Record Reviews

JAREK WIST / KRZYSZTOF HERDZIN BIG BAND ~ SWINGING WITH SINATRA DUX 0090 (Barcode: 5902547000909) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is a live recording of a concert dedicated, as the title suggests, to the songs which were part of the classic repertoire of Frank SinatraFind albums by this artist. The songs are performed by young Polish vocalist Jarek WistFind albums by this artist, who is accompanied by a Big Band led and conducted by distinguished veteran pianist / composer / arranger Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist. The album includes fourteen tracks, twelve of which are standards from the Sinatra repertoire and two are original compositions by Herdzin, one used as an intro and the other as a showcase to present the members of the Big Band at mid-time. Sinatra, who was often dismissed by narrow-minded Jazz buffs as a crooner and mere entertainer, was in fact one of the greatest American Jazz singers and had more swing in his toes alone than most others, certainly more than his critics. His very individual and unique treatments of the great American Songbook are the absolute Holy Grail of American Jazz vocals and remain untouched by time, incomparable, undefeated and uncontested. Especially notable are his superb recordings with Big Bands, like the Count BasieFind albums by this artist Orchestra and several others, arranged and conducted by such luminaries as Nelson RiddleFind albums by this artist, Neal HeftiFind albums by this artist or Quincy JonesFind albums by this artist. All these recordings are quintessential, pure and unadulterated Jazz classics. It is simply impossible to listen to this album without comparing it, for example, to the classic "Sinatra At The SandsFind albums with this title", recorded with the Count Basie Orchestra conducted by Quincy Jones. Unfortunately the comparison doesn´t leave much space to remain positive about this album, which is a great pity, since the intentions were probably quite honorable and the participants are all excellent musicians. I can understand Herdzin willing to step into the shoes of the great Big Band arrangers of the past and indeed his part as the arranger is probably the best ingredient of the entire package. However even these arrangements sound rather pale and lack the zest and the kick which characterize the original Sinatra recordings. I have no idea if the Big Band had ample opportunity to rehearse and considering the economic realities of a Big Band, they most probably did not, which is immediately apparent. As already stated, the participating musicians, who include pianist Piotr WrombelFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist and thirteen additional brass and reed players, are all able and talented musicians, but obviously have limited opportunities to show their skills within the Big Band collective when accompanying a lead singer. Wist is a rather ordinary singer, completely lacking the theatrical and humorous sides of Sinatra´s stage persona. His interpretations of these classic standards are simply dull and often imperfect technically. And of course there is the dreaded Polish accent and pronunciation, which is perhaps acceptable on the local market but completely unbearable to an English speaker. It´s a pity the producers of this album did not consider the additional step of getting the lyrics translated into Polish; this might have saved the day, al least to some extent. Even the audience´s applause present at the hall where this music was recorded sounds hesitant and weary and the sound quality of the recording suffers from uneven volume, poor separation and overall muddy resonance. In retrospect this was a lost case before it even begun. Tackling the enormity of Sinatra´s talent, heritage and status is not a very wise decision and such things are usually best left alone. The old saying: "a smart man knows how to get out of trouble but the wise man knows how to avoid trouble in the first place" is very appropriate here. During the concert Herdzin complains about the difficulty of his multi-talented persona (he not only arranged the songs, composed two pieces and conducted the band, but also plays the piano on one track and sings on another). Perhaps there is a lesson here for him, since after all he is an extremely talented person. On the other hand those who don´t do don´t make mistakes, and he surely does a lot.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

LESZEK KULAKOWSKI ~ PIANO CONCERTO / SKETCHES FOR JAZZ TRIO & SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA DUX 0387 (Barcode: 5902547003870) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 Polish pianist / composer Leszek KulakowskiFind albums by this artist is undoubtedly one of his country´s most idiosyncratic musical personalities, spearheading and representing the continuous love affair between Jazz and Classical music in his country. Considering the fact that most Polish Jazz musicians are graduates of musical academic institutions, some of them with Classical as well as Jazz studies behind them, it is hardly surprising that the amalgamation of these two genres happens quite often on the Polish scene. Some Polish Jazz musicians play their interpretations of Classical compositions, most often those by the Polish pianist / composer Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist; others utilize Classical music methods, devices and techniques in their Jazz compositions; and yet others compose large scale compositions, often involving entire symphonic orchestras, like the music by Kulakowski included herein. This album includes two separate works by Kulakowski, both involving piano and a symphony orchestra: his "Piano Concerto" and the "Sketches For Jazz Trio & Symphony Orchestra". The piano concerto is performed by his brother Bogdan KulakowskiFind albums by this artist as the soloist and the sketches are performed by a piano trio, this time with the composer in the piano chair, with bassist Piotr KulakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Jacek PelcFind albums by this artist. Both works are performed with the Baltic Philharmonic Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist in Gdansk conducted by Szymon BywalecFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live at the Baltic Philharmonic in Gdansk during the Komeda Jazz Festival. Although this is by far not the first attempt of its kind to merge Jazz and Classical music, the music on this album is quite surprising, principally as far as the attempt to create a bona fide Classical composition, especially in the case of the piano concerto, rather than a more "entertaining" mixture of the genres, which could be much more accessible to the average listener. There have been very few attempts to compose a piano concerto, soaked with Jazz undertones and yet so typically Classical in approach and structure. The obvious example of George GershwinFind albums by this artist´s "Piano Concerto in F" (and his other works) comes to mind immediately, not suggesting any direct links between these works, but as a point of reference. The composer seems certainly to be able to create a fully organic, although stylistically retrograde, piece of Classical music, which is moving and aesthetically fulfilling. The Jazz citations, chords and references will be of course more obvious to listeners with a Jazz background rather than to those with a strict Classical one, but both should be able to immensely enjoy the music. The sketches are definitely more "entertaining", with easily recognizable melody lines and fine lyrical atmosphere, lush string accompaniment and nice orchestral "outbursts" always in the right places. This is an elegant and intelligent piece of music, and although less original than the piano concerto, it has its own merits, especially the wonderful balance and integration between the trio and the orchestra, which is usually the weakest link of this type of musical encounters. The performances are quite excellent, both those by the soloists and by the orchestra. The live recording is somewhat mushy and lacking definition, but mostly well balanced, but that is a matter for fineschmeckers to deliberate upon; most listeners should be utterly satisfied with the sonic quality, on top of their admiration of the musical contents. This album is an excellent testimony as to the versatility, quality and artistic ability of the Polish Jazz scene, which has truly very little competition elsewhere. Of course it is another superb addition to the musical legacy of Leszek Kulakowski, who is surely about to take all his admirers by surprise again sometime in the near future. Kudos Maestro!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

KRZYSZTOF HERDZIN ~ COMPOSER`S CONCERT LIVE DUX 0970 (Barcode: 5902547009704) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2012 Released: 2013 Polish pianist / composer / arranger / conductor Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist, who is in his early forties at the time these words are being written, managed to create an entire universe of music in the relatively short span of his life so far; a universe so diverse and overwhelmingly rich in forms, idioms and palette that one begins to wonder if the Artist will ever reach his limits and become finally content and contained. Herdzin has been tightrope walking for some time now between Jazz and Classical Music, obviously deeply involved in both genres. Sometimes his works try to amalgamate the genres, creating a Jazz-Classical Fusion, but he also composes "strictly" Classical Music, which is presented on this live recording. Here Herdzin conducts the Polish Radio Symphony OrchestraFind albums by this artist, which performs seven of his compositions. Five of these compositions are orchestral works, with two involving only strings and the other three the entire orchestra, another one involves an improvising saxophonist – in this case the brilliant Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist – and the last one is a piano concertino in three parts, on which the composer also plays the piano. Contrary to what one might expect, Herdzin as a Classical Music composer does not follow the Polish "modernist school", which includes such distinguished composers as Krzysztof PendereckiFind albums by this artist, Witold LutoslawskiFind albums by this artist, Henryk GoreckiFind albums by this artist and Wojciech KilarFind albums by this artist, to mention just the most renowned names. His inspiration is obviously much closer to the French modernists / impressionists like Claude DebussyFind albums by this artist and Maurice RavelFind albums by this artist and the more Avant-Garde "Les Six" group, but of course many other distinguished composers he admires. His works are always full of romanticism and lyricism and are beautifully melodic, which makes them sound "easy" / "pleasant", even if they are in fact quite complex in their structure, harmony and form. The music presented here follows Herdzin´s tendency for creating melodic, romantic and mostly joyful music, which can be enjoyed by a wide spectrum of listeners, which can encompass his Jazz listeners as easily as fans of Classical Music. His Jazz persona is evident in the piece involving the saxophone improvisation, which is stunningly performed and definitely is one of the album´s highlights. The piano concertino also includes quite a few Jazzy hints and undercurrents. Herdzin does not present any groundbreaking discoveries herein, but his music is a very solid statement and pays tribute to his many talents. Overall this is a lovely and aesthetically pleasing piece of music, excellently performed and very well recorded, as much as being a great listening experience. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

CUP OF TIME ~ PLAYS NAMYSLOWSKI DUX 1101 (Barcode: 5902547011011) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This album by Polish ensemble Cup Of TimeFind albums by this artist, which comprises of four classically trained musicians: flautist Ryszard BorowskiFind albums by this artist, violinist Agnieszka CyprykFind albums by this artist, accordionist Rafal GrzakaFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist (of the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist fame), is a tribute to one of the Godfathers of Polish Jazz, saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist. The ensemble, founded in 2008, is associated with the Jazz-Classical Fusion, or what they describe (incorrectly of course) as "third stream", which tries to incorporate classical music approach with Jazz compositions, but is involved with other types of music as well. This album presents thirteen compositions, eight of which are by Namyslowski, including some of his iconic tunes, representing his career over time. Of the five additional compositions, two are folk tunes, one is composed by Polish composer Grazyna BacewiczFind albums by this artist and the remaining are one each by Lenczowski and Borowski. Namyslowski himself plays saxophone on those five tunes, which are not his compositions, transforming the quartet into a quintet. Although personally I´m quite fond of Jazz-Classical projects, this one sadly falls into the category of good ideas that eventually simply fail to deliver. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly why, but the beautiful music of Namyslowski, which is magical in the Jazz environment, loses most of its magic and charm when transformed into seemingly elegant and polished classical setting. This newly created version of the music simply lacks the essential qualities which characterize Jazz, even when combined with other musical genres, the most important of which is of course swing. This music simply does not swing at all, and if it ain´t got that swing… Of course the quartet members are all first rate musicians and the album is well recorded, but even Namyslowski´s saxophone parts, which are wonderfully played as usual, don´t manage to break the spell of estrangement and certain sterility that dominates these proceedings. Even a glass of red wine did not help – this music, as far as I am concerned, if not fun to listen to nor is it intellectually challenging enough to be enjoyable. But of course other listeners might think differently.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MACIEJ FORTUNA / KRZYSZTOF DYS ~ MACIEJEWSKI VARIATIONS DUX 1151 (Barcode: 5902547011516) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the second album by the Polish Jazz duo: trumpeter Maciej FortunaFind albums by this artist and pianist Krzysztof DysFind albums by this artist. However, in contrast to their debut release, which featured their original Jazz oriented compositions, this album is dedicated to the works of the great but sadly little known 20th Century Polish composer Roman MaciejewskiFind albums by this artist. Maciejewski, who spent most of his adult life outside of Poland, was only recently re-discovered by the Polish Classical music scene and now apparently also beyond the strict circle of Classical connoisseurs. The album includes thirteen variations of themes composed by Maciejewski, three of which appear here as premiere recordings. The themes serve as departure points for the various variations, in which Fortuna and Dys add their own layers of both improvisational and compositional extensions. The sensitive dialogue between the two musicians is the key element herein, being far more significant than the interpretation of the composed themes and yet it respectfully pays homage to the original music. The performances of both players are of course virtuosic and elegant, which can only be expected in view of their previous recording legacy. Fortuna´s trumpet playing is this time much "cleaner" than his somewhat "coarse" sound he uses in the Jazz idiom. Dys also sounds closer to Classical piano approach than on his previous recordings, which of course is quite natural in this case, as the music created here is only remotely related to what is usually associated with Jazz, at least for the majority of the audiences. The music emerges really beyond genre specifics and limitations, being simply wonderfully crafted and aesthetically fulfilling, which is what great music is supposed to be. Fortuna and Dys prove that a passionate dialogue between two Master musicians can be more effective than an entire orchestra, which is playing plainly. Their mutual respect and understanding border on telepathy and often they sound like a one-man-band, driven by one common mind. One may wonder why so many Polish Jazz musicians chose to deal with music that bridges Classical roots with Jazz? There is no clear answer to this profound question, but perhaps the new artistic music emerging in the 21st Century is simply eradicating the genre boundaries that enslaved it in the last Century? Only time will tell. In the meantime we have here another sublime piece of music, which easily qualifies as one of the most interesting achievements on the Polish music scene in 2014, which this duo manages to pull off second time in a row. This is something that an honest music connoisseur should definitely not try and live without, if life is supposed to have a meaning.

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MAREK WALAROWSKI ~ SEVEN STAIRS TO HELL DUX 1209 (Barcode: 5902547012094) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is an album by Polish pianist / composer Marek WalarowskiFind albums by this artist, which presents a project he recorded with a classic piano trio with acoustic bass guitarist Jedrzej LaciakFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal DziewinskiFind albums by this artist. It consists of eight original compositions, all by Walarowski. The tongue in cheek reference in the project´s title to the seminal Miles DavisFind albums by this artist album hints about the musical point of reference this music is related to, deep within the Jazz tradition. Although seemingly a straight-ahead mainstream Jazz piano trio album, this album offers a whole musical concept, which mixes the traditional Jazz idiom with unique approach to improvisation, where the instruments rather than soloing in turn, improvise continuously constantly exchanging phrases between themselves, similar to what happens in group improvisation in Free Jazz, but within the standard melodic / harmonic mainstream Jazz. If this is not clear enough, the best idea is to listen to the music and hear this approach in real time. Of course in order to apply this approach, Walarowski had to find the right partners, which is definitely not a trivial matter. The stunning work done by the acoustic bass guitarist is a proof that such partners do exists. Laciak plays along with the piano notes with an amazing virtuosity, and manages to combine the traditional role of the bass in a piano trio with a continuous barrage of notes, which improvise and perform a dialogue with the piano. Dziewinski is obviously less involved in the actual improvisation, except for his solo spots, but he accompaniments the piano / bass lines with great elegance and sensitivity. Of course the great performances are based first and foremost on the compositions, which serve as vehicles for the improvisational layer. Walarowski´s beautifully melodic and lyrical themes are perfect for the job and are a real pleasure to listen to. He is also a great pianist of course, but his idiosyncratic style might sound a bit strange to purist Jazz listeners, revealing some Classical mannerisms, which are difficult to hide. Overall this is a wonderful piano trio album, which should make all connoisseurs of that particular Jazz variety extremely happy, although it might require a few listening sessions in order to appreciate this music in full. I suppose this is a multi-layered album in a sense that some listeners will enjoy the melodic, swinging parts, which are very easy to like while others will make an effort to dig deeper and listen beneath the surface to discover the hidden treasures. Whichever way, this is a highly recommended piece of music, worth discovering and investigating.

Updated: 10/05/2016Posted: 10/05/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

KASIA KADLUBOWSKA / DOMINIK BUKOWSKI ~ TRANSIENT DUX 1221 (Barcode: 5902547012216) ~ POLAND ~ Classical Recorded: 2012 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish marimba player / composer Kasia KadlubowskaFind albums by this artist recorded in a duo format with renown Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine compositions, two of which are original compositions (one each) by Kadlubowska and Bukowski and the rest are by contemporary Classical composers like Terry RileyFind albums by this artist, Philip GlassFind albums by this artist, Steve ReichFind albums by this artist, Arvo PartFind albums by this artist, Eric SatieFind albums by this artist and American marimba player / composer Paul SmadbeckFind albums by this artist. As the names of the composers suggest, the music is mostly contemporary Classical Music, with belongs to the Minimal Music idiom. Although most of the music was not originally written for marimba or vibraphone, it was arranged and transcribed for these instruments by Kadlubowska and Bukowski. Marimba and vibraphone, although both percussion instruments, are of course capable of playing melody and harmony, which means that the music offers a lot of melodic content, kept within the limitations of Minimal Music, which calls for slowly developing themes and cyclic repetition. It can be quite demanding on the listener, who is not a priori a fan of the genre, but it is great for relaxation and meditation, in addition to its strictly musical values. Both Kadlubowska and Bukowski play with incredible feeling and obvious virtuosity, and despite the intrinsic lethargy of the music, the albums offers a diversified listening experience to open-minded listeners. Minimal Music has its fans around the world and enjoyed a peak of popularity during the New Age explosion between the 1970s and 1990s, but a steady interest in it remains in the Classical field over the years. Bukowski’s appearance on this album, which is rather unexpected since his main field of activity if Jazz, proves his diversity and well schooling, as well as highly aesthetic approach to music in general. The two original composition stand proudly shoulder to shoulder with the well-known Classical material, adding another level of credibility to this album. I have no idea why it took seven years for this album to arrive on my operating table, but as usual better late than never, as it is definitely worth exploring and a great fun to listen to.

Updated: 23/05/2021Posted: 23/05/2021

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MACIEJ MIECZNIKOWSKI & KRZYSIA GORNIAK ~ TRIBUTE TO NAT KING COLE DUX 1237 (Barcode: 5902547012377) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is an album by Polish vocalist / guitarist Maciej MiecznikowskiFind albums by this artist and female guitarist Krzysia GorniakFind albums by this artist, who present their interpretations of eleven songs associated with the legacy of American singer / pianist Nat King ColeFind albums by this artist. The pair is accompanied by veteran Polish Jazz rhythm section: bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam LewandowskiFind albums by this artist and the excellent Polish Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (violinists Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist). Miecznikowski sings the songs in a very straightforward manner, very closely to the original performances. His English pronunciation and accent are bearable, but not ideal of course, part of the usual insurmountable problems that Polish vocalists face while singing English lyrics. He uses his smooth baritone voice with skill and intelligence and all in all his vocal performances are fine, but not exceptional and surely not extraordinary. The string arrangements are also pretty mundane, kept well in the background and adding very little to the overall effect. Of course Atom String Quartet is a superb ensemble, but here their role is severely limited, not to say a stronger word. The rhythm section does its job amicably, but again there us very little it can actually contribute within this concept. The only ray of sunshine on this album is the incredible guitar work by Gorniak, who really shines from start to finish. She plays a real Jazz guitar, something almost completely absent on today´s scene with all the guitarists playing Fusion or God only knows what, but surely not Jazz guitar. In short there is almost no reason to listen to this album other than to listen to some great guitar parts, since what is the sense in listening to pale versions of songs when one can hear the originals? A decent album, that´s what it is ;)

Updated: 12/05/2017Posted: 12/05/2017

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MARCIN WADOLOWSKI / PIOTR LEMANCZYK ~ PRELUDES FOR GUITAR AND DOUBLE BASS DUX 1530 (Barcode: 5902547015309) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the fifth album by Polish guitarist / composer Marcin WadolowskiFind albums by this artist recorded in a duo setting with veteran bassist Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist. It presents ten original compositions, or preludes, all composed by Wadolowski. The intimate guitar and bass duo was superbly recorded by Piotr LukaszewskiFind albums by this artist and offers exquisite sound quality and clarity. Wadolowski, one of the representatives of the Polish Baltic Tricity scene, made a remarkable progress since the release of his debut album in 2011, flirting with diverse stylistic associations, such as Blues, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz, and with this album touching, as the title suggests, upon some Classical Music influences amalgamated with a strong Jazz foundation. The pieces are all melody based but involve a significant measure of improvisation and interplay between the two partners. Lemanczyk is obviously an ideal partner for an enterprise of this sort, as his virtuosity and inventiveness are absolutely astounding. He is one of the most proficient and accomplished bassist on the Polish scene, and on this album his presence is felt stronger than perhaps on any other album he recorded to date, proving his immense talent, technique, feel and musicality. Wadolowski handles the acoustic guitar with gusto and respect, concentrating on playing the melodies, soloing and accompanying the bass solos, without trying any unnecessary pyrotechnics, which would have been completely out of place here. The interplay and cooperation between the two musicians is the heart of this music, and elevates it above the individual performances, feeding on the mutual respect and the wonderful intimacy achieved by the duo. Wadolowski behaved gentlemanly naming Lemanczyk a full partner in the process of creating this album, as anything less would have been simply unjust. Overall this is a wonderful, intimate and uplifting spiritually album, which emits superb musicianship, true camaraderie, amazing virtuosity and a gentle feeling of embracing, heartwarming music. An absolute must to guitar and bass aficionados, but no less heartwarmingly recommended to music lovers, who long for something low volume, which strikes powerfully between the eyes (ears). Brilliant stuff and hats off to the people in charge of the strings!

Updated: 06/01/2019Posted: 06/01/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MARCIN WADOLOWSKI ~ CHAMBER AVENUE DUX 1539 (Barcode: 5902547015392) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is the sixth album by Polish guitarist / composer Marcin WadolowskiFind albums by this artist, which continues his new path of bringing together Jazz and Chamber Classical Music influences. He is accompanied by his faithful cohort and extraordinary bassist Piotr LemanczykFind albums by this artist, oboist Marta RozanskaFind albums by this artist and the NeoquartetFind albums by this artist string quartet. The album presents nine pieces, five of which are original compositions by Wadolowski and four are Classical pieces, two each by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist and Jacques BerthierFind albums by this artist, all arranged by Wadolowski. Same as its predecessor, the duo album with Lemanczyk "Preludes For Guitar And Double BassFind albums with this title", this album was beautifully recorded by Piotr LukaszewskiFind albums by this artist and considering the fact that this is a live recording, the result is simply phenomenal. During the decade that passed since the recording of his debut album, Wadolowski took his followers on a wonderful and highly unusual ride, which crossed such distinct genres as Rock, Blues, Fusion and Jazz, finally arriving at the footsteps of Classical Music. This process of searching reflects just one of Wadolowski´s many qualities, all plainly visible / audible on this album: fabulous guitarist, wonderful composer and a person of refined music aesthetics. The original compositions are all superb examples of Wadolowski´s skill to create gems encapsulating melody, harmony and song weaving talent. His arrangements of the music composed by others follow suit, making the entire album sound brilliantly coherent and enjoyable, without compromising an iota of quality. The performances are, as expected, also perfect, and fondly reminiscent of the a.m. duo album. Lemanczyk, one of the absolutely top Polish bassists, is a virtuoso in every cell of his body and every touch of his fingers on the strings generates pure magic. Wadolowski also plays wonderfully, with great sensitivity, feeling and emotion, and his improvisations, which still show a shadow of the Blues from time to time, are absolutely heartwarming. Overall this is a brilliant album, full of excellent music and sublime performances, which should deeply move every true music connoisseur on this globe, regardless of their genre affiliations. Great taste and professionalism like this are rare and should be cherished. Hats off!

Updated: 31/07/2020Posted: 31/07/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

BARTOSZ GLOWACKI ~ GENESIS DUX 1585 (Barcode: 5902547015859) ~ POLAND ~ Classical Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish (based in London) accordionist Bartosz GlowackiFind albums by this artist. Most of the music is performed on solo accordion, except for the last piece which also includes guitar and string orchestra. The repertoire includes works by such diverse composers as Domenico ScarlattiFind albums by this artist, Jean Philippe RameauFind albums by this artist, Vaclav TrojanFind albums by this artist, Sofia GubaidulinaFind albums by this artist, Arvo PartFind albums by this artist, Victor VlasovFind albums by this artist and finally Astor PiazzollaFind albums by this artist – from Baroque via Avant-Garde to Tango. The music is absolutely delightful and taking into account the fact that these compositions are very rarely performed and even more so get recorded, this is a wonderful opportunity to get exposed to some exquisite non-trivial music. Glowacki´s playing is also extraordinary, and he seems to overcome effortlessly the many challenges involved with performing this often difficult music. His tone follows the mood of the compositions, always with great taste and true artistry, placing the much neglected accordion in the center of the listener´s attention and paying tribute to its full glory as an instrument. For accordion connoisseurs this album is an absolute must, but any serious music lover should be able to discover these little known gems, which deserve to be cherished. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 16/01/2020Posted: 16/01/2020

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

GARY GUTHMAN ~ HARP CONCERTO / TRUMPET CONCERTO / MARGARITA DUX 1873 (Barcode: 5902547018737) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is a great love story worth of a movie: “An American In Warsaw”. My Friend and buddy, American Jazz trumpeter / composer Gary GuthmanFind albums by this artist meets a beautiful Polish harpist Malgorzata ZalewskaFind albums by this artist (Gosia as we call her) and his heart is lost forever, resulting in his relocation to Warsaw and a process of building not only a new life but also a new career, mostly as a composer. This wonderful album documents some of his prolific output in the last years: a three-part harp concerto, which features Gosia as the soloist, a three-part trumpet concerto, which features Gary as the soloist, and finally a short piece for harp, trumpet and orchestra, which features the love birds together. They are accompanied by the Podlasie Opera & Philharmonic OrchestraFind albums by this artist, conducted my Miroslaw Jacek BlaszczykFind albums by this artist. The music is absolutely lovely, sort of Jazz-Classical Fusion, but sounding more like a superb cinematic scores, which might have been composed at the heyday of the Hollywood era, when music played a much more important role as part of the film industry, which is sadly not the case these days. Guthman the composer, is deeply soaked in the Jazz tradition, and his music swings at all times, as well as being full of wonderfully crafted melody lines, similar to the modus operandi of all great American composers of musicals and cinematic music. Of course Gosia and Gary are able to show their chops as excellent instrumentalists as well, each in his own capacity. Gosia brings her Classical Music expertise and Gary his Jazz Big Band spark, all in superbly elegant class and aesthetic aura. It’s great to have a husband, who can write music for you, says Gosia, but honestly this music is way more than a family affair and offers an uncompromising Artistic value. Overall, this is a truly splendid musical experience, full of beautiful melodic music, great instrumental work by the soloists and the orchestra, which is wonderfully amicable in this case, and a strong feeling of nostalgia, when this kind of music was at the helm. What can I do, I am after all a lost romantic… A pleasure to be your Friend, my Dears, and I am proud of you!

Updated: 10/03/2023Posted: 10/03/2023

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

LOMZA CHAMBER PHILHARMONIC ~ POLISH IMPRESSIONS DUX 2023 (Barcode: 5902547020235) ~ POLAND ~ Classical Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is an album by the Polish Lomza Chamber PhilharmonicFind albums by this artist, conducted by Jan Milosz ZarzyckiFind albums by this artist, performing three contemporary Classical pieces composed by Polish composers: “Polish Suite” (four parts) composed by Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist (usually associated with the Polish Jazz scene), “Venetian Concerto” (three parts) composed by Slawomir CzarneckiFind albums by this artist and “Rhythm Games” (five parts) composed by Mikolaj MajkusiakFind albums by this artist. On “Polish Suite” for flute, violin, baritone violin and string orchestra flautist Jadwiga KotowskaFind albums by this artist and Smoczynski perform the solo parts. On “Venetian Concerto” for clarinet and string orchestra clarinetist Artur PachlewskiFind albums by this artist performs the solo parts. On “Rhythm Games” for cello, accordion, strings and percussion cellist Karolina JaroszewskaFind albums by this artist, accordionist Klaudiusz BaranFind albums by this artist and the orchestra’s percussionist Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist (also associated with Polish Jazz) perform the solo parts. All three pieces are examples of delightful contemporary Classical music, which stays within the tradition, rather than exploring modernist or avant-garde directions, with strong melodic basis and often incorporating Polish folkloristic themes. The pieces are quite different from each other, which makes listening to the album and adventure and avoiding the danger of falling asleep, which is often associated with listening to albums with Classical music. Of course I strongly recommend to listeners to get acquainted with more works by these three composers, all quite different, but all brilliant. The importance of albums like this one is presenting lesser known and often young composers and their works, which often find it very difficult to find exposure in the repertoire performed by big Philharmonic Orchestras, which often stick to “the obvious” crowd pleasing material and avoid “adventurous” material, making themselves almost obsolete in time. Overall, this is a wonderful presentation of fresh Polish Classical repertoire, which is definitely worthy of being performed and listened to by music lovers the world over. These three relatively short pieces are a breath of fresh air, and a delightful listening experience.

Updated: 31/01/2025Posted: 31/01/2025

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

ATOM ACCORDION QUINTET ~ ATOM ACCORDION QUINTET REQUIEM 120 (Barcode: 5902547013411) ~ POLAND ~ Classical Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish ensemble Atom Accordion QuintetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of accordionist Rafal GrzakaFind albums by this artist and the renowned string quartet called Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (violinists Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist). Together they perform four contemporary Classical compositions by young Polish composers: Mikolaj MajkusiakFind albums by this artist, Piotr WrobelFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof Lenczowski and Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist. While the works by the Majkusiak and Wrobel are single-piece compositions, the work by Lenczowski is a four-part Quintet and the work by Kolodziejczyk is three-part suite. The album was released simultaneously on two Polish labels: RequiemFind albums on this label Records and DUXFind albums on this label Records As much as I appreciate the need to expose young composers, which this album is all about, somehow I felt a bit disappointed when the music was over. Contemporary Classical music can be, and often is challenging and groundbreaking but this album has little of these qualities. The sound of accordion and a string quartet works together well but was already explored before, and although the musicians are top class, but the music itself just fails to make a strong impression. Even the music by Lenczowski, who writes wonderful music in the Jazz idiom, somehow does not present his usual excellence here, being simply too conventional, even if it is beautifully melodic and gracefully melancholic. An example of the lack of originality is the very last track on this album (by Kolodziejczyk), which sounds almost exactly like music by Astor PiazzollaFind albums by this artist with string quartet. Somehow the entire album invokes a kind of a déjà vu symptom. The album is supposed to offer, according to the enclosed booklet, an amalgam of Classical Music, Folklore and Jazz. There is Classical music in abundance, there are some Folkloristic motifs, but there is certainly no Jazz at all, as there is obviously no improvisation involved since all the music is strictly written. This of course is not a problem by itself, but simply an unnecessary confusion. Obviously the album has its positive sides as well: a profound European aesthetics, wonderful performances by all five musicians, who are obviously virtuosic players, an excellent recording and sound quality and elegant packaging that includes informative bilingual liner notes. Overall this is a well done and original presentation of contemporary Polish Classical Music, which can be enjoyed by many Classical Music connoisseurs anywhere in the world and serve as a wonderful calling card of Polish Culture.

Updated: 22/11/2016Posted: 22/11/2016

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend