Record Reviews

AUGUSCIK & JAGODZINSKI TRIO ~ SZEPTEM MJT 11725 (Barcode: 5906409117255) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is an exquisite album by Polish Jazz Diva Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist recorded with the classic piano trio led by pianist / arranger Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist which also includes bassist Adam CegielskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine Polish evergreens, beautifully transcribed into the Jazz idiom by Jagodzinski. The album is a loving tribute to the Polish popular songbook, collecting nine wonderful ballads written over a period of many years by some of the best Polish composers and lyricists, which points out clearly what t takes to create a great song, which can last for posterity: a beautiful melody and intelligent poetic lyrics. The songs are performed with a very minimalistic approach. Auguscik sings the melodies in a very straightforward manner, eschewing almost completely the typical Jazz mannerisms and improvisations (except for a few vocalese parts), emphasizing the lyrics which are pronounced clearly and elegantly. The piano trio, which provides the Jazzy background, treads also carefully, with Jagodzinski playing the chords behind the vocalist and soloing rather sparingly. It is the rhythm section which keeps the music swinging at all times and doing a superb work at that. One can only hope that this album will find its way into the hands of the young generation of Polish music connoisseurs, who should be able to discover the treasures of their National musical heritage while listening to this music. However, if this music should reach only listeners in the third age group, it would be tragic overlook. Both Auguscik and Jagodzinski should be praised for preserving Polish Culture in general and the Polish musical heritage, which they have been doing for many years. The fascination with music originating from other sources, which often blinds many Polish musicians as to their own roots, is luckily balanced by their activity. What a great way to start a new year (2017) by writing this review, which talks about old, but not forgotten music, that has been given new life. Blindly idolizing the "new" has proven to be a disastrous path, so please let´s enjoy this wondrous journey into the past, for the benefit of the future. Kudos!

Updated: 01/01/2017Posted: 01/01/2017

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GRAZYNA AUGUSCIK ~ 2 THE LIGHT GMA 1724-13 (Barcode: 642613632614) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish Jazz vocalist / songwriter Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, recorded during the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020, using remote recording techniques, with fourteen musicians recording in USA, Poland and Sweden. The album was put together by Swedish producer / bassist / keyboardist Stefan PetterssonFind albums by this artist. The Polish musicians, who took part in the recording, contributing (remotely) on different tracks, include violinist Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, accordionist Jaroslaw BesterFind albums by this artist and bassist Krzysztof PabianFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine songs, all composed by Auguscik, with lyrics in English and Polish by different writers, including two with lyrics by Auguscik, three with lyrics by Sara WollanFind albums by this artist and one with lyrics co-written by them. The music is everything one might expect from Auguscik, a wonderful mixture of Jazz and Folkloristic themes, beautifully lyrical and often deeply melancholic. The rich, almost orchestral arrangements by Pettersson add depth and atmospheric splendor to the music, which expand the compositions to new, often unexpected musical spheres. The solos by the guest musicians are the proverbial cherries on top, adding yet another layer to the final result. The music is certainly on the lighter side of the Jazz spectrum, which should make this album accessible to a wide audience, but does not compromise any aesthetic values and stays sophisticated and creative. It seems that this album finds Auguscik healed and almost complete again, following the rocky events in her personal life, and ready to pick up her recording career at full blast. She certainly has a lot to share with her faithful followers and her position on the local Jazz scene is still unshaken. Although the Polish Jazz scene has a lot of new young female vocalists, it takes years of experience and practice to reach the level that Auguscik offers, so let’s rejoice and enjoy her offerings. Overall, this is a beautiful, elegant and moving collection of excellent songs and wonderful performances, which should find many music lovers around the world able to enjoy it in full. Auguscik is an experienced Artist and a seasoned songwriter, which is evident to anybody listening to this music, and she is splendidly supported by great gathering of international instrumentalists, which results in an unbeatable amalgamation of talent. Since these word are written on her Birthday, may I wish you a very Happy Birthday and many more years of creative activity, which is always a blessing!

Updated: 17/08/2023Posted: 17/08/2023

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GRAZYNA AUGUSCIK ORCHESTAR ~ INSPIRED BY LUTOSLAWSKI FOR TUNE 0044 (Barcode: 5902768701470) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This extraordinary album is a superb example of intelligent contemporary music, which is completely unlimited by the imaginary bounds set up by genres and other labeling concepts. Polish vocalist Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist embarked on this ambitious project with the help of some of the most important musicians on the Polish scene, who cover a wide scope of stylistic spheres including Classical Music, Folklore and Jazz, all of which have been already visited by her during her prolific career. The music combines Polish Folk songs and the work of the esteemed Polish modern Classical composer Witold LutoslawskiFind albums by this artist, which were based on or inspired by Polish Folklore. Lutoslawski, like all the composers living and working behind the Iron Curtain, was forced (directly or indirectly) by the regimes ruling Eastern Europe at the time, to include folkloristic motives in his compositions, often completely artificially and against all aesthetic or compositional reasoning. The refusal to do so would effectively mean an artistic ban by the authorities and in extreme cases political persecution. The compositions included here were created by Lutoslawski in the 1950s, the most oppressive period in the Socialist era, and for many years thereafter were considered as his less important and definitely less appreciated works. However, in retrospect the composer´s genius obviously overcame the obstacles and this music turns out to be a completely relevant component of his grand legacy. Auguscik combined forces with the brilliant keyboardist / composer / arranger Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, who was entrusted with the enormous task of arranging all the music, both the Classical and Folklore pieces, and than participate in the recording, as well as being the sound engineer, since the recording took place in his now legendary Studio Tokarnia, with spectacular sonic results, as usual in his case. In many respects this album is as much a credit to Auguscik as it is to Jan Smoczynski. The research of the Polish Folklore as well as the leadership of the ensemble performing the folk songs was left in the hands of violinist Janusz PrusinowskiFind albums by this artist. Overall twelve musicians take part in the entire project in addition to Auguscik, who sings the lead vocals: the Jan Smoczynski Trio (with bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist, drummer Tomasz WaldowskiFind albums by this artist and vocalist Sylwia SmoczynskaFind albums by this artist), the Janusz Prusinowski Trio (with clarinetist Michal ZakFind albums by this artist, percussionist Piotr PiszczatowskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Piotr ZgorzelskiFind albums by this artist) and Poland´s most celebrated string quartet, the 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). The album comprises of twelve pieces (and a radio edit bonus), ranging from "pure" folklore songs, which were the original songs upon which Lutoslawski based his compositions, to more arranged pieces of folk songs and Lutoslawski´s pieces performed by the ensemble and finally to a quite Jazzy songs based on folkloristic motifs. In spite of the variety and wealth of the musical material the album creates a coherent and aesthetically pleasing outcome, which is a music connoisseur´s wet dream. The beautiful arrangements, passionate performance and depth of respect for the Polish musical tradition and legacy are all combined herein with truly spectacular results. Auguscik takes a step back from the limelight on this album, preferring to play the role of an integrator rather than the leading person. She sings beautifully, as always, but with less spectacular attitude, almost leaving out completely her Jazzy improvisations and vocalese acrobatics, which are her trademarks. This is a very courageous artistic decision, for which she deserves a lot of respect. There is no doubt that this is definitely one of the most important and beautiful albums released in Poland in 2014, a "complete" multi-layered, multi-faced effort involving the talents of many wonderful musicians and setting a golden standard for future projects, which will be very difficult to match end even more so to rise above. Polish music scene and Polish Culture is glorified by this project, which should make all Poles proud. Being realistic, however, it will probably reach only e very limited scope of listeners, which of course is tragic. My deepest thanks to everybody involved in this project for the pleasure it causes to this humble listener.

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BESTER QUARTET ~ BAJGELMAN. GET TO TANGO ANAKLASIS 013 (Barcode: 5907795209739) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is an album by Polish Jazz ensemble Bester QuartetFind albums by this artist, led by accordionist / composer / bandleader Jaroslaw BesterFind albums by this artist, with violinist Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej AdamczakFind albums by this artist and drummer Ryszard PalkaFind albums by this artist. The ensemble was expanded for this album to include three top Polish Jazz vocalists: Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, Dorota MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and Jorgos SkoliasFind albums by this artist. Trumpeter Michal BylicaFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist guest on most of the tracks. The album presents ten tracks, one instrumental and nine songs, all composed by the Jewish / Polish violinist / composer / songwriter / bandleader Dawid BajgelmanFind albums by this artist, with words (originally in Yiddish, except for one in Polish) by himself and other lyricists. This studio recording is a documentation of a special concert originally performed in 2018 as part of the anniversary commemorating the liquidation of the Lodz Ghetto in 1944, with was devised and produced by Miron ZajfertFind albums by this artist. The album was released by the prestigious Polish AnaklasisFind albums on this label label as part of its “Revisions” series. Jaroslaw Bester was one of the first Polish musicians to accept the challenge of treating seriously the Jewish Music created in Poland during the centuries of Jewish presence on the Polish soil. Sadly, most of the attempts to deal with Jewish Music border between kitsch and chaltura, but Bester managed consistently to avoid falling into this trap over the years. He founded the Cracow Klezmer BandFind albums by this artist in 1997, which later morphed into the Bester Quartet, with a long series of successful recordings to his credit. Following the initial period of focus on the Klezmer tradition, he expanded his vision to include other musical traditions, especially the tango, which became his passion in more recent years. Jewish Music and tango come together hand in hand on this album, since the secular Jewish Music in Poland, during the period between the two great wars, was fascinated with the tango as well. The life’s story of Dawid Bajgelman is easily divided between his meteoric career before WWII, which found him as a highly successful composer and songwriter, with his songs performed by the most popular Polish singers at the time, but in parallel his massive composing legacy for local Jewish cultural life in Lodz, at the time the second biggest urban Jewish community after Warsaw, and of course his activity in the Lodz Ghetto during the Holocaust period, which came to the end with his tragic death in Auschwitz, cynical and absurd, just a few days after the camp’s liberation. His songs, written in the ghetto, are some of the most expressive manifestations of the horror and misery of that time. Although Bester’s role on this album seems somewhat less illustrious than on his other recordings, limited to arrangements and leadership of the project, he does an absolutely splendid job herein. The music is brilliantly executed by all the participants, the recording offers a high quality sound and the entire project offers a deeply moving aesthetic experience. The vocalists are amongst the finest Polish Jazz Artists, quite different from each other in every possible sense, and yet they manage to cooperate perfectly when singing duets or trios, in addition to their solo parts. They also manage to handle the Yiddish lyrics reasonably well, but the four texts translated into Polish and the original Polish lyrics are of course as perfect as one might expect from such pros. The vocalese, although used sparingly, is also just right. The instrumental parts are all superbly done, with the new lineup of the Bester Quartet reaching a level of coherence higher than ever before. The trumpet is a nice touch, building an imaginary bridge to the original sound of these songs. Overall, this is a beautiful album, full of heartbreaking nostalgia and a proper, wonderfully conceived and executed tribute to the great contribution of the Polish / Jewish composer Dawid Bajgelman to the Polish Culture, one of so many so often forgotten Polish Jews, who shaped contemporary Polish identity, whether one likes it or not. My personal thanks to Miron Zajfert, who shares my passion of exposing our proud legacy, and of course to all the participants, who are amongst my favorite Polish musicians. May the Force be with you!

Updated: 17/02/2023Posted: 17/02/2023

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JAN BOKSZCZANIN ~ KOMEDA INSPIRATIONS ARMS 09 (Barcode: 5900238791082) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This magnificent album is an astonishing tribute to the music of the great Polish composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, the Godfather of Polish Jazz and one of the most important figures of the European Jazz scene. Organist Jan BokszczaninFind albums by this artist, born in Russia and living in Poland, famous for his Church Organ performances and recordings of Classical Music, undertakes here an unprecedented project of presenting the music of Komeda in a completely new light, transposing it into contemporary Chamber-Jazz, quite afar from it´s Jazz origins. Of course Komeda´s music is often played by Jazz musicians (sadly mostly only in his native country), but such ambitious undertaking, as presented here, has never been attempted so far. In retrospect, this project proves the true greatness and depth of Komeda´s music, which transpires as being beyond and above any genre classification. The album includes thirteen pieces of music, eight of which are original Komeda´s compositions and the rest are new pieces composed by contemporary composers, who were inspired by him and his music. Bokszczanin carefully assembled a group of instrumentalists, mostly Jazz players, which consists of trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Pawel GusnarFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist and flautist Ryszard BorowskiFind albums by this artist. Four of the tracks include vocals, performed by the excellent Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, who not only sings the song´s lyrics (written by Polish poetess Agnieszka OsieckaFind albums by this artist) but also adds some vocalese a la early Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded at the Reformed Evangelical Church in Warsaw, with the majestic sound of the organ serving as the base element of all the music, with the other instruments playing on top of this basic sound layer. The sensitive and intelligent arrangements were written partly by the participating musicians and partly by other contemporary Polish composers / arrangers. Overall this is obviously a work of love, admiration and respect, a tribute in the true meaning of the idiom. For people familiar with Komeda´s music, this is a revelation, for those unfamiliar with it; this is a heavenly gate which marks a great entry point towards it. It is a rare occasion indeed that an album gave me so much pleasure upon first listening and I´m sure to return to it repeatedly in the future. It goes without saying that I recommend this music to anyone with a pair of ears and some gray matter between them. If anything is essential, this is it!

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WERONIKA GROZDEW & MUSOS ~ WANDERING SONGS FOR TUNE 0167 (Barcode: 5906395808809) ~ POLAND ~ World Music & Folklore Recorded: 2021 - 2023 Released: 2024 This is an album by Polish vocalist / ethnomusicologist Weronika GrozdewFind albums by this artist, a prominent activist on the local scene with impressive academic career, but also a great performer and of course Folklore Music lover. She is accompanied by an instrumental ensemble fondly named MusosFind albums by this artist, which includes dulcimer player Marta MaslankaFind albums by this artist, violinists Dorota Blaszczynska-MogilskaFind albums by this artist and Kacper MaliszFind albums by this artist, violist Alexandra Demowska-MadejskaFind albums by this artist, cellist Bartlomiej PalygaFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and percussionist Wojciech LubertowiczFind albums by this artist. A few additional guests appear on selected tracks, including the celebrated vocalist Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, with songs originating from various sources, including Greece, Bulgaria and of course Poland, several of which were written by Polish folk violinist Bartosz NiedzwieckiFind albums by this artist. Four of the songs were arranged by accordionist / composer Jaroslaw BesterFind albums by this artist. The music presents a stunning collection of Folk songs, which although originating from diverse origins and being a random collection, form a perfectly coherent continuity, brilliantly sung and played by everybody involved, including some virtuosic voice modulations and other tricks of the trade. The album perfectly demonstrates the fact that beneath the seemingly naïve and simplistic Folklore music there is a great aesthetic depth and often musical complexity, which puts to shame much more “prestigious” music genres. The album shows an absolute love and admiration of all the participants towards the music and the absolute seriousness it is treated by them. I was particularly impressed by the superb parts played by Pulcyn, who is usually associated with the Polish Jazz scene. His steady pulsations hold the music together perfectly. But the string quartet also does an amazing job by setting the melodic / harmonic background, which often becomes quite tricky. Auguscik adds a lengthy improvised vocalese on one tune, which is a knockout. I am happy to see the For TuneFind albums on this label Records label becoming a steady supporter of Folk Music recordings, which are consistently of the highest quality and sadly badly missing on the Polish scene. Their “green” series is certainly a mark of quality in that respect, and deserve both attention and support. Overall, this is a beautiful vocal Folk Music album, which offers an ambitious stream of wonderful songs, excellently supported and accompanied by the instrumental ensemble, all of which offers a brilliant listening experience and for Folk Music lovers a truly heavenly moment of joy.

Updated: 28/03/2024Posted: 28/03/2024

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ANDRZEJ JAGODZINSKI ~ MUZYKA POLSKA NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 9788393067428) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2009 - 2010 Released: 2011 This is a beautiful and very ambitious album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist and his trio with bassist Adam CegielskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, also involving the great vocalist Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist and two Classical Music soloists: flautist Jadwiga KotnowskaFind albums by this artist and harpist Anna Sikorzak-OlekFind albums by this artist, as well as the AUKSO Chamber OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Marek MosFind albums by this artist. The album presents a seven part Jazz suite for piano trio, voice, string orchestra and soloist, which attempts to "define" what "Polish Music" means in general and especially in the Jazz context as what we understand under the term "Polish Jazz". Five parts of the suite are based on Polish Folk tunes, one is a Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist composition and one is a tune composed by Marcin JanuszkiewiczFind albums by this artist. Jagodzinski and Auguscik arranged the vocal parts and Jagodzinski wrote the elaborate piano trio / string orchestra arrangements. The concept behind this album obviously points towards the conclusion that contemporary Polish Music / Polish Jazz are a synthesis of the Polish Folk tradition with contemporary music forms. The Polish Folk tradition is most obviously identified with the Polish Folklore dances, such as kujawiak, mazurka, oberek and others, but also with the intrinsic Polish melancholy and lyricism, which create its unique characteristics, which are instantly recognizable to a trained ear. Regardless of the concept, this album is first and foremost a true celebration of music, crossing and bridging between Folklore, Jazz and Classical Music and doing it in an impressive, intelligent and truly beautiful way. All the parts and ideas fall together into an amazing amalgam, which is a delightful listening experience. The album is also a wonderful platform to enjoy the individual contributions by the participating musicians. Auguscik again proves that she has very little competition on the local scene and her wonderful sensitivity and power of expression are simply stunning. Her appearance on this album is somewhat prophetic in the sense that her album "Inspired By LutoslawskiFind albums with this title", which was recorded four years after this one, would deal with the same subject matter. Jagodzinski, who also plays accordion on this album, and his trio cohorts, as well as the soloists and orchestra all perform spotlessly and harmoniously, with obvious dedication and joy of creation. This is the best album by far that Jagodzinski recorded during his splendid career, and one of the best attempts to create a coherent musical concept, dedicated to Polish Music. Personally I´d love to see more such attempts done by other musicians. Discovering one´s musical roots and traditions is surely preferable to imitating other cultures. This album is a pure delight from start to finish and I recommend it wholeheartedly to every Polish Jazz fan, as it reveals many of the innermost secrets about what Polish Jazz really means.

Updated: 11/01/2023Posted:

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ANDRZEJ JAGODZINSKI ~ REQUIEM POLSKIE RADIO KATOWICE 142 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 The great Polish Jazz pianist / composer Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist has been a pillar of the local Jazz scene since the early 1990s, with an impressive recording legacy, which includes some of Polish Jazz classic albums, both as a leader and sideman / accompanist. His musical style is firmly based in the Jazz mainstream, but he also flirts passionately with the Jazz-Classical Fusion idiom. His groundbreaking 1993 album “ChopinFind albums with this title” established the Polish Jazz tradition of interpreting the music of the Polish National composer Frederic ChopinFind albums by this artist, which is still quite popular thirty years later, sadly largely abused and misunderstood by now. The music on this album perfectly depicts the marriage between Jazz and Classical / Sacred music. It incorporates the classic Jazz piano trio, which is Jagodzinski’s modus operandi in the last three decades, with bassist Adam CegielskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, with a mixed choir Camerata SilesiaFind albums by this artist, directed by Anna SzostakFind albums by this artist and three renowned Polish Jazz vocalists: Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, Agnieszka WilczynskaFind albums by this artist and Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist. The six-part Requiem is loosely based on the traditional Requiem structure and form, but obviously includes strong Jazz elements, as expressed by the trio improvisations and the vocalese parts by the three vocalists, with the choir providing the traditional sacred oriented parts. It is extremely difficult to balance the Classical and Jazz elements within one musical piece, which often leads straight into the kitsch pit. But in this case Jagodzinski and the wonderful performers manage to create a coherent, elegant and harmonious unification, which makes perfect sense musically and aesthetically, with a truly moving effect. As a result, the music is universally appealing to a wide range of music lovers, from both idioms. Overall, this is a beautiful example of cross-genre exploration, which as a result of the talent and experience of its creator and his team emerges as a sublime piece of music, which preserves both traditions and finds a peaceful coexistence, where the result is bigger than just the sum of its parts. Jagodzinski does not disappoint, and his “magic touch” is felt in every note, every nuance and every melodic theme on this album. As usual, I simply raise my hat to you Maestro, and wait for the next time I can hear you performing live, which is always a transcending experience.

Updated: 02/12/2022Posted: 02/12/2022

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KLIMA / WYLEZOL / KOWALEWSKI ~ LUTOSLAWSKI RETUNED HEVHETIA 0114 (Barcode: 8588005257664) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz trio comprising of clarinetist Szymon KlimaFind albums by this artist, pianist Piotr WylezolFind albums by this artist and bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist. Veteran Polish Jazz musician Piotr Baron guests on one track playing bass clarinet. The album´s music was all composed by the contemporary Classical Polish composer Witold LutoslawskiFind albums by this artist, and includes his five dance preludes (composed in 1954 as a five-parts suite) and a sixth unrelated composition, which was initially published under a pseudonym. What prompted to rearrange (or retune) these composition for a Jazz environment was probably the Lutoslawski Year celebrations in 2013 (his 100 Birthday), which were a big cultural event in Poland and brought the composer to the attention of a much wider audience, including many young Jazz musicians. As a result a long list of Polish Jazz albums, like this one, paid tribute to the great composer; for example "Inspired By LutoslawskiFind albums with this title" by Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, "BukolikiFind albums with this title" by High Definition QuartetFind albums by this artist, "AtomsphereFind albums with this title" by Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist and many others. The dance preludes suite, which was originally composed for clarinet and piano, was later twice (1955 and 1959) re-orchestrated for larger ensembles, but Klima based his Jazzy approach on the original intimate version, which remains intimate under the new arrangement. As almost always with Lutoslawski, his music is deeply rooted in the Polish Folklore, and these "dances" all bear resemblance of the characteristic folklore melodies and harmonies, at least to people who are acquainted with that music. Klima, both as arranger and player, oscillates between the Classical and the Jazz idioms, as his clarinet tone and phrasing are almost completely Classical whereas his improvised parts are of course Jazz related. Of course Wylezol and Kowalewski are bona fide Jazz musicians, and their contributions have a decisive weight to turn this music into a wonderful Jazz-Classical Fusion. The intimacy of this music, the virtuosi performances, the elegant and respectful treatment of the original inspirations all add up to a superbly balanced and delightful musical adventure, which should prove pleasing and satisfying to all connoisseurs of good music. Hopefully some of the listeners will try to find out how the music sounds in its original Classical incarnations, and perhaps venture into more fabulous music created by Lutoslawski, other might wish to explore other recordings by Wylezol and Kowalewski, also released by the excellent HevhetiaFind albums on this label label. If so everybody wins, both of the Classical and the Jazz enthusiasts. This album is a great example of a cross-genre exploration, which treats the origins with respect and love, creating a new, perfectly valid amalgamation, which manages to preserve the aesthetics of its origins. Wholeheartedly recommended!

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KRZYSZTOF PUMA PIASECKI ~ CIEPLY KRAJ NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is an album by veteran Polish guitarist / composer Krzysztof Puma PiaseckiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a tight quartet setting with keyboardist Zdzislaw KalinowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Filip HornikFind albums by this artist and drummer Olek GasiorFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians appear on selected tracks as well as five guest vocalists, each appearing on a different track, including the Jazz singer Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist and Krzysztof’s daughter Katarzyna Puma PiaseckaFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Piasecki. The music is very diverse and covers a wide stylistic spectrum, from Rock via Fusion, Blues and Jazz and even Rap in one case, but this diversity offers a completely coherent portrait of an experienced musician / composer, who feels confident in any genre. The fact that half of the album features vocals is an attempt to reach a new audience, beyond the pigeonholed Blues / Fusion guitar dominated music, that most listeners associate Piasecki with, which hopefully will eventually reach some of the music lovers of the younger generation. But despite the fresh approach, the magnificent guitar playing is still very much present here, and Piasecki’s wonderful tone and phrasing are absolutely intact and his soloing is completely brilliant as always. He remains one of my favorite Polish guitarist in the long run. The performances of all the musicians involved is also excellent and all this combined with the clear and well balanced sound quality offers a refreshing and highly entertaining listening experience. Overall, this is a superbly woven collection of songs and instrumentals, all excellently executed by highly skilled musicians, with some exemplary guitar playing, which knows very few competitors and serves as the proverbial cherry on top. Definitely oriented towards a wider audience, which of course does not mean any quality compromise whatsoever. Just grab a drink and enjoy, which of course is much easier in the warm climate countries ;)

Updated: 30/01/2023Posted: 30/01/2023

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MARIA POMIANOWSKA ~ MONIUSZKO Z 1000 I JEDNEJ NOCY NOT ON LABEL 0001 (Barcode: 5907675594610) ~ POLAND ~ World Music & Folklore Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is an album by Polish World Music wonder women Maria PomianowskaFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist / composer / arranger and scholar who never stops even for a moment to take a rest between her numerous projects, which often take her around the globe. This ambitious undertaking creates cross-pollination between the music composed by Polish Classical Music composer Stanislaw MoniuszkoFind albums by this artist and World Music originating from the six continents, wonderfully arranged by Pomianowska and performed by a large team of twenty four musicians who play a plethora of exotic folk instruments. Celebrated Polish Jazz vocalist Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist sings vocalese parts. The album presents twelve tracks, eleven of which are compositions by Moniuszko and one is an original composition by Pomianowska. Usually I treat projects of this kind with extreme caution, as they often turn out to be terrible kitsch and cacophonic mixtures of unmatched ingredients. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that in skillful hands music becomes truly one and the seemingly impossible correlation between 19th Century Polish Classical Music and the music from distant parts of our World can be so naturally compatible. The secret lays first and foremost in the fact that Moniuszko´s music was deeply immersed in Polish Folklore, which Pomianowska skillfully emphasized in her arrangements. Music is of course completely unaware of geography and National boundaries, and true Folklore easily binds with other Folklores, even if separated by rhythmic patterns, musical scales and of course the use of diverse instruments. Based on the popular "One Thousand And One Nights" concept, each of the twelve tracks on the albums tells a musical tale, which is up to the listener to extrapolate into his own narrative. Each of the tracks is based on a different melody line and incorporates different ethnic ambiance as well as using a different instrumentation. Although instruments from very different parts of the world are used, the predominant Middle Eastern mood rules the proceedings, which would make even Scheherazade smile. Additionally some Indian and other Far East motives are clearly present. Of course people familiar with Moniuszko´s music and the Polish Folklore will recognize these elements as well. Overall this is a splendid musical journey, cleverly and elegantly devised and superbly executed, which should make the many World Music connoisseurs worldwide very happy. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 16/07/2019Posted: 16/07/2019

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WOJCIECH PULCYN ~ TRIBUTE TO CHARLIE HADEN FOR TUNE 0125 (Barcode: 5906395808274) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album as a leader by veteran Polish Jazz bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist, dedicated as the title suggest, to the great American bassist / composer Charlie HadenFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live at the Polish Radio studio by a group of Pulcyn´s cohorts, which include trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Mateusz SliwaFind albums by this artist, pianist Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist and Pulcyn´s eight years old son Piotr PulcynFind albums by this artist (who plays cello) appear on one track each. The album presents nine pieces, six of which were composed by Haden, two by Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist and one is a traditional tune. Over the years I have had the immense pleasure to hear Pulcyn live many times and his performances were always impeccable and inspiring. His affinity with his instrument is as close as humanly possible and his humility and kind manners are an example of musical chivalry. Therefore this album, which finally puts the spotlight on his musical skills, is a long overdue opportunity to pay dues to his talents and personality. The music should be pretty familiar to serious Jazz listeners, in particular those who follow the long and impressive career of Haden from his early days as a member of the revolutionary Ornette Coleman quartet, which changed the face of the Jazz idiom, to his work as a leader of his own ensembles. It is modern, often groundbreaking music, which remains completely relevant to this very day, and to be honest it is still on the forefront of the genre, despite the years that have passed sine it was originally composed. The really fascinating aspect of this album is the fact that this music, created and performed originally by American musicians, is treated here with a completely new and more importantly European approach, which sets new meaning to the music and invigorates it immensely. I am tempted to say that this specific treatment of the music is more fascinating than the original in many respects, and for sure it is as far from imitation as can be imagined. The performances are all stellar, as expected from the participating musicians. Dabrowski, who consistently earned a position of one of the top European Jazz trumpeters, fondly fits the shoes of the great Don CherryFind albums by this artist, again displaying his personal style and approach rather than imitating the Master. Sliwa, a young and upcoming player, stands shoulder to shoulder with the veterans, playing like a pro. Stankiewicz, a marvelous pianist, is a symbol of lyricism and never misses a note, always knowing when to touch the keyboard ever so delicately and Frankiewicz, a faithful companion in endless rhythm sections, supports the bassist amicably and telepathically. From the opening solo bass track to the very last moment of this album Pulcyn´s bass is prominently featured in many diverse roles and intonations, always perfectly in accord with the music and the rest of the band, a true silent hero behind the scenes, who makes everything perfect. This album is definitely a superb tribute to Haden´s genious, but at the same time it is a tribute to Pulcyn´s legacy as one of the top Polish Jazz bassists and an icon of stability, perfection and personal standing. Thank you Wojtek for all those beautiful moments!

Updated: 21/10/2017Posted: 21/10/2017

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KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ INSPIRED BY LUDOMIR ROZYCKI ANAKLASIS 027 (Barcode: 5907795212241) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2019 - 2022 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist, which presents eight (one in two versions) interpretations of music composed by the Polish Classical Music composer Ludomir RozyckiFind albums by this artist. The music is mostly performed in a solo piano setting, except one track (recorded in the US) in a classic piano trio setting with bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Tina RaymondFind albums by this artist, two more piano trio tracks with bassist Jakub OlejnikFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist, and finally one track, which features vocals by Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist. The album was released by the prestigious Polish AnaklasisFind albums on this label label as part of its “Revisions” series, and is the second album by Stankiewicz in that series. The music is stunningly beautiful, full of typical Polish lyricism and melancholy, which pours out of Stankiewicz like a sound painting, deeply touching the listener’s heart, despite the fact that it is all extremely delicate and fragile. As usual in his case, the recording was preceded by years of study and research of the music by Rozycki, before these personal inspirations were formed and eventually recorded. Since I have witnessed this modus operando by Stankiewicz during the many years of our acquaintance, I am of course hardly surprised by the method, but as usual greatly surprised by the result, which in his case is always unpredictable. Stankiewicz is definitely the most expressive, refined and romantic pianist among his Polish colleagues, many of which are of course piano Masters of international fame. Every delicate touch of his fingers on the keyboard is always absolutely right not only melodically and harmonically, but most importantly emotionally. This album presents him both in the solo piano and piano trio environments, the latter his most natural habitat, and proves again that he is simply an extraordinary musician in a class of his own. Listeners of this album might as well try and explore some of the fascinating music by Rozycki, which is sadly rather neglected these days. He was an extremely prolific composer and much of his work, especially in the Neo-romantic style, is definitely worth getting familiar with. Overall, this is another brilliant album by a great Polish Jazz Artist, which consistently expands his remarkable recorded legacy. His many admirers won’t hesitate before grabbing a copy and for those people, who never heard any of his recordings, this is a wonderful gateway to his musical world. Congratulations go also to the Anaklasis label for doing such a remarkable job with this series!

Updated: 02/11/2023Posted: 02/11/2023

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ROBERT SWISTELNICKI ~ PIOSENKI MILOSNE WCZESNEJ POSTKOMUNY I POZNEGO KAPITALIZMU I SJ 075 (Barcode: 5905489720409) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2022 - 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish multi-instrumentalist / songwriter Robert SwistelnickiFind albums by this artist, featuring five top Polish Jazz vocalists: Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, Jorgos SkoliasFind albums by this artist, Natalia KordiakFind albums by this artist, Wojciech MyrczekFind albums by this artist and Klara CloudFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Sylwia Klara ZasempaFind albums by this artist) and instrumentalists: Swistelnicki on piano, vibraphonist Marcin PaterFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Pawel PalcowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej KitajewskiFind albums by this artist and guitarist Pawel UrbanskiFind albums by this artist. Several additional musicians participate on selected tracks. The album presents fifteen tracks, with all lyrics and most compositions by Swistelnicki, except three composed by Palcowski and one by Piotr BudniakFind albums by this artist. The concept is obviously a Jazz & Poetry presentation, although the music floats all over the place, from Blues via mainstream Jazz and a few almost Avant-Garde pieces. The vocal and instrumental performances are all as good as one might expect from these highly experienced singers and talented young musicians, but the scope might have been miscalculated to a degree, especially in comparison to Swistelnicki’s debut album “PiosenkiFind albums with this title”, which is way more coherent. There is simply way too much going on here musically, which combined with the complex and often vague lyrical layer, makes this album difficult to embrace, certainly on the first attempt. Of course one should appreciate the complexity of pulling such a project off. The somewhat murky sound quality does not help as well. Since the Jazz & Poetry idiom is by far one of my favorites, I pondered at length why this specific album failed to win my immediate approval, listening to it repeatedly several times. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it per se, but the abundance of musical ideas, which don’t have a clear continuity of focus is probably what causes my reservations. Also, it is difficult to hear clearly the lyrics, which in a project like this are an absolutely essential ingredient. A booklet with the lyrics might have saved the day perhaps, but alas it is not included. On the positive side, the trumpet playing by Palcowski is nothing short of sensational and the soul-shaking vocals by Skolias are simply exquisite. Overall, this is a highly ambitious Jazz & Poetry project, excellently sung and played by talented musicians, which should be very interesting to the Polish aficionados of the idiom. It is probably a matter of personal taste to decide if it fulfills all the potential expected from such a gathering of distinguished Polish Jazz Artists.

Updated: 30/10/2023Posted: 30/10/2023

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RYSZARD WOJCIUL UNITED ORCHESTRA ~ ZORZA PRZESLICZNA WYNIKA FILMOTEKA NARODOWA (Barcode: 5908259554495) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / clarinetist / keyboardist / bandleader / producer Ryszard WojciulFind albums by this artist, recorded by a large ensemble of some of the best Polish musicians from various stylistic associations. The list is way too long to be included here, but includes vocalists Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist and Dorota MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, multi-instrumentalist Maria PomianowskaFind albums by this artist, hurdy-gurdy player Joachim MencelFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marcin OlakFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist and many others. The album presents twenty-three tracks, twelve of which are short solo vocal cantos providing the continuity to the entire musical concept of this album, and eleven are Polish Folklore Easter songs, which served as inspiration to the new, much extended songs Wojciul and his team create, preserving the traditional lyrics but taking quite a lot of liberty with the instrumental and vocal arrangements. In his liner notes Wojciul explains that despite the beautiful and extremely rich Polish Folklore Easter songs tradition it remains mostly unknown, which prompted him to produce this wonderful album, and which I of course second wholeheartedly. Wojciul manages to transform the highly sacral / religious character of the original material into completely universal / modern musical environment, which is accessible to a much wider audience and succeeds to open up the little know beauty of these songs to general audience. His arrangements, general concept, choice of material and the participating musicians is absolutely perfect, creating an uplifting, highly spiritual and moving musical experience, which is breathtakingly beautiful. Overall, this is a very unique and highly sophisticated musical undertaking, creating a bridge across styles, cultures, genres and emotional frames, producing a superb piece of music, which has a universal aesthetic value, beyond its original source. This is a truly inspired piece of music and the producer and the entire team can be proud of their achievement, which is absolutely heartfelt and artistically inspired. Hats off!

Updated: 05/04/2023Posted: 04/04/2023

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