Record Reviews

GRUPA W SKLADZIE ~ PLANETARIUM MILO 304 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is an album by the legendary 1970s Polish Avant-Garde ensemble Grupa W SkladzieFind albums by this artist, which was reactivated a few years ago and performs from time to time in different lineup configurations. This live recording was made by a trio lineup of the ensemble, which includes the founding member multi-instrumentalist Milo KurtisFind albums by this artist, veteran Jazz clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist and a representative of the young generation keyboardist Milosz OlenieckiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, one composed by Kurtis and five composed collectively by the ensemble members. The music is a meditative journey, which amalgamates elements of Jazz, World Music and Ambient explorations. It requires patience and open-mindedness to be wholly appreciated, but once the listener fully submits to the flow of the music, the experience is truly magical. The personal performances are all excellent, especially the superb clarinet improvisations by Mazzoll, but the music is created by all three musicians together and its magic is mostly a result of their close cooperation. Overall this is a beautiful album of meditative / improvised music, which enchants the listen by its calmness and tranquility, but also offers rich layers of Jazzy improvisations. Twenty years ago this might have been classified as New Age Music, but the hype of New Age is long gone, and great music stays forever.

Updated: 11/01/2020Posted: 11/01/2020

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HATI & MAZZOLL ~ TERUAH REQUIEM 2017/151 ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2014 - 2016 Released: 2017 This is an album by Polish Improvised Music duo HATIFind albums by this artist, comprising of multi-instrumentalists Rafal IwanskiFind albums by this artist and Rafal KolackiFind albums by this artist, with Jazz clarinetist / composer Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, all spontaneously improvised pieces recorded during two recording sessions separated by a gap of two years between them. The music is uncredited, as is usually the case in such circumstances. The duo members play a plethora of percussion and wind instruments between themselves and Mazzoll plays bass clarinet and clarinet. Together they manage to create magical soundscapes, which, although totally improvised, offer a melodic continuity of sorts and are able to tell a “story” time after time. Obviously, this kind of musical exploration is not accessible to listeners, who are not open-minded and educated / experienced as far as unconventional music is concerned, but Improvised Music enthusiasts should find this music fascinating and considering the virtuosity of Mazzoll’s performances, his enchanting sound and mesmerizing ability to hypnotize his listeners, like a snake charmer, makes this, as every other recording that involves his performances, a delightful adventure. Overall, although sadly mostly overlooked, this is a highly aesthetic piece of music, unique, fascinating and full of magical moments, which deserves a much wider recognition. Mazzoll is certainly one of Poland’s most enthralling musical Artists and everything he touches turns instantly into the proverbial Gold. Special thanks to Lukasz PawlakFind albums by this artist, the man behind RequiemFind albums on this label Records, for releasing this music and giving me a copy of this album when we met in Warsaw a while ago.

Updated: 15/06/2025Posted: 15/06/2025

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WALDEMAR KNADE ~ STORIES NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish violist / keyboardist / composer Waldemar KnadeFind albums by this artist, recorded with some long-time musical friends mostly from the Polish Avant-Garde Jazz and Rock scene, such as vocalist / lyricist Jorgos SkoliasFind albums by this artist, clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist, guitarist Lukasz FijalkowskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist, bassists Michal RybkaFind albums by this artist and Bogdan MizerskiFind albums by this artist, vocalist Ewelina WizentasFind albums by this artist and turntablist DJ Paulo B.O.K.Find albums by this artist The album presents seventeen relatively short tracks, all composed and some co-composed by Knade and the participating musicians, with the vocal tracks featuring lyrics mostly written by Skolias. The music is a fabulous atmospheric / ambient trip, full of mysticism and emotional tension, with subtle melodic themes, which are often more subconscious than actually specifically stated. Jazz, theatrical recitation, ambient electronic music and some Funky pulsations are all amalgamated into a diabolic / angelic magic potion, which the listener is treated to while submitting his mind to the music. There are many instrumental gems spread along the way, with Mazzoll improvising sublimely on bass and metal clarinets and Knade fiddling away enchantingly, and with divine vocal practices by Skolias and Wizentas, which are no less that blood curdling. Whether deeply religious or profoundly atheistic, which of course is entirely up to the listener, this music is simply way too engaging to be ignored emotionally. I see so often the phrase “spiritual music” being endlessly abused and misused by music critics, but in this case this is simply no other but spiritual music. I find it truly inspirational, encouraging and even life / sanity saving to see that people still engage in creating music like this today, when crawling through musical slime is the norm. Listening to this music is simply a deeply healing experience. Overall, this is an exceptional, highly spiritual piece of Avant-Garde Jazz, performed by some of the best Polish Jazz and Avant-Garde musicians, which delivers a fresh, exhilarating and completely unique aural experience of epic proportions. I am eternally grateful to all the participant and proud to be able to call some of them my Friends. I can only hope this music could be heard by every person on this crazy planet.

