Record Reviews

DAREK DOBROSZCZYK ~ SIMPLE DELIGHTS NOT ON LABEL 807 (Barcode: 5902596839529) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio led by pianist / composer Darek DobroszczykFind albums by this artist, which also includes bassist Jakub MielcarekFind albums by this artist (who also plays in a free form atmosphere with trumpeter Piotr DamasiewiczFind albums by this artist and the EraseFind albums by this artist quartet) and drummer Grzegorz MaslowskiFind albums by this artist (who is also a member of the Bartosz PernalFind albums by this artist / Michal SzkilFind albums by this artist quintet). Guitarist Przemyslaw HanajFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album includes eight tracks, four of which are original compositions by Dobroszczyk, one is by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, one by StingFind albums by this artist and two are standards. The album is kept well within the modern piano trio idiom, as established by such luminaries as the Keith Jarrett trio or Esbjorn Svensson trio, which are listed among the trio´s influences. The music is mostly very melodic and shows melancholic influence popular with Scandinavian modern Jazz composers. But considering the crystal-clear sound and the obvious talents displayed by these young players, one can hope that this is not an attempt to imitate but just a starting point of their venture together. The original compositions are all interesting and well suited for the piano trio format, although it is yet early to determine if they will be unique enough to become the composer´s trademark. The overall aesthetics and atmosphere of the album certainly points out a path, which the trio intends to follow. Considering that this is their debut recording, they certainly show a lot of hope and potential. Although perhaps not very innovative or groundbreaking, this is nevertheless a very well played and beautifully recorded pleasing listening experience, which Jazz enthusiast should enjoy without reservation. It is also a remarkable debut effort and therefore worthy of well deserved praise.

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

AGNIESZKA HEKIERT ~ STORIES UNIVERSAL 028947651475 (Barcode: 028947651475) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 Polish Jazz vocalist / composer Agnieszka HekiertFind albums by this artist, who combines the careers of a vocalist and a successful vocal coach for TV reality shows, released this album eight years after her last release called "Night And Day SwingFind albums with this title", which she recorded with the pianist / composer Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist and his trio. In the meantime she also recorded the "European ImpressionsFind albums with this title" album with my dear friend, the great Polish saxophonist / composer Leszek ZadloFind albums by this artist, which unfortunately remains unreleased so far. From that session she carried over the Bulgarian pianist / composer Konstantin KostovFind albums by this artist (who studied with another friend of mine, the Russian pianist / composer Leonid TschischikFind albums by this artist, now living and teaching in Germany), who is her closest collaborator on this album. The other musicians, who constitute the piano trio on this album, are bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist. Guest appearances also include Herdzin on flute (yes I smiled too), vocalist Kuba BadachFind albums by this artist and the superb Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist. The album includes twelve songs, four of which are Kostov / Hekiert originals, another four are by Hekiert or feature her lyrics, one is a standard, one is a song by StingFind albums by this artist, another one by Polish vocalist KayahFind albums by this artist and the last of mysterious Far East source (sic!); overall quite a mishmash of styles and influences, which are unified by the arrangements (the arranger is not listed) and excellent performances by the piano trio. Kostov is a brilliant player, which is evident both on his solo spots and his skillful accompaniment, and so are of course veterans Kubiszyn and Konrad. Hekiert is a talented vocalist, singing lyrics and vocalese with obvious ease and technical proficiency. Most of the vocals are in Polish, which of course is highly commendable, with few exceptions, which are unfortunately less impressive. Overall the vocal parts are kept within very safe limits of mainstream Jazz, which is somewhat lacking, as she obviously could have taken a few more risks and less obvious choices. Perhaps the fact that the album was released by Universal signifies an attempt to produce a much wider accessible music? In any case compared to some truly exciting vocal albums released in 2012 in Poland, this one sadly does not challenge any of them. Connoisseurs of vocal Jazz will find this a pleasant listening experience, with excellent instrumental parts and professional vocal performances, no less and no more.

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

ANNA MARIA JOPEK ~ ID (POLISH EDITION) UNIVERSAL 602517348424 (Barcode: 602517348424) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2006 - 2007 Released: 2007 Twelve brilliant albums in just ten years are surely an awe-inspiring record for even a most accomplished musician. Polish singer / composer / lyricist extraordinare Anna Maria JopekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. AMJFind albums by this artist) seems to be unstoppable in her continuous path towards a secure position in the Pantheon of contemporary Jazz vocal achievements. Classically trained (at The Warsaw Music Academy) as a concert pianist, her Jazz singing was a second career opportunity, inspired by her stint at the Manhattan School of Music. The world of Jazz opened an entire new universe, which she embraced wholeheartedly and never looked back. Stars certainly smiled upon her as her career in her native Poland literally exploded, with her albums reaching Gold and Platinum sales one after another. Her big international break happened when Pat MethenyFind albums by this artist agreed to record an album with AMJ entitled "UpojenieFind albums with this title" (note also Metheny’s memorable cooperation with Israeli singer NoaFind albums by this artist a.k.a. Achinoam NiniFind albums by this artist). This opened a gate for AMJ to cooperate with many more world-class musicians, as demonstrated on this album. AMJ sings mostly songs she either wrote herself or were written by her husband / musical soul mate Marcin KydrynskiFind albums by this artist. Over the years the couple created a vast songbook, which deserves praise and admiration for it’s consistent quality. This album is in many respects a glorious expansion of AMJ’s already remarkable accomplishments. The creative process took over a year until fruition, with recordings in studios located across Poland, Paris and New York, with tragic personal events lurking in the background, which inevitably had a momentous influence on the outcome. The list of participating musicians is very impressive and includes such renowned Jazz and World Music artists as saxophonist Branford MarsalisFind albums by this artist (his solos are a sweet reminder of his fabulous work alongside StingFind albums by this artist), percussionist Mino CineluFind albums by this artist, bassist Christian McBrideFind albums by this artist, bassist Richard BonaFind albums by this artist, singer and oud player Dhafer YoussefFind albums by this artist, singer and guitarist Oscar Castro NevesFind albums by this artist and percussionist Manu KatchéFind albums by this artist. Top Polish players like Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist (flugelhorn) and Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist (piano) also participate, alongside AMJ’s regulars: Pawel Bzim ZareckiFind albums by this artist (keyboards), Marcin Kydrynski (guitar) and Marek NapiórkowskiFind albums by this artist (guitar). The music (as already mentioned) is an extension of AMJ’s existing repertoire, with the usual deeply lyrical / melancholic ballads and highly expressive vocal improvisations beautifully spiced with World Music elements. Vocal duets with the African / Middle-Eastern motifs sung by Youssef are among the best of the kind ever attempted. Although profoundly melodic, AMJ’s music is full of surprises, with ever changing rhythm patterns, unusual harmonies and intelligent instrumentation. Songs are often multi-layered and complex technically, but the overall effect is easy on the ear and goes straight into the listener’s heart. This fantastic talent to weave this musical tapestry is something I admire in AMJ above all her many virtues. Of course her outstanding delivery is right on the money time after time. Regardless of the mood, tempo or harmony, her deep voice modulating between whisper and shout remains clear, expressive, sexy and enchanting. The entire album is very skillfully put together, with exceptional sound quality and superb recording. Definitely a masterpiece of contemporary Jazz-World Fusion and an essential piece of evidence pointing to the fact that music (and Art in general) know no bounds, no borders and no limits. 100 % Brilliant! Side Note: This is a Polish edition of the album. Apparently an international edition (with different contents) is due to be released later this year. Well, I can’t wait to put my hands on that. BTW the album went Platinum in Poland just 3 weeks after its release – apparently I’m not the only person who loves this stuff.

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

ANNA MARIA JOPEK / BRANFORD MARSALIS ~ ULOTNE AMJ 001 (Barcode: 5906395769315) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 - 2017 Released: 2018 Every new release by the Polish Diva Anna Maria JopekFind albums by this artist is a celebration of Culture and a major musical event on an international scale, especially so when it involves a revered Jazz superstar like saxophonist Branford MarsalisFind albums by this artist. Jopek, famous for her consistent independent Artistic vision, managed to create her own universe, where she does not need to compare or compete with the rest of the world, which enables her complete freedom of expression and self-determination, which only very few Artists worldwide were able to achieve over time. Recording an album with Marsalis was a dream, which Jopek held on to since the time she heard him playing with StingFind albums by this artist, which of course was a huge influence on every true music lover at the time. The incredible chemistry that Sting and Marsalis demonstrated was an extremely tall order to follow, but Jopek never eschewed a challenge and this album proves that the realization of that dream was indeed worthwhile waiting for. The album was recorded during two separate recording sessions, twenty one months apart, which considering the busy schedule that Jopek and Marsalis are both entangled in, is not as surprising as it might sound. The somewhat esoteric group of musicians includes percussionist Mino CineluFind albums by this artist, pianists Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist (who was also in charge of arrangements and conducting) and Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Piotr NazarukFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (violinists Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist). Polish Folklore Guru Maria PomianowskaFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents ten tracks on the "formal" first CD and four additional tracks (one of which is an alternate version of a track on the album) on the "bonus" second CD. The songs are mostly originals, written by Jopek or co-written with her spouse Marcin KydrynskiFind albums by this artist, one song is by Herdzin, one by Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist (see below), one by Andrzej ZielinskiFind albums by this artist (SkaldowieFind albums by this artist) and one by Harry KandelFind albums by this artist with the rest being originally traditional Polish Folklore songs. Musically the album marks a return to Jopek´s established modus operandi, which combines Polish Folklore and original songwriting, spiced with Jazzy arrangements and of course dominated by her highly original expressionism. The music is deeply soaked in Polish lyricism and melancholy and her decision to sing in the Polish language emphasizes these elements even further. Marsalis plunges into this Slavic environment with vigor and determination, as if Eastern European sensitivities were his second nature, which is quite remarkable. It proves not only his openness and ability to embrace diverse Cultures, but also his incredible musicality, which enables him to feel completely at home in this Slavic musical setting. It also proves, perhaps more importantly, that music is universal, as is human soul, and ethnic boundaries can be crossed and amalgamated on the collective plane. Jopek, Marsalis and all the musicians involved in the recording of this album are of course veteran professionals in addition to their individual Artistic abilities, which results in the music being perfectly and incredibly sensitively executed. This music requires total dedication and every single note played by every musician at every given moment must be precisely articulated to achieve the desired effect. Luckily this team rises to the challenge admirably. The delicate and wonderfully written string arrangements performed by the Atoms add a superbly "angelic" aura to the overall sound and the folkloristic elements by Nazaruk spice the proceedings splendidly. Marsalis plays a series of breathtaking solos throughout the album, exactly as expected of course and Jopek, as always, manages to create goose bumps all over the listener´s body regardless if she sings lyrics or awe-inspiring vocalese. When selecting the material for this album, Jopek requested the permission of Tomasz Stanko to use his beautiful ballad "A Farewell To MariaFind albums with this title", originally used in the soundtrack of a movie of the same name, as she was sure Marsalis would be able to embrace the lyricism of this incredible melody and create a marvelous solo while performing it. She was right of course and this track is definitely one of the highlights of this album, and at the same time it constitutes a mournful tribute to Stanko, who passed away before the album was released. Another interesting piece is the excellent arrangement of the classic Harry Kandel (born in Lwow) Klezmer tune "A Night In The Garden Of Eden", which features Jopek´s hair-raising vocalese. Of course Klezmer music has always been an integral part of the Polish Folklore tapestry, in which the Jewish contribution was invaluable. Overall this album is a Masterpiece from start to finish, which is no news to the numerous Jopek´s fans. There is not one moment on this album, which is not inspirational and eloquent, heartwarming and heartfelt. Both deeply Polish and at the same time universally appealing this music knows no stylistic or Cultural boundaries. It is beautiful and sensitive and at the same time deeply emotional, soul-searching and introspective. In short, this album delivers everything one expects to hear when Great Artists are involved. Thank you, as always, my Dear!

Updated: 08/12/2018Posted: 08/12/2018

CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

GRZEGORZ KARNAS ~ KARNAS HEVHETIA 0050 (Barcode: 8588002496776) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz vocalist / composer / arranger Grzegorz KarnasFind albums by this artist, one of the most unique and talented representatives of the young generation of the local Jazz scene. Separated by five years from its predecessor "Ballady Na Koniec SwiataFind albums with this title", this album is significantly different from his earlier work and presents several novelties as far as his recording career is concerned, for example the inclusion of songs not composed by him, usage of lyrics in several different languages, a new instrumental concept, etc. The singer is accompanied by a splendid quartet, which features pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, cellist Adam OlesFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. Except for the bassist the other three musicians are long time collaborators on his earlier recordings. The presence of a bassist allows Oles to play his cello more in the way it was originally intended, as opposed to the earlier recordings, where it was mostly playing the bass parts. The album comprises of no less than nineteen tracks, some quite short (under a minute) and other fully developed and lasting around seven minutes. One song (Laurie AndersonFind albums by this artist´s "Langue D´Amour") appears four times in different incarnations and two other songs are reprised. Karnas composed or co-composed six of the pieces, four other pieces are credited to the band accompanying him, one is an instrumental composed by Tokaj and three are songs from the canonic Rock repertoire like StingFind albums by this artist´s "Roxanne", Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist´s "Black Crow" and the a.m. song by Laurie Anderson. It is immediately obvious that this is Karnas´ most ambitious album to date. The complexity and versatility of the material is overwhelming and music moving from one theme to another creates a charming flow, which makes the listener whish for it never to stop. Instrumentally this album, with Tokaj taking over the role of the main soloist, is finally perfect and Tokaj´s beautiful tango is the best original piece of music on the album. Oles finally shows what he´s made of and plays some amazing sounds. The vocal performances are also excellent, obviously more mature and relaxed than ever before. This time Karnas is pretty minimalistic, not trying to overemphasize his part and treating the entire project as a whole rather than another solo album. The group effort is definitely what makes this album tick so wonderfully and takes it a few notches up the scale. Overall this is a truly amazing vocal Jazz album, which plainly stands out as an artistic achievement, leaving most other albums of its kind way behind. Suffice to listen to the vocalist´s interpretations of the three well known songs, in order to appreciate his originality. Add to this the strength of his original material and Karnas emerges as an artist worth following and already leaving his mark on the contemporary scene, with very few contenders. An absolute must!

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MANU KATCHÉ ~ NEIGHBOURHOOD ECM 1896 (Barcode: 602498698150) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz Recorded: 2004 Released: 2005 First recording on the legendary ECMFind albums on this label label by French / African (born in Ivory Coast) drummer / composer Manu KatchéFind albums by this artist, who established his international career in the 1980s when he played with Peter GabrielFind albums by this artist, StingFind albums by this artist and many others Rock stars. However, his true vocation is Jazz, as this spectacular album shows. Accompanied by a dreamy team of musicians: Norwegian saxophonist Jan GarbarekFind albums by this artist and legendary Polish trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist with two young players from his quartet - pianist Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist; Katché presents ten original compositions, all written by him. The music is brilliant from start to finish, superbly performed by all the participants with Katché´s drumming, as unusual as it is for Jazz, adding a new dimension. African rhythms and pulsations play a major role in Katché´s drumming, but they are not aggressive and overly dominating, which is all for the best. Altogether this is a superb piece of music, full of heavenly moments and surprises. An absolute must! Visitors' Comments Christopher  Brice The playing, recording and production are outstandingly good, including the interplay between these wonderful musicians; but I have to say that the composition is not as interesting as we would expect on a Stanko or Garbarek album Christopher  Brice Something keeps drawing me back to this album despite the partly negative comment above, and I have even been tempted to try MK´s later Playground; This album really does have a special sound, but those little repetitive parts do irritate.

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

MANU KATCHÉ ~ PLAYGROUND ECM 2016 (Barcode: 602517373211) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2007 2nd recording on the legendary ECMFind albums on this label label by French / African (born in Ivory Coast) drummer / composer Manu KatchéFind albums by this artist, who established his international career in the 1980s when he played with Peter GabrielFind albums by this artist, StingFind albums by this artist and many others Rock stars. However, his true vocation is Jazz, as this spectacular album shows. Accompanied by a dreamy team of young musicians: Norwegian trumpeter Mathias EickFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Trygve SeimFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist; Katché presents ten original compositions, all written by him. The music is brilliant from start to finish, superbly performed by all the participants with Katché´s drumming, as unusual as it is for Jazz, adding a new dimension. African rhythms and pulsations play a major role in Katché´s drumming, but they are not aggressive and overly dominating, which is all for the best. Altogether this is a superb piece of music, full of heavenly moments and surprises. An absolute must! Visitors' Comments Christopher  Brice My comments on MK´s Neighbourhood apply equally here: Wonderful playing, and Mr Eick sounds sufficiently like Mr Stanko in subdued mood that I had to double check the line-up; but the writing is not quite good enough to justify to the musical skills on hand in the studio.

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

JULIA SAWICKA / PROJECT ~ FIELDS OF SOUL NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5907529223369) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the second album by Polish Jazz vocalist Julia SawickaFind albums by this artist and her international band, which includes German trumpeter Hans Peter SalentinFind albums by this artist, Czech guitarists David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, Slovak keyboardists Klaudius KovacFind albums by this artist and Polish players: saxophonist Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman ChraniukFind albums by this artist and drummer Marcin JahrFind albums by this artist. A string trio is also used. The album is beautifully packaged in a hardcover digipak, which is exquisitely designed and features some breathtaking aerial photography, obviously a high-class labor of love. The album is subtitled: "Unconventional versions of popular songs by StingFind albums by this artist", which says it all; the ten songs included have been all written (or co-written in one case) by Sting, appear here arranged in a Jazzy manner and are beautifully performed by the ensemble, which comprises of first-class musicians and does not disappoint. So far so good. However, tackling Sting´s material can be a perilous undertaking, for many reasons; Firstly his songs are quite Jazzy in their original versions, as anybody familiar with Sting´s songbook and career should be aware of, and therefore Jazzing them up might prove to be superfluous. Secondly Sting´s songs are extremely complex, tricky and above all personal, which makes any attempt to perform them by others almost completely impossible. The gravest mistake was leaving the original English lyrics, which presents an insurmountable challenge for a non-native English speaker performing the vocals. Such ambitious project should have taken the additional step of translating the lyrics into Polish, which probably would have made it so much better. As a result the album certainly presents nothing, which is "unconventional", as stated in its marketing subtitle, being simply one more tribute album of Jazzed up Pop or Rock material, which is certainly nothing new, even on the Polish Jazz scene. Secondly the vocals suffer badly from the English pronunciation, phrasing and articulation, which unfortunately are below par and plainly stand in the way of the vocalist in order to express her best abilities. All things considered this is still a nice album, mostly due to the great instrumental parts and solos, providing one can somehow isolate the vocals and not be bothered too much by them. Sawicka is probably quite a talented vocalist, but this album is not working in her favor. I´d certainly love to hear more of her work under different circumstances. In the meantime I´ll keep listening to Sting au naturel.

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

STING ~ THE BRIDGE A&M 602438587070 (Barcode: 602438587070) ~ UK ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the fifteenth studio album by British singer / bassist / songwriter StingFind albums by this artist, recorded with a small group of musicians, which includes multi-instrumentalist Martin KierszenbaumFind albums by this artist, who also co-produced the album with Sting, guitarist Dominic MillerFind albums by this artist, drummer Josh FreeseFind albums by this artist and a few others including Jazz buddies saxophonist Branford MarsalisFind albums by this artist and drummer Manu KatcheFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten songs, all written by Sting or co-written with Kierszenbaum, Miller and two others contributors. A Deluxe edition with three additional tracks and an outrageous price tag also exists. In the booklet accompanying the album Sting, outspoken as always, whines about the pandemic and other personal problems, as if he was the only human being affected by it. Writing songs / music was an escape route for him, like for most musicians on the planet, except those who did not make it of course. But Sting is Sting and you can’t take his songweaving talent away from him, which means that he can still put a nice tune together with some decent lyrics on top, even though he has hardly anything new so say since a long time. His vocals are as idiosynchratic as ever, and for those of us who love them, it’s way too late to change our minds now. The production and sound of the instrumental accompaniment is pretty unnerving and often difficult to swallow, with American Pop mannerisms taking over, which taste sadly like a second hand chewing gum… Overall, this is Sting and this is what he does, take it or leave it. For those who love him for what he did in the past, this album is a sad reminder of better times, but hope dies last they say, so I still hope he will find himself again sooner or later.

Updated: 20/12/2021Posted: 20/12/2021

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

ANDY SUMMERS ~ GREEN CHIMNEYS REPERTOIRE / RARE 1002 (Barcode: 4009910000229) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1988 Released: 2007 It is not often that a Rock musician decides to cross over into much more advanced musical environment, such as Jazz or World Music and does so completely and seriously. PoliceFind albums by this artist guitarist Andy SummersFind albums by this artist, obviously known to most Rock listeners on this planet, is one of those musicians, who changed their path and successfully developed a "new" career. This album, which is a tribute to the music of the great American pianist / composer Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist, showcases Summers as a splendid Jazz guitarist, with beautiful technique and exquisite taste. Of course Summers manages to achieve a completely unique sound and voicing on his instrument, which retain a certain affiliation with his Rock roots, but overall the album is an absolute knockout. With drummer Peter ErskineFind albums by this artist, organist Joey DeFrancescoFind albums by this artist, bassist Dave CarpenterFind albums by this artist, StingFind albums by this artist doing vocals on one track and many other superb musicians, this album is a true delight. Life is full of surprises!

CD 1 Digipak Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

ANDY SUMMERS / BEN VERDERY ~ FIRST YOU BUILD A CLOUD REPERTOIRE / RARE 1001 (Barcode: 4009910000120) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2004 Released: 2007 It is not often that a Rock musician decides to cross over into much more advanced musical environment, such as Jazz or World Music and does so completely and seriously. PoliceFind albums by this artist guitarist Andy SummersFind albums by this artist, obviously known to most Rock listeners on this planet, is one of those musicians, who changed their path and successfully developed a "new" career. This album, which is the first guitar duo recording with the American virtuoso guitarist Ben VerderyFind albums by this artist, presents Summers as a monster acoustic guitar player and a most sensitive performer. The duo performs material composed by Summers with one piece by StingFind albums by this artist and one classical composition, all of which are absolutely brilliant. This is guitar heaven! Life is full of surprises!

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

JAMES TAYLOR ~ HOURGLASS COLUMBIA 5099748774828 (Barcode: 5099748774828) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1996 Released: 1997 This is the 14th studio album by legendary American singer / songwriter James TaylorFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve tracks (and a hidden track), ten of which were written by Taylor. On the album he is accompanied by some of the best American studio musicians, and other musicians, many associated with Jazz, like saxophonists Michael BreckerFind albums by this artist and Branford MarsalisFind albums by this artist. StingFind albums by this artist adds vocals on one track and cellist Yo-Yo MaFind albums by this artist plays on two tracks. Since his debut released in 1968 Taylor continues to create a steady stream of refined albums, mostly based on his own songwriting, which over time accumulated to one of the most significant American Rock songbooks. His personal musical style remains pretty unaffected over time and his sincere, heartfelt lyrics and beautiful melodies are all timeless gems. Overall, this is a beautiful collection of songs, sung with great emotion and accompanied by superb musicians, which for any Classic Rock fan is a no brainer. Once familiar with Taylor’s songwriting, one simply never gets tired of his creations!

Updated: 24/02/2024Posted: 24/02/2024

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO ~ LIVE ECM 2592 (Barcode: 602567384861) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018 This is the fourth album on the ECMFind albums on this label label by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist and his trio, which also includes bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. This is also the first live recording by the trio on that label. The album presents seven compositions (the first two combined into one piece), all composed by Wasilewski except for an interpretation of a song by StingFind albums by this artist and a Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist tune. All of these compositions originate from the trio´s previous album "Spark Of LifeFind albums with this title" except for one that originates from the second album "FaithfulFind albums with this title". As usual for ECM recordings, the album offers excellent sound quality and clarity. Wasilewski and his trio managed to develop a symbiotic musical relationship in the twenty years they played together and ten albums they recorded together, not to mention their work with the legendary Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist as members of his "Polish Quartet". These years proved to be fruitful and rewarding in every sense, and established the trio among one of the top European piano trios since the turn of the Millennium. Wasilewski´s role as a composer also developed steadily over time and he is today a core member of the Polish Jazz musical architects, who define the idiom, combining the Jazz tradition with Polish Folklore sources, the typical Polish melancholy and deeply melodic / harmonic sense of beauty and European finesse. His round and elegant music is the epitome of modern European Jazz, continuing the path set by the Godfathers of Polish / European Jazz. Naturally in time he achieved a highly respected position on the local Jazz scene as one of the leaders of the mid-generation and a highly sought after performer. The trio functions at all times like one body, with the obvious virtuosity displayed by the leader, but not less importantly by the rhythm section, which fused together create an effect that is greater than the sum of its parts. These live recording enables the numerous fans of the trio to experience an instantaneous connection with the process of music making, which of course is much more intensive than listening to a studio album. Overall this is a superb piece of Jazz piano trio music, performed by Masters and full of delicate and intricate moments hanging in the air, before the next touch of a key or pluck of a string or strike of a stick take the listener to the next magical moment. Elegant, sophisticated, lofty and above all unpretentious and honest, this music is pennies from heaven to every true Jazz connoisseur! Hats off!

Updated: 18/09/2018Posted: 16/09/2018

CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend

RICCARDO ZANNELLI ~ TIRATECI FUORI NOT ON LABEL 001 (Barcode: 8056099001444) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Italian singer / songwriter Riccardo ZannelliFind albums by this artist, which presents eight original songs composed by Zannelli (with some help by his friends on two of the songs) and featuring his lyrics. He is accompanied by a bunch of talented musicians: trumpeter Aldo BassiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Massimiliano FilosiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Francesco BrunoFind albums by this artist (who also plays guitar and bass synthesizers) and a few other guests. Bruno was also the recording engineer, artistic director and arranger of the entire project. The music is a wonderful amalgam of Pop, Jazz, Groove, World Music and a plethora of other elements, but first and foremost the typical Italian sense of melody, which luckily was not lost over the years. Each of these songs is a true gem, which in an ideal world would instantly capture the top of the playlists all over the world. The album could be classified as Smooth Jazz, but in the best meaning of the idiom, as it as good as the best work by StingFind albums by this artist and other Pop artists with strong emphasis on Jazz in their work. Zannelli is a superb vocalist, presenting a wide and rich range of vocal possibilities, from lyrical balladry to Groove / Soul and even Rap, which by the way shows that Rap can be quite musical in contrast to what the world was exposed to in the last decades. The short but elegant and expressive solos by Bassi and Filosi are like sweet raisins in a cake and Bruno´s guitar and synthesizer work is right on the money. His general musical direction placed this album exactly at its most comfortable spot, which is tasteful and catchy, but highly intelligent and sophisticated. This album proves yet again that entertaining music can be superbly crafted and perfect in every sense. This is one of those albums that go straight into your head and can´t be shaken down. I haven´t stopped listening to this album since I returned from Rome a couple of weeks ago and still can´t get enough of it. Hope to hear this music live one day! Thank you Riccardo and Francesco for this beautiful gift of music!

Updated: 31/10/2017Posted: 31/10/2017

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FRANK ZAPPA ~ BROADWAY THE HARD WAY ZAPPA 3879 (Barcode: 824302387924) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1988 Released: 2012 This is a reissue / remaster of the 53rd album by iconic American guitarist / composer / bandleader / visionary Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist, originally released in 1988. The album presents seventeen tracks, which include mostly original songs by Zappa, but also some covers including one song by The PoliceFind albums by this artist on which StingFind albums by this artist sings lead vocals. The music was recorded live during Zappa’s 1988 tour, which was sadly his last. It is one of three live albums recorded during this tour, together with “The Best Band You Never Heard In Your LifeFind albums with this title” and “Make A Jazz Noise HereFind albums with this title”. The lineup that recorded the music includes Zappa on guitar and vocals, guitarists Ike WillisFind albums by this artist and Mike KeneallyFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Robert MartinFind albums by this artist, percussionist Ed MannFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Walt FowlerFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bruce FowlerFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Paul CarmanFind albums by this artist, Albert WingFind albums by this artist and Kurt McGettrickFind albums by this artist, bassist Scott ThunesFind albums by this artist and drummer Chad WackermanFind albums by this artist. It reflects Zappa’s love of orchestral arrangements, which of course were meticulously conceived and brilliantly executed by this excellent team. The undertones of a Broadway show, which this album presents, are a pinnacle of Zappa’s mastery and a cruel twist. With passing time, Zappa’s cynicism and radical criticism of American politics, organized religion, show business and general stupidity became more bitter and plain painful at times. His idea to shake his audiences, had sadly little effect, as we can see with the world getting worse and stupider consistently. The absurdity of the beautiful melodic songs crafted by Zappa, which were accompanied by his toxic lyrics is absolutely amazing. However, as we all know, protest songs never managed to make a dent in the way our world is being conducted, especially so in America – Woody GuthrieFind albums by this artist, Pete SeegerFind albums by this artist, Bob DylanFind albums by this artist and eventually Zappa, all failed miserably – a magnificent failure it was indeed! Overall, although thirty-three years passed since this music was recorded, this album remains an absolute Classic in every respect, which stands proudly as an icon of superb music, which still shines brighter than almost anything else recorded since. Zappa’s genius, not only as a musician, but also as a visionary and a brilliant observer of the human condition and American folly and deceit, remain completely relevant and are even more actual today than ever. Side Note Frank Zappa created a vast recorded legacy during his lifetime, which is continuously being expanded using music recorded and stored in his extensive vault. The albums officially released and approved by Zappa are numbered sequentially in the "Official Release" series, from #001 to the last release so far #126. The albums between #001 to #062 were released during Zappa's lifetime and all the others were released posthumously. There are countless unofficial / bootleg releases on the market as well. Zappa's catalogue was remastered for CD release twice: in 1995 for the RykodiscFind albums on this label releases and again in 2012 for the ZappaFind albums on this label Records / UniversalFind albums on this label releases. The Zappa / Universal program includes 60 releases, which cover the entire catalog released during his lifetime (62 releases, except #013 "200 Motels" and the three Box Sets #043, #046 and #049 called "The Old Masters vol.I / II / III"), and 6 posthumous releases (#064, #065, #067, #068, #093 and #094), which were also included.

Updated: 22/09/2022Posted: 05/12/2021

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend