Record Reviews

DORUZKA / WYLEZOL / BALLARD ~ ANDROMEDA`S MYSTERY BIVAK 004 (Barcode: 8594211850018) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by an international Jazz trio comprising of Czech guitarist / composer David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, Polish keyboardist / composer Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist and American drummer / composer Jeff BallardFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, four by Doruzka, three by Wylezol and one by Ballard. Doruzka emerged in the last decade as one of the most active and highly appreciated musicians on the European scene, appearing on many albums in his home country and in Poland. Wylezol is a well-established musician on Polish scene and personally one of my favorite Polish Jazz pianists, shining among a fierce competition, and Ballard is well known for playing with top Jazz musicians in the US and leading his own bands – which means this album is exploding with talent and creativity from start to finish. The music is all surprisingly well-behaved, modern and probing but based on solid melodic themes, with both Doruzka and Wylezol always weave like magic. Quite naturally Doruzka takes upon himself most of the soloing, always brilliantly supported by the two partners, but Wylezol also contributes some impressive solo parts, which are every time incredibly creative, in addition to being in charge of the bottom bass pulsations created on synths. Ballard stays somewhat in the background and deliveries a dense, polyrhythmic pulsation behind the melodic contents, ornamenting and leading the music simultaneously. The atmosphere created by the trio is somewhat dark and gloomy, despite the beautiful melodies, soaked in lyricism and profundity, which is at times overbearing, which means that this music requires serious listening attitude and focus, like all serious music should do. But the aesthetic values invoked by the music are certainly worth the effort and concentration invested. Overall, this is an elegant, highly unusual album, which offers the listener a multi-layered Artistic experience, deeply rewarding and fulfilling. Not an easy encounter, but deep stuff rarely is easy, as we all know. I was truly enchanted by this music and a heartfelt thank you is offered to you, my Friends, for taking your Art seriously and sharing it with us. Godspeed!

Updated: 13/01/2023Posted: 13/01/2023

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KRZYSZTOF DZIEDZIC ~ TEMPO FOR TUNE 0120 (Barcode: 5906395808182) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album as a leader by the veteran Polish Jazz drummer / composer Krzysztof DziedzicFind albums by this artist. Surrounded by a formidable team, which includes keyboardist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist, guitarist Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and Michal BajFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. DJ EpromFind albums by this artist), who is in charge of turntablism, Dziedzic presents nine original compositions / improvisations, all credited to him. The music, as described in the album´s liner notes, is all about tempo measured in beats per minute, or BPM, which changes here from one tune to another from the very slow 25 BPS to the extremely fast 207 BPM. The melodic content is quite limited on this album, with the drums being the anchor instrument, which leads the proceedings. Bass guitar parts turn some of the tunes into improvised Funk and Groove. The piano takes most of the solo parts and the saxophone and guitar play only on selected tracks, but deliver excellent contributions, especially the Anthimos parts which are Fusion heaven, as usual. The drums dominate the proceedings of course all the way through. This album is mostly about drums and drumming and fans of rhythmic grooves should find this music delightful. For others, especially those looking for straightforward Jazz might find this music somewhat less approachable, except for some excerpts. Overall this is a bold and quite unique statement, which deserves to be heard and hopefully will conquer hearts in the process. Dziedzic already proved that he is one of the top Polish Jazz drummers over the years and now is time to discover his less obvious qualities.

Updated: 12/04/2017Posted: 12/04/2017

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JASKULKE & WYLEZOL ~ DUODRAM LALALA KONCERT NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is an album by Polish duo DuoDramFind albums by this artist, which pairs pianists / composers Slawomir JaskulkeFind albums by this artist and Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist. Recorded live, the album presents five original compositions (three by Jaskulke and two by Wylezol) and one composition by Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, all performed on two pianos. It is very difficult to relate to this music within the Jazz framework, and the fact that both pianists are primarily known as Jazz artists, makes it is even more difficult to pinpoint exactly what this music is all about. The melodic themes are repeated and swapped between the pianists back and forth, there are lots of chords and notes in the air, swirling like snowflakes in the wind, but once the flakes land on the ground nothing remains in the air… Somehow this music does not touch me at all, sounding like a New Age effort of producing soothing background music rather than anything that one can hold to. Of course Jaskulke and Wylezol are both superb piano players, as evident from their numerous other recordings, but this effort simply does not take off as far as I am concerned. Of course I suppose many other listeners might enjoy this music immensely, therefore I urge fans of Jaskulke and Wylezol to listen to it by themselves and making their own minds.