Updated: 08/04/2023Posted: 08/04/2023

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PIOTR KOMOSINSKI / JERZY MAZZOLL ~ PORY… VINTAGE 002 ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2023 - 2024 Released: 2025 This is an album by a duo of Polish Jazz musicians: bassist / composer Piotr KomosinskiFind albums by this artist and bass clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist. Both musicians play several other instruments and three guest musicians appear on selected tracks. The album presents thirteen tracks, all composed by Komosinski, and the album title (“Seasons”) and the track titles refer to the passing thirteen months over which this music was gradually recorded in home studios. The music is based on a seemingly simplistic concept, where Komosinski plays a series of basic melody lines and rhythmic bass pulsation and Mazzoll improvises on top of these. This simplicity works out like a dream and the resulting music is absolutely divine, combining atmospheric vistas, contemplative soundscapes, lyrical chants and prayers, which progress gently and naturally from one track to another. The ornamentations added by the guest musicians (viola / piano / vibraphone) are non-intrusive and melt organically with the content created by the duo. As I have already repeatedly stated in my reviews, Mazzoll is a class by himself, completely incomparable to any other Polish Jazz / Avant-Garde improviser and the most impressive revelation for me, since I heard Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, who was a phenomenon on a similar level. Every sound he plays is always perfectly uttered and fits the one before and the one following, as if they were genetically compatible. His performances here simply re-state his obvious Genius and listening to him playing is like watching Picasso painting. But it is Komosinski who carries the music, instigates it and keeps it moving forward in a coherent flow, which is no less important in order to create the resulting music we are hearing, and therefore his contribution to this music is equally essential. The two of them are a perfect incarnation of the “Art of the Duo” phenomenon and the music is a wonderful amalgam of contrasts between the bass lines and the Free Improvisations, which in Mazzoll’s case are also completely melodious, at least in my ears. Overall, this is a phenomenal album, which offers a combination of deeply spiritual, soul-wrenching music, heart-beat pulsations which keep it progressing on a firm basis and abstract improvisations, which still make perfect sense. What a bliss… Thank you my Friends for being!

Updated: 18/02/2025Posted: 18/02/2025

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KULCZYCKI / MAZZOLL ~ OD KUCHNI ANTENNA NON GRATA 41 ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is an album by Polish Jazz / Improvised Music duo of pianist / composer Rafal KulczyckiFind albums by this artist and bass clarinetists / composer Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist. The album documents a spontaneous improvised session / meeting between the two musicians, which happened (as the title suggests) in the kitchen, and offers the conversations and improvisations caught on the spur of the moment. The album presents eleven tracks and (sadly) lasts for just under half an hour. Considering these circumstances, the sound quality of the live recording is superb. The album was released by the tiny independent Polish record label Antenna Non GrataFind albums on this label, which is one of the champions of Avant-Garde music in the country since 2017. The music is absolutely brilliant, with virtuosic clarinet parts by Mazzoll, who leads the proceedings, and elegant, delicate piano accompaniment / harmony by Kulczycki. It is almost impossible to believe this music was performed without any planning or coordination ahead, as the level of telepathic communications is simply phenomenal. This is an exquisite example of the “Art of the Duo” idiom. Mazzoll, as usual, manages to produce some amazing sounds on his bass clarinet, and his notes come directly from his heart, full of delightful melodic and harmonic depth and unique aesthetics, which make him one of the most original Jazz figures on the Polish scene. I must admit that I am a great admirer of Mazzoll’s talent and his plying always grabs me by the throat. He is a magic combination of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, a Hassidic klezmer and Albert AylerFind albums by this artist, taking the best elements of each, and his live performances and recordings are always top class, which makes me always wonder why he never achieved the recognition and respect he truly deserves. Well, life is still ahead of us… Overall, this is a superb piece of Improvised Music, full of wonderful lyricism and melodic depth, parallel to the Freedom of improvisation. I am grateful this music was recorded and released, and the fact that the playing time is so short reminds me of the joke that Phoenicians invented the money, but why so little of it?

