Record Reviews

BEAT FREAKS ~ LEON GATEWAY (Barcode: 5707471047200) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish ensemble The Beat FreaksFind albums by this artist, which consists of guitarist Michal StarkiewiczFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz LicakFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel GrzesiukFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist. The album includes nine original compositions, all co-composed by all the ensemble members. The music floats between straightforward modern Jazz and Fusion, and somehow lacks the ability to present a cohesive musical concept. A few less constrained moments show the guitar and saxophone conversing and improvising, but the ensemble soon returns to a steady rhythm and typical vamping on the theme, which frankly is not very interesting. There are hardly any remarkable melodies which the listener can follow and all the tunes sound a bit similar to each other. The performances are all pretty professional, but not remarkable. These musicians can all play very well, but on this album their collective effort simply does not add up. Except for the one track on which Licak plays the bass clarinet, which is a nice melancholic ballad, all the rest of the tracks simply do not register in the long term memory. The guitar is definitely too aggressive and too loud in the balance, which does not help at all. It is hard to guess if the musicians involved wanted this album to come out the way it did, but basically it sounds like Polish Yass or American Punk Jazz from the 1980s and 1990s, music that might have been relevant at the time but definitely lost its charm over time. Of course this is just my personal opinion and others might like this music very much. Definitely not my cup of tea!

Updated: 02/11/2016Posted: 02/11/2016

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BEAT FREAKS ~ STAY CALM NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5707471065136) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the second album by Polish ensemble The Beat FreaksFind albums by this artist comprising of guitarist Michal StarkiewiczFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz LicakFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel GrzesiukFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen original compositions, eight of which were composed by Starkiewicz, two by Licak, one by Wosko and two were co-composed by all four members of the quartet. The album was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist. The quartet´s debut album recorded three years earlier (2016) left me with mixed feelings and I am happy to say that this one is a significant improvement, especially as far as the compositions are concerned, as well as the guitar playing, which works this time without a hitch. Also the superb recording quality improves the overall coherence of the music, with less harshness and excellent separation, making every little nuance audible. The music is all melody based, Fusion oriented contemporary Jazz and offers some excellent guitar / saxophone interplay supported by a steady and solid rhythm section. Licak is the primary soloist, but Starkiewicz follows suit time after time with a nicely balanced guitar tone, which manages to shake off most of its Fusion mannerisms that prevailed earlier on, and offers heartfelt guitar soli. Their unisono parts, which then develop into a saxophone / guitar conversations is the central feature of this album. Overall this is an album which can be enjoyed by a wide Jazz / Fusion audience, especially guitar enthusiasts, who should be able find many interesting licks here. Definitely worth investigation!

Updated: 08/12/2019Posted: 08/12/2019

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BEAT FREAKS / RALPH ALESSI ~ MECHANICS OF NATURE NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5707471095904) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the third album by the Polish Jazz quartet Beat FreaksFind albums by this artist, which comprises of guitarist / composer Michal StarkiewiczFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz LicakFind albums by this artist, (new Italian, resident in Poland) bassist Flavio GullottaFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist. They are joined by American trumpeter Ralph AlessiFind albums by this artist. The album presents fourteen tracks, nine of which were composed by Starkiewicz, one by Wosko and four are co-credited to the quartet members and Alessi. The music was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sonic quality. The music on this album is revolutionary different from the two earlier albums recorded by the quartet and presents a giant step forward in their musical development. The straightforward Fusion direction is completely gone and the music here offers an excellent Free Form / Improvised Music meeting. Despite the openness and Freedom, the music is subtly but decidedly very well organized, based on beautiful melodic themes, which serve as vehicles to the extensive improvisations. Not surprisingly, Alessi is the dominant soloist and sets the direction of the music, but the quartet members are noticeably featured and given ample opportunity to contribute. Starkiewicz lets go of his role as a dominant leader, which is exactly what was needed in these circumstances, and adds concise guitar licks, which add both harmonic and rhythmic support. Gullotta is a true godsend, as his firm and precise bass pulsations are cementing the music into a cohesive whole. Licak stands bravely shoulder to shoulder with Alessi, contributing coherently and with remarkable feeling and Wosko adds the highly irregular rhythmic layer, which fits the music perfectly. In short this session simply works together like a dream. Although I am not familiar with the entire very extensive recording legacy by Alessi, I’d go as far as to say that this is definitely one of his finest moments so far, despite the impressive gallery of names of his American recording partners. Overall, this is a highly surprising album by Beat Freaks, which catapults them directly into the “serious league” of the Polish Jazz scene, with one of the best recordings so far released in 2024. I truly hope they found their new vocation and will continue on this path in the future, and of course wish them all the best. Hats off, Gentlemen!

Updated: 22/05/2024Posted: 22/05/2024

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ENTROPY ~ WELL, WHAT DO YOU KNOW, IT WAS FEAR AFTER ALL… NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5707471030066) ~ DENMARK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by the young Danish / Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion quartet EntropyFind albums by this artist, one of the numerous ensembles formed by students at the Academy of Music in Odense, Denmark. Many Polish students choose to attend the Odense school as it is quite close to Poland and much more affordable than for example Berklee Collage of Music in Boston. Entropy comprises of three Danish musicians: saxophonist Andreas Moller BottigerFind albums by this artist, guitarist Buster JensenFind albums by this artist and bassist Martin BuhlFind albums by this artist, and one Polish musician: drummer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist. The album includes nine original compositions, four by Jensen, three by Wosko and two by Bottiger. The music is pretty conventional, with well defined structures, melodic statements and improvisations, all neatly put together and without any major surprises or unexpected twists. The overall atmosphere is quite melancholic and some of the compositions move at a very slow paste and with little intrinsic dynamics. The personal statements by the musicians are also quite restricted, lacking any signs of virtuosity or exceptional abilities, except for the drummer, who displays a clearly defined personal style and manages to keep the music flowing, as well as provides the best compositions on the album. Nevertheless, the album has its moments and altogether is quite listenable, but lacks the sparkle and magic, which so many albums by young musicians are blessed with these days. Perhaps these young musicians need to play together a bit longer and clarify the musical direction before embarking on a next recording project. I´m sure they can do better next time.

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LEEMEET TRIO ~ THE FIRST ENTRANCE TO THE GARDEN RECART 0013 (Barcode: 5908285287121) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz piano trio, called LeeMeet TrioFind albums by this artist, led by young pianist / composer Liliana KostrzewaFind albums by this artist, with bassist Pawel GrzesiukFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist. The album consists of eight tracks, five of which are originals by Kostrzewa, one is a standard, one a folk tune and the remaining one is an arrangement of a Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist tune. The music is a pretty straight-forward mainstream effort, melodic and well organized, and holding no surprises or unexpected twists. The bassist plays electric bass, which sets the entire sound of the trio astray from the classic piano trio sound. The original compositions are nice, but somewhat simplistic, and hesitant, but considering this is a debut effort at least Kostrzewa plays her own material rather than playing standards. Technically the performances suffer from minor imperfections, like a poor balance between the instruments, with the piano being often dominated by the rhythm section and synch problems between the players. Kostrzewa has a very delicate touch and her playing the piano requires a much softer and compassionate rhythmic support. Her technical repertoire is also still underdeveloped, but she does show a lot of potential and surely will get better in time. Overall not a bed debut, which hopefully is just a first step of a long and successful career for everybody involved.

