Record Reviews

IN-FORMATION ~ IN-FORMATION TRIO POLSKIE RADIO 1248 (Barcode: 5907812242480) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1981 Released: 2013 This is the second installment in a series of releases documenting the recorded legacy of the great Polish Jazz pianist / composer Slawomir KulpowiczFind albums by this artist, most of which is released for the first time. Kulpowicz, who died prematurely in 2008 at the age of 56, was a victim of cancer. He was a member of groups led by the top Polish Jazz players like Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and led / co-led his own ensembles like The QuartetFind albums by this artist, In-FormationFind albums by this artist and also cooperated with many other musicians over the years. He was an avid follower of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist´s music and kept in touch with Coltrane´s wife Alice ColtraneFind albums by this artist. Following his visit to India, Kulpowicz discovered Indian music and the spiritual aura of India, which became his own. Following the demise of The Quartet, Kulpowicz founded a new ensemble, which he called In-Formation. Over time several different versions of In-Formation existed, including a duo, the basic piano trio, presented here, quartet and even sextet. In retrospect the trio proved to be the most successful incarnation of the group. It included bassist Witold SzczurekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Vitold RekFind albums by this artist) and legendary drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. The same trio also served as the rhythm section of the Tomasz Stanko quartet in the early 1980s, recording with him two most impressive albums: "Music 81Find albums with this title" and "A I JFind albums with this title" (both recorded at the same session). In-Formation recorded two albums for the PoljazzFind albums on this label label, the second of which is partly (three tracks) also included here. The rest of the album (five more tracks) originates in two radio sessions recorded earlier in the same year. All the music was composed by Kulpowicz and is a direct continuation of his John Coltrane / McCoy TynerFind albums by this artist influenced style presented earlier by The Quartet. Of course the trio´s music is much less intense sonically than the quartet´s massive sound, but not less complex or spiritually evolved. Kulpowicz carries, as expected, most of the load, producing his usual vamped chords and dense cadenzas of amazing fluency and virtuosity. The rhythm section supports him splendidly, with Rek emphasizing the melody riffs and Bartkowski providing the swinging drive carrying the music in fast forward most of the album´s duration. The piano trio, which is the ultimate Jazz showcase, was quite a neglected Art form at the time this music was recorded. Therefore these recordings are even more special, as there was no other parallel outfit on the Polish Jazz scene at the time. Of course the piano trio would triumphantly return and re-appear on the Jazz scene later on, including of course the local Polish scene, but at that particular time In-Formation trio was completely unique. This album is not only a great example of the Jazz piano trio Art, but also a very important document of the development of the Polish Jazz scene. Of course it´s an absolute must have for all Polish Jazz connoisseurs and collectors, but every piano trio buff around the globe should find this quite a treat. Great stuff!

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SLAWOMIR KULPOWICZ ~ THREE ETUDES / PRASAD IN MANGALORE POLJAZZ / ANEX 319 (Barcode: 5907513047742) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 Released: 2009 Following the demise of The QuartetFind albums by this artist, Polish Jazz pianist / composer Slawomir KulpowiczFind albums by this artist founded a new ensemble, which he called In-FormationFind albums by this artist. Over time several different versions of In-Formation existed, including a duo, a piano trio, quartet and even sextet. In-Formation recorded two albums and later took part in the recording of this album, which was eventually released as a Kulpowicz solo album. The album consists of three solo piano pieces recorded for the Polish Radio and three pieces recorded live by In-Formation during the Jazz Jamboree Festival with guitarist Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Witold SzczurekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Vitold RekFind albums by this artist) and percussionists Krzysztof PrzybylowiczFind albums by this artist, Jerzy BartzFind albums by this artist and Jose TorresFind albums by this artist. All the music was composed by Kulpowicz and is a direct continuation of his John ColtraneFind albums by this artist / McCoy TynerFind albums by this artist influenced style presented earlier by The Quartet. But in time the music becomes more contemplative and also more personal, as evident mostly on the solo piano pieces. In parallel the Indian and other World Music influences are trickling in steadily and can be already clearly heard herein. The In-Formation pieces are truly superb and present the group as a great vehicle for the Kulpowicz compositions. They also expose Smietana as the first rate player he always was, regardless of the setting. In retrospect this is a great document of the Polish Jazz scene in the early 1980s and an important part of the legacy Kulpowicz left behind him, which should serve as an endless source of inspiration to new generations of Polish Jazz players. Definitely worth investigating! Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums by this artist 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 by this artist / MuzaFind albums by this artist and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums by this artist reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.

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SOPHIA GRAND CLUB ~ 4 A.M. AFRO VIBE 001 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rap Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by the Polish ensemble Sophia Grand ClubFind albums by this artist, comprising of rapper EskaubeiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Bartlomiej SkubiszFind albums by this artist), saxophonist Bartlomiej PrucnalFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Kuba PluzekFind albums by this artist, veteran bassist Vitold RekFind albums by this artist and drummer Maksymilian OlszewskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, four by Pluzek, three by Rek, one co-composed by Pluzek and Rek and one improvised piece credited to all members of the ensemble. Seven of the numbers feature lyrics by Eskaubei and one is an instrumental. Musically the album continues the formula set up by Eskaubei with his two albums recorded with Tomek NowakFind albums by this artist Quartet for the For Tune Label, i.e. Jazz tunes featuring Rap and spoken word amalgamating the genres into a new musical entity. Pluzek, who proves to be one of the most versatile players / composers on the young Polish Jazz scene, delivers again some fiery Jazz / Funk tunes and Rek adds his more melancholic contributions, together creating a wonderful collection of highly effective musical vistas. Eskaubei yet again delivers a set of meaningful texts, touching upon deeply troublesome problems of contemporary life, social relationships, loneliness, injustice and many others. It is a pity the lyrics were not included in the album´s artwork, as they are definitely worth reading on their own. These lyrics could be seen as contemporary revelation of what we once called "protest songs" fifty of so years ago, just to show that the world is nothing like a TV commercial, then or today. The instrumental work is also first rate, with Prucnal delivering some soulful solos and elegant accompaniment, Pluzek is master of the ceremony with his keyboards providing most of the melodic and harmonic framework, Rek plays wonderful bass parts, which are both very Jazzy and superbly Funky at the same time, and finally Olszewski adds his polyrhythmic Groove to keep things moving ahead. Overall this is another superb album by Eskaubei and his instrumental cohorts, which proves that Rap can be a meaningful idiom, both musically and textually. Highly recommended to open-minded listeners, who like to be told the truth straight in their faces, which even the Funk doesn´t make much easier to digest. Well done again!

Updated: 01/04/2018Posted: 01/04/2018

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TOMASZ STANKO ~ A I J POLONIA 103 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 Released: 1997 This magnificent album by Polish trumpeter / composer Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist includes the rest of the music recorded at the same session, which produced the superb "Music 81Find albums with this title" album. As with all great and prophetic Jazz Masters, Stanko´s music was evolving constantly and by the time this session was recorded in 1982, he was ready to leave behind the Avant-Garde / Free Jazz / experimental music, which dominated his first period (late 1960s to late 1970s) and gradually move forward towards new things, which would include mostly Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz-Electronic experiments, which of course were all as advanced and adventurous as anything else he made earlier. That second period, which lasted roughly the whole decade of the 1980s, is well documented by the albums released during that time, each and every one of them indisputably a masterpiece in retrospect. This interim session between Stanko´s first and second period is especially interesting, as in many respects it both summarizes the first period and clearly leads the way towards the next. The music is surprisingly "straight-forward" (if such description is at all possible in connection with Stanko´s music) and conventional. Performed by a classic quartet with pianist Slawomir KulpowiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Vitold RekFind albums by this artist and the fabulous drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, it moves stylistically somewhere between John ColtraneFind albums by this artist´s early 1960´s quartet and Miles DavisFind albums by this artist second quintet, mixing clear melody lines with complex improvisations. The performances are absolutely stellar, with Stanko´s trumpet shredding the air, beautiful and extremely sensitive piano work a la McCoy TynerFind albums by this artist, strong and steady bass and virtuosic drumming, which not only drives the music forward but also adds endless flamboyant ornamentations. Of course in retrospect we know now that Stanko was to return to a similar format a decade and so later with his superb quartet, but at the time this music was completely unprecedented on the Polish scene. There are very few Jazz albums worldwide, which come close to the perfection and vision of the music herein, therefore this is definitely an absolute must for any serious Jazz connoisseur, Polish Jazz collector and anybody with a pair of open ears. Beyond essential!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Slipcase Essential Recommend To A Friend

TOMASZ STANKO ~ POLISH RADIO SESSIONS 1970-1991 POLSKIE RADIO 2504-2509 (Barcode: 5905610875251) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1970 - 1991 Released: 2025 This is an archival 6CD Box Set, which collects recordings made by the iconic Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist. These recordings, found in the Polish Radio archives and edited by Adam DomagalaFind albums by this artist, span a period of over two decades and reflect Stanko’s development as a musician and leading figure of the Polish Jazz scene, during the first period of his activity as a leader, after leaving the ensembles led by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. This period was characterized by dramatic changes and experimental explorations. Stanko was accompanied by the crème de la crème of the Polish Jazz and Jazz-Rock musicians active at the time, including drummers Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and Andrzej RyszkaFind albums by this artist, pianist Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, violinist Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, guitarist Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist, bassists Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist, Witold SzczurekFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Vitold RekFind albums by this artist) and Jerzy KawalecFind albums by this artist, keyboardist / electronics Janusz SkowronFind albums by this artist and Tadeusz SudnikFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jose TorresFind albums by this artist. The Box Set includes an informative bilingual booklet, which describes the relevant discographic details, as well as personal notes by several of the musicians and quotes from Stanko’s autobiography “Desperado”. All the music included in this Box Set is previously unreleased. CD1 (eight tracks TT 33:47 recorded 1970 / 1971) presents the Stanko quintet with Muniak, Seifert, Stefanski and Suchanek. Two tracks are compositions by Komeda, three by Stanko and the remaining three are credited to all the quintet members. Stylistically these recordings mark the transition between modern European Jazz and Free Jazz / Improvised Music. Further and more extensive recordings of this quintet’s music is available on the two live albums recorded in 1972: “Wooden Music IFind albums with this title” and “Wooden Music IIFind albums with this title”. CD2 (five tracks TT 37:04 recorded 1974 / 1975) presents the trio called “Unit” with Stanko, Bartkowski and Makowicz. Two tracks are compositions by Stanko, one is a standard and two are by John Coltrane. It is a beautifully intimate session, which defines Stanko’s aesthetics and trumpet sound, which will eventually lead to is international career. The trio recorded a studio album in Germany, entitled “Stanko - Makowicz Unit Featuring Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums with this title” and another album in Poland for the PoljazzFind albums on this label label (still waiting for a reissue). CD3 (six tracks TT 38:02 recorded 1975) presents another trio with Stanko, Bartkowski and Szukalski. Two tracks are compositions by Stanko and the remaining four are credited to all the trio members. This recording follows shortly the recording of Stanko’s debut album for ECMFind albums on this label, entitled “BalladynaFind albums with this title”, recorded with Szukalski, British bassist Dave HollandFind albums by this artist and Finnish drummer Edward VesalaFind albums by this artist, but precedes its release. The music is characteristic to Stanko’s distinctive style, which combines Polish lyricism with Free Jazz. CD4 (nine tracks TT 38:04 recorded 1985 / 1986) presents a revolutionary quartet called “Freelectronic” with Stanko, Skowron, Sudnik and Szczurek. Six tracks are compositions by Stanko and the remaining three are credited to all the quartet members. The music presents a relatively short period of Stanko’s flirt with electronic music and Avant-Garde Rock, which was way ahead of its time and brilliantly innovative. The quartet released a live album recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1987, called “SwitzerlandFind albums with this title” (but also released under several different titles by different labels). CD5 (six tracks TT 30:59 recorded in 1991) presents an intimate duo recording of Stanko and Szczurek. Five tracks are compositions by Stanko and one is by Szczurek. The impromptu “live in the studio” recording presents the close affinity between the two musicians and the result is a great example of the “Art of the Duo”, which is always fascinating and highly rewarding. CD6 (five tracks TT 1:04:51 recorded in 1983) presents a live recording by a sextet led by Stanko with Anthimos, Kawalec, Szczurek, Ryszka and Torres at the legendary Warsaw Jazz club Akwarium. All the music is composed by Stanko. This music shows Stanko playing advanced Jazz-Rock Fusion with young musicians, highly inspired by the electric period of Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, from a decade earlier. Most of the material captured here was released later on the “C.O.C.XFind albums with this title” studio album. It is almost beyond self-evident that this Box Set is one of the most important, or perhaps even the most important archival / retrospective / historic Polish Jazz album ever compiled. Thanks to the patience and determination of the editor Adam Domagala, the Polish Jazz fans the world over are able to discover and enjoy this epic music, which might have been otherwise lost forever. I am pretty confident that there are still hours of music by Stanko, where these recordings came from, so a second volume of this wonderful Box Set is perhaps a possibility? Overall, this is certainly one of the most fabulous collections of music a Jazz connoisseur can put his hand on, so don’t even think twice, as these editions have a tendency to get sold out notoriously. This music is universal, so if your Stanko’s record collection is relatively small, this is a great opportunity to enlarge it, and if you already have everything Stanko ever recorded, it is even more essential to get it ASAP.

Updated: 10/12/2025Posted: 10/12/2025

CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend