is this thing called Jazz? This question seems to reverberate for over a Century now among Jazz musicians, connoisseurs of the genre and scholars of the idiom, with the answer intractably remaining as elusive and mysterious, as the very nature of the music itself. Perhaps the splendor of Jazz is characterized by the inability to define or even properly describe it? Jazz keeps evolving and growing as an Art Form, combining its tradition with new discoveries and innovation, which soon after become part of the essence of the same Jazz idiom, in a perpetuum mobile like fashion. Polish Jazz, one of the most vital and ingenious local scenes on the world scale, which started while the country was still isolated from the rest of the world by the Iron Curtain, managed to flourish and explode artistically over the years, against all odds. Today Poland is a Jazz Super Power, leading the European Jazz scene in every aspect, all thanks to the seemingly inexhaustible influx of young and talented musicians, who treat their Jazz as seriously as their life. Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist (born 1985) is certainly one of those Polish Jazz mavericks. Not only is he well educated, talented and ambitious, but he is also a restless entrepreneur, record label owner, bandleader and educator who keeps constantly coming up with new ideas, maintaining his Jazz alive and kicking. This album is only one of such ideas, but the scale and audacity required to put such a project into life can be understood only by the cognoscenti of the Jazz scene. This album is a multilayered tribute to the Jazz tradition. It presents seven classic Jazz standards, each performed by the core quartet and featuring a different saxophonist. The list of the saxophonists reads like the who´s who of Polish Jazz and is also an obvious tribute to Polish Jazz itself. With their ages ranging from Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist (born 1936), Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist (born 1939), Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist (born 1951), Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist (born 1961), Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist (born 1961), Adam WendtFind albums by this artist (born 1962) and finally Grzech PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist (born 1974), i.e. four generations of Polish Jazz players, they represent the incredible power and stylistic versatility of the scene. The core quartet is by no means less impressive, featuring Schmidt on trumpet, pianist Wojciech NiedzielaFind albums by this artist and Poland´s top rhythm section comprised of bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist, all of which have a most impressive list of achievements under their arms. But tributes and history aside, this album is also a wonderful collection of great tunes, beautifully performed and entertaining, in the most positive meaning of the word. Jazz is, after all, also a source of unadulterated pleasure to those, who love it, and this album is certainly a concentrated dose of such pleasure. Enjoy! Adam Baruch, August 2018 Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 19/09/2018Posted: 19/09/2018

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PIOTR SCHMIDT ~ SAXESFUL VOL II SJ 056 (Barcode: 5902596066703) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2021 It’s not a secret that when recording an album, the producer often “thinks ahead” and takes the opportunity of the studio sessions already in place to record much more material than actually needed to complete one album. This is exactly the case with the recording sessions for the album “SaxesfulFind albums with this title”, which took place in 2018, recorded by Polish Jazz trumpeter, composer, bandleader, record label owner and producer Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. Following the hiatus of the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent passing of Piotr’s Father, Prof. Andrzej SchmidtFind albums by this artist, an iconic figure on the Polish Jazz scene, whom I had a great pleasure to meet many a time, Piotr decided to return to the unreleased material from the “Saxesful” sessions and release a follow up album with that material, among other things to commemorate his Father’s memory. The concept of “Saxesful” was to present a series of Polish Jazz saxophonists, each playing on a different track. This second volume does exactly the same, presenting six classic Jazz standards, each performed by the core quartet and featuring a different saxophonist. The list of the saxophonists reads like the who´s who of Polish Jazz and is also an obvious tribute to Polish Jazz itself. With their ages ranging from Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist (born 1936), Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist (born 1939), Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist (born 1951), Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist (born 1961), Adam WendtFind albums by this artist (born 1962) and finally Grzech PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist (born 1974), i.e. four generations of Polish Jazz players, they represent the incredible power and stylistic versatility of the scene. The core quartet is by no means less impressive, featuring Schmidt on trumpet, pianist Wojciech NiedzielaFind albums by this artist and Poland´s top rhythm section comprised of bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist, all of which have a most impressive list of achievements under their arms. My Grandmother loved to quote the Polish proverb, which says: ”Those, who eat the leftovers are smooth and beautiful” (In Polish: “Kto zjada ostatki, ten jest piękny i gładki”). The meaning of this proverb is, that leftovers are as good, if not better, than the original food and should not be discarded, which applies exactly to the music on this album in every sense, and it would have been a shame to leave this music unreleased. Once again we have here a feast great classic Jazz music and first rate performances, which is a tribute to the genre itself, Polish Jazz history and tradition and a great listening experience. Enjoy! Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 30/08/2021Posted: 30/08/2021