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TOMASZ LICAK / RADEK WOSKO ~ ENTRAILS UNITED RECART 0012 (Barcode: 5908285287114) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by a quartet co-led by two young Polish Jazz musicians: saxophonist Tomasz LicakFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist. As students of the Carl Nielsen Academy of Music in Odense, where many other Polish musicians study lately, they completed their quartet by adding two Danish players: pianist Carl WintherFind albums by this artist and bassist Martin BuhlFind albums by this artist Staunstrup (who appears on albums as Martin Buhl only). The album comprises of nine original compositions, four by Wosko, three by Winther and two by Licak. In many respects this album is quite typical of the new generation Polish (and Polish / Danish) Jazz bands, which display mostly an incredible level of musicianship and artistry. These bands sound professional and flawless from day one, which is pretty amazing. The individual statements are all excellent, as is the interplay between the band members. In short this is really an excellent Jazz album, with solid original compositions and inspired performances, which would not shame much older and more experienced professionals. The music is spiced with the European Jazz elements, like melancholy, lyricism and elegance, which are often emphasized by the original compositions. Winther is in charge of the more melodic / delicate elements while Licak plays slightly more expressive, yet still mostly very melodically. The rhythm section is perfect at what it does, with Buhl being the pillar of strength and order, balanced by Wosko who plays with a significant degree of freedom. Together they sound like one organic body making music. If I could suggest anything it would be for Winther, Buhl and Wosko to record an album as a piano trio, which I think could be simply sensational. Over time there appears to be a tendency among the Polish / Danish bands to be significantly more conventional / mainstream oriented than similar bands in the same age bracket, which arise in Poland. Most probably this has something to do with the teaching at Odense, or the atmosphere at the Danish Academy, which influences its alumni, which strangely enough emphasizes individuality and courage in its formal agenda. As a result this album, as excellent as it is, lacks a certain degree risk taking, adventure and unexpectedness. Everything here is simply just right, but alas often just "too right". However, considering the talents of these musicians one can hope that time will work in their favor. This is definitely an excellent debut, which should make the participating musicians very happy and the potential listeners even happier. Listeners who love modern mainstream based on melodic themes and played with flair and elegance should enjoy this music immensely. Well done gentlemen!

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KAROLINA SMIETANA ~ ILLUSION RECART 0021 (Barcode: 5908285287206) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 - 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by the Polish (resident in Denmark) singer / songwriter Karolina SmietanaFind albums by this artist recorded with an excellent Polish / Danish quartet comprising of Polish guitarist Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist and Danish pianist Soren GemmerFind albums by this artist and bassist Anders FjeldstedFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, six of which are original compositions by Smietana, one is co-composed by her and Wosko and the remaining two are standards. Smietana also wrote the English lyrics to five of the songs, one is a poem by the Polish poetess Wislawa SzymborskaFind albums by this artist (and is the only case of Polish lyrics on the album) and the remaining three texts originate from other sources. The album was recorded (mostly) at the excellent RecPublica Studios and engineered by Lukasz OlejarczykFind albums by this artist with great sonic results, as expected. Smetana´s music is quite typical of the Polish Jazz vocal idiom, with solid melodies and coherent structures, which are pleasant and easy on the ear, without being trivial or boring. The songs are diverse enough to show her compositional palette and the lyrics are not an insult to the intelligence, which in today´s musical world is a success by itself. On the other hand, however, not everything is perfect; Smietana has a nice mellow voice, which she uses wisely, but her vocal range is limited and there are no virtuosic vocal performances herein. The usual problem with singing in English, when it is not the singer´s native tongue, produces the common pronunciation and accent problems. What gives the album a great boost are the great instrumental performances by the quartet, which does a superb job accompanying her. Sarnecki plays superbly and manages to create a few brilliant solos. Gemmer also proves to be a great accompanist, with a great feel for melody and excellent technique. The rhythm section does an amicable job all along and plays along with the vocals and the lead instruments with elegance and flair. In short the instrumental parts are top notch. Overall this is a nice vocal Jazz album, which exposes Smietana as an able vocalist and solid composer, marking a positive kickstart of her career. I am already looking forward to her next project!

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

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RADEK WOSKO / ATLANTIC QUARTET ~ ATLANTIC MULTICULTI MPJ 018 (Barcode: 5907796319819) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist and his new Atlantic QuartetFind albums by this artist, which also includes Israeli guitarists Gilad HekselmanFind albums by this artist, Danish pianist Soren GemmerFind albums by this artist and Polish bassist Mariusz PrasniewskiFind albums by this artist. Together they perform eight pieces, seven of which are original compositions by Wosko and one is by the late Polish violinist Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist. It seems that Wosko finally found the perfect formula for his music, which is presented here by this quartet, i.e. a melodic Jazz-Rock Fusion, which does full justice to his compositions. Coupled with beautiful execution by all the quartet members, this album guarantees a pleasurable listening experience, without lowering the musical standards. The album is dominated by the enchanting sound of Hekselman´s guitar, with virtuosic phrasing and crystal clear sound bringing on immediately fond memories of early Pat MethenyFind albums by this artist, but definitely presenting a unique and personal approach. Gemmer offers a wonderfully sensitive accompaniment, but sadly does not play too much solo. The rhythm section moves the music forward amicably, playing exactly what is needed in such environment. Although Wosko states in the liner notes that this music represents the meeting of European and American influences, as symbolized by it´s title, personally I find it to be almost completely dominated by contemporary American Jazz approach, with very little of the European aesthetics left, which of course does not diminish its quality. Overall this is a wonderfully crafted Jazz-Rock Fusion album, perfectly executed by the musicians on board and accessible to a very wide range of music lovers, which hopefully will result in at least some commercial success.

Updated: 21/02/2017Posted: 21/02/2017

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RADEK WOSKO / ATLANTIC QUARTET ~ SURGE MULTIKULTI MPJ 025 (Barcode: 5903068683329) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the second album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist and his Atlantic QuartetFind albums by this artist, which includes Norwegian (resident in Copenhagen) guitarist Stian SwenssonFind albums by this artist (who replaced Israeli Gilad HekselmanFind albums by this artist who played on the debut), Danish pianist Soren GemmerFind albums by this artist and Polish bassist Mariusz PrasniewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, eight composed by Wosko and three co-composed by all four members of the quartet. The music, although sonically continuing the guitar dominated Fusion ambience of the debut, is way more open and offers significant proximity to European Jazz elements, including the Nordic loftiness and Polish lyricism, two of the most powerful ingredients of modern European Jazz. It is great to find Wosko finally approaching his "natural" elements in his music, which combined with his maturity and experience accumulated over time and his excellent compositions come all together on this album. The playing is also excellent all the way, with the two Scandinavian melody weavers leading the way with confidence and finesse. Swensson is a wonderful surprise (sadly I failed to hear his debut album so far) and steps easily into Hekselman´s shoes with complete confidence. His playing is the most significant color of the music, but he respectfully leaves space for his cohorts to have their say. He can be firm and decisive but also delicate and considerate, showing great sensitivity. Gemmer is a superbly lyrical player and his sense of melody and atmospheric vistas are simply hair-rising. Prasniewski offers both a solid bottom filling to the quartet´s sound and a significant rhythmic drive. Wosko offers inventive and supportive drumming parts, especially significant during the open / almost free compositions, but does not dominate the music, staying respectfully in-line with the other quartet members. The album is a wonderful example of the ideal balance between melody and order and freedom and open space, which is always so difficult to achieve without pulling the music one way or another; one could almost say that it is case study of such vague and evasive musical phenomenon. Overall this is a beautiful and superbly executed album, for me definitely the best recording by Wosko so far and a gate of hope for his future endeavors. This quartet is a formidable team, which exemplifies the best there is in contemporary, still young but already mature European Jazz. Well done!

Updated: 08/12/2019Posted: 08/12/2019

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ZAWADZKI / PRASNIEWSKI / WOSKO ~ TAGE MULTIKULTI MPJ 009 (Barcode: 5907529223383) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by a young Polish Jazz trio comprising of pianist Sebastian ZawadzkiFind albums by this artist, bassist Mariusz PrasniewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded in Odense (Denmark) where the trio members studied music at the time of the recording at the local Academy, where many other Polish musicians also study music in the last decade. The album presents eight original compositions, five by Zawadzki, one by Wosko and two collective compositions by all three members of the trio. Although recorded at the early stages of their career, this album shows the musicians searching and exploring the Jazz idiom with a youthful carefree approach, not yet bounded by convention and "proper" norms. The music is melodic and falls within the mainstream classic piano trio setting, but it is also pretty adventurous and at times even unconventional. Technically both the pianist and the rhythm section are proficient and sound professional. Zawadzki shows early signs of his brilliant technique, which will blossom a bit later, as evident on his subsequent albums. Prasniewski plays beautifully, with great feel and intrinsic melodious elegance, always exactly when his support is needed, and so does Wosko, who manages to keep the volume of his drums at a suitable level, not being obstructive with his solo spots being truly inspired. The two collective compositions are much more open and improvised than the strictly composed pieces, and are the highlights of this album, showing the trio´s experimentation and more ambitious approach. Zawadzki´s tunes are a bit too sweet at times, but definitely not crossing over into the sugary muzak. Overall a very impressive debut, which is just a glimpse at these talented young musicians, a sonic document caught for posterity. It is definitely nothing to be ashamed of and can be proudly mentioned in their respective CVs as a jumpstart success.

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