Record Reviews

SLOW ~ LIVE IN DRESDEN SLOWMUSIC 04 ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the 4th album (1st live) by Polish Jazz ensemble SlowFind albums by this artist (now Slow The BandFind albums by this artist), which comprises of guitarist Tomasz KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Leszek SzczerbaFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Krzysztof WerminskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Tomasz GrabowyFind albums by this artist, percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz SobolakFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven tracks, eight of which are co-composed by Kaczmarczyk and Werminski and three are composed by Kaczmarczyk. The live recording offers excellent sound quality and a robust funky vibe. The music continues the same attitude the ensemble assumed from its very early stage, which is playing highly melodic, solidly composed, almost danceable and entertaining music, which does not pretend to be anything beyond what’s out there: a high quality entertainment, without compromising artistic values and avoiding pretentious assumptions. These are all excellent, professional and dedicated musicians, who want to bring to the audience some fun, relaxed music, which is a true pleasure to listen to. All three soloists offer first-rate soloing, and the guitar parts are certainly as good as those produced by some of the most famous international names. The rhythm section is also absolutely perfect for the job and Berny shows his amazing percussion technique, which is always breathtaking. Overall, this is an excellent piece of Jazz music from the easier side of the spectrum, which is surely accessible to a wide audience, and which is a great opportunity to relax and enjoy some great tunes without too much brain-hacking. Perhaps some Jazz snobs will, as usual, turn their long noses, but it’s them who are missing all the fun. In these depressing time, this is a true ray of sunshine!

Updated: 22/06/2024Posted: 22/06/2024

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SLOW ~ SONGS FOR EVERYONE V 008 (Barcode: 5903111377090) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the second album by Polish Smooth Jazz ensemble SlowFind albums by this artist, led by guitarist / composer Tomasz KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist and keyboardist / composer Krzysztof WerminskiFind albums by this artist. They are supported by bassist Kamil PelkaFind albums by this artist, drummer Marcin RakFind albums by this artist and several additional musicians, which include two female vocalists, a string quartet and others. Pawel KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist is in charge of the musical production. The album presents ten original compositions, four of which are songs with lyrics, all co-composed by the two leaders The music, as appropriate for the Smooth Jazz milieu, is based on catchy melodic tunes, perfectly executed by the crew, quite jazzy and yet not complicated enough to bring on a headache, in short music that, as the title suggests, can and should be enjoyed by everyone. The only "problem" with this album is that it is probably too "good" for the average Smooth Jazz listener. There is plenty of great musicianship on this album; the nice but not cheesy compositions, the elegant instrumental parts, the vocals and the jazzy arrangements; in short it is obvious that these people are good musicians who know exactly what they are doing. It is definitely a great example of how the easy side of the Jazz spectrum can offer quality entertainment and how unjustly Smooth Jazz is often belittled by critics with narrow horizons and closed minds. This music is meant to entertain people who like music but approach it on a less intellectual plane. There is absolutely nothing wrong with such attitude. I must admit that I had a great fun listening to this album, which is also superbly recorded and can be used as a great test device for your stereo system.

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SLOW ~ UNDER EVERCHANGING SKY SM 002 (Barcode: 5905068087008) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2020 - 2021 Released: 2022 This is the third album by Polish ensemble SlowFind albums by this artist, co-led by guitarist / composer Tomasz KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist and pianist Krzysztof WerminskiFind albums by this artist. The current lineup includes also saxophonist / flautist Leszek SzczerbaFind albums by this artist, bassist Tomasz GrabowyFind albums by this artist and drummer / percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Kaczmarczyk. The album continues the path set by its two predecessors, offering a melody based Smooth Jazz / Fusion, which is perfectly executed by the ensemble. Some changes are noticeable, since this time the album is entirely instrumental, with more emphasis on the guitar, and of course the brilliant percussion work by Berny, which is immediately recognizable and highly effective. Slow cover an ungrateful territory on the Polish Jazz scene, as the kind of music they play is often trivialized by critics and social media, who are unable to distinguish between schmaltz and genuine Smooth Jazz, which is a legitimate sub-genre and often produces more rewarding music that other sub-genres preferred by the Jazz snobs. It takes real talent to compose a beautiful tune, and play it with taste and skill. Overall, this is a kind of album that is great fun to listen to, without burning too many cerebral cells, and which brings a smile on the listener’s face rather than push him into despair and misanthropy. Personally I respect the choices the musicians made, as long as they stand behind them honestly and consistently, which is true in this case. If you are looking for some good time, this is definitely an album to put on in the background.

Updated: 12/08/2022Posted: 12/08/2022

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