Record Reviews

GENERATION NEXT ~ LIVE AT JAZZ NAD ODRA SJ 007 (Barcode: 5902596066062) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz sextet, which as the name suggests, presents the Father-to Son continuity on the local scene; four of the sextet´s members are second generation of Polish Jazz personalities. Trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist is a son of Andrzej SchmidtFind albums by this artist, a renowned educator and author of Jazz history books, trombonist Jacek NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist is a son of the legendary saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Gabriel NiedzielaFind albums by this artist is a son of the celebrated bassist / composer Jacek NiedzielaFind albums by this artist and finally saxophonist Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist is a son of saxophonist Adam WendtFind albums by this artist. The remaining two members of the sextet are Italian bassist Francesco AngiuliFind albums by this artist and veteran drummer Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist. The sextet performs seven original compositions, two each by Schmidt, Namyslowski and Wendt and one by Niedziela. The material was recorded live at the Jazz Nad Odra Festival and at the Polish Radio´s Warsaw studio. The idea of forming a musical ensemble based on the fact that the members have something in common, other than the music they play, is always a perilous affair. Just imagine a group of left-handed players, or red-haired players or musicians who like strawberry ice cream? This is perhaps not the case at hand, but on the other hand it is difficult to guess what the purpose of this sextet really is. The music they play is straight-forward mainstream, which is completely déjà-vu and contributes no thrill and no challenge. Yes, they are all excellent players individually, but does their presence together on this album create any special interaction, which would have not happened in different circumstances? Not really. So here we have it, an unremarkable Jazz recording, which is listenable enough but simply fades away as soon as the music is over. Considering the fact that there are hordes of fabulous young Jazz musicians on the Polish scene, who make outstanding music, this is sadly an example of what should be avoided.

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PATRYK KRASNIEWSKI ~ LESS IS BLESS KARROT KOMMANDO 81 (Barcode: 5907577207854) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by young Polish keyboardist / composer Patryk KrasniewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with bassist Piotr LewanczykFind albums by this artist (who also plays synthesizer parts) and drummer Jerzy MarkuszewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tunes, six of which are original compositions by Krasniewski and one is by Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist, a fellow student at the Wroclaw Music Academy. There is some confusion as to the album´s tracks, as there are seven tracks listed but only six present on the actual CD? Go figure! Krasniewski seems to be a kind of prodigy according to his CV, which tells about prizes won at piano competitions, composition competitions etc. and involvement with many music genres from Pop to Classical Music from a very early age. This album is also a result of winning the yearly competition for Jazz debut recording offered by the Polish Institute of Music and Dance. Of course this album tells only the story contained within, which sadly is pretty disappointing. The musicians are very skilled of course but the music seems to be completely lost in between genres. It is only very marginally Jazzy and is rooted somewhere in alternative Pop / Rock more than in Jazz. The classic piano trio parts have an obvious reference to Jazz, but the synthesizer parts manage to break the charm. Apparently Krasniewski is still looking for his true self as a composer and musician, and this album is just a step on the path of discovery. There are some interesting moments of course, which disclose potential and talent. It´s a pity Krasniewski did not stick to the motto chosen for the album´s title, which might have saved the day. Without the synthesizer parts and less show off this might have been a much better album perhaps. In any case this is an unusual album, which deserves merit for trying and hopefully is a forerunner of great things to come.

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MACIEJ MAZUREK ~ MY HOME V 024 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the debut album by Polish guitarist / composer Maciej MazurekFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format with bassist Piotr MazurekFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MalinskiFind albums by this artist. Percussionist Bartek PajakFind albums by this artist plays on three tracks and guitarist Artur LesickiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Robert JarmuzekFind albums by this artist and vocalist Natalia LubranoFind albums by this artist guest each on one track. The album presents seven tracks, six of which are original compositions by Maciej Mazurek and one is co-written by Mazurek and Lubrano. The music was recorded at the excellent Monchrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, offering a spotless sound quality. The music is all highly melodic, based on solid tunes, which serve as basis for the improvisations by the participating musicians. The steady rhythmic background has a Smooth Jazz tendency, but the guitar is rather more Fusion oriented with strong Blues ties. Altogether the music is a nice mixture of melodic tunes, which flow without challenging the listener’s gray cells, but offer a pleasant background listening experience. Overall, this is a nice debut by young musicians, who are still searching for their specific musical path, showing obvious talent, but lacking maturity. Still, guitar lovers should find this very entertaining and full of exciting licks.

Updated: 09/06/2023Posted: 09/06/2023

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VIBRASLAP ~ DIFFERENT WOR(L)DS MILOR 001 (Barcode: 5907796632000) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the second album by Polish Jazz ensemble VibraslapFind albums by this artist, co-led by vibraphonist / composer Milosz RutkowskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Tomasz GrabowyFind albums by this artist. The current sextet version of the ensemble also includes saxophonist Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist, pianist Robert JarmuzekFind albums by this artist, drummer Lukasz SobolakFind albums by this artist and vocalist Marcin WawrzynowiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the ensemble members. The music was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sound quality. The music is definitely on the easy side of the Jazz spectrum, based on simple melodies and catchy riffs, but altogether offering a pleasant and entertaining listening experience. The group members are excellent and experienced musicians and their performances are all beyond reproach, appropriate within this specific genre. The vocals are the weakest chain on the album, but again excusable in that context. Jarmuzek and Wendt offer the most ambitious soloing spots, Rutkowski has a nice touch and the rhythm section keeps the music swinging, and all is well. As I have already stated many times before, Jazz is a wide phenomenon that is flexible enough to embrace more approachable and entertaining facets, including music like what this album offers, which has its following and should not be a priori rejected by condescending snobbery. To each his own…

Updated: 13/01/2020Posted: 13/01/2020

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ADAM WENDT ACOUSTIC SET ~ ACOUSTIC TRAVEL SOLITON 367 (Barcode: 5901571093673) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the sixth album as a leader by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Adam WendtFind albums by this artist, recorded in an acoustic setting with his trio which features accordionist Pawel ZaganczykFind albums by this artist and bassist Jaroslaw StokowskiFind albums by this artist. Three guest musicians are heard on a few tracks: vocalist Laura Cubi VillenaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist and euphonium player Grzegorz NagorskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve tracks, ten of which are originals by Wendt (two of which are repeated in vocal and instrumental versions) and two come from the Jazz-World repertoire, composed one each by Richard GallianoFind albums by this artist and Astor PiazzollaFind albums by this artist. Villena wrote the lyrics for the three songs she performs on the album. The music is a Jazz-World Fusion / Smooth Jazz effort, presenting a set of nice melodic compositions by the leader, all of which have a South American feel about them, mostly associated with the Tango. Wendt has a beautiful saxophone tone but his improvisations are limited within the melodic "safe" zone. It´s great to hear the accordion, which is such beautiful and yet so neglected instrument in the Jazz idiom. The bass plays clean and precise backing notes and keeps the trio well together. Overall this is a pleasant album, which offers no innovation or exploration whatsoever, staying well within the mainstream formula at all times but on the other hand it is very well executed and is very accessible for listeners who are well outside of the strict Jazz milieu.

Updated: 14/03/2016Posted: 14/03/2016

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TOMASZ WENDT ~ CHAPTER B. SJ 047 (Barcode: 5912596066832) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the second album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist recorded in a quartet setting with excellent partners: violinist Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Wendt. The music was recorded at the superb Studio Tokarnia and was engineered by Jan Smoczynski, with the usual spectacular sound quality. The music is modern European Jazz at its best, melody based but allowing for extensive improvisations and odd meters, creating diverse sonic vistas by taking advantage of the unusual instrumental lineup. The melodies are all well structured and coherent, full of romanticism and melancholy, and yet lively and exciting, with often complex rhythm changes. The instrumental work by all the participants is absolutely amazing. Wendt matured and achieved a wonderful tonality over time, Mateusz Smoczynski is absolutely amazing as always and his soloing on this album is especially welcome as it has been a while since he recorded in a pure Jazz environment. Jan Smoczynski, the older brother, not only plays some great keyboard parts but also provides the bass lines. Dobrowolski, who needs to take care of all the rhythmic duties, is also brilliant, which is hardly surprising. Overall this album simply explodes with great musicianship and excellent compositions, creating a most enjoyable listening experience, in spite of its non-trivial instrumentation and rhythmic complexity. It should be accessible to the majority of true Jazz connoisseurs and will also raise a few brows, as it offers a very novel instrumentation and highly unusual sound. Well done indeed!

Updated: 09/01/2020Posted: 09/01/2020

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TOMASZ WENDT ~ DAILY THINGS SJ 072 (Barcode: 5905489720041) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is the third album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with guitarist Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen original compositions, all by the leader. The music was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual splendid sound quality. The music on this album is quite different from his earlier recordings, putting the composition in the epicenter. The thirteen relatively short tracks present a series of wonderfully weaved melodies, each and every one of which is a little gem, and they all radiate beautiful melodic coherence and heartfelt romanticism soaked in melancholy. Thanks to this approach the listener is exposed to a massive influx of themes, which is more than double than what one finds on an average Jazz recording emphasizing the performance rather than the composition. But of course the delicate and intimate performances on this album are also absolutely marvelous, focusing on the saxophone, but also prominently featuring the superb guitar work by Mika and the excellent support of the rhythm section, which shines throughout the entire duration of the album. Wendt made a very intelligent decision with his choice of the musicians participating on this recording, each a great Master of his instrument, but also an amicable member of the quartet sound. Together they create an unusual and highly effective Jazz album. There is no doubt that with this album Wendt enters the “grown up” league of the Polish Jazz scene, which he fully deserves, following years of hard working apprenticeship and study of the idiom. I had the pleasure of following his progress over the years and its always satisfying to see a musician grow and achieve success in time. Overall, this is mature and highly satisfying album by Wendt, full of great music and marvelous performances by him and his companions, which offers universal beauty of the Jazz idiom and should be highly appreciated by every Jazz lover the world over. Congrats!

Updated: 29/03/2023Posted: 29/03/2023

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TOMASZ WENDT TRIO & ATOM STRING QUARTET ~ BEHIND THE STRINGS SJ 018 (Barcode: 5912596066207) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist presented in a trio setting with bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech BulinskiFind albums by this artist. The trio is accompanied on several tracks by the excellent Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (violinists Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, violinist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist). Vocalist Magdalena ZawartkoFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks and pianist Lukasz DamrychFind albums by this artist guests on three tracks. The album presents eight original compositions, all composed and beautifully arranged by Wendt. What might appear on the surface as another "Sax & Strings" Smooth Jazz project turns out to be a brilliant musical enterprise, which offers superb Mainstream Jazz music, which has depth and meaning. The compositions are all wonderfully solid and coherent, full of typical Polish melancholy and lyricism, and all skillfully arranged for this unusual setting. The music is diverse and rich in harmonic layers and rhythmic patterns, providing a fascinating journey to the listener, which is moving from one climax to another. Wendt plays expressively and his improvisations perfectly suit the musical boundaries, being interesting and complex but not crossing the line into becoming too intricate for a mainstream Jazz enthusiast. The rhythm section supports the leader amicably, with Piasecki filling the bottom pulsations which make this music swing and Bulinski setting the pace with his skillful and highly original drum parts. The Atom String Quartet does exactly what it is famous for, i.e. plays some superb string ornamentations and in the process produces breathtaking violin solos. The album is a wonderful example of good taste and elegance. The proportions between the saxophone, rhythm section and the string quartet are beautifully balanced, magnificently recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Lukasz OlejarczykFind albums by this artist. Overall this is a gem of an album for fans of sophisticated mainstream Jazz, which offers an unusual instrumental setting and great compositions, superb arrangements and perfect execution; in short some of the best Polish Jazz has to offer. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 25/03/2017Posted: 25/03/2017

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ZAWARTKO / PIASECKI ~ LEC GLOSIE NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz duo comprising of vocalist Magdalena ZawartkoFind albums by this artist and bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist, recorded with other top Polish Jazz musicians: trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz WendtFind albums by this artist, pianist Artur TuznikFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, drummer Wojciech BulinskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jose TorresFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight compositions (one repeated twice as intro and outro) which include Classical and Folklore pieces and two original compositions, one each by Zawartko and Piasecki, also inspired by external sources. The concept behind the music is the amalgamation of Folklore and Classical Music with Jazz, which of course has been already attempted numerous times before, but in this case the selection of the music, the arrangements and the entire production of the project, which were entirely in the hands of the duo, as well as the superb execution of the music by the excellent team generate a wonderful and entirely successful outcome. Zawartko sings occasional lyrics but mostly uses vocalese and her voice is by and large used as another instrument within the instrumental environment. Piasecki plays brilliant bass parts and naturally gets more exposure than bassists usually get in ensemble projects. The rest of the instrumentalists, mostly veterans of the scene, perform accordingly, without a hitch. Overall this is an excellent piece of music from start to finish, intelligent, elegant and highly sensitive, tastefully conceived and brilliantly executed, in accordance to the usual high standards of the Polish Jazz scene. I have no idea why this album landed on my desk years after it was released, but better late than never. Highly recommended!

Updated: 25/05/2019Posted: 25/05/2019

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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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