Record Reviews

BIOTONE ~ UNSPOKEN WORDS SJ 002 (Barcode: 5902020415558) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2011 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz quartet BiotoneFind albums by this artist, led by trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, who also wrote all the music present herein. The other members of the quartet are saxophonist Przemyslaw FlorczakFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej ZielakFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. These four young musicians are all typical examples of the new generation, which is slowly establishing themselves on the, rather crowded one must say, Polish Jazz scene. This scene was always exploding with talent and is now overflowing, unfortunately not being developed enough, dynamic enough and flexible enough to contain all that incredible influx of talent flowing in at an ever increasing paste. One must admire Tomaszczyk for his self-confidence, as a trombone-led quartet is a very uncommon phenomenon in Jazz history. Even the greatest trombonists were usually satisfied with the role of a sideman, but Tomaszczyk boldly presents his approach, and shows us all an upper hand. The quartet has a fresh, well balanced sound and all the members play excellently throughout. The rhythm section is inventive and fully participates in the music-making process together with the two front soloists. The compositions are also very good, both melodically and rhythmically, presenting an interesting compositional palette, which at this stage already shows individuality and character. But of course the key point of the album is the solo work of the leader, who manages to make the most of his difficult and often ungrateful instrument. His performances are absolutely first class from top to bottom and as someone, who has a lot of trombone "mileage" (after producing several trombone-centered albums) I can definitely say this is first class work and more importantly a great promise for the future. Altogether a superb debut, worth investigating!

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CUATRO MANOS ~ WAY HOME SJ 069 (Barcode: 5902596066826) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish acoustic guitar duo Cuatro ManosFind albums by this artist, which comprises of Jakub KotyniaFind albums by this artist and Michal LewartowiczFind albums by this artist. They are supported by a rhythm section, which includes bassists Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist or Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummers Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist or Pawel NowakFind albums by this artist. Violinist Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist plays on two tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, four by Lewartowicz and three by Kotynia. The music is very melodic, with a slight Jazzy touch and a tinge of Folkloristic / Latin themes. For a lack of a better classification, it could be counted as Smooth Jazz, or just guitar instrumental music. Although personally this kind of music is not really my cup of tea, I can appreciate the obvious skills of the guitarists and of course I am very familiar with the rhythm section, as those are very able Polish Jazz musicians. The guitar performances are very capable and the guitarists obviously enjoy their interplay, which is full of grace and wonderful melodicism. Overall, this is a very pleasant listening experience, on the very light flank of the Jazz spectrum, but nevertheless full of highly skilled performances and deeply melodic flow, which obviously has many fans. This is a perfectly valid statement for those who enjoy the entertaining facet of Jazz music.

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

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PRZEMYSLAW FLORCZAK ~ IMAGE OF MY PERSONALITY SJ 003 (Barcode: 5902596066024) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2012 This is the debut album by a young Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Przemyslaw FlorczakFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quartet which includes also organist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, six of which are original compositions, all by Florczak, and one is a Charles MingusFind albums by this artist piece. Florczak is also a member of the excellent group BiotoneFind albums by this artist. The album is very impressive, especially as a debut, and presents a portrait of mature musicianship by the leader both as a performer and a composer. All the quartet members are excellent players, both as individuals and collective contributors. The decision to use the organ, rather than acoustic piano, turns this album into a completely unique experience, as this highly unusual combination opens a whole new world of sonic experience and wonderful unisono passages. The saxophone and the organ simply blend together fabulously and one wonders why they are not used together more often. The compositions are also surprisingly excellent, well within the Jazz mainstream but incorporating many cross-genre elements, like bits of Funk, Bossa and even World-Music influences. Beautifully put together and intelligently arranged, they are a true pleasure to listen to. This music is fun (in the best meaning of the word) from start to finish, being both accessible to a wide range of listeners and sophisticated enough to draw the attention of the connoisseurs. Florczak plays beautifully throughout, being especially impressive on the lyrical pieces, where his wonderful tone and delicate delivery is often breathtaking. Tomaszewski is also "stealing" a large part of the show with his superb organ lines, which bring on memories of times long gone. The rhythm section is simply perfect for the job, providing the vehicle for the two soloists to shine and keeping the wagon on the road. The album has a surprisingly exquisite sound quality, which turns out to be less surprising after reading the bane of sound engineer Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist on the cover, who was in charge "only" of mix and mastering this time, but his signature is well recognized. Overall this is a true gem, sadly somewhat overlooked on the crowded Polish Jazz scene, where albums are being released at an incredible rate, but definitely worth digging out and investigating. Well done indeed!

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LUKASZ JUZKO ~ FIRST BREATH SJ 027 ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish saxophonist / composer Lukasz JuzkoFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Michal WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Bartosz SwiatekFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, presumably all by the leader, although the album´s artwork does not state it. The album is beautifully recorded and the sound quality is truly remarkable. The music is a highly melodic mainstream Jazz, easy on the ear, romantic and basically belonging to the Smooth Jazz idiom, which of course does not mean, contrary to popular opinion, that the music is not ambitious or well played, far from it. The compositions are all very well structured and coherent harmonically and serve as perfect vehicles for the improvisations created by Juzko and Wroblewski. All four instrumentalist are excellent, playing as well as can be expected from these well educated and talented young musicians, who already have remarkable achievements behind them. Juzko has a nice tone, and his tenor saxophone performances sound highly professional and inspired. Wroblewski is a superb pianist and his chord structures and solos are simply perfectly suited for this music. The rhythm session also performs brilliantly, with a strong rhythmic signature, which gives the music quite a kick. Overall this is an impressive debut album, which presents Juzko as a mature composer and player, and which shows a lot of potential for his future endeavors. Highly recommended to connoisseurs of melodic Jazz and ageless romantics!

Updated: 03/04/2018Posted: 03/04/2018

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KLARA CLOUD & THE VULTURES ~ VAUNA CHALLENGE 73476 (Barcode: 608917347623) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz ensemble Klara Cloud & The VulturesFind albums by this artist which comprises of vocalist Sylwia Klara ZasempaFind albums by this artist, violinist Bartosz DworakFind albums by this artist, pianist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam TadelFind albums by this artist and drummers Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist and Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. Legendary guitarist Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents ten tracks, eight of which are original compositions mostly by Zasempa and some created with the help of the entire ensemble (the two instrumental tracks) and finally two are traditional. Most of the lyrics are also by Zasempa. The subject matter of the album refers to Nature, wildlife and harmonious coexistence. The music was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sound quality. The music offers a fascinating concept, combing Jazz-World Music Fusion with Free Jazz, which is quite striking. Although Polish Jazz often sources Slavic music, typical Polish melancholy and Polish Folklore, amalgamating it usually with original mainstream Jazz, but rather rarely so with more adventurous forms, which makes this music immediately outstanding. This does not mean that the music loses contact with melody per se, but the improvisations offer a wide range of freedom, both rhythmically and harmonically, which are not usually found within the Jazz-World Fusion idiom. Dworak and Gaweda, who are amongst the most celebrated young Polish Jazz players, have plenty of opportunity to show their chops on this album, standing up to the expectations in full. The reinforced rhythm section, with the polyrhythmic double drums (in stereo) and solid bass pulsations, pushes the music steadily forward and serves as an anchor for the listener to keep his bearings. The guitar solo by Anthimos on the final track is simply divine. Of course the vocals are the epicenter of this music and Zasempa stands up to the challenge with flying colors. She keeps to the basics, avoiding unnecessary theatrics and meanderings, and invests directly in the delivery of the lyrics, often improvising in the process. She does not use vocalese extensively, preferring to "play with the words" rather than with the sounds, but when she does, it works perfectly and hopefully will be used more in future projects. Zasempa is a "total" musician, being obviously the leader, the composer, the lyricist and the main soloist – Woman power incarnate. Overall this is a beautiful piece of music, excellently put together and executed, original, ambitious and intelligent. Definitely one of the most interesting Polish Jazz releases of 2019. It is also the fifth album by young Polish Jazz musicians to be released on the prestigious Dutch Challenge label, which proves that this music is being recognized beyond the local market and steadily captures the position it truly deserves. Well done Lady and Gentlemen!

Updated: 10/11/2019Posted: 10/11/2019

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ANIA MICHALOWSKA ~ BACK TO THE TREES NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz vocalist / songwriter Ania MichalowskaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a core trio featuring keyboardist / arranger Michal IwanekFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. Several additional musicians play on selected tracks. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are original compositions by Michalowska (one co-composed with Iwanek) and feature her own lyrics on two songs and lyrics written by others on the rest of the songs. Only the title song features English lyrics. Michalowska’s debut album from 2017 “Snow PejzazeFind albums with this title” was very impressive and I was eagerly waiting for a follow up, which arrives seven years later. I am happy to say that the sophomore effort is definitely worth the wait. The main difference between the two is the fact that this time all the music is her own, expanding the scope of her achievements not only as a vocalist but also as a composer. The album offers an impressive collection of beautiful songs, with literally no exception, all exquisitely executed both vocally and instrumentally. The arrangements maintain a delicate balance between the vocal parts and the instrumental accompaniment, which work harmoniously together, offering a modern sound, full of skillful usage of background vocals and acoustic and electric keyboards. Michalowska has a very idiosyncratic voice, which she uses intelligently and skillfully, applying modulation, moving up and down the scale and most importantly being expressive and emotional, which adds an elegant energy to the lyrical character, the album is soaked in. The songwriting is also exemplary, offering clearly define aesthetics and perfect bland of Jazzy accents with soulful melodic vistas. The album also makes a clever use of guest musicians, who add outstanding gems on some of the tracks, like the hair-raising viola solo by Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist or trombone solo by Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist. Overall, this is a beautiful, heart-grabbing album, full of outstanding vocals and excellent instrumental parts, which is a delight from start to finish. Michalowska managed to create a very personal piece of music, which offers universal elements of elegant beauty and charm. Although on the lighter side of the Jazz spectrum, this music should delight Jazz listeners as much as music lovers who have no Jazz inclinations at all. Hats off, my Lady, you came back with a bang!

Updated: 11/03/2024Posted: 11/03/2024

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ANIA MICHALOWSKA ~ SNOW PEJZAZE SJ 023 (Barcode: 0105912596066) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz vocalist Ania MichalowskaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a core trio comprising of keyboardist Michal IwanekFind albums by this artist, who was also in charge of the arrangements, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. On three of the songs she is accompanied additionally by a brass section and on four by a sting quartet. The album presents nine original songs, all of which were composed by Ania´s husband Jakub KotyniaFind albums by this artist (two co-composed by her), who also plays guitar on four of the songs. The lyrics to the songs were written by four different lyricists. All of the songs feature lyrics in Polish, except two which utilize lyrics in English. The album also offers excellent sound quality. The songs are all beautifully lyrical and offer incredible melodic sensitivity. The typical Polish melancholy is omnipresent, which is hardly surprising, and is often emphasized by the lyrics, which are all intelligent and insightful. The music is wonderfully and skillfully arranged, to offer sound versatility and emotional vistas, which keep changing from one song to another. Musically the album is a true gem, masterfully weaved by all the participants. Although Michalowska is able to sing the English lyrics quite elegantly, my advice would be to give this a rest, as her Polish delivery is simply infinitely more effective. Michalowska has a steady, refined voice, which she uses smoothly and without effort, applying her abilities skillfully to express emotions. She treats the non-trivial melody lines with ease and elegance, even with finesse, showing absolutely no signs of stress. At time she adds small vocalese parts, which fill the blanks and hopefully she will use this technique more often in the future, as she does more extensively on the last tune. The instrumental performances are also absolutely brilliant. Iwanek is a superb accompanist and plays many stunning solo parts, mostly on acoustic piano. Kapczuk and Kuchczynski are an ideal rhythm section, perfectly on time and in tune, always right there behind the vocals, but never disturbing them with over presence. Kotynia plays some hot guitar parts and it is a pity he wasn´t featured on the entire album. The brass and string sections and even the background vocals all work perfectly. Overall this is a dreamy debut album, which every young Jazz vocalist would have been proud off. Great music, great lyrics, great vocals and a great team are such a rare combination, and she has it all on this album. Warmly and wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 20/10/2018Posted: 20/10/2018

