Record Reviews
29 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | BREAKOUT ~ 70A
MUZA 989 (Barcode: 5907783499890) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1970 Released: 2005
2nd album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included bassist / pianist Józef SkrzekFind albums by this artist (future member of NiemenFind albums by this artist´s groups and later SBBFind albums by this artist) and drummer Józef HajdaszFind albums by this artist. The fifth member of Breakout was the great Polish saxophonist / flautist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, the first Polish Jazz musician, who combined the Jazz and Rock genres and of course was an early pioneer of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but the presence of Nahorny and the contemporary Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. This album is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ MIRA
MUZA 941 (Barcode: 5907783499418) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2005
4th album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included harmonica player Tadeusz TrzcinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Jerzy GoleniewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jan MazurekFind albums by this artist. The sixth member of Breakout was the great Polish saxophonist / flautist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, the first Polish Jazz musician, who combined the Jazz and Rock genres and of course was an early pioneer of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but the presence of Nahorny and the contemporary Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. This album was intended as Mira´s debut solo album, but in time it was accepted by fans and Rock historians as the group´s fourth album. Sadly, it was the last Breakout album, which featured Nahorny´s Jazzy ornamentation. In retrospect this is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | BREAKOUT ~ NA DRUGIM BRZEGU TECZY
MUZA 988 (Barcode: 5907783499883) ~ POLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1969 Released: 2005
1st album by brilliant Polish ensemble BreakoutFind albums by this artist formed and led by guitarist / vocalist / composer Tadeusz NalepaFind albums by this artist. Breakout was formed in 1968 after Nalepa decided to change the name of his previous group BlackoutFind albums by this artist and reformed it under the new name. The group was fronted by vocalist Mira KubasinskaFind albums by this artist, one of the first great female performers of the Polish Rock scene, and also included bassist Michal MuzolfFind albums by this artist and drummer Józef HajdaszFind albums by this artist. The fifth member of Breakout was the great Polish saxophonist / flautist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, the first Polish Jazz musician, who combined the Jazz and Rock genres and of course was an early pioneer of Jazz-Rock Fusion. Nalepa´s musical background was deeply rooted in Blues, and much of the group´s material was in fact Blues-Rock based, but the presence of Nahorny and the contemporary Prog and Psychedelic influences turned Breakout into one of the most formidable East European groups ever, with a broad range of cross-genre musical activities. Breakout had an immense influence on the Polish, as well as the entire East European music scene, serving as a beacon to generations of musicians living behind the Iron Curtain. In their native country Breakout was often criticized by the Socialist regime for idealizing Western culture and their music was banned from the media during the peak of the "dark age" repressions in the late 1960, which eventually only increased the following the group enjoyed among the young generation. Nalepa, who composed all of the group´s music, worked closely with lyricist / poet Bogdan LoeblFind albums by this artist, who supplied the band with highly intelligent and often controversial lyrics, way above the usual level of Rock lyrics used in Rock at the time. This album is a timeless classic and any connoisseur of East European Rock / Prog will find it phenomenal. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRAM ~ BIALA SOWA, BIALA DAMA, BIALY KRUK
GAD 092 (Barcode: 5903068120251) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock
Recorded: 1974 - 1975 Released: 2019
This is a reissue of the debut album by Polish Pop / Rock group KramFind albums by this artist, which comprised of guitarist Ryszard PokorskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Andrzej WikliszFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman KonigsmannFind albums by this artist and drummer Wojciech NowakFind albums by this artist; all four added also vocal parts. Several other musicians also took part in the recording, most notably legendary Jazz saxophonist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original songs, composed by the group members. This reissue adds a single version of the title song as a bonus track and is the first time this album was released on CD.
The album is a summary of the group´s five years long period of activity and includes an uneven and rather unfocused stylistic mishmash of Pop / Rock songs moving between Soul, Funk, Reggae and shades of more ambitious Rock material, obviously also including the Slavic melancholy and lyricism more prominent in the ballads. Lacking a strong steady vocalist, this material is a nice nostalgic trip to the Polish Pop / Rock scene in the early 1970s, but not a significant contribution to the genre as such.
However, considering the fact that this music is original and well executed instrumentally, and represents certain period faithfully, it is nice to have it around again as part of the documentation of the Polish recorded legacy, thanks to the GADFind albums on this label Records consistent policy of keeping history alive.
| | Updated: 06/03/2020Posted: 06/03/2020 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | INGA LEWANDOWSKA / KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ ULICE WIELKICH MIAST – BALLADY AGNIESZKI OSIECKIEJ
INTRO 003 (Barcode: 5907592167027) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1999 Released: 1999
This is an absolutely brilliant album in the Jazz & Poetry vein, for which the Polish Jazz scene is so famous and in which it excels since its early days. Vocalist Inga LewandowskaFind albums by this artist performs eleven songs, all of which share the author of their lyrics, the Polish poetess Agnieszka OsieckaFind albums by this artist, an iconic figure of the post-WWII Polish Culture and author of over 2000 song lyrics. Lewandowska and pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist, who also beautifully arranged all the songs on this album, chose mostly Jazz-related material, which features Osiecka´s lyrics and was written by some of the most prominent figures on the Polish Jazz scene, like Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist and others. Stankiewicz composed two of the songs presented here.
The vocalist is accompanied by a quintet of excellent musicians, which include in addition to Stankiewicz also trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, trombonist Grzegorz NagorskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and Austrian drummer Mario GonziFind albums by this artist. The quintet provides superb support to the vocalist but also plays extended instrumental passages, which are simply exquisite examples of European Jazz lyricism. Especially notable is the delicate and sympathetic work by the piano and the "singing" bass solos, for which Oleszkiewicz is world famous. One of the songs presents a vocals / bass duet, which is a true classic!
Lewandowska does a splendid job, utilizing more of the Polish Jazz vocal tradition firmly established by legendary performers like Ewa Demarczyk and Wanda Warska, rather than trying to be more up to date, which altogether works in her favor. That time of expressive, melancholic singing, in which every breath matters and every syllable is clearly pronounced and is perfectly audible is a rarity and I wish the new generation of Polish Jazz vocalists would pay more respect to that "lost" Art form. The songs are mostly low key, as the title suggests and Lewandowska cleverly avoids any flashy exhibitionism, staying well within the established milieu, which is chick and elegant.
In many respects listening to this album feels like an "end of an era". It was, after all, recorded at the very closing of the 20th Century and seems, in retrospect, to be the last of its kind, a tribute to the days when Polish Jazz experienced its first golden era, associated with intellectual, artistic and often revolutionary spring, which was soon over.
I am glad I discovered this wonderful gem, although late, but nevertheless most enthusiastically. It is little known, as it managed to hide from me for so long, but should be studied, as already mentioned, by all upcoming vocalist, as it is a classic point of reference. It is also an absolute must for every Polish Jazz connoisseur, anywhere on this planet.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | DOROTA MISKIEWICZ ~ PIANO.PL
UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 602557206852 (Barcode: 602557206852) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016
This is a live recording of a gigantically ambitious project conceived by Polish Jazz vocalist Dorota MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, which pays tribute to the Polish Jazz piano school, which spans several generations and is a sublime example of Polish / European Jazz tradition. The album presents twelve songs, one original by Miskiewicz and eleven "Polish standards" composed and written by the best Polish composers and lyricists, each performed by Miskiewicz accompanied by a different pianist and on eight of them also accompanied by the renowned Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist. The list of the pianists reads like the who´s who of Polish Jazz: Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, Lutoslawski Piano DuoFind albums by this artist, Bogdan HolowniaFind albums by this artist, Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist, Piotr OrzechowskiFind albums by this artist, Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, Grzegorz TurnauFind albums by this artist (who also briefly sings) and Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist. Saxophonist Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist (Dorota´s Father) guests on one song. The DVD (filmed during the concert), included in the package, adds the concert´s intro, outro and a couple of songs not included on the CD.
I am happy to say that I managed to have a more modest (with just three pianists) version of this project perform at the 2018 Singer Jazz Festival, which was extremely successful.
As expected, all the performances are absolutely wonderful, a typical example of European haute Culture, where music, words and stage performance are combined to deliver an overall experience, which is more than just a sum of its ingredients. The album moves between Jazz & Poetry and highly lyrical popular music, all expertly arranged and brilliantly executed, especially in view of the fact that it was captured live.
This album delivers exactly what it promises: an extraordinary panorama of Polish Jazz piano, full of elegance, virtuosity and flair. Miskiewicz moves with ease from one song to another, with a chameleonic change of moods and emotions, as appropriate for a great performer.
For lovers of Polish Jazz in general and Polish Jazz piano in particular, this album is a superb introduction to the subject. Even for listeners beyond the Polish language sphere, this music easily penetrates and language barriers and should be completely accessible to every music lover.
| | Updated: 14/09/2018Posted: 14/09/2018 | CD+DVD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ BALLAD BOOK
CONFITEOR 011 (Barcode: 9788393161058) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2017 - 2018 Released: 2018
This is a wonderful piano trio album by veteran Polish Jazz pianist / composer Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist with bassist Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BiskupskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, all by Nahorny.
Nahorny is one of the original great Masters of Polish Jazz and one of the last few Mohicans, who are still fully active and continue to perform and compose new music. He is not only a great Artist, but also a wonderful human being, warm and friendly, as I have had the pleasure to experience personally since many years. Nahorny and his two companions have been playing uninterruptedly together for almost three decades and are probably one of the oldest Polish Jazz ensembles which exist without any personal changes since its inception. As a result the trio functions as a three-headed body in perfect unity, harmony and coordination, rarely achieved elsewhere.
The music composed by Nahorny is in many respects the epitome of Polish Jazz, as it embodies the typical Polish lyricism and melancholy, which characterizes the distinctive sound and feel of the Slavic elements of Polish Jazz. He has been called the Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist of Polish Jazz, which is perhaps a bit inappropriate in the strict musical terms, but conveys the spirit of things. The music on this album was influenced by a somewhat nostalgic trip to his hometown of Kwidzyn and reminiscences of his childhood memories, which are both inspiring and emotional. The music is certainly very personal and introvert, but Nahorny´s exquisite melodies and superb touch of the keyboards turns everything into immediate feeling of warmth and kindness.
Overall this is a beautiful piece of Artistry in every respect, wonderfully, composed, perfectly executed, excellently recorded and elegantly packaged in a digibook format with many photographs and a very personal short essay by Nahorny. This is obviously an absolute must have for the many Nahorny´s fans and admirers, but all Polish Jazz connoisseurs the world over should definitely grab a copy ASAP, as Jazz rarely come in better doses than this. Thank you my Friend and may God bless us all with many more years of your health and creativity.
| | Updated: 21/12/2018Posted: 21/12/2018 | CD 1 Digibook Recommend To A Friend |
  | WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ CHOPIN GENIUS LOCI
CONFITEOR 005 (Barcode: 9788393161003) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion
Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010
The veteran Polish Jazz pianist / saxophonist / composer Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, one of the Godfathers of the post-WWII Polish Jazz scene, manages continuously to display a phenomenal vitality and unprecedented imagination, often much superior to those of his colleagues, often decades younger than himself. This album is a wonderful proof of exactly these qualities. Recorded in a sextet setting, with vocalist / violinist Dorota MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, violinist Henryk GembalskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Wojciech StaroniewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BiskupskiFind albums by this artist, Nahorny presents a set of Jazz transcriptions of eight pieces by the Polish composer Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist, three pieces by a lesser known 20th Century Polish composer Roman MaciejewskiFind albums by this artist and one piece by Karol SzymanowskiFind albums by this artist. In addition one original composition by Nahorny is also included.
Polish Jazz suffers terribly from overexploitation of Chopin´s music, which varies in quality from brilliant (rarely) to completely banal (most of the time). Therefore another attempt to interpret Chopin in the Jazz context is always a perilous undertaking. Nahorny´s bold and far fetching approach results in transcriptions, which although quote the original music, move very far away from the source during their execution, being in fact completely new and whole pieces of music, which Nahorny even names anew, giving the source as a reference only. Although such liberties might appear sometimes as to audacious, in Nahorny´s case they are fully justified and simply brilliant.
The eleven transcriptions, spread over two CDs, are all fascinating musically and serve as wonderful vehicles for the musicians to display their respective talents. Miskiewicz sings some great vocalese, at times even almost free form, using lyrics on just one piece. Gembalski plays some scorching violin passages and Staroniewicz, as always, charms with his beautiful saxophone tone. The rhythm section keeps the music together with flair and elegance, pushing it ahead with just the right amount of energy. And last but not least Nahorny´s piano serves as glue between the Classical and the Swinging elements, bridging and bonding everything together.
Although seemingly positioned well within the mainstream Jazz boundaries (except for the Classical references of course), this music displays quite a lot of freedom and unexpected ventures into less programmatic areas, sometimes almost touching upon Free / Avant Garde idioms, which of course is nothing new as far as Nahorny´s music is concerned.
This album is a living proof that the Jazz-Classical Fusion can avoid pastiche, cliché and kitsch, and simply bite!
| | Updated: 17/12/2018Posted: | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ DOLCE FAR NIENTE …I NIC WIECEJ
CONFITEOR 003 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2000 Released: 2002
This is a wonderful album by veteran Polish Jazz pianist / saxophonist / composer Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic piano trio format with bassist Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BiskupskiFind albums by this artist. The album features twelve relatively short pieces, ten of which are original Nahorny´s compositions, one is a folk song and the last is an arrangement of works by Polish Classical composers Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist and Karol KurpinskiFind albums by this artist.
In addition to his Jazz activities Nahorny is also acknowledged for writing many popular songs, which became in time Polish evergreens. This album presents many of these songs in an instrumental version with Jazzy arrangements, performed affectionately and passionately by the composer and his cohorts.
Nahorny´s music is always full of typical Polish lyricism and melancholy, which come to light even in the seemingly happier, up tempo numbers. He loves the waltz and Polish folkloristic dances, all of those elements which are the cornerstones of what is considered Polish music, and he openly and lovingly embraces them in his compositions.
The way Nahorny plays the piano is completely unique; a mixture or Classical, Jazz and Blues strokes combined into one stylistic approach, which is specifically his and his only. Although distinctly melodic and seemingly simple, his piano often wanders away from the main melodic line into less charted territory, which more experienced listener will find fascinating and those less experienced won´t mind or even notice.
The rhythm section sounds like an extension of the leader, following his every move elegantly and attentively. A few modest but excellent bass and drums solos are part of the proceedings, but the main role of the rhythm section remains, as appropriate, to accompany the leader, which it does with flair and zest.
This is timeless music, which remains classic regardless of what the contemporary trends may bring. Superb sonic quality ensures a complete listening pleasure and what remains is to relax and enjoy every moment of this delightful delivery.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ FREEDOM BOOK / ECHOES OF HEYDAY
SJ 066 (Barcode: 5902596066970) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022
Recently I realize that the Polish Jazz Olympus is getting sadly scarcely populated by its founding Forefathers, as the time goes by. Many of the great Polish Jazz musicians, that I knew for decades, are no longer with us, which of course makes me appreciate even more those, who are still around, and even more so if they are still creatively active. Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist (born 1941 and active since 1959) belongs to this intimate group for many reasons, not only as a superb musician and composer, but also as a human being.
This new album was recorded with his trio, which functions steadfastly since over thirty years, with bassist Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BiskupskiFind albums by this artist, which was expanded here to a quartet with the addition of the “young” (born 1985) trumpeter Piotr SchmidtFind albums by this artist. It presents eleven tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Nahorny and three are short quartet improvisations.
The music is delightfully lyrical and superbly melodic, based on Nahorny’s unique capability to weave heartbreaking tunes, which are captivating and heartwrenching, but never simplistic. Despite some flirting with Avant-Garde during his early years, Nahorny remained a full blown Romantic for the majority of his composing career, and has very few competitors in this field on the local scene. The performances are all stellar, which is hardly surprising, with Nahorny still playing steadily and convincingly, Bogdanowicz providing excellent continuity and harmony to the proceedings and Biskupski gently but firmly keeping the chronometric time stamp just right. Schmidt is, for me, the absolute surprise of this album, as his trumpet playing sounds simply stupendous and sublimely sensuous, with a shadow of subconscious Chet BakerFind albums by this artist-ism, summarizing beautifully his enormous progress made during his career in the last few years, now joining the major league with full credentials.
Overall, this album is an instant classic, which deserves to be heard by as many people as possible around the globe. This is European Jazz at its best, solid, beautiful and elegant, without an iota of pretentiousness and fakery. Despite its seemingly simplistic approach it is intelligent and highly professional, not to mention pleasing and genuinely musical. Well done Gentlemen!
| | Updated: 28/11/2022Posted: 28/11/2022 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ HEART (POLISH JAZZ VOL.15)
MUZA 1015 (Barcode: 5907783420153) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2005
This incredible album presents a trio recording by virtuoso Polish saxophonist / pianist / composer Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist with bassist Jacek OstaszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Sergiusz PerkowskiFind albums by this artist. Definitely one of the earliest examples of European Free Jazz, and the first Polish Free Jazz album in the full sense of the genre, it is amazing that such album was released in Socialist Poland in the midst of the country´s darkest political age. Although based on short melodic themes, the music is adventurous and pioneering in every sense and as groundbreaking as any similar recordings made at the time in US or Western Europe. The level of virtuosity and interplay demonstrated by the musicians is breathtaking and the overall musical content is stunning. Nahorny plays also piano on some of the tracks and his performance is no less virtuosic, lyrical and melodic in contrast to his free saxophone excursions. Nahorny is also known for his association with the great Polish group BreakoutFind albums by this artist, as being the first Polish Jazz musician to cooperate with Rock musicians. This is an absolute must for all lovers of Polish / European Jazz and a great piece of Jazz history!
| | | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ JEJ PORTRET
GAD 006 (Barcode: 5901549197051) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 - 1970 Released: 2013
This is a reissue of an album recorded by the saxophonist / flautist / pianist / composer Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, one of the Godfathers of modern Polish Jazz, who is still active on the local scene. This particular album presents the lyrical side of Nahorny, which is quite different from his Jazz activities, but not really surprising considering his diversity and affinity to different music genres, as demonstrated for example by his association with the Blues-Rock group BreakoutFind albums by this artist, which happened at the same period this album was recorded.
The concept behind this album was to present Nahorny as an instrumentalist playing piano, saxophone and flute and supported by a large orchestra conducted by another Polish Jazz legend: Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. The material, which comprised of a selection of Polish Pop songs popular at the time, was carefully arranged by three arrangers: Wroblewski, Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist and Tomasz OchalskiFind albums by this artist, who also contributed one original composition each, as did Nahorny himself. The resulting material was a mixture or some excellent lyrical songs written by some of the best Polish songwriters at the time and some melodic Jazz compositions composed for the occasion. Although obviously a commercial enterprise, this album was still pretty serious music making, with sophisticated, elegant and clever arrangements, superb solos by Nahorny and excellent music, which sounds quite impressive forty and change years later.
This reissue adds six bonus tracks, all of which are radio recordings done by Nahorny between 1965 and 1970, which also reflect his involvement with the lighter side of Jazz, rather than the Avant-Garde Jazz he was mainly associated with at the time. All the music was beautifully remastered and the sound is really excellent.
Considering the fact that this album appears here on CD for the first time and is by itself a pretty extraordinary episode on the local scene, this album is an important piece of modern Polish Jazz history and should be considered as a part of every serious music collection of the genre. Of course it is also a great fun to listen to. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ Z TAMTEJ STRONY TECZY (SOUNDTRACK)
GAD 286 (Barcode: 5903068125249) ~ POLAND ~ Soundtracks
Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2024
This is the soundtrack of the Polish film entitled “Z Tamtej Strony Teczy” (Eng. “From The Other Side Of The Rainbow”), directed by Andrzej Jerzy PiotrowskiFind albums by this artist. The music was composed by legendary Polish Jazz saxophonist / pianist / bandleader Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist and performed by an orchestra conducted by another Polish Jazz icon, recently deceased Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, and Jazz vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist. The orchestra included many top Polish Jazz players active at the time. Nahorny takes part in the recording, as does Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist on trumpet, Wroblewski on saxophone, Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist on guitar, Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist on organ (all these names are my educated guess based on what I can hear in the recording). The album presents nineteen short tracks, which were part of the soundtrack, and one bonus track, which was recorded but omitted from the final soundtrack.
The music presents a collection of stylistically diverse pieces, which include mainstream Jazz, brilliant vocal and vocalese pieces by Wanat, electronic effects and even some Free / Avant-Garde Jazz outings, all of which were part of Nahorny’s enormously rich Jazz vocabulary, as evident by his Jazz recordings from that period, as well as other soundtracks he composed.
Of course Polish Jazz was an integral part of the Cultural scene at the time and Jazz music was very often used as soundtrack music for Polish cinematic productions, going back to the 1960s, and sadly almost completely abandoned in later years.
Overall, this is a brilliant snapshot / chapter of the “Polish Jazz in Polish Cinema” phenomenon, which presents the incredibly advanced and out of the box attitude to Culture, prevalent at the time. Nahorny, who is still actively playing and composing as we speak, is a Great icon of Polish Jazz and one of its great last Mohicans. I hope you say with us for many years to come and thank you for all that music you bestowed on us over time, my Dear Friend!
| | Updated: 08/06/2024Posted: 08/06/2024 | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ ZAPACH PSIEJ SIERSCI
GAD 019 (Barcode: 5901549197242) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1980 Released: 2014
This album presents the music by Polish Jazz saxophonist / pianist / composer / arranger Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, one of the Godfathers of modern Polish Jazz, which served as the soundtrack of the movie "Zapach Psiej Siersci" ("The Smell Of Dog´s Fur"), which was based on a novel by Polish writer Wojciech ZukrowskiFind albums by this artist. The movie was directed by Jan BatoryFind albums by this artist, who died in August 1981 shortly after the film was completed and before it was belatedly released for screening in 1982, due to the Martial Law imposed in Poland in December 1981.
The original soundtrack includes thirteen, mostly short pieces of music, except for two longer and extended themes. Additionally there are two source music pieces and seven bonus tracks, previously unheard. All the music was composed, arranged and orchestrated by Nahorny and was performed by the Polish Radio OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted by the composer, which included some of the best Polish Jazz players, but who remain unnamed. Nahorny most probably plays the keyboards, although that is again not specifically mentioned in the liner notes.
The music is all masterly composed and arranged, showing Nahorny´s versatility and sensitivity, which was always his trademark. On one hand Nahorny is able to write romantic and beautifully lyrical melodies and on the other his swinging pieces are always full of finesse and sparkling with incredible feel for the Jazz idiom. As a result the soundtrack fits ideally to the movie´s plot, which combines romance and thriller characteristics.
In contrast to most soundtrack albums, which usually have little to offer as a standalone products, this music holds its ground superbly as an interesting collection of excellently performed musical themes, even when separated from the movie. Additionally it also withstands the tides of time without loosing any of its validity, similarly to the best soundtracks of similar category, like the archetypal "Last Tango In ParisFind albums with this title" by Gato BarbieriFind albums by this artist.
Remastered from the original master tapes the album sounds spectacularly and is another great tribute to the legacy of Wlodzimierz Nahorny brought to us by GADFind albums on this label Records, for which we are, as usual, grateful.
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  | WLODZIMIERZ NAHORNY ~ HOPE
CONFITEOR 008 (Barcode: 9788393161089) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014
This is a wonderful piano trio album by one of the Godfathers of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, and his partners: bassist Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BiskupskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions by Nahorny and one mini-suite, which comprises of three folklore motifs arranged by him. In the accompanying booklet Nahorny tells the listener about the circumstances that brought each of these seven pieces of music to be created, as well as his deeply personal and moving memories of the panoramic view of the Holy City of Jerusalem, which always leaves a lasting impression on those who visit it. How blessed are we, who live nearby and are able to enjoy this breathtaking view more often than others.
It is truly invigorating to see (and hear) a musician, who seems to be completely unaffected by the tides of time and keeps bursting with ingenuity and talent despite his age. This album proves beyond any doubt that Nahorny is still a musician who is able to innovate and surprise even the strictest connoisseurs. His music is as beautiful as always with melodies full of romanticism and typical Polish melancholy, which he masterly and continuously molds into new musical jewels. His piano playing is nothing short of sensational with an astonishing level of space and freedom, which often bring fond memories of the early days of his career when he flirted with free form.
All the compositions on this album are quite remarkable. Although they are stylistically diverse and encompass many different Jazz sub-genres, they are all marked by Nahorny´s personal touch, which has been his trademark since many years. The music is fresh and stimulating, fitting perfectly in the contemporary Polish Jazz scene, bursting with excitement and creativity.
The faithful rhythm section stands besides the Master at all times, providing the guidelines for his extended improvisations and ornamenting his performances with occasional short solos. Bogdanowicz and Biskupski are both veterans of the trade and they know exactly what is required of them under these circumstances: supporting the leader and not being obtrusive in any way. The many years that these musicians play together turns them into a well oiled unit, which is able to travel anywhere without a hitch.
Nahorny is a perfect representative of the Polish "old class" in the best positive meaning of that idiom. A Gentleman, an Artist and an Intellectual incorporated into one wonderful, warm person. Such class is very rare these days and therefore a figure like Nahorny is important as an example to be followed by the young generation, which definitely has the talent but sadly almost never such class. Thank you Maestro!
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  | NOVI ~ RIEN NE VA PLUS (POLISH JAZZ VOL.82 DELUXE)
MUZA 1082 (Barcode: 5907783420825) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2005
This is a reissue of the fourth album by the sensational vocal quartet NOVIFind albums by this artist, which was one of the greatest Polish Jazz acts in the 1970s. Continuing the tradition of Jazz vocal groups like the French Les Double SixFind albums by this artist and The Swingle SingersFind albums by this artist, NOVI expanded the borders further on into more experimental areas and used more instrumental backing, provided the best Polish Jazz musicians at the time.
The quartet was led by singer / arranger / composer Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist and included also the incredible female vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist and two additional male vocalists Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. Together they created beautiful vocal harmonies of exceptional sophistication and unique style, unparalleled to this day. The performed a mixture of original material, mostly composed by Kawka, and standards or contemporary Pop material, but the incredible arrangements turned everything into a distinctive NOVI vocal signature.
On this specific album they are accompanied by an all-star band, led by saxophonist Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist, which includes such luminaries as saxophonists Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and many others. This is definitely one of the climax moments of the Polish Jazz in the 1970s and an absolute must for every vocal jazz connoisseur!
Side Note: This is one of those Polish Jazz albums, released by the Polskie Nagrania / MuzaFind albums on this label label, which should have been released as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series at the time, but somehow never made it. From the historic perspective it definitely deserved to be a part of that series and this was partially corrected by this edition, as it is one of the items in the expanded "Polish Jazz Deluxe" series of reissues.
| | Updated: 13/10/2016Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | TADEUSZ PREJZNER ~ SPACER BRZEGIEM MORZA
GAD 046 (Barcode: 5901549197600) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2016
This is a reissue, first time on CD, of a cult Polish Jazz album, which presents music performed by an ensemble conducted by composer Tadeusz PrejznerFind albums by this artist, which included some of the top Polish Jazz musicians of the day, like vocalist Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, pianist / saxophonist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, guitarist Janusz SidorenkoFind albums by this artist, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist, drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and a nine piece string section. The ensemble performs thirteen original compositions, five of which were composed by Prejzner, two each by Stanko, Nahorny and Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and two more by other Polish composers.
The music is an attempt to create a "lighter", more relaxed music, with strong ties to Jazz but which a wide range of listeners might enjoy – in short an early form of Smooth Jazz. However, as usual with Polish attempts of such projects, the result is quite spectacular and hardly deserves the dubious reputation of Smooth Jazz. Considering the status of the musicians involved as well as the fact that Polish Jazz musicians did not develop the chaltura (look it up) attitude yet, the resulting music is simply wonderful in every respect. Not only are the compositions beautifully melodic and anything but trivial, but also the execution is stunning and includes many first rate solos which would make any Jazz album proud.
Overall this is a wonderful obscure gem, which deserves to be remembered, which is why GADFind albums on this label Records decided to bring it back to life, which is as usual highly appreciated.
| | Updated: 18/01/2017Posted: 18/01/2017 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | KRZYSZTOF SADOWSKI ~ NA KOSMODROMIE
GAD 030 (Barcode: 5901549197389) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2015
This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the second album by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist recorded with an ensemble called Organ GroupFind albums by this artist, which also included flautist / vocalist Liliana UrbanskaFind albums by this artist, Dutch trumpeter Eddie EngelsFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Pawel DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Tomasz ButowttFind albums by this artist and congas player Jozef GawrychFind albums by this artist.
This album was not released at the time as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series, for reasons that are way beyond the scope of this text. The original album included only six tracks, the first of which gave the album its title and was a twenty minutes long six parts suite originally found on side A of the LP. The five tracks on side B were all much shorter. All the compositions were originals, four composed by Sadowski and one each by Nahorny and Engels. This remastered reissue adds three bonus tracks recorded at the Polish Radio.
By the time this album was released the Polish Jazz scene was in a state of upheaval, torn between two extremes: Free Jazz on one side and Jazz-Rock Fusion on the other. Strangely this album presents a bit of both, since although conceptually belonging to the Jazz-Rock Fusion genre it features a few Free Form solos. Obviously Sadowski was shifting his organ playing stylistics from the traditional influences (Jimmy SmithFind albums by this artist) towards (then) contemporary keyboard approach represented by Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist or Weather ReportFind albums by this artist´s Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist. The use of vocalese, which was one of the trademarks of Polish Jazz at the time, utilized extensively by Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist in Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist´s ensemble, is only one of the parallels between these two pioneering Fusion bands active at the time.
The space exploration, which seems a bit strange as a subject matter of a Jazz album, was at the time one of the main pillars of the Socialist propaganda, which excitedly participated in the space race between USSR and USA, with an obvious winning side. Picking such a subject increased of course significantly the possibility to have one´s music released by the State controlled solitary record company in existence at the time in Poland (Polskie Nagrania).
In retrospect the albums is a great document of the time at which it was recorded, proving that in spite of the relative separation from what was happing beyond the Iron Curtain, Polish Jazz was responding rapidly to the changes in the Jazz idiom, often with ferocity and ingenuity, which were impossible to hold back by the political regime.
As usual it is my duty to thank GADFind albums on this label Records for taking care of the Polish Jazz heritage, who is sadly a lonely rider on that trail. This superb music definitely needs to be fondly remembered and discovered by new generations!
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  | ANNA SERAFINSKA ~ GADU GADU (SPECIAL EDITION)
POMATON 5099944044626 (Barcode: 5099944044626) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock
Recorded: 2005 - 2012 Released: 2012
This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz / Pop singer Anna SerafinskaFind albums by this artist. It includes fourteen songs, all of which feature the lyrics by the great Polish poetess and lyricist Agnieszka OsieckaFind albums by this artist. The music was composed mainly by Seweryn KrajewskiFind albums by this artist (ex-Czerwone GitaryFind albums by this artist), one of Poland´s most remarkable songwriters. The other composers include several leading Polish Jazz figures like Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and others. The music was arranged by Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, who also plays piano and other musicians include bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist (who plays some mean fretless bass parts), drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist and many others, as well as a string quartet. The original album was released in 2006 and this special edition, released in 2012, adds two songs newly recorded with Anna´s new group called Groove MachineFind albums by this artist.
The album has a great potential and seemingly all the right ingredients: first-class songs, wonderful lyrics, skilful arrangements and excellent musicianship, and yet although it is pleasant and overall enjoyable, it is also quite forgettable. Stylistically it sort of "sits on the fence" between Pop and Jazz, being both too close to Pop to be considered Jazz and too Jazzy to be a straightforward Pop. Herdzin´s arrangements push it consistently towards Latin grooves and mainstream Jazz settings, but the result is all over the place and feels somehow uneasy.
I understand that Serafinska has quite a following in Poland, but this is the second album of hers that I listened to and she leaves me stone cold. Fortunately she sticks to Polish lyrics on this album, avoiding the problems of struggling with a foreign language, but her vocals simply don´t do it for me, which of course is completely my fault. In my ears her vocal range is somewhat limited and the emotional expressiveness just doesn´t cut it for me (again), although she does have a good feel for groove, which explains what she does with her new band.
Of course there are some superb moments here and the album is a nice listening experience, which can be enjoyed by many listeners across the genre borders. I sort of hoped it would be more than that.
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  | STARONIEWICZ / JAGODZINSKI / RAJSKI ~ TRANQUILLO
ALLEGRO 025 (Barcode: 5901157049254) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012
Lush saxophone, gently strumming piano and a string orchestra sound more like a recipe for a soundtrack to a third-rate erotic movie (i.e. porn flick) than a serious musical venture. The iniquitous "Sax and Strings" trap made many of the best Jazz saxophone players sound like muzak junkies, leaving only a few of them, who managed to create some superb music out of this unforgiving format. I was prepared for the worse when I placed this album into the CD player and hesitantly pushed the Play button. Lo and behold, the music turned out to be simply delightful… what a relief.
Veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Wojciech StaroniewiczFind albums by this artist combines forces with pianist Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist and his trio, which also includes bassist Adam CegielskiFind albums by this artist and Master veteran drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. The resulting quartet is accompanied by the Polish Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Sopot, conducted by Wojciech RajskiFind albums by this artist. The album consists of eleven compositions, two of which are originals by Staroniewicz and the rest are standards (four of those are by Antonio Carlos JobimFind albums by this artist). The orchestral arrangements of seven of the tracks were written by another veteran Polish Jazz hero Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, three are by Jagodzinski and the remaining one by Artur JurekFind albums by this artist.
The music is presented on three overlaying platforms: the saxophone, the piano trio and the orchestra; each of those with its separate content, and merging with the other two to create the overall effect and compliment each other. Staroniewicz is a superb sax player and his wonderful tone and flow are absolutely perfect for this music. He plays the melodies, but also improvises constantly, although staying well within the harmonic boundaries. Jagodzinski and his trio are also one of the finest Polish Jazz ensembles, and although their role on this album is mostly limited to provide the Jazzy atmospheric background and rhythmic backbone, the trio´s leader plays several beautiful lyrical solos and the rhythm section swings like there´s no tomorrow.
The strings are the biggest surprise of them all; the arrangements are quite unusual and often not what the listen might expect at all – intelligent, challenging and with a life of their own. Combined with the quartet playing on top they enhance the overall result enormously and one must admit they do it most pleasantly.
Yes, this is the gentle side of Jazz. It is sweet and romantic and beautiful, but it is also clever, perfectly done and heartwarming. It manages to avoid being kitschy, which is so damn difficult under these circumstances. OK I admit, I´m a dead romantic at heart and I love this stuff, exactly for what it is – bite me ;) The album´s artwork is also beautiful, one of the few cases when the artwork fits the album´s contents perfectly. Great stuff!
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  | LORA SZAFRAN ~ SPIEWNIK NAHORNEGO
CONFITEOR 004 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2000 Released: 2003
Polish Jazz vocalist Lora SzafranFind albums by this artist is active on the local scene since the mid 1980s, when she graduated from the Katowice Music Academy. She sings Jazz but is also active on the mainstream Polish popular music market. This is her sixth album as a leader and it is dedicated to songs composed by the legendary Polish Jazz pianist / saxophonist / composer Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, who is also known as the author of popular evergreens. The album includes twelve songs composed by Nahorny, with lyrics (in Polish) by some of top Polish lyricists. Szafran is accompanied by a trio which includes Nahorny on piano with bassist Mariusz BogdanowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Piotr BiskupskiFind albums by this artist and a string sextet, with string arrangements by Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist and Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist.
The album is kept in the classic mainstream Jazz tradition, performed spotlessly and with flair by all participants. Nahorny´s music is timeless and remains fresh and beautiful in complete disregard of passing fads and fashions. His compositions are as good as any American standards. The intelligent lyrics are a painful remainder that song´s lyrics are supposed to tell a story in an intelligent way, as they do here in complete contrast to today´s monstrosities called songs.
Szafran sings perfectly and superbly, with her charming mannerisms and vocal tricks, which she manages to use as effectively as always. She is able to pronounce every word clearly and accurately, with feeling and obvious sentiment to the context, an art that seems to be lost completely these days. Her warm and round voice and professional finesse are irresistible. The interplay between her and the trio is always impeccable, which turns the entire recording into a musical love affair. Nahorny and the rhythm section are of course a living example of knights in shining armor.
This is an "old fashioned" album, but in spite of that often misused classification it sounds fresh and alive in spite of its delicacy, fragility and sophistication. I must be old fashioned myself, as this stuff simply melts my heart.
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  | ANDRZEJ TRZASKOWSKI ~ SEANT (POLISH JAZZ VOL.11)
POLSKIE RADIO 0541 (Barcode: 5901448115415) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 - 1966 Released: 2005
This monumental album, perhaps as important as fellow Polish Jazz Godfather Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist´s "AstigmanticFind albums with this title", recorded at the same period, is unfortunately significantly less known and appreciated, both in Poland and abroad, which is a great misfortune. Pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist contributed enormously to the development of Polish Jazz, especially in the field of more experimental, Avant-Garde, Free Jazz music, which was rapidly developing worldwide in the 1960s. This sextet recording, which includes American trumpeter Ted CursonFind albums by this artist (of Charles MingusFind albums by this artist fame), who was spending as much of his time in Europe as at home, playing along brilliant Polish crew: saxophonists Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist and Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek OstaszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam JedrzejowskiFind albums by this artist. The music, all original compositions by Trzaskowski, is simply brilliant and absolutely pioneering in every respect. Listening to this album in retrospect one can hear clearly that in the historic perspective it was as innovative and groundbreaking as anything else created at the time over the pond and beyond the Iron Curtain. In addition it is also aesthetically beautiful and intellectually challenging. An absolute must to any Polish Jazz enthusiast; this is an essential piece of Polish Jazz history.
| | Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.14
POLSKIE RADIO 1664 (Barcode: 5907812246648) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1963 Released: 2014
This is the fourteenth 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 available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The material collected here presents the third volume of recordings made in 1963 during the sixth Jazz Jamboree festival in Warsaw. In contrast to the two earlier volumes, this one presents only Polish Jazz musicians, and therefore is by far the most interesting and enlightening of the three. In many respects this album is a comprehensive review of the Polish Jazz scene at the time and presents the early days of the modern Polish Jazz at its pivotal stage of forming its own identity, as far as sound, atmosphere, character and unique stylistic aesthetics are concerned.
The album includes just six tracks, by four different ensembles, playing expanded compositions, three of which cross the fifteen minutes duration time, a clear signal of creativity and improvisational freedom typical of modern Jazz. The ensembles are: Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist (saxophone) quartet with pianist Wlodek GulgowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Tadeusz WojcikFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist (one track), Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist (piano) quintet with saxophonists Zbigniew Namyslowski and Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, bassist Juliusz SandeckiFind albums by this artist (here misspelled as Julian) and drummer Adam JedrzejowskiFind albums by this artist (two tracks), Alek MusialFind albums by this artist (trumpet) quintet with vibraphonist Ryszard KruzaFind albums by this artist, pianist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, bassist Wieslaw DamieckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Bogdan JopekFind albums by this artist (one track) and finally Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist (piano) quintet with trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Michal Urbaniak, bassist Maciej SuzinFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski (two tracks). Of the six compositions three are standards and three are originals, one by Trzaskowski and two by Komeda.
Stylistically the music is quite similar, ranging from more traditionally based modern Jazz in case of the Namyslowski and Musial tracks to more advanced characteristic Polish Jazz material in case in of the music by Trzaskowski and finally most dramatically in the music by Komeda, which is already eons ahead of its time. The two Komeda tracks are the epitome of modern Polish / European Jazz, which clearly show a mature approach free of the restrictions imposed by the American Jazz tradition. These tracks are alone worth the price of the entire album, but of course the rest of the material is also quite excellent.
The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.
| | Updated: 02/12/2016Posted: | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.27
POLSKIE RADIO 2059 (Barcode: 5907812247126) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1965 Released: 2016
This is the twenty-seventh installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. 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 available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The tracks presented here were recorded live in December 1965 during the eighth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the second volume of a collection of tracks from that event.
The first two tracks present a trio led by one of the Godfathers of modern European Jazz, the German pianist / composer Joachim KuhnFind albums by this artist with bassist Klaus KochFind albums by this artist and drummer Reinhard SchwartzFind albums by this artist. They perform two original compositions by Kuhn and the performance is one of the earliest examples of European Free Jazz. Kuhn´s performance here is absolutely stunning as everything he played at the time, before he moved from East German to West Germany. The fact that his Free Jazz playing was tolerated by the GDR regime is a fascinating story by itself. More details about his activity around the time this music was recorded ban be found in the review of the Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist´s album "Live At Kosmos, BerlinFind albums with this title", which was recorded just a month earlier.
The next four tracks present a quintet led by another Godfather of modern European Jazz, the German trombonist / composer Albert MangelsdorffFind albums by this artist with saxophonists Gunter KronbergFind albums by this artist and Heinz SauerFind albums by this artist, bassist Gunter LentzFind albums by this artist and drummer Ralf HubnerFind albums by this artist. They perform three original compositions by Mangelsdorff and one composition by the British trumpeter / composer Ian CarrFind albums by this artist, a great pioneer of modern British Jazz. Although the music performed by the Albert Mangelsdorff quintet is not as Free Jazz oriented as that by Joachim Kuhn, it is a superb of early modern European Jazz, which was already emancipated from the American Jazz influence and clearly showed the new direction being created in Europe. Both these performances show the importance of German musicians as co-creators of early European Jazz.
The last track present a sextet led by yet another Godfather of modern European Jazz, the Polish Jazz pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist with American trumpeter Ted CursonFind albums by this artist (who was living in Europe at the time), saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek OstaszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam JedrzejowskiFind albums by this artist. They perform one extended original composition by Trzaskowski. The music is again a stunning example of early modern European Jazz and a great precursor of the explosion of the Polish Jazz scene, which was happening at the time.
The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.
| | Updated: 03/12/2016Posted: 03/12/2016 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.33
POLSKIE RADIO 2182 (Barcode: 5907812241223) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1967 Released: 2021
This is the thirty-third installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. 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 available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland´s most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.
The tracks presented here were recorded live in October 1967 during the tenth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the first volume of a collection of tracks from that event.
The first five tracks present the American multi-reed player Roland KirkFind albums by this artist and his quartet, which included pianist Ron BurtonFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Rahn BurtonFind albums by this artist), bassist Steve NovoselFind albums by this artist and drummer Jimmy HoppsFind albums by this artist. The quartet performs two original compositions by Kirk and three standards, all pretty standard American Bebop, which at the time was already considered somewhat passé in comparison to the work done by the great American Jazz innovators headed by John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, who died just a few months before these tracks were recorded.
The next track presents the quintet led by great Polish pianist / composer Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist with saxophonists Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist and Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, bassist Jacek OstaszewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Sergiusz PerkowskiFind albums by this artist (mistakenly listed as Sergiusz Piotrowski). The quintet performs one lengthy version of an original composition by Trzaskowski, clearly showing that already at that time Polish Jazz was as good as anything originating across the pond and frankly the composition is light-years ahead of Bebop, somewhat on the thin line between composed and improvised music.
The next two tracks present the German quintet led by trumpeter Manfred SchoofFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Gerd DudekFind albums by this artist, pianist Alexander von SchlippenbachFind albums by this artist, bassist Buschi NiebergallFind albums by this artist and drummer Jaki LiebezeitFind albums by this artist (mistakenly listed as Liebezeit Jaki). The quintet performs two lengthy medleys, each of two compositions, all original by the members of the quintet. The music is a superb example of early European Free Jazz, which was exploding at the time across Europe, with Germany being one of the epicenters of the new direction. The music is absolutely sensational and sounds today as fresh as it was at the time of the recording, perfectly illustrating the notion that Free Jazz can make sense and be aesthetically viable. It also sadly proves that the genre did not move an inch ahead in the fifty-four years that passed since.
The series, which was brought back to life after three years of absence, offers an upgraded packaging, which finally offers liner notes, albeit those could have been better, considering the importance of this music. The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. Overall this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan should consider as a must.
| | Updated: 23/07/2021Posted: 23/07/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ PRZYJACIELE GRAJA HAJDUNA
ALLEGRO 023 (Barcode: 5901157049230) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2009 Released: 2011
This album presents the live recording of a memorial concert dedicated to the Polish pianist / composer Janusz HajdunFind albums by this artist, who died a year before this concert took place. Hajdun composed music to more than a hundred films, including the short animated film "Tango", which was the first and so far only Polish film to win the Oscar in 1983, as well as many popular songs. His music was characterized by a distinctive swing and a Jazz spirit, and therefore it is only natural that the Polish Jazz musicians taking part in this concert would pay this loving tribute to the beautiful music composed by Hajdun, hoping to preserve it for posterity.
The album presents thirteen compositions by Hajdun (in two cases co-compositions), all of which were beautifully arranged by the participating musicians and three of which include vocals sung by Wanda StaroniewiczFind albums by this artist. The instrumentalist are: legendary pianist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Piotr NadolskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marcin WadolowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Wojciech StaroniewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz MackiewiczFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Dariusz HerbaszFind albums by this artist, percussionist Adam GolickiFind albums by this artist and pianist Kuba HajdunFind albums by this artist (the composer´s son).
The music is truly beautiful, full of the typical Polish lyricism, somewhat melancholic and even gloomy, but always absorbing and aesthetically perfect. There is more than a coincidental similarity to Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist´s cinematic work, which indisputably inspired Hajdun, as it did all Polish composers. Hearing all this music collected here makes a great impact as a sum total and emphasizes his incredible value as a composer and contributor to the development of Polish Culture.
The performances are inspired and overall perfect, full of superb solos and excellent team work, kept in relative low-key, as appropriate for a memorial concert. Ranging from solo piano performances to a full-blown Jazz ensemble, things are definitely happening here, which should leave no listener cold. The fact that people pay tribute to their departed colleagues and mentors is heartwarming and commendable and when it is done with such love, dedication and talent, it becomes an unforgettable event.
This is Polish Jazz at its best, and as such it deserves to be listened to with attention and open-mindedness. Taking care of the past and the heritage is every bit as important as taking care of the future, let´s not forget it.
| | | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | JAN PTASZYN WROBLEWSKI ~ STUDIO JAZZOWE POLSKIEGO RADIA 1969-78
POLSKIE RADIO 2327-2331 (Barcode: 5907812248222) ~ POLAND ~ Big Band Jazz
Recorded: 1969 - 2017 Released: 2020
This is an iconic archival album documenting the recorded legacy of one of the Godfathers of Polish Jazz, saxophonist / composer / arranger / bandleader Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. The first four CDs in this 5CD set present recordings by the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist led and conducted by Wroblewski between late 1968 and early 1978, and the last CD presents recordings by his quartet and sextet, recorded between 1979 and 2017. The entire crème de la crème of the Polish Jazz scene in the crucial decade of its development (late 1960s to late 1970s) can be heard on these recordings, including such celebrated names like Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist, Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist, Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist, Jerzy MilianFind albums by this artist, Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist, NOVIFind albums by this artist Singers and many others. Almost all the music on these CDs was composed and arranged by Wroblewski and the members of the orchestra. Wroblewski (born 1936), who is nearing his eighty fifth birthday, is still active today and he wrote the liner notes accompanying this release, reminiscing about the decade during which he fronted the orchestra.
The artistry of the Big Band idiom and the sophistication of the arrangements are of course the focal points of the music and although the American Big Bands are an obvious inspiration, the result reaches way beyond the basic model, creating the European Big Band approach, which looks for inspiration in way more complex compositions (like the music of Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist in this case) and experimental soloing, bordering on Free Jazz, which can be heard extensively here. The fact that the members of Komeda’s ensembles play on these recordings speaks for itself and the contributing composers are all pioneers of modern Polish Jazz.
The music is, as expected, absolutely brilliant from start to finish, and in retrospect glorifies the level of the Polish Jazz musicianship and talent at the time. It is “criminal” that this music was locked down in the vaults of the Polish Radio for so long, and hopefully the rest of it (at least twice as much as was released now) will be released in the future. The damages made by limitations of the Polish music industry at the time and the monopoly of State owned music enterprises, which controlled and censored the output of recorded music for decades, should be all made right in time, preserving the Cultural treasures hidden from public access.
Polish Jazz enthusiasts all over the world should find this album an absolute must have in their collection. The list of participating musicians and the quality of the compositions is certain to satisfy the most demanding listeners and the historical importance is unprecedented. Essential listening!
| | Updated: 11/02/2021Posted: 11/02/2021 | CD 5 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | JAN PTASZYN WROBLEWSKI ~ SWEET BEAT
GAD 004 (Barcode: 5901549197037) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2012
A couple of years after they collaborated on the first Polish Easy Jazz album ("Jej PortretFind albums with this title"), saxophonist / composer / arranger / bandleader Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and saxophonist / keyboardist / composer Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist meet again on this, another Easy Jazz recording, this time of the Jazz & Strings variety. This time however, Wroblewski is the primary soloist, fronting a wonderful quintet which includes Nahorny on keyboards, bassist Bronislaw SuchanekFind albums by this artist, drummer Janusz StefanskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jozef GawrychFind albums by this artist. The quintet is accompanied by an expanded string section, conducted by Zygmunt MahlikFind albums by this artist.
The album includes eleven original compositions, eight by Wroblewski and three by Jerzy WasowskiFind albums by this artist (a wonderful composer of cabaret songs). Wroblewski also wrote all the elaborate arrangements. Although, as intended, the orchestral arrangements are indeed Easy Jazz, the wonderful saxophone solos are anything, but easy, often being quite complex and even slightly Free Form, sometimes in complete contrast to the melodic background. However the overall atmosphere of this album is relaxed and focuses on delivering a musical experience, which can be enjoyed by a variety of listeners, including those who don´t listen to Jazz on a regular basis.
Regardless of the concept behind this music, it is very apparent that neither Wroblewski nor any of his colleagues take this project lightly and the level of execution is simply perfect, as are the compositions. Wonderfully melodic, yet far from being banal, these melodies stand the test of time marvelously and sound completely relevant also today. The overall project might sound a bit dated, but that is also its charm, rising waves of nostalgia for times long gone.
This superb reissue presents exceptional remastered sound quality and fourteen bonus tracks, previously unreleased, which demonstrate other collaborations between Wroblewski and the Polish Radio string ensemble between 1967 and 1971. Wroblewski composed all of these tracks, with the exception of one standard. These recordings are a wonderful window into the "behind the scenes" of the Polish Jazz scene at the time, where experimentation and individualism might have bees suppressed by State censorship, but never stopped the protagonist from trying.
Sadly neglected and almost forgotten over the years, this album truly deserves a second life and GAD Records, as usual, made the right decision to reissue it, making a splendid job as always. I love this stuff!
| | | CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
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