Record Reviews

ADAM GOLICKI ~ THE GREAT TIME AFRO VIBE 009 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2024 - 2025 Released: 2025 After a decade since his arrival on the Polish Jazz scene, drummer / composer / bandleader Adam GolickiFind albums by this artist proved to be one of the most fascinating personalities with a truly chameleonic scope of activity, shunning genre and style definitions with ease and elegance. This new album is no exception and it is both surprising and innovative beyond expectation. The concept is seemingly a “Jazz & Strings” affair, but in contrast to most albums that belong to this niche, here the strings are not hiding in the background, au contraire, they are a completely equal partner to all the rest of the participants, up front and as flamboyant as all the rest. As shocking as it may appear at the first glance (or rather first note), the idea works perfectly. As if the strings were not enough, the composer unveils another weapon of choice, adding wonderful vocalese (and vocals) to stir things up even more. In short expect the unexpected. In order to realize this maverick idea, Golicki collected a formidable team of top Polish Jazz musicians: Maestro Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, who is not only a superb pianist but also a brilliant arranger, with deep knowledge of Classical Music as well, vocalist extraordinaire Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, wonderful guitarist Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, brilliant bassist Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist and of course the Polish String Philharmonic SopotFind albums by this artist, conducted by Szymon MorusFind albums by this artist. With Golicki behind the drums and a couple of guest saxophonist (Gilad AtzmonFind albums by this artist and Rafal JackiewiczFind albums by this artist) this entire crew are able to create some of the most delightful Jazz music one can imagine, pushing the “Jazz & Strings” concept into a new dimension. And last, but not least, my notion, that Jazz drummers are often also some of the most successful composers, gets another seal of approval on this album. The music is just marvelous, full of typical Polish lyricism and deeply implanted harmony, which is as heartwrenching as it is convincing aesthetically. I rest my case! 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: 16/11/2025Posted: 16/11/2025

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RAFAL JACKIEWICZ ~ SEA POETRY NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2025 Released: 2025 This is the 2nd album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Rafal JackiewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Piotr DziadkowiecFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw BorowieckiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six tracks, all of which are original compositions by Jackiewicz. The music is strongly based on modern European Jazz, based on melodic themes, mostly slow tempo lyrical ballads, which are characteristic of Polish Jazz. Jackiewicz has a gentle, somewhat sentimental tone, which is very delicate and soothing. He is densely supported by Dziadkowiec, who in fact performs most of the solo parts and is just a bit too high in the mix for my liking, which dominates the proceedings, but his technique and inventiveness are top notch. The rhythm section supports the two front players superbly, especially due to the splendid bass playing by Kitajewski, who is one of the busiest young bassist on the local scene, with a long list of recordings to his credit. This album is much stronger, more coherent and interesting than his debut, with almost the same lineup, released in 2021, marking a step in the right direction. Overall, this is another splendid Jazz album by the young generation of the Polish Jazz players, who seem to be unstoppable in their path of building their careers, exploding with both composing and performing skills. There is simply nothing not to like here, and for lovers of the Polish Jazz lyricism, this album should be like honey to their ears.

Updated: 05/02/2026Posted: 05/02/2026

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RAFAL JACKIEWICZ ~ SOMETIMES NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the debut album by young Polish (born in Lithuania) Jazz saxophonist / composer Rafal JackiewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quartet setting with pianist Piotr DziadkowiecFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal DziewinskiFind albums by this artist. Trombonist Robert KosinskiFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, all by the leader. The music is strictly within the mainstream Jazz idiom, based on well-structured melodic themes, mostly ballads with typical Polish melancholy prevailing. The album flows gently from track to track, presenting a pleasant listening experience, without leaving a resounding or lasting statement. Jackiewicz has a beautiful clear sound but his improvisations are still rather limited. Dziadkoweic supports the leader amicably and plays a few coherent and delicate soli. I could not find any evidence of them both recording previously, so if this is their debut appearance on record they certainly show a lot of potential. The members of the rhythm section are much more experienced, with well documented recording legacy, which is not surprisingly reflected in their performances here. Overall, this is a very nice debut effort, which although hardly innovative, shows solid knowledge of the Jazz tradition and potential, which is surely to be reflected in the future explorations by the leader and other musicians appearing here. Well done and Good luck!

Updated: 05/02/2026Posted: 29/12/2021

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