Record Reviews

JANUSZ MUNIAK ~ CRAZY GIRL POLJAZZ / ANEX 322 (Barcode: 5907513047773) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1986 Released: 2009 This is the third album as a leader by the veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, recorded live with his quartet, which also included pianist Wojciech PuszekFind albums by this artist, bassist Zbigniew WegehauptFind albums by this artist and American drummer George BucknerFind albums by this artist. They play only four compositions, one of which is an original by Muniak, another is by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist (the title track) and the remaining two are standards. Although well played the album offers no innovation whatsoever and is simply one more Bebop set, which is quite forgettable. The leader plays some mighty solos, which are, as always in his case, quite incredible and virtuosic, but the overall effect remains pretty unremarkable. The album also suffers from a pretty amateurish sound quality, which often victimized live Polish Jazz recordings, with mobile recording equipment in the Socialist country being sadly sub-standard. Nevertheless it is a document both of the times and of Muniak´s legacy, and therefore definitely worth listening and enjoying his bravado performances. Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label / MuzaFind albums on this label and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums on this label reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.

Updated: 01/06/2018Posted:

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JANUSZ MUNIAK ~ PLACEBO POLJAZZ / ANEX 325 (Barcode: 5907513047803) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 Released: 2009 Polish saxophonist / composer / bandleader Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist was one of the most important Polish Jazz figures during the early post WWII period, which flourished in the 1960s / 1970s. He was part of the emerging revolutionary movement of Polish Jazz, where he played along such legendary pioneers as Andrzej TrzaskowskiFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist and Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist. Since the late 1970s Muniak leads his own groups and records as a leader. This is his second album as a leader and since then he continued to record a plethora of albums over the years, both as a leader and sideman. He also owns his own Jazz club in Krakow, called "U Muniaka", which is one of the oldest continuously active Jazz venues in the country. This album presents Muniak in a quartet setting, with pianist Wojciech PuszekFind albums by this artist (playing the Fender Rhodes electric piano), bassist Andrzej CudzichFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof ZawadzkiFind albums by this artist. They perform four lengthy originals, all by Muniak, which allow for extended improvisations, mostly by the leader. The presence of the electric piano sets the overall ambience of this recording, pushing it slightly towards Jazz-Rock Fusion, but the leader keeps the situation in check and well within the modern mainstream bounds. Muniak´s performances on both the soprano and tenor saxophones are first rate as are those by the rhythm section, creating together some excellent, but not very innovative modern Jazz, which most Jazz listeners should enjoy. Side Note: The PoljazzFind albums on this label label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label / MuzaFind albums on this label and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label AnexFind albums on this label reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.

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JANUSZ MUNIAK ~ REMEMBRANCES SOLITON 1219 (Barcode: 5903684232192) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2002 Released: 2022 This is an archival live recording by iconic Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer / bandleader Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quartet, which includes pianist Wojciech PuszekFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr KulakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist. The album presents five tracks, all of which are American Jazz standards. The music is a fragment of a longer concert and is all straightforward standard mainstream Jazz with the tracks lasting on average about ten minutes and offering the usual soloing and bar exchanges between the saxophonist / pianist and the rhythm section. The recording is obviously amateurish and the sound quality is unbalanced, with the piano and bass being somewhat lost in the mix and the saxophone and drums being way too much up front. It is quite questionable if this album does any good to the memory of Muniak, who was after all one of the leading figures on the Polish Jazz scene for many years. The performances captured here are uninspired and mundane, surely not portraying the musicians in their best form. Overall, this is a document of an important figure of the Polish Jazz, which sadly contributes very little to commemorate Muniak’s contribution to the genre. It has very little musical value as such and its value as a document is, to me, also questionable.

Updated: 15/06/2022Posted: 15/06/2022

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