Record Reviews

DIXIE WARSAW JAZZMEN ~ CHINA BOY NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This delightful album presents the Polish Traditional Jazz ensemble Dixie Warsaw JazzmenFind albums by this artist, which comprises of musicians who used to play with other Polish Trad ensembles like HagawFind albums by this artist, Vistula River Brass BandFind albums by this artist, Gold WashboardFind albums by this artist and others: trumpeter Stefan WozniakowskiFind albums by this artist, clarinetist and vocalist Andrzej BigolasFind albums by this artist, bass saxophonist Wlodzimierz HalikFind albums by this artist and banjoist and vocalist Zygmunt JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist. They invited the violinist Maciej StrzelczykFind albums by this artist as a special guest and finally added the Fuerte String QuartetFind albums by this artist to play with them, creating a most unusual Trad ensemble with a new approach and rich sound texture. The music includes seven classic Dixieland compositions mostly dating from the early 20th Century, newly arranged to include the string quartet parts and featuring Polish lyrics on some of them. The overall effect is quite surprising and fresh, which should please many listeners, even those who usually don´t listen to Trad Jazz. It is great to see Trad Jazz still being performed vigorously and with such obvious dedication. Many younger Jazz listeners, who are unaware of the early history of the music, should find this most educational on top of being highly enjoyable. Strzelczyk plays some wonderful solos here and all the rest of the musicians perform spotlessly and with inspiration. This is a great opportunity to take a peek at the less serious, demanding and often over-intellectual Jazz by visiting the historic sources of the music and simply having fun! Very nice indeed!

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

VISTULA RIVER BRASS BAND ~ ENTERTAINER (POLISH JAZZ VOL.51) MUZA 0951 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1976 Released: 2004 This album by veteran ensemble Vistula River Brass BandFind albums by this artist presents the versatility of the Polish Jazz scene, which at all times presented the entire scope of Jazz music, from Ragtime to Avant-Grade, all of them on a very high artistic level. The ensemble was formed in the late 1960s by drummer Jerzy WieckowskiFind albums by this artist, who remained the leader for many years. They were basically an amateur ensemble, as most of the nine members had regular jobs, but they played like pros, winning many traditional Jazz competitions and recording two albums for the Polish Jazz series, of which this is the first. Stylistically they remained close to the very early days of Jazz, playing mostly music associated with New Orleans and Chicago in early 20th Century. The material on this album comprises only of standards, except for the bonus track, which was composed by the pianist of the band Jerzy ZebrowskiFind albums by this artist. The level of performance is absolutely excellent all the way through and every Jazz fan should be able to enjoy this music for what it stands for: quality and fun! Recommended!

CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend