Record Reviews

ALFONS SLIK ~ NIE PRZEJMUJ SIE LOVE & BEAUTY 06 ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Avant-Garde Polish Jazz duo Alfons SlikFind albums by this artist, consisting of pianist / composer Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummer / composer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, three composed by Tarwid, two by Gasiorek and four co-composed by them both. In addition to the obvious piano and drums the duo utilizes some spoken word parts on three of the tracks, which are on the borderline of Jazz & Poetry / Rap. The music is everything the listeners familiar with the work of these two brilliant young musicians (separately and collectively) might expect, and beyond. Although definitely unconventional and innovative, and therefore Avant-Garde, the music is not missing some melodic touches and coherent continuity. The total playing time of just under half an hour is a wise decision in this case as the intensity and diversity of the musical content is mercilessly multifarious and complex. Piano and drums duet is surely not a typical musical setting, especially when both instruments receive a completely equally important role within the music. The dialogue the two partners are able to develop herein is truly spectacular and rarely present elsewhere. Overall this is a fascinating musical adventure, which stands apart from most Avant-Garde projects in Polish / European Jazz. Paraphrasing on an old slogan, this is Avant-Garde with a human face, which rather than alienating the listener tries to bring him into the music and embrace it. This little gem is absolutely wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 27/03/2020Posted: 27/03/2020

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CZAJKA & PUCHACZ ~ BIVALISCA KLOPOTEC 111 ~ SLOVENIA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by the duo Czajka & PuchaczFind albums by this artist, which comprises of Slovenian pianist / composer Kaja DrakslerFind albums by this artist and Polish drummer / composer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all co-credited to both members of the duo. The first two tracks were recorded live and the rest are studio recordings. Gasiorek has been one of the most interesting Avant-Garde figures on the Polish / European scene in the last half decade, participating in several different projects and playing very diverse music. This duo with Draksler, who resides in several locations in Europe and is a highly active Improvising Music Artist, shows yet another aspect of Gasiorek´s multifaceted talents, this time dealing with minimalist (to the extreme) music, which is mostly based on delicate percussive sounds and a small amount of piano notes and other related noises, human voices and electronics. There is hardly, if any, music as most people would define it and the long series of detached percussive sounds can become weary after a while. This kind of sound collages have been around for many years, so this album is not even innovative within the Improvised Music / Avant-Garde Music idioms. As much as I love Gasiorek´s earlier efforts, this album if just a strange oddity, which I find almost no connection to, neither emotional nor intellectual, in spite of the fact that I consider myself an open-minded listener with vast experience. It might have been fun to record but this album bears no musical message as far as I am concerned. But that is just me of course.

Updated: 26/12/2020Posted: 26/12/2020

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LOVE ~ E BIK DANGAM LAN LOVE & BEAUTY 03 (Barcode: 5707471051313) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garge Pop Recorded: 2016 - 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by the ensemble LOVEFind albums by this artist, led by Polish (resident in Denmark) saxophonist / composer Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, who is also a member of the Love And Beauty SeekersFind albums by this artist trio. The ensemble includes two additional Polish musicians: bassist Tomo JacobsonFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist and three Scandinavian musicians: vocalist Lo ErsareFind albums by this artist, tuba player Rasmus Kjaergard LundFind albums by this artist and pianist Petter RylenFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the leader. The music is an amalgam of contemplative chants / songs and passages of Jazz improvisations based on the basic melodies. The unusual instrumentation and overall stylistic aesthetic creates a dreamlike continuity, which moves from one track to another, with long quiet passages which build up to a crescendo eruptions and then return again to more melodic and quiet moments. The music has some characteristic of a religious / spiritual ceremony and the poems used as part of the lyrics emphasize that atmosphere. The problem with albums like this one is that it might appeal to a very limited audience, as it falls between categories: it is not a Jazz album per se and it is not a meditation / relaxation album as well. In short, only open-minded listeners, who like surprises and adventure in the music they listen to, might love listening to it. Personally I´ve had a great fun listening to this album and recommend it to my fellow unconventional music lovers. Based on his recording activity Lagodzinski clearly emerges as a versatile composer / instrumentalist and is certainly worth being closely watched in the future, as his output so far is definitely very promising.

