Record Reviews

PAWEL KACZMARCZYK / AUDIOFEELING BAND ~ COMPLEXITY IN SIMPLICITY ACT 9484 (Barcode: 614427948427) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2009 This is the first international release by Polish pianist / composer / arranger Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist and his Audiofeeling BandFind albums by this artist. Hailed since several years as Poland´s most promising young Jazz musician, Kaczmarczyk is a typical representative of the third generation of his country´s post-WWII Jazz scene. Whereas the previous generations were largely consumed with political and sociological issues, fighting for the rightful recognition of Jazz music becoming a part of their country´s cultural identity as well as for their personal freedom of expression and life´s harsh realities under the Socialist regime, the new generation is free to concentrate just on making music, free from being concerned by such heavyweight concerns. It´s therefore fascinating to compare the new generation´s music with that made by their predecessors, forefathers of Polish Jazz. One might consider the obvious cliché about Art being most productive at times of great personal frustration, mishap and anguish, but honestly anybody truly familiar with Art knows that serenity and well being can be as much productive and usually more so. This music is definitely serene; there are no tragic howls and expressions of a tormented soul, as those almost omnipresent in early Polish Jazz. This is "triple-e" music: elegant, eloquent and elitist, and above all European. Kaczmarczyk the composer displays here a level of musical maturity, which is quite astounding, way above what one might expect from such a young person. But we all know that time seems to flow faster these days, so this, combined with his extraordinary talent, will have to suffice as the explanation. Considering the diversity, both stylistically and harmonically, displayed by the compositions included on this album (he composed nine of the eleven tunes on this album, which also includes one collective composition and one pop song by Elton JohnFind albums by this artist and arranged them all), one can safely assume that Kaczmarczyk is destined to become a major Jazz composer. The performances are no less stellar than the compositions. The collective ensemble performing on this album lists twelve musicians, who perform in various lineups ranging from a trio to a septet. They include some of the best young Jazz musicians on the contemporary Polish scene, all highly skilled and sensitive players doing an outstanding job. The emphasis on this album is on ensemble playing rather than on showcasing soloist and even the leader rarely plays in the forefront, except for the short, but beautifully sensitive redemption of Elton´s "Blue Eyes", which has all the characteristics of a Jazz standard anyway. Listening to this album can be compared to eating a multilayered cake – each new layer (track) bursts with new flavors and delights, and finally when the whole cake is consumed it leaves a wonderful aftertaste in one´s mouth for a very long time, the memory of which lasts even longer. This is brilliant stuff and a must to all serious Jazz connoisseurs, wherever they might be.

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RAFAL SARNECKI ~ SONGS FROM A NEW PLACE ARMS 05 (Barcode: 5900238791044) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2008 This is an excellent debut album by Polish guitarist / composer / arranger Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, one of Poland´s most promising young Jazz musicians, recorded with his quartet which also includes pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist (all four musicians are also members of the pianist´s Audiofeeling BandFind albums by this artist and can be heard on the superb "Complexity In SimplicityFind albums with this title" album). Guest flautist Thomas AbbottFind albums by this artist appears on one track. Sarnecki composed all the music on this album, except for one standard, and arranged all the compositions. The music is typical European Jazz, deeply melodic and well structured, with well developed harmonic patterns and rhythmic complexity. Sarnecki emerges as a major talent both as a composer and as a player on this album, with his unique voicing and delicate, yet firm grasp of the guitar´s role in Jazz. In fact this is one of very few and rare albums recorded recently, where the guitar is treated as a Jazz instrument, rather that taking the beaten track treaded by most, which leads straight to Fusion. Sarnecki picks up the Jazz guitar idiom from the place it arrived at in the 1960s and leaps over to the present, purposely ignoring and successfully eschewing any Fusion influences. The effect is truly refreshing and uplifting and enables the listener to enjoy the wonderful sound of Jazz guitar once again, as if listening to old Masters like Joe PassFind albums by this artist, where one can savor each note separately as well as the beautiful flow of many notes building up heavenly structures. The other three young musicians accompanying Sarnecki on this album are all extremely talented as well and display a high level of professionalism and sensitivity, contributing greatly to the overall success of this recording. It´s great to see that the splendor of Polish Jazz is now being continued and expanded by a third generation of players and composers, which is a good omen for the future. This is brilliant stuff and a must to all serious Jazz connoisseurs, wherever they might be, especially the guitar lovers in their ranks.

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RAFAL SARNECKI ~ THE MADMAN RAMBLES AGAIN FRESH SOUND 381 (Barcode: 8427328423816) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2010 Released: 2011 This is the 2nd album by the excellent Polish guitarist / composer / arranger Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, following his outstanding debut released a couple of years earlier. Sarnecki manages to repeat the same level of freshness and quality, but the new album is different in many ways, mostly due to the fact that Sarnecki lived in NY for some time, absorbing some of the Big Apple´s influences, which are evident in the brass arrangements, Latin rhythms and overall sound of the recording. But fortunately this amalgamation of American influences did not replace his European roots, which remain intact, especially in his superb compositions. He composed seven of the eight tracks on the album and included one standard, same as last time. His musical cohorts consist partly of the same excellent musicians who recorded the debut album: pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummers Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist (on six tracks) and Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist (on two tracks) (all five are members of the pianist´s Audiofeeling BandFind albums by this artist), strengthened by a brass section: US saxophonist / flautist Lucas PinoFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist. Percussionist Jose Manuel Alban JuarezFind albums by this artist (despite the name he´s Polish) guests on two tracks. The sextet format allows Sarnecki to develop a much richer orchestration and complex arrangements for his superb compositions, which he does beautifully, carefully avoiding overdoing it, which is a rare and commendable approach. The performances are of course stellar and these young musicians bring a wide smile on veterans´ (like me) faces, seeing that Jazz has a future after all. What I particularly admire about Sarnecki is his ability to eschew the Fusion trap – he manages to keep this album 100% Jazz, which is extremely rare for guitar albums these days. The album was released on the Spanish Fresh SoundFind albums on this label label, which releases albums by young and promising Jazz musicians from all over the world, giving them a chance of international exposure, an admirable policy deserving support. Polish Jazz legend Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist gives Sarnecki some warm compliments on the album´s cover, and I´m only happy to concur with his opinion – this is definitely a great piece of music, which deserves repeated listening and an honorable place on the shelves of Polish Jazz discography. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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