Record Reviews

OLGA BOCZAR MUSIC ESSENCE ~ LITTLE INSPIRATIONS NOT ON LABEL 001 (Barcode: 5905279086005) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2013 - 2014 Released: 2014 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Olga BoczarFind albums by this artist, recorded with her ensemble called Music EssenceFind albums by this artist, with core members: keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. In addition several other musicians also participate on selected tracks, including bassist Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Dominik GawronskiFind albums by this artist, trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist and several background vocalists; altogether quite a formidable team. The album presents ten original songs all composed by Boczar and with lyrics mostly written by her as well. Only two of the songs feature lyrics in Polish and eight have English lyrics. The music was recorded in three different studios, including the Studio Tokarnia where Smoczynski also served as the sound engineer recording the rhythms section tracks. In spite of the fact that the album features some very prominent Polish Jazz musicians, it is by no means a Jazz album. Except for a few piano solos, the album presents a singer / songwriter Pop / Rock effort with slight Jazzy accents mostly present in some of the arrangements. There is of course nothing wrong with that, but promoting and marketing this album under a Jazz moniker is a conceptual mistake. The music is a collection of mostly low key melancholic melodies, which all sound a bit similar and leave no lasting impression. Everything is "nice" and "smooth", but there is no excitement, zest or attempt hit the listener between his eyes. Boczar´s voice and delivery don´t help much either, as she has a limited range and sings in the same narrow spectrum using repeatedly the same mannerisms, regardless of the text she is singing. Except for a few vocalese attempts, the rest is rather unexciting. And on top of this all these there is the problem with lyrics in English, which sound pretty inappropriate. In contrast, plainly audible, the two songs sung in Polish sound infinitely better. The instrumental work is all quite all right, but again lacks any spark. The arrangements are all rather trivial, and the potential of such mighty team of musicians seems completely wasted. Except for the already mentioned piano solos, there is no attempt to put some excitement into this music. Overall this is all professionally done, but sadly completely uninspired. This album has a potential on the Polish Pop market, if promoted properly. It might even win a Fryderyk award next year, as anything can happen there, but hopefully not in the Jazz category. And before an outcry of angry responses accusing me of ruining young people´s careers erupts again, let me emphasize that this is just my private, subjective opinion, which has absolutely no bearing on anybody´s fate.

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SZYMON MAKOHIN ~ TRYIN` TIMES MUZA 1449 (Barcode: 5907783424496) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2012 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist Szymon MakohinFind albums by this artist, which was recorded in 2008 and waited for four years to finally see the light of day. It presents Makohin performing eleven Pop / Blues / Soul standards, beautifully arranged by pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, who leads the excellent quartet accompanying the singer, which also includes saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. On two of the tracks Makohin performs duets with female singers, the incredible Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist and Irena KijewskaFind albums by this artist. It seems that most Polish Jazz (and not only Jazz) vocalists consistently repeat the fatal mistake of trying to sing in English, which unfortunately in most cases, including this one, simply does not work. It becomes especially apparent in the duet with Zaryan, where the singer´s accent and phrasing contrasts with those of Zaryan, who is one of the very few Polish vocalists able to sing properly in English. Therefore, regardless of how good this album is on the instrumental level, the vocals are a priori an obstacle. Makohin has a very nice tone and obvious vocal talents, but his battle is lost the minute he opens his mouth. It´s a pity he didn´t follow in the steps of other Polish vocalists, like Grzegorz KarnasFind albums by this artist for example. The selection of the material is also quite problematic, as all the songs have a strong common bond of sounding "sweet", with very little diversity, and none of them are challenging vocally. All these songs were performed brilliantly by their original authors, and this slightly Jazzed up version has very little added value. The only case of a Jazz standard present here is more a showcase of a brilliant bass accompaniment than vocal ability. Of course Tokaj and the quartet play spotlessly and brilliantly, as always. The instrumental work keeps this album alive and kicking, which in retrospect is a pity, since this could have been such a great album under different circumstances. However, considering this is a debut album, it should not be judged too severely; there is a lot of potential here and Makohin has a lot to offer, so I´m looking forward to hear his next album, hopefully in Polish this time. I certainly wish him all the best and keep my fingers crossed.

