Record Reviews
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  | DON ELLIS / WOJCIECH KAROLAK TRIO ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.02
POLSKIE RADIO 1590 (Barcode: 5907812245900) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1962 Released: 2013
This is the second installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material presented here was recorded in 1962 during the 5th Jazz Jamboree and features American trumpeter Don EllisFind albums by this artist, accompanied by a Polish rhythm section consisting of pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. All the six tracks were recorded live during the Festival, the last of which is an extended suite composed by Polish pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist presented as part of a concert dedicated to the Third Stream (early Jazz-Classical Fusion initiated by American composer Gunther SchullerFind albums by this artist in the late 1950s). On that track the quartet is accompanied by the Polish National Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. Of the five shorter Jazz pieces, two are original compositions by Ellis and the remaining three are standards.
Ellis was the second US musician who opted to play with a local rhythm section, following Stan GetzFind albums by this artist who did so two years earlier (as captured on the first volume of this series). Although he was just 28 years old at the time, he already had a lot of experience and quite a reputation as a result of playing with many top American Jazz acts in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His Polish partners: Karolak (aged 23), Dylag (aged 24) and Dabrowski (aged 24) sound like veterans, obviously ready and able for the occasion. Ellis was the ideal choice as a performer of the orchestral piece by Trzaskowski, as he was one of the musicians / composers involved in this genre from its early stage.
There is a clear division between the first part of this album, which includes the five Jazz pieces and the orchestral suite, which is quite Avant-Garde and geared more towards Classical music listeners. Both parts are excellent, each presenting different merits of course. The fact that Trzaskowski composed the orchestral suite at that time is quite astonishing, considering the limited information about contemporary musical trends and developments that managed to cross over from behind the iron curtain. Obviously he was a man of great vision beyond his obvious talents as a player and composer.
The wonderful ambience of the hall and the remastered sound quality are spectacular, worm and natural, leaving many contemporary recordings way behind, even though they were done 51 years ago using quite primitive equipment.
The only note of criticism about this new edition is the lack of a proper booklet with proper liner notes, photographs and other well deserved details, which this monumental music truly deserves. Polish Radio really should have made an effort there. A pity!
In retrospect this is a great document of the era and an integral part of the Polish Jazz saga, which deserves to be told and studied. The presence of the orchestral suite makes this an absolute must for collectors of Polish Jazz albums and Third Stream followers.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | STAN GETZ / ANDRZEJ TRZASKOWSKI TRIO ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.01
POLSKIE RADIO 1567 (Barcode: 5907812245672) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1960 Released: 2013
This is the first installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material presented here was recorded in 1960 during the 3rd Jazz Jamboree and features American saxophone Giant Stan GetzFind albums by this artist, accompanied by a Polish rhythm section consisting of pianist Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. Nine of the twelve tracks included here were recorded live during the Festival and the additional three tracks were recorded in the same hall but late at night, without any spectators being presents. All the music comprises of Jazz standards. This recording was made before Getz reached the superstar popularity as a result of his Bossa Nova recordings a couple of years later, but he was already a much respected saxophonist with a very impressive record behind him, although he was just 33 years old at the time.
The story about why Getz opted to play with a local rhythm section has many versions. Most Polish sources quote some vague statements indicating this as being a conscious decision made "in recognition of the talent of the young Polish Jazz musicians". That version has very little support in reality. One should bear in mind that Getz was living at the time in Scandinavia and did not have a steady group he performed with in Scandinavia, where he actually arrived from to play at the Jazz Jamboree (not from the USA). When I talked to Getz about his first visit in Poland (he was there again in 1974 and 1980), he told me that he heard just a little about Jazz in Poland before he arrived there, thanks to the early relationships between the Polish and the Scandinavian scenes, which was about to be expanded in the years to come. His willingness to play with the young Poles should be rather credited to his open-mindedness and general good nature, with always characterized him as a person. Also let us not forget that the logistics and costs involved with bringing an entire quartet from the USA at that time were quite beyond the capabilities of the festival´s organizers.
As to the music, there is actually no need to say much about it. Getz plays divinely, as usual, with his unique tone and virtuosity and the sweetest saxophone sound ever. Obviously enjoying himself enormously, he allows the rhythm section to stretch out, playing relatively long solos. The young Poles: Trzaskowski (aged 27), Dylag (aged 22) and Dabrowski (aged 22) sound like veterans, obviously uplifted spiritually by the event. The music is simply perfect, from start to finish. The wonderful ambience of the hall and the remastered sound quality are spectacular, worm and natural, leaving many contemporary recordings way behind, even though they were done 53 years ago using quite primitive equipment. In short everything about this album is simply miraculous.
The only note of criticism about this new edition is the lack of a proper booklet with proper liner notes, photographs and other well deserved details, which this monumental music truly deserves. Polish Radio really should have made an effort there. A pity!
No wander that this material (in one form or another) was bootlegged countless times and the original vinyl release ("Stan Getz W PolsceFind albums with this title") reached outrageous sums on the collectors´ market all over the world. Now they are available in the best sounding quality ever for the price of a regular CD, so don´t even dare to think about this twice. This is an absolute must!
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  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ BALLET ETUDES
BE! JAZZ 6087 (Barcode: 4251160250873) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1963 Released: 2004
This is a reissue of the iconic debut album by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. This was not only Komeda’s full album debut release, but also the first Polish Jazz album released outside of Poland.
