Record Reviews

PIOTR BARON ~ JAZZ AT PRAGUE CASTLE MULTISONIC 310839 (Barcode: 741941083928) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This album presents a live recording by the great Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist and his quintet, which also includes trumpeter Adam Milwiw-BaronFind albums by this artist (his son), pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at the beautiful Prague Castle, which holds Jazz concerts of the highest standard, which are also recorded and released on CD by the Czech MultisonicFind albums on this label label. The album includes only three expanded performances, two composed by Baron (both appeared on his superb last album "KaddishFind albums with this title") and one is an arrangement of a 14th century Polish Easter song. Two of the tracks are almost 30 minutes long and the third is almost 20 minutes long. The concert in introduced by the Czech President Vaclav KlausFind albums by this artist, who personally opens all the Jazz venues at the Castle – a lesson to be studied by all Presidents - in which he talks about the meeting between him and Piotr Baron, which led to the invitation to play at the Castle, and the special relationship between the Czech and Polish Jazz scenes over the years – a subject worthy of a book by itself. The music is deeply spiritual, as is all music made by Baron, reflecting his profoundly personal relation with belief (and not religion, as Baron surely demonstrates a cross-religion / one God approach). Accepting the model (spiritually and musically) of the great Godfather of spiritual Jazz, John Coltrane, Baron develops his music very much in the same direction, but uses his very own language and cultural affiliations, with his Polish roots being openly noticeable. This is Jazz with a true capital J, music of the highest caliber, which penetrates the listener´s heart and shakes his soul. It is absorbing and captivating, breathtakingly beautiful and intellectually intriguing, all at once. There is very little music of such quality being made these days, so this is even more impressive. Pianist Dominik Wania, who is definitely one of the best Polish Jazz pianists of the young generation, plays some amazing music here and I´m glad that Baron recognized his qualities and allowed him so much space and opportunity to express his amazing talent. But of course all these musicians play divinely, with the leader magically applying his charm, even when not playing. This music is way beyond recommendation – it is simply a crying shame that every true Jazz lover will probably not have an opportunity to immerse in its magic. If you can, count yourself lucky and blessed! Side Note This album is a part of the “Jazz Na Hrade (Jazz At Prague Castle)” series, released by the Czech MultisonicFind albums on this label label, which presents live recordings performed at various locations inside the charming Prague Castle, now the residence of the President of the Czech Republic. The series was initiated in 2004 by President Vaclav KlausFind albums by this artist, who often introduces the players himself on these albums, and symbolizes the respect and love of all things Cultural by the Czech People, including Jazz of course.

Updated: 16/03/2022Posted:

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PIOTR BARON ~ KADDISH NOT ON LABEL 5907809494038 (Barcode: 5907809494038) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2011 Kaddish, the ancient Jewish prayer usually associated with Jewish funeral and mourning services can be considered as a representation of the essence of the Jewish religion and is also often associated with the faith of the Jewish People. The fact that the great Polish saxophonist / composer Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist used this idiom as the title of his new album, as well as the title of the central composition, which opens the album, is by no means accidental. Baron, a devoted Christian, dedicated many of his previous releases to religious themes, expressing the idea that any Artist´s religious views are an integral part of his personality, which is also reflected in his Art, or in his case his music. In Poland, Jews and Christians lived together for centuries, sharing the same soil and culture. It was Poland´s bitter destiny to become the central setting of the Jewish Holocaust, which almost completely eliminated the Jewish presence in Poland, separating the two Nations by a chasm, which is still bleeding after seven decades. Baron, paying respect to Jewish faith and tradition, represents a present-day trend among the Poles to build a new bridge between Christians and Jews, re-establishing the severed relationships, a trend strongly present and growing. How much all this background information is related and relevant to the music itself is a decision every listener will have to make, while listening to it. The album consists of seven pieces, of which two are composed by Baron, three are improvised duets by him and his respective partners and the remaining two originate from other sources. Three of the pieces are dedicated to specific persons (one close friend – Polish journalist Jan Mazur, Baron´s friend, one religious personality – Pope John Paul II, and one musician – the great mulireedist Bennie MaupinFind albums by this artist). The personnel includes Baron´s son Adam Milwiw-BaronFind albums by this artist on trumpet and didgeridoo and three Polish Jazz veterans: pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist. The music is absolutely entrancing, deeply atmospheric and moving, constantly changing and elegantly amalgamating strong melodic content with advanced improvisational excursions. Baron´s playing is virtuosic at all times, often reminiscent of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist´s mid-period, which is about the highest compliment I can bestow upon any sax player. The other musicians are all masters of their trade, with Baron Jr. continuing the family name and trade with honors. It´s obvious that Baron is making a statement here: spiritual, artistic, musical and philosophical, all combined. This is a very personal album, which definitely stands its ground on purely musical merits, but proposes a lot of added values, when put in its proper background. An album one can surely return to many a time, re-discovering its beauty repeatedly. I raise my hat, Maestro!

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PINK FREUD ~ HORSE & POWER UNIVERSAL 602537026203 (Barcode: 602537026203) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is the 8th album by Polish ensemble Pink FreudFind albums by this artist, one of the country´s top acts both in the Jazz and non-Jazz spheres. Formed in 1998 by bassist / composer Wojtek MazolewskiFind albums by this artist, the group changed its lineup several times over the years but succeeded to maintain its popularity and gradually achieved a cult following and a large fan base home and abroad. This album was recorded in a new quartet lineup, which features, alongside the leader, trumpeter Adam Milwiw-BaronFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz DudaFind albums by this artist and for the first time new drummer Rafal KlimczukFind albums by this artist. All the ten tracks on this album are original compositions by the group members with Mazolewski being credited or co-credited for all but one composition. In full contrast to their last album ("Monster Of JazzFind albums with this title"), recorded almost three years earlier, this album is a complete stylistic "about face", marking the group´s return to almost acoustic Jazz, with the electronic, dub and other non-Jazz elements completely gone. Of course this is still Pink Freud, with their unique brand of post-Yass, characterized by non-Jazz rhythm patterns, nonchalant treatment of chord changes and other signs of the "coolness" poise, but also full of passion and surprising ventures into Free Jazz soloing and funky bass parts, all of these happening out of the blue, which of course is absolutely marvelous, if one likes such atypical musical approach. And those great melodies, which were almost completely lost on the preceding album, are back, haunting the listener, turning him into a humming zombie. People familiar with Mazolewski´s activities should not be taken by complete surprise by this album, since his excellent solo album "Smells Like Tape SpiritFind albums with this title", released in between the two last Pink Freud albums, already hinted as to the return of the prodigal son to Jazz. So here we have a group that changes like the proverbial chameleon, adopting to contemporary developments and returning to the tradition, and yet managing to keep their musical originality and integrity intact, which is definitely a great accomplishment. Above all, this music, apart for its quality, intelligent compositions and excellent execution, manages to be such fun. Imagine hearing this stuff live and one can understand why the group mesmerizes audiences all over the world taking no prisoners. So regardless if this music is driven by horse power, steam power or nuclear power, it is worthy of music connoisseurs attention and should not be missed, for fun´s sake. Brilliant stuff!

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PINK FREUD ~ MONSTER OF JAZZ UNIVERSAL 602527377025 (Barcode: 602527377025) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010 This is the 7th album by Polish ensemble Pink FreudFind albums by this artist, which managed to gain considerable popularity on the local scene, both with Jazz and non-Jazz listeners and critics alike. Formed in 1998 by bassist / composer Wojtek MazolewskiFind albums by this artist, the group changed its lineup several times over the years but succeeded to maintain its popularity and gradually achieved a cult following and a large fan base. Musically the group offers a unique amalgam of genres and musical directions, originating with Jazz and improvisation, but also encompassing elements of Punk Rock, dub, jungle, drum and bass and electronic music. In many respects it is a direct continuation of the Yass movement, which flourished in Poland in the 1990s, and could be referred to as post-Yass. Since Yass was initially intended as an expression of rebellion against the established Jazz canons, which many young musicians felt to be stagnant, post-Yass took the rebellion a bit further out, emphasizing the cross-genre trend, groove and even dance elements, which resulted in the music being much more widely accessible. As opposed to the intellectual image that Jazz is usually associated with, this music is intelligent fun music, with some Jazz associations, and should be treated as such, no more and no less. This album was recorded by an expanded sextet version of the group, which includes, apart from the leader, trumpeters Adam Milwiw-BaronFind albums by this artist (son of the great Polish saxophonist Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist) and Tomasz ZietekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Tomasz DudaFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Jerzy RogiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Kuba StaruszkiewiczFind albums by this artist. Of all the Pink Freud albums, this is the most "radical" one, with the electronics, dub and jungle elements taking the lead, pushing the Jazz improvisations aside considerably. As a result this album will be probably the least "appealing" to listeners with a strong Jazz background. Of the twelve tracks present on the album, eleven are original compositions by the group members and the remaining one was adopted from a composition by the British electronic duo AutechreFind albums by this artist, a choice which hints as to the general direction of this album. Although there is plenty of inspired blowing by the horns, the overall mood is somewhat hectic and lacks a clear musical direction. There is an apparent absence of well formed melody lines, which characterized the groups´ earlier outings. As much as the group´s intention to continue their restless journey in search of new expressions is commendable and admirable, it often is a treacherous path which could lead to disaster if moderation is not applied. One must hope that they will re-invent themselves anew with their future efforts, leaving this one behind as a document of their quest. Of course there is plenty of music here to be enjoyed and the album is worth listening to, even if one somehow expects something more from such a great group.

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PINK FREUD ~ PLAYS AUTECHRE MYSTIC (PL) 294 (Barcode: 5903427879066) ~ POLAND ~ Electronic & Ambient Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 Four years after their previous album Polish group Pink FreudFind albums by this artist, led by bassist Wojtek MazolewskiFind albums by this artist, hits the market with their ninth album, dedicated, as the title suggests, to the music of the British electronic music duo AutechreFind albums by this artist. Although the album´s booklet gives absolutely no information about the recording or even the band´s current lineup, which of course is sloppy, arrogant and plain stupid, a short research on the web will tell us that this is a live recording and the remaining members of the group are trumpeter Adam Milwiw-BaronFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Karol GolaFind albums by this artist and drummer Rafal KlimczukFind albums by this artist. They perform eight pieces composed by Autechre. What the booklet does include is a lengthy rant by Mazolewski, who tells the listeners how this album is a realization of a dream, which he has been planning since many years and why he thinks Autechre are the next best thing to silence. Personally I find the music of Autechre terribly boring and comparing them to John ColtraneFind albums by this artist or Johann Sebastian BachFind albums by this artist is a cultural sacrilege Following the good advice of "don´t judge the book by the cover" I was ready to disregard the shortcomings of the album´s booklet, giving the music a fair chance, but alas to no avail. The music is simply going nowhere, repeating the simplistic, mechanical rhythmic patterns ad nauseam and saying very little. Milwiw-Baron is of course a very talented player and I have always enjoyed his performances, but he is by far not able to save this album by himself. Contrary to the hopes that we all developed about Pink Freud returning to playing Jazz, this album takes us again off the target. This repetitive and dull music lacks everything that Jazz stands for: originality, aesthetics and innovation. Better luck next time.

Updated: 13/05/2016Posted: 13/05/2016

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