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WOJCIECH MYRCZEK ~ WE`LL BE TOGETHER AGAIN SST 002 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet which also includes saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album, recorded at Polish Radio Katowice, presents seven vocal Jazz standards. Myrczek has a beautiful classic Jazz voice and his talent is immediately apparent even on this early recording, which obviously does not display his full palette, which he learned over time, as evident on his duo album with pianist with Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded four years later ("Love RevisitedFind albums with this title"). He does show his ability to learn the tricks of the trade, moving freely between singing lyrics (in English, problematic but tolerable), scat or vocally imitating bass lines. On this album Myrczek still lacks his own personal style and expression, obviously imitating a plethora of influences and searching for the most appropriate path to find his own way. Nevertheless it still is a solid debut album, especially in view of the fact that male vocalists are a rare commodity on the Polish Jazz scene. The instrumental support Myrczek receives from his cohorts is also very solid, nothing sensational but well played and supportive of him as a soloist. Wierba is the most gifted player and the players are all used to play together as members of the Wierba / Schmidt QuintetFind albums by this artist, therefore their performance as a unit is quite predictable. Overall this album is a nice effort, capturing a young vocalist at the early stage of his career, which remains as a nice document of his musical biography.

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BARTOSZ PIESZKA ~ SLOW MOTION SJ 008 (Barcode: 5912596066078) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 - 2009 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by the young Polish Jazz vibraphonist Bartosz PieszkaFind albums by this artist and his quartet, which also includes pianist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. Guest musicians: oboe player Katarzyna RudaFind albums by this artist and bass clarinetist Piotr TorunskiFind albums by this artist are featured ne one track each. The album presents ten pieces, of which four are standards and six are originals, four by Pieszka, one by Szczycinski and one co-composed by Pieszka and Kolodziejczyk. The album was recorded over a period of two years several years back but only now sees the light of day. The vibraphone, one of the noblest instruments, which has a wonderful tradition in Jazz music, is sadly almost forgotten in recent years. The Polish Jazz scene is perhaps the last bastion where the vibraphone plays a significant role in Jazz music and new players of the instrument still join the ranks of legendary veterans. It is therefore with great joy and special attention that every new discovery in that area is welcomed by me and other Polish Jazz enthusiasts. This album presents a balanced mixture of original music and standards, ballads and up-tempo numbers, all kept within mainstream Jazz tradition. There is nothing groundbreaking about this music and the no risks are taken, but the overall result is definitely enjoyable and well done, especially in view of the young age of the players involved. Mainstream Jazz connoisseurs will definitely enjoy this ride from start to finish. As far as individual contributions are concerned, Pieszka emerges somewhat subdued and is seldom in the lead. To be perfectly hones this album is absolutely "stolen" by the incredible performances by Kolodziejczyk, who plays most of the solos and is by far the most gifted player on this album. The rhythm section is also interesting, which the drummer being a bit too busy for my taste, buy playing with feel and imagination. The bassist is very musical and supportive. The album often makes the impression of a piano trio album rather than a quartet recording. As debuts go, this is fresh and promising, hopefully providing a glimpse of future to come for these youngsters. Definitely a nice listening experience!

Updated: 02/10/2022Posted:

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SCHMIDT ELECTRIC ~ LIVE SJ 020 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by the Schmidt ElectricFind albums by this artist ensemble, led by trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist and also including keyboardist Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist, drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist and British guitarist Alex HutchingsFind albums by this artist. The core quintet was expanded for this live recording by DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist), electronics wizard Joanna SzymalaFind albums by this artist and vibraphonist Bartosz PieszkaFind albums by this artist. The ensemble performs six original compositions, four composed by Schmidt and two by Bura, a short solo trumpet intro by Schmidt and another intro by Szymala, altogether eight tracks. Yours truly was present during the live recording in Katowice, one of the two venues where these live recordings were captured, and therefore a part of my soul is also captured on this album, like every other person who was ever present in the audience during a live recording. The music is a natural extension to what the released earlier studio debut album offered, i.e. an excellent melodic version of modern Fusion, which flows smoothly from one tune to another, but preserves class and elegance and above all is great fun to listen to. The live ambience allows the musicians to take extended solo parts and show their chops, which they all do to the max. The music is diverse and offers many moods, which of course contributes significantly to the fact that the album keeps the listener on his toes for the entire duration. It is great to see Schmidt to finally settling down within a domain, which suits him the best in my opinion. This music allows him to express his superb compositional talents and lead a highly professional ensemble, which can make him proud as a leader. His trumpet playing also reaches a refined stage of expressiveness and eloquence, especially effective on the slow tempo ballads, which are absolute goose bumps generators. The use of turntablism and electronics adds an up to date flavor to the music, without overshadowing the main melodic, harmonic and rhythmic coherence and the strong Jazzy groove. Schmidt manages to create music which can be enjoyed by a wide age range of listeners, which of course is commendable. Overall a great contemporary Fusion album, full of great melodies, fine arrangements, excellent performances and above all great fun! Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 02/10/2022Posted: 07/07/2017

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SCHMIDT ELECTRIC ~ TEAR THE ROOF OFF SJ 012 (Barcode: 5912596066146) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist mangers to teleport smoothly between acoustic mainstream Jazz and electric Fusion, an ability he already demonstrated clearly by releasing several albums on his own label since 2000, which cover both subgenres. This time he expands his modus operandi to touch upon additional areas, which include smooth Jazz, Rap and Ambient, but manages to do so without compromising his integrity as a Jazz musician. The album, which was recorded in a quartet setting, with keyboardist Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist, features also several guest artists, who appear on selected tracks, a couple of them from Britain, including guitarist Alex HutchingsFind albums by this artist. The eleven tracks on the album are all originals, five of which were composed by Schmidt, four by Bura, one is credited to Bura and the whole ensemble and one is by ambient / electronic keyboardist / composer Joanna SzymalaFind albums by this artist, who also performs here. The music is very diverse and constantly performs a chameleonic transformation, starting with a Rap track, moving into an electronic / ambient passage and continuing with a series of Jazz / Fusion tracks, ranging from lyrical ballads to energetic electric statements. Although this might sound a bit chaotic, in fact the music presents a coherent and consistent continuum. There are plenty of great melodies and catchy riffs, but the music is anything but trivial at any point. The individual performances are all excellent; Schmidt is a very gifted trumpeter and his melodic ballads are simply heartbreaking, Bura is the great discovery of this album, playing a wide range of sounds, improvising elegantly and simply being there every time just when a chord or an arpeggio are needed to fill the space. The rhythm section is dynamic, melodic and incredibly supportive. Kapczuk plays some superb solos and Kuchczynski stays behind the players at all time, not trying to show off beyond exactly what is required of him. Hutchings also adds some several scorching solos, which ornament the overall sound of the band. Schmidt juts might have found on this album the exact formula that suits his musical karma. Cross-genre, cross time, contemporary and melodically advanced, this music is a pleasure to listen to, without compromising even the sternest connoisseurs. Although some of Schmidt´s earlier attempts to find his way in the straightforward mainstream Jazz milieu were a bit shaky, this album finds him determined, mature and unmistakably doing his own thing. Beautifully done, my young friend; kudos!

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PIOTR SCHMIDT / ELECTRIC GROUP ~ SILVER PROTECT SJ 005 (Barcode: 5902596066048) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the debut recording by the Polish Fusion band Electric GroupFind albums by this artist led by the young trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist and including also keyboardist Tomasz BuraFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist, drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist and vocalist Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of six original compositions, four of which are by the pianist and two by the leader. In addition to leading this group, Schmidt also co-leads a Jazz quintet with pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist, which uses the same rhythm section as this group. It seems that the Polish Jazz scene is not only capable of grooming excellent piano players, but apparently also brilliant young trumpeters, as evident from the recent wave of extraordinary new releases. This album certainly falls into the same category as far as presenting new trumpet players, but it is quite different in every other sense, most notably being a Fusion recording, a genre which nowadays rarely features the trumpet as the leading instrument, as it used to in its heydays. This album in however not just one more Fusion album, as it includes many other elements, especially Funk, which makes it particularly interesting. The compositions present a diverse musical approach, with excellent melody lines supported by Funky rhythms, memorable vamps and overall superb execution, which is simply heartwarming, especially in view on the musicians´ age. I must admit that its been quite a while since I´ve had the pleasure to listen to such Funky high quality music, which at best brings back fond memories of Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist´s "MwandishiFind albums with this title" period. Schmidt sounds great regardless if he plays a muted trumpet, an electronically processed one (a la echoplex) or simply blows straight forward. Bura is best (in this environment) playing the electric piano rather than synthesizers and the rhythm section is close to stealing the show at times, with those bass slaps that make your ass dance and the extraordinary drumming, which is all over the place and yet so on time. The vocals are used mostly as vocalese, where they are most effective. When they turn to singing lyrics (in English), they quickly become the weakest link of the otherwise excellent effort. Overall this is definitely a most impressive debut recording, which is both fun to listen to and a quality listening experience. I´m really looking forward to hear their next one, hopefully soon. Not to be missed! Schmidt, a native of Silesia, the southwestern Polish region (where I come from as well) is one of a growing number of important Polish Jazz musicians originating there. The region is cultivating an active and first-rate local Jazz scene in the last decade, including clubs and festivals. In short, Silesia rulez!

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PIOTR SCHMIDT INTERNATIONAL SEXTET ~ HEARSAY SJ 074 (Barcode: 5905489720379) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, who leads an international sextet, with Lithuanian saxophonist Kestutis VaiginisFind albums by this artist, Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, Polish pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist and alternating American / Polish rhythm sections of Harish RaghavanFind albums by this artist and Jonathan BarberFind albums by this artist / Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six tracks, five of which are original compositions by Schmidt and one is a composition by Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Bartosz PieszkaFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at the same sessions and with the same lineup, as the material for the previous album by Schmidt, called “Komeda Unknown 1967Find albums with this title”. To Hi-Fi enthusiasts, the CD is gold plated. The music is another great collection of highly melodic and lyrical tunes, characteristic of the Polish melancholy, excellently performed by the sextet, which includes superb instrumentalists of international fame. Schmidt offers some scorching trumpet soloing, Vaiginis and Doruzka add their harmonic support and solo occasionally, Tomaszewski anchors everything with his sublime piano work and the rhythm section adds the swinging element. Together they create truly classic Jazz sextet sound, which reminds the best such ensembles, active throughout the Bebop era and beyond. Overall, this is a beautiful example of modern mainstream Polish Jazz, full of the melancholy elements that characterize the local strain of the genre since the 1960, continuing the great tradition with honors. Schmidt, who firmly established his position as a musician / composer, bandleader and activist on the local scene, is a proud representative of the second-generation of Polish Jazz musicians, which continues to develop the scene and keep the flame burning.

Updated: 01/08/2023Posted: 01/08/2023

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PIOTR SCHMIDT INTERNATIONAL SEXTET ~ KOMEDA UNKNOWN 1967 SJ 062 (Barcode: 5902596066796) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader / label owner Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist, recorded with an international sextet, which includes Lithuanian saxophonist Kestutis VaiginisFind albums by this artist, Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, Polish pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassists American Harish RaghavanFind albums by this artist or Polish Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummers American Jonathan BarberFind albums by this artist or Polish Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The sextet performs seven compositions, all by the Godfather of modern Polish Jazz, pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. The music is quite sensational, as six of these compositions by Komeda are recorded here for the first time, fifty-five years after they were created. They were originally written as part of the project originated by my Friend and Mentor, German producer Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, which resulted in the Jazz & Poetry album “Meine Susse Europaische HeimatFind albums with this title”, that combined Komeda’s music with contemporary Polish poetry. Krzysztof BalkiewiczFind albums by this artist, Polish archivist in charge of Komeda’s heritage, found these additional compositions, which were not used in the process of creating the above album and passed them to Schmidt, who arranged them and recorded with his sextet. Obviously such discovery is a major event as far as the history and legacy of Polish Jazz is concerned. The music is everything that every Komeda fan (and therefore every Polish Jazz fan) might expect, full of brilliant melodic lines, lyricism and melancholy, which are the epitome of Polish Jazz, a big dash of tension and mystery, which characterize Komeda’s compositions and a series of brilliant performances by some of the best Polish, European and American musicians. The album has all the ingredients of an instant classic, which of course is hardly surprising. Although these compositions were not included on the original album, they are by no means less perfect. The playing time restrictions of the LP format dictated the cruel choices, and the budget restrictions dictated the fact that the planned double LP project was rejected. I often wandered over the years where did those additional compositions disappear, and in my talks with Balkiewicz over the years the subject also came up. It is absolutely delightful to see the music being alive again and the prospect that it might inspire future Jazz generations is truly uplifting. Overall, this is a monumental piece of Jazz history, a great discovery and a glorious occasion to discover another element of Komeda’s genius. Everybody involved in this project deserves my sincere thanks: the brilliant musicians, the archivist / detective, the people who brilliantly recorded the music, etc. Every true Jazz enthusiast on this planet should listen to this album, as not hearing it constitutes a big void in the ability to comprehend the European musical aesthetics.

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 10/07/2022

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OLA TRZASKA ~ ALL AROUND SJ 009 (Barcode: 5912596066085) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Ola TrzaskaFind albums by this artist, recorded by a sextet which also includes trumpeter Lukasz KorybalskiFind albums by this artist, trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Marcin PiekosFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight songs, all original by Trzaska (music and lyrics), six of which feature English and two Polish lyrics. The music is a nice mixture of Pop / Soul / Funk & Groove, based on Trzaska´s melodic themes jazzed up by the arrangements and instrumental work, especially that of the brass section. Not a Jazz album per se, but close enough for comfort to turn the ear of a Jazz fan as well as those who have almost nothing to do with it. Usually I completely condemn Polish singers singing in English, but in this case the result is acceptable, thanks to Trzaska´s phrasing and a skillful mix which keeps the vocals usually in unisono with instrumental backing, which mute the language "imperfections". Trzaska has a limited vocal range and wisely utilizes her voice safely within her comfort zone, which of course becomes somewhat inadequate in the long range, making all the songs to sound a bit alike. But her singing is expressive and full of emotion, which overall saves the day. Combined with the truly inspired instrumental work by the players, the album is a fun to listen to. Swies deserves a special mention since his bass notes drive the entire album with an incredible funky groove. Tomaszczyk also plays a few beautiful trombone solos on the album, which are little gems. This is definitely an impressive debut, presenting Trzaska as a gifted songwriter, vocalist and arranger, who will surely take part in the development of the Polish music scene in the years to come.

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OLA TRZASKA ~ AMULET SJ 016 (Barcode: 5912596066184) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2016 Released: 2016 This is the second album by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Ola TrzaskaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a formidable team of musicians, very similar to the lineup of her debut album, which includes trombonist / co-producer Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. Several other musicians participate on selected tracks. The album presents twelve compositions, eight of which are original compositions by Trzaska and one is co-composed with Tomaszczyk. One short piece is composed by Kolodziejczyk and two are of Brazilian origin. Trzaska also wrote most of the lyrics, of which three are in Polish and the rest are in English. Musically the album continues the same musical approach as Trzaska´s debut, with nice Jazzy arrangements and excellent playing by al the participants, but very limited vocal parts and unremarkable compositions, making very limited progress from the debut, which is a pity. Trzaska continues to sing in English, which does her no good at all, and the professionalism of her colleagues is not able to conceal her limitations. For the second time the bass parts by Swies and the trombone parts by Tomaszczyk are truly wonderful, but that is about all there is to this album.

Updated: 16/04/2017Posted: 16/04/2017

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WIERBA / SCHMIDT QUINTET ~ BLACK MONOLITH SJ 001 (Barcode: 5902020415008) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the third album by the Polish Jazz quintet, which was founded by two young players / composers: pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. The quintet also includes saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. On this album the quintet is expanded into a sextet with the addition of American trombonist Dante LucianiFind albums by this artist. The sextet performs six tunes, three of which are original compositions by Wierba, two are standards and the remaining one is a composition by Czech trumpeter / composer Stepanka BalcarovaFind albums by this artist, who studied at the Katowice Music Academy as did all of the quintet members. The album was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and was engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with excellent, as usual, sonic results. Although the music is all within boundaries of typical Jazz mainstream, it is superbly arranged and executed. The original compositions are interesting and poise perfectly the melodic themes and the spirited attitude; the piece by Balcarova is the most impressive on the album. Overall this is a very pleasant well rounded Jazz album, which presents the sextet as a small Big Band, balancing between the brass and rhythm sections, features many excellent solo spots and shows that young Europeans can play mainstream as well as anybody else anywhere. The individual skills of the musicians involved are of course spotless. This album is the first release on the SJFind albums on this label label, owned by Schmidt, which is one of the small independent Polish Jazz labels releasing music by young Polish Jazz musicians, a most welcome phenomenon of course, spreading the local Jazz gospel around the world.

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WIERBA / SCHMIDT QUINTET ~ THE MOLE PEOPLE SJ 004 (Barcode: 5902596066017) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is the fourth album by the Polish Jazz quintet, which was founded by two young players / composers: pianist Michal WierbaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. The quintet also includes bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The fifth member of the quintet is a guest artist and in this case it the fabulous Polish saxophonist Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist. The quintet performs seven tunes, five of which are original compositions by Wierba, one by Schmidt and the remaining one is a Jimmy RowlesFind albums by this artist standard. The music sits well within the comfortable boundaries of typical Jazz mainstream, moving vaguely between Bebop and Hard Bop. The original compositions are all quite solid, but overall unremarkable and lack an edge which could keep the listener focused for the duration of the music. The performances are also very good, but than again there´s nothing here that every Jazz fan never heard before. Baron, who obviously represents a completely different league, sadly contributes very little, as most of the music is performed without his direct involvement. The only moment when the music becomes truly inspired is when the beautiful standard is performed solo by the pianist. To make things perfectly clear this is not a bad album; there are plenty of interesting moments and excellent solos (Baron´s solos in particular) but it is not enough to make it a remarkable album. In view of the music made by the very young Polish Jazz players, even younger than the ones on this album, constantly breathing on the neck of their slightly older colleagues, the level of competition requires everybody to try ever so harder. Life is a bitch.

Updated: 12/06/2018Posted:

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MICHAL WROBLEWSKI / RADIOSTATIK ~ LUCID DREAM – LIVE AT FILHARMONIA SZCZECIN FILHARMONIA SZCZECIN 007 (Barcode: 5903111493431) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Michal WroblewskiFind albums by this artist recorded live with his ensemble called RadiostatikFind albums by this artist and the Szczecin Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist. Radiostatik was originally formed in NY in 2015, when Wroblewski was invited by trumpeter Terrence BlanchardFind albums by this artist to record an album, which resulted in the studio version of "Lucid Dream", and which sadly remains so far unreleased. The American-Polish lineup of Radiostatik, which was created to perform the material live, includes two American vocalists: singer Andre WashingtonFind albums by this artist and rapper Raashan AhmadFind albums by this artist, the leader on Fender Rhodes, guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve original compositions, all by Wroblewski and arranged by him, with lyrics by him and Ahmad. The music is a exactly what it promises to be, a Jazz-Pop Fusion with orchestral arrangements, based an excellent melodic themes, which sounds as American as American goes, the kind of stuff which usually gets nominated for Grammy over the pond. It is catchy, groovy, smooth and easy on the ear, but in this case it is also highly musical and truly excellently put together. If it proves anything, it is the fact that European composers and musicians can easily beat the Americans at their own game. Except for a few instrumental soli, the music has very little to do with Jazz, which means that the Polish Jazz lost the talents of Wroblewski for a while, but personally I am quite convinced he will be back to his musical roots again. In the meantime he can pursue other goals and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this as long as the music is well done and does not deteriorate to the normal level of contemporary Pop, which is killing us mercilessly. The orchestral parts are the real surprise of this album, ideally suited to the music and performed with great taste and skill. Such class of Pop instrumentation is almost completely absent from contemporary Pop music, probably because it is simply too expensive. But the album proves that a real orchestra can not be replaced by synthesizers. Overall this is a highly entertaining and classy Pop album with some Jazzy features and orchestral ornamentation, beautifully executed and accessible to a wide music loving audience, which should satisfy every true popular music connoisseur. Definitely worth investigating!

Updated: 21/06/2019Posted: 21/06/2019

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