Updated: 26/05/2017Posted: 26/05/2017

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LOVE AND BEAUTY SEEKERS ~ ZAR LOVE & BEAUTY 01 (Barcode: 5707471048733) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by young Polish trio Love And Beauty SeekersFind albums by this artist, which consists of saxophonist Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, five of which were composed by Lagodzinski, four by Pospieszalski and two by Gasiorek. I had the pleasure to hear the trio live a couple of times in 2015, first in a small club in Krakow and than as guests of my Singer Jazz Festival in Warsaw, and was very impressed by the music they create. This album captures this music very authentically and presents one of the most interesting new ensembles on the Polish scene, even though as of now they reside in Copenhagen, where they still attend the local Music Conservatory. The music of the trio is a unique amalgam of Free Jazz, Improvised Music, Punk and Romanticism, which results in an incredibly fascinating, vibrant and fresh sound and attitude. Although the music includes a lot of freedom and space, it also features beautiful melodic themes and coherent development of the compositions, in complete contrast to the chaos and mayhem that usually characterizes Avant-Garde music. The trio uses a plethora of effects, toys and other paraphernalia to create sounds that ornament their basic trio sound, which also broadens the overall result. The individual contributions by all the trio members are absolutely perfect within the framework of their music. They are all equal partners and the trio is not a saxophone player accompanied by a rhythm section, but three musicians who play different instruments and create music together. Lagodzinski elegantly moves between playing gentle melodic themes and blowing his horn wildly, Pospieszalski switches between clear bass lines to freely improvised multi-tempo passages and Gasiorek, as appropriate for a gifted drummer, plays anything but basic rhythmic patterns, simply moving all over the place and creating layers of percussive embellishments. Polish Jazz is a very fertile soil for Free Jazz / Improvised Music and the number of individual musicians and ensembles working within the framework of the Avant-Garde scene is stupefying. And yet this ensemble definitely stands out as a surprising contestant to the veterans of the genre with this mind blowing debut. I am already highly curious as to their next release, hoping it will be a worthy follow up to this debut effort, which won´t be easy to beat or even match easily. Respect!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 04/01/2017

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PIMPONO ENSEMBLE ~ HOPE LOVE PEACE FAITH LOVE & BEAUTY 02 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is a brilliant debut album by an international Jazz ensemble from Copenhagen, called Pimpono EnsembleFind albums by this artist, led by young Polish drummer / composer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Pimpon), who is also a member of the excellent Polish trio Love And Beauty SeekersFind albums by this artist. The other members of the ensemble, which is a nonet, includes also the two remaining members of Love And Beauty Seekers, saxophonist Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, as well as another Polish bassist Tomo JacobsonFind albums by this artist and Scandinavian musicians: trumpeter Gustav BjerreFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tobias PfeilFind albums by this artist, tuba player Rasmus Kjaergard LundFind albums by this artist, guitarist Emil PalmeFind albums by this artist, and a third bassist Lui Severin FalkentorpFind albums by this artist. Three guest musicians appear on selected tracks. The ensemble performs eight original compositions, all by Gasiorek. The music is a fascinating amalgam of modern influences, wildly diverse and ranging from Minimal Music to Free Jazz / Improvised Music, combined coherently and skillfully by the composer, who also makes a brilliant use of the large ensemble, which is sadly very rarely done these days. It is truly amazing to find such a mature piece of music conceived and executed by such young musicians. The music changes moods and atmospheres from one piece to another and also within each piece and the listener is unable to predict what might happen next, which of course turns this into a fascinating listening experience. This album demonstrates the power of expression and the sophistication of music written and executed by large ensembles, which enables a wide sonic spectrum, a stylistic diversity and of course the inclusion of many soloists playing often in parallel, improvising concurrently. There is of course place for beautiful melodic themes and harmonic arrangements, but these are not the core of the music, only a part of the palette the composer uses to build up his sonic world. Although this might sound a bit of an overstatement, this album could serve as a text book example of what modern Jazz composition for large ensembles is all about. Therefore my wholehearted recommendation for musicians involved in this area is to get a copy of the album ASAP. Connoisseurs of modern Jazz, who are open-minded and love adventurous music, should find this album a stunning listening experience. Kudos!

Updated: 13/01/2017Posted: 13/01/2017

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PIMPONO ENSEMBLE ~ SURVIVAL KIT LOVE & BEAUTY 07 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album by the Pimpono EnsembleFind albums by this artist, a Copenhagen based group of Polish, Danish and Norwegian musicians, led by Polish drummer / composer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Pimpon), which also includes trumpeter Jonas DueFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist and Michal BielFind albums by this artist, tuba player Rasmus SvaleFind albums by this artist, and bassists Jonatan UranesFind albums by this artist and Rafal RozalskiFind albums by this artist. A couple of guests take part in the proceedings. The album presents ten original compositions, all by the leader. The music follows some of the ideas put forward on the brilliant debut album, presenting highly original music, which mixes Jazz sophistication with Rock energy and Avant-Garde improvisations, creating a big, impressive sound and a continuous surge of creativity. Although this lineup of the ensemble (a septet) is smaller than the one performing on the debut (a nonet) there seems to be no less power of expression and utilizing of the available instruments to create a kaleidoscope of sounds, and a rich tapestry of soundscapes, which is extremely effective As I have already stated in my review of the debut album, this music is first and foremost a reflection of the unique compositional skills of Gasiorek, which is often as bold and forward thinking as what Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist was doing with his ensembles decades ago. Luckily the composer is able to find musicians, who are able to follow his ideas and put them into reality, which considering the complexity and diversity of this music is nothing short of miraculous. I must admit that in retrospect this album impresses me even more than the shocking debut released four years earlier. The music is more concise, coherent and mature, and honestly has almost no parallels among what is currently being created within the Jazz idiom worldwide, pointing towards what Jazz is able to accomplish based on its tradition but firmly and boldly pushing the boundaries. Overall this is one of those albums that immediately deliver a merciless punch in your solar plexus and you remain stunned for quite a while. Sadly it will most probably not be properly appreciated by the audiences, as happens with the best music time after time, but who gives a damn? This is unequivocally a masterpiece and anybody missing listening to this music is a fool!

Updated: 25/07/2020Posted: 25/07/2020

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FRANCISZEK POSPIESZALSKI ~ 1ST LEVEL FOR TUNE 0123 (Barcode: 5906395808250) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz bassist / composer Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a sextet setting with his fellow Polish students at Copenhagen´s Rhythmic Music Conservatory, which is very popular among the young generation of Polish Jazz musicians in the last decade. The other members of the sextet are: saxophonists Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist and Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist and drummers Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist (who also plays electronic vibraphone) and Albert KarchFind albums by this artist. Trumpeter Szczepan PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist plays on one tune. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Pospieszalski, and one arrangement of a Classical piece. The music, which is absolutely beyond any known systematic classification, moves constantly between modern Jazz, group improvisation, contemporary Classical and a myriad of other not yet invented labels, and is utterly stunning in its inventiveness and complete disregard of stylistic or mental limitations. It is an extension to what the Love And Beauty SeekersFind albums by this artist trio (Pospieszalski / Lagodzinski / Gasiorek) brilliantly started on their debut album a year earlier, with the additional power and possibilities intrinsic to the larger sextet lineup. In short this is perhaps a beginning of a new Jazz genre, which appears here for the first time, and which is new and separate from anything else known in the past. It is mindboggling to hear what these young people manage to achieve here, which is more revolutionary and prophetic that what most Jazz musicians achieved in their lifetimes. As hard as it is to believe, this music is a quintessential expression of the Jazz exploration and development, which is the genre´s most important quality, especially in view of the fact that most other musical forms are simply dying or exist in a state of deep lethargy. Listening to this music reveals perhaps the last threads of hope for human Culture, which is still alive and kicking. Although the album is extremely short (just over thirty six minutes in duration), it is so extremely condensed and full of intellectual charge, that its unadulterated contents means more that dozens of other albums put together. As a result it stays apart from most other albums released in Poland this year, and is by far the most interesting release so far in 2017. It will perhaps take time for the listeners to fully understand the meaning and significance of this music, but the musical prophecy conveyed herein is bound to create a major impact. My deepest thanks go to these young Lions for keeping my faith in humanity afloat.

Updated: 18/07/2017Posted: 18/07/2017

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FRANCISZEK POSPIESZALSKI ~ SECOND STEP NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903771865210) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the third album as a leader by young Polish Jazz bassist / composer Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and his second recording with his sextet, which here includes saxophonists Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and Jedrzej LagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Grzegorz TarwidFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Wiktoria JakubowskaFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist. Barbara PospieszalskaFind albums by this artist plays piano on one track and a string quartet plays on two tracks. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the leader. The album was recorded at the Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist. As usual with Pospieszalski, his music eschews all attempts of straightforward classification and encompasses many different influences, from contemporary Classical Music, via the Jazz tradition, Folkloristic fragrances and Avant-Garde tendencies, which altogether produce a unique amalgam, which is first and foremost his own. It is fascinating to follow the development of Pospieszalski in the last five years since the recording of his debut album and the crystallization of his stylistic tendencies, influenced undoubtedly by the years he studied music in Denmark, which is a melting point of the young European Jazz scene. The bond he forged there with Lagodzinski and Gasiorek, which resulted in the formation of the Love And Beauty SeekersFind albums by this artist trio seems to hold on, as these young people obviously share common musical vibes. In the liner notes accompanying this album Pospieszalski reflects upon the blind worship of everything “American”, in music and life habits alike, which is tragically so omnipresent among young Europeans, rather than following and developing the rich and beautiful European tradition that has so much to offer. I wholeheartedly share that point of view of course and the fact that Pospieszalski is open enough to talk about it, in addition to creating music which is deeply European in its essence, is highly commendable. Overall, this is a wonderful piece of music; bold, interesting, beautifully put together and executed, which fully justifies the hopes and belief in the young generation of Polish / European Jazz, that some of us share. There are only a few albums recorded each year that have so much to offer, and this one surely deserves to be heard by as many music lovers around the world as possible. Well done!

Updated: 07/09/2021Posted: 07/09/2021

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SOUNDING SOCIETY ~ HOMECOMING MEDLEY GOTTA LET IT OUT 54 (Barcode: 5707471088548) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2021 Released: 2023 This is the debut album by the Sounding SocietyFind albums by this artist quartet, founded by Polish (resident in Denmark) bassist / composer Tomo JacobsonFind albums by this artist and including Polish drummer / composer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist, Italian gong player and healer Ylenia FioriniFind albums by this artist and Danish keyboardist Rasmus Kjaer LarsenFind albums by this artist. The album presents a four-piece continuous piece of music, assumably spontaneously created by the four musicians. Jacobson owns the Gotta Let It OutFind albums on this label label, which released over 50 albums since its inception less than a decade ago, with some of the most thought-provoking Improvising Music currently recorded. He is also a prolific recording artists / bandleader, who seems to be completely unbounded by any conventions or musical boundaries and personifies the “Free Spirit” approach on the contemporary European music scene. This album is a modern version of the New Age idiom, which was explosively popular by the end of the Last Millennium, but died soon after in a self-decaying process of boredom and pretentiousness. This new attempt of reviving the genre is undoubtedly more intelligent and spiritually closer to the New Age concept of searching for new experiences, combining Improvised Music with the meditative tranquility rather than floating on nauseating melodic sweetness. As such, this music is challenging and spiritually engrossing, especially for listeners prone to such trends. Personally, I can appreciate the effort and the energy the musicians employ to create this music, but it leaves me rather cold. Overall, this is another facet of the highly prolific and searching activity by Jacobson, which should be admired for its intensity, dedication, consistency and hard work. This particular music is highly personal and will interest listeners, who have a pre-disposition to the spiritual New Age idiom, rather than Improvised Music per se, but the Artistry cannot be denied.

Updated: 16/03/2023Posted: 16/03/2023

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TOMASZ SROCZYNSKI ~ PRIMAL FOR TUNE 0103 (Barcode: 5906395808038) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 It is the debut album as a leader by Polish Avant-Garde violinist / composer Tomasz SroczynskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist. The album presents a continuous twelve piece progression lasting thirty eight minutes. Since composing credits are not disclosed on the album´s liner notes I assume the music was co-composed by all three musicians based on basic ideas by the leader. The music moves along between Contemporary Classical, Free Jazz, Improvised Music and Ambient, which seems pretty arbitrary as there is no coherent structure or sequence, which could hint as to the ultimate goal. The diverse sonic vistas produced by the violin are interesting and so is the attempt to share responsibility by the other instruments, which play along amicably, but that is not enough to keep the listener fascinated for more that a few moments at a time. Sroczynski displays virtuosic technique, especially so in the longest track on the album, but the other pieces are much more minimalistic and less immediately attractive. However, there is no doubt that this is a courageous effort to produce original and ambitious music, and as such it deserves encouragement and support, like the release of this album. There is no way to foresee where Sroczynski might be heading in the long range, but based on his previous recordings and the one at hand he certainly is full of interesting ideas and opens new possibilities for the role of the violin in contemporary music. Lovers of adventurous Avant-Garde escapades, full of challenge and discovery, should find this music interesting and worth listening to. The question is if a repeated listening to this recording is something many listeners will be interested in.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 14/10/2016

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KAROLINE WALLACE ~ STIKLINGER ORA FONOGRAM 169 (Barcode: 7090015631699) ~ NORWAY ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the second album as a leader by Norwegian vocalist / composer Karoline WallaceFind albums by this artist, recorded with musicians she encountered while living in Copenhagen: saxophonist Jonas EngelFind albums by this artist, cellist Ida NorbyFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Erik Kimestad PedersenFind albums by this artist, pianist Thibault GomezFind albums by this artist, bassist Petter AsbjornsenFind albums by this artist and Polish drummer Szymon GasiorekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Szymon PimponFind albums by this artist). The album presents six original compositions by Wallace. Wallace, who has already a rather impressive recording legacy accumulated during the last few years, both as a leader and member of several Scandinavian ensembles, emerges as one of the most impressive figures on that scene. She mostly uses her voice like an instrument, which becomes another instrument in the ensemble, and her wonderful compositions are open to extensive improvisation, with their power being in their minimalism. On this album she uses recorded sounds from her childhood, which are incorporated in the music, creating a collage of sounds combined with the instrumentalist playing on the album. The compositions, or rather soundscapes, are inspired by her Grandmother’s garden and are full of mystique and internal tension and sound like a large orchestral work despite the fact that they are performed by just a limited number of participants playing only acoustic instruments. Despite the fact that the music is about very private reminiscences, the music manages to turn them into a universal experience. Overall this is a most impressive piece of contemporary Scandinavian / European Jazz / Improvised Music, which shows the incredible level of creativity the young generation of musicians has to offer. Wallace manages to create imaginative, highly absorbing music time after time and is certainly a figure worth following, as she obviously has a lot more to say in the future.

Updated: 13/08/2021Posted: 13/08/2021

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