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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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NOWICKI / SWIES / FRANKIEWICZ ~ OVERTONES AUDIO CAVE 2021/003 (Barcode: 5908298549230) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the second album by the Polish Jazz trio comprising of saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, five by Nowicki, three by Swies and one by Frankiewicz. Following the debut recorded and released almost a decade ago, this release offers a much more coherent and mature piece of music, based on excellent compositions and outstanding performances by the trio members. The music is mostly contemplative and develops slowly, but is wonderfully expressive and offers a most satisfying listening experience, which is a vast improvement in comparison to the earlier effort. Although the saxophone trio is an extremely difficult vehicle to steer, this trio works just perfectly, offering a perfect balance between the three musicians. It is nothing like a lead instrument supported by a rhythm section, but from the very onset it becomes completely clear that they work in unison and shoulder to shoulder. As a result, the saxophone, bass and drums are fully present for the entire duration, recorded on the same level and offer an organic trio sound, which is very rarely achieved by other similar outfits. It is usually expected from the saxophone to set the tone, but it is impossible to decide who is leading the trio at any given moment, while the music lasts. Swies paves the path with his deep and rounded pulsations and his performances here are absolutely stunning. Frankiewicz does not stay behind, driving the music lice a hurricane during the crescendo moments and pushing it gently during the delicate passages. Nowicki states the melodies gently and improvises with conviction and obvious Masterly touch. Overall this is a great album from start to finish, with no dull moments in between, superbly played by three Masters of the trade, who push their abilities to the max. The music manages to create a unique sonic climate, and the no bullshit playing is convincing and strikes right where it is most effective. This is Polish / European Jazz at its best - Kudos my friends! Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 09/04/2021Posted: 09/04/2021

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NOWICKI / SWIES / FRANKIEWICZ TRIO ~ PATHFINDER MULTIKULTI 005 (Barcode: 5907529223468) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz trio comprising of saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. There are nine tracks on the album, eight of which are original compositions (four by Nowicki and two each by Swies and Frankiewicz) and one is the trio´s interpretation of a RadioheadFind albums by this artist song. The album was recorded in the legendary Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, the studio owner, a guarantee of superb sonic quality. These three talented young musicians have all quite impressive musical achievements behind them and therefore it is not surprising that they sound remarkably mature as performers. Stylistically, however, they seem to be still somewhat undecided as to the degree of freedom they want to incorporate into their music, which remains mainstream oriented on this recording. The saxophone trio is one of the most difficult Jazz formats and demands a lot of discipline in order to present a cohesive whole and this trio definitely stands up to the challenge with flying colors. Naturally saxophone trios tend to put the focus of the listener´s attention on the saxophone player and are less about interplay and cooperation than say piano trios. On this recording there are plenty of bass and drums spots, showcasing the individual talents of the participants, but in most cases it is the sax up front supported by the rhythm section. The music, although quite appropriate for the format, is somewhat lacking in the melody department. Mainstream Jazz is usually based on strong melody lines, which last at least as long as the tune is being performed. The melodic content here is somewhat abstract and difficult to follow, which works fine for a free form setting, but in a mainstream is contra productive. It seems as if the trio members intended to play a much looser set, but were reluctant to "cross the line". However, all things considered, this is still a very strong debut with great performances and a lot of interesting moments, which should make the trio members proud of their work. Definitely worth investigating!

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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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PRZEMYSLAW STRACZEK ~ WHITE GRAIN OF COFFEE ES ART 1406 (Barcode: 5908285240034) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the fifth album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Przemyslaw StraczekFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist and Italian rhythm section: bassist Francesco AngiuliFind albums by this artist and drummer Flavio Li VigniFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Karolina SleziakFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks and saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist guests on five. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Straczek. Stylistically the music belongs to a typical lightweight Fusion, which sounds pretty smooth but offers little depth or aesthetic effort, although overall excellently performed by all participants. Sadly the compositions are not able to save the day and they are pretty banal and altogether unremarkable. It is always a pity to hear a recording by excellent instrumentalists, which sadly amounts to what could be described as a blunder. I am not familiar with Straczek´s earlier recordings, but Wierba, who is by all standards is an excellent pianist, seems to fall again and again into these situations where his contribution is simply a wasted opportunity. Hopefully he will find his true calling one day. I suppose some people will enjoy this album, like Smooth Jazz enthusiasts or yuppies wishing to impress their dinner friends, but honestly this does not represent the creative side of Polish Jazz, which can be truly inspiring.

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