Record Reviews

CEZARIUSZ GADZINA ~ MOSTY UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 602557812039 (Barcode: 602557812039) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2017 This is an album by Polish (resident in Belgium) saxophonist / composer Cezariusz GadzinaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a host of top Polish Jazz musicians, which includes trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist, trombonist Grzegorz NagorskiFind albums by this artist, accordionist Cezary PaciorekFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist, percussionist Piotr IwickiFind albums by this artist and drummer Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist – a dream team by all respects. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Gadzina, all entitled "Bridge" in eight different languages ("Mosty" means bridges in Polish), symbolizing the connections between a plethora of genres and sub-genres present within the contemporary Jazz idiom. Gadzina is primarily familiar for his work in the Jazz-Classical Fusion field and his previous recordings, including the excellent "The Fifth ElementFind albums with this title", testify to his affinity to this particular field. However, this recording seems to leave Classical Music out of the formula, concentrating on the Jazz side of Gadzina´s personality. Stylistically the music sits well within the boundaries of modern mainstream Jazz language, offering excellent compositions and interesting arrangements, none of which are trivial or banal. The music is full of unexpected twists and turns, tempo changes and multiple themes, all within one composition, which of course makes listening to this music a real fun for true Jazz fans. The compositions are diverse enough to keep the listener interested and balance well between the beautifully melodic ballads and the up-tempo numbers. The individual performances are all top notch, as expected from these highly experienced musicians. Personally I love the prominent presence of the accordion, a much neglected instrument in Jazz, and the percussion ornamentations, which add another layer of rhythmic contents. But of course the trumpet solo parts, excellent saxophone work, pulsating bass lines and everything else are just right. The overall octet sound is not to busy and allows all instruments to be perfectly audible. Overall this is a great mainstream album, much more ambitious and advanced musically than the standard albums recorded in this genre. It is not about discovering any new territory, but offers novel approach to arrangement and very solid composition and performance standards. As such it deserves to be listened to and surely enjoyed as well.

Updated: 15/12/2017Posted: 15/12/2017

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CEZARIUSZ GADZINA ~ WHITE IN BLUE TAK 25004 (Barcode: 5905669373074) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2025 This is an album by Polish (resident in Belgium) saxophonist / composer Cezariusz GadzinaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with three younger Japanese Jazz musicians: pianist Sota SetaFind albums by this artist, bassist Yuta OminoFind albums by this artist and drummer Ryo NoritakeFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, four of which are original compositions by Gadzina, three are interpretations of compositions by Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist and one is by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. The album offers excellent sound quality, as expected from a Japanese recording. The music is strictly within the mainstream Jazz milieu, excellently performed by Gadzina and the Japanese rhythm section, which is highly proficient and as all representatives of the young Jazz generation the world over, well-schooled and obviously talented. The piano parts are a pleasant surprise with their innovative approach. The original compositions are all solid and perfectly suit the album’s atmosphere. Gadzina’s saxophone parts, which are naturally the focus of the music, are, as always beyond reproach. The three Chopin pieces offer a Jazz-Classical interlude within the album, and although Chopin’s music has been often abused and mistreated by Jazz musicians, the three interpretations herein are a nice example of a sensitive approach, which treats the melodic themes with respect, not trying to re-invent them. Same goes for the Komeda piece, which is a Polish Jazz anthem. Overall, this is a classic mainstream Jazz album, with something for everyone, as far as Jazz listeners are concerned, which offers first-rate music, high-class performances and superb sound quality, making it a most pleasant listening experience.

Updated: 21/09/2025Posted: 21/09/2025

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CEZARIUSZ GADZINA / ATOM STRING QUARTET ~ THE FIFTH ELEMENT TAK 15002 (Barcode: 5905669373005) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This album presents a meeting between Polish (resident in Belgium) saxophonist / composer Cezariusz GadzinaFind albums by this artist and Poland´s premiere string ensemble, the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of 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 eleven pieces, seven of which were composed by Gadzina, three are co-composed by all five participating musicians and one was composed by Lenczowski. Gadzina has been active for years on the Jazz-Classical Fusion field and therefore the music on this album is exactly his "cup of tea". The association with Atom String Quartet is of course ideal for such kind of project. The music, which is beautifully melodic, mostly full of the archetypal Polish melancholy and lyricism, is a superb example of the cross-genre approach to music, combining elements of Classical harmony and arrangement, Jazz improvisation and Folkloristic musical themes. Most importantly, this is one of the cases where all these elements amalgamate completely naturally, in contrast to many similar projects where they are forcefully and clashingly put together. Gadzina and the "Atoms", as they are often referred to on the Polish scene, seem to be fused together into a symbiotic ensemble. The soprano saxophone is tonally pretty close to the string instruments and fits the bill ideally. There is also an obvious camaraderie between the musicians, which can be felt in the relaxed and cooperative atmosphere, which is reflected by the music making, This album is full of unexpected twists and turns, unusual sounds produced by the instruments and above all by the obvious level of talent and dedication by the participants. In many respects this is one of the highlights of the "Atoms" recorded legacy so far, stronger and more cohesive than some of their quartet recordings. Whatever the listener chooses to hear in this music: the contemporary Classical elements, the fascinating musical layers or the Jazzy improvisations, or perhaps all of those and more, this is definitely an excellent album which should satisfy even the most demanding connoisseurs. I can therefore do nothing else but to recommend it wholeheartedly!

Updated: 19/02/2016Posted: 19/02/2016

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