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PIOTR SCHMIDT ~ TRIBUTE TO TOMASZ STANKO SJ 038 (Barcode: 5912596066696) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is an album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader / entrepreneur Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Wojciech NiedzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve compositions, eight of which are credited to all four members of the quartet, two were composed by Schmidt and one each were composed by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist and Bartosz PieszkaFind albums by this artist. The death of the Polish / European Jazz icon, trumpeter / composer / bandleader Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, in June of 2018, marked an end of a chapter, or rather an end of an era in European Jazz. Although in recent years many of the most prominent representatives of post WWII European Jazz sadly departed, Stanko was in many respects more than most an epitome of modern European Jazz and his life and career exemplified the most important characteristics of the idiom. His relentless search of uncharted territory, complete disregard of fads and fashions, his open-mindedness and chameleonic, often extremely dramatic changes in his stylistic approach to Jazz and above all his aesthetics, with reminded uncompromising till the very end, were all also often characteristic of many other leading European Jazz Masters, who managed to create an entirely new form of the Jazz essence, completely free of the limitations and shackles enslaving the genre in the past. Tributes are a tricky business, especially so in the case of iconic figures, which were active for decades and managed to produce not only a rich legacy of recorded music, but more importantly were constantly groundbreaking and innovative. How can a "tribute" album express a respectful and artistically coherent picture of an icon? It takes a lot of courage and determination to attempt a tribute recording, which will be meaningful and offer some intrinsic value beyond being just a reflection of the light of a Giant, with the possibility of failure always lurking in the background. Considering the fact that Stanko´s legacy was to a large extent involved with Avant-Garde, Improvised Music and Free Jazz, whereas Schmidt consistently dedicates his career to more mainstream manifestations of the Jazz idiom, always emphasizing melody, harmony, ambience and lyricism, the first reaction to the idea of Schmidt recording a Stanko tribute might be that of disbelief and surprise. But Schmidt already proved to be a mastermind of invention in the past and this time he has surely outdone himself, by finding an ingredient of Stanko´s legacy that fits like a glove to his own modus operandi. As a result Schmidt, rather than creating a "general" tribute to Stanko, decided to put the spotlight on the gentler side of the Stanko´s heritage – Stanko the charmer, the balladeer, the weaver of heartbreakingly beautiful melodies, in short Stanko the Gentle Giant. The resulting concept presents an album full of beautiful, melodic, lyrical Jazz, which strongly resembles that gentle side of Stanko that we all love, but at the same time is completely original as far as the music itself is concerned. The atmosphere and ambience of the album are wonderfully coherent and the music flows serenely penetrating directly the very soul of the listener. The decision of not using and specific tunes composed by Stanko, but creating instead music that "might have been composed" by him is of course brilliant in every respect. The quartet performing the music is ideal for the task. Garbowski and Gradziuk played with Stanko in the recent years and know his music intimately, and their position as one of the leading Polish Jazz rhythm sections is fully justified. They add the ingredients of space and freedom to the quartet´s playing, which is exactly what this music needs to make it completely unwavering and related to Stanko´s musical spirit. Niedziela is beautifully romantic and expressive, with each and every note he plays being exactly what is needed to make the overall sound perfect. Schmidt plays delightfully as well, rather sparingly and delicately, again exactly right for what this music needs. At times, with the eyes closed, his trumpet sounds exactly like Stanko´s, but obviously Schmidt is not trying to imitate Stanko´s playing but, as the entire album does, reproduce the very Stankoish ambience and spirituality. Overall this is a wonderfully executed and cleverly planned piece of music, which achieves the ambitious goal assigned to it in full. It is also a textbook example of what "tribute" albums should sound like, as well as a wonderful example of a bridge over a chasm of the infamous generation gap, which enables a smooth transition of the heritage from one generation to another. Polish Jazz at its best!

Updated: 02/10/2022Posted: 23/11/2018

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PIOTR SCHMIDT / ELECTRIC GROUP ~ SILVER PROTECT SJ 005 (Barcode: 5902596066048) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the debut recording by the Polish Fusion band Electric GroupFind albums by this artist led by the young trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist and including also keyboardist Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist, drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist and vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of six original compositions, four of which are by the pianist and two by the leader. In addition to leading this group, Schmidt also co-leads a Jazz quintet with pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist, which uses the same rhythm section as this group. It seems that the Polish Jazz scene is not only capable of grooming excellent piano players, but apparently also brilliant young trumpeters, as evident from the recent wave of extraordinary new releases. This album certainly falls into the same category as far as presenting new trumpet players, but it is quite different in every other sense, most notably being a Fusion recording, a genre which nowadays rarely features the trumpet as the leading instrument, as it used to in its heydays. This album in however not just one more Fusion album, as it includes many other elements, especially Funk, which makes it particularly interesting. The compositions present a diverse musical approach, with excellent melody lines supported by Funky rhythms, memorable vamps and overall superb execution, which is simply heartwarming, especially in view on the musicians´ age. I must admit that its been quite a while since I´ve had the pleasure to listen to such Funky high quality music, which at best brings back fond memories of Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist´s "MwandishiFind albums with this title" period. Schmidt sounds great regardless if he plays a muted trumpet, an electronically processed one (a la echoplex) or simply blows straight forward. Bura is best (in this environment) playing the electric piano rather than synthesizers and the rhythm section is close to stealing the show at times, with those bass slaps that make your ass dance and the extraordinary drumming, which is all over the place and yet so on time. The vocals are used mostly as vocalese, where they are most effective. When they turn to singing lyrics (in English), they quickly become the weakest link of the otherwise excellent effort. Overall this is definitely a most impressive debut recording, which is both fun to listen to and a quality listening experience. I´m really looking forward to hear their next one, hopefully soon. Not to be missed! Schmidt, a native of Silesia, the southwestern Polish region (where I come from as well) is one of a growing number of important Polish Jazz musicians originating there. The region is cultivating an active and first-rate local Jazz scene in the last decade, including clubs and festivals. In short, Silesia rulez!

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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

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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

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PIOTR SCHMIDT / WOJCIECH NIEDZIELA ~ DARK MORNING SJ 024 (Barcode: 5912596066269) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz duo comprising of trumpeter / composer Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist and pianist / composer Wojciech NiedzielaFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve original compositions, nine by Niedziela, two by Schmidt and one co-composed by them both. Separated by a generation gap (Schmidt born 1985 and Niedziela born 1961), they share not only their Silesian roots, but first and foremost their deep love of Jazz music. This quite unexpected duo brings Schmidt back to his Jazz roots, which he partially abandoned lately in favor of more electric endeavors, but proves that he is definitely able to play almost completely traditionally. The music is deeply rooted in the Polish Jazz idiom, with melancholic and lyrical themes, delicately and subtly performed in perfect harmony and concord by these two superb musicians. They manage to create a full musical experience, which perfectly holds water, emphasizing the beauty and sincerity of the musical contents. The age and stylistic differences out the window, they simply perform as one symbiotic entity, complementing each other wonderfully. Schmidt´s acoustic trumpet sound is refreshing and he wisely does not avoid committing small "imperfections", which add a charm to the proceedings and testify as to its spontaneity and authenticity. Niedziela, in charge of the harmonic background and musical flow, is beautifully minimalistic and avoids being overbearing. The music is perfectly balanced between the two instruments and is a pure pleasure to listen to from start to finish. Overall this is a quiet, contemplative album, which in spite of its apparent minimalism is full of wonderful music, which is performed with elegance and deeply aesthetic devotion. For lovers of melodic mainstream Jazz, which is able to make the listener think out of the box, this album is an absolute must. Lush, velvety and sensuous, this is a small gem of an album, which happens only once in a blue moon. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 23/10/2017Posted: 23/10/2017

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VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ TRIBUTE TO ANDRZEJ PRZYBIELSKI VOL.1 SJP 001 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is a criminally overdue tribute album to the Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist (born 1944), who died in 2011, recorded by an ensemble which features six Polish Jazz trumpeters: Maciej FortunaFind albums by this artist (born 1982), Marcin GawdzisFind albums by this artist (1972), Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist (1976), Tomasz KudykFind albums by this artist (1976), Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist (1985) and Maurycy WojcinskiFind albums by this artist (1988), i.e. mostly members of the middle aged and young generation of the Polish Jazz scene. The ensemble also features a rhythm section which comprises of guitarist Jakub KujawaFind albums by this artist, bassist Grzegorz NadolnyFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz DaronFind albums by this artist. Together they perform four compositions by Przybielski and three collectively improvised pieces. The album also includes a conversation with Przybielski recorded in 2007 at the legendary Mozg club in Bydgoszcz, Przybielski´s home town, which also includes fragments of his performances. The recording and the release of this album was the initiative of Fortuna, who felt an obligation to document and commemorate Przybielski´s contribution to Polish Jazz, which is of course highly praiseworthy. However it is difficult to ignore the fact that Przybielski died a dissolute, lonely, sick, neglected and forgotten man, which left a huge black stain on the Polish Jazz scene. Not less significant is the absence on this album of the top Polish Jazz trumpeters of his generation, which painfully emphasizes the fact that Przybielski never received the recognition he so much deserved from his contemporaries and was mostly adored and respected by musician much younger than himself. His life´s story is a classic epos of Avant-Garde being denied recognition at its peak only to be recognized in the aftermath. Personally I had the pleasure of knowing Przybielski and working with him on several projects in the 1980s, being immediately convinced that he is the most interesting Polish Jazz trumpeter on the local scene at that time. My admiration for his work never ceased, being only rekindled following the tragic news of his death. With all respect to the actual music present on this album, which is very good, it is only secondary to the very existence of this project. Thanks and salutations are of course due to Fortuna and the many people who made this project possible and which, as the Vol.1 suggests, will be continued in the future. There are many fascinating moments on this album, some superb trumpet passages and solos, great group improvisations and so on. The musical concept is however a bit unclear, as far as I am concerned. Also the idea of six trumpeters playing together, as potentially interesting as it might appear is less effective in reality in my opinion. Perhaps a collection of pieces featuring prominently just one trumpeter or at most two, playing in turn might have been more effective? But these are just matters of personal taste. Of course all these trumpeters can play and they do play well, but as far as a tribute is concerned, the music is supposed to be spiritually convergent to the music of the subject to whom the tribute is dedicated, which, as already mentioned above, is not really apparent herein. But all things considered, this is a very important album, not only for its music but primarily for what it symbolizes, for its historical importance and for the example it sets. As such it is undoubtedly a major event and a great success!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 15/11/2016

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VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ TRIBUTE TO ANDRZEJ PRZYBIELSKI VOL.2 SJP 004 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is second volume of the wonderful project which pays tribute to the great Polish Jazz trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, who died in 2011. Six relatively young but already established Polish Jazz trumpeters: Maciej FortunaFind albums by this artist, Marcin GawdzisFind albums by this artist, Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist, Tomasz KudykFind albums by this artist, Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist and Maurycy WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and a rhythm section comprising of guitarist Jakub KujawaFind albums by this artist, bassist Grzegorz NadolnyFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz DaronFind albums by this artist perform five pieces, three of which are original compositions by Przybielski, one is a long improvised piece (over half an hour in duration) and the last is the bugle call of Bydgoszcz, the home town of Przybielski. A DVD filmed during the premiere of the first volume of this album is also included. The music is of course a continuation of the content of the first album and readers wishing to read more about the historical background and Przybielski´s contribution to Polish Jazz are invited to read my review of that album and other albums by Przybielski. By a weird coincidence I am writing these words just a few days following the death of Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, the Polish Jazz Colossus. The many parallels, stylistically and otherwise, and of course great differences between these two trumpeters is one of the most fascinating stories of Polish Jazz, definitely worth a book on the subject. Beyond the music per se, these two albums are an important glimpse into Polish Jazz history and an effort to bring Przybielski into the awareness of the Polish Jazz fans, which he sadly almost completely missed during his lifetime. They also show the will of the young generation of Polish Jazz players to continue the tradition and remember the idiom´s heroes. For Polish Jazz fans this is definitely something they should have in their collections. Hats off to all the people who contributed to this project and made it happen.

Updated: 01/08/2018Posted: 01/08/2018

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WIERBA / SCHMIDT QUINTET ~ BLACK MONOLITH SJ 001 (Barcode: 5902020415008) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the third album by the Polish Jazz quintet, which was founded by two young players / composers: pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. The quintet also includes saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. On this album the quintet is expanded into a sextet with the addition of American trombonist Dante LucianiFind albums by this artist. The sextet performs six tunes, three of which are original compositions by Wierba, two are standards and the remaining one is a composition by Czech trumpeter / composer Stepanka BalcarovaFind albums by this artist, who studied at the Katowice Music Academy as did all of the quintet members. The album was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and was engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with excellent, as usual, sonic results. Although the music is all within boundaries of typical Jazz mainstream, it is superbly arranged and executed. The original compositions are interesting and poise perfectly the melodic themes and the spirited attitude; the piece by Balcarova is the most impressive on the album. Overall this is a very pleasant well rounded Jazz album, which presents the sextet as a small Big Band, balancing between the brass and rhythm sections, features many excellent solo spots and shows that young Europeans can play mainstream as well as anybody else anywhere. The individual skills of the musicians involved are of course spotless. This album is the first release on the SJFind albums on this label label, owned by Schmidt, which is one of the small independent Polish Jazz labels releasing music by young Polish Jazz musicians, a most welcome phenomenon of course, spreading the local Jazz gospel around the world.

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WIERBA / SCHMIDT QUINTET ~ THE MOLE PEOPLE SJ 004 (Barcode: 5902596066017) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is the fourth album by the Polish Jazz quintet, which was founded by two young players / composers: pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. The quintet also includes bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The fifth member of the quintet is a guest artist and in this case it the fabulous Polish saxophonist Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist. The quintet performs seven tunes, five of which are original compositions by Wierba, one by Schmidt and the remaining one is a Jimmy RowlesFind albums by this artist standard. The music sits well within the comfortable boundaries of typical Jazz mainstream, moving vaguely between Bebop and Hard Bop. The original compositions are all quite solid, but overall unremarkable and lack an edge which could keep the listener focused for the duration of the music. The performances are also very good, but than again there´s nothing here that every Jazz fan never heard before. Baron, who obviously represents a completely different league, sadly contributes very little, as most of the music is performed without his direct involvement. The only moment when the music becomes truly inspired is when the beautiful standard is performed solo by the pianist. To make things perfectly clear this is not a bad album; there are plenty of interesting moments and excellent solos (Baron´s solos in particular) but it is not enough to make it a remarkable album. In view of the music made by the very young Polish Jazz players, even younger than the ones on this album, constantly breathing on the neck of their slightly older colleagues, the level of competition requires everybody to try ever so harder. Life is a bitch.

Updated: 12/06/2018Posted:

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MICHAL WIERBA / DOPPELGANGER PROJECT ~ ORANGE SKY CELESTIS 005 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist, known to local fans as the co-leader of a quintet with trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. This is a much more intimate project, basically a piano trio plus percussion and a female vocalist on three tracks. The participating musicians apart from Wierba are: bassist Jakub DworakFind albums by this artist, drummer Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist, percussionist Lukasz KurzydloFind albums by this artist and vocalist Patrycja ZarychtaFind albums by this artist. The album consists of ten tracks, five of which are Wierba originals, three are standards and one each is by Kurzydlo and Zarychta. Although Wierba is an excellent player by all standards, this album does him a terrible disservice. The music sounds like something played during a yuppie birthday party, always simplistic and pleasant, conformist and sugary sweet. Even the divine Jimmy RowlesFind albums by this artist´ composition "The Peacocks", played on solo piano like a Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist nocturne, sounds completely ridiculous. The vocalist sings in English (again!) and I don´t need to repeat what I think about that. Even the album´s liner notes credit the wrong tracks to their composers, at least in the case of the a.m. Rowles composition and the tracks timings are wrong like on the last track. In short anything that could go wrong here simply did go wrong. This record should have never been recorded, nor released. I´m not adding another word…

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