The album was recorded in a quintet / quartet setting, with Polish saxophonist Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist, Swedish drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist and Danish trumpeter Allan BotschinskyFind albums by this artist (in quintet only). It was recorded in Copenhagen on May 3rd, 1963 and released on the Danish MetronomeFind albums on this label label. The album presents three tracks, all original compositions by Komeda. The title track, originally composed for the 1962 Jazz Jamboree festival appearance, lasts for almost twenty-two minutes and was of unprecedented length and complex structure for the time. It was recorded in the quintet setting. The remaining two tracks were recorded in the quartet setting. One of them is the legendary “Crazy Girl” from the soundtrack of the “Knife in the Water” 1962 Polish film directed by Roman PolanskiFind albums by this artist. The album’s liner notes were written by Danish poet / film director Jorgen LethFind albums by this artist, who was familiar with the Polish Jazz scene.
The music remains as revolutionary and prophetic as it was at the time of its recording, and lost absolutely nothing of its glory over time, which brilliantly exemplifies the fact that Jazz Music did not change radically in these sixty years, nor did it make a significant conceptual movement forward (or in any other direction). Komeda’s genius, although sadly appearing only briefly on the Jazz timeline, created enough impact to influence the shape of thigs on the Polish / European Jazz scene, which firmly lasts to this very day.
This album was reissued time and again, reappearing here and there unexpectedly, often completely illegally, with diverse sound quality, questionable graphic design and proper historic background information. This specific German edition offers good sound quality and is available, albeit pricey. Nor sure about the legality… The ultimate reissue edition is still waiting to be made.
Overall, this is a monumental historic document about the breakthrough of the Polish / European Jazz, searching for its identity independent from the American Jazz tradition and opening a new chapter in its history. For Polish Jazz fans / enthusiasts / connoisseurs this is a true Holy Grail.
Side Note:
On a personal side of this album – I was given a copy of this album, autographed by Komeda and Polanski, for my 12th Birthday in December of 1963. I already had a collection of vinyl albums, including Polish and foreign releases, and the collector’s plague was already well planted at that age.
When our family was expelled from Poland in 1967, we were allowed to take only US$ 5 per person and a small crate of family possessions, which was strictly controlled by Polish custom officers.
I naturally tried to take my vinyl collection with me, taking the most valuable (to me) items, including this album, but to my dismay and despair, the customs people confiscated the album, as well as all my original early Beatles albums, which I received from my aunt in London, claiming that they were illegally imported into Poland and were not allowed to leave the country. I was allowed to take only the albums manufactured in Poland, so obviously I took all the early Polish Jazz Series albums, which I had.
That incident did not break my collector’s passion, which only grew with time, but it left a bitter taste on my way to Freedom. It also did not blemish my love of the Polish Culture, which I cultivated even when living abroad. Sometimes I wonder where the autographed copy of this album eventually found its home?
| | Updated: 05/04/2024Posted: 05/04/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA W POLSKIM RADIU VOL.02 – MUZYKA BALETOWA I FILMOWA – CZESC PIERWSZA
POLSKIE RADIO 1862 (Barcode: 5907812248628) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1959 - 1963 Released: 2014
This is the second installment in a new series of albums launched by the Polish Radio, which presents radio recordings by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Komeda is of course the most familiar name associated with Polish Jazz and his legacy is of crucial importance to Polish and European Jazz. Considering the fact that Komeda´s studio recordings are relatively scarce, the radio recordings are in fact the main source of his recorded legacy, as they include among others the Jazz Jamboree festival appearances by Komeda and his various ensembles over the years.
Recorded between 1959 and 1963 this volume collects only original music that Komeda composed for ballet and cinema and performed with his groups during the 1961 edition of the Jazz Jamboree festival in Warsaw (one track), the 1962 edition (four tracks) and 1963 edition (one track). The remaining two tracks are radio studio recordings. The music includes the following compositions: "Ballet Etudes", written by Komeda to be performed by a Jazz ensemble accompanying ballet dancers, which had its premiere during the 1962 Jazz Jamboree with dancers from the Warsaw Opera, theme from the film "Innocent Sorcerers" directed by Andrzej WajdaFind albums by this artist and the monumental music from the debut full length film "Knife In The Water" directed by Roman PolanskiFind albums by this artist. As any Polish Jazz enthusiast knows, this is the cradle of modern Polish Jazz and includes some of its most defining moments, as well as the essence of Komeda, the composer.
The list of the musicians participating in these recordings reads like the who´s who of early modern Polish Jazz: vocalist Wanda WarskaFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, bassists Roman DylagFind albums by this artist, Adam SkorupkaFind albums by this artist, Jan ByrczekFind albums by this artist and Maciej SuzinFind albums by this artist, drummers Leszek DudziakFind albums by this artist, Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist and Tadeusz FederowskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jozef GawrychFind albums by this artist. Three Swedish musicians also participate: saxophonist Bernt RosengrenFind albums by this artist, trombonist Eje ThelinFind albums by this artist and drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist.
Overall this is a collection of brilliant music, superbly performed, which is an absolute revelation to anybody who loves Jazz. It is a fundamental piece of every decent Jazz record collection.
The recordings are splendidly restored and remastered and nicely packaged in an elegant digipak / slipcase. Dates, places and lineups are faithfully included and even personal liner notes by young Polish Jazz critics are present, but there is no in-depth background material about Komeda and his music, however considering the plentitude of published material and several excellent books on the subject, an intelligent listener can easily bridge the knowledge gap. The only small reservation one might have is the fact that these recordings have been already released many times, more or less legally on the somewhat untamed Polish music market, which means they is already owned by the serious Polish Jazz collectors, probably more than once.
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  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA W POLSKIM RADIU VOL.05 – MUZYKA BALETOWA I FILMOWA - CZESC DRUGA
POLSKIE RADIO 1865 (Barcode: 5907812248659) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1961 - 1964 Released: 2015
This is the fifth installment in a new series of albums launched by the Polish Radio, which presents radio recordings by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Komeda is of course the most familiar name associated with Polish Jazz and his legacy is of crucial importance to Polish and European Jazz. Considering the fact that Komeda´s studio recordings are relatively scarce, the radio recordings are in fact the main source of his recorded legacy, as they include among others the Jazz Jamboree festival appearances by Komeda and his various ensembles over the years.
Eight of the ten tracks on this album were recorded between 1961 and 1964 during the forth to seventh edition of the seminal Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw, this collection showcases legendary Komeda ensembles (quintet / trio), which in many respects were the quintessential vehicles, which presented Komeda´s music at its pinnacle. Two additional tracks were recorded in the Polish Radio Studio, both featuring vocals, the second of which is especially interesting as it presents an early recording by vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist.
The musicians, besides Komeda of course, include top Polish Jazz musicians at the time: trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, bassists Maciej SuzinFind albums by this artist and Roman DylagFind albums by this artist, drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, vocalist Wanda WarskaFind albums by this artist and others, as well as Swedish musicians: saxophonist Bernt RosengrenFind albums by this artist and drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist.
The music is of course selected to reflect Komeda´s involvement with composing music for cinema, theatre and ballet. A few bonus tracks are also added, which are not connected with the above, but present rarely heard Komeda´s recording. Overall this is a collection of excellent Jazz music, superbly performed, which is an absolute delight to anybody who loves Jazz. It is a fundamental piece of every decent Polish Jazz record collection, especially in the case of the younger generation of listeners, which is just getting acquainted with the enormous legacy of Polish Jazz.
The recordings are splendidly restored and remastered and nicely packaged in an elegant digipak / slipcase. Dates, places and lineups are faithfully included and even personal liner notes by Polish Jazz critic Filip KosinskiFind albums by this artist are present, but there is no in-depth background material about Komeda and his music, however considering the plentitude of published material and several excellent books on the subject, an intelligent listener can easily bridge the knowledge gap. The only small reservation one might have is the fact that these recordings have been already released many times, more or less legally on the somewhat untamed Polish music market, which means they is already owned by the serious Polish Jazz collectors, probably more than once.
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  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA W POLSKIM RADIU VOL.06 – MUZYKA FILMOWA ORAZ JAZZ I POEZJA
POLSKIE RADIO 1938 (Barcode: 5907812249380) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 - 1967 Released: 2016
This is the sixth installment in a new series of albums launched by the Polish Radio, which presents radio recordings by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Komeda is of course the most familiar name associated with Polish Jazz and his legacy is of crucial importance to Polish and European Jazz. Considering the fact that Komeda´s studio recordings are relatively scarce, the radio recordings are in fact the main source of his recorded legacy, as they include among others the Jazz Jamboree festival appearances by Komeda and his various ensembles over the years.
The first part of the music included here originates in the Polish Radio recording session from 1967, which presents the Komeda Quintet with trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist. The quintet performs four original Komeda compositions. The second part was recorded live during the 1965 Jazz Jamboree Festival and features the Komeda Quartet with Stanko, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and Carlsson. The quartet performs two original Komeda compositions. Three of the quintet tracks can be associated with the Polish Jazz & Poetry movement, the last quintet track and the first quartet track are both examples of cinematic music Komeda created for movie soundtracks and the last bonus track is a live performance of Komeda´s most famous tune "Astigmatic", which gave the title to his groundbreaking debut album.
The Komeda Quintet present on this album recorded an entire album in the Jazz & Poetry idiom, which was produced by the legendary Joachim Berendt. That album called "Meine Susse Europaische HeimatFind albums with this title" was released in West Germany and became in time one of the most iconic Jazz & Poetry recordings in Polish and European Jazz. All of the music on this album is of course some of the most prophetic and revolutionary European Jazz ever recorded, and as such deserves to be a part of every decent music library on this planet.
The recordings are splendidly restored and remastered and nicely packaged in an elegant digipak / slipcase. Dates, places and lineups are faithfully included and even personal liner notes by Polish Jazz critic Roch SicinskiFind albums by this artist are present, but there is no in-depth background material about Komeda and his music, however considering the plentitude of published material and several excellent books on the subject, an intelligent listener can easily bridge the knowledge gap. The only small reservation one might have is the fact that these recordings have been already released many times, more or less legally on the somewhat untamed Polish music market, which means they is already owned by the serious Polish Jazz collectors, probably more than once.
| | Updated: 05/07/2016Posted: 05/07/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA W POLSKIM RADIU VOL.07 – LITANIA
POLSKIE RADIO 1939 (Barcode: 5907812249397) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2016
This is the seventh installment in a new series of albums launched by the Polish Radio, which presents radio recordings by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Komeda is of course the most familiar name associated with Polish Jazz and his legacy is of crucial importance to Polish and European Jazz. Considering the fact that Komeda´s studio recordings are relatively scarce, the radio recordings are in fact the main source of his recorded legacy, as they include among others the Jazz Jamboree festival appearances by Komeda and his various ensembles over the years.
The music presented here is part of the very last recordings made by Komeda before his death, all done in October 1967, which was a very busy time for him just before he left Poland for the US on December 17, 1967 and returned already in a comatose state following his tragic accident in October 1968.
Between October 7 and October 10, 1967 the Komeda Quintet with trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist recorded in Baden Baden, Germany the seminal album "Meine Susse Europaische Heimat: Dichtung Und Jazz Aus PolenFind albums with this title", which was produced by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist. The album was originally planned to be recorded in May 1967, and most sources state this as the recording date, but due to Komeda´s illness the recording was in fact postponed and took place as stated above. This album created a great stir behind the Iron Curtain and presented openly Polish Jazz and Polish Poetry to the Western public for the first time.
Dylag, who was living in Sweden at the time, and Carlsson arrived in Germany from Sweden invited especially for this recording and continued together with the rest of the Quintet (riding two cars) to Warsaw, where the Komeda Quartet (Quintet less Namyslowski) played a concert on October 14, 1967 during the Jazz Jamboree Festival. The concert included Komeda´s extended composition "Night Time, Day Time Requiem" dedicated to the memory of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, composed shortly after Coltrane´s death in July 1967, which is included here.
Immediately following the Jazz Jamboree appearance, most probably on October 16 or 17, 1967, the Quintet recorded a session at the Polish Radio studio, which included six tunes, including "Litania" and another version of "Night Time, Day Time Requiem", both of which are included here. The other four tunes were already included on the previous album of this series
The Quartet also recorded a concert for the Polish Television, which also presents "Night Time, Day Time Requiem" and a mega rare interview with Komeda conducted by Polish Jazz critic and broadcaster Roman WaschkoFind albums by this artist.
Considering the fact that Dylag and Carlsson had visas to stay in Poland for just one week, and left Poland immediately before the visas expired, it is certain that all the music recorded in Poland was recorded within that particular week.
The music reflects beautifully the development of Komeda as a pianist / composer / bandleader in the last period of his activity. Coltrane´s death had an immense influence on Komeda, who was a great admirer of the American Giant and followed his path of discovery closely. The piece dedicated to Coltrane is spiritually the closest piece of Polish Jazz music to the music of Coltrane during his latest period.
It is fascinating to compare the two versions of "Night Time, Day Time Requiem"; the earlier live version, played by the Quartet, is masterly performed but still not fully emotionally developed, while the emotional elements erupt on the second version, recorded just days later by the Quintet. Therefore this album is certainly one of the most important Komeda albums, catching Komeda at his absolute peak as a composer with the magnificent "Litania" and performer with the music dedicated to Coltrane.
The recordings are splendidly restored and remastered and nicely packaged in an elegant digipak / slipcase, but there is no in-depth background material about Komeda and his music; however considering the plentitude of published material and several excellent books on the subject, an intelligent listener can easily bridge the knowledge gap. The only small reservation one might have is the fact that these recordings have been already released many times, more or less legally on the somewhat untamed Polish music market, which means they is already owned by the serious Polish Jazz collectors, probably more than once.
Side Note:
On the album´s liner notes the two versions of "Night Time, Day Time Requiem" are listed in reverse order to the order they actually appear on the CD. Also the recording date of the studio version of "Night Time, Day Time Requiem" is listed as 1968, which is not possible as stated above.
| | Updated: 05/04/2024Posted: 02/10/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ MEINE SUSSE EUROPAISCHE HEIMAT: DICHTUNG UND JAZZ AUS POLEN
ANEX 401 (Barcode: 5907513047957) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2012
This is not just an album; for people who love Polish Jazz and Polish Culture, this is a monumental piece of Art and History… And for Polish Jazz this is probably the most important recording ever made, surely as far as international exposure of Polish Jazz is concerned.
This album was devised, planned and eventually completed thanks to the efforts of Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, a German writer, critic, producer (and my dear personal Friend and Mentor), one of the most important figures on the European Jazz scene during its formative years. Berendt, a devoted intellectual, was an enthusiastic supporter of early multi-media collaborations involving Jazz, especially in the Jazz & Poetry realm, fell in love with Polish Jazz from the moment he heard it during the groundbreaking second Sopot Jazz Festival in 1957, which he attended accompanying a delegation of German Jazz players.
The plans to make this album were planted in his mind then and there, but unfortunately the Iron Curtain, the invisible great divide splitting Europe in two during the Cold War era, was stronger than the goodwill of the people who wanted to make it happen. It took a whole decade until Berendt was able to invite pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist and his group, which included trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist, to his SWF radio studio in Baden-Baden to finally record the music.
In parallel Berendt invited the German translator Karl DedeciusFind albums by this artist, who was the most important and pioneering translator of Polish and Russian literature and poetry into the German language, to select and translate the poems, which were to be combined with Komeda´s music and recited by actor Helmut LohnerFind albums by this artist. Dedecius made a brilliant job, obviously a labor of lave for him, both as a translator and editor, selecting twenty four poems by Polish poets, many of which were at the time relatively obscure and politically "problematic" for the Socialistic regime. In retrospect two of these poets: Wislawa SzymborskaFind albums by this artist and Czeslaw MiloszFind albums by this artist were eventually to be awarded the Nobel Prize in literature – not a bad guess indeed.
By the time this album was recorded Komeda was of course already the undisputed Godfather of modern Polish Jazz, as well as a world-famous composer of film music, most notably those directed by Roman PolanskiFind albums by this artist, but also many others. His quintet was one of the best European Jazz ensembles at the time, which of course is clearly evident on this recording. Komeda´s themes are perfect companions to the poems, full of lyricism and deep emotions, expressive and often quite free form, enabling the soloists to expand the basic structure into improvised passages.
The album was originally released in West Germany by EMI / ColumbiaFind albums on this label in 1967 and the original vinyl is a super-rare collectors´ item. This new edition adds as bonus tracks three of the themes used on the original album, recorded in extended instrumental versions by the same quintet, which are of course sensational. The album is beautifully packaged in a book-like digipak, which includes the original liner notes by Berendt and many splendid photographs. The texts (both Polish and the German translations) of the poems are unfortunately not included (except one), which is a pity, but obtaining all the copyrights was probably too much of a nightmare. An extended essay about this album should have also been appropriately written.
The fact that this album was not available (at least in a proper form) for forty five years is a shame and this new edition falls under "better late than never" category. Polish Jazz connoisseurs should of course be delighted, finally being able to savor this timeless piece of Art. I can´t imagine any serious Polish Jazz enthusiast not having this album in their collection. I think I can see the late Joachim Berendt smiling, somewhere in the "higher sphere", seeing his brain-child resurrected…
| | Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ LIVE IN BLED 1965
GAD 279 (Barcode: 5903068125096) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 Released: 2023
The archival material presented on this album is a highly important document of the Eastern European Jazz scene, which thrived behind the Iron Curtain in the 1960s. It sheds light not only on the pioneering work of pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, the Godfather of Polish Jazz, but also on the entire Jazz scene that managed to exist against all odds under the Socialist Regime, including the presence of Jazz clubs, festivals, concerts and even recordings released by the State owned record labels.
The music, which is all previously unreleased, was recorded in June 1965 at the 6th edition of the International Jazz Festival in former Yugoslavia, one of the Eastern Bloc countries that boasted a booming music scene and was considered as the most liberal and Western oriented country behind the Iron Curtain. The festival, which was inaugurated in 1960, was held at the picturesque Slovenian town of Bled, and was one of the biggest such festivals, hosting both local and international Jazz musicians. Polish Jazz musicians were a permanent feature of the festival, including the Polish quartet led by pianist Andrzej KurylewiczFind albums by this artist with singer Wanda WarskaFind albums by this artist in 1962, the quintet / trio led by pianist Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist in 1963 and the Polish Jazz QuartetFind albums by this artist in 1964, before the concert by Komeda and his quintet in 1965.
The lineup of the quintet included, alongside Komeda, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and the performance consists of just two extended pieces: “Kattorna” (17:20) and “Svantetic” (21:32), both composed by Komeda and both appearing on his Polish debut album “AstigmaticFind albums with this title”, recorded some six months later and released as part of the legendary “Polish Jazz” series, an album which is often considered as the most iconic Polish Jazz recording of all time.
For every Komeda follower, the comparison between this recording and the “Astigmatic” album is absolutely called for and unavoidable. The obvious differences are as follows: the three different musicians present on the studio recording: saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Gunter LentzFind albums by this artist and drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist, the much shorter versions of the compositions (7:20 and 15:50 respectively) and last but not least the spontaneity and sense of Freedom prevailing on this recording, as opposed to the tension and rigidity present on the studio recording. This, combined with the much better sound quality this recording offers, results simply in a much more striking version of “Astigmatic”, which of course is a sensational discovery, considering the fact that this music was hidden in the vaults for almost sixty years.
The individual performances by the musicians are also quite different. Stanko is way fierier, Komeda soloes more extensively, and the Polish rhythm section of Dylag / Dabrowski is absolutely more inventive and interesting than the German / Swedish one, in short, again, this recording is simply a superior version of “Astigmatic”.
Listeners less familiar with Komeda and his musical world, will find here a musician / composer fascinated with the revolutionary Jazz developments, which happened across the Atlantic, mostly those involving the prophetic work of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. Komeda, perhaps like no other East European Jazz musician, managed to amalgamate the African spirituality, which obsessed Coltrane in the last feverish period of his life, with the European spirituality of lyricism and romanticism, creating a new form of expression, which although existed for a relatively brief period of time, managed to upturn and revolutionize Polish Jazz forever and overflow the borders of his country across the whole of Europe.
Every new piece of recorded material by Komeda, which reveals a previously unknown window into his creativity and Art, is a true Holy Grail of European Jazz. But when it is as significant as the music presented here, it becomes an instant classic and a true treasure of Jazz history, important not only to Polish Jazz but to the entire Jazz universe, being a guiding light, which no true Jazz enthusiast can afford to miss.
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: 21/02/2024Posted: 21/02/2024 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | NOVI ~ NOVI IN WONDERLAND
MPS 2541 (Barcode: 4988005209900) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1968 Released: 1998
This is a Japanese reissue of the legendary album by the no less legendary Polish Jazz vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, led by vocalist / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist, which also included Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist and Janusz MychFind albums by this artist. On this album they are accompanied by a rhythm section, which comprises of Polish pianist Adam MatyszkowiczFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist) and bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and American (resident in Europe since 1964) drummer Billy BrooksFind albums by this artist. American trumpeter Idrees SuleimanFind albums by this artist and Polish saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist participate on selected tracks. The album presents five original compositions, three by Kawka and two by Parzynski, and four standards, three arranged by Parzynski and one by Kawka.
The album was produced by my Friend and Mentor, Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, and was recorded at the celebrated SABA studio in Villingen, Black Forest, where so many of the great European Jazz albums were recorded between mid-1960s and late 1970s. It was one of the first recordings of a Polish Jazz ensemble made outside is their country and across the Iron Curtain, which was a sensational occurrence at the time. Berendt, who was an avid Polish Jazz lover and supporter, helped the Polish Jazz scene tremendously during its hard times. Sadly he is rarely remembered today, which is of course a crying shame.
Musically as well and sonically this is definitely one of the best recordings by NOVI, recorded at their creative peak. Chronologically this was their second album, but since it was not released in Poland (and still is not available there) it is not usually counted as part of their Polish discography. Both the vocal and the instrumental parts are absolutely perfect and are part on the vocal Jazz canon, created earlier on by the French vocal Jazz ensembles Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist.
The original vinyl copy of this album is a mega-rare collectors´ item and is priced accordingly. This Japanese reissue is also pretty rare these days. For Polish Jazz collectors and faithful fans, this is an absolute must of course.
Side Note
The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet.
In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker.
Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace.
In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically.
Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.
| | Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 14/07/2017 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | EJE THELIN QUINTET ~ AT THE GERMAN JAZZ FESTIVAL 1964
DRAGON 374 (Barcode: 7391953003747) ~ SWEDEN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1964 Released: 2002
This is a reissue / remaster of a live album by Swedish trombonist / composer / bandleader Eje ThelinFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet, which also included saxophonist Ulf AnderssonFind albums by this artist, Belgian pianist / flautist Joel VandroogenbroekFind albums by this artist, Polish (resident in Sweden) bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, two of which are originals by Thelin, one is by Vandroogenbroek, another one is by Swedish pianist / composer Lars SjostenFind albums by this artist and three are standards. The last track is a previously unreleased bonus. The sound quality of this 1964 recording is absolutely stunning (well the German radio sound engineers were as good as their British peers). The album’s booklet reprints the original liner notes of the German edition, written by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, whom I miss every day.
Thelin was one of the great pioneers of European Jazz, and although he was strongly influenced by the American Jazz tradition, later on in his career he embraced modern European aesthetics. Dylag was a Polish Jazz pioneer and played on many early Polish Jazz recordings, including those by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, where Thelin and Carlsson also played. After he emigrated to Sweden, he was the “Polish connection” for many Polish Jazz musicians, who kick started their careers in Scandinavia.
The music is mostly Bebop oriented, but the European finesse and elegance turns the album into an instant classic, which shows that by the mid-1960s the Europeans were catching up with what arose across the pond, soon to leave the Americans behind deep in the dust ;)
Overall, this is a classic early European Jazz recording, which shows how well the local musicians learned from what was happening across the pond, ready to go their separate ways soon after. Brilliant reminder of the mid-1960, when I was growing up listening to this kind of stuff.
| | Updated: 28/01/2025Posted: 28/01/2025 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANDRZEJ TRZASKOWSKI ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.05
POLSKIE RADIO 1609 (Barcode: 5907812246099) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1962 Released: 2013
This is the fifth installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material presented here presents the iconic figure of the post WWII Polish Jazz pioneer, pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist. Of the twelve tracks on this album, first five are live recordings from the 1962 Jazz Jamboree Festival and the remaining seven are studio radio recordings from the same year. The material was recorded by three different lineups: The WreckersFind albums by this artist quintet (which alternated bass players), which included saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, bassists Roman DylagFind albums by this artist or Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam JedrzejowskiFind albums by this artist, the Andrzej Trzaskowski Quintet, which had the same lineup as The Wreckers, except for drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and the Andrzej Trzaskowski Trio, which included bassist Roman Dylag and drummer Adam Jedrzejowski. The material includes both original compositions by Trzaskowski (four of the five live tracks) and modern Jazz standards.
Listeners familiar with the Polish Jazz history will of course notice immediately that the core of Trzaskowski´s group (Namyslowski and Urbaniak) was also the core of the soon to be formed revolutionary ensemble led by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, and Dylag already played with Komeda as a member of his trio at the very same Jazz Jamboree 1962 Festival. This brings on the issue of the buried controversy as to who was in fact the pivotal Godfather figure of the Polish Jazz, Andrzej Trzaskowski or Krzysztof Komeda. Komeda (born 1931), who was a couple of years older from Trzaskowski (born 1933) but they both definitely belonged to the same generation, both dominated the scene in the late 1950s and early to mid 1960s and both were breaking new ground with their music, as performers and composers. Of course Komeda will go down in history as the overall winner of this little debated contest, due to his enormous international success as composer of film music, which Trzaskowski also dealt with but with a much lesser success.
Considering the fact that Trzaskowski´s recorded legacy is lamentably limited, this album is a superb addition to his heritage, especially in view of the top-form performances and fantastic remastering work, which makes the music herein sound fresh, clear and vibrant. Namyslowski and Urbaniak fans will also have a field day with this music, which documents the early days of their illustrious careers. This album is therefore a "must have" for any Polish Jazz fan, old and young alike, as this music is ageless and its historic significance is priceless.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | MICHAL URBANIAK ~ INACTIN
UBX 1020 (Barcode: 888174593128) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2014
This is a reissue of the second album recorded for the small German label SpiegeleiFind albums on this label by the ensemble headed by Polish Jazz saxophonist / violinist / composer Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist. The ensemble included also Urbaniak´s wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist, drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist and Yugoslav percussionist Branislav KovacevFind albums by this artist. The album includes seven tracks, all composed by Urbaniak.
This album has several similarities to the live album Urbaniak and his ensemble recorded in 1973 in Poland, released as part of the legendary Polish Jazz series (Vol. 36) and entitled "In ConcertFind albums with this title", which in retrospect was one of Polish Jazz most significant and pivotal recordings and a giant milestone towards the discovery of Jazz-Rock Fusion on the local scene. Those two albums share several of the compositions and almost identical core lineup and most importantly the unique stylistic approach, which mixed Jazz, Rock, Electronics and Free Jazz in a way never previously attempted.
The Spiegelei contact, which also produced the album "Paratyphus BFind albums with this title" recorded a year earlier with the same lineup except for Pawel JarzebskFind albums by this artisti on bass, happened as a result of the success Urbaniak achieved in Europe touring there extensively in the early 1970s, which culminated with his appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1971 and winning there a first prize as instrumentalist, at the time still playing the saxophone. The switch to violin, which was Urbaniak´s original instrument, changed his career dramatically and marked the new period in his career. The entire period marks a turbulent time for Urbaniak and Dudziak, with their dramatic emigration to USA soon after.
The music Urbaniak´s group created was definitely one of the most innovative and adventurous experiments done at the time, surely by any musicians originating from behind the Iron Curtain. The freedom of expression, which originated in the Free Jazz, mixed with the use of electric instruments and electronic voice enhancements, emerged as some of the most exciting sounds then, and to same extent even today, almost four decades later. Urbaniak used Polish folk motifs and uneven meters to make things even more exciting and Dudziak´s visionary usage of the human voice was eons ahead of its time.
In retrospect the two Spiegelei albums and the three albums Urbaniak recorded for ColumbiaFind albums on this label in the USA during the years immediately after his arrival there remain to this very day as his strongest statements, with the body of work created by him and his groups in the early 1970s being unsurpassed.
The sonic quality of this album is rather Lo-Fi in today´s standards and it’s a pity that a proper remastering effort was not attempted. The album´s liner notes are pretty sketchy and such significant reissue surely deserves much better. Nevertheless this is an iconic piece of music and as such deserves to be listened to today, after being unavailable for a scandalously long period of time.
| | Updated: 01/06/2018Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MICHAL URBANIAK ~ SOUND PIECES
MOOSICUS 1223 (Barcode: 885513122322) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2023
This is an expanded 3CD reissue / remaster of the two albums, “Paratyphus BFind albums with this title” and “InactinFind albums with this title”, recorded for the small German label SpiegeleiFind albums on this label by the ensemble headed by Polish Jazz saxophonist / violinist / composer / bandleader Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist. The ensemble included also Urbaniak´s wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist, bassists Pawel JarzebskiFind albums by this artist (on the 1st album) and Roman DylagFind albums by this artist (on the 2nd album), drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist and Yugoslav percussionist Branislav KovacevFind albums by this artist. The 1st album included five tracks, four by Urbaniak and one by Makowicz, and the 2nd album included seven tracks, all composed by Urbaniak. Both albums are now combined as the twelve tracks of CD1.
CD2 and CD3 of this album present three tracks each, recorded live by Radio Bremen during a club performance on January 21, 1972, a few months before the two studio albums were recorded, and later released in 1973. The material covers the same material that was later recorded in the studio. The lineup playing live is the same as on “Paratyphus B”, except for Kovacev, who is not present.
“Inactin” has several similarities to the live album Urbaniak and his ensemble recorded in 1973 in Poland, released as part of the legendary Polish Jazz series (Vol. 36) and entitled "In ConcertFind albums with this title", which in retrospect was one of Polish Jazz most significant and pivotal recordings and a giant milestone towards the discovery of Jazz-Rock Fusion on the local scene. Those two albums share several of the compositions and almost identical core lineup and most importantly the unique stylistic approach, which mixed Jazz, Rock, Electronics and Free Jazz in a way never previously attempted.
The Spiegelei contact, which produced the two albums, happened as a result of the success Urbaniak achieved in Europe touring there extensively in the early 1970s, which culminated with his appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1971 and winning there a first prize as instrumentalist, at the time still playing the saxophone. The switch to violin, which was Urbaniak´s original instrument, changed his career dramatically and marked the new period in his career. The entire period marks a turbulent time for Urbaniak and Dudziak, with their dramatic emigration to USA soon after.
The music Urbaniak´s group created was definitely one of the most innovative and adventurous experiments done at the time, surely by any musicians originating from behind the Iron Curtain. The freedom of expression, which originated in the Free Jazz, mixed with the use of electric instruments and electronic voice enhancements, emerged as some of the most exciting sounds then, and to same extent even today, almost five decades later. Urbaniak used Polish folk motifs and uneven meters to make things even more exciting and Dudziak´s visionary usage of the human voice was eons ahead of its time. In retrospect her performances on this album remain unmatched to this very day, again five decades later.
In retrospect the two Spiegelei albums and the three albums Urbaniak recorded for ColumbiaFind albums on this label in the USA during the years immediately after his arrival there remain to this very day as his strongest statements, with the body of work created by him and his groups in the early 1970s being unsurpassed.
The album´s liner notes are pretty sketchy and such significant reissue surely deserves much better. Nevertheless, this is an iconic piece of music and as such deserves to be listened to today, after being unavailable for a scandalously long period of time.
Overall, this album is a dramatic statement in Jazz history, serving as a beacon to the fact that by the time it was recorded, Jazz development moved from America to Europe, never to return again. This music is so much advanced over anything happening beyond the pond, already at that time, and the fact that it originates from Easter Europe, from behind the Iron Curtain, proves that it has been finally liberated from American supremacy, or even perhaps enslavement. Any Jazz lover, who is not aware of this music, and sadly a vast majority is in that position, has very little understanding as what Jazz Music is all about.
| | Updated: 16/02/2024Posted: 16/02/2024 | CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.07
POLSKIE RADIO 1626 (Barcode: 5907812246266) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1961 - 1962 Released: 2013
This is the seventh installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material collected here presents recordings made during 1961 (with one exception from 1962) by visiting Jazz musicians, mostly from Scandinavia. Although the Iron Curtain separating Eastern Europe from the West was still very much intact and pretty impregnable, Poland´s relations with the northern Scandinavian neighbors were much more relaxed and allowed for two-way contacts between musicians and mutual visits. As a result Scandinavian Jazz, mostly Swedish, had a major impact on the Polish Jazz scene in the early 1960s and allowed exposure to new musical developments that were happening in the US and Western Europe at the time via smuggled LPs and personal contacts.
The first four tracks present the giant Swedish saxophonist / composer Bernt RosengrenFind albums by this artist, one of the founding fathers of modern European Jazz, in a quartet setting with the brilliant Romanian pianist Jancy KorossyFind albums by this artist and a Polish rhythm section comprised of bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Leszek DudziakFind albums by this artist. The next three tracks preset the Korossy trio with the same rhythm section. Then comes one track by the Swedish Lasse LystedtFind albums by this artist quintet, followed by three tracks by another Swedish ensemble, the Lars WernerFind albums by this artist trio, and finally the album is rounded off with a vocal track by Norwegian vocalist Nora BrockstedtFind albums by this artist accompanied by the Polish Radio Orchestra.
The music includes mostly Jazz standards, except for the tracks by Lars Werner, which are all originals. Although based mostly on Bebop, it shows already early signs leading to the development of a new European Jazz style, which would crystallize over the next few years. The performances are all excellent and their invaluable historical significance is beyond reproach. Beautifully restored sound quality and a warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy.
As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Polish Jazz. Nevertheless this is an essential piece of history which every European Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.08
POLSKIE RADIO 1627 (Barcode: 5907812246273) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1961 - 1962 Released: 2013
This is the eighth installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material collected here presents recordings made during 1961 and 1962 by the top Polish Jazz musicians active at the time, exhibiting a wonderful panorama of the local scene at the time. All the thirteen tracks are Jazz standards performed by Jazz musicians all over the world and therefore the album is a superb opportunity to compare the level of musicianship of the first post WWII generation of Polish Jazz to their American and European counterparts. Listening to the album immediately shows that technically these players were as gifted and skilled as any other Jazz performers at the time, despite the disadvantage of living and playing behind the Iron Curtain and being almost completely isolated from the current developments. Stylistically Polish Jazz at the time was still very much under the American mainstream influence, and although Free Jazz was already making a rapid progress and breaking all the established boundaries in the US, it would take a few years until it bloomed in Poland as well.
The material was recorded by four iconic figures of the early Polish Jazz and their respective ensembles: pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist and his quintet, saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and his quintet called Jazz RockersFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist / composer Jerzy MilianFind albums by this artist and his quintet and trumpeter / composer Andrzej KurylewiczFind albums by this artist and his group. The most renowned sidemen include saxophonist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and many others.
The performances are all excellent and their invaluable historical significance is beyond reproach. Beautifully restored sound quality and a warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy.
As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Polish Jazz. Nevertheless this is an essential piece of history which every European Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.15
POSKIE RADIO 1665 (Barcode: 5907812246655) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1961 - 1962 Released: 2014
This is the fifteenth installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material collected here presents the second volume of recordings made in 1961 and 1962 by Polish Radio in several Polish cities, presenting Polish Jazz ensembles performing American Jazz standards. Although played well, this music presents very few challenges as far as Jazz development is concerned, but from a historical perspective that stage of development was an important step towards a the creation of a new voice in modern Polish Jazz, which was just around the corner. Playing standards prepared these musicians for the challenges that were in store for them when the music made a decisive leap forward towards the new Polish / European Jazz.
The album includes sixteen tracks, by two ensembles, playing as mentioned earlier standards, in a manner still very similar to their American models. The ensembles are: Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist (saxophone) Jazz RockersFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, pianist Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam SkorupkaFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej ZielinskiFind albums by this artist (thirteen tracks) and Andrzej KurylewiczFind albums by this artist (piano / trumpet) quintet with saxophonists Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist (bassist Jan ByrczekFind albums by this artist plays on one track) and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist (three tracks).
Stylistically the music is based on mostly Bee Bop and Hard Bop standards, played with obvious talent and affinity, but lacking any originality. Of course this is still an important document of the era and fans of mainstream Jazz and Polish Jazz history should be happy with it.
The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.
| | Updated: 12/06/2018Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.26
POLSKIE RADIO 2058 (Barcode: 5907812247119) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 Released: 2016
This is the twenty-sixth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The tracks presented here were recorded live in December 1965 during the eighth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the first volume of a collection of tracks from that event.
The first five tracks present the great British vocalist Annie RossFind albums by this artist, who revolutionized the vocal Jazz idiom as a member of the legendary trio Lambert, Hendricks & RossFind albums by this artist, which she left in late 1962 to start her solo career. She is accompanied by a trio consisting of Polish pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist and Swedish drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist. All the songs are Jazz standards.
The next four tracks present the great Polish vocal ensemble NOVIFind albums by this artist in their earliest incarnation as a quintet, which includes in addition to their leader Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist also Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist, Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist and Aleksander GluchFind albums by this artist, who left the ensemble before they recorded their debut album Bossa NovaFind albums with this title in 1967. NOVI modeled their vocal style on earlier vocal Jazz ensembles like Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, and their tracks appearing immediately following the Ross´s tracks is symbolic. NOVI are accompanied by pianist Adam MatyszkowiczFind albums by this artist (Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist), bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. All the tracks are vocal arrangements of Jazz standards.
The next three tracks present a quartet led by legendary Polish Jazz pianist / trombonist / composer Andrzej KurylewiczFind albums by this artist with guitarist Janusz SidorenkoFind albums by this artist, bassist Edward DylagFind albums by this artist (older brother of Roman DylagFind albums by this artist, who is mistakenly listed here) and drummer Jerzy BartzFind albums by this artist. The rare appearance of Kurylewicz playing the trombone is one of the highlights of this album. They perform a couple of adaptations, one of a classical piece by Polish composer Stanislaw MoniuszkoFind albums by this artist and the other of a folk tune and finally one original composition by Kurylewicz.
The last two tracks present a quartet led by legendary Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist with pianist Wojciech Karolak, bassist Juliusz Sandecki (here misspelled as Janusz), and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. They perform on original composition by Wroblewski and an extended version of a Miles DavisFind albums by this artist classic.
The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.
| | Updated: 03/12/2016Posted: 02/12/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
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