Record Reviews

2WKL ~ CYBER YA2Z NOT ON LABEL 001 (Barcode: 3017600666700) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1999 Released: 2002 This is the debut album by Polish duo 2WKLFind albums by this artist, which comprises of keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer / composer Dawid Wojtek LewandowskiFind albums by this artist, who lives in France. The music was performed using a plethora of synthesizers, keyboards and programmed and live drums and was recorded live to DAT, featuring no overdubs or other studio trickery. The album presents six original compositions, three of which were composed by Konikiewicz and three were co-composed by Konikiewicz and Lewandowski. The music is an interesting amalgam of ambient / synthesizer music with strong ethnic elements, especially the rhythmic patterns, jazzy improvisation, groove, funk and even some Jazz-Rock idioms. Although performed only by two musicians, practically live, the overall sound is powerful and multilayered, often quite complex and intricate. Although strong melodic elements are present, the music is mostly atmospheric and contemplative, except for the moments when it creates a strong funk groove, becoming almost danceable. Konikiewicz plays some amazing synthesizer sounds, which are consistent with his well deserved position as one of the best keyboardists on the Polish scene. This album proves that he is always ready to experiment and find his own place within the developing and emerging music technology. The solos Konikiewicz plays on this album are truly stellar and should be part of the electric / electronic pantheon of the Polish recorded legacy. Lewandowski´s drums programming is among the best I have come across in the ambitious music, which proves that automated drums can be creative and even fascinating. There is not a dull moment on this album, much thanks to the great drum tracks. Although this album was recorded a decade and a half ago, there are very few, if any, synthesizer oriented albums released on the Polish scene since, that can match its diversity, imagination and virtuosity. It is definitely worth to be dug up and discovered by all those who missed it at the time.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

52UM ~ GOODBYE AMSTERDAM 52UM 0002 (Barcode: 5903068124136) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is an album by Polish Alternative Rock band UM52Find albums by this artist, recorded in the aftermath of the death of the band’s legendary leader Robert BrylewskiFind albums by this artist. The lineup includes the founding member, guitarist / vocalist Konrad JanuszekFind albums by this artist, bassist Rafal MicinskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Michal LeksFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and vibraphonist Pawel StawarzFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, co-credited to all band members. The album was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist. The music offers an interesting cross-genre amalgam of Rock, Reggae, World Music influences and strong Jazzy flavors, induced by Konikiewicz, who produced the album. Soaked in typical Polish melancholy, the album has a retro feel and sound, which is a fond reminder of better days in Polish Rock / Pop music, when it was not only music but a form of expression, protest and social awareness, and before it was kidnapped by Western destructive mediocracy and other poisonous influences. Sadly, I suppose that this album will find little rapport with contemporary young Polish listeners, and is oriented towards the disappearing class of music listeners, who remember what music was all about. It is simply too good and demanding to compete with contemporary musical nothingness. Overall, this is a sentimental tribute to Polish Alternative Rock music of several decades ago, full of nice melodies, intelligent lyrics and excellent instrumental performances, which work well for people my age, but probably are less attractive to younger listeners. I had a blast listening to this, who else?

Updated: 27/06/2024Posted: 27/06/2024

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

FREE COOPERATION ~ POLISH RADIO JAZZ ARCHIVES VOL.18 POLSKIE RADIO 1668 (Barcode: 5907812246686) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1985 Released: 2014 This is the eighteenth 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. This album is perhaps one of the most important pieces of the Polish Jazz legacy issued so far as a part of this series. It presents the cult Free CooperationFind albums by this artist ensemble, an informal gathering of top young Polish Jazz musicians active in the 1980s, which in retrospect turned out to be the next generation of the local scene, which carried on the tradition into the difficult next decade, after Poland finally received its political independence. The music of Free Cooperation was an eccentric amalgam of cross-genre explorations, moving between Reggae and Jazz-Rock, through the Jazz Big Band tradition and far out into collective improvisation and even some World Music influences. The music was composed by the ensemble´s members, like keyboardist Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist, flautist / saxophonist Aleksander KoreckiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Wojciech CzajkowskiFind albums by this artist. Among the ensemble members we find the legendary trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, whose solos on this album are absolutely breathtaking. Other members include trumpeters Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist and Mariusz StopnickiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Mateusz PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and Marek KazanaFind albums by this artist, trombonist Bronislaw DuzyFind albums by this artist, electric bassist Marcin PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, violinist Henryk GembalskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Michal ZduniakFind albums by this artist and Sarandis JuvanudisFind albums by this artist. Piotr BikontFind albums by this artist recited poetry, which accompanied some of the compositions. Listening to the music today, almost three decades after it was recorded, clearly points out how revolutionary and ahead of its time it was, not only as far as the local scene is concerned, but on the entire European Jazz scale. Free Cooperation came to the public attention thanks to their appearance at the 1985 Jazz Jamboree festival, which is documented here on one of the tracks; the other six tracks were recorded at the Polish Radio Studio in Poznan some months earlier. The ensemble was active between 1985 and 1988 and recorded two albums for the PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which are still waiting to be reissued, which is a true shame. In April 2014 the remaining members reactivated Free Cooperation playing a gig in a club in Krakow. 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. Side Note: In 1985 I returned to Poland for the first time after leaving the country in 1967, in order to record the now legendary "The Book Of JobFind albums with this title" project (follow the link to read the entire story). Andrzej Przybielski was one of the musicians participating in that project and he told me about Free Cooperation, which I than saw in person a few days after the recording was over on the stage of the Sala Kongresowa during the a.m. Jazz Jamboree performance, which of course left me flabbergasted. This album is therefore especially dear to my heart.

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

GREEN REVOLUTION ~ REWOLUCJA ZIELONA GAD 203 (Barcode: 5903068123030) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1987 - 1988 Released: 2022 This is an archival album by the Polish Fusion / Funk / Brass Rock ensemble Green RevolutionFind albums by this artist, led by keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and including vocalist Jorgos SkoliasFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Marek KazanaFind albums by this artist and Michal KulentyFind albums by this artist, guitarist Krzysztof SzmigieroFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and Zbigniew HeflichFind albums by this artist. The album presents five compositions, all by Konikiewicz, who also wrote the lyrics to four of the tracks and programmed the drum machines. One track uses lyrics written by Polish poet Miron BialoszewskiFind albums by this artist. The album was previously unreleased and was the second album recorded by the ensemble, which was active between mid-1980s and mid-1990s. The album symbolizes the musical philosophy of Konikiewicz, which completely disregards fads and fashions, ready to incorporate every possible genre and style, as long as it is honest and bullshit free, which of course ostracized him from the Polish Jazz mainstream / establishment, a fact which never seemed to worry him too much or influence his modus operandi. The list of musicians participating in the album’s creation is a wonderful collection of “strange birds”, mostly from the Polish Avant-Garde underground, which flourished at the time, all of which were brilliant musicians destined to remain in the shadows. It took many years to earn them the proper recognition, which in some case is still much belated. The music, despite its complexity and multilayered density, is remarkably accessible and enjoyable to a wide audience, incorporating Funk, Fusion, Reggae and even some early Rap with Jazz, sometimes as advanced as Free Jazz. Fused together it all makes perfect sense and offers a great listening experience, and must have been a blast when performed live on stage. All the players offer some great soli, and the Brass players are of course legendary, which makes every note they recorded a valuable addition to their rather limited recorded legacy. Konikiewicz, who at any given time was involved in several musical projects in parallel, continued his activity over the years to come, often against the stream, but always true to himself, creating a lot of remarkable music over time, which in the last years is finally being given the attention it deserves. This unknown gem of Polish Jazz history is long overdue to see the light of day, but completely relevant and fresh today – highly recommended!

Updated: 27/04/2022Posted: 27/04/2022

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

WOJCIECH KONIKIEWICZ ~ ANOTHER FORM OF COMMUNICATION ARTING ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1993 Released: 1993 This is a beautiful and sadly little known album by the Polish Jazz pianist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions by Konikiewicz, performed on piano solo (the two opening tracks) and in a trio setting (the remaining four tracks, recorded live) with the wonderful late bassist Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist and drummer Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist, recorded at the Warsaw Music University. The album was released first as an exquisitely packaged promotional gift by the prestigious Paris based communication and design firm Arting, which is today a highly sought-after collector´s item, and which I was honored to receive from the Artist himself. Later on it was released commercially in Poland by Koch, but is of course completely gone from the market. The album presents the gentle / lyrical side of Konikiewicz, who weaves beautifully melodic themes and improvises at length, slowly developing his ideas and exposing fragment after of his inner soul to the listener. The album completely lacks any attempts of flashy display of technique or self-centered showmanship, and is simply all about the music and its sound and feeling. The trio tracks are a superb example of the classic piano trio format, with all three musicians listening to each other with obvious sympathy and respect. Personally I feel that these tracks are also some of the most beautiful pieces Wegehaupt ever recorded (and I know all of his work intimately), with fabulously crafted solos, full of finesse and emotion, being another added value of this project. He was definitely, in the words of Konikiewicz, a great poet of the bass. In retrospect I can say that the fact that this music in unavailable to the Polish Jazz connoisseur is a crying shame. All those forgotten albums truly deserve a proper reissue, as they are beyond a shadow of a doubt, part of the Polish Jazz legacy, which deserves to be cherished and preserved. It today´s "one minute attention span" world, pieces of art like this one are simply islands of sanity.

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

WOJCIECH KONIKIEWICZ ~ MUZYKA NOWEJ PRZESTRZENI GAD 111 (Barcode: 5903068120534) ~ POLAND ~ New Age, Relaxation & Meditation Recorded: 1990 Released: 2020 This is a reissue of the music composed and performed by Polish multi-platform Artist Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist, which was originally released on two cassettes in 1993 and is now available on this double CD set. Recorded completely solo during one hot August night in 1990, using just a few synthesizers, the music comprises of four tracks on the first CD and one extended track on the second CD, which lasts for exactly forty five minutes. Following Konikiewicz experiments with pioneering Avant-Garde Rock, Prog and Jazz music during the 1980s, this ambient / New Age music came as a total surprise from an Artist associated usually with extreme anti-establishment views, uncompromising attitude and non-commercial approach towards life and music as one. This and the fact that the New Age culture, including the music associated with the movement, was almost completely unknown at the time in Poland, which resulted in this music being rejected by the newly (at the time) developing music industry in Poland. Although synthesizer-based music was extremely popular already from the mid 1970s, it quickly deteriorated to the unbearable synthetic, synthesizer-drenched mindless Pop, which ruled in the 1980s, and which, in retrospect, was the first stage of the decline of the Art of Pop / Rock Music that bloomed during the Golden Era (1965-1975). The New-Age / Ambient music, with its meditative / relaxation / space elements, was in a way the counterculture to that mindless Pop, but again in retrospect, remains to this date a very narrow niche within the worldwide music scene. What caused Konikiewicz to enter this trans-like state in order to create this music? One can perhaps speculate that the tension of the dramatic / traumatic social / political transformations that took place in Poland shortly before this music was recorded subconsciously pushed him into this meditative creativity state as an escape from the tensions and a need to regain a peace of mind, as well as a need to express his thanks to his Maker, as any religious person, such as Konikiewicz, would succumb to in such circumstances. Seeing Poland Free and Independent again was undoubtedly a deeply spiritual experience for many Poles at that time. Obviously this is timeless music, being entirely separated from stylistic fads and fashions. It is a kind of pure musical aesthetics, a deeply emotional expressionism floating somewhere between sacral music and ambient sounds of church organs. As such it is deeply related to the state of mind of the listener and igitur able to alter the listener´s state of mind. It is also a bold, pioneering statement as far as Polish Music is concerned, which passed by almost completely unnoticed at the time, but remains a perfect example of the creativity of the local scene. Connoisseurs of New Age / Ambient Music, but also lovers of contemporary Avant-Garde Classical Music should find this absolutely fascinating. It is a great joy to have this music back in circulation thanks to the incredible people behind GADFind albums on this label Records

Updated: 08/03/2020Posted: 16/02/2020

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

WOJCIECH KONIKIEWICZ ~ MY ROOM 101 KONTRA BANDA (Barcode: 5906713270011) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2006 Released: 2007 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and his trio called TransgrooveFind albums by this artist, which also includes bassist Marcin LamchFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw PacanFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions (and a bonus remix of the opening track), all by Konikiewicz. The music is a keyboards-soaked Groove, Funk, Jazz-Rock Fusion, which has been the modus operandi of Konikiewicz since years. Layers upon layers of keyboards supported by a tight, funky rhythm section are a vehicle which carries a series of lengthy and well developed keyboard solos soaring above with passion. In contrast to most Groove recordings however, this music offers a very diverse melodic content, which Groove music seems to carry little about in most cases. The melancholic and lyrical acoustic track (where Konikiewicz plays acoustic piano) is one of the highlights of the album. Konikiewicz is an absolute wizard with his synthesizers, able to create an infinite variety of sounds and colors, which is truly amazing. The music on this album sparkles with new ideas constantly, and there is not a dull moment for the entire duration of the album. Same goes for the many moods and atmospheric soundscapes, which seem to float in front of the listener like an imaginary movie. The rhythm section is quite ideal for these proceedings, switching between straightforward timekeeping to delicate accompaniment on the more lyrical tunes. Lamch plays a superbly melodic acoustic bass solo on one track but is forceful and funky on other occasions. The same can be said about Pacan as well. The level of interplay and musical respect between the trio members is remarkable. This album should reestablish the reputation of Konikiewicz as one of the best among the veteran Polish Jazz musicians. Hopefully he will be able to grace us with new recordings more often than earlier, as we are nor getting any younger. Lovers of Groove, Funk and just great keyboards oriented music should find this irresistible!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

WOJCIECH KONIKIEWICZ ~ PORTRAITS OF R. NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5902904120011) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2000 Released: 2001 This is a beautiful and sadly completely obscure solo piano album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist. It comprises of thirteen impressions composed by Konikiewicz as musical "illustrations" to an exhibition of thirteen paintings and sculptures portraying the great Polish film director Roman PolanskiFind albums by this artist, which was held in the Adi Art gallery in Lodz. The music created by Konikiewicz to accompany the exhibition turned it into a multi-media happening. The figure of Polanski is of course synonymous with Polish Jazz, since his films always featured soundtracks performed by Polish Jazz musicians and composed usually by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Therefore the presence of this music as part of the artistic homage to Polanski makes perfect sense. The music is very lyrical and contemplative, flowing gently from one impression to another, somewhat in contrast to the tempestuous character of Polanski himself. Perhaps Konikiewicz is able to see the gentle side of the great director or responds to the artwork at the exhibition, but whatever the reason the music is definitely non aggressive. Based on rather veiled melodic themes, these impressions are more about letting the musical flow embrace the listener and carry him along on a subconscious voyage of emotional happening. Calling these pieces impressions is much more accurate than calling them improvisations, as they are a result of a continuous process of subconscious flow of creation, unbounded by the need to improvise on a actual given themes or chord changes. This is very personal music and as such requires openhearted and attentive listening and a kind of mental submission to let the music enter into the listener´s soul. Once such a process takes place, the aesthetic experience is fully realized. I can only recommend to people to try and find a copy of this album, which surely won´t be easy, in order to listen to enjoy this music and to discover yet another side of Konikiewicz, who obviously is a multifaceted Artist.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

WOJCIECH KONIKIEWICZ / FREE FUNK TRIO ~ LIVE AT RURA 1982 GAD 091 (Barcode: 5903068120237) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1982 Released: 2019 This is an archival album presenting a live concert recording by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and his Free Funk TrioFind albums by this artist, which also included bassist Mieczyslaw JureckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek RatajczykFind albums by this artist. Recorded at the legendary Wroclaw Jazz Club Rura, it presents eight original compositions, all by Konikiewicz. To properly understand the historic perspective of this recording it is important to remember that this music was recorded just a few months after Martial law was imposed in Poland in December of 1981, in a desperate attempt of the Socialist regime to quench growing social and political unrest in the country. As usual in Poland, political dictatorship was always challenged by the country´s intelligentsia and Artistic circles, and although Cultural activities were severely limited and heavily censored, they became a primary form of resistance to the oppression. Some of that anger and frustration is evidently expressed by these young (at the time) musicians in their display of wild energy and complete disregard of authority, as much musical as political. The music is a raw mixture of Funk, Punk, Jazz, Rock and Groove, which will become the modus operandi for Konikiewicz for years to come and which was obviously influenced the late period stylistic explorations of Miles DavisFind albums by this artist, who remains a major influence on Konikiewicz to this very day. Fate decided that Davis played at the Jazz Jamboree Festival in Poland just over a year after this music was recorded, immediately after the Martial law was lifted in 1983. Although the trio format might seem somewhat limiting for such explosive musical adventure, Konikiewicz and his cohorts squeeze the proverbial lemon to the max under the circumstances, giving everything, both musically and emotionally, they have to offer. Konikiewicz on acoustic piano and the Fender Rhodes is in charge of the melodic content, but his percussive playing goes hand in hand with the dynamic rhythm section, which takes care of the groove, with occasional outbursts of frenzy solo parts featuring the fretless bass and the drums. There is no doubt that the Free Funk Trio was a formative ensemble in the musical career of Konikiewicz. The same kind of attitude present here, which eschews pompous mannerisms and fake pretentiousness, will be his musical compass in the years to come, when he was involved in some the most important Polish Jazz projects during the 1980s and 1990s, alas hardly ever scoring any real-time recognition for his efforts. It was also the same attitude that ostracized him from the established domesticated Polish Jazz establishment, causing him to be active mostly on the fringe scene, refusing to compromise and sell out; an attitude which makes me proud to call him my friend. Overall this album is an important piece of the Polish Jazz history, which is brought back to life by the excellent GAD Records label, which never fails to nail the forgotten gems and expand our horizons. It is most educational and certainly warmly recommended!

Updated: 18/06/2019Posted: 18/06/2019

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

KOPINSKI / KONIKIEWICZ ~ ZONE K SLAM 252 (Barcode: 5028386025221) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2002 Released: 2002 This is the only album by the trio co-led by British (of Polish origin) saxophonist / composer Jan KopinskiFind albums by this artist and Polish keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist and also including the British drummer Steve HarrisFind albums by this artist. The album, which was recorded live, comprises of six original compositions, three of which are credited to all trio members, two are composed by Konikiewicz and the remaining one is composed by Kopinski. Kopinski and Harris (who unfortunately died in 2008), were of course members of the legendary British band Pinski Zoo, one of the leading ensembles on the British scene since the 1980s. Konikiewicz cooperated with the band and its members on several occasions and this recording is a document of one of such projects. The music is dominated by Kopinski´s highly expressive saxophone playing, which is mostly free-form oriented. Konikiewicz, on the other hand, plays cautiously and mostly quite melodically, co-existing in a perfect balance with Kopinski´s explorations. Harris keeps the music moving forward, switching between straight forward rhythmic patterns and free-time passages. Overall the trio creates a fascinating amalgam of highly energetic contemporary Jazz, which keeps the listener on his toes for the entire duration. There is also a much gentler, intimate side to the music, like for example the second track of the album, which is a beautiful ballad, full of typical Polish lyricism and melancholy. Konikiewicz switches between acoustic piano, which he uses to play the melodic intro and the wonderful solo, and the keyboards, which he uses to play the chord sequences and rhythmic layers behind the saxophone solo. Another of such pieces is the solo piano track, which is one of the highlights of the album. There is an atmosphere of mutual respect and openness, which can be easily felt thorough the entire duration of the album, which makes an ensemble like this trio to become so convincing and effective. Although parts of the performances on this album are somewhat similar to the free-form funk, which is the weapon of choice of Pinski Zoo, the album is overall quite different and original in its own way. In retrospect this album is definitely worthy to be revisited from time to time, as the fine music and superb playing on this album don´t get any less relevant in time, on the contrary they are still very much a most interesting listening experience today.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

JAN KOPINSKI / REFLEKTOR ~ MIRRORS JAZZ SEVICES 005 (Barcode: 5020883990057) ~ UK ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2009 Released: 2011 This is a wonderful album by British (of Polish origin) saxophonist / composer Jan KopinskiFind albums by this artist, primarily know as a leader of the legendary Pinski ZooFind albums by this artist ensemble. The music on this album was commissioned by the Opera North in Leeds and serves as a basis of a multi-media show, which combines music and videos taken during Kopinski´s many travels in Poland. It also serves as his reexamination and mostly rediscovery of his Polish cultural ancestry. The ReflektorFind albums by this artist ensemble, which was assembled to bring this project into fruition, consists of pianist Steve IliffeFind albums by this artist, drummer Patrick IllingworthFind albums by this artist, his son Stefan KopinskiFind albums by this artist on bass, his daughter Janina KopinskiFind albums by this artist on viola and finally the opera singer Melanie PappenheimFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten pieces, nine of which are originals composed by Kopinski and one is a traditional song arranged by his daughter and performed as a solo viola epilogue. The resulting music is a fascinating amalgam of Jazz, contemporary Classical music, folklore influences and Funky rhythms, which when combined achieve a stunning strength of expression. Jan´s free Jazz improvisations are beautifully balanced by the operatic vocals and serene viola passages. The piano and rhythm section change their allegiances in a chameleonic way, supporting the saxophone improvisation and the melodic themes interchangeably. The Polish folklore sources are clearly present throughout the entire musical journey, obviously well absorbed during Kopinski´s travels in Poland with his Polish friend and musical collaborator pianist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist. Although many Polish Jazz musicians often use Polish folklore as a source of their influence, Kopinski´s approach to this subject is amongst the most interesting and eventually successful of these efforts. This is definitely one of the most successful, both aesthetically and intellectually, multicultural musical projects that I happened to come across in the last few years. It combines the best of many worlds, in a balanced, cultural, respectful way, which is a very rare phenomenon. I therefore recommend this album to all open-minded listeners, who are interested to cross over into the terra incognita only to surface enriched and fulfilled spiritually.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

KRZYSZTOF PUMA PIASECKI ~ ILLUSION NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the fifth album by veteran Polish guitarist / composer Krzysztof Puma PiaseckiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet format with keyboardist Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam SkrzypekFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian SkrzypekFind albums by this artist. Katarzyna Puma PiaseckaFind albums by this artist adds some improvised vocals on one track. The album presents ten original compositions, six of which were composed by Piasecki and four were co-composed by Piasecki and Konikiewicz. The material on this album presents two quite separate musical universes: The music composed by Piasecki moves between Blues-Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion and is based on strong melodic motifs, which serve as vehicles for extended improvisations by the guitar and the keyboards. Both the lyrical / melancholic ballads and the bluesy rockers are nicely and intelligently crafted. The entire sound of the ensemble is somewhat retro oriented and quite reminiscent of many late 1960s / early 1970s Blues based electric instrumental albums. Piasecki plays some great guitar licks, which still send a shiver down the listener´s spine, at least in the case of those of us who grew up when this type of music ruled the world. Konikiewicz plays a variety of keyboards, from acoustic piano, on the mellow acoustic tunes on which the acoustic guitar is also used, to mean synthesizers on the more rocky tunes. The rhythm section (with acoustic bass) is supportive and tight, exactly as needed, and produces an unobtrusive background, which carries the solos with grace. In contrast, the music co-composed by Piasecki and Konikiewicz is less conventional, mostly ambient / improvised, performed by guitar and keyboards only, except for one track, which also uses vocals. This music is obviously more complex and adventurous, and as a result more difficult to be absorbed by an average listener. It is also much more interesting as far as more experienced and daring listeners are concerned. In spite of the obvious differences, the two musical universes work well together, balancing the overall effect both aesthetically and emotionally, creating a multifaceted musical experience. Although this album does not break any new ground musically, it contains excellent musical content, which is based on creative compositions and superb execution by high class instrumentalists, which is already more than most album released today. Listeners who still listen to Blues-Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion have a great opportunity here to get an injection of fresh music, which is right up their alley. This is definitely an album worth investigating by all guitar fans and just anybody with any musical taste left in them. Well done!

Updated: 23/09/2017Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

TRIBUTE TO MILES ORCHESTRA ~ LIVE WARNER MUSIC POLAND 039842388922 (Barcode: 039842388922) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1998 Released: 1998 This is the only album by Polish Jazz ensemble Tribute To Miles OrchestraFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. TTMOFind albums by this artist), led by keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist, which also featured trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Mariusz MielczarekFind albums by this artist, guitarist Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Radek MacinskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist (usually keyboardists) Piotr IwickiFind albums by this artist. The album, which was recorded live at the legendary Akwarium club in Warsaw, presents six compositions, five of which are by Miles DavisFind albums by this artist and one is by Konikiewicz (dedicated to Davis). Musically the album presents the style Miles Davis utilized during the last period of his career, when he switched to Warner Bros. and released the world shattering "TutuFind albums with this title", presenting a combination of Funk and electronic music, which at the time was as innovative as every other giant step Davis took during his career. The Polish Jazz musicians handle the Funk rhythmic challenge formidably and paraphrasing on the "white man can´t jump" - white man definitely can Funk! There are plenty of superb solos and passionate moments, as well as interesting arrangements of earlier Davis compositions transcribed into the Funky style. The remarkable bass playing, which is the basis upon which this music is built, is the core element of its success. But all the participants are contributing extraordinarily and the overall result is way beyond what one might expect. The most thrilling and astonishing facet of this album is the presence of trumpeter Andrzej Przybielski, who is ordinarily associated with the Free / Avant-Garde Polish scene. This is surely the most "conventional" recording that Przybielski ever took part in and his sound and imitation of the Miles Davis phrasing are simply marvelous. The invitation of Przybielski to participate on this album was a prophetic and bold move by Konikiewicz, who is therefore credited for showing us a face of the legendary trumpeter that we never knew about and is preserved here for posterity. There is no doubt that the idea behind this album was influenced by the two Miles Davis visits in Poland, in 1983 and in 1988 (I attended that concert), which are generally accepted as life changing experience for the Polish Jazz scene, both collectively as a community and individually as directly influencing the local musicians. The second visit, which happened shortly before Poland was finally released from the grip of the Socialist regime, was a symbol of a changing reality, which at the time was just around the corner (pun intended). The album suffers from some minor sound quality problems due to the recording conditions, but those are completely negligible in view of the musical contents and the historic significance of this album. The fact that this album disappeared from the shelves almost immediately after it was released and was never reissued is a crying shame.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend