Record Reviews

ZBIGNIEW LEWANDOWSKI QUINTET ~ A NEW OPENING PSJ WROCLAW 004 (Barcode: 5906492433102) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz drummer / composer Zbigniew LewandowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with saxophonist / flautist Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist, pianist Robert JarmuzekFind albums by this artist, bassist Jakub OlejnikFind albums by this artist and American guitarist Kenny CarrFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are original compositions, three by the leader and five by Pruchnicki. The album was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, offering a wonderfully worm and clear sound quality. The album marks a most welcome return of Lewandowski to recording duty, which has been interrupted by a three-decades long gap. Judging by the energy and quality of the new recording, Lewandowski lost none of his skill and talent over time. The music is somewhere between mainstream and modern Jazz, based on excellent compositions with strong melodic themes and interesting rhythmic textures, flowing coherently for the entire duration. Carr’s guitar work adds a slight Fusiony touch here and there, but all in great taste and impeccable precision. All the quintet members get ample opportunity to show their chops, and all stand up to the challenge without a hitch. Lewandowski adds a dense rhythmic layer, but without dominating the proceedings unnecessarily, which is excellently complemented by the bass lines, both on bass guitar and acoustic bass. Overall, this is an excellent mainstream Jazz recording, with a gentle touch of Funk and Groove, which is a real pleasure to listen to and which managed to make me smile when listening, which happened pretty rarely these days. Accessible to a wide Jazz loving audience, this is a true little gem, a nice reminder of the good old days and a pleasant dose of good time!

Updated: 18/05/2024Posted: 18/05/2024

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TOMASZ PRUCHNICKI ~ GNOMONIKA JB 018 (Barcode: 5900308517185) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz saxophonist Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech BulinskiFind albums by this artist. It presents ten selections, five of which are original compositions by Pruchnicki, four are his arrangements of Polish Folk songs and one is a "paraphrase" on a standard. The music is modern mainstream Jazz, with focus on the re-working of folkloristic themes in a Jazz form, which is a distinct Polish Jazz sub-genre, usually producing very interesting results, like the ones herein . Even in the original compositions by Pruchnicki it is possible to discover some basic Slavic elements and the typical Polish melancholy, which has almost no parallels anywhere else. Overall the level of the music is very high; both as far as the original compositions or the arrangements are concerned, full of stylish melodic and harmonic vistas and aesthetic elegance. The personal performances are all excellent, with the leader being up front most of the time and the guitar staying respectfully in the background, which works very well for this specific music. In addition to his saxophone parts Pruchnicki also uses very effectively the ocarina, which plays the traditional role of the flute, and adds some electronic effects, which bring the sound of the album up to date. The guitar adds a supportive harmonic layer and manages to fill the space effectively. The rhythm section does a fine job supplying the steady base and supporting the soloists amicably and capably. Some of the rhythmic patterns are quite tricky, but the rhythm section has no trouble taking care of them. It is a pity we had to wait for so long for the debut album by Pruchnicki, as he definitely has his very personal approach and voice, which is absolutely worth following. This is a very mature, balanced and excellently executed debut album, which hopefully will be followed by more recordings in the not too distant future. In the meantime we can savor this solid and inspired musical offering. Well done indeed!

Updated: 01/11/2016Posted: 01/11/2016

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TOMASZ PRUCHNICKI ~ TOTAL IMMERSION AKADEMIA MUZYCZNA WROCLAW 022 (Barcode: 9788365473295) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, organist Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist, which is basically the same lineup as the one playing on the last Yarosh Organ TrioFind albums by this artist album “Progressive SynthesisFind albums with this title”. The album presents ten original compositions by the leader. The music is modern Jazz, based on melodic themes but with a large degree of Freedom, which allows all the participants to improvised extensively. The compositions are absolutely stellar and offer a wonderful foundation for the musicians to express themselves in full. The highly unusual lineup, which features both acoustic piano and organ, presents a unique sound, which adds to the overall atmosphere this album manages to create. The organ plays both harmonic layers and bass pulsations, as well as soloing passionately, emphasizing again the incredible talents of Galas. Wania plays waves of piano sounds, which are as brilliant as one can expect from top Polish Jazz pianist, Jarosz manages to keep everything in perfect control rhythmically, and the leader offers amazing saxophone parts, full of emotion, brilliant technique and typical Polish Jazz lyricism. Overall, this is a highly emotional, unusually sounding and amazingly executed album, which proves that Polish Jazz is always there to surprise and amaze. The post Covid frenzy activity, which results in dozens after dozens of new Polish Jazz releases that land on my desk on a regular basis, is a joyful evidence of things being back on track. For organ lovers this is a very special treat, but all lovers of Polish / European Jazz should be able to enjoy this gem. Well done Gentlemen!

Updated: 27/01/2023Posted: 27/01/2023

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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.

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SOUND PACK ~ ZYJ KOLOROWO SJ 070 (Barcode: 5905489720003) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the second album by Polish Jazz vocal quartet Sound PackFind albums by this artist, led by Marcin WawrzynowiczFind albums by this artist with Joanna Swiniarska-SzebeszczykFind albums by this artist, Katarzyna MirowskaFind albums by this artist and Malgorzata BiniekFind albums by this artist. The instrumental support this time is in the most capable hands of the Yarosh Organ TrioFind albums by this artist, led by drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist and organist Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist. The album presents new arrangements of ten Polish Jazz evergreens, six of which were arranged by Bartosz PernalFind albums by this artist. There are very few surprises on this album, since the concept of a vocal Jazz quartet has been explored on the local scene since its early days. I am happy to see that the group followed my suggestion to switch to songs in Polish, which solves the problems with diction and pronunciation, but somehow they also decided to keep their vocal arrangements to bare minimum, which makes the entire affair rather less exciting. I also have a problem with the balance between the vocal and the instrumental parts, despite the fact that I absolutely love the organ trio, but somehow the match does not work for me as ideally as I have hoped for, which might be also a result of the sound recording and the mix. The overall sound is somewhat mushed and muddy. Of course all these are just my very personal impressions. But all things considered, the Sound Pack are a valid concept as is the selection of material, especially for Polish Jazz fans familiar with these songs, so I am pretty sure many local listeners will enjoy this album. Perhaps a straightforward piano trio accompaniment might have proved much more appropriate here and the organ trio proved to be a tad too complicated to handle. Overall, this is a nice Jazz vocal quartet recording, with an unusual organ trio accompaniment, which results is some less than ideal match, but at least is highly unusual and somewhat aurally challenging.

Updated: 13/02/2023Posted: 13/02/2023

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YAROSH ORGAN TRIO ~ ALTERAKCJE AKADEMIA MUZYCZNA WROCLAW 015 (Barcode: 5902738950006) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 In time Jazz evolved so dramatically, that the common perception of the idiom is by far not relevant any more. The Polish Jazz scene contributed in the last two decades a phenomenal input into the worldwide Jazz scene, rejuvenating the genre and taking it places that were not considered possible until recently. The most important characteristic of the Polish Jazz scene is its complete disregard of convention and conceptual limitations of any kind, which more often than anywhere else on this planet makes Polish Jazz albums innovative and original. Veteran Polish Jazz drummer / composer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist founded the Yarosh Organ TrioFind albums by this artist with organist Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist, which released its excellent debut album a couple of years ago. They are now back with their sophomore release, joined by the vocalist Katarzyna MirowskaFind albums by this artist. It presents six original compositions, five by the leader and one by the saxophonist. Everything about this album shouts originality; from the completely unusual instrumental lineup, the stylistic "coolness" and the individual performances which add up to a musical experience, that makes the listener focus on the music. Beautifully spiced with the new element of vocals and vocalese, which fits the music like a silk glove, the overall effect is truly impressive. The music is much more complex and open this time, in comparison to the debut, with a lot of breathing space and "almost free" passages, which of course makes this album more adventurous, without however sacrificing its melodic qualities. As such it should be of interest not only to the mainstream Jazz fans, but also to the more audacious listeners, who like facing challenges. This new attitude can be felt in all three layers (or four in fact); the saxophone improvisations are at times almost avant-gardist, the organ produces a plethora of "strange noises" not usually associated with the most melodic of all instruments, the drums play way more polyrhythmically and dynamics and on top the wonderful vocal ornamentations just make it all perfect. Jazz is, after all, the Art of the unexpected, and this album is more often unexpected than not, which of course is what makes it work so well. All I can wish for is that it does get to as many listeners as possible, as this is definitely way too good to fall under the radar. Well done Lady and Gentlemen! Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 22/11/2018Posted: 22/11/2018

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YAROSH ORGAN TRIO ~ PROGRESSIVE SYNTHESIS AKADEMIA MUZYCZNA WROCLAW 021 (Barcode: 5902738950044) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021 This is the third album by Polish Jazz Yarosh Organ TrioFind albums by this artist comprising of drummer / composer / bandleader Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist and organist Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist. The trio is expanded into a quartet on all tracks bar one with the addition of keyboardist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, six composed by Jarosz and two by Pruchnicki. The music continues the trend of exploring more adventurous material, even more so than the previous album, for which I had the pleasure of writing the liner notes. The music maintains some melodic continuity, but is widely open to free improvisation and quirky rhythmic patterns, which result in splendid modern Jazz of the highest level. The addition of Wania is of momentous influence, as his phenomenal playing brings the entire ensemble several levels up in their imaginative cooperation. His brilliant cadenzas and telepathically fitted chord progressions sound completely natural, as if he was a part of the ensemble for ages. Of course nothing less could be expected from him, considering his stellar rise to the highest pedestal of the Polish Jazz in just one decade of his intensive activity. One has to admire the decision of Jarosz to bring Wania on board and firmly stand shoulder to shoulder with his Genius, with the trio holding its ground proudly, amicably and creatively. All three members of the trio contribute equally important parts of the entire puzzle, which includes Wania’s contributions as an integral part of the whole. The resulting music speaks for itself, producing some of the most interesting sounds created on the local scene lately. Overall, this is an outstanding album, full of highly inspired music and hair-rising performances, which depicts Polish Jazz at its very best and proudly holds the banner high, leaving most of the competition far behind. Unusual and challenging in every aspect, this music is pure unadulterated emotional and intellectual pleasure, which only the best Jazz is able to kindle. Congrats are in order and hats off to you Gentlemen!

Updated: 22/09/2021Posted: 22/09/2021

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YAROSH ORGAN TRIO ~ YAROSH ORGAN TRIO V 010 (Barcode: 5903111377106) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz ensemble called Yarosh Organ TrioFind albums by this artist, led by veteran drummer / composer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist with organist Kajetan GalasFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist. Together they perform eight original compositions, all by the leader. The album was recorded live, judging by the audience reaction at the very end, although this is not specified on the artwork. The music is mostly melodic mainstream with occasional ventures into more ambitious territory, but overall it is overtly accessible. I have always declared my unconditional love for the Hammond B-3 organ with the Leslie speaker, and this is what dominates the sound of this album, which of course makes it extremely easy to be liked by yours truly. But beyond the Hammond sound, the album presents a series of fine compositions, which are far from trivial and the unusual amalgamation of saxophone, Hammond and drums is also intriguing. Galas already recorded a great album with his trio Organ SpotFind albums by this artist three years earlier and his performances here are a clear proof of his progression as a player over time. Jarosz has an extensive career as a recording artist and Jazz educator and Pruchnicki also already made his mark on the local scene. Together as a trio they perform spotlessly and together they present a well oiled music machine, which takes the stage by storm. Of course this kind of music is not supposed to break any new background or revolutionize the idiom; its sole purpose is to entertain and provide the listener with an opportunity to have a great time, which is perfectly OK with me in this case. Hammond freaks should all have a field day with this album!

Updated: 11/09/2016Posted: 11/09/2016

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ZAWARTKO / PIASECKI ~ WAGABUNDA NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the second album by the Polish Jazz duo comprising of vocalist Magdalena ZawartkoFind albums by this artist and bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist, recorded with other Polish Jazz musicians: saxophonists Tomasz PruchnickiFind albums by this artist and Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist, pianist Robert JarmuzekFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Wojciech LubertowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all co-composed by the duo. Returning after seven years, which passed since their debut album was recorded, the duo continues exactly where they left off, creating a beautiful amalgam of Jazz with Folkloristic themes, which span the Eastern World from Middle East and up to Asian planes. The wonderful melodic themes are richly encrusted with Jazz improvisations and exotic instrumentation, creating a most pleasant listening experience. Zawartko uses her voice like an instrument and becomes in integral part of the overall sound, rather than a soloist, although she does sing lyrics occasionally as well. Piasecki plays superb bass parts, which are the driving force of the album, Jarmuzek supplies the harmonic layers, the sax players add fiery soloing, Palka carries the polyrhythmic pulsations and Lubertowicz is in charge of the exotic sounds of the duduk and percussions, all working together to achieve the sensation of a dreamy flying carpet ride. Of course such Jazz-World Fusion albums have been recorded many times before, this one simply has everything working for it and offers such universal aesthetics, that it can be enjoyed and loved anywhere on this planet. Its subtle Polish roots become only audible in the melancholic melody themes, but even melancholy can be felt equally anywhere on this small globe we share. The long wait for the sophomore effort by the duo proved to be worth waiting for and it is a delightful album by every standard. It’s time to enjoy the music and hopefully we won’t have to wait for the follow up for another proverbial seven years. Thank you for the music and well done!

Updated: 18/08/2021Posted: 17/08/2021

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