Record Reviews

TADEUSZ BORCZYK ~ NO NAME FLOWER 030 (Barcode: 5904259357913) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 - 2010 Released: 2011 This is the second album by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Tadeusz BorczykFind albums by this artist recorded over a period of several years in different studios (including the excellent Studio Tokarnia) with a changing lineup, which includes pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, guitarist Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marek PodkowaFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jaroslaw SpalekFind albums by this artist and drummers Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist and Michal DabrowkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Borczyk. The music belongs to the melodic easier side of Jazz and Fusion, is well played and solidly composed, which means that although it is not very ambitious, it is altogether quite a pleasant listen. The problem with such recordings is of course their dangerous proximity to Smooth Jazz, which although in this case does not cross the line, is very close to it. All these compositions sound very similar to each other and are eventually quite unremarkable, which means that once the album is over one remembers almost nothing of the actual music. Borczyk plays a few nice bass solos, which are amongst the highlights of this album, and Smoczynski saves the day with his piano playing, which is the most constructive contribution on this album. A few other solo spots are also worth notice. The album has a very good sound quality, which basically means that fans of easy Jazz music, which is almost danceable, should have a field day with it. It is also ideal for driving. Altogether this is quite a nice album for people who treat Jazz as entertainment.

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GRZEGORZ KARNAS ~ BALLADY NA KONIEC SWIATA NINTH FLOOR 1002 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2004 - 2005 Released: 2006 This is the third 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. Born in the southern Polish province of Upper Silesia, Karnas graduated form the Jazz Institute at the Katowice Academy of Music, where a large percentage of the young Polish Jazz musicians get their initial graduate education. His debut album "ReinkarnasjaFind albums with this title", released in 2000, created quite a stir on the local scene and immediately established him as one of the most significant newcomers. Stylistically this album is a direct continuation of its predecessor "SnyFind albums with this title", except for the fact that all the music was co-composed by Karnas and cellist Adam OlesFind albums by this artist (who also plays on the album) with lyrics by Karnas. The thirteen pieces are all relatively low-key, hence the reference to ballads in the title, although they have little in common with what is considered a ballad in classic Jazz other than the slow tempo. The accompaniment is also more subtle than on the previous album, with more ambient background sounds and less typical Jazz solos. Oles, who plays his cello mostly as if it was an acoustic bass, sets much of the overall sound and atmosphere. Other participants include saxophonist Radoslaw NowickiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist and electronic sounds creator Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, and congas player Bogusz WekkaFind albums by this artist. In addition two guest artists also participate: pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist and guitarist Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist. Karnas apparently found in Oles an ideal partner in his search for a decisive stylistic crystallization, which is quite apparent here. His vocal explorations are less chaotic and outrageous, with spontaneity replaced by self-control and moderation, which of course does not make his music any less exciting. But this album is somewhat less accessible and immediately likeable that his earlier work, perhaps due to the depressing lyrical subject matter (end of the world), which is apparent not only in the lyrics but also in the somewhat gloomy melody lines. All in all this is definitely another excellent piece of musical artistry. Karnas is a unique voice and everything he recorded is worth the listeners´ attention, especially since vocal Jazz is such a neglected area dominated by mediocrity if not worse. Therefore this album stands out as a beacon of hope that not all is lost and the end of the world will have a wait for a while. Exciting stuff!

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MARTA KROL ~ THE FIRST LOOK ŚTM 05 (Barcode: 5908248979056) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is the debut solo album by Polish vocalist Marta KrolFind albums by this artist, a beautiful Silesian Princess whose looks turn men into stone on sight ;) On the album she presents ten Jazz and Pop standards, dressed up in excellent new arrangements, by keyboardist / arranger Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, who also plays some additional keyboards on the album. She is accompanied by a wonderful quartet of Polish Jazz musicians: saxophonist Dawid GlowczewskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. Krol has a delightfully warm voice, which she uses most effectively and with a natural charm and sex-appeal. Her musical education is immediately apparent, as she stays in tune at all times, even during the tricky passages and obviously keeps well in-synch with her band. The accompaniment is excellent, with many interesting solo spots by Glowczewski, beautiful piano and Fender Rhodes parts by Tomaszewski and solid and sympathetic support from the rhythm section with virtuosic, but kept in low profile bass parts by Swies, who is consistently perfect every time he appears on record and earns a well deserved position among the best contemporary Polish bassists. However, in spite of the Jazzy arrangements and instrumental passages, this album is only marginally Jazzy per se. Krol lacks the Jazz sensitivities and fundamental improvisational approach, singing mostly "straight forward". That does not mean she is doing anything wrong, but if the purpose of this album was to present her as a Jazz singer, it fails to do so. Nevertheless it is a very pleasant and well done piece of music, which deserves all praise, especially in view of the fact that it is her debut effort. Of course there is the usual problem of Polish vocalists stubbornly trying to sing in English, which is an insurmountable barrier, which simply keeps reappearing on almost all vocal albums recorded in the country. It´s not that Krol´s pronunciation and accent are terribly wrong; in fact they are not too bad at all, but her struggle to sound "right" takes away her attention from the music, as always. My advice to the lovely young lady would be perhaps to try and find out her unique own style, which would amalgamate Soul, Pop, Blues and just a dash of Jazz, and which would serve her vocal talents to the max. And of course perhaps a bit more risk-taking and ambitious material, original if possible and preferably in Polish – with such a formula she is destined to reach places. But than again, who am I, an old fart, to give advice to lovely young ladies singing the Blues? Overall this is an impressive debut, which holds many promises for those with patience to wait for the lady´s future endeavors. I certainly intend to do so.

Updated: 23/03/2024Posted:

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DAWID LUBOWICZ ~ INSIDE ZBIGNIEW SEIFERT FOUNDATION 5 (Barcode: 5907222048054) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the eagerly awaited and highly anticipated debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz violinist Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist, primarily known as a member of the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist (who also plays flute and accordion), bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Jacek KotlarskiFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist guest each on one tune. The album presents nine compositions, eight of which are originals by Lubowicz and one is by Polish Classical composer Karol SzymanowskiFind albums by this artist. Musically the album is quite surprising, especially in view of extensive recorded legacy Lubowicz created with Atom String Quartet and other projects. The compositions are all exquisitely melodic, melancholic and delicate, seemingly "simple" in their scope, leaving the complexity to be expressed via the performance layer rather than making the music less communicative. Such honesty and straightforwardness is an extremely rare quality among Jazz composers these days, which mostly adhere to the notion that music has to impress by its "cleverness" and "intricacy", neglecting the "simple is beautiful" ideal, which Lubowicz is able to bring to perfection herein. Another significant aspect of this music is its strong connection, almost umbilical, to Polish Folklore, and especially to the music of the Polish Highlanders, which is of course native land of Lubowicz. The ties to folkloristic themes are quite subtle at times and need a trained ear to be recognized, but they are preset almost continually as part of the aesthetic climate this album offers. The inclusion of the Szymanowski composition also refers to the composer´s fascination with the music of the Highlanders. The decision to use Herdzin as part of the team might seem surprising at first, as Herdzin is rarely used as a sideman these days and his role is usually much more dominant. But in retrospect Lubowicz made the ideal decision, as Herdzin has very few equals when playing "pretty" is in order. He is a master of sweetness and romanticism and his work on this album is simply perfect in every respect. Kubiszyn is a Master and every album he is on is blessed by his presence. His acoustic bass pulsations and fretless solos are all breathtaking. Zyta is the metronome man, always ideally on time and with the right intensity, even if he is playing just in a duet setting with Lubowicz. Kalwak transforms the single tune he is on into a gleaming magic pearl, full of sensitivity and intrinsic beauty, using his unique "touch". And Lubowicz? Oh well Lubowicz is a Monster, a quiet, gentle Monster, mind you, but a true virtuoso, who plays music rather than showing his chops, always elegant, stylish and graceful, creating an irresistible urge to embrace everything that his vibrating strings are able to create. Overall this is a most impressive debut album and the only regret about it is that we had to wait for it for so long. But now, that it is finally out there, don´t hesitate and grab it ASAP and I guarantee you won´t regret it. The album is exquisitely packaged and offers a superb sonic quality, which should make the decision to get a copy even easier. The album was released by the Zbigniew Seifert FoundationFind albums on this label, run by the unwearied Aneta NorekFind albums by this artist, who deserves our gratitude for keeping the Polish Jazz violin tradition flourishing.

Updated: 22/06/2018Posted: 22/06/2018

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MALGORZATA MALISZCZAK ~ ZLOTE MYSLI KOBIETY POLSKIE RADIO 1954 (Barcode: 5907812249540) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is a wonderful album, which presents twelve original compositions by Polish pianist / composer Malgorzata MaliszczakFind albums by this artist, based on poems (by prominent Polish poetesses and poets), which present the feminine "point of view". The beautiful texts and superb music go hand in hand, creating a gorgeous set of songs, carefully arranged and Jazzed up, performed by four vocalists: Lola SzafranFind albums by this artist, Mietek SzczesniakFind albums by this artist, Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist and Agnieszka MaliFind albums by this artist. The vocalists are supported by a great team of instrumentalist, including many of the top Polish Jazz players, like the great pianist Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist, drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist and many others. Kudos to Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist for producing this gem! The album firmly continues the Polish Jazz & Poetry tradition, which goes back to the 1960s and always has been one of the most successful expressions of the local Culture. It is good to see that it has not been abandoned so far, even though the contemporary music scene makes every effort to annihilate every sign of Culture itself. Of course the fact that these poems were written in the Polish language limits the potential audience, I´m pretty sure that even non-Polish speakers should be able to enjoy this album in full. Personally I find Beata Przybytek to be the most striking vocalist on this album, but all four artists make a grand job, including the veteran Szafran, who seems to be still in great form. The instrumental work is perfectly suiting the lyrical atmosphere, with subtle soloing and attentive accompaniment. This album simply says "elegance and grace" minute after minute, and when it is eventually over, one longs for more. Overall this is a splendid effort and everybody who contributed to its creating deserves to be wholeheartedly thanked and congratulated. One can only hope that it will be heard by as many people as possible, who can truly appreciate it.

Updated: 01/01/2016Posted:

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DOROTA MISKIEWICZ ~ PIANO.PL UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 602557206852 (Barcode: 602557206852) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is a live recording of a gigantically ambitious project conceived by Polish Jazz vocalist Dorota MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, which pays tribute to the Polish Jazz piano school, which spans several generations and is a sublime example of Polish / European Jazz tradition. The album presents twelve songs, one original by Miskiewicz and eleven "Polish standards" composed and written by the best Polish composers and lyricists, each performed by Miskiewicz accompanied by a different pianist and on eight of them also accompanied by the renowned Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist. The list of the pianists reads like the who´s who of Polish Jazz: Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, Lutoslawski Piano DuoFind albums by this artist, Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist, Piotr OrzechowskiFind albums by this artist, Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, Grzegorz TurnauFind albums by this artist (who also briefly sings) and Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist (Dorota´s Father) guests on one song. The DVD (filmed during the concert), included in the package, adds the concert´s intro, outro and a couple of songs not included on the CD. I am happy to say that I managed to have a more modest (with just three pianists) version of this project perform at the 2018 Singer Jazz Festival, which was extremely successful. As expected, all the performances are absolutely wonderful, a typical example of European haute Culture, where music, words and stage performance are combined to deliver an overall experience, which is more than just a sum of its ingredients. The album moves between Jazz & Poetry and highly lyrical popular music, all expertly arranged and brilliantly executed, especially in view of the fact that it was captured live. This album delivers exactly what it promises: an extraordinary panorama of Polish Jazz piano, full of elegance, virtuosity and flair. Miskiewicz moves with ease from one song to another, with a chameleonic change of moods and emotions, as appropriate for a great performer. For lovers of Polish Jazz in general and Polish Jazz piano in particular, this album is a superb introduction to the subject. Even for listeners beyond the Polish language sphere, this music easily penetrates and language barriers and should be completely accessible to every music lover.

Updated: 14/09/2018Posted: 14/09/2018

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BEATA PRZYBYTEK ~ I`M GONNA ROCK YOU FLID 001 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 - 2012 Released: 2012 This is the fourth album by the Polish vocalist Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist and her debut as a singer / songwriter. After releasing three consecutive albums between 2003 and 2005, Przybytek took almost seven years to come up with this album, which presents sixteen songs written by her to lyrics (in English) by Alicja MaciejowskaFind albums by this artist (thirteen songs) and her own (the remaining three songs). She is accompanied by a wonderful ensemble of gifted and sympathetic instrumentalists, which includes the keyboardist / arranger Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, who is responsible for the truly excellent and highly skilled musical settings created for her songs. Other players include guitarist Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist, pianist Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist, bassists Tomasz KupiecFind albums by this artist and Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist, drummers Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof DziedzicFind albums by this artist and Filip MozulFind albums by this artist and percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians also appear, among them trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Bernard MaseliFind albums by this artist, organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and others. Przybytek started her career as a Jazz vocalist, but her last album ("WonderlandFind albums with this title"), which comprised entirely of songs by Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist, saw her already flirting with Pop, Soul and Rhythm And Blues. This album, which focuses on her songwriting as much, if not more, as on her performances, takes her into new territory, which in a beautiful amalgam of Pop, Blues, Gospel, Soul and Jazz. The artistic level of her songwriting is formidable and these sixteen songs are all jewels in their own right, quite diverse and beautifully full of character. I must admit that at first hearing I could hardly believe my ears as I haven´t heard such a sublime collection of new songs in a very long time. The vocal performances are also first-class, somewhat similar to the mannerisms of Etta JamesFind albums by this artist / Amy WinehouseFind albums by this artist, but with a wonderfully warm tone and total control of timbre and expression. It´s a pity she chose to sing in English as I personally am quite convinced that if she sang these songs in her native language the result would have been even more stunning. Well, one can´t win them all. Still this is one of the best albums of its kind that I´ve heard in a very long time. The instrumental parts are, as already mentioned, simply delightful. Each song gets quite a different treatment, which keeps the album changing mood and ambiance often, as well as the instrumentation. The guest musicians get to deliver their respective solo spots and it sure looks like a great time was had by all during the recording sessions. This album is also a wonderful example of high quality music, which can be overtly accessible, without compromising even an iota of its intrinsic value. Every music lover should have a field day with this brilliant piece of music. Hats off, Beata! Silesia rulez again!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted:

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BEATA PRZYBYTEK ~ TODAY GIRLS DON`T CRY FLID 003 (Barcode: 5908254159718) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Soul Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2017 Released: 2017 This is the long anticipated fifth album by Polish singer / songwriter Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist. It presents twelve original songs composed by Przybytek, nine of which feature English lyrics by Alicja MaciejowskaFind albums by this artist, two feature Polish lyrics by Dariusz DuszaFind albums by this artist and one features Polish lyrics by Grzegorz WasowskiFind albums by this artist. There is also a bonus track (lucky thirteen) written by Polish poet Andrzej PoniedzielskiFind albums by this artist and guitarist / composer Jakub ChmielarskiFind albums by this artist. The recording of the album lasted for almost two and a half years, spans several recording studios and features some of the best Polish Instrumentalist, many of them associated with Polish Jazz. Keyboardist Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist is again in charge of the arrangements and production and other musicians involved include keyboardists Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist and Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, guitarists Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist and the a/m Jakub Chmielarski, bassists Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist, Robert SzewczugaFind albums by this artist and Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist, drummers Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist, Filip MozulFind albums by this artist and Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist, percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Marek PodkowaFind albums by this artist and Mariusz MaczkaFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Sebastian SoldrzynskiFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Beata BednarzFind albums by this artist guests on one track. About five years ago the previous album by Przybytek ("I`m Gonna Rock YouFind albums with this title") landed accidently on my desk and my enthusiastic review expressed my delight and joy experienced while listening to it, heralding her as one of the great hopes of the Polish vocal scene, despite the fact that she was almost completely unknown at the time. After a long wait it is even more delightful to hear that my "discovery" proved to be spot on and Przybytek delivered another masterpiece, not only on the Polish scale, but surely on a world scale as well. There are only a handful of other singer / songwriters active today who are able to write such wonderfully heartfelt songs and deliver them with such passion, conviction and seductive magnetism. Each and every one of these songs is an absolute gem, with no weak moments on the entire album. Although rooted in Jazz, Przybytek made a very conscious and in retrospect astute decision to move towards Soul, Rhythm And Blues and sophisticated Pop, which suit both her warm, sexy voice and obviously also her musical inclinations better than the Jazz idiom she started with. It takes a lot of intuition and self-confidence to make decisions like that, which in Przybytek´s case paved the way for her spectacular success. She truly "found herself" perfectly on this album, which directly projects on its quality, making it as "perfect" musically as albums get. Of course Przybytek´s vocals are more polished than on her earlier recordings, luckily not destroying her natural vocal qualities, which are still convincing and heartbreaking. Although I prefer her singing Polish lyrics (as usual in my case) her delivery of the English lyrics are spotless and completely natural. The instrumental work by all the musicians involved is absolutely stunning, as expected. My personal favorites are the organ parts played by Tomaszewski, who is superb as always, but the overall level of performances is simply extraordinary. This is obviously one of the best Polish albums released in 2017, regardless of what other critics may say. Over the years I have completely lost confidence in the Polish music awards scene, including the "Fryderyki", which have become a complete farce, but if any Polish album deserves the title of album of the year 2017, this is it! Przybytek is the epitome of talent and professionalism, which sadly are not in high esteem any more. Personally I wish to thank you Beata for fulfilling my belief in you, for writing such beautiful songs, for singing them so exquisitely and for making this dark, sad world a better place, even if only for some fifty six minutes and twenty two seconds ;) Go Women!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 24/12/2017

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