Record Reviews

KASIA STANKOWSKA ~ NIE MA SZCZESCIA BEZ MILOSCI ARTMONIA 5902768831009 (Barcode: 5902768831009) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 Polish pianist / composer Wladyslaw SzpilmanFind albums by this artist was one of the great icons of the country´s musical scene for many decades. He achieved popularity already as a very young and exceptional pianist in the 1930s. During the Nazi occupation of Poland during WW II Szpilman, who was a Jew, was hiding in Warsaw and managed to survive the Holocaust, helped by his Polish friends and even a German officer, who was a music connoisseur. Szpilman´s WW II fortunes were the subject of his memoirs and after his death in 2000 it was the subject of Roman PolanskiFind albums by this artist´s movie "The Pianist", which won three Oscars and worldwide acceptance as a cinematic masterpiece. The lesser know facts about Szpilman, certainly outside of Poland, are his numerous activities in post-war years as the director of Music Department of the Polish Radio, creator of the Sopot Song Contest, which runs now consecutively for over fifty years, composer of many Classical works, concert pianist touring worldwide and additionally also author of hundreds of songs, many of which were extremely popular and eventually became evergreens. This album by Polish Jazz vocalist Kasia StankowskaFind albums by this artist takes twelve of Szpilman´s popular songs and presents them in Jazzed up versions. She is supported by a trio with pianist Lukasz PerekFind albums by this artist, who is also responsible for the arrangements, bassist Jakub OlejnikFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist is the guest star and contributes some spectacular solos on several of the songs. Stankowska has a warm and expressive voice, which suits these songs ideally. The piano trio accompanying her does a perfect job, creating a nostalgic atmosphere of a smoky cabaret set sometime in the late 1950s / early 1960s, which I still recall from my childhood, when I was often smuggled under heavy long coat into these sinful establishments, getting my first-hand Jazz experiences. The piano parts are brilliantly arranged and perfectly executed and the rhythm section keeps the music steady and firm, with delicate dynamics and intelligent accents, always at the right moments. Sikala adds great ornamentation, breaking the nostalgic and relaxed mood with his delicate yet forceful solos, which shine like white pearls on a black dress. Szpilman´s status allowed him to select superb lyrics to his songs, written by famous Polish poets and lyricist, that are classy, coherent and elegant, and Stankowska makes the best of that asset, which deserves a special mention. All in all this is a most pleasant and rewarding musical experience, a classic example of "less is more". Keeping a low profile and avoiding excessive experimentation proves exactly right in this case. Beautifully simple, but not simplistic, beautifully melodic, but nor trivial, beautifully lyrical, but not banal…just beautiful. Diana KrallFind albums by this artist, eat you hat!

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MATEUSZ STRZELECKI / ANDRZEJ PAWEL SLAZAK ~ DEDYKACJA REQUIEM / OPUS 2018/30 ~ POLAND ~ Classical Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 As the title of this album suggests and the liner notes describe, it is "…a tribute to the outstanding Polish (Classical Music) composers of the first half of the 20th Century, whose lives were marked by the war and oppression..." It includes compositions by Karol RathausFind albums by this artist, Aleksander TansmanFind albums by this artist, Wladyslaw SzpilmanFind albums by this artist, Jozef KofflerFind albums by this artist and Roman PadlewskiFind albums by this artist performed by violinist Mateusz StrzeleckiFind albums by this artist and pianist Andrzej Pawel SlazakFind albums by this artist. The music includes six relatively short pieces composed between 1925 and 1949, five of which are violin / piano duets and one is a solo piano suite, some of them multi-part, altogether fifteen tracks. The recording quality is excellent. To set the record straight Rathaus was not Polish; although born in the Ukrainian city of Ternopil, which has obvious Polish roots, at the time of his birth it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Rathaus was educated in Vienna and Berlin and is considered of Austrian-German heritage. Of course he was also, or perhaps primarily Jewish, as were Tansman, Szpilman and Koffler, a fact not mentioned in the album´s otherwise erudite booklet. Since the album also celebrates Poland´s hundredth Independence Anniversary, perhaps it also symbolizes the depth of the Jewish contribution to Polish Culture. The music is marvelous from start to finish, offering a kaleidoscopic display of modern Classical Music as diverse as one may wish for, moving between Neo-Romanticism, Impressionism, Dodecaphony and even Folkloristic influences. Seemingly limited by the scope of the duet (or solo piano) it offers a rich and elegant fabric, harmonic sophistication and above all ingenuity. Listeners, who would usually avoid Classical Music, could be easily enthralled by what this album has to offer. Both instrumentalists heard on this album are sophisticated performers and Masters of their instruments, which becomes immediately apparent from the opening notes. Their superb teamwork makes even the most complex parts of the compositions present on this album to sound coherent and effortless to absorb by the listener, which of course is admirable. Kudos are due to the classy RequiemFind albums on this label Records label for releasing highly prestigious, well researched and artistically significant projects like this one. Their collected catalogue includes some of the most interesting and challenging music made in Poland, always beautifully packaged and excellently produced. Hats off!

Updated: 17/06/2019Posted: 17/06/2019

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LORA SZAFRAN / BOGDAN HOLOWNIA ~ WARS SZPILMAN WASOWSKI – I TAK SIE TRUDNO ROZSTAC… POLSKIE RADIO 2177 (Barcode: 5907812247904) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is a live recording by Polish Jazz vocalist Lora SzafranFind albums by this artist accompanied by a quartet led by pianist Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, which also includes trumpeter Robert MurakowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve Polish evergreens (often called Polish standards), composed by three renowned Polish composers: Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, Wladyslaw SzpilmanFind albums by this artist and Jerzy WasowskiFind albums by this artist and featuring lyrics by celebrated Polish poets and lyricists. The music holds no surprises to the Polish listeners, as these are songs that the older generation is very much familiar with and which have been around for many years being clearly an integral part of the Polish Cultural heritage. Of course, as such, they have all been performed and recorded many times before and as a result this album offers nothing new in this respect. Szafran and the instrumentalist are all veteran performers and professionals, so this material offers no challenge whatsoever, especially in view of the fact that it was meant as entertainment and a nostalgic revisit of this material, rather than a Jazz event. Of course the performance was first class from start to finish. Overall this is a nice tribute to beautiful Polish songs, which offer wonderful music and intelligent, sensitive lyrics, and as such is sadly a symbol of how the values of popular music changed over time from artistry to trash.

Updated: 22/10/2018Posted: 22/10/2018

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