Record Reviews

LAMBERT, HENDRICKS & ROSS ~ SEVEN CLASSIC ALBUMS REAL GONE JAZZ 415 (Barcode: 5036408153128) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1957 - 1962 Released: 2013 This is a reissue of all the recordings by the legendary American vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks & RossFind albums by this artist, which consisted of Dave LambertFind albums by this artist, Jon HendricksFind albums by this artist and the British born Annie RossFind albums by this artist. This set collects recordings made between 1957 and 1962, which present the trio shaping the future of Jazz vocals for generations to come. The seven albums included here are: "Sing A Song Of BasieFind albums with this title" from 1957, "Sing Along With BasieFind albums with this title", from 1958, "The SwingersFind albums with this title" from 1958, "Lambert, Hendricks & RossFind albums with this title" from 1960, "Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Sing EllingtonFind albums with this title" from 1960, "The Real AmbassadorsFind albums with this title", a soundtrack of a Jazz musical which also features Dave BrubeckFind albums by this artist and Louis ArmstrongFind albums by this artist, from 1962 and the final album they recorded "High Flying With Lambert, Hendricks & RossFind albums with this title" from 1962. The trio´s usage of vocalese (i.e. wordless singing) advanced the idiom of Jazz vocals considerably, contributing to the voice being recognized as having instrumental abilities equal to those of traditional instruments used in Jazz. Although they were undoubtedly pioneers, they were almost immediately overshadowed by the French vocal group Les Double SixFind albums by this artist, which pushed the innovative vocal concepts to the next level and beyond, later followed by The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist and many other vocal ensembles. Overall this is a fascinating collection of great vocal Jazz music performed by the best vocalists at the time, and which has additionally also an enormous historical value. I can’t imagine any true vocal Jazz fan missing this set! Side Note The Real Gone JazzFind albums on this label label releases hundreds of album collections, which include usually between three to eight original albums in a two to four CDs sets. Most of these albums were recorded and released in the 1950s and early 1960s. These collections provide the track lists and lineups of the original albums, but no recording information, liner notes and any background information whatsoever. The label takes advantage of the copyright law in UK, which limited the length of the copyright protection of recorded works to 50 years, after which recorded works become public domain. In 2013 UK implemented a correction of the copyright law extending the protection of recorded works to 70 years (like the rest of Europe), but the correction does not apply retroactively, which means that recordings which entered the 50 years rule prior to January 1, 2013 (i.e. recorded before January 1, 1963) remain public domain. There are two great advantages to these releases: they are really inexpensive and they bring back to life many albums not reissued previously on CD, which means it would cost a collector an arm and a leg to get a copy of them. Many of these albums are absolute gems and essential pieces of Jazz history. The disadvantages are: the lack of proper information, original cover art, combining tracks of several original albums on one CD and the sound quality, which depends on where the label gets the source material. From my experience most of the releases have quite excellent sound quality but I have not listened to all of them and some people have complained about it.

Updated: 27/05/2018Posted: 29/09/2016

CD 4 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

MANHATTAN TRANSFER ~ ORIGINAL ALBUM SERIES RHINO 081227983697 (Barcode: 081227983697) ~ USA ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 1975 - 2000 Released: 2009 This Box Set collects five (seemingly randomly selected) albums recorded by the American vocal quartet The Manhattan TransferFind albums by this artist and released on the AtlanticFind albums on this label Records label between 1975 and 2000. The group was founded in 1969 by vocalist Tim HauserFind albums by this artist, who was the quartet´s leader for many years until his death in 2014. They recorded their debut in 1971 for CapitolFind albums on this label Records, which made little impact, and their career took off after switching to Atlantic Records and releasing their second eponymous album, included here. By 1978 the quartet´s stable lineup, which lasted until Hauser´s death, was established and included Hauser, Alan PaulFind albums by this artist, Janis SiegelFind albums by this artist and Cheryl BentyneFind albums by this artist. Israeli pianist Yaron GershovskyFind albums by this artist serves as the quartet´s musical director since the late 1970s. Although similar to the European vocal Jazz ensembles like the Les Double SixFind albums by this artist, The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist or the Polish NOVIFind albums by this artist ensemble, which revolutionized the vocal Jazz scene in the late 1950s and 1960s, Manhattan Singers were much closer to the American vocal tradition, which includes Gospel and Soul, rather than Jazz. As a result their music was always closer to Pop than to Jazz, which is plainly evident by listening to the albums in this Box Set. Although they do use vocalese and some improvisation, their arrangements and performances are always polished and round, avoiding risks and exploration. Nevertheless they do what they do highly professionally and always sound exactly as what is expected of them, which makes them very popular worldwide. Overall this Box Set includes very nice vocal music, which is very easy to be loved, but has almost nothing to do with Jazz per se. It is of course great fun to listen to, especially while your brain is comfortably numb… Side Note The "Original Album SeriesFind albums with this title" by Warner Bros.Find albums on this label, the "Original Album ClassicsFind albums with this title" by SonyFind albums on this label, the "5 Original AlbumsFind albums with this title" by UniversalFind albums on this label, the Box Sets by RhinoFind albums on this label and other similar releases are an archetypal example of how good intentions turn sour. Although these new editions often bring back to life some of the best music ever made on this planet, which in many cases has been lost in the tides of time and was unavailable on the market for ages, they suffer from an unforgivable disregard for the essence of cultural values and general sloppiness, contrary to human decency, which requires as to treat our Cultural Legacy with respect and loyalty. The Box Sets produced under these monikers have no discographical information whatsoever about the lineups, musician names, composers, lyricists, dates and places of recording, original release data and even basic copyright data (the last is strictly illegal BTW). Although the original LP sleeves are reproduced, they are often edited and information (which would be in most cases too small to be readable) is removed. Most importantly these Box Sets don't include any booklet offering a historical background and perspective about the Artists and the Music, which are extremely important and vital to the preservation of our Culture and passing the knowledge to the next generations. In short the fact that these Box Sets are meant to be inexpensive, does not mean that they have to be cheap. Considering the fact how many times this music has been sold over and over again by the labels, this is a crying shame!

Updated: 05/04/2024Posted:

CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Recommend To A Friend

NOVI ~ BOSSA NOVA (POLISH JAZZ VOL.13) MUZA 0913 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1967 Released: 2004 This is a reissue of the debut album by the sensational vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, which was one of the greatest Polish Jazz acts in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Continuing the tradition of Jazz vocalese groups like the French Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, NOVI expanded the borders further on into more experimental areas and used more instrumental backing, provided the best Polish Jazz musicians at the time. The quartet was led by singer / arranger / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist and included also the incredible female vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist and two additional male vocalists Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. All the singers were also capable instrumentalists. Together they created beautiful vocal harmonies of exceptional sophistication and unique style, unparalleled to this day. On this album they performed all original material composed by Kawka, Mych and Parzynski, with Kawka responsible for six of the fourteen tunes and the incredible arrangements turning everything into a distinctive NOVI vocal signature. This is definitely one of the most unique Polish Jazz ensembles and an absolute must for every vocal jazz connoisseur!

Updated: 13/10/2016Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend

NOVI ~ CHOPIN MUZA 1295 (Barcode: 5907783422959) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2010 This is a reissue of the third album by Polish Jazz vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, led by vocalist / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist and including vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. The album, originally entitled "NOVI Sing ChopinFind albums with this title", presents eleven compositions by the Polish National composer Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist, arranged for the vocal quartet singing a cappella. Obviously following in the footsteps of The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, who recorded arrangements of music by Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist and other Classical composers, NOVI undertook this difficult and very ambitious project to sing Chopin´s music in a similar Swing fashion and against all odds succeeded beyond all expectations. This recording immediately achieved a status of a cult album, and although not really a Jazz album per se, was warmly embraced by the Jazz community as part of its milieu. In many aspects the album symbolizes the Polish Culture, as it embodies the idea of Polish Music, which became a part of Polish Cultural Heritage, transforming in time and staying contemporary regardless the changing frame of reference, in this case the Jazz idiom. The vocal performances on this album are absolutely brilliant and remain unmatched by any other vocal group since attempting to tackle Chopin´s compositions, not only on the Polish scene, but globally. This reissue is well remastered from the original studio tapes and presents a wonderful sonic quality, especially in view of the challenging task of recording human voices. It does not correct, unfortunately, the lack of information that has been associated with this album since day one as to the arrangement credits and the name of the bass player who accompanies the vocal quartet (i.e. the album is not strictly an a cappella recording as the vocals are accompanied by a bass player on eight tracks). This is a timeless classic of course and an absolute must have for any Polish music fan, Jazz or otherwise! Side Note: After some intensive investigations I do have now all the missing discographical information, which is mentioned above. The bass player that accompanies NOVI is Pawel JarzebskiFind albums by this artist. As to the vocal arrangements, eight are by Parzynski, two by Mych and one by Kawka. Of course I am not disclosing my sources ;)

Updated: 12/01/2017Posted: 07/01/2017

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

NOVI ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.24 POLSKIE RADIO 1670 (Barcode: 5907812246709) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1968 - 1971 Released: 2016 This is the twenty-fourth 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 thirteen tracks collected here were recorded during three separate occasions by the sensational Polish Jazz vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist Singers: a Polish Radio Studio session from 1968 (four tracks), a live performance at the 1969 Jazz Jamboree Festival (five tracks) and finally a live performance at the 1971 Jazz Jamboree Festival (four tracks). NOVI, formed in 1964 by Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist, included also Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. During the studio session they were accompanied by an orchestra of unknown lineup, during the 1969 concert they were accompanied by a trio comprising of organist Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and finally during the 1971 concert they were accompanied by a Big Band which included trumpeters Stanislaw MizeradzkiFind albums by this artist and Bogdan SkawinaFind albums by this artist, trombonist Stanislaw CieslakFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Jan JarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Tadeusz GogoszFind albums by this artist and drummer Kazimierz JonkiszFind albums by this artist. The material is mostly original with five compositions by Kawka, two by Parzynski and one by Mych. Three tracks are standards, one was composed by Namyslowski and one is an arrangement of a Classical piece by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist, which the quartet performs a cappella. Inspired by such vocal groups like the French Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, also originally formed in France, NOVI took the vocal group artistry a notch further, presenting a wide and ambitious repertoire ranging from arrangements of Classical Music via complex Jazz compositions, mostly original, featuring advanced vocal shenanigans and finally arrangements of Pop material. They used lyrics in some of their material but were absolutely at their best when singing wordless vocalese, which they brought to perfection. This particular album had the potential of being one of the most interesting releases in this series, since live material by NOVI is almost completely absent from their recorded legacy, but sadly it suffers from some problems, which make it much less attractive that it should have been. Firstly the tracks recorded during the three separate sessions have been sequenced here quite randomly, rather than being presented grouped together by session. Secondly the recording quality is sadly very problematic on most of these tracks and even the careful restoring and remastering was not able to make them sound better. Of course the human voice is the most difficult recording challenge and considering the limitations present at the time the quality should be judged leniently, but in this case the sound quality seriously hinders the listening experience. Thirdly, as usual for this series, there is no background information about the artists, historic background, etc. which recordings of such importance truly deserve. Nevertheless all things considered, this is still a very important document of the Polish Jazz legacy and considering the importance of this material this album immediately becomes another must have for all Polish Jazz fans and collectors of Polish Jazz recordings.

Updated: 17/07/2016Posted: 17/07/2016

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

NOVI ~ RIEN NE VA PLUS (POLISH JAZZ VOL.82 DELUXE) MUZA 1082 (Barcode: 5907783420825) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1973 Released: 2005 This is a reissue of the fourth album by the sensational vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, which was one of the greatest Polish Jazz acts in the 1970s. Continuing the tradition of Jazz vocal groups like the French Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, NOVI expanded the borders further on into more experimental areas and used more instrumental backing, provided the best Polish Jazz musicians at the time. The quartet was led by singer / arranger / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist and included also the incredible female vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist and two additional male vocalists Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. Together they created beautiful vocal harmonies of exceptional sophistication and unique style, unparalleled to this day. The performed a mixture of original material, mostly composed by Kawka, and standards or contemporary Pop material, but the incredible arrangements turned everything into a distinctive NOVI vocal signature. On this specific album they are accompanied by an all-star band, led by saxophonist Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, which includes such luminaries as saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and many others. This is definitely one of the climax moments of the Polish Jazz in the 1970s and an absolute must for every vocal jazz connoisseur! Side Note: This is one of those Polish Jazz albums, released by the Polskie Nagrania / MuzaFind albums on this label label, which should have been released as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series at the time, but somehow never made it. From the historic perspective it definitely deserved to be a part of that series and this was partially corrected by this edition, as it is one of the items in the expanded "Polish Jazz Deluxe" series of reissues.

Updated: 13/10/2016Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

NOVI ~ TORPEDO (POLISH JAZZ VOL.87 DELUXE) MUZA 1087 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1970 Released: 2006 This is a reissue of the second album by the seminal vocal group NOVIFind albums by this artist, one of the most acclaimed Polish Jazz acts in the 1960s and 1970s, and one of the most influential vocal ensembles of all times. Led by the charismatic vocalist / composer / arranger Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist, the group also included the sensational female vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist and two more male vocalists / composers / arrangers: Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. Following the formula set by their sensational debut album, they perform original music composed and arranged by Kawka, Mych and Parzynski (except for one Classical piece). The vocal quartet is accompanied by a superb instrumental team, which includes some of the best Polish Jazz musicians at the time, including pianist Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist, drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist and many others, as well as the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist, led by Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. The rich instrumental arrangements were one of the differences between NOVI and the earlier European Jazz vocal ensembles like Les Double SixFind albums by this artist or The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist. This album, as all early recordings by NOVI, is absolutely immune to the tides of time and sounds today as magnificent as it was at the time of its recording. NOVI definitely left a mark on the Jazz vocal idiom, setting an incredibly high standard, which sadly was later on followed by only very few similar ensembles. Side Note: This is one of those Polish Jazz albums, released by the Polskie Nagrania / MuzaFind albums on this label label, which should have been released as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series at the time, but somehow never made it. From the historic perspective it definitely deserved to be a part of that series and this was partially corrected by this edition, as it is one of the items in the expanded "Polish Jazz Deluxe" series of reissues.

Updated: 13/10/2016Posted: 13/10/2016

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

JANUSZ SZROM ~ JANUSZ SZROM NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is a brilliant album by veteran Polish Jazz vocalist / composer Janusz SzromFind albums by this artist, performed using only multi-tracked vocals and no instrumental backing whatsoever. The album presents twenty-one relatively concise tracks, mostly originals, composed by Szrom (eight tracks) and Pawel BetleyFind albums by this artist (also eight tracks) and a few others. Only two tracks are songs including lyrics, all the rest are pure vocalese. Although the concept of unaccompanied solo vocal albums is not new as such – see the phenomenal and revolutionary "The VoiceFind albums with this title" by Bobby McFerrinFind albums by this artist from 1984 – but those are very rare indeed. It takes not only skill and talent, but first of all also courage and imagination to undertake such a demanding task and it´s great to see Szrom fearlessly and proudly facing the immensely difficult challenge and successfully create a beautiful piece of music. The music offers a diverse collection of musical themes, which mix Jazz with World Music, Pop and other genres. The performances utilize a plethora of vocal techniques, including a cappella, imitation of instruments, rhythmic phrasing, scat, complex harmonies and so on. Szrom´s impressive vocal range manages to produce an imitation of vocal groups, like the legendary Polish NOVIFind albums by this artist vocal ensemble, or other ensembles like Les Double SixFind albums by this artist or Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, all created in this case by the voice of a single person. It doesn´t really make sense to say much more about this music, as nothing is able to replace the actual experience of listening to it of course. Overall this is a stunning, unique, and completely overwhelming album, which should astonish the connoisseurs of vocal Jazz, or in fact all lovers of the human voice, knocking them out of their socks. I can´t imagine any true music lover not falling in love with this gem immediately and I hope it gets to be heard by as many music lovers around the world as possible. Hats off my Friend! Chapeau bas, etc.!

Updated: 30/03/2020Posted: 30/03/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.30 POLSKIE RADIO 2063 (Barcode: 5907812244026) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1966 Released: 2017 This is the thirtieth 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 October 1966 during the ninth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the second volume of a collection of tracks from that event. The first ten tracks present the legendary French vocal group The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, led by Ward SwingleFind albums by this artist (an American in Paris) and including seven more vocalists. The vocal octet is accompanied by bassist Guy PedersenFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. In contrast to the earlier iconic French vocal ensemble Les Double SixFind albums by this artist (which included several of the Swingle Singers members earlier on), which sung vocal versions of Jazz standards, The Swingle Singers performed mostly vocal Jazz arrangements of Classical Music pieces, by Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist, Wolfgang Amadeus MozartFind albums by this artist and others. The tracks present here are all in this particular idiom. The next two tracks present a trio led by American organist Lou BennettFind albums by this artist, who moved to Paris in 1960. The other members of the trio are: Belgian guitarist Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist and Italian drummer Franco ManzecchiFind albums by this artist. These tracks are of interest as early examples of Catherine´s playing before he started his illustrious solo career. The last track presents a Polish Jazz quartet led by saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, which also includes pianist Adam MatyszkowiczFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist), bassist Janusz KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. They perform an original composition by Namyslowski, recorded on his debut Polish album by the same lineup. 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: 07/07/2017Posted: 07/07/2017

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend