Record Reviews

WOJTEK MAZOLEWSKI QUINTET ~ SMELLS LIKE TAPE SPIRIT MYSTIC (PL) 163 (Barcode: 5903427874627) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz quintet led by bassist / composer Wojtek MazolewskiFind albums by this artist, who is a well known figure on the local scene way beyond the Jazz circles, mostly as a member of several Rock groups and later a founding member of the top Polish group Pink FreudFind albums by this artist. Obviously, this album presents an attempt to create a “serious” Jazz album in the splendid tradition of the Polish Jazz heritage, which in fact is by and large quite successful. Carefully composed, arranged and beautifully played, the album is mostly melancholic and lyrical, very melodic and full of internal tension, which is extremely effective. The quintet includes Slovak trumpeter Oskar TorokFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Joanna DudaFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal BryndalFind albums by this artist, all excellent and very sensitive players. The music was mostly composed or co-composed by Mazolewski, with one track credited to the entire ensemble and two tracks composed by the pianist. In his liner notes Mazolewski makes clear how he longed to return to the double bass and play Jazz again (he mostly plays electric bass) and explains how this music was influenced by the arrival of his first-born son. He also credits his partners in the quintet for contributing to the final result, and so he should, as it definitely is a group effort. Overall it is a beautiful album, which gives the listener a truly satisfactory listening experience, at least until the last (bonus?) track of the album, which states the obvious: “White men can’t jump and they can’t play reggae either”. Highly recommended!

Updated: 05/01/2025Posted:

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