Record Reviews
158 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | AMC TRIO & ULF WAKENIUS ~ WAITING FOR A WOLF
HEVHETIA 0048 (Barcode: 8588002496738) ~ SLOVAKIA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011
This is the second album recorded by the Slovak AMC TrioFind albums by this artist – pianist Peter AdamkovicFind albums by this artist, bassist Martin MarincakFind albums by this artist and drummer Stanislav CvancigerFind albums by this artist – with Swedish guitarist Ulf WakeniusFind albums by this artist, released again on the Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label. It presents eight original compositions, all credited to the trio members. The album was fabulously recorded at the legendary Viennese Jazz club Porgy & Bess (although not live).
The music is a collection of highly melodic, relatively simple themes, performed skillfully by the trio and beautifully complimented by the presence of the guitar, which adds a new dimension to the proceedings. Wakenius´ guitar sonically resembles the ambiance of Pat MethenyFind albums by this artist early recordings, but is much more focused and inspired, saving the album from the dangers of elevator muzak. Personally this kind of music usually bores me after a couple of tracks, but this album maintains a magical thread of interest, which kept me alert for the entire duration.
The trio is obviously a smooth and highly polished musical unit and their music sounds simply perfect (perhaps too perfect) from start to finish. The dynamics of the tunes, the solos, the arrangements are likeable, full of lyricism, romanticism and obvious intrinsic elegance, but the music lacks drama and development in my opinion. If not for the guitar parts, this album would have been too sweet to swallow. The trio members are skilled instrumentalists; Adamkovic plays several inspired solos and Marincak pushes the trio forward with his pulsating rhythms. Sadly the drums are recorded / mixed so much in the background that they are hardly audible.
Wakenius is of course a brilliant player, with rare sensitivity, superb technical mastery of his instrument and a great deal of imagination, which are all clearly apparent when he plays his solo parts. When his solos are over one is always left with a lingering for more. I have been following his career for many years and he is consistently excellent in all the settings his path led him through, both as a leader and as a sideman.
Overall this is an enjoyable album for fans of melodic, slightly Fusion oriented music with some scorching guitar parts, which sounds great while driving a cabriolet by the sea. Enjoy!
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  | DAG ARNESEN TRIO ~ ICE BREAKING
LOSEN 296 (Barcode: 7090025832963) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024
This is an album by Norwegian Jazz pianist / composer Dag ArnesenFind albums by this artist and his classic Jazz piano trio with bassist Magne ThormodsaeterFind albums by this artist and drummer Oyvind SkarboFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, all original compositions by the leader. The album offers superb sound and balance, in the best tradition of the Norwegian sound recording tradition.
The music is seemingly a melodic mainstream Jazz, but offers unusual rhythmic setting and structural complexity, which requires attentive listening and offers a certain feeling of tension and unexpectedness, which brings the music above the predictable level of fluidity, making things much more interesting than what is expected from a typical entertaining Jazz piano trio album, many of which are flooding the record market.
The level of performance is also excellent from start to finish, as expected from a veteran musician like Arnesen, and the rhythm section, which offers perfect support every step of the way. The trio maintains an excellent balance between the instruments and fluid dynamics, which make it sound completely synchronized and harmonized.
Overall, this is a very interesting and quite unusual Jazz piano trio album, which is likeable from the very first touch on the keyboard, but requires active involvement from the listener to absorb the aesthetic intricacy of its contents. Wholeheartedly recommended to all acoustic Jazz piano trio lovers out there!
| | Updated: 10/09/2024Posted: 10/09/2024 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | DAG ARNESEN TRIO ~ PENTAGON TAPES
LOSEN 160 (Barcode: 7090025831607) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017
This album by veteran Norwegian pianist / composer Dag ArnesenFind albums by this artist and his classic piano trio with bassist Ole Marius SandbergFind albums by this artist and drummer Ivar ThormodsaeterFind albums by this artist marks a return to his Jazz roots, after a few years of exploring Norwegian Folk and folklore inspired Classical music. The trio presents eleven compositions, six of which are original compositions by Arnesen, three are standards, one is a traditional tune and one is by a fellow Norwegian composer Finn LudtFind albums by this artist.
The music is very melodic and well within the mainstream Jazz idiom, but it incorporates many of the typical Nordic elements of melancholy and lyricism, which often characterize Norwegian Jazz. The original compositions by Arnesen carry over some of the qualities associated with the Norwegian Songs explorations, but their arrangements are more Jazzy.
The trio performs the music with flair and elegance and a lot of solo space is given to the wonderful bass work by Sandberg and the drumming of Thormodsaeter, which is relatively rare in a trio setting, where the rhythm section is usually kept in the background. Arnesen improvises fluently and skillfully, which is of course expected, and his style is quite unique, playing many rapid progressions and arpeggios during the improvised parts. The trio produces a rather solid, strong sound, which keeps the listener at his toes at all times.
Overall this is a very pleasant album, definitely quite different from the usual piano trio albums, due to the original material, the imaginative arrangements of the standards used and the unique performances by the trio. Piano trio fans and connoisseurs of mainstream European Jazz will definitely enjoy this music very much.
| | Updated: 10/09/2024Posted: 25/01/2017 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | AUDUN TRIO ~ RONDANE
LOSEN 191 (Barcode: 7090025831911) ~ NORWAY ~ Smooth Jazz
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017
This is the debut album by young Norwegian Jazz piano trio called Audun TrioFind albums by this artist, which comprises of pianist Audun Barsten JohnsenFind albums by this artist, bassist Hakon Norby BjorgoFind albums by this artist and drummer Magnus Sefaniassen EideFind albums by this artist. It presents eight original compositions, six of which were composed by Johnsen and two co-composed by him.
The music is very melodic, uncomplicated and unpretentious, bordering on Smooth Jazz, but at the same time it manages not to cross over to kitsch and maintains an aesthetic consistency which makes it definitely worthy of listening to. Johnsen uses a plethora of effective tricks of the trade, like dramatic chords, arpeggios and almost theatrical climaxes to keep things interesting, but again all within the limits of good taste. His playing is influenced by Classical music much more than by the Jazz tradition, but combined with the solid work by the rhythm section the result is entertaining.
This is something for listeners who delight in the lighter side of the Jazz spectrum, which is easy to like and does not cause unnecessary headaches; great for cocktail parties and other social functions. It is also an interesting example of the diversity of the Jazz idiom.
| | Updated: 02/01/2018Posted: 02/01/2018 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | AUGUSCIK & JAGODZINSKI TRIO ~ SZEPTEM
MJT 11725 (Barcode: 5906409117255) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016
This is an exquisite album by Polish Jazz Diva Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist recorded with the classic piano trio led by pianist / arranger Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist which also includes bassist Adam CegielskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine Polish evergreens, beautifully transcribed into the Jazz idiom by Jagodzinski.
The album is a loving tribute to the Polish popular songbook, collecting nine wonderful ballads written over a period of many years by some of the best Polish composers and lyricists, which points out clearly what t takes to create a great song, which can last for posterity: a beautiful melody and intelligent poetic lyrics.
The songs are performed with a very minimalistic approach. Auguscik sings the melodies in a very straightforward manner, eschewing almost completely the typical Jazz mannerisms and improvisations (except for a few vocalese parts), emphasizing the lyrics which are pronounced clearly and elegantly. The piano trio, which provides the Jazzy background, treads also carefully, with Jagodzinski playing the chords behind the vocalist and soloing rather sparingly. It is the rhythm section which keeps the music swinging at all times and doing a superb work at that.
One can only hope that this album will find its way into the hands of the young generation of Polish music connoisseurs, who should be able to discover the treasures of their National musical heritage while listening to this music. However, if this music should reach only listeners in the third age group, it would be tragic overlook.
Both Auguscik and Jagodzinski should be praised for preserving Polish Culture in general and the Polish musical heritage, which they have been doing for many years. The fascination with music originating from other sources, which often blinds many Polish musicians as to their own roots, is luckily balanced by their activity.
What a great way to start a new year (2017) by writing this review, which talks about old, but not forgotten music, that has been given new life. Blindly idolizing the "new" has proven to be a disastrous path, so please let´s enjoy this wondrous journey into the past, for the benefit of the future. Kudos!
| | Updated: 01/01/2017Posted: 01/01/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ALEXANDER BAK-HANSEN TRIO ~ UNDER TRAETOPPENE I SORO
GATEWAY 5707471098868 (Barcode: 5707471098868) ~ DENMARK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024
This is the debut album by Danish Jazz pianist / composer Alexander Bak-HansenFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio setting with bassist Emil MadsenFind albums by this artist and drummer Nikolaj BangsgaardFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Christian Holm-SvendsenFind albums by this artist and guitarist Mads OldenskovFind albums by this artist guest on a couple of tracks. The album presents seven tracks, all original compositions by the leader.
The music is melodic modern mainstream Jazz, based on solid compositions by the leader, and played well by the trio, as expected from the excellently trained young European musicians these days. The music flows gently, but without any major surprises, creating a classic piano trio display, which is one of the favorite Jazz milieus.
Bak-Hansen has all the ingredients necessary in order to develop his own style and character, both as far as playing the piano and composing, but those have not yet matured enough to offer a truly exciting musical experience. I am pretty sure that his next recording will be way more exciting. But of course there is nothing wrong with this album, except the missing personal element, which will take it to the next level.
Overall, this is a very well done Jazz piano trio album, which can be enjoyed by many enthusiasts of this form, and which offers a glimpse of the skills and talent of all the participants and the potential to create a more ambitious work in the future.
| | Updated: 24/08/2024Posted: 24/08/2024 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ADAM BALDYCH & HELGE LIEN TRIO ~ BRIDGES
ACT 9591 (Barcode: 614427959126) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015
This is the third album for the prestigious German ACTFind albums on this label label by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist, clearly the most significant representative of the Polish Jazz violin school active today. Contrary to most Jazz musicians, Baldych obviously prefers to create ad hoc associations with various musicians rather than lead his own band, which in his case seems to be the ideal solution in order to fully communicate his enormous versatility. This time he cooperates with the Norwegian piano trio, led by pianist Helge LienFind albums by this artist, which also includes bassist Frode BergFind albums by this artist and drummer Per Oddvar JohansenFind albums by this artist. The album´s eleven tracks consist of nine original compositions by Baldych and one piece co-composed by Baldych and Lien and additionally an arrangement of a pop tune. Two of the compositions were arranged by Polish Jazz pianist / composer / arranger Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist.
Similarly to his previous album recorded with the Israeli pianist Yaron Herman, the atmosphere and actual material on this album is only marginally Jazzy and covers mostly other music areas like contemporary Classical and World Music. The music is very spacey, intimate and minimalistic in form, based on beautiful melodic themes, which Baldych masterly creates seemingly from thin air. The influence of the Polish Folklore is very significant in Baldych´s playing on this album, more than on any of his earlier recordings and some of the songs sound like famous Polish Folklore dances. Of course this might have happened somewhat subconsciously, but considering Baldych´s sophistication and perfectionism that is quite unlikely.
Personally I find the team work on this album a bit limited, certainly in comparison of Baldych´s earlier work. Although the Norwegian trio has an excellent record behind it, their role on this album is almost entirely concerned with accompaniment with very few moments of true group improvisation and interplay. This might have been a conscious decision on the part of Baldych or simply worked out this way, but the result definitely puts the trio on a second plane, with the rhythm section almost never leaving the shadows. Of course the trio does a great job playing alongside Baldych, but personally I miss the electricity in the air which could have uplifted this album to another level.
Overall this is a beautiful piece of music, skillfully executed, which should make every fan of violin perfectly happy. Jazz purists might find this a bit too sweet, smooth and melancholic, but to be fair Baldych simply has no competition neither in his own country nor anywhere else at the moment, so he is setting the mark. Baldych will surely come up with a new surprise pretty soon, being always full of ideas and abilities, and his work is always a source of joy and aesthetic pleasure.
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  | ADAM BALDYCH & HELGE LIEN TRIO ~ BROTHERS
ACT 9817 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017
This is the second album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist recorded with the Norwegian piano trio led by pianist Helge LienFind albums by this artist, with bassist Frode BergFind albums by this artist and drummer Per Oddvar JohansenFind albums by this artist. They are joined by Norwegian saxophonist Tore BrunborgFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine pieces, eight of which are original compositions by Baldych and one is a classic standard by Leonard CohenFind albums by this artist.
The music presents another step in the coherent development in Baldych´s musical path, which has been taking shape in the last few years, leading him away from "conventional" Jazz idiom into contemporary Neo-Romantic Classical Music. Although the element of improvisation is still very prominent, the melodic themes, mostly deeply lyrical and introvert, touch deeply with the characteristic elements of Polish Classical Music and Polish Folklore, somewhat parallel, or rather in continuation of the great Polish Classical tradition going back to Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist. Perhaps the reference to Chopin might sound a bit over the top here, but people familiar with Chopin´s music will note how Baldych is skillfully able to pluck the soul´s strings that move the Polish People.
The Norwegian musicians playing with Baldych are his soul brothers, providing the ideal companionship needed for this delicate journey. The intrinsic melancholy of the Scandinavian (and especially so Norwegian) music goes ideally hand in hand with the direction Baldych intends to put forward. Of course the fact that they are brilliant and highly intelligent musicians also adds to final result. Together they are able to make this by and large minimalist and introvert music sound complete and highly expressive.
Overall this is a mature and focused statement by a great composer and a superb performer, which clearly affirms his status as one of the leading European musicians today. The music requires attentive listening, but for open-minded and music-living listeners it offers layer over layer of wonderful musical journeys into the world of contemporary Classical Music, Folkloristic motifs and Jazzy improvisations, all wrapped up in an elegant, highly aesthetic and moving "package". Well done Maestro!
| | Updated: 22/07/2017Posted: 22/07/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ODDGEIR BERG TRIO ~ BEFORE DAWN
OZELLA 072 (Barcode: 4038952000720) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018
This is the debut album by Norwegian trio led by keyboardist / composer Oddgeir BergFind albums by this artist with bassist Karl-Joakim WisloffFind albums by this artist and drummer Klaus Robert BlomvikFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, all by Berg.
The music is an interesting and quite unique collection of compositions, all melody based, and yet offering a fresh approach, both harmonically and rhythmically, which creates an illusion of listening to a Rock album, even though the music has seemingly nothing directly to do with Rock and is dressed up as a Jazz, or perhaps is a new kind of Jazz-Rock Fusion born right here and now.
Additionally the trio offers a novel sound approach, which emphasized bass sound mixed up front, which is typical of Rock music rather than Jazz. The bass plays definitely a more dominant role in this trio in comparison to the classic Jazz piano trio approach, playing riffs more often than harmony. The drums also play more densely and energetically than in a Jazz setting, again pushing the music towards Rock. Finally the piano and even more so the keyboards sound as if taken from some late 1960s / early 1970s Progressive Rock recording.
As a result this music completely eschews any attempt of genre definition and could be easily classified as Jazz, Rock, Prog or anything in between, but most importantly it is something completely fresh and surprising, which in itself is a miracle, as it often seems that music these days has very seldom to offer something as unpredictable as this album.
Overall this is a stunning debut offering, which shows an incredible potential and talent, full of great tunes and superb playing by the trio members and opening new vistas previously unvisited, which is rare indeed. Regardless if one chooses to embrace it as Jazz, Fusion or Prog, this album deserves to be heard by as many listeners as possible, since it is both an excellent piece of music and a great fun to listen to. Well done Gentlemen!
| | Updated: 23/09/2020Posted: 12/11/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ODDGEIR BERG TRIO ~ IN THE END OF THE NIGHT
OZELLA 093 (Barcode: 4038952000935) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019
This is the second album by Norwegian pianist / composer Oddgeir BergFind albums by this artist and his trio with bassist Karl-Joakim WisloffFind albums by this artist and drummer Klaus Robert BlomvikFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Berg.
The music is a continuation of the path set by the debut recorded a couple of years earlier, and manages again to float in-between strict genre definitions, combining Rock oriented compositions with Jazz-like execution, calling for improvisation by the pianist and to some extent by the bassist, but leaves the drummer to utilize Rock oriented rhythmic approach.
The music is all based on precisely defined melodic themes, often sounding like straightforward songs, but the trio takes these melodies and transforms them into more complex pieces, which for lack of better definition can be considered as Jazz-Rock Fusion.
The balance between the instruments remains fresh and quite unusual, with all three musicians sharing the responsibility for the emerging music on equal foot, and the usual division between the piano and the rhythm section is almost completely abandoned here.
Overall this sophomore effort passes the dreaded "second album test" with flying colors, strengthening the trio´s status as a highly unique music making unit, which already defined a specific sound and style for itself, a process which usually takes quite a while to develop.
This album can be enjoyed as much by Jazz listeners as by people with broader horizons, even those who are usually only Rock oriented. The music is universal enough to touch diverse audiences, without compromising its aesthetic qualities. Well done!
| | Updated: 23/09/2020Posted: 23/09/2020 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ODDGEIR BERG TRIO ~ WHILE WE WAIT FOR A BRAND NEW DAY
OZELLA 103 (Barcode: 4038952001031) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2022
This is the third album by Norwegian Jazz pianist / composer Oddgeir BergFind albums by this artist and his trio with bassist Karl-Joakim WisloffFind albums by this artist and drummer Lars BerntsenFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Borge-Are HalversenFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader. Berg defines the album as the last part of a trilogy, which started with the debut and closes with this album, recorded in the midst of the pandemic.
Musically the album continues the path set by its predecessors, based on highly melodic themes, which are the basis of extensive, but not to complex improvisations. The pace of the music is somewhat more energetic in comparison to the Nordic atmosphere of the earlier albums and the sound is expanded with the used of keyboards in addition to the acoustic piano, which is still the main instrument. The new drummer also adds his personal touch to the trio sound, especially at the very high spectrum, with intensive usage of the cymbals. The music continues also to be somewhat cross-genre, with some of the tracks sounding more like Art Rock than Jazz,
The slightly altered sound and musical direction push the music further out into the lighter flank of the Jazz spectrum, which can be enjoyed by listeners, who might not be Jazz connoisseurs per se, expanding its accessibility even further, which is not bad as long as there are no quality compromises involved.
Overall, this is a solid piano trio Jazz album, which can be enjoyed by a wide range of listeners, who prefer the melodic touch rather than cerebral intensity. It should be interesting to witness Berg reinvent his music in its next cycle.
| | Updated: 11/08/2022Posted: 11/08/2022 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | BYRKLYMYNY TRIO ~ OPERA IN HEAVEN
ALLEGRO 033 (Barcode: 5901157049339) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2016
This is the archival debut album by Byrklymyny TrioFind albums by this artist led by veteran Polish Jazz violinist Henryk GembalskiFind albums by this artist and including bassist Wojciech ZduniakFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal ZduniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents an original nine-piece suite credited to all three trio members.
The music is quite versatile and moves between Ambient, Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion, with an emphasis on the latter, especially due to the use of electric bass and rhythmic Rock patterns. Although based on melodic themes, the music ventures into lengthy improvised passages, which feature the violin using a plethora of synthesized effects, sounding nothing like the traditional acoustic instrument. The overall effect of the music creates a kind of imaginary voyage or soundtrack of an imaginary movie, hypnotic and absorbing.
The rhythm section is very much involved in the actual creation of the music, playing much more than is simply required to keep the tempo, adding polyrhythmic pulsations and groovy / funky bass lines. Combined with the violin extravaganza on top of the rich rhythmic layer the music keeps the listener on edge for the entire duration of the album.
This album is another example of the versatility and depth of the Polish Jazz violin school that is experiencing a wonderful renaissance lately and is probably the leading world center of violin oriented Jazz activities in the world, taking over the traditional lead from France. This phenomenon is definitely worth a closer study.
Gembalski, who is a part of the Polish Jazz scene since many years, and who was usually associated with the more Avant-Garde oriented circles, takes a new position within the mainstream this time, without of course lowering his standards or giving up his musical integrity. This album should expose his great talent to many new listeners, who have somehow missed him earlier on.
For violin lover this album is definitely a must, especially in view of its unique approach to the instrument and excellent, albeit unusual, musical contents. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 24/03/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | CHAMELEON TRIO ~ IN BETWEEN
MINDOORS ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2006
Debut album by one of the most interesting ensembles active on the burgeoning Israeli scene. Completely original, the trio combines contemporary classical chamber music and jazz into a beautiful amalgam, which should leave no sensitive listener cold. The trio consists of Dvir Katz – flute & composer of all the music, Nitai Levi – clarinet & bass clarinet and Ora Boasson-Horev – contrabass. All three are graduates of prestigious music schools (Katz and Levi are graduates of the Rubin Music Academy in Jerusalem and Boasson-Horev is a graduate of the New England Conservatory in Boston). These young and talented players combine their forces to create some of the most advanced and adventurous music ever played in the Holy Land. Although the music is mostly composed (i.e. written), there are many improvised passages, which require not only performing skills but also a creative imagination. There is an obvious highly emotional involvement here on the part of the musicians, who play they heart out. One must remember at all times that this is Art, not entertainment. Therefore as difficult as this music can be at times, requiring total involvement from the listener to match the musician’s emotions, it is not to be dismissed lightly as “too difficult”. En contraire, the intellectual effort invested in digesting this kind of music (and eventually loving it) can be extremely rewarding. I hope as many people as possible will make this effort and enrich their souls with this unusual experience. Highly recommended for the more adventurous and open-minded listeners.
Side Note: As 2006 nears its end I am truly amazed by the quality of new music that was created and released in Israel this year. This makes me extremely proud and happy of course, especially in view of the fact that Israeli Artists manage to overcome the extreme and difficult reality of our day-to-day life and uplift their spirits to the higher Artistic plane, which is both amazing and commendable.
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  | ED CHERRY SPECIAL TRIO ~ SZOSTA PO POLUDNIU
FOR TUNE 0064 (Barcode: 5902768701661) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015
This is a live recording at Warsaw´s club Szosta Po Poludniu (hence the album´s title) of a trio led by veteran American guitarist Ed CherryFind albums by this artist with a Polish rhythm section: bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist. The trio performs six tunes, five of which are standards and one is a Pop song.
The music is a standard mainstream, completely unimaginative, uninspiring and honestly boring to tears. Although Cherry has an impressive musical history, his contributions in the last decades are not very impressive or noteworthy and his playing here unfortunately sounds like a third rate imitation of Wes MontgomeryFind albums by this artist and is sadly embarrassing. The rhythm section, although quite professional, is not able to save this gig from disaster.
This kind of music is still played in clubs all over the US, but on the European scene it is utterly out of place in view of the creativity and excellence displayed by musicians in any European country today. One can only wonder why this gig was recorded and released in the first place and speculate about the inferiority complex some Europeans still suffer from, based on the assumption that anything in Jazz done by Afro-Americans is superior to European Jazz, which is simply not true for at least half a Century.
The usually excellent Polish For TuneFind albums on this label label, which released dozens of superb albums in the last few years, made a real blunder with this album. Hopefully this is not a sign of things to come.
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  | CLEMENTI TRIO ~ FANNY MENDELSSOHN-HENSEL/REBECCA CLARKE
LARGO 5103 ~ GERMANY ~ Classical
This release features two women composers. One is Fanny Mendelssohn-Hensel, the older sister of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, whose piano trio op.11 was composed in 1846/47. The English musician Rebecca Clarke composed her trio in 1921. It is a passionate, advanced work for British music of its time, with a spikey idiom and an English folk overlay.
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  | CLEMENTI TRIO ~ ZEMLINSKY-TRIO OP.3/SCHOENBERG-VERKLAERTE
LARGO 5111 ~ GERMANY ~ Classical
This recording unites two chamber music works written shortly before the turn of the last century: Alexander Zemlinsky`s piano trio op.3 and Schoenberg`s famous `Transfigured Night`. Both works belong to a musical era which was still clearly under the influence of Wagner and Brahms, but in which dissonances were increasingly to be heard and harmonic harshness was not always resolved.
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  | CONSONANCE TRIO ~ ORIENT EXPRESS
QUALITY (Barcode: 5906728485011) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020
This is the debut album by the Consonance TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of Ukrainian (resident in Poland) pianist Max FedorovFind albums by this artist and Polish bassist Piotr ChociejFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech BronakowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine compositions, one in two (studio and live) versions. The live version features bassist Karol SypytkowskiFind albums by this artist, who was the trio´s founding member and died tragically and unexpectedly and was replaced by Chociej. The compositions are not credited on the album´s artwork and therefore are assumed to be by the trio members. The music was recorded at the Monochrom Studio and offers a great sound quality.
The music is all melodic mainstream Jazz on the verge of Smooth Jazz, based on very simple melodic themes, which serve as basis for the piano improvisations, which dominate the album, with some occasional soloing by the rhythm section members. It offers very little, if any, intellectual challenge and is pretty derivative and repetitive. Fedorov plays very percussively and at times the piano seems to be almost suffering from the barrage of notes. Chociej is much more refined and calm, offering steady bottom lines, which harmonically keep the music together. Bronakowski tries to initiate some "exotic" rhythmic patterns ("oriental"?) but these efforts fail to go anywhere near the target.
Overall, in spite of the obvious technical skills by the trio members, the music is rather soulless and pretentious, and after a while really annoying. Of course this is only me, but there is little chance I´d ever play this album again.
| | Updated: 04/08/2020Posted: 04/08/2020 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | CONTEMPO TRIO ~ NO JAMF`S ALLOWED
JAZZLINE 11137 ~ USA ~ Jazz
Great piano trio album with Mark Soskin - piano, Charles Jackson - bass and Danny Gottlieb - drums playing an excellent mixture of standards and originals. Rivi Coltrane - sax guests on several tracks, which spices this album up very nicely. Satisfaction guaranteed!
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  | CRIMSON JAZZ TRIO ~ KING CRIMSON SONGBOOK VOL.1
VOICEPRINT 373 (Barcode: 604388321421) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005
This is a perfect marriage of two of my favorite worlds: Jazz and Prog. The piano trio was always my jazz vehicle of choice, as it is ideal to provide both the improvisational and rhythmic jazz qualities. The music of the legendary Prog band King CrimsonFind albums by this artist was always right on top of my preferred music. The Crimson Jazz TrioFind albums by this artist combines both of these preferences perfectly. Jody NardoneFind albums by this artist (piano), Tim LandersFind albums by this artist (bass) and ex-KC Ian WallaceFind albums by this artist (drums) take the music of KC places, which were unimaginable so far – far into the land of swing (I wander if anybody could have imagined the music of KC in that setting before). The players shine and sweat from the onset to the very last note, full of imagination, brilliant technique and intelligent interplay. The sound is perfect as well, with clear definition of sound, which enables the entire range of the piano to sound balanced and the drum kit (from bass drum to hi-hat) to be perfectly audible. I can only join Robert FrippFind albums by this artist in his reaction to this masterpiece: “Can’t wait for Vol.2”!
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  | CUSTOM TRIO ~ BACK POINT
NOT TWO 736 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2000 - 2001 Released: 2002
This is the second album by the Polish Custom TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of saxophonist Krzysztof KapelFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin OlesFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist (collectively known as Oles BrothersFind albums by this artist – Poland´s most respected Free Jazz rhythm section). Saxophonist Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist guests on one track. In between the recording of their debut album and this one, the trio also recorded a couple of albums with the legendary trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, one of them live with a different saxophonist (Janusz SmykFind albums by this artist). The album includes eight original compositions, five of which were composed by Bartlomiej Oles and the remaining three by Marcin Oles.
For people familiar with the previous recordings by the Custom Trio will find this album quite surprising, as it is much more "docile" then any of their former work. The music is low-key, contemplative and very melodic, the rhythm section is relaxed and almost "conventional" and the saxophone improvisations, which are the focus of the album, although very Free Jazz in spirit, are all non aggressive and rounded. The overall sound and ambience of the album are very Coltranesque, which of course brings this album to a much wider potential audience, well beyond the Free Jazz buffs and into the modern mainstream.
The individual statements are of course exceptional, especially those by Kapel, who emerges on this album as one of the most able Polish Jazz modernists. But of course the Oles Brothers firmly testify their amazing interplay and cooperation, which is as usual the driving force and solid ground upon which the saxophone solos are based. The album is full of virtuosity from start to finish and should satisfy even the sternest Jazz connoisseurs. It is a pity this album is rarely mentioned among the best Polish Jazz recordings originating from the first post Millennium decade, as it truly deserves. What a pity they did not continue to record any more such wonderful music.
| | Updated: 02/01/2017Posted: | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | CUSTOM TRIO / ANDRZEJ PRZYBIELSKI ~ FREE BOP
POLONIA 226 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1999 Released: 2000
This is probably the best album recorded by the recently deceased Polish trumpet virtuoso / composer Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, who remains largely unknown to most Jazz aficionados even in his native country. An eccentric and outsider, Przybielski was blessed with an incredible talent, which unfortunately was recognized only by very few connoisseurs.
This studio recording, obviously well planned and relaxed, allows the great trumpeter to relax fully and play his heart out to the fullest, accompanied by excellent musicians worthy of his company, which are called Custom TrioFind albums by this artist. The trio consists of saxophonist Krzysztof KapelFind albums by this artist and the Oles BrothersFind albums by this artist: bassist Marcin OlesFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist – Poland´s Free Jazz most notable rhythm section. Together as a quartet they perform nine original compositions, five of which were composed by Przybielski and the remaining four by Bartlomiej Oles.
The performances are absolutely stellar and the album is one of the best Polish (and definitely not only Polish) Jazz albums ever recorded. As much as that sounds overblown, if you can listen to this music, you´ll be instantly convinced. Any other player placed opposite (or side by side) a genius like Przybielski is in a great danger of appearing pale. Luckily Kapel is capably to blow like only a few can, matching everything that Przybielski plays with a vengeance. This is simply unbelievable music, which stands easily opposite such legendary sessions as the early Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist with Don CherryFind albums by this artist. In short this is essential Jazz, which can only be played by a very small group of exceptionally gifted players, which is definitely the case here. Brilliant!
| | Updated: 02/01/2017Posted: | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | ASIA CZAJKOWSKA / L.A. TRIO ~ MY JAZZY VALENTINE
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024
This is the 3rd album by Polish Jazz vocalist Asia CzajkowskaFind albums by this artist, this time recorded with a classic piano trio consisting of pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist and drummer Jozef EliaszFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, a mixture of international Jazz standards and Polish songs.
What does it take to be a Jazz singer? Well, this is the million-dollar question, which many have tried to answer before, mostly unsuccessfully. If you ask me, the answer is very really very simple – all you need to do is listen and you immediately know the answer, since you feel it deeply in your guts. Yes, it is all about feeling and when all the elements fall into place, like vocal abilities, interpretation, intelligence, etc. you stop analyzing it, you simply FEEL it, because it is all about feeling after all. So in vocal jazz it is perhaps not “if it ain’t got that swing…” but rather if it ain’t got that feeling, and Asia definitely has more than plenty of it! And when the voice is splendidly supported by a classic piano trio, everything just melts the listener’s heart.
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: 07/12/2024Posted: 07/12/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MACIEJ CZAJKOWSKI TRIO ~ MISTS OF THE PAST
MULTIKULTI MPJ 026 (Barcode: 5903068680182) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022
This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Maciej CzajkowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with his trio, which also includes bassist Mariusz PrasniewskiFind albums by this artist and Danish drummer Jesper Lorup ChristensenFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Czajkowski, and was recorded in Denmark, where he currently resides.
The music fits within melody based modern Mainstream Jazz and continues the tradition of the classic Jazz piano trio idiom. The compositions are remarkably well structured and mature, characterized by lyricism and introspection, which are also the basic qualities of Czajkowski’s piano playing, often minimalist and even skeletal, but always able to deliver the melodic continuity, avoiding unnecessary arpeggios and other glimmery ornamentation.
All three musicians are obviously well schooled and offer splendid delivery, with the rhythm section supporting the piano amicably all the way through, with punctual and highly imaginative performances and occasional soloing, which round up the music into a wonderful listening experience. Although not trying to be explicitly innovative of groundbreaking, the music delivers the essence of the tradition of modern European Jazz at its best, being unique and enthralling enough to stand out.
Overall, this is a very impressive debut album, which deserves to be heard and will most probably will be highly appreciated by lovers of European Jazz, especially enthusiasts of the piano trio format, which is still the most likely candidate of affection among Jazz listeners. Definitely well done!
| | Updated: 22/12/2022Posted: 22/12/2022 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | TOMASZ DABROWSKI / TOM TRIO ~ RADICAL MOVES
FOR TUNE 0045 (Barcode: 5902768701517) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014
This is the second album by the Tom TrioFind albums by this artist, led by Polish (resident in Denmark) Jazz trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist and including Danish bassist Nils Bo DavidsenFind albums by this artist and drummer Anders MogensenFind albums by this artist. The music consists of ten original compositions, all by Dabrowski, and it was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with excellent sonic results.
Contrary to the album´s ominous title, this album does not offer any radical developments as such, and is consistent with the path Dabrowski follows since a few years to achieve his personal voice as a trumpeter and composer, which has been quite remarkable. There is no doubt that he is today not only one of the top Polish Jazz trumpeters, but also one of top European trumpeters, a position he earned by numerous recordings in stylistically diverse setups, always delivering a top notch contribution.
Musically Dabrowski seems to be most comfortable in the "organized Free" environment, when his statements have a solid melodic / harmonic basis underneath, which allows him to stretch his improvisations with flare and passion. The decision to present his music in the intimate trio setting is probably motivated by the fact that the trio allows the most concise ensemble solution enabling the closest interplay possible between the participants. This music is totally dependent on mutual exchange and support and would fail to achieve anything if such complete synthesis did not happen. Fortunately it does happen, from start to finish, elevating the music to a highly aesthetic plane. In spite of the nakedness of the trio setting, the overall effect of the trio is so eventful and intense, that it creates an illusion of a much larger ensemble at work.
The role of the rhythm section in this type of music is radically different from the traditional position, which is to support the leader harmonically and rhythmically without getting involved with his solo parts. The music presented here is fully co-created by all three musicians, on equal footing. Dabrowski is naturally the most distinctive voice, playing the lead instrument, but everything that is happening in parallel to his playing as equally important each and very step of the way.
People familiar with Dabrowski´s music are used by now to the incredible high standards he sets for himself, pushing them ever forward. This album is another step in the right direction, displaying signs of maturity and reflection rather than youthful enthusiasm. This is perhaps the most contemplative music he ever attempted, offering new vistas of his inner self as composer and performer. Of course music of such complexity and emotional weight requires attentive and often repetitive listening to be fully absorbed and appreciated. Connoisseurs of modern Free Form, but coherent Jazz will find this music fully and beautifully rewarding.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | KIT DOWNES TRIO ~ QUIET TIGER
BASHO 34 (Barcode: 832929003424) ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011
This is the 2nd album by British Jazz pianist / composer Kit DownesFind albums by this artist, recorded with his trio, which also includes bassist Calum GourlayFind albums by this artist and drummer James MaddrenFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist James AllsoppFind albums by this artist and cellist Adrien DennefeldFind albums by this artist guest on all but three of the tracks, but their contributions are relatively minimal. The album present eleven tracks, all of which are original compositions by the leader.
Since his appearance on the British Jazz scene just a decade and a half ago, Downes managed to create quite a stir and draw a lot of attention, as well as managed to build up a sizeable recording legacy, making him probably the most noticeable “new arrival”. I have had the pleasure of listening to him play on several occasions and I must admit he does stand out from the crowd. His compositions are unusual, often quirky and unpredictable, both rhythmically and harmonically, and his broad range of musical activities is altogether very impressive.
This album is quite an early recording by Downes, but already here all those odd, surprising elements are vividly present, which makes the music truly fascinating. The definition of Jazz as “the Art of the unexpected” fits to Downes’ music perhaps more than to most other contemporary Jazz musicians around.
I have often thought that Downes reminds me of Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist, and his quirkiness, which made him stand out among most Bebop players at the time. Some of the tracks on this album, are a living proof of that “Monk theory”, taken some seventy years forward. Listeners, who know their Monk will understand what I am saying.
In short, this is seemingly a classic Jazz piano trio album, but it is nothing like a classic Jazz piano trio album that most people ever heard, I guarantee you!
Overall, this is a brilliant piece of contemporary Jazz, completely unique and fascinating, which should be heard by every Jazz lover on this planet, although many might probably not like it too much, at least at first. Downes is a musician worth keeping an eye (ear) on, for example please note his album with the British Diva Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist “Outpost Of DreamsFind albums with this title”. Enough said!
| | Updated: 04/02/2025Posted: 04/02/2025 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ARTUR DUTKIEWICZ TRIO ~ COMETS SING
PIANOART 5907760035066 (Barcode: 5907760035066) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021
This is the eighth album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Artur DutkiewiczFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam ZagorskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by the leader. The music was recorded at the fabulous Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, and offers a superb sound quality.
Dutkiewicz is one of those great Artists, who make sure that their Art can’t be taken for granted and this album is an elegant example of his modus operandi. The music is way more open and edgy than on any of his previous albums, and his romanticism and lyricism are more of an undercurrent rather than what happens on the surface. The resulting music is modern Jazz at its best, melody based but wandering freely on the chord changes and switching tempi unexpectedly, with the magnum opus eleven-minutes long opening track setting the example of the new concept.
The roles of the trio members went also through a transformation, no longer being just a straightforward piano trio, but a triangle of mutual inspiration. Baranski, who plays with Dutkiewicz since the 2013 album “PranaFind albums with this title”, gets more exposure here than ever before, not only when soloing, but more importantly while accompanying the piano with his fat pulsations, that dominantly reverberate in the soundscape. The young Zagorski, the new member of the trio, is certainly a pleasant surprise, as he receives the formidable task to supply the complex rhythmic skeleton to this music, and which he manages brilliantly like a veteran pro.
Dutkiewicz plays way more assertively than ever before, almost aggressively, but never really crosses the line of restraint and elegance. His statements are more concentrated and dense and he readily shares the burden of creation with his peers. As a result, he exposes here another facet of his musical persona, which of course make things way more exciting than hearing just another album by an Artist we are already familiar with. “This is just a corner, not the end of the journey” indeed – with many more corners to follow.
Overall this is a brilliant example of modern Jazz, a superb piano trio masterpiece and an important giant step in the career, which Dutkiewicz keeps nourishing with every new release. This music not only fills your heart with joy and your brain with reflection, but is also aesthetically rounded, promising that the music we love is not really dying, although it seems like that most of the time. Thank you, my Friend, for such moments of delight.
| | Updated: 12/07/2021Posted: 12/07/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JAKUB DYBZYNSKI EQUILATERAL TRIO ~ INTUITIVE INVERSIONS
HEVHETIA 0135 (Barcode: 8588005257923) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016
This is the debut album by Polish Jazz clarinetist / composer Jakub DybzynskiFind albums by this artist recorded with his trio called Equilateral TrioFind albums by this artist, which also includes bassist Mariusz PrasniewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Karol DomanskiFind albums by this artist. All trio members are graduates of Music Academies in Denmark, where many young Polish Jazz musicians study and often also stay in the last decade, and where this album was recorded. Together they perform eight original compositions, all by Dybzynski.
The music is quite diverse and moves between melodic modern Jazz and open compositions which are closer to Free Jazz. Some compositions have a steady swinging rhythmic drive others are much less restrained rhythmically, in short an interesting mixture of melodies, rhythms and musical freedom, which works out very well.
Dybzynski is a skilled player, but for the moment lacks the finesse displayed by the veteran Polish Jazz clarinetists. He is however certainly on the right track and will surely gain the necessary experience in the years to come. His compositional skills are already quite mature, and the material on this album is definitely very promising.
The rhythm section is really excellent and handles the complex rhythmic patterns with ease and elegance, carrying the music steadily even during the free form passages. They are perfect accompanists to the delicate clarinet sound, delivering an overall powerful message to the listener.
The open, free form compositions are the most impressive parts on this album, and hopefully will be more prominent in the future recordings by the trio. But even on the steady swinging tunes the trio plays interestingly enough to keep the listener fully engrossed in the music.
The clarinet is sadly not as popular in Jazz as it deserves to be, and hearing young musicians pursuing the great clarinet Jazz tradition is very encouraging. This is definitely an impressive debut and hopefully will be followed up by no less impressive recordings in the feature. Well done!
| | Updated: 18/11/2016Posted: 18/11/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | EIK TRIO ~ TRUST
LOSEN 276 (Barcode: 7090025832765) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2023
This is the debut album by Norwegian Jazz Eik TrioFind albums by this artist, comprising of pianist / arranger Ole Fredrik NorbyeFind albums by this artist, vocalist Elisabeth KarstenFind albums by this artist and bassist John Borge AskelandFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Bendik HofsethFind albums by this artist guests on three tracks and trumpeter Nils Petter MolvaerFind albums by this artist and accordionist Heine BuggeFind albums by this artist guest on one track each. The album presents ten tracks, all of which are arrangements of well-known standards.
On the face of it, the album seems completely uninteresting: once more an album of standards that we all heard thousands of times before. Therefore, the surprise when the album starts to play is pretty shocking, as these standards have been metamorphosed in a completely unusual way, mostly by radically slowing the usual tempo at which they are usually performed, which offers a completely new impression.
On their new form, the songs are beautifully performed by the trio, with the vocals sung in English with a slight foreign accent, which here becomes sort of cute, and superb piano accompaniment and steady, very delicate but perfectly accurate bass pulsations. The guests add a little glamor and atmosphere to the proceedings, but are not really necessary beyond adding some known names on the cover.
Overall, this is a charming little album, delicate and cute but also exceedingly intelligent and unconventional, which for people who thought that they have already heard everything could come as a huge surprise. This is absolutely essential stuff for students and teachers of Jazz vocals. Well done and thanks to the LosenFind albums on this label label for releasing this little charming gem!
| | Updated: 05/04/2023Posted: 05/04/2023 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | DON ELLIS / WOJCIECH KAROLAK TRIO ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.02
POLSKIE RADIO 1590 (Barcode: 5907812245900) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1962 Released: 2013
This is the second installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material presented here was recorded in 1962 during the 5th Jazz Jamboree and features American trumpeter Don EllisFind albums by this artist, accompanied by a Polish rhythm section consisting of pianist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. All the six tracks were recorded live during the Festival, the last of which is an extended suite composed by Polish pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist presented as part of a concert dedicated to the Third Stream (early Jazz-Classical Fusion initiated by American composer Gunther SchullerFind albums by this artist in the late 1950s). On that track the quartet is accompanied by the Polish National Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. Of the five shorter Jazz pieces, two are original compositions by Ellis and the remaining three are standards.
Ellis was the second US musician who opted to play with a local rhythm section, following Stan GetzFind albums by this artist who did so two years earlier (as captured on the first volume of this series). Although he was just 28 years old at the time, he already had a lot of experience and quite a reputation as a result of playing with many top American Jazz acts in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His Polish partners: Karolak (aged 23), Dylag (aged 24) and Dabrowski (aged 24) sound like veterans, obviously ready and able for the occasion. Ellis was the ideal choice as a performer of the orchestral piece by Trzaskowski, as he was one of the musicians / composers involved in this genre from its early stage.
There is a clear division between the first part of this album, which includes the five Jazz pieces and the orchestral suite, which is quite Avant-Garde and geared more towards Classical music listeners. Both parts are excellent, each presenting different merits of course. The fact that Trzaskowski composed the orchestral suite at that time is quite astonishing, considering the limited information about contemporary musical trends and developments that managed to cross over from behind the iron curtain. Obviously he was a man of great vision beyond his obvious talents as a player and composer.
The wonderful ambience of the hall and the remastered sound quality are spectacular, worm and natural, leaving many contemporary recordings way behind, even though they were done 51 years ago using quite primitive equipment.
The only note of criticism about this new edition is the lack of a proper booklet with proper liner notes, photographs and other well deserved details, which this monumental music truly deserves. Polish Radio really should have made an effort there. A pity!
In retrospect this is a great document of the era and an integral part of the Polish Jazz saga, which deserves to be told and studied. The presence of the orchestral suite makes this an absolute must for collectors of Polish Jazz albums and Third Stream followers.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ESPEN ERIKSEN TRIO ~ NEVER ENDING JANUARY
RUNE GRAMMOFON 2173 ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015
This is the third album by the Norwegian piano trio led by pianist / composer Espen EriksenFind albums by this artist with bassist Lars Tormod JensetFind albums by this artist and drummer Andreas ByeFind albums by this artist. It presents eight original compositions, all by Eriksen.
The music is a classic example of the Scandinavian Jazz variety: beautifully melodic, utterly melancholic and elegantly minimalistic. Eriksen writes sensuous, captivating melody lines, which develop slowly and delicately as each tune progresses in time, gaining momentum and strength up to a moderately climatic level and then it is suddenly over.
This type of music has its perils of course, as it can easily slip into smooth background trivia, which often happens. However it is certainly not the case here, as Eriksen manages to control just the right amount of sweetness to make his music captivating but not crossing the line into kitsch, which speaks volumes about his taste.
The rhythm section has a limited window of opportunity to show off here, with the main focus being to follow the leader amicably and sensitively, which they certainly stick to admirably. Jenset supports the melody lines adding a solid ground and overtones and Bye, who uses mallets extensively, adds a nice steady heartbeat. Overall the trio works like an organic body, with everything being just exactly as it should.
The album was excellently recorded by Michael Scott HartungFind albums by this artist at the Propeller Studio in Oslo, a city which is practically a recording Mecca these days. Listeners with proper Hi-Fi equipment will certainly start drooling while this music starts playing.
Overall this is a highly enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing album, which is accessible to a wide range of music lovers, nor necessarily limited to the Jazz audiences. Recommended!
| | Updated: 12/03/2016Posted: 12/03/2016 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | WOJCIECH FEDKOWICZ NOISE TRIO ~ DISTANT HEROES
OKO ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020
This is the second album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer Wojciech FedkowiczFind albums by this artist and his Noise TrioFind albums by this artist, which includes pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Jacek FedkowiczFind albums by this artist. All three players use electronic effects on their respective instruments. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Wojciech Fedkowicz with three being co-credited to Jacek Fedkowicz and one to Wania.
The music is mostly within the mainstream Jazz idiom, with highly melodic themes, mostly very low key and overtly melancholic, with a few more open excursions, which are definitely the most exciting moments on the album. Although the album might at first appear as a regular Jazz piano trio release, it has a very specific sound and harmonic approach, mostly due to the application of the electronic sound effects, which distort the natural sound of the bass and the drums up to a point where the listener needs to readjust his “hearing concept” to be able to listen to this music. These effects are less dominant as far as the piano is concerned, which results in an almost “normal” piano sound. This unique overall approach is definitely controversial, and might scare some of the listeners away from the music, at least at first hearing.
It seems that Wania’s genius is able to conquer any obstacle and his playing on this album is as impressive as on any of his other recordings, which of course is always a cause of musical joy. His improvisations are full of brilliant colors and his musical flow is an artistic dream come true. He is, naturally of course, at the very epicenter of the music here, and the fascinating structures of his soli are alone a good enough reason to listen to this music carefully.
I personally find the playing around with the sounds more disturbing than productive, but that is of course a question of taste. Wania plays magnificently enough to make me want to listen to this music, and the rest is up to the individual listener. I can be hardly considered as a conservative music connoisseur, but not all types of experimentation or attempts to innovate are automatically acceptable to me, although I do appreciate the audacity to be different. It would be a great fun to hear this album without any electronic effects, just for the sake of comparison…
Overall this is a very interesting musical twist and an exercise in “hearing”, with an added value of some superb piano playing by the top Polish Jazz pianist of the day. Highly recommended for the brave hearted…
| | Updated: 02/03/2021Posted: 02/03/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | WOJCIECH FEDKOWICZ NOISE TRIO ~ POST-DIGITAL DREAMERS
AUDIO CAVE 2013/002 (Barcode: 5902596954376) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013
This is the debut album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer Wojciech FedkowiczFind albums by this artist and his Noise TrioFind albums by this artist, which includes keyboardist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Jacek FedkowiczFind albums by this artist. All three players use electronic effects on their respective instruments. Three guest musicians play / sing on selected tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, five by Wojciech Fedkowicz, one by Jacek Fedkowicz and one co-credited to all members of the trio.
I was not aware of the existence of this album and only after recently reviewing the trio’s second album “Distant HeroesFind albums with this title”, Wojciech Fedkowicz sent me this one, which goes almost a decade back in time. It is also one of the earliest albums released by the Audio CaveFind albums on this label label, which in the meantime earned a respectable position on the local music market.
The music is in fact quite similar to the second album, with just a bit less electronics involved in the process, again based on highly melodic themes, which are given a distinct rhythmic roll-over, taking the music away from the Jazz idiom, and more into Ambient / Drum & Bass direction, but all done very gracefully and with a dash of irony.
Not surprisingly, Wania plays marvelously, although being very out of his element here most of the time, which emphasizes his phenomenal diversity and open-mindedness. For Wania’s followers it is worth to mention that this album is one of his earliest recordings, which already at this point of time sets his aside from most of the competition.
But the rhythm section plays also beautifully, juggling around polyrhythmic tempi and atmospheric deep bass sounds, which create a highly unusual ambience.
Overall it is great to discover this early gem, as it offers some truly unusual music, surely as far as “around Jazz” is concerned, and for an attentive listener is full of surprising moments, all of which are completely time-resistant. Probably not that easy to find today, but highly recommended, surely for Wania completists, but seriously definitely worth being discovered, better late than never.
| | Updated: 17/06/2021Posted: 17/06/2021 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | FM TRIO ~ SATT
WHYPLAYJAZZ 025 (Barcode: 4250459990339) ~ SWITZERLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016
This is the fourth album by the Swiss piano trio FM TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of pianist Fabian M. MuellerFind albums by this artist, bassist Kaspar von GrunigenFind albums by this artist and drummer Fabian BurgiFind albums by this artist. Together they perform ten original compositions, five by von Grunigen, three by Mueller, one by Burgi and the final one co-composed by all three members of the trio.
The music is a blend of several modern Jazz elements, from melodic pieces to Improvised Music explorations, which characterizes many of contemporary young European ensembles, who are still trying to explore the boundaries of the Jazz idiom. From the very onset of the album it becomes clear that this is not a typical piano trio album where the piano stands in the center of the listener´s attention. This trio equalizes the position of all three instruments to the same level, sharing the music-making responsibility equally.
Another characteristic of this music is the fragmentation of the melodic elements info small pieces, which are than interposed over a polyrhythmic layer created by the bass and drums. This means that the flow of the music is often dictated by the bass lines rather than by the piano lines, which are often uneven and episodic. This technique makes this music less immediately approachable but adds an element of tension and suspense, elevating the overall depth and impact of the music.
It is heartwarming to hear young musicians playing nontrivial music, sometimes even very difficult music, simply because they believe that this is their unique way to express their Art. These musicians are obviously very skilled and able to play basically anything, and yet they chose to challenge and stimulate rather than superficially please the listener.
This album requires perhaps several listening sessions to discover its full depth and intrinsic beauty, but the effort is definitely worth it. Kudos is due again to the WhyPlayJazzFind albums on this label label for releasing this meaningful and obviously noncommercial music, as usual against all odds, following the prophetic understanding that such demonstration of human ingenuity deserves to be shared, even just among a handful of open-minded and intellectually stimulated individuals all over the world. One can only hope that eventually this music manages to reach as many listeners as it truly deserves.
| | Updated: 06/06/2016Posted: 06/06/2016 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANK FUSION TRIO ~ MY PLACE
ATS 0982 (Barcode: 9005216009824) ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022
This is the second album by the Austrian ensemble Frank Fusion TrioFind albums by this artist, which is rather confusing as the ensemble has no less than eight members: keyboardist Fabian MangFind albums by this artist, bassist Stefano DelorenzoFind albums by this artist and drummer Philipp BindreiterFind albums by this artist (the trio), expanded with saxophonist Michael ErianFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Daniel NosigFind albums by this artist, guitarist Armin PolsingerFind albums by this artist, violinist Anja Wobak-EderFind albums by this artist and cellist Jana ThomaschutzFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, eight by Mang and two by Erian.
The music is highly melodic and offers expanded compositions, which eschew exact pinpointing stylistically, making everything interesting of course. There is plenty of Jazz-Rock Fusion, but also other genres like Funk or Symphonic Progressive Rock, Classical Music orchestration etc. in short never a dull moment.
As such, this album is really quite universal and could be enjoyed by a wide range of listeners, between Fusion to Brass Rock and Funky Jazz. Normally such diversity could cause a lot of confusion and a lack of focus, but this music works well and the variety adds a lot of spicing.
The individual contributions are all excellent and the compositions are all solid and coherent, and as a result this is a very pleasant listening experience, without losing any musical integrity. Highly recommended to listeners, who like the lighter spectrum of Jazz / Fusion, which can still be intellectually stimulating!
| | Updated: 27/04/2022Posted: 27/04/2022 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | GANELIN TRIO PRIORITY ~ SOLUTION
FOR TUNE 0068 (Barcode: 5902768701678) ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2015
This is a live recording by the Ganelin Trio PriorityFind albums by this artist, led by Israeli (of Lithuanian roots) pianist / composer Vyacheslav GanelinFind albums by this artist with Lithuanian saxophonist Petras VysniauskasFind albums by this artist and German drummer Klaus KugelFind albums by this artist. It presents an Improvised Music piece, divided into eight sections, all co-composed by the trio members. The recording, which was done a few years before it was released, is available here for the first time.
Ganelin´s legendary status as one of the world´s leading Free Jazz / Improvised Music pioneers was established already in the 1970s, while he was still residing in Lithuania, which at the time was a part of the USSR. His stunningly original and prophetic music, which under bizarre circumstances was released by the solitary Soviet State owned record label MelodiaFind albums on this label, struck the listeners (albeit only a few at the time) as completely innovative and original, way ahead of most that was happening in that area anywhere else in the world.
Ganelin continues to create wonderfully innovative music since and his recorded legacy is a symbol of excellence and ingenuity. He founded the Ganelin Trio Priority as a working and touring ensemble, which plays concerts and festivals around the world. He also composes music for theatre and cinema and teaches composition as the Jerusalem Academy of Music.
This wonderful album is an exquisite example of the trio at work, performing Improvised Music which sonically sounds like a Symphony Orchestra and musically keeps the listener on his toes at all times. Ganelin uses piano and synthesizers to create the sound layers while Vysniauskas improvises melodically on top and Kugel charges the music with incredible rhythmic tension. Together they sound like a three-headed Apollo uttering Godly sounds to charm the humans.
It is almost impossible to think of this music as a collective improvisation, as it sounds more "composed" than most composed contemporary Classical music, thanks to Ganelin´s extraordinary intrinsic sense of melody and the great talent of Vysniauskas to weave the musical threads into a spectacular colorful canvas. Kugel complements the trio perfectly with his respectful and highly attentive attitude, filling the missing pieces which require rhythmic elements of simply adding supplementary ornamentation.
Overall this is a brilliant album from start to finish, almost a "book" example of Improvised Music and its true vocation, and should serve as an example and a beacon to all other Improvising Musicians. Of the numerous Free Jazz and Improvised Music albums released on the For TuneFind albums on this label label, this is definitely one of the absolute best ones so far. An essential listening experience!
| | | CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | CHARLES GAYLE TRIO ~ CHRIST EVERLASTING
FOR TUNE 0063 (Barcode: 5902768701647) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015
This is a live recording at Poznan´s club Dragon of a trio led by American saxophonist / pianist / composer Charles GayleFind albums by this artist with Polish bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and German drummer Klaus KugelFind albums by this artist. The trio performs nine tunes, four of which are standards and the other five are group compositions / improvisations credited to all trio members.
Gayle arrived on the US scene as "the new discovery / profit" of Free Jazz in the late 1980, after years of performing as a homeless street musician. I have followed his recordings over the years and I must admit that somehow Gayle has failed to convince me to be anything more than a curiosity. His extreme political and religious views aside, his "music´ is a raw collection of sounds uttered with great intensity and emotion, but it does not "compute" as music in my brain – my bad of course – despite my passionate love for that kind of music. In retrospect Gayle´s recordings hardly advanced the Free Jazz / Improvised Music idiom in a global sense and everything he does was already done in the 1960s, much more effectively as far as I can see.
That does not mean of course that his concerts are not worth attending and his albums not worth being heard, at least as far as one does not expect to be "enlightened". This particular gig caught on this album is pretty typical of Gayle´s concerts but has a wonderful added value of the excellent rhythm section, which literally saves the day. Wojcinski and Kugel, both experienced and talented Improvised Music figures, add the missing musical element to Gayle´s music, the depth and the interface, which enables a player / audience communication.
Overall this is an interesting amalgam of free spirited, almost anarchist improvisation with solid and often virtuosic "sensible" rhythm section, which prevents the anarchy to take over completely. The Free Jazz fans will definitely enjoy this music, if not immediately than after a few attempts; more conventionally oriented listeners beware, you have been warned.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | CHARLES GAYLE TRIO ~ SOLAR SYSTEM
FOR TUNE 0131 (Barcode: 5906395808380) ~ USA ~ Avant-Garde Jazz
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017
This is the second album on the Polish For TuneFind albums on this label label by the American Avant-Garde saxophonist / pianist Charles GayleFind albums by this artist and his trio, which includes Polish bassist Ksawery WojcinskiFind albums by this artist and again a German drummer, this time Max AndrzejewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven improvised pieces, credited to all the trio members, recorded live at Warsaw´s already legendary 12on14 Jazz Club.
As I have already stated in my review of the earlier release by the trio, I am completely unable to get the music of Gayle on any level, neither intellectual nor emotional. It sounds like a collection of random, chaotic sounds that make absolutely no sense or is painfully trivial (especially his piano playing). The only thing that makes this music listenable to some extent is the excellent work by the rhythm section, which tries desperately to keep this music in some orderly manner, before it completely disintegrates. I have no idea why Gayle is so difficult for me to get, since I love Free Jazz and Improvised Music since the 1960s and listen to similar music constantly. Must be a mental barrier of some kind?
Improvised Music listeners might perhaps enjoy this album, but alas I am simply completely numb here. Good luck with it ;)
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 25/01/2018 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | STAN GETZ / ANDRZEJ TRZASKOWSKI TRIO ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.01
POLSKIE RADIO 1567 (Barcode: 5907812245672) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1960 Released: 2013
This is the first installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venue, the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material presented here was recorded in 1960 during the 3rd Jazz Jamboree and features American saxophone Giant Stan GetzFind albums by this artist, accompanied by a Polish rhythm section consisting of pianist Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist and drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist. Nine of the twelve tracks included here were recorded live during the Festival and the additional three tracks were recorded in the same hall but late at night, without any spectators being presents. All the music comprises of Jazz standards. This recording was made before Getz reached the superstar popularity as a result of his Bossa Nova recordings a couple of years later, but he was already a much respected saxophonist with a very impressive record behind him, although he was just 33 years old at the time.
The story about why Getz opted to play with a local rhythm section has many versions. Most Polish sources quote some vague statements indicating this as being a conscious decision made "in recognition of the talent of the young Polish Jazz musicians". That version has very little support in reality. One should bear in mind that Getz was living at the time in Scandinavia and did not have a steady group he performed with in Scandinavia, where he actually arrived from to play at the Jazz Jamboree (not from the USA). When I talked to Getz about his first visit in Poland (he was there again in 1974 and 1980), he told me that he heard just a little about Jazz in Poland before he arrived there, thanks to the early relationships between the Polish and the Scandinavian scenes, which was about to be expanded in the years to come. His willingness to play with the young Poles should be rather credited to his open-mindedness and general good nature, with always characterized him as a person. Also let us not forget that the logistics and costs involved with bringing an entire quartet from the USA at that time were quite beyond the capabilities of the festival´s organizers.
As to the music, there is actually no need to say much about it. Getz plays divinely, as usual, with his unique tone and virtuosity and the sweetest saxophone sound ever. Obviously enjoying himself enormously, he allows the rhythm section to stretch out, playing relatively long solos. The young Poles: Trzaskowski (aged 27), Dylag (aged 22) and Dabrowski (aged 22) sound like veterans, obviously uplifted spiritually by the event. The music is simply perfect, from start to finish. The wonderful ambience of the hall and the remastered sound quality are spectacular, worm and natural, leaving many contemporary recordings way behind, even though they were done 53 years ago using quite primitive equipment. In short everything about this album is simply miraculous.
The only note of criticism about this new edition is the lack of a proper booklet with proper liner notes, photographs and other well deserved details, which this monumental music truly deserves. Polish Radio really should have made an effort there. A pity!
No wander that this material (in one form or another) was bootlegged countless times and the original vinyl release ("Stan Getz W PolsceFind albums with this title") reached outrageous sums on the collectors´ market all over the world. Now they are available in the best sounding quality ever for the price of a regular CD, so don´t even dare to think about this twice. This is an absolute must!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | BENJAMIN GISLI TRIO ~ LINE OF THOUGHT
FJORDGATA 019 (Barcode: 644637116019) ~ ICELAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023
This is the debut album as a leader by Icelandic Jazz pianist / composer Benjamin GisliFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Benjamin Gisli EinarssonFind albums by this artist), recorded in a classic Jazz piano trio format with Norwegian bassist Andreas SolheimFind albums by this artist and drummer Veslemoy NarvesenFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, a short solo piano intro and six original compositions by the leader and one composition by Carla BleyFind albums by this artist.
Gisli has been active on the Norwegian scene for a while and recorded a couple of albums as sideman, but this is his first album, with focus on his compositions and performances. Despite their young age, all three musicians are already fine instrumentalists, with obvious schooling and experience, as appropriate for the thriving Norwegian scene these days.
The music is kept in the Nordic climate, with slow, almost lethargic themes developing leisurely, deeply lyrical and intentionally kept in a low key, but a couple of more energetic tracks are also present to keep some emotional balance of the whole affair. The compositions are perhaps somewhat uniform, but considering the fact that this is the first outing, Gisli is certainly a musician worth watching.
Overall, this is an enticing debut album, which shows the potential of the leader and his partners to become valuable members of the Scandinavian Jazz community, which is definitely one of the most sizzling and interesting European Jazz centers. Well done!
| | Updated: 12/08/2023Posted: 12/08/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | GLYK P.I.K TRIO ~ RELEASED AT LAST
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013
This is a debut recording by the Glyk P.I.K TrioFind albums by this artist, a family trio comprising of father vibraphonist / composer / arranger Irek GlykFind albums by this artist and his two children: daughter Kinga GlykFind albums by this artist who plays bass and son Patryk GlykFind albums by this artist who plays drums. Pianist Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist and accordionist Mirek StepienFind albums by this artist guest on selected tracks. The album includes nine tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Irek and one is a standard.
Usually such family affairs are more a social event than a serious music making endeavor, but quite surprisingly this album has some merit. Both the compositions, which are quite solid and although pretty mainstreamish provide an adequate basis for improvisation, and the performances, which are quite professional make this a nice listening experience. Of course the more experienced head of the family carries most of the responsibilities here, but the young generation supports him with obvious talent. Personally Mencel´s contributions are the highlight of this album.
Overall this is a standard mainstream effort with original music, which does not innovate but holds water and has its value as a generation gap bonding element. Considering the fact that the vibraphone and marimba are such neglected instruments, this is an opportunity to hear their beautiful sound. Don´t expect any surprises and take it easy…
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | WOJCIECH GOGOLEWSKI TRIO ~ GOGOLFONIA
PABLOBASSO (Barcode: 5904653979735) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023
The Polish Jazz scene has plenty of hidden secrets, and pianist / composer Wojciech GogolewskiFind albums by this artist is certainly one of them. The previous album, recorded with the same excellent trio, is already seven years old, which is way too long for a new infusion of his beautiful music, if you ask me. The more recent archival album (“Skok Nr 8Find albums with this title”) presenting his recordings from the mid-1970s eased the anticipation a bit, but it is a true joy to hear some new music from such esteemed representative of the scene.
The only link on this album to its predecessor is a word pun in one of the composition titles, as the music this time is all original, composed by Gogolewski, who is a formidable melody weaver, not only in strict Jazz universe, but also as a cinematic music composer. His melodies flow elegantly and coherently, with a somewhat nostalgic wink towards times long passed, when melody was the crux of the biscuit.
The classic Jazz piano trio format, which this album utilizes, is the ultimate weapon of choice for pianists, especially when the rhythm section is as supportive and telepathically synchronized with the leader, in addition to being technically brilliant. It is a true delight to listen to this music, using more of one’s heart that one’s intellect, which can often be deceiving. This is a true gift of music, for which I thank all of its creators.
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: 28/03/2023Posted: 28/03/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | WOJCIECH GOGOLEWSKI TRIO ~ MEDYTACJE WIEJSKIEGO LISTONOSZA JAZZOWEGO
NOT ON LABEL 9788365344007 (Barcode: 9788365344007) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015
This is an album by Polish Jazz piano trio led by veteran pianist / composer Wojciech GogolewskiFind albums by this artist, with bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam LewandowskiFind albums by this artist. As the album´s title suggests, at least to those familiar with the Polish music scene, this album is dedicated to the music by the legendary Polish Rock group SkaldowieFind albums by this artist and pays tribute to their extraordinary talents. The album presents ten songs Skaldowie created during their heyday, all composed by Andrzej ZielinskiFind albums by this artist (one of the two Zielinski brothers who led the group) and arranged for Jazz trio by Gogolewski.
It is of course completely impossible for someone like me, who grew up listening to the music of Skaldowie, to be in any way objective while listening to this album, and indeed I don´t intend to be objective at all. This is a marvelous piece of music in every respect, even without the tsunami of nostalgia, which floods my brain while listening to it, since it perfectly holds water just by being what it really is, i.e. an excellent piano trio album playing some superbly crafted music, beautifully recorded and perfectly executed.
Of course the music of Zielinski presents some of the most incredibly weaved melodies on this planet, full of "impossible" chord changes and weird harmonies, tempi shifts and other musicological mumble-jumble, which most people have absolutely no idea about, but which simply work wonders and create some of the most beautiful songs ever written, which made our childhood and then adolescence so incredibly beautiful. Comparing Skaldowie to the BeatlesFind albums by this artist would have been mostly unfair to the Polish group, as they were light-years ahead musically. The fact that their music transfers so gracefully into the Jazz idiom is a great proof of its quality, whereas most Jazz arrangements of Beatles songs never really rise above pastiche.
I am pretty sure this album should be universally appealing to every Jazz connoisseur around, even those who can´t find Poland on the map. This music is simply universal and its elegance and typical European sophistication is irresistible.
I can only wholeheartedly thank the people involved in creating this masterpiece for the immense pleasure it has bestowed upon me. Perhaps some listeners, happy with what they find here, will reach out for the original Skaldowie albums, where this music originates from, to take another step on the path of exploration. Bless you all!
| | Updated: 11/09/2017Posted: 11/09/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | STEPHANE GRAPPELLI / DIZ DISLEY TRIO ~ VIOLINSPIRATION
MPS 4029759097259 (Barcode: 4029759097259) ~ FRANCE ~ Gypsy Jazz
Recorded: 1975 Released: 2014
This is a reissue of a little known album by legendary French violinist /composer Stephane GrappelliFind albums by this artist recorded with an excellent trio led by British (born in Canada) guitarist Diz DisleyFind albums by this artist, which also featured another British (born in Burma) guitarist Ike IsaacsFind albums by this artist and Swiss bassist Isla EckingerFind albums by this artist. Disley managed to persuade Grappelli to return to public performance playing music in the style of the original Hot Club de France and this quartet (with some lineup changes) was later called Hot Club of London. On this album they perform thirteen tunes, one of which is an original composition by Grappelli, another one is an original composition by Isaacs and the rest are standards.
The album is a beautiful example of the Gypsy Jazz sub genre, and marks a rebirth of the tradition started by Grappelli and Django ReinhardtFind albums by this artist in 1934, which can be considered as one of the first significant original European Jazz contributions to Jazz. Grappelli continued the revived tradition playing for years with Disley and then rejuvenating his group with the inclusion of the great British guitarist Martin TaylorFind albums by this artist.
This beautifully recorded album remains as one of the finest examples of Grappelli´s virtuosity and the Gypsy Jazz tradition. The performances by all the participants are stellar and the music is simply forever young. As such, this album is an absolute must to all Gypsy Jazz lovers anywhere on this planet.
Side Note
The legendary German MPSFind albums on this label (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald) label, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-SchwerFind albums by this artist (HGBS) in 1963, first as SABAFind albums on this label Records and later on from 1968 as MPS Records, was the most important independent European record label, which had an enormous contribution to the development of European Jazz. For many years MPS cooperated with the legendary German producer / author Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, my Friend and Mentor, whose visionary approach and open-mindedness brought the crème de la crème of the Jazz (in the broadest meaning of the word) musicians from all over the world to the label. Between 1963 and 1983 MPS produced about five hundred albums, many of which are among the most important Jazz recordings on this planet.
In 1983 the MPS catalog was sold to UniversalFind albums on this label, which sadly resulted in all those artistic treasures to almost disappear from the face of the earth – a situation not only tragic but culturally criminal. Universal reissued a part of the MPS albums (probably 128 titles) on CD between 1999 and 2011 under the "Most Perfect Sound Edition" moniker.
Since 2008 the German Promising MusicFind albums on this label label released some of the MPS recordings, but at a very slow pace.
In 2014 the German company Edel AG bought the MPS catalogue from Universal and released a series of 25 MPS albums on CD with a new slipcase graphic design, which brought all those excellent albums back to life. In 2015 Edel AG started to record and release new albums under the MPS moniker. In 2016 Edel AG released a series of 10 classic MPS albums on CD, which were beautifully remastered and re-packaged, presenting the original artwork and liner notes, as well as new liner notes and photographs. An obvious labor of love, these reissues are what the MPS catalogue truly deserves. This project was continued in 2017 with another series of 10 classic MPS albums released on CD. In later years some new reissues were released sporadically.
Over the years many SABA / MPS albums were reissued in Japan, which is often the only available source for these albums today, but that is a story in itself.
| | Updated: 27/05/2018Posted: 08/07/2016 | CD 1 Slipcase Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | GREAT JAZZ TRIO ~ SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME
COLUMBIA 92819 ~ USA ~ Jazz
The Great Jazz Trio truly deserves its name. Brothers Hank (piano) and Elvin (drums) Jones and bass player extraordinare Richard Davis are all jazz Giants with a legacy that covers generations of the music. This beautiful trio recording from 2002 & 2003 is a stunning tribute to some of the most memorable jazz standards which get a loving and delicate treatment in the hands of the Masters. Breathtaking and deeply moving, this is timeless music. Unfortumately this was one of the last recordings by Elvin Jones, who died recently.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ORJAN HULTEN TRIO ~ 14 OCTOBER 2017 LIVE AT BAS
ARTOGRUSH 011 (Barcode: 7350051973314) ~ SWEDEN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018
This is the fourth album by Swedish saxophonist / composer Orjan HultenFind albums by this artist and his trio with bassist / composer Filip AugustsonFind albums by this artist and drummer Fredrik RundqvistFind albums by this artist. The trio performs eight compositions, four of which are originals by Hulten, two are originals by Augustson and two are standards. The album was recorded live at the BAS concert venue during the 2017 Stockholm Jazz Festival.
The music on this album seems to be less melody oriented than the earlier recordings by the trio and offers an intimate trialogue, which a lot of breathing space and searching intensity. Saxophone trio is one of the most demanding Jazz settings, and this trio, after playing together for so many years, brings the Art of the trio to perfection. The trio members are conversing at all times and this is never a leading instrument accompanied by a rhythm section situation, but rather a symbiotic cooperation.
The Scandinavian "cool" is in the air, with the music tending to be minimalist and saying only what is necessary, without redundant ornamentation. As a result the music is pristine and fully coherent, adhering to the "less is more" principle. The live environment is obviously less constraining and these experienced musicians handle the "one take only" challenge with ease and elegance.
All three members of the trio are obviously highly talented musicians, who share a deep respect towards each other, placing the trio´s togetherness above individual statements. This does not mean of course that the album does not feature superb soloing, especially by Augustson.
Overall this is another important step in the already established career of this trio and the leader in his capacity as the principal composer. The album offers modern European / Scandinavian Jazz at its best, and is a joy to listen to. Well done, as usual!
| | Updated: 02/07/2018Posted: 02/07/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ORJAN HULTEN TRIO ~ IN THE CITY
ARTOGRUSH 005 (Barcode: 7320470104378) ~ SWEDEN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2007 Released: 2008
This is the second album by the trio led by Swedish saxophonist / composer Orjan HultenFind albums by this artist with bassist Filip AugustsonFind albums by this artist and drummer Fredrik RundqvistFind albums by this artist. The trio plays nine tunes, four composed by Augustson, three composed by Hulten and two standards. Five tunes were recorded in a studio and four were recorded live.
Musically this album continues the direction set by the trio´s debut album recorded a year earlier, presenting modern European Jazz, based on melodic themes but at the same time open enough to allow extensive improvisations. Augustson gets exposure as a composer here and his music expands the trio´s musical language but does not change the direction dramatically.
The personal contributions are all superb, with Hulten playing some passionate solos in the spirit of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist´s tradition, especially noticeable on the live tracks, which are naturally significantly longer than the studio pieces and allow much more expressive statements. The rhythm section stands shoulder to shoulder with Hulten and Augustson contributes several impressive bass solos in addition to his excellent accompaniment.
Overall this is a first class Jazz album, which represents the young generation of European Jazz musicians, showing their respect towards the Jazz tradition as well as their search of new individual ways to express their Art. It is universal and sounds genuine and honest to all Jazz fans around the globe, regardless of their location. This album is definitely worth being investigated and deserves a place in every serious record collection. It lost absolutely nothing of its appeal over time, which again testifies as to its quality. Well done!
| | Updated: 04/07/2016Posted: 04/07/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ORJAN HULTEN TRIO ~ IN THE WOODS
ARTOGRUSH 003 (Barcode: 7332147000746) ~ SWEDEN ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006
This is the debut album by a trio led by Swedish saxophonist / composer Orjan HultenFind albums by this artist with bassist Filip AugustsonFind albums by this artist and drummer Fredrik RundqvistFind albums by this artist. The trio plays nine original compositions, all by Hulten.
The music is a wonderful collection of beautiful melodic tunes, played with passion and superb musicianship. Saxophone trios are among the most difficult Jazz setups, but in this case everything simply works out perfectly. The trio performs as one organic unit, with the musicians supporting each other amicably. Hulten plays remarkably, improvising intensely but at all times staying within the chord structure of the underlying melodies and although his improvisations are very complex at times, they let the listener to hear the melodic trail at all times.
The rhythm section is quite intensive, playing along the leader closely, with Augustson being there with his strong and rhythmic pulsations, which add enormously to the flow of the music. Rundqvist is also pretty busy, playing polyrhythmically at tomes but always delicately and carefully trying not to disturb the flow. Overall this is a classic example of a perfectly functioning saxophone trio, full of harmony and mutual respect.
The music represents perfectly modern contemporary European Jazz, with combines the Jazz tradition with advanced compositional complexity and fluent instrumental work, which recognizes versatility and openness both stylistically and conceptually.
Although this is not a debut by Hulten, who released albums as a leader before this one, this is a remarkable debut for the trio, and it keeps the freshness and superb quality very well through out the years that passed since it was originally recorded. For Jazz connoisseurs of post-Coltrane modern European Jazz this is a true delight.
| | Updated: 01/07/2016Posted: 01/07/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ORJAN HULTEN TRIO / JOHAN BERKE ~ THE DEAD
ARTOGRUSH 008 (Barcode: 7350051971167) ~ SWEDEN ~ Avant-Garde Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012
This is the third album by the trio led by Swedish saxophonist / composer Orjan HultenFind albums by this artist with bassist Filip AugustsonFind albums by this artist and drummer Fredrik RundqvistFind albums by this artist. This time the trio is expanded into a quartet with the addition of guitarist Johan BerkeFind albums by this artist. Together they perform eight original compositions, three composed by Hulten, another three co-composed by all four musicians and two composed by Berke.
The presence of Berke and the extensive usage of electronics on this album changed significantly the musical concept in comparison to the two preceding albums recorded by the trio. The music presented here is much more ambient and atmospheric, melancholic and reflective than the melodic based earlier material. It is therefore somewhat removed from the mainstream Jazz presented earlier and ventures also into Avant Garde experimentation. Berke emerges as an excellent instrumentalist and his less conventional approach and playing style are a surprising and refreshing juxtaposition of musical ideas.
The album could be divided into two parts, where the first part features the three compositions by Hulten, which are followed by relatively short free electronic improvisations by the quartet. The second part is a two-part suite by Berke, which features recitation in Japanese. There seems to be a concept behind the album, as suggested by the album´s title which originates from a short poem by Hulten.
In spite of all the changes, Hulten and the trio / quartet manage to present heartfelt musical ideas, which are certainly worth investigating and which although more demanding to the average listener, become as rewarding as the earlier work. The spirit of exploration and experimentation, which is obvious on this album, is an essential aspect of music making and those artists who lack the ability to progress and try out new ideas are very often simply lagging behind. Overall Hulten and his cohorts manage to keep up the excellent work they started together a few years earlier and this album solidifies their position as proud representatives of the contemporary Scandinavian / European Jazz, which simply does not disappoint. Well done again!
| | Updated: 17/12/2018Posted: 06/07/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | IBRAHIM TRIO ~ LIVE AT MANGGHA - EAST MEETS WEST
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024
This is the 2nd album by Syrian (resident in Poland) oud player / vocalist / composer Wassim IbrahimFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a trio setting with two excellent Polish musicians, Hurdy-gurdy player / keyboardist Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live at the beautiful Japanese Culture museum Manggha in Krakow (a must visit when in the city). It presents six lengthy tracks, two composed by Ibrahim, one each by Mencel and Madej, one is by the legendary Lebanese singer / composer Zaki NassifFind albums by this artist and one is a traditional tune. All the music was arranged by the trio members.
The music, although based on wonderful melodic themes, is largely improvised and mostly instrumental, not surprisingly with a strong Middle Eastern flavor. The completely native musical environment for Ibrahim, was splendidly adopted by the two Poles, who sound as if they played football with Ibrahim in the narrow streets of Damascus since childhood. Mencel manages to make the hurdy-gurdy and keyboards sound similar to Middle Eastern reed instruments, and Madej rhythmic approach sound as genuine as if he spent many hours riding camels. Ibrahim is a Master oud player and his vocals are absolutely heartbreaking. In short, I am sorry that I couldn’t be there to listen to this music live, but this album surely captures the magic in full.
With the recent and unexpected changes in Syria, perhaps the prospect for me and Wassim having coffee in Damascus, accompanied by some sublime sweets, like knafeh and baklava, is just one little step closer to reality, Inshallah!
Overall, this is a lovely, deeply moving example of Middle Eastern music, which Ibrahim makes as native and natural as possible, away from his hometown, with the help of his wonderful musician friends. Warmly recommended to all listeners who love the improvised nature of Middle Eastern music and its heartwrenching melodies. Thank you, my Friend!
| | Updated: 09/01/2025Posted: 09/01/2025 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | J.A.S.S. TRIO ~ KOSMODROM
INFRA ART ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014
This is the debut album by the young Polish Jazz trio, called J.A.S.S. TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of violinist Stanislaw SlowinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Justyn MalodobryFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam StepniowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all credited collectively to the trio, and one arrangement of a Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist theme. The album is packaged in a round metal can, which is a nice, although definitely not a new gimmick.
The music is mostly freely improvised, based on basic melodic themes, which serve as skeletons and reference points for the improvisations. The pieces created by the trio could be perceived as imaginary soundtracks created on the spot. The violin is obviously at the center of attention, but the excellent rhythm section is an integral part of the creation and keeps the music afloat. Together the trio members achieve a magical, eerie atmosphere, which sometimes sounds like electronic ambient music, but the rhythmic pulse keeps the listener on his toes and emphasizes the Jazz reference behind this music. They often use a drone / repetitive effect to create an unearthly ambience, which is both enchanting and scary.
The individual contributions are all first rate, and as usual, considering the young age of the musicians, quite phenomenal. The entire concept and musical adventure undertaken by this trio is highly unusual and openly bold, which happens very rarely these days. Hopefully they will solidify and purify their musical ideas in time, to produce even more wonderful music than on this album, which has a few weaker moments, having an adverse effect, like the pretentious closing track which is thirteen minutes of white noise – who do they think they are after all?
Overall this is a surprising debut, which shows tons of potential, to be explored in the future. Not bad at all!
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  | ANDRZEJ JAGODZINSKI TRIO ~ BACH
STUDIO REALIZACJI MYSLI TWORCZ (Barcode: 5907222840047) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020
This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz pianist / composer Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist recorded with his fabulous trio with bassist Adam CegielskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the album is dedicated to the music of Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist and presents six of his compositions, beautifully transformed into the Jazz idiom.
Playing Bach by Jazz musicians is of course nothing new and the romance goes back to the early 1960s, when French pianist / composer Jacques LoussierFind albums by this artist made a grand career by Jazzing up Bach’s compositions for the crowds, and many other Jazz musicians since tried to tackle this task, including Keith JarrettFind albums by this artist and Brad MehldauFind albums by this artist, with varying results. Bach’s music, which undoubtedly is one of the absolute pinnacles of Human artistic ingenuity, in most cases is best served by being left alone in its original form and shape, with rare exceptions.
I am happy to see (or rather hear) that Jagodzinski and his trio are up to the challenge of successfully transforming Bach’s music into the Jazz realm, served by their great sensitivity, talents and of course extensive experience. They manage to avoid trivializing this great music, keeping the original sense of flow, melody and rhythm intact, and adding the Jazzy ornamentations with carful respect of the original compositions. This is not altogether surprising taking into consideration the sublime Jazz oriented interpretations of the music by Polish National composer Frederic Chopin, which Jagodzinski and his cohorts managed to create in the past.
The performances are absolutely stellar, as expected, and although the piano is naturally in the epicenter of the sonic experience, the rhythm section also contributes some superb parts, which deserve no less admiration. Personally I hear a bit of Chopin on these interpretations of Bach, which again is hardly surprising, as Chopin’s music flows in the blood (or sub consciousness) of every Polish musician at all times.
Overall this is a wonderful album in every sense, both emotionally and intellectually, which deserves to be heard by every true lover of Jazz-Classical Fusion, Bach’s followers and Jazz piano trio enthusiasts all over the world. A true elixir for mind and body at these crazy days of misfortune and suffering.
On a personal note, almost exactly to a day last year I had the immense pleasure to attend a concert at a small Jazz club outside of Warsaw, where messieurs Jagodzinski, Cegielski and Bartkowski (and others) were performing. This was an unforgettable evening of great music and friendship, especially since it was the last live concert I managed to attend before the pandemic and the last time I was abroad…
| | Updated: 05/02/2021Posted: 05/02/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JAH TRIO ~ TRAVELERS
SOLITON 1163 (Barcode: 5903684231638) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2021
This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio, named JAH TrioFind albums by this artist, which comprises of young representatives of the local scene: pianist Jan JareckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal AftykaFind albums by this artist and drummer Marcin SojkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents six tracks, which are assumably original compositions, but nothing about the authors is stated on the album’s artwork.
The music is all melody based mainstream modern Jazz, beautifully put together, performed and recorded, resulting in a “classic” Jazz piano trio album, which many Jazz listeners around the world should enjoy immensely. Although the Jazz piano trio recordings are pretty common these days, with many young artists adopting this format as their platform, this album is definitely one of the best ones released lately on the Polish scene.
The music is often deeply melancholic and bears the typical Polish characteristic of lyricism and melancholy, which have become trademarks of Polish Jazz over the decades. The compositions are coherent and intelligent, and although do not try to innovate of step outside of the well threaded path, still manage to keep the listener alert and often pleasantly surprised.
Overall, this is an excellent debut effort of surprising quality, especially in view of the age of the participating musicians, which again proves the excellent Polish musical education and widespread love of the genre. This certainly does not sound like a debut and is full of potential for future efforts. Well done indeed!
| | Updated: 30/11/2021Posted: 30/11/2021 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | JAZZ TRIO ~ FOR THE FUTURE
POLJAZZ / ANEX 320 (Barcode: 5907513047759) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1985 Released: 2009
This album features the Polish Jazz trio called simply The Jazz TrioFind albums by this artist (probably the most unreasonable name one can adopt in such circumstances), which consisted of saxophonist Janusz BrychFind albums by this artist, pianist Marek PiatakFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal ZduniakFind albums by this artist. The pianist composed four of the five compositions present here and co-composed the fifth with the saxophonist. Although little know and mostly forgotten, this is, in retrospect, quite an excellent and unusual album, which Polish Jazz connoisseurs should definitely seek out.
The music is a very strange amalgam of melodic, pre-composed intriguing music, mixed with excellent saxophone improvisations, which are very Free Jazz oriented and superbly executed. Sometimes the saxophone parts are overdubbed, which creates an even stronger "wall of sound" effect, common in Free Jazz. Also the absence of bass, which dramatically influences the sound of the music, contributes to the "strangeness" and of course transfers the responsibility of keeping time towards the piano player and the drummer, who is quite unusual as well. The overall result is definitely fresh and surprising, quite different from what was happening on the local scene at the time. Perhaps it was an early precursor of the Yass scene, which was about to explode in Poland shortly after this album was recorded.
The overall level of individual virtuosity as well as the interplay between the three musicians makes this album a hidden gem, which simply begs to be discovered. It is a pity they never recorded together again (as far as I know) as the trio certainly had the potential of becoming one of the hottest groups on the Polish Jazz scene. But, alas, we´ll never know what might have happened. In the meantime let´s enjoy what we can hear!
Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label / MuzaFind albums on this label and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums on this label reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING TRIO ~ SOMETHING PERSONAL
HEVHETIA 0100 (Barcode: 8588005257411) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015
This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. This rhythm section is also known as the rhythm section of the New BoneFind albums by this artist ensemble. The album presents seven tracks, all of which are original compositions by Kaczmarczyk. It was mixed and mastered by the great Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and released on the Slovak HevhetiaFind albums on this label label, which releases lately a significant amount of Polish Jazz albums, opening new opportunities for Polish Jazz musicians, who face a very tough and crowded local recording market.
Kaczmarczyk stormed the Polish Jazz scene over a decade earlier as a young prodigy, winning awards from every possible competition and later recording and releasing three excellent albums as a leader. But the initial impact somewhat subsided over time and although he was visible on the scene quite recurrently, almost six years passed between the release of his last album and this one. No doubt these were years of reflection and reassessment of his musical attitude, as this album clearly proves. The return to the piano trio format and the much less complex arrangements of his compositions signal a kind of return to the roots.
Kaczmarczyk was always a great songweaver, and the collection of his new compositions confirms that status again. Wonderfully melodic, deeply lyrical and always full of grace, his music, presented here in a very basic down to earth form, is most effective exactly as it appears here. Gone are the elaborate and intricate rhythmic complexities, instrumental shenanigans and other tricks of the trade; instead we get Kaczmarczyk almost naked musically, but finally mature and truthful to himself.
Of course Kaczmarczyk is also a brilliant pianist and on this album, which is modest and very personal, there are limited possibilities to shine as a virtuosic performer; and yet Kaczmarczyk manages to pull this off, playing some amazingly sweet and inspired piano performances. The experienced rhythm section plays along tightly and supportively, being always there when needed. Adamczak plays several nice solos and stands by the leader both harmonically and rhythmically. Fortuna is a very busy drummer, but at all times stays in the background not disturbing the delicate trio balance.
In many respects this album could be seen as Kaczmarczyk´s "return", an older, and more mature and focused version of the young star from a decade earlier. The lost charm of excitement and surprise was replaced by musical depth and developed compositional as well as performing skills. It was definitely worth the time we had to wait for this album and hopefully another long lingering will be spared. Welcome back!
Side Note: The promo version of this album includes also seven tracks, but two of them are different than those included on the formal album, which of course makes the demo a most desirable collector´s item!
| | Updated: 27/09/2016Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING TRIO ~ VARS & KAPER DECONSTRUCTION
HEVHETIA 0126 (Barcode: 8588005257817) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 - 2015 Released: 2016
Three years ago I initiated a series of concerts / recordings as part of the Singer Jazz Festival, of which I am the artistic director, of music by the great "American" composers: Victor YoungFind albums by this artist, Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, all three of which are in fact Polish Jews, who immigrated to the US at some stage of their life. The fact that they had Polish / Jewish roots is almost completely unknown not only to the American public (which is not surprising), but sadly also to Polish public. The main purpose, therefore, of these concerts / recordings was to bring their Jewish / Polish roots to the attention of music lovers. The music was performed and recorded by my friend, the excellent Polish Jazz pianist Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist and his trio, and the entire series was hugely successful. Neither Kuba nor I anticipated the fact that our project would also influence the entire Polish Jazz scene and produce a huge renewed interest in these three composers, which also produced a string of recordings, of which this album is an example.
Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist is of course one of the most brilliant Polish Jazz pianist, who took the local scene by a storm and during the last decade established himself as a one of its central figures. This is the second album with his trio which includes bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Dawid FortunaFind albums by this artist. Together they perform nine songs composed by Henryk Wars (four songs) and Bronislaw Kaper (five songs, two split into two parts). In addition to the trio the DJ Wojciech DlugoszFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Mr. KrimeFind albums by this artist) adds turntablism and electronics.
The trio performs beautifully, as expected, playing the classic compositions with the usual flair and technical brilliance. The turntablism, electronics and other sound effects like vintage voice recordings, suit the music well and are non intrusive, but don’t really add anything substantial to the subject matter, beyond being a novelty of sorts.
The usage of the term "deconstruction" in the album´s title is however quite problematic. Personally I can´t hear anything being deconstructed in the music played on this album? These are just pretty standard interpretations of the classic songs, but deconstructions? The philosophical / aesthetic meaning of deconstruction is certainly absent here and in general this term is being used (or misused) way to often these days.
Overall this is an excellent piano trio recording, with brilliant Jazz performances, as expected. Just forget the somewhat pretentious title and enjoy the music!
| | Updated: 27/09/2016Posted: 27/09/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | KAHOMA TRIO ~ IN THE WOODS
MUST-ART 005 ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022
This is the debut album by the Czech Jazz piano trio, called Kahoma TrioFind albums by this artist, which comprises of pianist Jan KavkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Marek DufekFind albums by this artist and drummer Kamil SlezakFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, seven by Kavka, one by Dufek and three co-composed by all three members of the trio. The album was recorded at the splendid Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, with the expected superb sonic quality.
The music is based on well-constructed melodic themes, beautifully performed by the trio. The performances are characterized by full cooperation between the trio members, rather than the soloist – rhythm section approach, which is especially effective here. The entire outcome is very delicate, almost fragile, and the extremely slow pace of some of the pieces is almost “painful”, in the best meaning of the word.
Kavka was very lucky to find his companions, as they both prove to be not only highly supportive, but also very creative. Dufek plays some of the best bass lines I have heard in a piano trio setting in a long time, absolutely virtuosic and extraordinarily supportive. The long-lasting love affair between Czech Jazz musicians and the bass gets here another extension from the young generation. Slezak keeps mostly very quiet, adding his delicate touches exactly as needed, without trying be pervasive, which is a valued quality.
Kavka plays very emotionally, caressing the keyboard with his fingers elegantly and gently, but confidently. Rather than showing off he minimizes the amount of notes played, just enough to articulate the melody and the mood he wishes to convey.
Overall, this is a beautiful, classic Jazz piano trio album, one of the best I had the opportunity to hear lately, with the clear “less is more” approach, which is most effective and aesthetically pleasing. Well done, Gentlemen and hope to hear more of your music again soon.
| | Updated: 01/03/2023Posted: 01/03/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | KALTENECKER TRIO ~ WINTER`S TALE
PERIFERIC 215 (Barcode: 5998272708715) ~ HUNGARY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2007 Released: 2011
Absolutely brilliant album by Hungarian Kaltenecker TrioFind albums by this artist, led by pianist Zsolt KalteneckerFind albums by this artist with bassist Viktor HarsFind albums by this artist and drummer Gergo BorlaiFind albums by this artist. The trio performs eleven original pieces, nine of which are composed by the pianist and one each by the other trio members. The music is absolutely brilliant from start to end and although completely within the mainstream tradition it manages to keep the listener at his toes continuously, which is quite a challenge. Kaltenecker has a great sense of melody and his technically brilliant piano performance simply sparks. The rhythm section gives the pianist a formidable support throughout, always right there where they are most needed. This album was originally released only in Japan and now finally gets its well-deserved local release. Piano trio lovers will have a field day with this album, same as people who love intelligent mainstream Jazz with brilliant performances. Highly recommended!
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  | MACIEJ KITAJEWSKI TRIO ~ LONGING MINIATURES
NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5907745979330) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021
This is the debut album as a leader by young Polish Jazz bassist / composer Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic Jazz piano trio setting with pianist Franciszek RaczkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, six of which are original compositions by the leader, one is a standard and one an adaptation of a Pop song.
The music is all strictly within the Jazz mainstream idiom and the Jazz piano trio format, except for the emphasis on extended bass soloing, which would not usually appear on a piano trio album, but which is acceptable considering the fact that the leader is a bassist.
The original compositions, although rather straightforward, are all very coherent and have a nice melodic tinge with a dash of melancholy, which perhaps is the result of the pandemic depression, which affected us all. The music flows gently and creates a very pleasant listening experience.
The two other members of the trio are somewhat more experienced than the leader and turn out to be perfect choice for the album, playing fluently and supportively, like old pros. The recording’s sound quality is excellent as well, which turns this album into a perfect experience for Jazz piano trio buffs.
Overall, the album offers excellent mainstream Jazz, beautifully played and solidly put together, which stands easily shoulder to shoulder with other similar albums recorded anywhere on earth. As usual, it portrays the fabulous level of the young Polish Jazz scene, which overflows with talent and passion for music. Very well done indeed!
| | Updated: 11/09/2021Posted: 11/09/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | EDI KOHLDORFER TRIO ~ HOVER
ATS 1012 (Barcode: 9005216010127) ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023
This is an album by Austrian Jazz guitarist / composer Edi KohldorferFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with bassist Martin HeinzleFind albums by this artist and drummer Harry TanschekFind albums by this artist. A couple of guest musicians serve as an alternative rhythm section on three tracks. The album presents ten tracks, all composed by the leader.
The music is all beautifully melodic, delicate and relaxed, with strong World Music influences on several of the tracks. The electric guitar sound as acoustic as possible, with a dash of echo and reverb, but basically very clean and straightforward, which sounds perhaps a bit nostalgic but offers the full beauty of the instrument, which has been pretty much stamped on over the years. As a result, the album sounds in many respects like the music played by the early Masters of Jazz guitar some five decades ago, and I mean this as a true compliment.
The rhythm section is in perfect sync with the leader, playing exactly what is best for this kind of music, most importantly complimenting the guitar respectfully and not trying to overshadow it. The resulting sound is just what the doctor prescribed, as far as a guitar trio album is concerned, enabling the leader to show his chops in many different styles and techniques, without becoming a showoff, which guitar albums have often a tendency to do.
Overall, this is a wonderful Jazz guitar album, of great sophistication and beauty rarely heard these days, which perfectly presents the composing skills and the virtuosity of the leader and manages to eschew all the traps of guitar albums. This is first and foremost great music, which is a true pleasure to listen to, with absolutely no BS attitude. For Jazz guitar lovers this is an absolute eye (ear) opener, but all Jazz fans should be delighted by the result. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 23/04/2024Posted: 23/04/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | WOJCIECH KONIKIEWICZ / FREE FUNK TRIO ~ LIVE AT RURA 1982
GAD 091 (Barcode: 5903068120237) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1982 Released: 2019
This is an archival album presenting a live concert recording by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and his Free Funk TrioFind albums by this artist, which also included bassist Mieczyslaw JureckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek RatajczykFind albums by this artist. Recorded at the legendary Wroclaw Jazz Club Rura, it presents eight original compositions, all by Konikiewicz.
To properly understand the historic perspective of this recording it is important to remember that this music was recorded just a few months after Martial law was imposed in Poland in December of 1981, in a desperate attempt of the Socialist regime to quench growing social and political unrest in the country. As usual in Poland, political dictatorship was always challenged by the country´s intelligentsia and Artistic circles, and although Cultural activities were severely limited and heavily censored, they became a primary form of resistance to the oppression. Some of that anger and frustration is evidently expressed by these young (at the time) musicians in their display of wild energy and complete disregard of authority, as much musical as political.
The music is a raw mixture of Funk, Punk, Jazz, Rock and Groove, which will become the modus operandi for Konikiewicz for years to come and which was obviously influenced the late period stylistic explorations of Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, who remains a major influence on Konikiewicz to this very day. Fate decided that Davis played at the Jazz Jamboree Festival in Poland just over a year after this music was recorded, immediately after the Martial law was lifted in 1983.
Although the trio format might seem somewhat limiting for such explosive musical adventure, Konikiewicz and his cohorts squeeze the proverbial lemon to the max under the circumstances, giving everything, both musically and emotionally, they have to offer. Konikiewicz on acoustic piano and the Fender Rhodes is in charge of the melodic content, but his percussive playing goes hand in hand with the dynamic rhythm section, which takes care of the groove, with occasional outbursts of frenzy solo parts featuring the fretless bass and the drums.
There is no doubt that the Free Funk Trio was a formative ensemble in the musical career of Konikiewicz. The same kind of attitude present here, which eschews pompous mannerisms and fake pretentiousness, will be his musical compass in the years to come, when he was involved in some the most important Polish Jazz projects during the 1980s and 1990s, alas hardly ever scoring any real-time recognition for his efforts. It was also the same attitude that ostracized him from the established domesticated Polish Jazz establishment, causing him to be active mostly on the fringe scene, refusing to compromise and sell out; an attitude which makes me proud to call him my friend.
Overall this album is an important piece of the Polish Jazz history, which is brought back to life by the excellent GAD Records label, which never fails to nail the forgotten gems and expand our horizons. It is most educational and certainly warmly recommended!
| | Updated: 18/06/2019Posted: 18/06/2019 | CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | OLGA KONKOVA TRIO ~ THE GOLDILOCKS ZONE
LOSEN 134 (Barcode: 7090025831348) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015
This is the fifth album by the piano trio led by Norwegian (born in Russia) pianist / composer Olga KonkovaFind albums by this artist, which also includes her husband bassist Per MathisenFind albums by this artist and British drummer Gary HusbandFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, ten of which were composed by Konkova and one is co-credited to all the trio members and is largely improvised.. Six of the compositions are parts of a suite, which name gave the album its title.
From the very first notes on this album it´s pretty obvious that Konkova and her team mean "serious business" and have their very individual way to state it. The classic piano trio format, one of Jazz most archetypal settings, is perhaps the ideal environment to express the intricacies of the Jazz idiom, being just the right size on one hand, and not big enough to overcomplicate matters on the other. However, decades of piano trio´s history have shown a remarkable slow progress in the format, with many, often some of the absolutely best piano trios, sounding very alike, even when separated by decades from each other. Of course there are exceptions, but those are, as usual, an affirmation of the rule.
Therefore this trio is a very pleasant surprise exactly due to the fact that it is simply different from most others. The difference is plainly in sight (or rather hearing) on many layers; first acoustically as the presence of an electric bass, which is able to create a dissimilar ambience to its acoustic counterpart, the presence of the Fender Rhodes behind the acoustic piano and the completely unique approach and understanding of the role of the drummer in a piano trio, all of which are present here, and second the melodic layer, which is also very inimitable, far away from conventional "song" oriented compositions, which in this specific case are like "movements", being of a much broader melodic and harmonic scope. These characteristics might cause some consternation at first to an unprepared listener, but shortly after the dust settles the intrinsic beauty of this music become apparent.
Of course the individual contributions of the trio members are, as expected, wonderful. Konkova has a very individual touch and the piano notes she produces are very precisely and clearly stated, in contrast to many pianists who love the overly delicate touch, which produces a mushy sound. She is a sort of minimalist, stating exactly what she considers as absolutely essential and lets the listener´s mind to connect the dots. Mathisen is simply marvelous with his understanding and empathy towards the piano parts, playing along supporting the melody lines and stretching them when appropriate. His sensitivity and virtuosity are simply exceptional. Husband, who is sadly often underappreciated or misunderstood, plays perfectly here, also displaying brilliant sensitivity and smoothly moving between delicate rhythmic parts to a barrage of sound, whenever appropriate.
Overall this is not only a very beautiful album, but at the same time a very interesting and unusual one, presenting a fresh approach to Jazz in general and the piano trio format in particular. Well done Lady and Gentlemen - absolutely wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 04/03/2016Posted: 04/03/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PAWEL KRAWIEC TRIO ~ BRAWURA
SJ 079 (Barcode: 5905489720812) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024
This is the 2nd album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Pawel KrawiecFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a trio setting with bassist Jakub KozlowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Gabriel AntoniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, six of which are original composition by Krawiec and three are standards. Composition credits and details about recording date and place are absent from the album’s artwork.
Krawiec has quite a unique musical approach, which blends elements of modern Jazz, Fusion and even Rock origins, and offers an overwhelming density of notes and chords. The album’s title (“Bravura” in English), aptly describes what is happening, and indeed applies to the extraordinary technical skills of Krawiec as a guitar player. But of course an excess of technical skills can be also harmful, but luckily Krawiec manages to avoid it elegantly. His treatment of the standards proves his respect towards the Jazz tradition, and some of the classic Jazz guitar masters.
The rhythm section deserves a special credit for standing shoulder to shoulder with such dominant soloist, and they truly support him amicably, displaying their own skills whenever appropriate.
This album is quite different from the debut, which included an excellent trumpeter, who naturally influenced the outcome, and to some extent dominated the proceedings. Therefore, for guitar lovers, this album is much more “straight to the point”, and should leave no listener untouched. There is definitely a bright future ahead for Krawiec and hopefully he will manage to stay on the right path, as guitar players often tend to lose control of their track, and pursuit of stardom.
Overall, this is a wonderful album, full of superb performances by the trio and some extraordinary guitar licks, which should be exciting even to veteran Jazz guitar devotees. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 17/01/2025Posted: 17/01/2025 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | KUBA WIECEK TRIO & PAULINA PRZYBYSZ ~ KWIATECZKI (POLISH JAZZ VOL. 87)
WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190296481222 (Barcode: 190296481222) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021
This is an album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist and his trio, with bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist with vocalist Paulina PrzybyszFind albums by this artist. The album offers twelve songs, based on a twelve poems cycle by Polish 16th Century poet Jan KochanowskiFind albums by this artist. All the songs were co-composed by Wiecek and Przybysz.
Although seemingly a Jazz & Poetry project, in reality this album has almost nothing to do with Jazz even in the most liberal definition of the term. It is a Pop album, and a bad one at that, with many elements that dominate contemporary Pop, such as simplistic melody themes, strong bass & drums sound, layers of ambient and electronics sounds that don’t add anything to the music, New Wave, Hip hop, Rap and many other elements, which results in a mishmash that is quite difficult to swallow, surely for a Jazz listener. There is a faint improvisational element hidden deeply in the background, which basically is completely out of context. The vocals are theatrical and full of mannerisms, which have no connection whatsoever to the original poetry.
To put the record straight, I love Wiecek’s music within the Jazz idiom and of course I completely respect his Artistic freedom, which allows him to explore any avenue he chooses, but I don’t have to approve automatically of everything he does. Baranski and Zyta are brilliant musicians, which can be heard even here. Sadly, this album is beyond my tolerance and inserting it as part of the Polish Jazz series is nothing short of sacrilegious, even in my extra-liberal terms of reference.
Overall, this is just a boring, badly conceived album, which often offends my basic aesthetic values. Of course this is only my highly personal view, but I am never keen to criticize work by Artists, that I respect and love. Well, shit happens…
Side Note
The iconic "Polish Jazz" series of recordings, originally released between 1965 and 1989 by the Polish state owned record company Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label, which used the MuzaFind albums on this label label as its moniker, consists of seventy six LP albums. It presents the history of Polish Jazz recordings during that period, which includes some of the most important Polish / European modern Jazz milestones and reflects the extraordinary development of Jazz music behind the Iron Curtain. It is one of the most important historic documents of Polish Music and of course Polish Culture in general.
The series had an eminent logo designed by Roslaw Szaybo and the albums were numbered sequentially from Vol.1 to Vol.76 accordingly. The album's artwork was wonderfully stylish and modernist, featuring the brilliant photographs and characteristic design by the legendary Polish Artist Marek Karewicz.
Stylistically the series presented all Jazz genres, from Traditional Jazz to Avant-Garde / Free Jazz, which was extraordinarily liberal considering the cultural censorship imposed by the Socialist Regime. It suffered from some inconsistency, as far as the musical quality and aesthetics were concerned, as well as the internal "politics" of the Polish Jazz scene at the time, but in retrospect it achieved a spectacular overall result, unparalleled as far as consistently documenting a national Jazz scene is concerned.
After the Polskie Nagrania catalogue was bought by Warner Music PolandFind albums on this label, the new owner started a reissue process of the Polish Jazz series, carefully remastered, repackaged and including extensive liner notes, which keeps the artwork as close to the original design as possible. So far forty four volumes of the original series were reissued.
In 2016 Warner Music Poland decided to continue the original series by releasing new contemporary Polish Jazz recordings under the same format and even to continue the sequential numbering starting with Vol.77 – a decision I personally consider almost sacrilegious. Some things are simply untouchable, and the "Polish Jazz" series is surely one of those things. If Warner Music Poland wants to produce Jazz albums, which is always more than welcome, they could have started a new series, under a new title, rather than exploiting the reputation of the historic series.
As a result, some artist whose albums are released as part of the new series might be led to expect instant gratification, fame and stardom, just for being an artificial part of a prestigious past, which of course is as bogus as it is sad.
| | Updated: 23/04/2023Posted: 23/04/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | OLAF KUBLER & JAN HAMMER TRIO ~ TURTLES
ENJA 9512 (Barcode: 063757951223) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1968 Released: 2007
This is an archival live album by German saxophonist Olaf KublerFind albums by this artist recorded with two young (at the time) Czech Jazz musicians, who just escaped from Czechoslovakia following the Soviet Pact invasion of the country, keyboardist Jan HammerFind albums by this artist and bassist Jiri MrazFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. George MrazFind albums by this artist) and Dutch drummer Cees SeeFind albums by this artist. German drummer Michael DennertFind albums by this artist plays on two tracks. The music was recorded at the legendary Munich’s Jazz Club “The Domicile”, which was an epicenter of the German / European Jazz and a mecca for international Jazz between 1965 and 1981. The two Czech refugees lived in the musician’s rooms above the club for several months, before they emigrated to the US. The album presents ten tracks, two of which are originals by Kubler, three are originals by Mraz, one an original by Hammer and the remaining four are standards.
The music is typical modern European Jazz of the late 1960s, mostly Bebop based but featuring original compositions. Although pretty young at the time, both Czechs prove to be excellent players already, which explains their smooth and immediate integration into to top US scene, following their arrival there. The original compositions are all as strong as the standards. But of course the album is first and foremost a genuine piece of Jazz history of the turbulent, but highly interesting times. Personally it immediately strikes the fabulous memories of the many nights I had the opportunity to spend at “The Domicile”, watching the modern European Jazz during its formative years.
Considering the fact that the music was recorded at rather Spartan conditions, the sound quality / clarity is quite remarkable, and the remastering presents all the nuances of the music in perfect condition.
Overall, this is a remarkable document of the European Jazz history in one of the epicenters of its development. For people familiar with Hammer’s Fusion explorations, his acoustic piano work here should be a revelation. Mraz was already a great bassist then, and remains so to this very day. This is a great little gem, sadly often overlooked and definitely worth an honorable place in any serious record collection.
| | Updated: 30/05/2023Posted: 30/05/2023 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOACHIM KUHN NEW TRIO ~ BEAUTY & TRUTH
ACT 9816 (Barcode: 614427981622) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016
This is the debut album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his new trio with Canadian (resident in Paris) bassist Chris JenningsFind albums by this artist (born 1978) and German drummer Eric SchaeferFind albums by this artist (born 1976), which continues the classic Jazz trio setting Kuhn shared for over three decades with French bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve relatively short pieces, four of which are original compositions by Kuhn, five are Jazz standards (two by Polish Jazz composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, see below), two are Rock standards (by The DoorsFind albums by this artist) and one is a contemporary Pop song (by Stand High PatrolFind albums by this artist).
The trio featuring musicians separated from the leader (born 1944) by a whole generation and more results in a much invigorated approach to the idiom, which seems to present to him no great challenge at all. During his entire career Kuhn had no problem with cross-style / country / age differences, being one of the most diverse and adaptive European musician of all times.
For Jazz piano trio lovers this album is, as expected, an absolute must, since Kuhn´s playing remains one of the most illustrious examples of this High Art, and supported respectfully and amicably by excellent younger, but already highly experienced players, Kuhn is ably to stretch his wings and soar to celestial spheres.
As to the "Polish angle", the fact that Kuhn decided to include two compositions by Komeda is not accidental. While still living in East Germany and before moving to West Germany, Kuhn spent several months in 1964 living in Prague and in 1965 living in Warsaw, where he met the top Polish Jazz musicians active at the time. He was present as the studio session that produced Komeda´s iconic "AstigmaticFind albums with this title" album and met Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, which resulted in the recording of the legendary "Live At Kosmos, BerlinFind albums with this title" album. Kuhn took part in Warsaw´s Jazz Jamboree Festivals in 1964 and 1965.
Overall this is a classic Jazz piano trio album, and another superb addition to the wonderful recording legacy of the Great European Jazz Master. Highly recommended!
| | Updated: 18/07/2020Posted: 18/07/2020 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOACHIM KUHN NEW TRIO ~ LOVE & PEACE
ACT 9861 (Barcode: 614427986122) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018
This is the second album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his new trio with Canadian (resident in Paris) bassist Chris JenningsFind albums by this artist and German drummer Eric SchaeferFind albums by this artist, which continues the classic Jazz piano trio setting Kuhn shared for over three decades with French bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-ClarkFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven relatively short pieces, six of which are original compositions by Kuhn, one each is by Jennings and Schaefer, one is a Jazz standard, one is a Rock standards (by The DoorsFind albums by this artist) and finally one is an arrangement of a Classical piece.
Musically this album is an obvious follow up to the debut, continuing the formula of mixing original compositions with up-to-date arrangements of older pieces, concentrating on the more settled, lyrical facet of Jazz without compromising the inquisitive nature of Kuhn´s playing and his approach to improvisation.
The trio, featuring musicians separated from the leader by a whole generation and more, results in a much invigorated circumstances as far as Kuhn is concerned, which seems to present to him no great challenge at all. During his entire career Kuhn had no problem with cross-style / country / age differences, being one of the most diverse and adaptive European musician of all times.
For Jazz piano trio lovers this album is, as expected, an absolute must, since Kuhn´s playing remains one of the most illustrious examples of this High Art, and supported respectfully and amicably by excellent younger, but already highly experienced players, Kuhn is ably to stretch his wings and soar to celestial spheres.
Overall this is a classic Jazz piano trio album, and another superb addition to the wonderful recording legacy of the Great European Jazz Master. Highly recommended!
| | Updated: 23/07/2020Posted: 23/07/2020 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOACHIM KUHN NEW TRIO / ATOM STRING QUARTET ~ KOMEDA
ACT 9972 (Barcode: 614427997227) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023
This is an album by German Jazz pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his (not so) New Trio with Canadian bassist Chris JenningsFind albums by this artist and drummer Eric SchaeferFind albums by this artist and the Polish Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of violinists Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and violinist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the album is dedicated to the music of the Godfather of Polish modern Jazz, pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live at the Berlin Philharmonic, and presents nine tracks, eight of which are Komeda’s compositions and one is a composition by Joachim Kuhn, dedicated to the memory of his older brother (and my Dear Friend) clarinetist / composer Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist, who sadly departed almost exactly a year ago.
The seeds of this album were planted almost sixty years ago: in December of 1965, the twenty-one years old Joachim Kuhn was invited to take part in the most important East European Jazz festival at the time, the annual Jazz Jamboree in Warsaw, where he performed with his trio. Kuhn, who still lived in East Germany (DDR or GDR) at the time, was considered a prodigy and a rebellious pioneer, playing Free Jazz / Improvised Music, which for some strange combination of political circumstances, was allowed at the epicenter of Eastern Block’s stern Cultural censorship and oppression, similar in many ways to what happened at the time in the neighboring Socialist States, as far as Jazz Music was concerned. In Warsaw, Kuhn met many Polish Jazz musicians, most importantly Krzysztof Komeda, who also performed at the festival with his quintet. Komeda invited Kuhn to attend the recording session for his epic debut album “AstigmaticFind albums with this title”, which was held a couple of days after the quintet’s appearance and recorded at the same Philharmonic Hall. As a result, Kuhn was among the first people to hear the album and even to discuss the music with Komeda shortly after it was recorded. Less than a year later Kuhn would join his older brother in West Germany and later move to Paris and Komeda would leave for Hollywood, where his cinematic career promised to explode, only to be dead, following a tragic accident, by April 1969. Their musical paths never crossed again but, as said earlier, the seeds of this album were planted.
The link to the Atom String Quartet, Poland’s most versatile, inventive, prestigious and unique string quartet, is also obvious, following the duo album recorded by Joachim Kuhn and Mateusz Smoczynski in 2019, called “Speaking SoundFind albums with this title”, which evidently planted another seed.
I have repeatedly criticized the almost brutal, often opportunistic misuse of Komeda’s music and memory by numerous musicians over the years, which not only did not pay tribute to Komeda’s Genius and revolutionary contribution to European Jazz, but in some cases tarnished it completely. Therefore, it gives me deep pleasure to say that this album beautifully fills all the requirements to serve as an appropriate tribute to Komeda and his legacy.
The carefully selected material depicts both the revolutionary aspects of Komeda’s Avant-Garde approach to Jazz, but also reflects his wonderful lyricism and deep Polish melancholy, which are the base of most of Komeda’s cinematic music. The album offers the entire content of “Astigmatic” (three compositions) and the "Roman II" piece as examples, which reflect the former as well as the beautiful ballads from the soundtracks of Roman PolanskiFind albums by this artist’s movies like “Rosemary’s Baby” or “Knife in the Water”, which reflect the latter.
The idea of using a string quartet as part of the arrangements of Komeda’s music seemed extremely risky at first, especially being exposed in the past to some horrific attempts in that direction, but upon hearing the result my instinctive reservations melted without a trace. Obviously adding individual string instrument soloing is much more straightforward, but Kuhn’s arrangements skillfully utilize the entire quartet to enhance the dramatic effects of the music. Nevertheless, it takes the extraordinary skills of all four “Atoms” to achieve such a level of fusion, like what can be witnessed herein, which emphasizes their unique capabilities.
It seems that Kuhn manages to sound more like Komeda would have liked to sound himself. Komeda’s virtues as a composer and visionary overshadow his role as a piano player and he lacked perhaps the virtuosity and spark as a pianist, which Kuhn certainly has plenty of. As a result, Komeda’s music on this album sounds in many respects more invigorated than ever before, perhaps even elevated to another level by sheer concentration of musical talent and sincerity, which dominates this album. Since I have had the pleasure of hearing every album Kuhn ever recorded, I must say that this album is not only one of his best ever, but also one of his most wholehearted ones. It certainly is a kind of a life circle closure for Kuhn, although I do wish him many more years of successful career and happy life.
Overall, this is a monumental recording for the true Jazz enthusiasts and lovers of the genre. Polish Jazz fans will find here an exquisite reminder of their beloved and legendary pioneer, German Jazz fans will discover a little known chapter in Kuhn’s life, which left a significant mark on his future career, European Jazz lovers will find here everything European Jazz stands for: versatility, innovation, pursuit of excellence and aesthetics and true love of all forms of music, and finally for all Jazz lovers, a beacon of true talent, which is eternal and omnipresent. This is an absolutely essential piece of music in every serious music collection!
| | Updated: 04/08/2023Posted: 04/08/2023 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOACHIM KUHN TRIO ~ CHALABA
ACT 9502 (Barcode: 614427950222) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011
This is the third album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his trio with Moroccan Guembri (Arabic acoustic bass) and oud player / vocalist Majid BekkasFind albums by this artist and Spanish drummer Ramon LopezFind albums by this artist.
Expanding the realms of Jazz and turning it into Jazz-World Fusion is the essence of these meetings and the musicians involved are all Masters of their trade, playing together not because it is fashionable to do so, but because they feel a deep personal bonding of musical spirits.
The music combines Free Jazz with Middle-Eastern music, which are not that far away from each other anyway, in a new and fresh way, creating a whole which is better than its parts. Masterly played, brilliantly recorded and full of unexpected turns and twists, this is a music one can listen to again and again, always discovering something fresh and new. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 16/07/2020Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOACHIM KUHN TRIO ~ KALIMBA
ACT 9456 (Barcode: 614427945624) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007
This is the debut album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his trio with Moroccan vocalist and oud / Guembri Master Majid BekkasFind albums by this artist and Spanish drummer Ramon LopezFind albums by this artist. Kuhn and Bekkas met three years prior to the recording of this album and their immediate friendship proved to be lasting, producing this and several follow up albums. The album presents ten original compositions: four by Kuhn, three by Bekkas and three co-composed.
Combining seemingly unbridgeable Cultural origins, from Avant-Garde European Jazz, via African desert music, Middle Eastern, Flamenco and Indian rhythms and back to Improvised Music, the music made by the trio manages to ignore these imaginary chasms, proving that music is One.
The mystique of the human brain and the infinite associations it is able to create, often completely spontaneously, never ceases to amaze. Creating a perfect aesthetic harmony of the musical / Cultural elements collected on this album is a miracle; no less dramatic statement could describe this phenomenon. And yet the music works beautifully, not only on the emotional level, but also on the cerebral / analytical plain, which is absolutely amazing.
It is fascinating to hear how deeply the idea of improvisation is embedded in West African and Middle Eastern music, despite the differences of the localized approaches. The actual concept of improvising, sometimes for a seemingly endless period of time, on a basic melodic theme, is completely natural in the region, as it is natural in Jazz.
As someone who is surrounded with Middle Eastern Culture at home this music sound perfectly homey to me, but surely it can and in fact does work as well for true music lovers around the world.
As all recordings by Kuhn, this is an absolute must to all serious lovers of European Jazz, Avant-Garde, Jazz-World Fusion and sublime music in all its forms. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 16/07/2020Posted: 16/07/2020 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOACHIM KUHN TRIO ~ OUT OF THE DESERT
ACT 9475 (Barcode: 614427947529) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009
This is the second album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his trio with Moroccan vocalist and oud / Guembri Master Majid BekkasFind albums by this artist and Spanish drummer Ramon LopezFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in Rabat, Morocco and featuring guest Gnawa and Benin musicians. The album presents six original compositions, three each by Kuhn and Bekkas, but the music is largely spontaneously improvised.
The music is a brilliant example of cross-Culture / cross-genre pollination, creating Jazz-World Fusion at its best. Kuhn´s openness to a wide range of musical influences during his long and fruitful career, which explored diverse musical genres combined with his Avant-Garde approach, as well as his prolific recorded legacy, is a glorious portrayal of the European Jazz idiom. His fascination with African / Middle Eastern music is not surprising and his affinity and ability to channel his musical ideas into that specific direction is an absolute marvel.
It is fascinating to hear how deeply the idea of improvisation is embedded in West African and Middle Eastern music, despite the differences of the localized approaches. The actual concept of improvising, sometimes for a seemingly endless period of time, on a basic melodic theme, is completely natural in the region, as it is natural in Jazz.
It is highly recommended to compare this album to the "Out Of The Desert LiveFind albums with this title" album recorded a couple of years later, which combines the trio with the hr-BigbandFind albums by this artist, which will emphasize both the differences and the similarities between this unique project and its expansion into the Jazz idiom, which can be truly educational. Of course all other recordings by this trio are equally fascinating.
As all recordings by Kuhn, this is an absolute must to all serious lovers of European Jazz, Avant-Garde, Jazz-World Fusion and sublime music in all its forms. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 14/07/2020Posted: 14/07/2020 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOACHIM KUHN TRIO ~ VOODOO SENSE
ACT 9555 (Barcode: 614427955524) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2011 - 2012 Released: 2013
This is the fifth album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his trio with Moroccan vocalist and oud / Guembri Master Majid BekkasFind albums by this artist and Spanish drummer Ramon LopezFind albums by this artist, this time recorded with invited guests: legendary American saxophonist Archie SheppFind albums by this artist and World Music musicians from Morocco including percussionist Kouassi Bessan JosephFind albums by this artist. The album presents six pieces, three of which are original compositions by Kuhn, one by Joseph, one co-composed by Joseph and Kuhn and finally the "Kulu Se Mama" by Juno LewisFind albums by this artist, made immortal by John ColtraneFind albums by this artist.
The music is a brilliant example of Jazz-World Fusion at its best. Kuhn´s openness to a wide range of musical influences during his long and fruitful career, which explored diverse musical genres combined with his Avant-Garde approach and the prolific recorded legacy is a glorious portrayal of the European Jazz idiom. His fascination with African / Middle Eastern music is not surprising and his affinity and ability to channel his musical ideas into that specific direction is an absolute marvel.
The music is a direct and logical continuation of the stylistic platform the trio managed to create, combining European Avant-Garde Jazz with African and Middle Eastern musical tradition. The presence of Shepp, who plays on three tracks only, strengthens the Jazz element slightly as compared to the earlier recordings by the trio, but has little overall effect on the character of the music. Nevertheless his contributions are perfectly suited to the music and show him to be in full strength despite his advanced age.
Of course, as all recordings by Kuhn, this is an absolute must to all serious lovers of European Jazz, Avant-Garde, Jazz-World Fusion and sublime music in all its forms, and as always is wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 09/09/2020Posted: 09/09/2020 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JOACHIM KUHN TRIO / HR-BIGBAND ~ OUT OF THE DESERT LIVE
ACT 9521 (Barcode: 614427952127) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011
This is the fourth album by German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and his trio with Moroccan vocalist and oud / Guembri Master Majid BekkasFind albums by this artist and Spanish drummer Ramon LopezFind albums by this artist, accompanied by the hr-BigbandFind albums by this artist (Frankfurt Radio Big Band) and recorded live at the 2010 JazzFest Berlin. It is a continuation of the "Out Of The DesertFind albums with this title" studio album recorded by the same trio in Morocco a couple of years earlier, but offers seven new compositions, six by Kuhn and one by Bekkas. Kuhn also arranged the music to include the wonderful hr-Bigband conducted by Ed PartykaFind albums by this artist.
The music is a brilliant example of Jazz-World Fusion at its best. Kuhn´s openness to a wide range of musical influences during his long and fruitful career, which explored diverse musical genres combined with his Avant-Garde approach and the prolific recorded legacy is a glorious portrayal of the European Jazz idiom. His fascination with African / Middle Eastern music is not surprising and his affinity and ability to channel his musical ideas into that specific direction is an absolute marvel.
Kuhn and his cohorts play superbly, as expected, and the Big Band arrangements manage to add a new dimension and incredible power to the music, creating one of the most colorful and profound statements of this kind.
It is highly recommended to compare this album to the other recordings by this trio, which will emphasize both the differences and the similarities between this unique project and the source it originates from, which can be truly educational. The fascination with the African dessert music is of course share by many European musicians since the 1960s, including Rock stars like Brian JonesFind albums by this artist.
Of course, as all recordings by Kuhn, this is an absolute must to all serious lovers of European Jazz, Avant-Garde, Jazz-World Fusion and sublime music in all its forms. Go get it as every day of your life before you heard this album was missing something…
| | Updated: 18/07/2020Posted: 10/07/2020 | CD 1 Digipak Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROLF KUHN TRIO ~ AS TIME GOES BY
BLUE FLAME 40292 (Barcode: 4002587402921) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1989 Released: 1991
This is an album by legendary German Jazz clarinetist / composer / bandleader Rolf KuhnFind albums by this artist, recorded in the intimate trio setting with his younger brother, pianist Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist and bassist Detlev BeierFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, two of which are original compositions by Rolf Kuhn, another two by Joachim Kuhn, one is co-composed by them and two are standards. The album was brilliantly recorded by Walter QuintusFind albums by this artist, at the legendary CMPFind albums on this label studio.
The music is an ideal amalgam of composed and improvised music, based on composed themes and then expanded by lengthy improvisations by all three musicians. It offers a relatively rare opportunity to hear the clarinet in the modern / Free Jazz environment, as well as get exposed to the brilliant work by Beier, who is definitely one of the finest German bass virtuosos, which is plainly evident herein.
All three musicians have plenty of opportunity to expose their masterly skills and the telepathic rapport between them is absolutely stunning. Rolf’s sweet tone and heart-melting melodicism are perfectly matched by his improvisational skills and the intrinsic freedom, which are unmatched. I feel lucky to have been able to experience so many hours of his brilliant performances in person over the years and listening to this album vividly brings back memories of his presence, which I often miss.
Joachim is, of course, as brilliant as always and his arpeggios and uncontainable fluidity fill the space behind his brother’s melodic statements, while Beier supplies, mind you all by himself, all the rhythmic support needed and more.
Overall, this is one of the most beloved albums by Ralf Kuhn in my collection (and I have all of them of course). Brilliantly melodic, and Free spirited at the same time, this is Jazz as its most naked, striking form, which is completely timeless and everlasting. Miss you, my Friend!
| | Updated: 02/08/2024Posted: 02/08/2024 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | KUHTRIO ~ OLD SOULS
ATS 0955 (Barcode: 9005216009558) ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020
This is the debut album by the Austrian / Czech Jazz trio, called KUHtrioFind albums by this artist, which comprises of Austrian guitarist / composer Edi KohldorferFind albums by this artist and veteran Czech rhythm section with bassist Frantisek UhlirFind albums by this artist and drummer Jaromir HelesicFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, five each by Kohldorfer and Uhlir.
The music is all modern mainstream Jazz, with excellent compositions, which are diverse enough to keep the listener fascinated for the entire duration. Although guitar trios are often problematic as far creating a sustained attentiveness, this album passes this test with distinction.
It is obvious that these musicians have a great fun playing together, which always contributes to the result. Uhlir is a phenomenal player, one of my favorite bassist, and his technique and feeling are always shining. Helesic is also a great drummer, but here he shows restraint most of the time, as required by the circumstances. In contrast to the two Czechs, with whom I have been familiar since decades, I was not exposed to Kohldorfer earlier on, but he turns out to be a bona fide Jazz guitarist, playing notes and chords with the same confidence and refined technique.
Overall, this is a classic Jazz guitar trio album, with excellent original compositions and superb performances. Since great guitar trio albums are relatively rare these days, it is even more fun to listen to this music, which proudly continues the tradition. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 20/10/2022Posted: 20/10/2022 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | LEEMEET TRIO ~ THE FIRST ENTRANCE TO THE GARDEN
RECART 0013 (Barcode: 5908285287121) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014
This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz piano trio, called LeeMeet TrioFind albums by this artist, led by young pianist / composer Liliana KostrzewaFind albums by this artist, with bassist Pawel GrzesiukFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek WoskoFind albums by this artist. The album consists of eight tracks, five of which are originals by Kostrzewa, one is a standard, one a folk tune and the remaining one is an arrangement of a Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist tune.
The music is a pretty straight-forward mainstream effort, melodic and well organized, and holding no surprises or unexpected twists. The bassist plays electric bass, which sets the entire sound of the trio astray from the classic piano trio sound. The original compositions are nice, but somewhat simplistic, and hesitant, but considering this is a debut effort at least Kostrzewa plays her own material rather than playing standards.
Technically the performances suffer from minor imperfections, like a poor balance between the instruments, with the piano being often dominated by the rhythm section and synch problems between the players. Kostrzewa has a very delicate touch and her playing the piano requires a much softer and compassionate rhythmic support. Her technical repertoire is also still underdeveloped, but she does show a lot of potential and surely will get better in time.
Overall not a bed debut, which hopefully is just a first step of a long and successful career for everybody involved.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | HELGE LIEN TRIO ~ 10
OZELLA 091 (Barcode: 4038952000911) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019
This is the tenth album by the Norwegian Jazz piano trio led by pianist / composer Helge LienFind albums by this artist, with bassist Mats EilertsenFind albums by this artist and drummer Per Oddvar JohansenFind albums by this artist. Eilertsen recently replaced the bassist Frode BergFind albums by this artist, who was a founding member of the trio, which obviously had a major impact on the trio´s creative process, resulting in the album presenting no less than twenty new original compositions on two CDs, mostly composed by Lien but with a couple of compositions by Eilertsen, one by Johansen and three pieces co-composed by all three musicians. To be precise this is in fact the twelfth album by the trio, if one counts the two excellent albums they recorded with the Polish violinist Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist.
The music is not as radically different from the earlier recordings, at least not stylistically or aesthetically, as it still proudly embraces the modern European Jazz idiom, allowing for some Nordic Jazz influences, Jazz Neo-romanticism and perhaps touches of contemporary European Chamber Classical associations. It is however somewhat invigorated and Eilertsen´s bass playing and the use of bow adds a more lyrical overall sound to some of the pieces. His solid pulsations also allow for more openness and freedom, which causes the pieces to develop slower and more gradually, building up to the anticipated crescendo with a higher level of tension.
The Norwegian Jazz scene produced a remarkable new generation of Jazz composers and players since the turn of the Millennium, and this trio is a great example of that phenomenon. All members of the trio took part in many other recording projects, all of which are prime examples of the strength of European Jazz in general and Norwegian Jazz in particular. Therefore it is hardly surprising that the combination of their talents could be anything but excellent, as this album beautifully exemplifies.
Overall this is a great piano trio Jazz album, with diverse and highly rewarding compositions and superb performances, which create a wonderful aesthetic experience. The music is also excellently recorded, although not at the usual Rainbow Studio in Oslo, but still with a truly brilliant sonic quality.
For piano trio Jazz lovers, European Jazz enthusiasts and diehard sound connoisseurs, this album is a dream come true!
| | Updated: 16/09/2020Posted: 16/09/2020 | CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | HELGE LIEN TRIO ~ REVISITED
OZELLA 101 (Barcode: 4038952001017) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2022
This is the debut album by the new trio led by Norwegian pianist / composer Helge LienFind albums by this artist, with bassist Johannes EickFind albums by this artist and drummer Knut AalefjaerFind albums by this artist. The nine tracks, all original compositions by Lien, were recorded in the Toyen Church in Oslo (four tracks) and live at a festival (five tracks), and as the album’s title suggests, they are new renditions of compositions previously recorded and released on various albums between 2001 and 2020. The compositions appear here in chronological order, by year of original recording.
It makes perfect sense for an artist with such substantial legacy as Lien, to revisit his compositions, especially so following the formation of the new trio, which obviously will perform these pieces as part of their regular repertoire in the future.
It is also a great opportunity for the listeners to re-listen to these compositions, comparing them to the initial versions as well as observe the development of Lien as a composer and performer in the span of two decades.
Lien is a proud representative of the Norwegian Jazz scene, which over the years achieved a remarkable success on the worldwide scene, impersonating the Nordic elegance and restraint and mixing it with passion for music, especially so on the last decades, following the breakthrough paved by the Norwegian Jazz pioneers. The entire Norwegian Jazz scene is busting with new talent and earned over time a leading role in European Jazz, now even serving as a model to be followed by other young European Jazz musicians.
Combining a rare talent for weaving beautiful melodic themes and improvising with finesse and great aesthetic approach, Lien is certainly one of top European pianists today and his trios have always been top notch examples of the Jazz piano trio idiom, as this album evidently demonstrates.
Overall, this album is a superb opportunity to get acquainted with Lien’s music through a retrospective glance, as well as to appreciate his new exquisite trio. As usual, both for Lien in particular and Norwegian Jazz in general, the music is heavenly recorded, which only emphasizes the beauty of it. Absolutely not to be missed!
| | Updated: 18/01/2022Posted: 18/01/2022 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARK LOTZ TRIO ~ THE WROCLAW SESSIONS
AUDIO CAVE 2019/006 (Barcode: 5905669566759) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019
This is the debut album by a trio led by veteran German (resident in Netherlands) flautist / composer Mark Alban LotzFind albums by this artist with Polish bassist Grzegorz PiaseckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech BulinskiFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded during an impromptu recording session, organized while Lotz gave master classes in Wroclaw. The album presents nine tracks, six of which were recorded by the trio and three by a duo of Lotz and Piasecki due to Bulinski´s illness. Two of the tracks are composed / co-composed by Lotz, two others are co-composed by Lotz and Piasecki and five are Jazz / Pop standards.
Although by and large based on composed themes, the music is mostly improvised and offers an informal, free spirited atmosphere, which is quite enjoyable in view of the tendency to take Jazz way too seriously and in a cerebral fashion, forgetting about the intrinsic spontaneity it is supposed to be based on. Despite the obvious age and experience differences between Lotz and the two Polish Jazz youngsters, the trio manages to achieve a coherent and quite inventive cooperation and the result is surprisingly pleasing.
The flute is a sadly neglected instrument in Jazz and therefore hearing great flute performances is always a joyful experience for yours truly, especially since it happens to be one of my favorite instruments. The album´s liner notes mention the legendary Dutch flautist Chris HinzeFind albums by this artist, one of the great European Jazz pioneers since the late 1960s and a superb player / composer, which of course bring on fond memories. Lotz has an impressive recorded legacy, which sadly I am not all too well familiar with, but his biography and interest in World Music is certainly reflected in the music present on this album.
Overall this is a document of a moment captured in the studio, which is definitely worth investigating, even if it does not offer any grandiose revelations. It is honest, well played and interesting Jazz music, spirited and enjoyable, which obviously deserves to be captured for posterity. An absolute must for Jazz flute connoisseurs, obviously!
| | Updated: 27/04/2019Posted: 27/04/2019 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARK LOTZ TRIO ~ TURN ON, TUNE IN, DROP OUT!
ZENNEZ 2013/019 (Barcode: 9789083321400) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023
This is an album by German (resident in Netherlands) flautist / composer Mark Alban LotzFind albums by this artist with Canadian (also resident in Netherlands) bassist Zack LoberFind albums by this artist and Dutch drummer Jamie PeetFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, all composed by Lotz.
The album’s title more than hints towards Dr. Timothy LearyFind albums by this artist, the American psychologist famous for his advocacy of LSD and author of the book “The Eight-Circuit Model Of Consciousness”, which influenced everybody (well not really but we liked to think so at the time), who lived in the 1960s, like yours truly, and influenced Lotz to name eight of the tunes on this album by the names of those eight circuits. Is the music psychedelic Jazz? Not really but it is definitely great Jazz music.
The intimate setting of a trio, with the flute in the center, is already a winner before I even heard the music, but upon hearing it I was completely and easily won over instantly. The trio’s sound, the wonderful compositions and the virtuosic performances by all three musicians are simply magical and irresistible.
Peet is the great surprise, as his drumming on this album is nothing short of sensational and I’d advise every drummer I know to listen to what he is able to do herein, being both perfectly melodic and polyrhythmic at the same time. Lober provides the harmonic basis upon which the melody and the improvisations played by the flute can flow freely. Together the trio sounds like a perfect, self-sufficient ensemble, which is able to achieve exactly what it aims for.
Overall, this album is a breath of fresh air, a great fun to listen to and a mind expanding (without chemical aid) musical experience, which I can wholeheartedly recommend to all Jazz listeners, regardless of their sub-genre preference. It is so sad to see the flute almost completely absent from the Jazz scene these days and a big thank you to Mark for refreshing our memories and make us realize what we’ve been missing!
| | Updated: 12/08/2023Posted: 12/08/2023 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANDY LUMPP TRIO / ANDRZEJ PRZYBIELSKI ~ MUSIC FROM PLANET EARTH
NABEL 4687 (Barcode: 4011471468721) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2000 Released: 2000
This is an album by German pianist / composer Andy LumppFind albums by this artist, recorded with his trio: bassist Heinrich ChastcaFind albums by this artist and drummer Stefan HoelkerFind albums by this artist and with the legendary Polish trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents a live (but without an audience) recording of twelve improvised pieces, co-credited to all the four participating musicians. This is the first of the two albums recorded by the same quartet on the German NabelFind albums on this label Records label.
The music is a typical European Free Jazz / Improvised Music setting, which develops slowly and allows for the interaction between the musicians to build up step by step, creating a cohesive and coherent musical expression. The music is mostly subdued and somewhat melancholic, exposing fragments of melodic themes and regular rhythms, which quickly dissolve into the next chapter of the improvisation.
The individual performances are all excellent and show the great respect and comradeship between the players, which allows for solo, duo, trio and quartet passages, all worked out in real time. For Free Jazz / Improvised Music connoisseurs this is an instant classic. Przybielski plays some incredible phrases here and his superb dynamics, power of expression and genius are captured here for posterity.
The album is a very important part of Przybielski´s relatively limited discography, being one of the very few recordings capturing him with musicians coming from outside of Poland and also one of the recordings with a very high recording quality, which enables proper presentation of the incredibly diverse range of sounds produced by him.
Overall this is an excellent album in the Free Jazz / Improvised Music idiom, definitely worth seeking out and for Polish Jazz collectors this is an absolute must!
| | Updated: 14/02/2022Posted: 14/02/2022 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ANDY LUMPP TRIO / ANDRZEJ PRZYBIELSKI ~ MUSICA EX SPIRITU SANCTO
NABEL 4694 (Barcode: 4011471469421) ~ GERMANY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2001 Released: 2002
This is an album by German pianist / composer Andy LumppFind albums by this artist, recorded with his trio: bassist Heinrich ChastcaFind albums by this artist and drummer Stefan HoelkerFind albums by this artist and with the legendary Polish trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents a live recording of an eight-part musical improvisation, recorded in a monastery. All the music is co-credited to the four musicians participating in the recording. This is the second of the two albums recorded by the same quartet.
The music is a typical European Free Jazz / Improvised Music conception, which develops slowly and allows for the interaction between the musicians to build up step by step, creating a cohesive and coherent musical expression. The music is mostly subdued and somewhat melancholic, exposing fragments of melodic themes and regular rhythms, which quickly dissolve into the next chapter of the improvisation.
The individual performances are all excellent and show the great respect and comradeship between the players, which allows for solo, duo, trio and quartet passages, all worked out in real time. For Free Jazz / Improvised Music connoisseurs this is an instant classic. Przybielski plays some incredible phrases here and his superb dynamics, power of expression and genius are captured here for posterity.
The album is a very important part of Przybielski´s relatively limited discography, being one of the very few recordings capturing him with musicians coming from outside of Poland and also one of the recordings with a very high recording quality, which enables proper presentation of the incredibly diverse range of sounds produced by him.
Overall this is an excellent album in the Free Jazz idiom, definitely worth seeking out and for Polish Jazz collectors this is an absolute must!
| | Updated: 14/02/2022Posted: 02/05/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | LUTRIO ~ SILENT CITY
ATS 0978 (Barcode: 9005216009787) ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021
This is the debut album by Austrian Jazz piano trio called LUTrioFind albums by this artist, led by drummer Lukas KleemairFind albums by this artist, with pianist Urs HagerFind albums by this artist and bassist Tobias SteinruckFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, five of which are original compositions by the leader, two are Jazz standards and two are interpretations of a Pop song and a Classical piece.
The music is all well within mainstream Jazz idiom, close to the classic Jazz piano trio image much loved by Jazz listeners, very well played by all three musicians. The pianist demonstrates a modern approach, which allows him to move away at liberty from the strict melody lines, which of course makes thing much more interesting. The rhythm section sticks to conventional accompaniment, with occasional solo parts.
The original material is solid and serves as excellent base for the improvisations, and the arrangements of the standards are creative enough to be interesting. The trio performs well together, as appropriate for professionals, which is exactly what the doctor prescribed.
Overall, this is a very solid classic Jazz piano trio album, which should keep the fans of the genre happy. Perhaps a tad conventional, but on the other hand sticking to the tradition is not a crime and there are always listeners happy to hear exactly that kind of Jazz.
| | Updated: 12/10/2022Posted: 12/10/2022 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | MICHAL MILCZAREK TRIO ~ AMBIENT WORKS
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Electronic & Ambient
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016
This is the second album by a Polish trio led by guitarist / composer Michal MilczarekFind albums by this artist, which also includes bassist Bartek LuczkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Mateusz ModrzejewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, which are co-credited as improvisations by all the trio members.
The music is exactly what the album´s title suggests, i.e. a series of improvised ambient pieces, mostly concerned with sounds rather than conventional melodic themes or tonal progressions. Although improvised, the music has little, if any, connection to Jazz and is firmly within the ambient idiom.
This kind of music makes it very difficult to recognize the individual contributions by the trio members, since those are limited by the restricted nature of the music. The guitar mostly plays long series of chords, over a painfully slow background created by the rhythm section, which soon blend into ambiguity, similarity and repetition, which at least in my case bordered on lack of interest. When the music is over, forty three minutes later, there is a feeling of confusion and depravation as to what just happened.
There are a few passages when the music is slightly more energized and has a Fusion tendency, but those are brief and rare, with little impact on the overall result.
Obviously fans of the ambient genre might find this music interesting or enjoyable, but as far as I am concerned it leaves me completely cold.
| | Updated: 23/12/2016Posted: 23/12/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MICHAL MILCZAREK TRIO ~ SQUIRRELS AND BUTTERFLIES
NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903420641967) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014
This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion trio led by guitarist / composer Michal MilczarekFind albums by this artist, with bassist Bartek LuczkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Mateusz ModrzejewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, nine by Milczarek and one by Luczkiewicz.
The music is typical contemporary Jazz-Rock Fusion, with catchy riffs and somewhat unusual sound, which uses ambient effects in addition to the guitar power-trio format. The compositions are pretty basic, but serve the purpose as vehicles for the lengthy improvisations.
The performances are solid, and within the Fusion idiom suit the music well. The overall sound of the album and the flow of the music are a bit repetitive, but there are enough interesting moments here to keep the listener attentive.
Overall this is a promising debut album, which offers some fresh approach to guitar based Fusion, but does not manage to deliver anything truly innovative. However, Fusion fans should find this album very interesting, especially due to the ambient associations and excellent guitar and bass parts. Recommended!
The trio´s second album entitled "Ambient Works", which left the Fusion direction and concentrated on Ambient Music, turned out to be a disappointment for me.
| | Updated: 22/09/2017Posted: 22/09/2017 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | HENRYK MISKIEWICZ / SIMPLE ACOUSTIC TRIO ~ LYRICS
GRAMI 002 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2000 Released: 2001
This is an excellent album by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, accompanied here by the best Polish piano trio called at the time of the recording Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of pianist Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. There is a family connection of course as Michal is Henryk´s son. The quartet performs seven tunes, four of which are original compositions by the leader, one by Wasilewski, one is a standard and the remaining one is by the US composer Maria SchneiderFind albums by this artist.
Neither Miskiewicz nor Simple Acoustic Trio needs any introductions to people familiar with the Polish Jazz scene; Miskiewicz has been active on the scene since the early 1970s and over time played in several important ensembles like Sun Ship and was member of groups led by many of the leading Polish Jazz musicians as well as leader of his own groups. Simple Acoustic Trio are commonly recognized as the leading Polish piano trio, propelled to fame as the rhythm section on the seminal ECMFind albums on this label recordings by trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and now recording for ECM on their own.
Therefore there are no surprises here as far as the level of performances, which are simply spotless. Miskiewicz plays some great lyrical lines and the support from the trio is simply phenomenal, inventive and daring in some aspects but always solid and within the boundaries specified as the albums motto: music as a device to tell a story in a non-verbal setting. All the compositions selected for this album, original or not, fit the bill perfectly and the overall result is a prime example of intelligent modern mainstream Jazz, which remains fresh and moving in complete disregard of the passing time.
This is definitely an album no Polish Jazz music collector will be able to skip in their collection and a great example of how mainstream Jazz can remain valid and artistically sound today. Highly recommended!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MODULAR STRING TRIO ~ ANTS, BEES AND BUTTERFLIES
CLEAN FEED 377 (Barcode: 5609063003772) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2016
This is the second album by Polish / Ukrainian Improvised Music ensemble Modular String TrioFind albums by this artist, recorded live at the legendary Warsaw Pardon To Tu club, the home base of the Polish Avant-Garde scene. Contrary to its name the ensemble is not a trio but a quartet, and includes a string trio: violinist Sergiy OkhrimchukFind albums by this artist, cellist Robert JedrzejewskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Jacek MazurkiewiczFind albums by this artist, but also the modular synthesizer / electronics manipulator Lukasz KacperczykFind albums by this artist. Together they perform eight improvised pieces, which are co-credited to the quartet members and are nameless, but cryptically sequentially numbered.
The music ranges between completely free and open improvisations and more structured, either rhythmically or melodically, pieces. For listeners unfamiliar with Improvised Music this is probably beyond bearable, but connoisseurs of the genre should find this music quite fascinating. It combines the Jazz and Classical Music elements unlike the music of other such ensembles, due to the specific string trio sound and interplay, and as such is pretty unique.
There is a distinct mutual understanding and a high level of musical conversation between the ensemble members, which results in a coherent and plausible musical progression, which the listener is able to follow. Mazurkiewicz is definitely the anchor of the music, supplying the basic pulsations, without which the music would have become way to abstract.
As usual the important question is if this music is communicative enough to contribute beyond the closed circle of the musicians involved in making it. The quandary as to the existence of a listener who would like to listen to this music more than once or even repeatedly remains open of course.
Personally I enjoyed listening to this music, but I hope these still young musicians will eventually find a middle way between total and unconditional freedom and some form or structure, to make their music closer to the listeners without compromising their artistic vision. Radicalism for the sake of radicalism is usually the problem rather than the solution.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 12/10/2016 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | MODULAR STRING TRIO ~ CHLOROFIL
AUDIO CAVE 2019/007 (Barcode: 5905669566780) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2019
This is the third album by the Polish / Ukrainian Avant-Garde / Improvised Music quartet called Modular String TrioFind albums by this artist, which combines a string trio: violinist Sergiy OkhrimchukFind albums by this artist, cellist Robert JedrzejewskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Jacek MazurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and the modular synthesizer player Lukasz KacperczykFind albums by this artist. As appropriate for the genre, the album was recorded live and presents five spontaneous pieces, attributed to all four members of the quartet.
The music of the quartet tries to balance the trialogue within the string trio with a dialogue between the trio and the synthesizer, which often requires quite an effort from the listener, following the twists and turns of the plethora of sounds being created in tandem. The beauty of it is that the acoustic sounds of the string instruments and the electronic sounds of the synthesizer amalgamate together almost effortlessly and even "harmoniously", even when conventional harmony is not part of the happening.
It is difficult to talk about beauty in the conventional sense as far as this music is concerned, but personally I found most if it aesthetically pleasing. The individual contributions of all four participants are electrifying and highly dexterous, as is the level of the "telepathic" interplay between them. Personally I appreciate the role of Mazurkiewicz as the anchor of the entire live event and both his arco and plucking technique are what keeps the music together.
Before listening to the music I read my review of their previous album, and to my surprise it seems that the quartet found in this music some of the elements that I pointed out as missing then; this music is definitely more structured and intrinsically more coherent, which immediately results in it being more accessible that the two earlier albums. Of course this is by all means still a hard-core Avant-Garde, which eschews almost all conventional musical means of expression, but on the other hand a much wider circle of open-minded listeners should be able to "get into" this music without much ado and perhaps even truly enjoy it.
While exploring this album I soberly reflected on the contrast between the emotional and intellectual effort involved in listening to this music and the nihilistic effortlessness involved in listening to thousands of almost identical conventional mainstream Jazz albums out there… thank God for the ability to think outside of the box…
| | Updated: 31/10/2019Posted: 31/10/2019 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MOTION TRIO ~ POLONIUM
ACORDEONUS 009 (Barcode: 5907437034361) ~ POLAND ~ Classical
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013
The Polish accordion trio, called Motion TrioFind albums by this artist, is one of the most intriguing musical ensembles active today, mostly acknowledged in the contemporary Classical sphere, but known also to cross over to other music areas, including Jazz. Founded in 1996 by Janusz WojtarowiczFind albums by this artist, who is the trio´s leader and primary composer of the original music they perform, the trio also includes Pawel BaranekFind albums by this artist and Marcin GalazynFind albums by this artist. Over time the Motion Trio turned out to be a most prolific recording act and this is their eleventh album since 2002.
This album plays tribute to the four great Polish contemporary Classical composers, who achieved international fame and recognition, often more so abroad than at home: Witold LutoslawskiFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof PendereckiFind albums by this artist, Henryk GoreckiFind albums by this artist and Wojciech KilarFind albums by this artist. In addition they also play one composition by Wojtarowicz co-composed with accordionist Jacek HolubowskiFind albums by this artist, a member and primary composer of Acoustic AcrobatsFind albums by this artist, another excellent Polish ensemble. Also included, as a special track, is a composition by Marta PlaszynskaFind albums by this artist, a famous Polish composer living in the USA, dedicated to the trio. Polish Jazz pianist Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist guests on the Gorecki piece.
The accordion is sadly a most mistreated and misunderstood instrument in contemporary music, usually associated with folklore, street music and other "low culture" phenomena by Classical music snobs. Very few music lovers understand the incredible wealth of the instrument, its limitless possibilities and the beauty of its profound sound. Therefore the fantastic exposure that the accordion is given by the Motion Trio is a most welcome occurrence of great musical importance. This, in addition to the sheer virtuosity and inventiveness of the trio members, is a guarantee of first-class musical experience, which this album offers.
Although the unusual instrumentation may seem a bit strange in relation to the four compositions by the four Master composers, open-minded listeners will be very quickly completely absorbed in the new sonorities and re-discover these pieces in a new light, with undeniable delight. Of course playing such ambitious music speaks highly of the trio´s cerebral approach on one hand and emotional abilities on the other as far as keeping their minds open to a wide scope of music rather than thread on the easy path to success. During my recent meeting with Maestro Penderecki we discussed this album briefly and he wholeheartedly approved this specific interpretation of his composition, certifying his opinion in writing by autographing my copy of the album ;)
As long as works of Art like this album are being produced, our Culture is still alive and kicking, but for how long, unfortunately no one can predict.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MAREK MCCARRON MOTYKA TRIO ~ CALENDAE: KOLEDY GORNOSLASKIE
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ World Music & Folklore
Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023
It’s a bit strange to write about an Xmas Carrols album in the middle of summer, but I can’t have my Upper Silesian buddies waiting, and I got it only now, so what the heck. Of course if one does not understand Polish, or rather the Silesian dialect, one would have never guessed this is a Carrols album, as it sounds more like a Country / Blues outing, which of course is an absolute blast.
Vocalist / guitarist Marek McCarron MotykaFind albums by this artist, lead guitarist / multi-instrumentalist Tomasz BienekFind albums by this artist and bass guitarist Jacek RaciborskiFind albums by this artist usually play Blues together and already recorded the “BurnsFind albums with this title” album three years earlier, but they have an eclectic attitude and on this album decided to collect thirteen traditional Carrols from Upper Silesia and apply some up to date arrangements to them, preserving the original lyrics and basic melodies. The resulting album music is absolutely delightful, offering an excellent way to preserve the traditional music in a contemporary way.
Thanks to these new arrangements, the traditional Carrols are saved from oblivion, but at the same time offer first rate entertainment and above all good time. The vocals and performances are perfect for the format, and Bienek’s guitar work could easily turn heads. Personally I had a great time listening to this music and I am sure many people, who love music without prejudice, should like it as well.
Overall, this is a multi-purpose piece of music, which both serves to preserve Folkloristic musical traditions and provide great fun to contemporary listeners, even those not speaking the language. Of course for people hailing from Upper Silesia, this album has an added value, but it definitely offers universal artistic and aesthetic values. Well done, my Friends!
| | Updated: 29/05/2024Posted: 29/05/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MULASTA TRIO ~ LIVE IN GREEN EYE
BCD 23 (Barcode: 5906881885222) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2007 Released: 2008
This is a live recording by the Mulasta TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of Polish Jazz violinist Tomasz MuchaFind albums by this artist, Finnish bassist Lasse LindgrenFind albums by this artist and Polish drummer Bartek StaromiejskiFind albums by this artist. They perform seven compositions, four of which are originals by Mucha, one is a Finnish tune, one is a standard and finally the last one is a folk tune arranged by Lindgren.
The music is performed almost completely acoustically, which is very different from most contemporary Jazz violin recordings, which sound mostly electric. This acoustic approach is reminiscent of early Jazz violin recordings before violin was almost completely drawn into Fusion. Although improvised and swinging, the overall result is not exactly within the mainstream Jazz boundaries and includes also World Music elements. The atmosphere is very relaxed and the musicians obviously have a great fun playing together.
The essence of the music is based on the intimate exchanges between the violin and the bass, with both instruments playing alongside constantly. This wonderful dialogue is the absolute highlight of this recording. Both Mucha and Lindgren perform with virtuosity and finesse, which definitely deserves to be discovered. Staromiejski respectfully accompanies the two soloists trying not to interfere with their performances and does a perfect job in that respect. Mucha´s compositions are all rounded and wonderfully lyrical, fitting elegantly this setting.
Overall this is a beautiful, graceful and delicate album, which is sadly little known and surely deserves a wider exposure. Although the Polish Jazz violin already holds a proud position in that music´s history, this acoustic variety surely deserves also to be a part of that heritage. I´d surely love to hear more of this kind of music in the future.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | NAK TRIO ~ AMBUSH
FOR TUNE 0122 (Barcode: 5906395808243) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017
This is the second album by Polish Jazz ensemble called NAK TrioFind albums by this artist, led by veteran drummer / composer Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist and also including pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist. The trio is accompanied by a nine players strong string section, which includes violinist Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays solos on a couple of tracks. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Kochan and all arranged by him except for one of the string arrangements done by Smoczynski.
The music is quite complex and although melody based, in features confusing rhythmic patterns and fragmented pieces of melodies, which don´t make it easy on the listener to find his way along the tunes. The string arrangements add another layer of complexity to the proceedings and the final result presents music which moves between modern Contemporary Classical elements and Jazz and require attentive listening and patience.
Wania, who plays electric piano on this album (Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer), is the chief soloist and his playing is, as usual, very convincing and technically perfect. He handles the odd meters and tempi changes with ease and elegance. Kapczuk supplies the basic bottom lines all along with a few nice solos on the way. Kochan delivers the complex polyrhythmic drive with obvious talent and skill.
Overall this is a very ambitious undertaking, which might be a tad too much for the average Jazz listener. The electric piano combined with the Classical sound of the strings and the unfamiliar rhythmic patterns are an acquired taste. Wania´s piano playing and the violin solos are the highlights of this unusual album, which is definitely worth investigating by the more motivated listeners. The album also emphasizes the diversity and multifaceted involvedness of the Polish Jazz scene.
| | Updated: 11/04/2017Posted: 11/04/2017 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | NAK TRIO ~ THE OTHER SIDE OF IT
CHALLENGE 71154 (Barcode: 608917115420) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015
This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz NAK TrioFind albums by this artist, led by drummer Jacek KochanFind albums by this artist, with pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all composed by the leader.
The music is a beautiful example of modern European Jazz, superbly performed by the trio. It showcases the outstanding virtuosity of Wania, although this is a relatively early recording in his impressive career. Wania played in Kochan’s groups since 2008, which undoubtedly served as a great environment to perfect his skills. By the time this album was recorded Wania was already in full bloom, which is plainly evident herein.
Kochan is a great example of my observation, that Jazz drummers are often some of the most impressive composers, and his extensive recorded legacy is an undeniable proof of that. He is able to combine beautiful melody lines and complex rhythmic layers, which makes his often intricate music flow smoothly and convincingly. He is certainly one of my favorite Polish Jazz composers.
Overall, modern Jazz piano trio albums don’t get any better that this, and although this album is relatively obscure to Polish Jazz lovers, it definitely deserves to be heard and loved, and can be found relatively effortlessly. Of course I wholeheartedly recommend grabbing a copy ASAP.
| | Updated: 16/02/2025Posted: 16/02/2025 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEDRO NEVES TRIO ~ HINDRANCES
PORTA JAZZ 090 ~ PORTUGAL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022
This is the fourth album by Portuguese pianist / composer Pedro NevesFind albums by this artist and his trio with bassist Miguel AngeloFind albums by this artist and drummer Jose MarruchoFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the leader.
The album is mostly well within classic mainstream Jazz piano trio idiom, with excellent compositions and superb playing, but offers also refreshing excursions into more open territory, which makes things even more interesting.
The music offers deeply melodic, melancholic vistas, which are developed slowly and delicately, as if hesitantly, but remain always highly aesthetic and captivating. Neves is a charming storyteller and songweaver, like some of the best classic piano Masters, who manages to avoid confusing simplicity and directness with triviality. His melodies often surprising with unexpected twists and turns, landing safely back on the beat just at the right time.
The trio sounds perfectly balanced, with the rhythm section being supportive and cooperative at all times. Strong bass pulsations keep the music flowing at the right pace and harmonic unity and the drums, ever so slightly back in the mix, ornament the music with rhythmic adornments. Beautifully recorded, this is a true delight for classic Jazz piano trio fans.
Overall, this is a delightful album from start to finish, which creates a relaxed and caressing atmosphere, so much needed in this time of perpetual noise, and is still able to carry a highly musical message, which goes straight into the heart. Wholeheartedly recommended!
The album is a limited number edition and my copy is 286/300 ;)
| | Updated: 02/11/2022Posted: 02/11/2022 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | NEW TRIO ~ PERPENDICULAR REALITIES
TMP 004 (Barcode: 5903292104850) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013
This is the second album by the New TrioFind albums by this artist ensemble, which consists of Polish brothers: Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays Hammond organ and composed most of the music herein and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays violin and is completed by Russian drummer Alex ZingerFind albums by this artist. The album includes twelve original compositions, seven of which were composed by Jan and the remaining five are credited to all the trio members.
Aesthetically the music continues exactly from the point where their stunning debut left off and presents more of the same unique sound, which exists only within the particular Hammond / violin / drums setting and which has but a few predecessors, most of which are French, where the violin has a firm position as a leading Jazz instrument. The superb Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist / Eddy LouissFind albums by this artist / Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist trio immediately comes to mind as a point of reference. The same "retro" atmosphere, which characterized the debut album, is maintained here as well. The result however losses the surprise effect, that exemplified the reaction to the debut.
But surprised or not, the listeners will find here all the ingredients that make music great and worth listening to: superb compositions and first-class performances. Although well within the Jazz mainstream this music keeps the listener on edge, never being obvious or overtly predictable, with intellectual and emotional approaches intertwined. The diverse tempi enable showcases of different compositional tools, which work out very effectively.
As for performances, this album is full of exceptional playing with the violin work by Mateusz being simply virtuosic from start to finish. He is quickly establishing himself as one of the leading violinist not only in Poland, but now also on a worldwide scale and is surely destined to get far. But both Jan and Alex don´t fall far behind and their contributions are first-rate every step of the way.
Overall this is a splendid piece of music and a commendable follow up to their debut effort. Having passed the dreaded "second album" trial with flying colors, they now have a carte blanche to continue this path as far as I´m concerned. Both Jazz violin and Hammond organ connoisseurs will absolutely love this album from start to finish and it is wholeheartedly recommended to every Jazz enthusiast.
We must not forget also the fact that Jan Smoczynski is not only a great musician, but also one of the top (if not the top) sound engineers in Poland and his legendary Studio Tokarnia, where this album was recorded, is one of the best in Europe and produced a myriad of albums of extraordinary sound quality. Hats off!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | NEW TRIO ~ SIMULTANEOUS ABSTRACTIONS
TMP 003 (Barcode: 5905912558340) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010
This is one of those unexpected albums, which fall on your head like a sledgehammer… The album was recorded by a Polish trio, which calls itself rather ambiguously New TrioFind albums by this artist, and consists of brothers: Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist – violin and Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist – Hammond organ and drummer Alex ZingerFind albums by this artist. I admit being a little puzzled by the "new" part of their name, but a couple of minutes into the music made everything abundantly clear; they are a new / updated version of the fabulous 1960s French trio, which included violinist Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, organist Eddy LouissFind albums by this artist and drummer Daniel HumairFind albums by this artist. That revolutionary trio, one of the great precursors of European Jazz, which combined the art of improvisation with the great European music tradition, serves as a model for New Trio, not only in its instrumental lineup, but also stylistically and sonically, as the album presents a wonderful "retro" sound, typical of the great 1960s recordings.
Of course the music is all new and almost entirely original, composed mostly by the organist, with a couple of tracks being co-composed by all three members and one standard – a breathtaking redemption of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist´s "Naima". The music is absolutely brilliant, admittedly not very adventurous, but with great melody lines, well developed themes and interesting rhythmic variations.
The performances are excellent as well, with all three musicians being obvious virtuosi on their respective instruments and the trio being blessed with great rapport and telepathic mind-reading between its members. Of course the sound of violin is capable of melting even the iciest of hearts, and is used here with passion but also with great taste, not "overdoing it" on the sentimental side. The Hammond, one of my most beloved instruments, is the basis of all this music and with slightly enhanced sonic capabilities proves its vitality and enormous rage of possibilities, which should be envied by any of the modern / electronic keyboard super-machines. The drums bear an enormous responsibility in this music, providing both the rhythmic backbone and the wonderful ornamentation, without being overzealous.
In short, this music is just perfect the way it is, which happens unfortunately quite rarely. Of course there is also the "Polish connection" in the background, especially the Polish Jazz violin tradition, which must have had its influence here. Therefore an attentive listener will be able to catch glimpses of Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist in this music, but only symbolically and never used overtly as plagiarisms. I urge every Jazz lover to get hold of this wonderful album pronto, especially those of you who love violin and / or the Hammond organ. This is an invigorating, intelligent and beautiful piece of music, which should be enjoyed by as many music lovers as possible. A must!
| | Updated: 24/05/2017Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | RUNAR NORSETT TRIO ~ ENDLESS JOURNEY
LOSEN 298 (Barcode: 7090025832987) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024
This is an album by the Norwegian Jazz trio, led by pianist / composer Runar NorsettFind albums by this artist with bass guitarist Fredrik SahlanderFind albums by this artist and drummer Tobias Oymo SolbakkFind albums by this artist. American trumpeter Randy BreckerFind albums by this artist guests on three tracks and Italian (resident in US) saxophonist Ada RovattiFind albums by this artist (Randy’s wife) guests on two tracks. The album presents eight tracks, all originals by the leader.
The music is highly melodic mainstream Jazz, energetic and Funky, definitely on the lighter side of the Jazz spectrum, but excellently played by all participants. The idea is obviously to have fun and play music, which can be enjoyed by a wide spectrum of Jazz listeners.
Overall, this is a pleasant Jazz album, accessible to a wide audience and offering an enjoyable listening experience, which in these bleak days is not such a bad idea. Although originating from Norway, it sounds pretty close to American Jazz, and the presence of the guest musicians emphasizes that trend. Not really my cup of tea, but many Jazz lovers might enjoy this “easy on the ear” approach.
| | Updated: 04/09/2024Posted: 04/09/2024 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | NOWICKI / SWIES / FRANKIEWICZ TRIO ~ PATHFINDER
MULTIKULTI 005 (Barcode: 5907529223468) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012
This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz trio comprising of saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. There are nine tracks on the album, eight of which are original compositions (four by Nowicki and two each by Swies and Frankiewicz) and one is the trio´s interpretation of a RadioheadFind albums by this artist song. The album was recorded in the legendary Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, the studio owner, a guarantee of superb sonic quality.
These three talented young musicians have all quite impressive musical achievements behind them and therefore it is not surprising that they sound remarkably mature as performers. Stylistically, however, they seem to be still somewhat undecided as to the degree of freedom they want to incorporate into their music, which remains mainstream oriented on this recording. The saxophone trio is one of the most difficult Jazz formats and demands a lot of discipline in order to present a cohesive whole and this trio definitely stands up to the challenge with flying colors. Naturally saxophone trios tend to put the focus of the listener´s attention on the saxophone player and are less about interplay and cooperation than say piano trios. On this recording there are plenty of bass and drums spots, showcasing the individual talents of the participants, but in most cases it is the sax up front supported by the rhythm section.
The music, although quite appropriate for the format, is somewhat lacking in the melody department. Mainstream Jazz is usually based on strong melody lines, which last at least as long as the tune is being performed. The melodic content here is somewhat abstract and difficult to follow, which works fine for a free form setting, but in a mainstream is contra productive. It seems as if the trio members intended to play a much looser set, but were reluctant to "cross the line".
However, all things considered, this is still a very strong debut with great performances and a lot of interesting moments, which should make the trio members proud of their work. Definitely worth investigating!
| | | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | OLKO.M.TRIO ~ TRUE
NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 198000124588) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021
This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz trio led by pianist / composer Alexandra MularczykFind albums by this artist with bassist Konrad ZolnierekFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam GolickiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, all by Mularczyk.
The piano trio format on this album is significantly modernized with the presence of the electric bass, especially the fretless one, crossing over to Fusion at times, but the acoustic piano and the long arpeggios keeps it firmly within the mainstream Jazz idiom. The music is energetic and youthful, firmly based on solid melodic compositions, which serve as basis for extended improvisations. Golicki, who has already an impressive recording experience behind him, ornaments the music with diverse rhythmic patterns and certainly steps beyond the basic drumming duty, becoming an integral part of the creative team.
Although the album does not offer much of adventurous exploration of the Jazz idiom, it shows the excellent level of the young Polish Jazz generation, as well as the growing number of young female Jazz musicians (mostly pianists but not only), which are now joined by Mularczyk, who earn their position thanks to their talents and creativity.
Overall this is a very promising debut album, which will hopefully be followed my more examples of the work by the musicians involved in this one. Definitely worth investigating!
| | Updated: 18/07/2021Posted: 18/07/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MIKE PARKER / TRIO THEORY ~ ALIVE OUT THERE
NOT ON LABEL ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016
This is the third album by American bassist / composer Mike ParkerFind albums by this artist, who spends much of his time in Eastern Europe playing and recording with Polish Jazz musicians, as documented on his previous album. This album, recorded live in Czech Republic and Serbia, documents a tour by Parker´s trio, which also includes Polish Jazz saxophonist Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist and American (resident in Poland) drummer Frank ParkerFind albums by this artist. Together they perform six compositions, four by Mike ParkerFind albums by this artist, one co-composed by him and Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist and one composed by Bryson BarnesFind albums by this artist.
The music is mostly improvised, except for short melodic intros which immediately develop into a frantic Free Form extended blowing sessions. Pezda, who is definitely one of the most impressive young Lions among the Polish Jazz saxophone players, performs incredibly on this album; even more remarkably than on several earlier recordings he participated in. The intimate setting and the live atmosphere, as well as the excellent work of the rhythm section, allow him to soar and shine, which he does from start to finish.
But of course this is a trio effort and the overall result is successful thanks to the interplay and mutual respect these three players share among them. Saxophone trios are an extremely difficult environment to create impressive music, but this trio is definitely blessed with the ability to make it work. If course Parker´s music also adds to the success of this music.
Although seemingly aggressive and certainly very intensive, this music displays a lot of elegance and intrinsic beauty. The "beast" is definitely tamed and the improvisations and far out excursions are apparently well planed ahead. The wonderful tension between the intensity of this music and its underlying structure is one of the strongest assets.
This is definitely one of the strongest statements I have had the pleasure to listen to in the last months and it truly deserves to be discovered by as many Jazz lovers as possible.
A strange thought passed through my head; since this great album was created by two American practically living in Poland and a Pole, playing in Eastern Europe, perhaps the only way to save American Jazz before it disintegrates completely is to move it to Eastern Europe?
| | Updated: 30/05/2016Posted: 27/05/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MIKE PARKER / TRIO THEORY ~ SHINY OBJECTS, DARK PLACES
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018
This is the fourth album by American (partly resident in Poland) bassist Mike ParkerFind albums by this artist and his second album with the Trio TheoryFind albums by this artist, which also includes Polish saxophonist Slawomir PezdaFind albums by this artist and American (also partly resident in Poland) drummer Frank ParkerFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Mike Parker.
The music is melody based modern Jazz, which in contrast to the preceding album with the trio, which was recorded live and presented mostly Free Jazz approach, is much more organized and structured. Of course there is still plenty of improvisation herein, which dominates Pezda´s superb performances, but the overall approach is much more relaxed and "disciplined".
The album develops on two separate planes: the energetic and highly complex improvised saxophone parts and the hypnotic rhythmic background created by bass and drums. When combined, these two planes overlap splendidly and the resulting music amalgamates rhythm and melody into one cohesive unity, which is highly emotional and moving.
All three players demonstrate highly developed technical skills and understanding of the Jazz idiom. The rhythm section is mostly very powerful and carries the strong beat in a manner closely related to rhythms originating in African Cultures. Pezda is naturally more related to the European approach but his saxophone playing is also strongly related to early Free Jazz Masters like Albert AylerFind albums by this artist and Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist. He certainly emerges on this recording as one of the leading Polish Jazz saxophonists of the young generation.
The music on this album is quite different from most other Polish Jazz recordings, which mostly follow a much mellower, melancholic and lyrical trends, whereas here the main tendency is more raw and penetrating, facing the listener right in his face rather than appealing to his intellectual antennae. Mike Parker deserves praise for the wonderful compositions he created for the trio.
Overall this is a splendid outing, which is definitely worth being discovered and admired and an important step in the career of the musicians involved. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 14/12/2018Posted: 14/12/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JAKUB PAULSKI TRIO ~ PRELUDIUM
NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5903771865203) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020
This is the debut album by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Jakub PaulskiFind albums by this artist recorded in a trio format with bassist Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and Hungarian drummer Peter SomosFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, including a three part title track, all by Paulski.
From the very onset the album offers a very distinct guitar sound, which dominates the proceedings, electric but almost completely acoustic in nature, a way of playing guitar that is almost completely absent from today´s scene and fondly reminds the way Jazz guitar sounded in the 1960s. Same applies to the rhythm section, which accompanies the leader respectfully in the background, without competing with him for supremacy.
The music is mostly strictly melody based, but the melodic motifs are pretty complex and require attentive listening in order to follow the logical flow. Some more freely improvised moments and esoteric sounds appear through the album, but they are definitely not the mainline.
The performances are all excellent, as expected. Paulski definitely has a great technique and feel for the music, Pospieszalski offers very supportive bass lines with a nice round sound and Somos, although playing sparingly, know exactly what he is doing.
Overall this is an ambitious debut effort, promising but not entirely "cooked", especially as far as the compositions are concerned, in my opinion. Paulski needs probably some more time to crystallize his composing skills in parallel to his playing technique, using a bit more of the "less is more" approach, as the album at times definitely offers too many notes at once. Having said that and considering that Jazz guitar is pretty neglected on the Polish Jazz scene, this album definitely is worth checking out!
| | Updated: 23/12/2020Posted: 23/12/2020 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | JACEK PELC CITY JAZZ TRIO ~ LIVE INTERACTIONS
JACEK PELC RECORDS 007 (Barcode: 5904013793605) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2011 Released: 2022
This is an archival live album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer / bandleader Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio setting with pianist Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist and bassist Grzegorz NadolnyFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Pelc and one is a standard.
The music is all mainstream oriented modern Jazz, beautifully melodic and well structured, and as expected superbly executed by these highly experienced musicians. Pelc manages to prove again that being a drummer is not in any conflict with being able to compose beautiful lyrical themes, full of Polish melancholy, which are memorable and highly aesthetic.
Herdzin, who appears relatively rarely within the Jazz idiom lately, shows that he was one of the most exciting Polish Jazz piano virtuosi, and his piano playing is truly refreshing herein. Hearing him on this album not only brings fond memories of his artistry, but raises hopes of his desire to return and take his rightful position on the Jazz scene, which he abducted in favor of other explorations.
Nadolny plays wonderfully as well, showing great taste and technique both on the upright and electric bass, always perfectly in tune and right on the beat, he provides the background layer to the music, which couldn’t survive without it.
And last but not least, Pelc with his Masterly drumming technique and endless trickery, which never ceases to amaze, which rightfully award him the position at the very top of the Polish Jazz rhythm magicians guild.
Overall, this is a wonderful Jazz piano trio album, which should delight every fan of that particular niche, but to be honest it speaks to every Jazz lover on this planet, creating a lasting experience, which lingers in the back of the listener’s mind long after the music is over. Absolutely marvelous and well done, my Friend!
| | Updated: 18/05/2022Posted: 18/05/2022 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | DAN PHILLIPS TRIO ~ DIVERGENT FLOW
LIZARD BREATH (Barcode: 755491110256) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018
This is the fifth album by American guitarist / composer Dan PhillipsFind albums by this artist and his trio with Polish (resident in US) bassist Krzysztof PabianFind albums by this artist and American drummer Timothy DaisyFind albums by this artist, for whom this is the debut recording with this trio. The album presents seven pieces, five of which were composed by Phillips and two are improvisations attributed to all the trio members.
The music is clearly highly improvised, but maintains some basic structure and melody contents, which makes it very accessible in spite of its free spirited nature. The themes are clearly stated at the onset of each of the composed tunes and then expanded into the Free realm, with an impressive trialogue between the trio members.
Due to the clear and non abusive tone produced by the electric guitar, the bass and drums are clearly audible and the listener is able to enjoy their contributions in full. Phillips uses a lot of echo and reverb which give his guitar an eerie but attractive tone, which resembles early John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist´s recordings made almost half a century earlier.
Pabian´s bass is a dominant ingredient of the music, laying the foundation upon the music slides elegantly. Daisy provides a rhythmic barrage, powerful but subtle, which manages not only to keep the music clicking but also ornaments it polyrhythmically. The trio manages to create a typical "less is more" intimacy, which works very effectively, creating an aura of delicate probing in parallel to the melodic lines. Even the freely improvised pieces manage to be deeply expressive and avoid the chaos which such music often falls victim to.
Overall this is a highly original music, which offers superb musicality and a unique sonic experience, which should keep the hordes of guitar players out there licking their lips nervously. Both artistic and professional at the core, this music is a reflection of the Chicago based American progressive / Avant-Garde scene, which is an oasis of Jazz exploration on the great American desert.
Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 28/03/2018 | CD-R 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | DAN PHILLIPS TRIO ~ FADING LIGHT
LIZARD BREATH ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2015 - 2016 Released: 2017
This is the fourth album by American guitarist / composer Dan PhillipsFind albums by this artist and his trio with Polish (resident in US) bassist Krzysztof PabianFind albums by this artist and American drummer Tim MulvennaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the leader.
The music is a highly sophisticated Jazz-Rock Fusion, with a lot of space for improvisation and excellent guitar riffs, which make it highly accessible in spite of its complex contents. The basic melodic themes stated at the beginning of each track are than expanded by the trio into lengthy improvisations, which remain coherent and highly organized for the entire duration.
The individual performances are brilliant all the way through. Phillips manages to create a unique guitar sound, which includes a lot of reverb and echo, quite different from most straightforward Jazz / Fusion guitar sounds used by other players. Although he plays quite densely there is enough space left to be able to hear the brilliant bass and drums parts, which are nothing short of virtuosity. Pabian builds a solid ground upon which the entire sound of the trio is based, playing often shoulder to shoulder with the guitar at the same level of complexity. His plucking sound is round and beautifully melodic and his arco work (which he sadly uses way too seldom) is superb. Mulvenna is a very busy drummer and yet he manages to stay at the same level of intensity with the trio members, ornamenting the tunes with his polyrhythmic, but perfectly timed drum parts.
Overall this is a brilliant Fusion album, which offers a unique musical concept and sound, something very rarely found these days. Guitar freaks, Fusion lovers and music connoisseurs in general should really enjoy this album in full, especially in view of the fact that it reaches a limited audience in today´s highly competitive and narrow minded music market and deserves to do much better. Highly recommended!
| | Updated: 05/04/2018Posted: 05/04/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | DAN PHILLIPS TRIO ~ SOUND ENERGY IN SPACE
LIZARD BREATH (Barcode: 755491136904) ~ USA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019
This is the sixth album by American guitarist / composer Dan PhillipsFind albums by this artist and his trio with Polish (resident in US) bassist Krzysztof PabianFind albums by this artist and American drummer Timothy DaisyFind albums by this artist. It presents ten original compositions, nine by Phillips and one co-composed by Phillips and Pabian.
The music is consistent with earlier recordings by the trio, presenting modern Jazz with some Fusion undertones and a lot of open space, which allows the musicians to express themselves extensively. Daisy´s presence opened a lot of new possibilities for the trio´s overall musical scope, as he is equally competent playing almost straightforward / swinging rhythms and free improvisation with the same ease and elegance. Pabian, as always, is the backbone of this music and his steady and beautifully rounded pulsations keep the music together. Phillips´ clean guitar tone and excellent technique create a barrage of notes which are all perfectly audible. Although not stated on the album´s artwork, some of the tracks feature electronically generated "white noise", which most probably refers to the album´s title and which I could easily live without.
Overall this is a nice album, which guitar and Free Jazz fans should be able to enjoy in the same way as all earlier recordings by this trio. However in the great scheme of things it seems like the trio is somewhat stuck in the same space-time coordinates and even the change of the drummer didn´t manage to create enough momentum to make it move forward in any direction. Of course this does not negate some fine playing present herein.
| | Updated: 08/11/2019Posted: 08/11/2019 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | PIIRPAUKE / TAPIO TUOMINEN TRIO / PORI BIG BAND / TAPIOLA BIG BAND ~ JAZZ LIISA VOL. 15 & VOL. 16
SVART 097 (Barcode: 6430065583509) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1975 - 1977 Released: 2017
The "Popstudio" / "Jazzstudio" broadcasts were usually dedicated to one band / artists, but in some cases two acts were combined into one show, which allowed each of them just about twenty minutes to perform, as is the case on the first show included here. The other two sessions were recorded on different dates.
PiirpaukeFind albums by this artist, founded in 1974 by saxophonist / keyboardist / composer Sakari KukkoFind albums by this artist and still active today forty-five years later, was one of the first European Jazz-World Fusion ensembles. It includes initially also guitarist Hasse WalliFind albums by this artist, bassist Antti HyttiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jukka WasamaFind albums by this artist. Synthesizer player Otto RomanowskiFind albums by this artist appeared as an associate member. This live radio broadcast captures the group before the release of their eponymous debut album, which created quite a stir at the time. They perform three pieces; one composed by Kukko and two unique arrangements by the group members of folk songs: one Romanian and the other Karelian in origin. Both folk songs were included on the a.m. debut album. The music is a wonderful amalgam of modern Jazz, sometimes with freely improvised parts, and folkloristic inspirations, which will become the modus operandi of the group.
Saxophonist Tapio TuominenFind albums by this artist and his trio, which also included bassist Jorma KoivulehtoFind albums by this artist and drummer Jukka WasamaFind albums by this artist, represent the Finnish Free Jazz movement, which flourished in the 1970 and led to high local activity as well as international cooperation with other European players, including those from Poland and other East European countries. The trio plays three original compositions credited to Wasama, but obviously presenting a group improvisation effort. Similarly to the material presented by the Wasama - Tuominen TrioFind albums by this artist, presented on an earlier release of the "Jazzstudio" sessions, the music is typical of European Free Jazz at the time, highly inventive and emotional, which lost nothing of its power over time.
The 1970s were hay days for the Finnish Big Bands and several were active in parallel at the time, which for a country of the size of Finland was absolutely phenomenal. One of the factors that enabled this to happen was the solid local and national financial support available for Arts at the time, and combined with the number of young Jazz musicians flooding the scene and involvement of semi-professional / amateurs evolved into a heaven on earth for Big Band enthusiasts.
Pori Big BandFind albums by this artist, founded in 1971 and still active today, was led over the years by top Finnish musicians / instrumentalists and has an impressive legacy of recordings to its credit. It is traditionally featured during the annual Pori Jazz Festival. On this live radio broadcast the Big Band was conducted by bassist / composer Markku KokkoFind albums by this artist and performed two original compositions: one by trombonist / composer Kaj BacklundFind albums by this artist and one by Kokko.
Tapiola Big BandFind albums by this artist, founded in 1970 by Martti LappalainenFind albums by this artist and still active today, included many top Finnish musicians over time, some of which were double billing as members of the Mother Ship of the Finnish Big Band scene, the UMOFind albums by this artist Orchestra. On this live radio broadcast the Big Band was conducted by Lappalainen and included a crème de la crème lineup of Finnish Jazz musicians and performed two pieces: one original composition by Mike KoskinenFind albums by this artist and an arrangement of a folk song by Eero KoivistoinenFind albums by this artist.
Overall this is some of the most staggering music created in Europe in the early to mid 1970s that one is able to hear and for European Jazz connoisseurs this is an absolute must have!
Side Note
The Finnish independent label SvartFind albums on this label Records released an unprecedented series of albums called Pop Liisa and Jazz Liisa, which present priceless historical recordings of Finnish Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz music, recorded live and broadcasted from the Liisankatu Studios in Helsinki under the "Popstudio" and "Jazzstudio" monikers between 1972 and 1977. The studios were owned by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company), a public broadcasting service, which not only allowed the burgeoning Finnish music scene at the time to be exposed but also carefully archived the recordings for future generations. All this incredible music was previously unissued and collectively is probably the most important document of Finnish music from that period ever assembled.
The music was released on 36 LPs (Pop Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18 and Jazz Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18) and on 18 CDs with every two consecutive volumes combined on one CD.
The sound quality is absolutely superb, often better than the sound quality on the LPs released by these artists at the time. Many of the groups appearing on these albums never managed to record an album and these recordings are the only recorded legacy in existence of their activity. The released are accompanied by well researched and intelligent liner notes.
This archival project is an outstanding example of how Cultural Legacy should be treated as well as of exemplary dedication to record producing professionalism.
| | Updated: 15/06/2020Posted: 15/06/2020 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PKS TRIO ~ PRZYSTANEK PIERWSZY
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012
This is the debut album by Polish ensemble PKS TrioFind albums by this artist, which is a guitar trio consisting of guitarist Sebastian RucinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Kosma KalamarzFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw SmacznyFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, authors of which remain unspecified letting one to assume they are all group compositions. Information about the date and place of recording is also missing, but the sound quality, clarity and ambience are excellent, creating a nice balance between the electric and acoustic sound of the trio.
The music is a pretty unique mixture of numerous elements, like Blues, Flamenco and Gypsy music, mixed obviously with Jazz tradition and bits of Fusion. Based on clear melodic motifs the music is stretched out by lengthy improvised passages, with plenty of space for individual soloing. Overall this is very accessible music, which might appeal to both less experienced listeners and veteran connoisseurs, who will find many elegant and delightful moments, especially the wonderful dialogue between the guitar and the bass guitar.
The performances are very good as well, with the guitarist displaying excellent technique and self confidence, the bassist accompanying the guitar faithfully and intelligently throughout and playing some superb solos along the way and the drummer keeping time unobtrusively and precisely. Overall this high level displayed by these young musicians is beyond reproach. The only minor point of criticism might be that the album stays at the same emotional level almost without exception and the music shows little diversity, which creates an overall impression that every track is a bit more of the same. This will surely be improved in their future releases, when the trio gains more experience with producing albums.
Listeners, who love melodic guitar, will find this album delightful immediately, others might need another listening opportunity, but this music eventually wins over most mainstream Jazz lovers. Definitely a debut worthy of respectful approbation!
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  | ANDRZEJ PRZYBIELSKI / CUSTOM TRIO ~ ANDRZEJ PRZYBIELSKI & CUSTOM TRIO
POLONIA 273 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2001 Released: 2001
This is the second album by legendary Polish Jazz trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist with the Custom TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of saxophonist Janusz SmykFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin OlesFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist (collectively known as Oles BrothersFind albums by this artist – Poland´s most respected Free Jazz rhythm section). The music was recorded live at a coffee house in Bydgoszcz, a town where Przybielski lived and which is an important center of Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music activity. They perform seven original compositions, all composed by Przybielski except one co-composed with Tymon TymanskiFind albums by this artist, another legendary Polish Jazz figure and the pioneer of Yass. Sadly the sound quality is truly sub-standard, almost certainly captured on a portable cassette recorder, which hampers the otherwise sublime musical experience.
The music is of course simply magnificent, presenting the essence of Free Jazz at its absolute apex, performed with flair and complete dedication. Przybielski is at top form and his solos soar straight to heaven. The young and relatively little known Smyk also plays like there is no tomorrow, standing firmly shoulder to shoulder with the Maestro. The fabulous rhythm section drives the entire vehicle forward ceaselessly with outstanding energy and drive. In retrospect there are very few other Polish Jazz recordings of this kind, which can be considered similar in quality and importance.
Just a decade after this recording was made Przybielski died, neglected, lonely and forsaken. His talent was never recognized and appreciated during his lifetime, his complex personality and behavioral abnormalities estranged him from society and of course the establishment. Like so many great Artists the recognition, albeit marginal, was absolutely too little, too late. Therefore this album is another important piece of the limited legacy Przybielski left us to remember him by and of course an essential piece of Polish Jazz history.
| | Updated: 02/01/2017Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | QUANTUM TRIO ~ DUALITY
NGM 0001 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017
This is the second album by the Quantum TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of Polish saxophonist Michal Jan CiesielskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Kamil ZawislakFind albums by this artist and Chilean drummer Luis Mora MatusFind albums by this artist. The double CD album presents fifteen original compositions, nine composed or co-composed by Ciesielski, three by Zawislak and nine by Matus.
Musically the album continues from where the debut left off, presenting a series of excellent melodic compositions, executed with vigor and obvious technical proficiency. The lack of bass does not hinder the trio´s Swing and ability to use odd meters and switch tempi unpredictably, which of course is great fun to listen to. The music is more extrovert and expressive than on the debut, but the basic concept is still there, this time significantly developed and expanded. The use of overdubs on some tracks creates a much denser and complex overall aural effect, also expanding upon the basic concept of the trio.
Although the music is beautifully executed, it is the superb compositions that turn this album into a first class musical experience. Full of great harmonies and lyrical melody lines the music is captivating and flows with a remarkable coherence and elegance. The World Music motifs are much more significant on this album, and they again add a completely new dimension to the music, enabling the exploration of new sonic vistas.
Overall this is a great album, which can be enjoyed by a wide range of listeners, including even those who do not listen to Jazz on a regular basis, as it encompasses many universal musical devices, sub-consciously understandable to a wide range of music loving listeners. It takes several listening sessions to explore the full depth of this impressive and large volume of music that this album offers, but the effort is certainly highly rewarding. It is great to see that the trio is able to pass the "second album" trial with flying colors, and of course they join the list of ensembles on the "worth following" list with distinction. Well done indeed!
| | Updated: 25/05/2017Posted: 25/05/2017 | CD-R 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | QUANTUM TRIO ~ GRAVITY
FOR TUNE 0054 (Barcode: 5902768701616) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015
This is the debut album by the Quantum TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of Polish saxophonist Michal Jan CiesielskiFind albums by this artist and pianist Kamil ZawislakFind albums by this artist and Chilean drummer Luis Mora MatusFind albums by this artist. It presents ten original compositions, three of which were composed by Ciesielski, one by Zawislak, four by Matus and the remaining two by all three members of the trio.
The music is mostly serene, intimate and reflexive, with strong and beautiful melodic themes and a distinct Classical influence. The chamber ambience is also emphasized by the lack of bass, which usually supplies the Jazz pulsation, not present here. Nevertheless this is undoubtedly a Jazz album, although the music is very elegant and almost lofty, somewhat similar to the Scandinavian touch. Contrary to what the trio publishes in their promo materials about their music, all of the music herein is perfectly composed and arranged and shows no traces of spontaneous composition / improvisation.
The personal contributions by all three trio members are without reproach; Ciesielski plays delicate, long phrases with beautiful intonation and great sensitivity, Zawislak masterly accompanies the saxophone parts and plays elegant solo parts and finally Matus ornaments the music with his rich palette of percussive sounds, showing great imagination and a lot of skill.
Overall this is a very enjoyable, delicate and aesthetically pleasing album, and a most impressive debut outing. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come. Definitely recommended!
| | Updated: 25/05/2017Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | QUANTUM TRIO ~ RED FOG
EMME 1909 (Barcode: 850869006350) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019
This is the third album by the Quantum TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of Polish saxophonist Michal Jan CiesielskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Kamil ZawislakFind albums by this artist and Chilean drummer Luis Mora MatusFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, two by Ciesielski, one by Zawislak, three by Matus and one credited to all trio members. The album offers a wonderful sound quality, albeit quite unusual and demanding due to the unorthodox balance between the instruments.
With an average once every two years release schedule the trio managed to established a unique sound and stylistic approach to their music, which stays faithful to melody based compositions, but gradually opens up to distance itself from the Jazz mainstream. This album offers a new, rather dark and somewhat industrial sound, which differs from the two earlier albums but continues the trio´s musical direction.
The trio offers a very unusual approach to instrumentation, with a delicate balance between the saxophone, piano and drums, not depending on the usual bass provided harmony and pulse, which might sound pretty weird at the first hearing, but has a lot of charm and intrinsic tension. The drums are given an absolute equal rank within the trio, which is almost never present elsewhere.
As usual the personal performances are all exquisite and offer grace, elegance and sophistication way beyond what one might expect from young Jazz musicians. The complexity, mostly rhythmical, of the music demands a telepathic communication between the trio members, which is found here aplenty. Again, as usual, it is the level of the compositions that makes this music stand out above the average and turns this album into an exciting listening experience.
Overall this is a mature, coherent piece of music by a trio that knows exactly where it is going, which offers splendid ambitious music, which keeps the listener on his toes from start to finish, being definitely one of the most exciting albums so far this year. Well done, again!
| | Updated: 18/05/2019Posted: 18/05/2019 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | FRANCISZEK RACZKOWSKI TRIO ~ APPRENTICE
FOR TUNE 0066 (Barcode: 5902768701722) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015
This is the debut album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Franciszek RaczkowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio setting with bassist Pawel WszolekFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. It presents seven original compositions, all by Raczkowski.
As the title suggests, Raczkowski is still at the very early stage of his career and is searching for his personal language, both as a player and a composer. His music is floating somewhere between mainstream Jazz and more ambitious explorations of the melodic and harmonic spheres, quite diverse and obviously still uncertain as to the final outcome. As a result the album is somewhat uneven, with some of the pieces being very interesting and others significantly less so. Although the music sounds very melodic, there are but a few clear melodic themes to which the listener can cling to or follow. The rest sounds just as fragmented statements, hold together by the framework of a tune, but not really making sense musically.
The music is very well performed, although Raczkowski does not display a wide dynamic range in his performances, which is splendidly picked up by the rhythm section, which does a wonderful job here. Wszolek keeps the tunes together bravely, even when the music seems to disintegrate, and Budniak keeps it alive with his delicate but masterly strokes.
After repeated listening to this album I could not honestly make up my mind if it presents a pianist / composer of great hope, as some of the statements I read about it claim. The comparisons to Keith JarrettFind albums by this artist are pretty far fetched and might prove more damaging than constructive. I´ll have to wait patiently for the next album to see if Raczkowski is the "next" big thing on the Polish scene. In the meantime this album surely deserves to be listened to and as a debut it is altogether quite nice.
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  | RIVERLOAM TRIO ~ INEM GORTN
FMR 374 (Barcode: 700175749833) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014
This is the second album by the Riverloam TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of Polish Improvised Music legend, saxophonist / clarinetists Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist and two British musicians from the same sphere: young bassist Olie BriceFind albums by this artist and drummer Mark SandersFind albums by this artist. The trio´s live debut released a couple of years earlier (as a double LP – no CD release so far) was very warmly received at the time and this studio effort should solidify their reputation. The album consists of seven original compositions, all credited to the trio members.
With dozens of albums behind him, it is increasingly difficult to describe each specific new project involving Trzaska and remain open-minded and focused enough to pinpoint the often subtle differences between the various parts of such an immense body of work. However, from the very first notes on this album it becomes perfectly clear that this is one of the most expressive and emotional settings that Trzaska is involved with lately. His playing and improvising is simply overwhelming and it is quite obvious that this happens due to the superb rapport between him and the rhythm section, especially so with Brice, whose arco work is simply stunning (nothing wrong with his pizzicato of course) and their duets are the absolute highlights of this album.
Trzaska switches between the saxophone, clarinet and bass clarinet, as he often does these days, to achieve a different mood and power of expression. The rhythm section follows his lead amicably, adjusting the volume and intensity of their performances to the lead instrument, which is a sign of mutual respect and solidarity, which are unfortunately often forgotten in the Improvised Music environment. Sanders, who is a seasoned improviser, always finds just the proper percussive ambience to support Trzaska and Brice and elegantly takes a step back when they get involved in intimate duos.
Personally I think this is an ideal Improvised Music album, which keeps the anarchy well in check, shows the individual expressions of the musicians involved and glues them together to create a whole greater than the sum of its ingredients. Emotionally and artistically this is definitely one of the best albums Trzaska recorded in his long and impressive career.
This music is also beautifully recorded, with a perfect balance between the instruments and a wonderful room ambience, which enables the listener to hear every little detail of the entire sonic contents. Improvised Music recording sadly often suffer from poor recording quality and this one is an example of how things should be done and how important it is to be able to hear absolutely everything.
All that remains is to thank these wonderful Artists for their gift to us, mere mortals, who have the privilege to enjoy this music. Well done indeed, gentlemen!
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  | HAROLD RUBIN TRIO ~ AIR KISS SUITE
OUTNOW 034 (Barcode: 7132893701528) ~ ISRAEL ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018
This is a live album by Israeli Jazz clarinetist / composer / bandleader Harold RubinFind albums by this artist and my dear Friend, whose albums I released for many years on my JazzisFind albums on this label Records label. This impromptu recording, captured in Harold’s living room in his Jaffa apartment, was one of his last recordings before his lamented death in 2020. The music was recorded by a trio, which includes also two young Israeli improvisers: pianist Illay SabagFind albums by this artist and bassist Asaf ShchoriFind albums by this artist. The album presents four tracks, all parts of the suite which gives the album its title. All three musicians are co-credited as composers.
The music is completely improvised, as appropriate for Rubin’s modus operandi in his late period, when he completely abandoned pre-conceived / composed music in favor of spur of the moment improvisation. And yet his music always included a “melodic” substance, which was embedded in his subconscious performing mechanisms. Despite his advanced age and poor health, his playing is absolutely vibrant and creative, with the two young musicians following his lead to the best of their abilities. Harold’s genius is still intact and this album proves that he was the greatest improviser of all time on the Israeli scene.
Writing about this music seems to me as futile as writing about emotions, since the message received by the listener is in this case so absolutely personal and indescribable as they come. I have listened to Harold’s music for decades, and still every time I hear it the experience is new and as exciting as it was at the first time. I can only hope this incredible feeling can be shared by others.
Overall, this is another document of Improvised Music at its absolute best, at its pure core so to speak, which should really grab all fans of this music deeply. Harold’s music remains, sadly almost completely unknown to the music lovers worldwide, in it probably will stay this way, but here is one more chance to get exposed to his Genius!
| | Updated: 19/04/2024Posted: 19/04/2024 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | S. E. A. TRIO ~ INFLOW
VOICE MUSIC 1010 (Barcode: 5906489287466) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024
This is the debut album by S. E. A. TrioFind albums by this artist, comprising of three prominent Polish Jazz musicians: vibraphonist Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, all of which are original compositions, six by Bukowski and three by Lemanczyk.
This is an ultra-rare opportunity to hear a vibraphone trio recording, which is a splendid occasion to explore this wonderful musical setting, with its naked minimalism and crystal clear sound. Bukowski could not have found a better rhythm section, since both Lemanczyk, which whom he records since decades, and Gradziuk, of RGGFind albums by this artist trio fame, are both superb instrumentalists, members of the very top of the Polish Jazz league. Their skills and talents are obviously perfect for this demanding task, as the fragile and intricate music is quite tricky.
Stylistically the music lies somewhere between ECMFind albums on this label era Gary BurtonFind albums by this artist and the Third Stream efforts by Polish Jazz vibraphone pioneer Jerzy MilianFind albums by this artist, revisiting the vibe (pun intended) of the “old days”, but without letting the nostalgia to cut any slack. The music is vibrant and fully alive, with all three instrumentalists displaying virtuosic fluency and up to date approach.
As already mentioned above, Lemanczyk is a natural choice for this project, but it’s a nice surprise to hear Gradziuk so well behaved and at the same time inventive here, proving again what a great drummer he really is.
Naturally, the spotlight is all on Bukowski as the soloist and main composer, but this album is an absolute team effort, as best Jazz albums always are. It is good to hear Bukowski in his natural habitat, doing what he loves, and keeping the smile on the listener’s lips at all time.
Overall, this is a splendid, beautiful Jazz album, with vibraphone at the helm, which is sadly a rare outing these days, featuring three of the top Polish Jazz players, which of course guarantees quality and class, felt from the first stroke of the mallets. Wholeheartedly recommended and an absolute must for vibraphone lovers.
| | Updated: 09/05/2024Posted: 09/05/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARCELLO SEBASTIANI HU TRIO ~ NOTHING SO ABSTRACT
NOTAMI 044 (Barcode: 8054729511301) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023
This is an album by Italian bassist / composer Marcello SebastianiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio setting with two Hungarian Jazz musicians, pianist Gaspar KarolyFind albums by this artist and drummer Bagyi BalazsFind albums by this artist. The album, recorded in Hungary, presents eight tracks, four of which are original compositions by Sebastiani, one is by Karoly and three are standards. One of the tracks is a bass solo.
The music is modern mainstream Jazz, based on excellent original compositions by Sebastiani, played elegantly by the trio, with all three musicians showing their chops along the way. The bass is a little higher in the mix than usual, which is quite appropriate in this case, considering the bassist is the leader. His soloing is warm and round and is a true pleasure to follow, when building up, but of course he also supports the trio all through with his strong, steady and highly melodic pulsations. Both Hungarians are also excellent, which is hardly surprising considering the excellent level of education and Jazz activity in the country.
Overall, although not surprising or innovating, this is a very good Jazz piano trio album, which the lovers of this particular niche should enjoy from start to finish. It is also a document of the wide cooperation between European Jazz musicians, which enables a fruitful exchange of ideas and influences. Excellently recorded and performed, this album should find many favorable ears among Jazz enthusiasts the world over.
| | Updated: 26/04/2023Posted: 26/04/2023 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | ARIEL SHIBOLET / BETWEEN THE STRINGS TRIO ~ LIVE AT THE TEL AVIV MUSEUM
KADIMA COLLECTIVE 13 (Barcode: 634479391576) ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007
2nd album by Israeli saxophonist Ariel ShiboletFind albums by this artist, this time in cooperation with the Between The Strings TrioFind albums by this artist (Jean Claude JonesFind albums by this artist – bass, Daniel HoffmanFind albums by this artist – violin and Nori JacobyFind albums by this artist – viola), recorded live at the Tel Aviv Museum. The concert includes three parts, starting with a solo soprano saxophone performance by Ariel, continued by a piece by the string trio and concluded by a quartet performance by Ariel with the trio. Over 61 minutes of purely improvised music, challenging and difficult as always, but deeply rewarding to the disciples of the genre. Ariel’s playing is deeply rooted in the tradition of the late period John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, Steve LacyFind albums by this artist and Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist, based on complete control of the instrument, virtuosity and of course relentless passion. The balance between Ariel and the string trio, as well as their cooperative group improvisation is truly inspiring. Contrary to popular opinion improvised music is definitely still alive and kicking, and the fact that it still thrives here in Israel (although abandoned in other places) makes me especially proud, proving the multi-cultural openness of our society.
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  | SIMPLE ACOUSTIC TRIO ~ HABANERA
NOT TWO 712 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1999 Released: 2000
This is the 4th album by the Polish Jazz ensemble Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of pianist Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. Of the eight tracks on this album five were composed by Wasilewski, one by Kurkiewicz, another by the Polish Jazz legend Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, who employed the trio as his rhythm section for several years and finally the title track by Spanish composer Miguel BlancoFind albums by this artist.
Recorded just before the trio recorded the three seminal albums for the ECMFind albums on this label label with Stanko (as his sidemen), this album is definitely a turning point, which marks their arrival at the level of musical champions, paralleled only by very few other Jazz musicians in general and piano trios in particular. This was also their last album to be released on a Polish label, as they were about to be enlisted to the ECM roster as a trio in the days that followed.
Personally I love this transitory album and in many respects it is my favorite album by the trio, as it finds them completely mature and fully developed on one hand and still enthusiastic, hungry and burning on the other. As a result this album includes some of their best performances, which are full of elegance, virtuosity and sophistication, but at the same time are more relaxed and less constrained than their future work. Of course these are marvelous and devilishly talented musicians, so everything they do tends to be both perfect and beautiful, but these last glimpses of their youth and innocence are truly precious to me.
Whichever way one looks at this album, it remains a milestone of Polish Jazz, a superb opener for the 21st Century European Jazz and a must in any decent record collection. Since the ensemble managed to become an integral part of the history of Jazz piano trio, this album becomes an essential piece of the infinite puzzle called Jazz, which we love so much. Essential stuff!
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  | SIMPLE ACOUSTIC TRIO ~ KOMEDA
GOWI 22 (Barcode: 786497137329) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1995 Released: 1995
Polish Jazz musicians are well aware of the enormous contribution made to modern Jazz in their country by the Genius pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, the Godfather of modern Polish Jazz. Therefore they play tribute to the great man quite often, either by including his compositions or dedicating entire albums to Komeda´s music. This is one of such album, recorded by the great Polish Jazz trio, called Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist, led by pianist Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist with bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. This is the trio´s debut album. If these names seem somewhat familiar to you, no wander, as they are also the members of the superb Polish quartet let by the legendary trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, which recorded three albums for the ECMFind albums on this label label. In fact the trio now records for ECM as well. So now with everything in place, there is little need to expand much further here, as people familiar with the Stanko recordings already know this is one of the best piano trios in the world and everything they touch turns to instant musical gold. This album is no different and every Jazz fan on this planet should enjoy it greatly and with Komeda´s music present, things just can´t get much better. Wholeheartedly recommended!
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  | SIMPLE ACOUSTIC TRIO ~ LULLABY FOR ROSEMARY
NOT TWO 727 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1995 - 2001 Released: 2001
This is a reissue of the debut album, originally entitled "KomedaFind albums with this title", by the superb Polish Jazz trio called Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of pianist Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. This edition includes a bonus track not present on the original release, which is a live recording at the Polish Radio. In retrospect recording a debut album with Komeda´s music might have been slightly overreaching, since Komeda´s intricate compositions require sensitivity and experience well beyond the age of these musician at the time this album was recorded. Nevertheless they stood up to the challenge admirably, which proved that they were surely not "another" piano trio, but a formidable unit destined for greatness, which of course did materialize later. The bonus track gives a nice point of reference between the original music recorded six years earlier and the trio´s abilities at a later stage. In short this is a brilliant piano trio album worthy of an honorable place in any serious record collection and a must for any Polish / European Jazz fan. For more information read my comments on the original album. Superb stuff!
| | | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | SIMPLE ACOUSTIC TRIO ~ TRIO
ECM 1891 (Barcode: 602498206324) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2004 Released: 2005
This is the debut album on the legendary ECMFind albums on this label label by the great Polish Jazz trio, called Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist, led by pianist Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist with bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. If these names seem somewhat familiar to you, no wander, as they were also the members of the superb Polish quartet led by the legendary trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, which recorded three albums for ECM. However, the ECM recording is far from being the trio´s recording debut, as they have been active on the local scene in Poland a whole decade earlier and recorded several brilliant albums already. Always in top form, sensitive and technically perfect, these musicians are pillars of the new generation of Polish Jazz and their music is a true inspiration. The thirteen pieces presented on this album come from a variety of sources, from Pop to Classical music and about half of the material was composed or co-composed by the trio members. This is one of the best piano trios in the world and everything they touch turns to instant musical gold. This album is no different and every Jazz fan on this planet should enjoy it greatly. Wholeheartedly recommended!
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  | SIMPLE ACOUSTIC TRIO ~ WHEN WILL THE BLUES LEAVE?
POLONIA 069 (Barcode: 5904542687574) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1995 Released: 2008
This is the 2nd album by the superb Polish Jazz trio called Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist, which consists of pianist Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. Recorded just a few months after their brilliant debut album "KomedaFind albums with this title", dedicated to the music of the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, this album is quite different and features the trio´s leader as the main composer in addition to his duties as the focal soloist. Wasilewski composed six of the nine compositions present on this album, Kurkiewicz added one of his own and the other two originate outside the trio, with the title tune being by Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist and an additional one by Carla BleyFind albums by this artist. Playing their own music allows the trio to stretch out and dare, much more so that on the debut. Of course Komeda´s music can be intimidation and even plain scary to every Polish Jazz musician, in view of Komeda´s legendary status, especially to such young musicians as the trio members at the time of recording the debut. But here they are, free of any (psychological or other) apprehensions, and the music surely indicates that. Of course these musicians are extremely talented and carry the "spark" of Jazz in their soul / heart, so anything they play sounds simply wonderful, even if the youthful energies are sometimes just a bit over the top. Of course a few years later the trio will receive a great lesson in Jazz from their Mentor Tomasz Stanko, with whom they were destined to play and record, a fact that at the time of this recording could only be a dream. But dreams do come true sometimes. In retrospect this is an incredible album by any standard, which (all things considered) withstands the test of time flawlessly and serves as a proof to the fact that the 1990 were not all a loss after all. An absolute must to Polish Jazz fans, piano trio fans and anybody with a pair of clean ears!
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  | JOHN SURMAN ~ WESTERING HOME
FMR 016 ~ UK ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1972 Released: 1995
British saxophone Colossus John SurmanFind albums by this artist was one of the busiest European Jazz musicians in the late 1960s. Between the time he recorded his eponymous debut album as a leader in 1968 and this 1972 recording Surman took part in no less than 45 recording sessions, both as a leader and sideman, recorded in UK, Germany and France. His position at the vortex of the burgeoning European modern Jazz and Improvised Music scene was a catalyst expanding the musical horizons and contributing to the scene’s rapid development by creating new musical discoveries. Surman’s musical fingerprints were all over the music, regardless if his input was just a guest solo appearance or a leading position. His legendary group called simply The TrioFind albums by this artist (with bassist Barre PhillipsFind albums by this artist and drummer Stu MartinFind albums by this artist), active between 1969 and 1971, was one of Europe’s most visionary ensembles and its recording legacy stands out as a beacon of European Jazz to this very day. Following this frantic activity Surman decided to take a radical side step and re-evaluate his output and musical approach. The result was this magnificent album, recorded completely solo by Surman by multi-tracking (overdubbing) the instruments (various saxophones, keyboards and percussion instruments) – an extremely bold and innovative approach to recording at that time (Surman will use this same approach in the future). These “conversations with himself” are all deeply personal statements; soul-searching, revealing and contemplative, all exquisitely executed. Baritone and soprano saxophone duels, long solos, shifting rhythms and moods – all the ingredients of great music are here for the listener to absorb and delight in. Surman proves again not only his brilliant technique as a player and composer, but must importantly being an innovator and pioneer of groundbreaking ideas. The album remains to this very day as a milestone of modern European Jazz and one of the great achievements of Surman’s illustrious career. The album was originally released on the HelpFind albums on this label label – a short-lived subsidiary of IslandFind albums on this label dedicated to “bizarre” stuff - and unavailable for many years. Great to have it back in circulation. Wholeheartedly recommended.
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  | TOMAS SYKORA TRIO & AID KID ~ ALCHEMY
ANIMAL MUSIC 114 (Barcode: 8594211850216) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion
Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023
This is an album by the Czech Jazz pianist / composer Tomas SykoraFind albums by this artist and his trio with bassist Tomas LiskaFind albums by this artist and drummer Roman VichaFind albums by this artist, augmented by the electronics artist Aid KidFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Ondra MikulaFind albums by this artist). The album presents nine tracks, all original compositions by Sykora.
The music is a highly exciting and innovative piece of contemporary Jazz, fused with electronics, which results in a fresh, up to date sound and feel, sometimes close to contemporary electronic Pop music, but still very much within the Jazz territory, with extensive improvisations by the leader and vigorous support by the slick rhythm section.
Sykora plays both acoustic piano and synthesizers, but the listener is surrounded by an electric perception, as a result of the electronic layers, electric bass and synthesizer parts. Yet the result manages to retain a solid melodic background and continuity, which keeps the music within a clearly harmonic environment, not crossing over to the Pop, Dance, Techno and Trance idioms.
Some Jazz purist my find this music too far removed from the Jazz tradition, but let’s keep in mind that Sykora has already proven his Jazz background beyond any doubt and this experimentation is nothing else but an attempt to discover new areas of interest, without compromising quality or aesthetic values.
Overall, this is an interesting and innovative attempt to amalgamate Jazz and electronic music, based on a set of highly melodic compositions, excellently executed by the participating musicians. Perhaps not universally appealing to the broad Jazz audiences, but highly interesting to the younger listeners, who are exposed to electronic sounds on a daily basis and should find this music familiar enough to explore it further. Definitely worth investigating!
| | Updated: 19/08/2023Posted: 19/08/2023 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | SZCZERBATE ZAJACZKI TRIO ~ SZCZERBATE ZAJACZKI TRIO
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013
This is the debut album by Szczerbate Zajaczki TrioFind albums by this artist, a Polish Jazz piano trio from the city of Torun. It consists of three young musicians: pianist Bartek StaszkiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert Rychlicki-GasowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech ZadruzynskiFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of eight compositions, two of which are standards and the remaining six are original compositions by the pianist or by the entire trio.
The piano trio is of course a most demanding format and therefore any recording by young musicians just entering the world of music is unfortunately often compared to the masterpieces of that format, which is hardly fair. In Poland, which has many fabulous pianists and extraordinary piano trios, the competition on the local scene is even tougher. Therefore one must try and listen to this introductory effort with an open mind and proper proportions.
There is no doubt that these musicians have a lot of potential and talent, both as players and as composers. The original music presented here is all quite interesting and well formed, being the strongest advantage of this album. Mostly low-key, it displays the typical Polish Jazz melancholy and Folklore roots, which are deeply implanted in most Polish composers. The actual instrumental and improvisational qualities of these young players are yet to be fully developed and sound a bit naïve at times, but definitely nothing they should be ashamed of. It is simply a matter of experience, both technically and mentally, until a musician is able to express himself at his full capacity.
Overall it is definitely a worthy debut, which is a pleasant listening experience, and which hopefully will be followed soon by a much more mature musical project, which I look forward to hearing.
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  | TEMPERAMENTAL TRIO ~ RAW AND THE COOKED
KADIMA COLLECTIVE 06 ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2006 Released: 2006
The Jerusalem based “Kadima Collective”, under the leadership of Jean Claude JonesFind albums by this artist, has been over the last few years a major source of new Israeli releases, all of which present the local improvised music scene, or what is often referred to as “weird jazz”. Jones and his cohorts create music which is totally free from any commercial / business aspects, which enables them total artistic freedom of expression. Temperamental TrioFind albums by this artist is Stephen HorensteinFind albums by this artist – baritone saxophone, Loic KessousFind albums by this artist – electronics and Jean Claude Jones – bass. They perform a series of collaborative compositions freely floating between free jazz, contemporary chamber music and electronic music. Highly emotional and absorbing, these sound collages are a demanding listening experience for open-minded and experienced listeners.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | THREE GENERATIONS TRIO ~ LIVE! IN JAZZ CLUB PINOKIO!
GAD 313 (Barcode: 5903068125904) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1992 - 1994 Released: 2024
This is a reissue of an album by the Polish Fusion trio called Three Generations TrioFind albums by this artist, which comprised of guitarist Marek RaduliFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Wojciech PilichowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Zbigniew LewandowskiFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live and presents eleven tracks, five of which are original compositions by Raduli, one is by Pilichowski and the rest are by other composers. This reissue adds one bonus track from another album by Lewandowski.
The trio’s moniker originates due to the age differences between the members, but their performance together finds them completely in sync which each other. Although this album, released privately, was overlooked at the time and disappeared pretty quickly, it is a great example of guitar power trio playing classic Fusion, and this reissue is a welcome occasion for the album to be re-discovered by Fusion fans. Raduli is undoubtedly one of the best Polish guitar players, who sadly never achieved the fame and recognition he deserves. Pilichowski, as heard here, is also a highly talented bassist, but he also almost disappeared from the scene. Lewandowski, who is more associated with the Polish Jazz scene, made occasional reappearances over the time, but again it would have been nice to hear more from him over time.
The problem with Fusion is of course, that its musical scope developed rapidly and soon after got stuck in a limbo, which persists to this very day. This means that as far as Fusion is concerned, this album is as actual today as it was at the time it was recorded three decades ago, for good and for bad.
Overall, this is still a scorching Fusion album, which for the lovers of the genre and guitar aficionados is as perfect as it gets. The sound quality is great and the trio storms the stage, taking no prisoners. Considering how rare this album was before the reissue, this is quite a celebration. Well done as usual, GADFind albums on this label Records, the champion of Polish recorded music archeology!
| | Updated: 03/02/2025Posted: 03/02/2025 | CD 1 Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | TIBURTINA ENSEMBLE / DAVID DORUZKA TRIO ~ APOKALIPSIS
ANIMAL MUSIC 041 (Barcode: 8594155997053) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013
This is an album by Czech female vocal septet called Tiburtina EnsembleFind albums by this artist, directed by Barbora SojkovaFind albums by this artist, and Czech Jazz guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist and his trio with saxophonist / bass clarinetist Marcel BartaFind albums by this artist and drummer Martin NovakFind albums by this artist. The album presents eighteen tracks recorded at the Zvikov Castle, which combine medieval music, mostly from the early fourteenth Century Las Huelgas Codex from Spain, based on Biblical texts (mostly the Book of Revelation or Apocalypse of St. John – hence the title) and contemporary improvisations by the trio led by Doruzka.
The audacious attempt to bridge the almost Millennium long chasm, not only musical but also cultural and even spiritual, seems at first completely unimaginable, but this album proves that music is indeed timeless and the musicians are able to create an amalgam, which ignores the a.m. disparities.
The original medieval vocal music is performed almost "untouched", in all its glory and divinity. The individual voices of the ensemble members as well as the choir parts are absolutely stunning, which is hardly surprising considering the Tiburtina Ensemble´s well earned reputation.
However, the improvised parts by Doruzka and his cohorts are even more shocking, since their contemporary form and sound differs as totally as humanly possible from the medieval music, and yet are able to create a mystical bond between the two. Symbolically, like in the Book of Revelation, where the Good eventually triumphs over Evil, here the great stylistic division manages to be conquered by human ingenuity and love of music.
Obviously this is no ordinary music, and it demands from the listener a complete submission to the overall sonic experience. Cultural background and knowledge of music history can be helpful, but is not necessary in order to absorb this wonderful and very potent offering, absolutely worth of every bit of effort needed to fully enjoy it.
This is one of the most profound musical projects that try to bring medieval music into contemporary musical environment that I ever encountered, and as such it deserves a special praise, in addition to the wonderful sound recording and highly aesthetic packaging, all of which speak volumes of the Czech Culture and love of music and tradition. Kudus to all the people involved in this project and of course a warmest recommendation to all true music connoisseurs to get a copy ASAP. Hats off!
| | Updated: 16/10/2020Posted: 16/10/2020 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | VIKTOR TOTH / AURA TRIO ~ HAVE NO FEAR
FONO 463 (Barcode: 5998048546329) ~ HUNGARY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020
This is an album by Hungarian Jazz saxophonist Viktor TothFind albums by this artist and his Aura TrioFind albums by this artist, which also includes cimbalom player Miklos LukacsFind albums by this artist and bassist Gyorgy OrbanFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Toth, recorded live at the Opus Jazz club in Budapest.
The music is a fascinating and explosive modern Jazz adventure, which combines Coltranesque wall of sound improvisation with the Folkloristic background of the cimbalom, which results in a highly original aural experience. Toth is an extremely passionate player, able to produce wave after wave of explosive improvisations, which although being deeply rooted in the Free Jazz tradition, always include a strong melodic contents, and as such deliver a very powerful message.
The sound of the trio is very “different” and takes a while to soak in, especially to listeners unfamiliar with the highly specific ring of the cimbalom, but the patience definitely pays off as the result is truly magical.
Toth is one of the most interesting East European improvisers with an impressive recording legacy and highly deserved recognition among his peers, and as this album proves beyond any doubt a musician worth following.
Overall, this is a wonderful piece modern Jazz, which bursts with energy and talent and for people unfamiliar with the Hungarian Jazz scene should be quite an eye (ear) opener. Highly recommended!
| | Updated: 29/08/2021Posted: 29/08/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | TRC TRIO ~ NOW NEW
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013
This is a live recording by the Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music TRC TrioFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Tomasz GadeckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Rafal MazurFind albums by this artist and drummer Connor MurrayFind albums by this artist. Gadecki is also a member of the excellent Olbrzym I KurdupelFind albums by this artist duo, which released a couple of albums earlier. The music is completely improvised and therefore not specifically credited to any individual musician but considered a common spontaneous creation. Technically the music is sub-divided into four tracks on the album, but those remain nameless and unlisted.
This kind of music is a wonderful example of the spur of the moment creation which Improvised Music offers its listeners, for good and for bad. It is all about "now" and if the "now" happens to be able to create musical magic, as it does in this case, all is fine, but of course this in not always the case. There is no formula, which can foretell such result, things just happen. But when talented and completely dedicated musicians, such as these three herein, meet and create music, anything can happen.
There are many wonderful moments of highly inspired performances here, with Gadecki performing some amazing saxophone magic repeatedly, with virtuosity and flair. He is certainly worth following as one of the strongest players emerging on the Polish scene. His companions stand up shoulder to shoulder with his demanding leads, proving worthy of the challenge.
Of course there is the barrier separating these musicians and their audience, which in order to be able to let in this music into their consciousness has to let go of all pre-conceptions, limitations and traditional musical experience and simply flow with the sonic experience these musicians offer. The effort such music requires is definitely worth making, as this music can be deeply moving and wonderfully entertaining intellectually.
The album itself is another document of the incredible Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene, which keeps producing some truly exceptional music in the last decade or so, surely being one of the most prolific and most advanced scenes on which these genres flourish. With new generations of players boldly stepping in and joining the ranks as well as visiting musicians from all over the world participating and collaboration with the locals, the resulting scene is simply marvelously alive and productive.
Improvised Music fans will find this most interesting and although this kind of music caters only to a tiny minority, it compensates emotionally and intellectually those dedicated enough to give it their ears.
| | | CD-R 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | TRIO DA PAZ ~ BLACK ORPHEUS
KOKOPELLI 1299 ~ BRAZIL ~ Jazz
AMG Review: No discussion of the history of Brazilian music is complete without mentioning the 1959 Brazilian film Black Orpheus, which brought attention to the music of Brazilian composers Antonio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfa and popularized the Bonfa classics "Manha De Carnaval" and "Samba De Orfeo." The Black Orpheus soundtrack was a major source of inspiration for Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd and other key figures in the bossa nova explosion of the early to mid-1960s, and it´s also Brazilian group Trio De Paz´s primary inspiration on this jazz-oriented release, which flutist Herbie Mann produced for his Kokopelli label. Consisting of guitarist Romero Lubambo, bassist Nilson Matta and drummer Dudaka Da Fonseca, Paz favors what could be called Brazilian Hard Bop. Though the Brazilians are quite melodic, they favor a much more intense and hard-swinging approach to the samba and to Bonfa and Jobim´s gems than Getz did in the early to mid-1960s. Subtlety and restraint characterized Getz´s bossa nova, but Trio De Paz is passionately aggressive on this excellent CD.
| | Updated: 12/06/2018Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | TRIO OF DOOM ~ TRIO OF DOOM
COLUMBIA 96450 (Barcode: 827969645024) ~ USA ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1979 Released: 2007
A power Fusion trio consisting of musicians of such caliber as John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist (guitar), Jaco PastoriusFind albums by this artist (bass) and Tony WilliamsFind albums by this artist (drums) usually only happens in the wildest and wettest of dreams by serious Fusion-heads, but if fact this one did happen in reality and even recorded both live and in the studio. Trio Of DoomFind albums by this artist was a one-time collaboration assembled for the occasion of the historic Havana Jam Festival in Cuba, where for the first time US performers were allowed to play before the Cuban audience. The festival took place for 3 days in early March of 1979 and presented a wide variety of US artists (pop, rock & jazz) and was recorded by ColumbiaFind albums on this label. Selections were later released on 2 albums, including 3 of the tracks on this album. Although McLaughlin never played before with Pastorius, both of them did play with Williams: McLaughlin as a member of his group LifetimeFind albums by this artist and Pastorius in Weather ReportFind albums by this artist, when Williams played on Mr. GoneFind albums with this title. The trio’s rehearsals were very successful, but the actual concert at Havana’s Carl Marx (what else?) hall turned out to be unsatisfactory due to a hectic and out-of-focus performance by Pastorius. The legend has it that Williams almost kicked the hell out of Pastorius after the gig (being a men of enormous physical strength this was no laughing matter), but seeing how spaced-out Pastorius was punched a hole in a wall instead. When Columbia informed McLaughlin that they want to use the Havana material for their albums, McLaughlin opposed and eventually a recording session was set up a week later to repeat the live performance in the studio. The resulting studio material was then used to overdub parts of the live recording, which appeared on the Havana Jam albums. This album brings us (28 years later) the entire live and studio material recorded by the Trio Of Doom in its original form, most of it previously unreleased in any form. The music is of course electrifying and almost super-human. All three musicians at the peek of their performing powers, with years of experience and enormous talents just can’t go wrong. Williams is in fact the moving power behind the trio, with his phenomenal technique and sublime interplay with his partners. This music kicks serous ass and whatever minor imperfections overshadowed the outcome at the time, those are long time gone and thankfully forgiven / forgotten. We can all enjoy this glorious Fusion gem, which is finally out of the vaults. Viva Fusion!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | TRIO PBP ~ SCHUBERT WINTERREISE
REQUIEM / LYDIAN 2020/12 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020
This is the debut album by Polish Jazz Trio PBPFind albums by this artist comprising of young (fifteen years old when the project commenced) pianist Stanislaw PantaFind albums by this artist, flautist Ryszard BorowskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the trio plays ten interpretations of songs from the Winterreise song cycle by Franz SchubertFind albums by this artist, with the music being credited to Borowski (?).
The music is rather predictable, with the original themes clearly audible and the improvisations kept within the strictly mainstream Jazz idiom, resulting in a pleasant, easy going Jazz-Classical Fusion outing, which can be easily enjoyed by a wide audience, not necessarily associated with Jazz.
Pawel Panta is an excellent bassist with an impressive recording legacy and his work on this album is the key element which keeps the music together, being in charge of the pulse (especially in a drumless setting) and providing the music with some sense of swing. Stanislaw Panta is still very young of course, but he plays nice harmonic structures and accompanies the flute work amicably, soloing modestly, but displaying talent and obvious understanding of the Jazz principles.
Borowski, who is a Classical flautist, arranger, composer and educator, has been involved with Jazz for years, as a performer, educator and recording artists, always combining the cross-genre attitude, with various degrees of success.
Overall, this is a pleasant, but hardly challenging piece of easy Jazz-Classical Fusion, which borders on Smooth Jazz.
| | Updated: 20/09/2021Posted: 20/09/2021 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | TRIO SHALVA ~ RIDING ALONE
NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 884501440813) ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz-World Fusion
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011
Trio Shalva consists of three Israeli Jazz musicians living in the US: pianist Assaf GleiznerFind albums by this artist, guitarist Koby HayonFind albums by this artist and drummer Nadav Snir ZelnikerFind albums by this artist. This is their debut recording as a trio, presenting a tribute to Israeli music, which is an integral part of their cultural heritage. Of the nine tracks present on the album, six are Israeli standards / evergreens and three are originals (two by Hayon and the title track by Gleizner). In contrast to Hayon´s excellent debut album "GeminiFind albums with this title" released a year earlier, on this album he plays mostly bass guitar (with a few acoustic guitar parts), which basically makes Trio Shalva a piano trio with the pianist naturally being the main soloist. But the trio works as a close-knit unit with a lot of mutual respect, listening and complimenting each other. The approach is basically mellow, with emphasis on melody, but the improvisations are interesting and the level of musicianship excellent at all times. Most importantly they manage to avoid being trivial, which is always the greatest danger, when playing standards. The album is appealing both to relatively inexperienced Jazz listeners, who can follow the melodic lines, and the connoisseurs, who can enjoy the sophisticated arrangement and the intricate tricks of the trade. The sound and recording quality are also excellent. Overall this is a very aesthetically pleasing album, which only gets better with repeated listening. Warmly recommended!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | TUBIS TRIO ~ FLASHBACK
AUDIO CAVE 2018/010 (Barcode: 5905669566612) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018
This is the third album by Polish Jazz piano trio called Tubis TrioFind albums by this artist led by pianist / composer Maciej TubisFind albums by this artist with bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the leader.
The music is deeply melodic and often melancholic, strongly related to the typical Polish harmonics, soaked in Polish musical heritage, but also touching upon serial music and minimalism. It floats somewhere between popular instrumental music, contemporary Classical Music and Jazz, but escapes clear stylistic or genre classification. However the music does have a coherent compositional language and approach, definitely more precisely defined than on the earlier albums by Tubis, which means that he reached herein his maturity as a composer.
This album also marks the position of the trio as a close musical unit, way more prominently than on the earlier recordings, which were dominated by the piano parts. On this album the music features the piano and the rhythm section side by side as equal partners. Although the melodic content is obviously stated by the piano, the bass and the drums are clearly present all along the way, recorded on the same level and being inseparable from the piano parts.
Although the music is only somewhat related to Jazz, being intrinsically quite distant from the mainstream Jazz idiom, the Jazz listeners are probably the most immediate audience, to which this music should speak straightforwardly. But of course any open-minded and sensitive music lover should be able to enjoy it to the max. In spite of its seemingly easy nature, this music requires serious and attentive listening and a lot of patience, as it utilizes nontrivial harmonic structures and odd meters, quirky tempo alterations and other compositional tricks of the trade.
Overall this is by far the most interesting offering by Tubis to date, a mature, coherent piece of music, which clearly presents him and his cohorts as a slick musical unit and offers his compositional vision in full bloom. Warmly recommended!
| | Updated: 20/10/2018Posted: 16/10/2018 | CD 1 Digipak Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | TUBIS TRIO ~ SO US
AUDIO CAVE 2019/015 (Barcode: 5905669566872) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019
This is the fifth album by Polish piano trio called Tubis TrioFind albums by this artist, led by pianist / composer Maciej TubisFind albums by this artist and including bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by the leader.
The music is melody based, with emphasis on long cyclic repetitions of the themes with little variance and subtle dynamic changes. The powerful piano parts are dominating the proceedings almost completely, which leaves very little space for the rhythm section to add anything except rhythmic assistance. As a result the trio functions as a very tight musical unit, producing an intense, almost wall of sound effect.
It is difficult to classify this music as strict Jazz, in spite of the fact that it does include improvisations, since its ambience is closer to Classical Music in many respects and its rhythmic elements do not swing in a classic Jazzy way. But regardless of what on tries to classify it as, it can be very appealing to Jazz lovers as well. Tubis piano playing is certainly impressive enough to keep piano lovers happy.
The only problem with this album, as far as I am concerned, is the fact that all the albums by the trio (except for the album that precedes this one, which was a special project) are very similar in sound and structure, and do not show a clear path towards new ventures, which naturally slips dangerously into the déjà vu area, so much so that the album´s title is almost ominous. Hopefully this will change with the trio´s next album.
| | Updated: 13/01/2020Posted: 13/01/2020 | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | TUBIS TRIO ~ SYGNOWANO BAJGELMAN: IMPRESJE
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019
This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz piano trio (Tubis TrioFind albums by this artist) led by pianist / composer Maciej TubisFind albums by this artist with bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. The album is a tribute to the Jewish violinist / conductor / composer Dawid BajgelmanFind albums by this artist, who was the director of the Lodz Yiddish Theater and who composed music for many Yiddish theatre plays, including S. Ansky´s "The Dybbuk", as well as many popular songs. Bajgelman was a prominent figure in the cultural life of the flourishing Jewish community of Lodz in the period between the two World Wars. He was interned in the Lodz ghetto in 1940 where he lived until 1944, and was sent by the last transport from the ghetto to Auschwitz, where he died in early 1945 shortly before the liberation. The album, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the liquidation of the Lodz ghetto, presents Jazz arrangements by Tubis of seven songs composed by Bajgelman.
Tubis made a remarkable job in transporting Bajgelman´s music almost a Century forward in time, proving how timeless and universal the music was to start with. The trio performs the music with passion and elegance, expressing the mixture of joy and melancholy that Jewish music is always immersed in, reflecting Jewish passion for life, which often is met with harsh reality.
The trio members are all seasoned musicians and their instrumental performances are all, as expected, beyond reproach. The ensemble performances sound as if performed by one spiritual body of music-makers, and the dynamics and sensitivity in relation to the original music is truly superbly expressed. Listeners familiar with the original songs will be able to recognize the motifs of course, but one can assume that Bajgelman´s music is not easily found these days, and therefore this album serves a great opportunity to re-discover this immensely talented composer.
Although inevitably soaked in the Holocaust historic setting, the music is a celebration of life and creativity and a wonderful tribute to Jewish Culture and tradition. Thank you Maciej for undertaking this challenging project and putting so much soul into making it come true!
| | Updated: 18/09/2019Posted: 18/09/2019 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | TUBIS TRIO ~ THE TRUTH
CHALLENGE 73445 (Barcode: 608917344523) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017
This is the second album by Polish Jazz piano trio (Tubis TrioFind albums by this artist) led by pianist / composer Maciej TubisFind albums by this artist, with bassist Pawel PuszczaloFind albums by this artist, who replaced the original bassist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist, and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Tubis. The album was recorded at the excellent RecPublica Studios in Poland, and presents a superb sonic quality with a somewhat unusual timbre and was released by the prestigious Dutch ChallengeFind albums on this label Records label. This album follows the debut album "Live In LuxembourgFind albums with this title", which was recorded nine and released seven years earlier, and which achieved some international acclaim.
The music is in fact only partly directly connected with the Jazz idiom, and belongs to the modern European instrumental music variety, which is strongly based on deeply melodic themes and lengthy lyrical, somewhat introvert improvisations, which use typical European harmonic approach, creating a manner similar to many other contemporary pianists, who record for the ECMFind albums on this label, ACTFind albums on this label and related labels. In most cases the compositions are slow and melancholic, with just a few of the album´s tracks using an up tempo pace.
The music is dominated by the piano parts and the rhythm section has limited opportunity to show off, but supports the leader very solidly and amicably. The bass provides the bottom notes all the way and its pulsations are vital to this music. The drums provide a steady rhythmic support, which suits this music perfectly. The instrumental performances are of course first class from start to finish.
Overall this is an excellent example of contemporary instrumental music, which is accessible to a wide audience without making any compromises as far as the music quality is concerned. This Polish trio proves again that Poland is a reliable source of great European music, which is on par with anything being created beyond its borders, usually quite ahead of the pack.
This is definitely a welcome comeback, which hopefully will not be followed by another long term of silence.
| | Updated: 27/06/2018Posted: 11/09/2017 | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | EDWARD VESALA TRIO ~ NANA
SVART 421 (Barcode: 6430065585183) ~ FINLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2018
This is a reissue of the iconic debut album by the Godfather of modern Finnish Jazz drummer / composer / bandleader Edward VesalaFind albums by this artist and his trio with Finnish saxophonist Juhani AaltonenFind albums by this artist and Norwegian bassist Arild AndersenFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, four by Aaltonen, one each by Vesala and Andersen and one co-composed by all three members of the trio. Finnish trumpeter Mike KoskinenFind albums by this artist, who was supposed to play on the album, fell ill and the recording went down in history as a trio affair.
This was the first ever Finnish Free Jazz album and except for the little known album "NykysuomalaistaFind albums with this title" (Contemporary Finnish) recorded a year earlier, on which Vesala and Aaltonen appeared only on the B side of the LP, this was the debut full album for both of them.
The music is typical of the early European Free Jazz wave, which exploded on both sides of the Iron Curtain by the late 1960s. Vesala enlisted Anderson (who was a few months younger than him) to play with the trio as Anderson had already gained experience playing Free Jazz with Don CherryFind albums by this artist and others. The cooperation proved to be of crucial importance for Vesala, as it led to him being introduced to Norwegian saxophonist Jan GarbarekFind albums by this artist. In 1972 Vesala took part in his first ECMFind albums on this label album, the Jan Garbarek´s "TriptykonFind albums with this title" and soon after recorded his debut album for the label "Nan MadolFind albums with this title". He recorded five more albums for ECM and also participated on albums by Polish trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist released by the label.
In retrospect, the album is not only a highly important document of Finnish / European Jazz, but also a piece of music that still sounds vibrant and exciting, in spite of the fact that it was recorded five decades earlier.
This remastered edition is the first ever appearance of this historic album on CD, and considering its immense importance, it is an absolute must for any serious European Free Jazz connoisseur!
| | Updated: 28/06/2020Posted: 26/06/2020 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | MAREK WALAROWSKI TRIO / WOJCIECH LICHTANSKI ~ COLORS OF THE NIGHT
SURFACE TENSION ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015
This is an album by Polish pianist / composer Marek WalarowskiFind albums by this artist with his trio which includes Czech electric bassist Lukas MuzikFind albums by this artist and drummer Miroslaw SitkowskiFind albums by this artist and features also saxophonist Wojciech LichtanskiFind albums by this artist, who completes a quartet setting. The quartet performs seven original compositions, all by Walarowski.
The music is kept within melodic mainstream, and is therefore pretty predictable, but the excellent compositions by Walarowski and beautiful playing by Lichtanski, who is one of the upcoming Polish Jazz young lions, turn this music into a nice listening experience. His alto saxophone has a great tone and he sounds like a true pro when playing some expanded and sophisticated solos through out this album.
The rhythm section is also doing a fine job, and although I prefer acoustic bass in a strict Jazz setting, Muzik manages to do his part solidly while Sitkowski keeps the time without a hitch.
Walarowski´s compositions are all little gems with superb melody lines and nice chord structures, which are not inferior to any of the Jazz standards we are used to hear all the time. His performances are also spotless, although have a specific Classical influence, which can be heard by a trained ear. Nevertheless his playing is always a true pleasure to listen to.
Overall the album offers some very nice music, which was very well recorded and mixed and all mainstream Jazz lovers should find it most appropriate as part of their music collections. Definitely worth investigating!
| | Updated: 26/06/2016Posted: 26/06/2016 | CD-R 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | WARM TRIO ~ MOUSE PARADISE
RG 107 (Barcode: 5902693143468) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020
This is the second album by the Warm TrioFind albums by this artist, which comprises of Polish guitarist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, bassist Grzegorz KorybalskiFind albums by this artist and American drummer Calvin WestonFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, including one bonus track that does not appear on the LP edition of this album. All the music was co-composed by the trio members, except one track which features American violinist Steve KindlerFind albums by this artist, who is also listed as co-composer.
The trio offers a phenomenal “power trio” Fusion, based on excellent melodic themes and superbly hard driven performance by all three musicians. The guitar is obviously fronting the line, with a sound every Hard Rock group would wish to call their own, but which these days hardly ever happens. The powerful rhythm section drives the music mercilessly forward, with a power of a nuclear submarine. The resulting wall of sound effect is simply overwhelming, in the best sense of course.
Overall, this is superb follow up to the debut album and a great piece of music for listeners who want their music loud and hard, but intelligent and diverse enough to keep them interested for the duration. Fusion on steroids and an absolute must to guitar lovers, who might need resuscitation along the way.
| | Updated: 01/05/2022Posted: 01/05/2022 | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | WARM TRIO ~ WARM TRIO
RG 101 (Barcode: 20151010) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015
This is an album by Dark Rock / Fusion group Warm TrioFind albums by this artist comprising of Polish guitarist / composer Boguslaw RaatzFind albums by this artist, bassist Grzegorz KorybalskiFind albums by this artist and American drummer Calvin WestonFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original instrumental compositions, nine of which were co-composed by the trio members and one each by Raatz and Weston.
The music moves between typical guitar power trios Heavy Rock riff oriented pieces and more Fusion oriented material, with extensive improvisations. The focus is obviously on the guitar pyrotechnics, which Raatz is a Master of, but there us also a lot of melodic contents and ambient atmosphere. The rhythm section supports the leader amicably and holds the pulse firmly, which is exactly what this kind of music needs.
In contrast to most recordings of this type, the music on this album is diverse enough to keep the listener interested over the entire span of the album, but it is undoubtedly very specific and will appeal to Rock fans who like their music heavy, loud and intense.
For guitar aficionados this album is a treasure chest of technical tips how to use the instrument to the max, without being excessive and boring. Definitely an ear opener!
| | Updated: 18/02/2019Posted: 18/02/2019 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO ~ EN ATTENDANT
ECM 2677 (Barcode: 602438100057) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2021
This is the 6th album by the Polish Jazz trio led by pianist / composer Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, which also includes bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven tracks, three of which are parts of the same composition / improvisation cycle co-composed by all three members of the trio, one is by Wasilewski, one by Carla BleyFind albums by this artist, one by Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist and finally one by The DoorsFind albums by this artist.
Although the album was released well over two years ago, somehow a copy never landed on my desk until my recent visit in Warsaw, where I attended a concert by the trio and got a copy of the album, autographed by the musicians, following a chat in the dressing room. Life is hectic and with pandemics, wars and political upheavals, anything can happen…
Together for well over two decades, the trio is not only one of the most firmly established Polish / European Jazz entities, but also a superb example of the unifying force of a stable Artistic environment. Three great and highly creative individuals, who are able to function like a multi-headed organism, in perfect symbiosis.
The music on this album is the most serene, delicate, contemplative and melodic collection of sounds that the trio created since a long time. In perfect contrast to the havoc surrounding my life at present, this is a perfect balsam for the soul, exactly what the doctor prescribed. As far as a classic Jazz piano trio is concerned, these are but a few better examples of the harmony, not only musical but also spiritual, that can be achieved within this format, going as far back as the Bill Evans / Scott LaFaro / Paul Motian trio, with an up to date musical format of course, which includes shades of Free Improvisation entwined within the proceedings.
Overall, this is a truly Masterful piece of contemporary Jazz, one of Wasilewski & Co. best recordings and an absolute must for all Polish / European Jazz enthusiasts. A minimalist outing, with the “less is more” mantra at helm, this album is an immediate classic!
| | Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 29/12/2023 | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO ~ FAITHFUL
ECM 2208 (Barcode: 602527591056) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011
This is the second album released on the ECMFind albums on this label label by the great Polish piano trio, led by pianist / composer Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist with bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. The trio used to be called Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist and released several albums under that name before someone (at ECM?) decided to put the leader´s name up front, which seems hardy fair or appropriate after so many years they played together under that name.
But setting such trivia as marketing tactics and ego trips aside, the music made by these wonderful musicians is as usual outstanding. Of the ten tracks present here, Wasilewski composed five and the others are by such diverse composers as Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist, Hermeto PascoalFind albums by this artist or the German composer Hanns EislerFind albums by this artist. The music is played with flair and panache, but slightly lacks the adventurous streak I personally always look for. One might have thought that after years of playing with Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, some of his magic would have rubbed off.
Nevertheless both technically and emotionally this is as near perfection as one can expect from a "well behaved" album, and the above comments do not reflect negatively on this beautiful piece of music and the exceptional music-making captured herein. Always melodic, even in the heat of improvisation, with a wonderful support from the bassist and gentle but accurate input from the drummer, this music simply sounds great, especially when so well recorded.
Listeners, who enjoyed the trio´s previous output, will definitely not be disappointed, with a good chance for many new followers discovering them here.
Visitors' Comments
Christopher Brice
I think they get better and better!
| | Updated: 19/09/2018Posted: | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO ~ JANUARY
ECM 2019 (Barcode: 602517373457) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2007 Released: 2008
This is the debut album on the legendary ECMFind albums on this label label by the great Polish Jazz trio, which used to be called Simple Acoustic TrioFind albums by this artist, led by pianist / composer Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist with bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. If these names seem somewhat familiar to you, no wander, as they were also the members of the superb Polish quartet led by the legendary trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, which recorded three albums for ECM. However, the ECM recordings are far from being the trio´s recording debut, as they have been active on the local scene in Poland a whole decade earlier and recorded several brilliant albums already.
Always in top form, sensitive and technically perfect, these musicians are pillars of the new generation of Polish Jazz and their music is a true inspiration. The ten pieces presented on this album include classic Jazz compositions by musicians like Carla BleyFind albums by this artist and Gary PeacockFind albums by this artist, but most of the material was composed by the pianist, who is undoubtedly a great composer as well.
This is one of the best piano trios in the world and everything they touch turns to instant musical gold. This album is no different and every Jazz fan on this planet should enjoy it greatly. Wholeheartedly recommended!
Visitors' Comments
Christopher Brice
Oddly, they have changed their name to Marcin Wasilewski Trio but they are building on the two excellent albums as Simple Acoustic Trio; this one arrived today and is stuck in the CD player on "repeat." I look forward to sampling their new album from ECM as soon as Adam brings it to Israel!
| | Updated: 19/09/2018Posted: | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO ~ LIVE
ECM 2592 (Barcode: 602567384861) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018
This is the fourth album on the ECMFind albums on this label label by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist and his trio, which also includes bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. This is also the first live recording by the trio on that label. The album presents seven compositions (the first two combined into one piece), all composed by Wasilewski except for an interpretation of a song by StingFind albums by this artist and a Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist tune. All of these compositions originate from the trio´s previous album "Spark Of LifeFind albums with this title" except for one that originates from the second album "FaithfulFind albums with this title". As usual for ECM recordings, the album offers excellent sound quality and clarity.
Wasilewski and his trio managed to develop a symbiotic musical relationship in the twenty years they played together and ten albums they recorded together, not to mention their work with the legendary Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist as members of his "Polish Quartet". These years proved to be fruitful and rewarding in every sense, and established the trio among one of the top European piano trios since the turn of the Millennium.
Wasilewski´s role as a composer also developed steadily over time and he is today a core member of the Polish Jazz musical architects, who define the idiom, combining the Jazz tradition with Polish Folklore sources, the typical Polish melancholy and deeply melodic / harmonic sense of beauty and European finesse. His round and elegant music is the epitome of modern European Jazz, continuing the path set by the Godfathers of Polish / European Jazz. Naturally in time he achieved a highly respected position on the local Jazz scene as one of the leaders of the mid-generation and a highly sought after performer.
The trio functions at all times like one body, with the obvious virtuosity displayed by the leader, but not less importantly by the rhythm section, which fused together create an effect that is greater than the sum of its parts. These live recording enables the numerous fans of the trio to experience an instantaneous connection with the process of music making, which of course is much more intensive than listening to a studio album.
Overall this is a superb piece of Jazz piano trio music, performed by Masters and full of delicate and intricate moments hanging in the air, before the next touch of a key or pluck of a string or strike of a stick take the listener to the next magical moment. Elegant, sophisticated, lofty and above all unpretentious and honest, this music is pennies from heaven to every true Jazz connoisseur! Hats off!
| | Updated: 18/09/2018Posted: 16/09/2018 | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO / JOE LOVANO ~ ARCTIC RIFF
ECM 2678 (Barcode: 602508359835) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020
This is the fifth album by Polish Jazz trio led by pianist / composer Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, which also includes bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. It is only the second time in the trio´s recording career, which stretches back some twenty-five years, when it is expanded to a quartet with the addition of a saxophonist, this time the American Joe LovanoFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven tracks, four composed by Wasilewski, one by Lovano and two versions of a Carla BleyFind albums by this artist tune. The remaining four tracks are collective improvisations, credited to all four participants.
The music moves between the composed and improvised realms, and remains very intimate, at times minimalist, with Wasilewski sticking to his wonderful lyricism, whenever allowed to do so. The rhythm section is as perfect and complying as humanly possible, with brilliant, albeit usually very short, bass mini-solos by Kurkiewicz and supportive and yet subtle drumming by Miskiewicz. In short everything seems to be perfect as long as the trio is left alone.
However, the unholy alliance with Lovano comes immediately into the picture from the first notes he utters. There is an obvious clash of Cultures, aesthetics and sensibilities here, which is sadly unbreachable. There are very few American Jazz musicians that are able to connect to the European Jazz sensitivities, especially those of Eastern Europe, and Lovano is certainly not one of them. He is a veteran player with vast experience, impressive recording legacy and obvious skills, but he never managed to cross the boundaries of the American Jazz tradition and his playing is completely predictable. As a result he is basically holding the trio back rather than playing along or ideally pushing them forward. Even, or perhaps especially, in the improvised pieces he really has very little inspirational input to offer.
Overall, the album certainly has its moments, the trio is absolutely superb and the original music by Wasilewski is as brilliant as usual, but for me the quartet does not work out that well, and the result is crippled. I am looking forward to the next trio album or hearing them play live, which is always heavenly experience.
And yes I have read dozens of "reviews" hailing this album as a Holy Grail…oh well I am pretty much used to be in the opposition and I still trust my ears.
| | Updated: 30/10/2020Posted: 30/10/2020 | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | HEIN WESTGAARD TRIO ~ FIRST AS FARCE
NICE THINGS 011 (Barcode: 7041886101545) ~ NORWAY ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023
This is the debut album by Norwegian guitarist / composer Hein WestgaardFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio format both bassist Petter AsbjornsenFind albums by this artist and Danish drummer Simon ForchhammerFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve short tracks, seven composed by Westgaard and five co-composed by him and Asbjornsen.
The music, although based on composed ideas, is mostly spontaneously improvised, with a lot of freedom and space, but manages to create a coherent outcome. The sound is quite unique, minimalist and often contemplative, which is definitely not for a conventional Jazz listener, but people opened to Improvised Music should be able to enjoy this very much.
Despite the fact that the music lacks an easily recognizable melodic basis, it flows lucidly and even pleasantly, resulting in a fascinating aural experience. The rapport between the trio members is excellent and each of them contributes his part in full accord with the others, respectfully and agreeably.
The individual contributions by these young musicians are pretty impressive, and personally my favorite are the bass parts by Asbjornsen, which hold the music together splendidly.
Overall, this is an impressive debut recording, which shows considerable potential and talent by the participants. The music is definitely for Free Jazz / Improvised Music enthusiasts, rather than for mainstream Jazz listeners, but it holds many fascinating moments. Well done!
| | Updated: 04/02/2024Posted: 04/02/2024 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | WINDISCH TRIO ~ PROS & CONS
CHALLENGE 71389 (Barcode: 608917138924) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2020 Released: 2021
This is the debut album by the Windisch TrioFind albums by this artist led by young German pianist / composer Julius WindischFind albums by this artist and also including Italian bassist Igor SpallatiFind albums by this artist and Argentinean drummer Fermin MerloFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by the leader.
The music is brilliant modern Jazz, which takes the classic piano trio format to completely contemporary and even innovative platform, producing a sophisticated amalgam of melodic themes with highly individual soloing by the trio members. In contrast to the established piano trio concept of piano / rhythm section balance, but trio offers a unity of three individuals improvising concurrently, with no obvious leader, each of the instruments playing at times as if it existed only in its own world, but amazingly sounding overall as a perfectly synchronized ensemble. The result is pretty stunning, especially to conventional Jazz listeners, who might, at least during the initial listening, experience a slight dizziness / confusion, which hopefully should transform into pure amazement and aesthetic joy.
Despite the external appearance of being mostly Freely improvised, the music does have a perfectly coherent structure and modus operandi, which perhaps needs some time to get used to, but the initial effort leads to a most rewarding satisfaction. The concept works only thanks to the perfectly combined talents of these instrumentalists, which for the entire duration of the album stand shoulder to shoulder with their partners. There is intentionally no leader as such in this music, despite the fact that the piano is able to play vivid notes, as this music would lose its meaning without any of the instrumental ingredient missing in any given time.
I must admit that this album made a much stronger impression on me than expected and so far it definitely is the most exciting new album that landed on my desk this year. I have yet to hear the quartet album Windisch recorded a while back, but if it is as good as this one, he is certainly one of the bright young European musicians worth following closely. He certainly is a proud representative of the burgeoning Berlin Jazz scene, that returned to its former glory of decades ago, now in the hands of the new generation.
Anybody interested in contemporary European Jazz at its best should grab a copy of this gem immediately and don’t forget who told you about it :) Kudos to these young Lions! And no, there are co Cons whatsoever herein…
| | Updated: 11/08/2021Posted: 11/08/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | 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 | CD 1 Slipcase Recommend To A Friend |
  | SEBASTIAN ZAWADZKI TRIO & STRINGS ~ EUPHONY
FOR TUNE 0077 (Barcode: 5902768701814) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015
This is the second album released on For TuneFind albums on this label Records by the Polish Jazz pianist / composer Sebastian ZawadzkiFind albums by this artist, who in spite of his young age has already quite an impressive portfolio of achievements to his credit, which includes several albums and notable soundtracks of Polish movies. Zawadzki, who currently resides in Copenhagen, like numerous other young Polish Jazz musicians, who studied there and decided to settle in Denmark, recorded this album at the Danish Royal Academy of Music with an international team of musicians. It features his piano trio with Swedish bassist Johannes VahtFind albums by this artist and Danish drummer Morten LundFind albums by this artist and a string quartet comprising of musicians from different countries. The album presents twelve original compositions, all by Zawadzki, which encompass solo piano, trio, string quartet and septet (trio & strings) lineups.
The music is beautifully melodic, romantic and lyrical, smoothly amalgamating Jazz and Classical elements with taste and elegance. Although this kind of music often borders on muzak or schmaltz, Zawadzki manages to avoid crossing the line and keeps the music ambitious and accessible at the same time. The idea of using different instrumental lineups saves this album from sounding somewhat monotonous, which is always a danger. Of course some listeners might find it too "pretty", but honestly serene, harmonious, well composed and beautifully played music is always a blissful aesthetic experience.
It is interesting to compare this album with his previous For Tune release ("LuminescenceFind albums with this title"), which was a solo piano outing recorded over two years earlier. Zawadzki made quite a leap forward with his music, as evident on this new album, and learned to avoid many of the tribulations present on the earlier recording, which is commendable.
This album is of course a complete anomaly in the For Tune catalog, a proof of the label´s continuous search for new areas where good music thrives, which is greatly appreciated.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | JAKUB ZOLUBAK TRIO ~ LIVE AT JAZZSTATE
NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion
Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021
This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Jakub ZolubakFind albums by this artist, recorded with his trio which includes bassist Radek LukaszewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Patrycja WybranczykFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live at the Warsaw SPATiF club during the weekly Jazzstate gig, run by Karolina SzewcFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, seven of which are original compositions by the leader and one is by Bill FrisellFind albums by this artist.
The music is very subdued and delicate, with melancholic melodic themes, played by the guitar over solid bass and mostly hardly audible drum support, almost all within strict mainstream borders. After a few of these tunes everything starts to sound more or less the same and there is very little development as the time passes by. The guitar work is fine, but somewhat repetitive, and although one might appreciate the effort the album offers very little to get excited about. Stylistically the music fails to make a clear statement, as it is only marginally Jazz oriented, and I suppose most listeners would put it on the Fusion shelf, due to the spacy sound of the electric guitar.
Overall, listeners who like romantic Jazzy guitar tunes, which flow gently sort of “in the background”, might enjoy this. Personally this music does nothing to me and it was an effort to listen to it till the very end. But it is only me…many other critics seem to love this music. Go figure…
| | Updated: 26/12/2021Posted: 25/12/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ZORN TRIO ~ PLAYS MATS JOHANSSON
ISILDUR 00196 ~ SWEDEN ~ Progressive Rock
Mats JohanssonFind albums by this artist is of corse the leader / composer of Isildurs BaneFind albums by this artist - undoubtedly one of the greatest contemporary Prog groups. In addition to his work with IB, Johansson is a prolific composer of modern contemporary music with hundreds of pieces composed and recorded. This album presents his music performed by the excellent classical Swedish trio. Two extended pieces are present: `La Ruche` and `The Voyage`. The second was later expanded and arranged for IB and recorded as an album of the same name.
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