Record Reviews

ENSEMBLE TUNING XIII ~ MUZYKA NA TRZY INSTRUMENTY REQUIEM / OPUS 2021/55 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2019 - 2020 Released: 2021 This is the third album by Polish Jazz drummer / composer / bandleader Rafal GorzyckiFind albums by this artist, recorded under the Ensemble TuningFind albums by this artist moniker, now with a new variant of the moniker, i.e. Ensemble Tuning XIIIFind albums by this artist. The new lineup is extended into a quartet, which now includes alongside the leader clarinetists Piotr MelechFind albums by this artist and Michal GorczynskiFind albums by this artist and pianist Jakub KrolikowskiFind albums by this artist, which explains the album title, which in English means “Music For Three Instruments” (i.e. clarinet, piano and drums). Guitarist Jakub ZiolekFind albums by this artist guests on the final track. The album presents six original compositions / improvisations, credited to various combinations of the quartet members. The album is a continuation of the two previous recordings by Gorzycki: “PlayingFind albums with this title” (2016) and “Ensemble TuningFind albums with this title” (2018). I have been following Gorzycki and his work for the last two decades since he first arrived on the Polish Jazz scene as the leader of the Ecstasy ProjectFind albums by this artist (debuted in 2000) and Sing Sing PenelopeFind albums by this artist (debuted in 2004). He is certainly one of the constantly searching and horizon expanding Polish Jazz musicians / composers, with a strong tendency to amalgamate Jazz and contemporary Chamber music. This album is somewhat surprising as it presents almost entirely Improvised Music elements, which are not necessarily the usual modus operandi as far as Gorzycki is concerned. But the two clarinets, played by my favorite Polish Jazz clarinetists, add some thrilling moments and by the fifth and longest track the ensemble finally finds the nirvana spot and the music becomes magical. Personally the labeling of the music is somewhat misleading, as this certainly is not contemporary Chamber Classical music, so why try and use that particular label? But besides labeling, this music offers a lot of unexpected vistas, demanding dot-connecting and other cerebral exercises, which are always welcome. Overall, this is a very unique, unusual and highly demanding listening adventure, but at the same time a highly rewarding experience for open-minded music lovers, who are prepared to take risks in order to expand their horizons. Hats off to Gorzycki for his consistency and tireless searching!

Updated: 02/10/2021Posted: 27/09/2021

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GORZYCKI / PAWLICKI / ZIOLEK ~ ENSEMBLE TUNING AUDIO CAVE 2018/011 (Barcode: 5905669566643) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is an album by a Polish Jazz trio led by drummer / composer Rafal GorzyckiFind albums by this artist, who also plays piano, with flautist Tomasz PawlickiFind albums by this artist and guitarist Jakub ZiolekFind albums by this artist, both of which employ also electronics. The album presents ten original compositions, eight of which are credited to all the trio members and two are by Gorzycki. This album is a second part of a triptych of trio recordings by Gorzycki, continuing the "PlayingFind albums with this title" album released a couple of years earlier. The music was excellently recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Lukasz OlejarczykFind albums by this artist. The music is an esoteric mixture of various elements, acoustic and electronic, combining modern Classical Music vistas with improvisation and Ambient music and creating a magical impressionist aura of anticipation and mysticism. There are also elements of Serialism and Minimalism, all wonderfully weaved into a coherent but hard to pinpoint continuity, which tends to flow as if propelled by its own will. This music is more about form and sound than about melody or harmony, very abstract and almost involuntarily creating images of impressionist paintings before the listener´s eyes. Pawlicki stands in the very epicenter of this music, since his magic flute produces most of the directly audible sound, creating short melodic threads and swirls, all of which are simply irresistibly beautiful. In complete contrast the guitar played by Ziolek sounds nothing like a guitar, producing a plethora of sound layers and ambient noises in the background, which is the foundation upon which the flute parts float, similar to a wind which carries the golden autumn leaves. Gorzycki also hardly ever plays any straightforward rhythms and his pulses are more pointers than actual rhythmic patterns. His piano parts are also quite atypical and serve as accents rather than harmonies. There is no doubt that this album constitutes a new stage in the long and prolific career of Gorzycki, taking him into a new realm unlike anything else he attempted earlier, although definitely being a logical extension of his earlier works. This music is more complex and more abstract than his earlier efforts but also much more concentrated and expressive. It is definitely much closer to cotemporary Classical Chamber Music than to Jazz, and will probably be received as such by the listeners. Absurdly perhaps, it is also more accessible and universal than many of his earlier efforts. Overall this is a stunning piece of music, which offers novel approach to music making, unusual usage of the instruments and explores unchartered territory as far as improvisation and composition are intertwined and is additionally spiced with the sensational flute playing, altogether offering a sensational musical experience. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 20/11/2018Posted: 20/11/2018

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INNERCITY ENSEMBLE ~ II INSTANT CLASSIC 019 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the second album by the Polish Improvised Music group Innercity EnsembleFind albums by this artist, which comprises of trumpeter Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist, guitarists Artur MackowiakFind albums by this artist and Jakub ZiolekFind albums by this artist, drummer Tomasz PopowskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Rafal IwanskiFind albums by this artist, Rafal KolackiFind albums by this artist and Radek DziubekFind albums by this artist, who is also in charge of electronics. A guest percussionist Witold BargielFind albums by this artist also participates. The double CD album documents the output created during three-day long meeting dedicated to spontaneous improvisations and the six tracks on CD one and five tracks on CD two are all improvisations not credited to any specific musicians and are therefore assumed to be co-composed by all the participants. The music is a wonderful amalgam of Ambient / Electronic / Industrial / Jazz / World Music and a plethora of other influences, all combined to create dreamy sound vistas and atmospheric soundtracks, which flow gently influencing a serene and relaxed feeling of Nirvana. The music is completely non-aggressive and accommodating, which is a rarity as far as Improvised Music is concerned. Jachna plays some remarkable trumpet parts all along the developing pieces and his contributions are of course the most distinctive, whereas the rest of the musicians are more subdued into the amalgamated multilayered background. As I have already stated in the past Innercity Ensemble is one of the most original and interesting Polish acts of this kind and all three of their albums so far are absolutely worth getting and should bring a lot of joy to open minded listeners.

Updated: 10/05/2017Posted: 10/05/2017

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INNERCITY ENSEMBLE ~ III ISTANT CLASSIC 047 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the third album by Polish Improvised Music group Innercity EnsembleFind albums by this artist, which consists of trumpeter Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist, guitarists Jakub ZiolekFind albums by this artist and Artur MackowiakFind albums by this artist, drummer Tomasz PopowskiFind albums by this artist, percussionists Rafal IwanskiFind albums by this artist and Rafal KolackiFind albums by this artist and Radek DziubekFind albums by this artist, who is in charge of electronics. In fact all the members play a plethora of different, mostly percussive, instruments on this album, which is characterized by this powerful percussive sound. Together they perform seven original compositions, which are not credited on the album´s packaging and therefore are assumed to be co-composed / improvised by all seven members of the band. For improvised music this album is remarkably well organized, with clear melodic themes and steady, although polyrhythmic intense percussive background. The music is beyond simple classification, as it mixes many diverse genres, like Jazz, Ethno, Jungle, Ambient and many other flavors, but the important thing is of course that the result sounds beautifully coherent and highly fascinating. The music creates a trance-like atmosphere, which absorbs the listener completely, taking him away from reality into an imaginary world of its own. Jachna plays most of the solo parts and his heartwrenching performances are the absolute centerpiece of this album. In the course of just a few years Jachna established his position as one of the most creative Polish trumpeters on a scene exploding with talent and fiercely competitive. Music connoisseurs with a developed imagination could envisage this music as "Miles DavisFind albums by this artist in a jungle". But of course the rest of the band also contributes beautiful sound vistas and percussive backgrounds, which are rich in textures and intricate details. Although there is a certain element of repetition, the mantra-like parts are never long enough to become boring and are always ornamented by a multitude if minimalistic musical gems. Overall this is a beautiful and fascinating piece music, which explores and probes uncharted territory, as music always should. This is definitely something ambitious music livers should enjoy immensely and as such is wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 11/11/2016Posted: 11/11/2016

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WOJCIECH JACHNA ~ EMANACJE MULTIKULTI MPI 043 (Barcode: 5907529223536) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2015 Released: 2018 This is a solo trumpet album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist. The album examines the relationship between sound and space and was recorded in several locations around Jachna´s home town of Bydgoszcz, like the Synagogue and the Water Tower, and other locations with a specific architectural design, which influences the acoustics. The album presents fourteen relatively short improvisations on themes, mostly composed by Jachna (eight tracks). Guitarist Jakub ZiolekFind albums by this artist guests on one track, which was composed by Ornette ColemanFind albums by this artist. For several years now Jachna has been consistently paving his way towards the top of the Polish Improvised Music / Jazz trumpet scene, obviously influenced by the two major / celebrated Polish Jazz trumpet figures, sadly both not with us any more: his hometown hero Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist and of course Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist. It is not surprising therefore that a composition by each of these two great musicians is present next to each other on the album. Also present is a composition by the godfather of Polish Jazz, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. As a result Jachna seems to pay tribute to the Masters, recognizing their influence, along with his own contributions, which mark his own path. The music was recorded three years before the album´s release, which means that Jachna released several albums after this music was recorded, allowing us a glimpse into the past. The sound of the trumpet reflected by the acoustics of the various architectural structures is a lonely journey, minimalist and introvert, but full of emotion and beauty, which should keep all Improvised Music enthusiasts perfectly happy. Jachna has a rare talent to express his emotions and musical ideas clearly and effectively, which is even more powerful in the solo setting. This album is a document of an experiment, which proves that Jachna is at all times searching for new ways to express his music. Overall this is an unusual and interesting album, which is definitely worth investigating by Polish Jazz, Improvised Music and trumpet connoisseurs the world over.

Updated: 05/01/2019Posted: 05/01/2019

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TOMASZ PAWLICKI ~ BASNIOWE GRY (TRIAL) REQUIEM / LYDIAN 2019/6 ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut solo album by Polish flautist / multi-instrumentalist / composer Tomasz PawlickiFind albums by this artist, recorded with the help of seven additional Polish instrumentalists from various genres, including trumpeter Wojciech JachnaFind albums by this artist, drummer Jacek BuhlFind albums by this artist and others, each appearing on between one and four of the tracks. The album presents twelve original compositions, all by Pawlicki. The music is a minimalist, chamber Jazz-Classical Fusion presented by the relatively short pieces, which although unrelated melodically, can be easily conceived as parts of a suite like coherent whole. Since Pawlicki is usually associated with the Polish Avant-Garde Jazz scene, this music seems at times somewhat "tame", but it is in fact a logical continuation of his work with the Ecstasy ProjectFind albums by this artist ensemble or the trio with Rafal GorzyckiFind albums by this artist and Jakub ZiolekFind albums by this artist. Both the compositions and the performances are brilliant all the way through and although this music is targeted towards the more refined audiences, it can be enjoyed by a relatively wide range of listeners from the Avant-Garde contemporary Classical Music and / or Jazz echelons to any member of the open-minded and curious public. The subtle use of electronics adds another interesting layer to the music, without changing the overall chamber effect. I have enjoyed immensely listening to this unusual, ambitious and beautiful music, with the solo violin piece played by Filip LipskiFind albums by this artist being my favorite piece on this album. But all the music offers a highly aesthetic experience and deserves to be heard by as many people as possible. Definitely well done!

Updated: 07/08/2020Posted: 07/08/2020

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ZIMPEL / ZIOLEK ~ ZIMPEL / ZIOLEK INSTANT CLASSIC 063 (Barcode: 5902693140955) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by the Polish duo comprising of Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist and Jakub ZiolekFind albums by this artist, two prominent names on the Polish / European Avant-Garde scene since years. Zimpel produced a plethora of recordings in various musical environments like Jazz and World Music and Ziolek is predominantly known as a member of the Innercity Ensemble and other Rock oriented projects. On this album both musicians play a multitude of instruments each: Zimpel various clarinets and keyboards and Ziolek guitars, synthesizers as well as performs the vocals. The album presents just four compositions, three of which feature English lyrics (i.e. are songs of sort), one composed by Ziolek and three co-composed by Zimpel and Ziolek. The music is much more tamed, melodic and "conventional" than one might expect from these two musicians. Heavily soaked in World Music, with Far East and Mediterranean sonic vistas dominating the proceedings, the complex multilayered musical fabric is gentle and as usual with Zimpel based on cyclic repetitions a la serial music and minimalism. The resulting kaleidoscope of sounds is breathtakingly beautiful and absorbing, meditative and enthralling. Zimpel plays several exquisite clarinet solos, which sound superbly evocative backed by layers of synthesized reverberations. His power of expression is stunningly articulated throughout and is one of the key foci of this music, but certainly not the only one. This music works so well since it is a sum of many different ingredients, some acoustic and other electronic, which magically complement each other, creating a result that is greater than the sum of these parts. Ziolek sings the vocal parts like some of the Progressive Rock heroes of the 1970s, with a reverberating (almost) falsetto. These vocal parts and the synthesizer work in the background, as well as the overall feel of this music would have earned it a prominent place on the Prog scene, if this album was recorded fifty years earlier. Perhaps this is the true New Prog, not the dreadful Neo-Prog that some people are trying to create? This album is a very powerful musical experience, in every respect. It has taken me by surprise, which happens very rarely, and I am sure many other people will share this opinion as well. It is definitely one of the strongest musical statements of 2017, way beyond any genre classification or attempt to describe it. It is in fact so powerful and meaningful, that my puny attempt to convey the meaning of this music is somewhat pathetic. Just get this wondrous album ASAP and dive in unreservedly!

Updated: 21/09/2021Posted: 28/10/2017

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