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KLIMA / WYLEZOL / KOWALEWSKI ~ LUTOSLAWSKI RETUNED HEVHETIA 0114 (Barcode: 8588005257664) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz trio comprising of clarinetist Szymon KlimaFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist and bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist. Veteran Polish Jazz musician Piotr Baron guests on one track playing bass clarinet. The album´s music was all composed by the contemporary Classical Polish composer Witold LutoslawskiFind albums by this artist, and includes his five dance preludes (composed in 1954 as a five-parts suite) and a sixth unrelated composition, which was initially published under a pseudonym. What prompted to rearrange (or retune) these composition for a Jazz environment was probably the Lutoslawski Year celebrations in 2013 (his 100 Birthday), which were a big cultural event in Poland and brought the composer to the attention of a much wider audience, including many young Jazz musicians. As a result a long list of Polish Jazz albums, like this one, paid tribute to the great composer; for example "Inspired By LutoslawskiFind albums with this title" by Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, "BukolikiFind albums with this title" by High Definition QuartetFind albums by this artist, "AtomsphereFind albums with this title" by Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist and many others. The dance preludes suite, which was originally composed for clarinet and piano, was later twice (1955 and 1959) re-orchestrated for larger ensembles, but Klima based his Jazzy approach on the original intimate version, which remains intimate under the new arrangement. As almost always with Lutoslawski, his music is deeply rooted in the Polish Folklore, and these "dances" all bear resemblance of the characteristic folklore melodies and harmonies, at least to people who are acquainted with that music. Klima, both as arranger and player, oscillates between the Classical and the Jazz idioms, as his clarinet tone and phrasing are almost completely Classical whereas his improvised parts are of course Jazz related. Of course Wylezol and Kowalewski are bona fide Jazz musicians, and their contributions have a decisive weight to turn this music into a wonderful Jazz-Classical Fusion. The intimacy of this music, the virtuosi performances, the elegant and respectful treatment of the original inspirations all add up to a superbly balanced and delightful musical adventure, which should prove pleasing and satisfying to all connoisseurs of good music. Hopefully some of the listeners will try to find out how the music sounds in its original Classical incarnations, and perhaps venture into more fabulous music created by Lutoslawski, other might wish to explore other recordings by Wylezol and Kowalewski, also released by the excellent HevhetiaFind albums on this label label. If so everybody wins, both of the Classical and the Jazz enthusiasts. This album is a great example of a cross-genre exploration, which treats the origins with respect and love, creating a new, perfectly valid amalgamation, which manages to preserve the aesthetics of its origins. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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ADAM KOWALEWSKI ~ FOR YOU HEVHETIA 0068 (Barcode: 8588005257053) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a duo setting with pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist. It presents eight compositions, five of which are originals by Kowalewski, one is an original by Wylezol and the remaining two are standards. The album was released on the Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label and was one of the first Polish Jazz albums released by that label, to be later followed up by numerous others. Kowalewski recorded a plethora of albums as a sideman before he recorded this album, which means that he was already an established name on the local scene and the purpose of this album was obviously to present Kowalewski also as a composer apart from his abilities as a bass player. He cooperated with Wylezol earlier on playing bass on Wylezol´s debut piano trio album and therefore the choice of partners is hardly accidental. The music presents a series of melodic tunes, well within the Jazz mainstream, which are played by the duo with a lot of space and mutual respect, allowing both musicians plenty of breathing space. As expected in such circumstances, the volume of the bass is higher up in the mix than normal, which allows the listener to hear exactly every note played by the instrument. The problem with bass / piano albums is of course that the piano, which plays all the melody lines, "steals" the listener´s attention and only the most experienced listeners are able to split their attention between the two instruments on an equal basis. However, those able to listen to both instruments in parallel will discover a beautiful dialogue and a supportive collaboration, which is elegant and graceful. Acoustic bass buffs will of course have a field day with this album, and considering the good sound quality of this recording, it is quite suitable to test top range Hi-Fi equipment for balanced bass / midrange response. Personally I´m looking forward for the next album by Kowalewski, to discover more of his melodic gems!

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JERZY MALEK ~ BLACK SHEEP NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the eighth album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic Jazz quintet setting with saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, pianists Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist or Aga DerlakFind albums by this artist, bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Malek. Stylistically the music is all within melodic Jazz mainstream, close to the American Jazz tradition, quite atypical to the contemporary Polish Jazz scene, which is more modernistic and experimental. That said, the music is wonderfully crafted and perfectly executed by seasoned musicians and sound every bit as good as the best of what American Jazz has to offer, proving again that Polish Jazz deserves to be completely free from any inferiority complexes in comparison to what is happening across the pond. Malek has a brilliant ability to weave perfect tunes, all of which are well rounded and based on coherent melodic themes, especially so with his marvelous ballads. On the whole his compositions are truly classic examples of post Bebop idiom at its finest. Although not very innovative, this kind of music is still perfectly valid and has many followers the world over and albums like this are a perfect fit to their bill of fare. Of course Malek is also a wonderful trumpeter, with perfect skills and intelligence, which guides him to avoid empty flashy displays of technique. His playing is always soulful and heartfelt, and a true pleasure to listen to. The other quintet members are all seasoned veterans and even the young Aga Derlak, who plays on two tracks, does an excellent job and showcases the next generation of the Polish Jazz stars. Overall this is a perfect mainstream Jazz album in every respect, full of wonderful music and perfect musicianship, which should completely satisfy all connoisseurs of that idiom regardless of their geographical location. It is also an excellent example of the quality of Polish Jazz and the abilities of Jerzy Malek as a composer and a trumpeter, which he earned fair and square by hard work and a heap of talent. Well done!

Updated: 26/05/2019Posted: 26/05/2019

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JERZY MALEK ~ STALGIA KAYAX 077 (Barcode: 5907678818348) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the sixth album by Polish Jazz trumpeter Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with American saxophonist Stephen RileyFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and American (resident in Poland) drummer Eric AllenFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine compositions, seven of which are original composition by Malek, one is by Allen and the remaining one is a standard. The music is typical American mainstream Jazz, which stays at all times within the clearly defined Jazz conventions and therefore fails to break any new ground or sound contemporary. It might have as well been recorded a few decades ago and no one would have noticed the difference. Having said that, the original music is very well crafted and definitely deserving being heard. Nice melodies, perfectly executed by highly professional musicians, in short a perfect mainstream Jazz production, which many Jazz connoisseurs will undoubtedly enjoy to the max. The most important massage that comes across is that Polish Jazz musicians can play as good if not better than their American counterparts. The sound quality of the recording is nothing short of sensational. Malek is a superb trumpeter with a beautiful tone. I wish he would make at least some effort to shake off the restrictions he is so deeply entrenched in, and show his listeners something else for once. Paraphrasing on the "Holier than the Pope", this is a better mainstream American Jazz album than most Americans can record these days, but "The Times They Are A-Changin´"…

Updated: 18/09/2017Posted: 18/09/2017

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KRZYSZTOF PACAN ~ STORY OF 82 AUDIO CAVE 2020/012 (Barcode: 5908298549124) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist recorded in a quartet setting with saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof DziedzicFind albums by this artist. Violist Marta ZalewskaFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Pacan, who plays bass guitar exclusively on this album. The album, recorded at the Studio Tokarnia, offers an excellent sound quality, as expected. The music is all melody based mainstream modern Jazz, often typically melancholic and lyrical in accordance with the Polish Jazz characteristics, but offering diverse stylistic variations. Personally the ballads seem to work best for me, but the level of the compositions is excellent throughout. The level of performances is also excellent from start to finish, which is hardly surprising with these highly experienced professionals. Again, personally, Wylezol is the most creative contributor on this album, but Nowicki carries the tunes and solos without a hitch and Dziedzic offers a solid rhythmic support by the book. The leader stays somewhat behind, soloing sparingly and supplying steady bass pulsations that carry the music. Overall this is a pleasant and excellently performed Jazz music, which should keep most Polish Jazz enthusiasts happy, emphasizing the incredibly high level of the local Jazz scene.

Updated: 28/02/2023Posted: 20/12/2020

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MATEUSZ PALKA ~ BLUR ECHO ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Mateusz PalkaFind albums by this artist and his first solo piano effort. The album presents fourteen relatively short pieces, five of which are even shorter untitled “variations”, all composed by Palka. The album was recorded at the splendid Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, offering a spectacular sonic experience. The music is absolutely wonderful, floating gently between romanticism and modernism, with strong ties to Polish / European Classical tradition, full of beautiful minimalist melodic motives, harmonic structures and inspired improvisations. In many respects the music is only partially Jazz oriented, being Jazzy more spiritually than formally, and it remains always beyond any attempt of being clearly categorized. One can recognize some contemporary Polish Jazz influences in this music, like those of Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, who was Palka’s teacher and Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, who undoubtedly served as a lofty inspiration, both being some of the finest piano players / composers in Jazz today, in Poland and beyond. Solo piano album is undoubtedly the ultimate Jazz challenge, especially for artist as young as Palka, and the fact that he manages to overcome the difficulties and create such outstanding piece of music, is quite overwhelming in every respect. Overall, this is a brilliant album from start to finish, which offers a challenging music and at the same time a wonderfully deep aesthetic experience, which is fresh and daring. Cleverly avoiding categorization, this music should delight both modern Jazz listeners and contemporary Classical Music enthusiasts. Combined with some of the best sound quality of solo piano recordings out there, this is nothing less than a spiritual experience.

Updated: 11/02/2022Posted: 11/02/2022

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RAFAL SARNECKI ~ A VIEW FROM THE TREETOP ART EVOLUTION 01/2022 (Barcode: 5903819630022) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the fifth album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with saxophonist Lukasz PoprawskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Patryk DoboszFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader. The music was recorded at Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual excellent sonic quality. I have been following Sarnecki’s musical path since his debut album from 2008, and he emerges as one of the most surprising and constantly developing artists on the Polish Jaz scene. His long stay in US obviously influenced his creative process, but luckily did not manage to destroy his European ancestry, and this album, his first since his return to Poland, is the best evidence of that. The music is extremely eclectic, with each of the compositions on the album being completely different, which potentially might have been enormously hazardous and chaotic, but surprisingly Sarnecki managed to develop a sonic coherence, which makes listening to this music not only an intellectual challenge but also a highly rewarding experience. This collection of highly unique and even weird tunes, is in my opinion absolutely delightful and stunning. Part of the success is undoubtedly due to the superb team of Polish Jazz musicians selected for this project, who are able to overcome the devilishly complex chord and rhythm changes without a hitch. Poprawski, who is relatively less recognized on the local scene, does a sublime job taking care of most of the soloing. Wylezol, one of my favorite Polish Jazz pianists, who also gets way less respect and recognition that he deserves, is also perfect for the job, as is the fabulous rhythm section. Most importantly, the leader plays rather sparingly, mostly participating in the ensemble sound rather than feature his guitar parts, which is way more typical of European Jazz that the American approach, which puts the soloing in the center of attention. Overall, this is a brilliant, highly unique album, which offers some of the most fascinating music I happened to listen to lately, and is probably the most interesting Polish Jazz album of 2022, so far. It leaves the listener with a longing to hear more, which happens so rarely these days. Congratulations, my Friend, this is definitely your best work so far and I wish you to uphold this path in the future!

Updated: 26/10/2022Posted: 26/10/2022

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MACIEJ SIKALA ~ LIVE IN CLUB ZAK SOLITON 762 (Barcode: 5901571097626) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is a live recording by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist, captured in a septet setting with trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, trombonist Grzegorz NagorskiFind albums by this artist, bass clarinetist Tomasz KlepczynskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist – all of which belong to the commonly accepted top league of the local jazz scene. The album presents six original compositions, all assumed to be by Sikala, as the album´s artwork fails to confirm this. The sound quality is excellent despite the fact that this is a club live recording. The music is all completely mainstream oriented, following the patters set by Bebop and Hard Bop some five or more decades ago. That said, the original compositions are very strong and the performances are all excellent, which means that this music is a real pleasurable listening experience for mainstream Jazz connoisseurs, who after all are the majority of the Jazz crowd. Also the Polish Jazz accents can be heard throughout this music very distinctly, not influential enough to change the character of the music, but appealing enough to make it much more interesting than parallel music performed across the pond. Although Sikala started his Jazz career within the adventurous Yass idiom as a member of MiloscFind albums by this artist and other experimenting ensembles, in time he "returned" to the American influenced mainstream, retaining his wonderful fluency and improvisational power. All the projects he was involved with over the years and numerous recordings he made always represented a high quality of music and musicianship. Overall although the music on this album is quite predictable, it is full of wonderful individual statements by the musicians involved in this project and should keep mainstream Jazz fans vey happy. The original compositions are coherent and well woven and the septet playing is nothing short of perfection in this specific musical scenery.

Updated: 12/06/2018Posted: 12/06/2018

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JAROSLAW SMIETANA ~ A TRIBUTE TO ZBIGNIEW SEIFERT JSR 0011 (Barcode: 5901119902399) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2009 Released: 2009 This is a stunning tribute album to the Polish violin virtuoso / composer Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist by the great Polish guitarist Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist and his band: pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, bassist Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist, drummer Adam CzerwinskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist. Keyboardist Janusz GrzywaczFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. Smietana invited nine leading Jazz violinists to play along with this fabulous band, performing Seifert´s wonderful compositions. They are: Jerry GoodmanFind albums by this artist (ex-Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist, USA), Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist (Poland), Didier LockwoodFind albums by this artist (France), Krzesimir DebskiFind albums by this artist (Poland), Christian HowesFind albums by this artist (USA), Mark FeldmanFind albums by this artist (USA), Maciej StrzelczykFind albums by this artist (Poland), Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist (Poland) and Pierre BlanchardFind albums by this artist (France). These nine virtuosi play like there´s no tomorrow and the resulting music is simply a breathtaking trip into Seifert´s world. This is such a conglomerate of talent, that anything said beyond this would be simply superfluous. Simply grab this ASAP, as you are about to take trip of your life – violin heaven indeed!

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PIOTR WYLEZOL ~ IMPROLUDES HEVHETIA 0083 (Barcode: 8588005257244) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2013 - 2014 Released: 2014 This is the first piano solo album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist and his sixth release as a leader / co-leader. It comes after a relatively prolonged period of silence (about five years) since his last recording. The album presents eight original compositions by Wylezol partly inspired by the work of the great Hungarian composer Franz LisztFind albums by this artist, especially Liszt´s etudes, hence the tongue in cheek album´s title. The album was released by the Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label, which seems to be lately one of the favorite labels of the Polish Jazz artists, which is hardly surprising considering the great job the label is doing so far. The association with Liszt´s romanticism is hardly accidental, as Wylezol´s music displays clear Classical Music influences. Combined with the Polish lyricism and a wonderful sense of melody, these pieces are a delightful set of melodic gems, which are easy on the ear but at the same time invoke deep emotions and a charming aptitude. Solo piano lovers will find here everything one might expect from a solo piano album – excellent music, beautiful and sensitive execution and a superb recording quality, which is always an essential ingredient of such projects. Overall this music is not very innovative or groundbreaking, but its merits are clearly on quite a different musical layer, aesthetically close to the European Classical Music tradition, updated and transposed to contemporary language. Therefore this album should not be judged nor should it be approach from a strict Jazz point of reference, but should be allowed the leeway of a more open minded attitude towards its true artistic significance and impact. One might speculate if this album marks a turning point in Wylezol´s career, especially as a composer, leading to a whole new path combining his classical training and Jazz improvisation, or is this just a one time journey of discovery? Regardless of the answer, let´s hope we won´t have to wait for another five years to hear the answer to this question. Welcome back!

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PIOTR WYLEZOL / SZYMON MIKA ~ LOUD SILENCE ART EVOLUTION (Barcode: 5903819630039) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is an album by a duo of two prominent Polish Jazz musicians, pianist / composer Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist and guitarist / composer Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, which the two worked on during the depressing time of the Covid pandemic. The album presents seven tracks, two original compositions by Wylezol, three original compositions by Mika and two standards. The album offers excellent sound quality, which is essential in order to enjoy this delicate music. The album is a wonderful example of the “Art of the Duo” idiom, full of beautiful original music, sensitive arrangements of the standards and truly great performances. The minimalist setting allows for every little nuance of the music to audible and emphasizes the excellent balance achieved here, with each and every note exactly in the right place. Both Wylezol and Mika are among the finest Polish Jazz musicians today, which is immediately apparent, from the first note to the very last. This album is all about mutual understanding, respect and cooperation. The constant exchanges between a soloist and an accompanist flow naturally one after another. The incredible feel of melody and harmony displayed here is so uplifting, that when the music is over, one longs for more – “loud silence” indeed! Overall, this is a superb display of both individual talents and teamwork by two first class Jazz musicians, which is a pleasure to listen to from start to finish. With egos aside and mutual attention at the helm, these guys just play their hearts out, and who could ask for anything more (except perhaps for more duo albums in the future). Completely unpretentious, heartfelt music at its best, like balm to our wounded souls – thank you my friends for this gift of music!

Updated: 19/01/2023Posted: 19/01/2023

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PIOTR WYLEZOL QUINTET ~ LIVE NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This is a live recording by Polish Jazz quintet led by pianist / composer Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonist Adam PieronczykFind albums by this artist, Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof DziedzicFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions (one repeated twice as a bonus track), five of which were composed by Wylezol and two by Doruzka. The music is all within the mainstream Jazz idiom, based on solid melodies, and as usual with Eastern European composers with a distinct share of melancholy. There is little drama on this album with the tunes flowing gently one after another, leaving the listener in a state of blissful relaxation. The individual performances are all excellent, as expected from musicians of this class. Pieronczyk is one of the top Polish saxophonists with a vast experience and Doruzka is one of top European guitarists, in addition to the talented and also very experienced leader and the excellent rhythm section. There is nothing but professionalism and elegance herein. On the other hand considering the strength of the lineup, one might expect a somewhat more exciting and fulfilling result. Overall this is a nice live mainstream album, which should keep most Jazz listeners happy, but which in retrospect joins a long list of albums that go gently into that good night and remain consequently desolate.

Updated: 04/05/2017Posted: 04/05/2017

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MARTA ZALEWSKA ~ JAZZ.PL VOL.2 POLSKIE RADIO 2408-2409 (Barcode: 5907812243869) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish Jazz vocalist / bass guitarist / violinist Marta ZalewskaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a septet setting (Orchestra is a bit overboard) with trumpeter Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Lukasz PoprawskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist, guitarist Krzysztof ZagajewskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Michal PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jose Manuel Alban JuarezFind albums by this artist. Violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist appears as special guest, and two backing vocalists are also present. The album presents Fusion arrangements of ten songs by the Polish Rock group DzambleFind albums by this artist, nine of which are taken from their only album entitled “Wolanie O Slonce Nad SwiatemFind albums with this title” released originally in 1971, and one is a non-album single. The album was recorded live by Polish Radio during a series of concerts entitled Jazz.pl, hence the title. The album also includes a bonus CD with radio recordings by the original group, captured between 1969 and 1971. The idea of reanimating this particular cult album in a Jazz / Fusiony setting is not farfetched, considering that on the original album Dzamble had top Polish Jazz musicians of that time: Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, playing as guests. The music on this album suffers from a number of problems. The arrangements are rather trivial, the Funky / Brass Rock approach is a bit crude, the vocals are limited and the sound quality of the recording is somewhat muddy. But there are some bright points, like the brilliant solos by Wylezol, who never fails, and trumpet solos by Malek, who is a real pro. The biggest obstacle for me is that the new approach completely does not connect to the concept (musical and ideological) of the original. Altogether, I’d rather stick to the original album than listen to this, but of course each to his own. The bonus CD with the archival recordings is of course perfect, and emphasizes the gap between the source and the replica. Overall, this an attempt to revive a legendary classic Rock / Fusion album, which basically misses the target, but offers some nice performances by the musicians involved, but the 2CD package is worth its price just for the bonus CD with the archival material.

Updated: 28/02/2023Posted: 28/02/2023

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