Updated: 27/09/2024Posted: 27/09/2024

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ARTUR MACKOWIAK / GRZEGORZ PLESZYNSKI ~ A SOUND OF THE WOODEN FISH WET MUSIC ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 Polish Avant-Garde guitarist / composer Artur MackowiakFind albums by this artist and multimedia artists Grzegorz PleszynskiFind albums by this artist are associated with the Bydgoszcz based Nowa Sztuka Wet Music Foundation (Mackowiak is one of the founders). The Foundation also operates the Wet MusicFind albums on this label Records, which released several separate and collective recordings by these two artists earlier on. The music was recorded during one "live in the studio" session, with the participation of clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist, who is featured only on the first part of the album, which comprises of three parts edited out of the entire session. The music is a flow of electronic / ambient sounds, guitar phrases and chords, plastic tube trumpet blowing, human voice reverberations and other weird noises, with Mazzoll´s clarinet mixed in (sadly only in the first part), which normally wouldn´t make any sense whatsoever, but here somehow being able to overcome the chaos and anarchy and come together as a flow, which is best received subconsciously, simply by allowing oneself to get emerged in the music (sound?) without trying to analyze it. The problem with this music, however, emerges in time as there is little if any development on the time scale and the repetition becomes trying in a long range. Therefore when Mazzoll is gone, the rest of the album offers more of the same (or rather less of the same), causing even a trained and patient listener like myself to wander what (or where) is the point in all this? Avant-Garde has a tendency to create self-indulging works, which lose the audience at one point or another. It is extremely difficult to be outrageously innovative and communicative at the same time, and this album fills that purpose only in part. But it definitely has its moments and is worth investigating by the brave-hearted listeners. That said, the will of the artists involved to pursue they own visions and dreams is extremely important and they deserve our respect for doing just that, taking the road less travelled.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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MAZZ BOXX ~ MAZZ BOXX AUDIO CAVE 2021/009 (Barcode: 5908298549322) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion Recorded: 2008 - 2011 Released: 2021 This is an archival album recorded live in 2008 by various ensembles led by Polish Avant-Garde clarinetist / composer Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist and including contributions by pianist Joanna DudaFind albums by this artist and Piotr RachonFind albums by this artist, bassist Ju GhanFind albums by this artist, drummers Piotr PodgorskiFind albums by this artist and Filip DanielakFind albums by this artist, percussionist Tomasz AntonowiczFind albums by this artist and others. In 2010 Mazzoll gave the recorded materials to producer Igor BoxxFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Igor PudloFind albums by this artist) to select an album’s worth of material, but Boxx took the job much further and deconstructed / manipulated the material in 2011 into a new shape and form, which resulted in ten tracks based on the original compositions by Mazzoll and which are presented herein. The material waited for ten years to be finally released by the excellent Audio CaveFind albums on this label label. Personally I’d love this album to be a double, with one album including the original recorded material, before it was electronically manipulated, and then the material presented here appearing on the second album, but alas this did not happen. Therefore, I can only imagine how the original material sounded. Mazzoll is a Free Jazz / Improvised Music icon on the Polish scene, and as a result the ambient music present on this album is a bit difficult to be directly associated with his image. Especially since it is much beautified / simplified in its current shape, sounding almost like New Age music at times. Mazzoll’s virtuosic clarinet performances are almost completely hidden and the looping effects and distorted sounds fit electronic Pop and Ambient music much more effectively than doing a service to Mazzoll’s music. Overall, this album is of interest to Ambient / Electronic music fans rather than Jazz / Improvised Music / Avant-Garde listeners, which of course does not mean the music has no merit, it is simply oriented for different audiences than Mazzoll’s output so far.

Updated: 15/09/2021Posted: 15/09/2021

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MAZZOLL / JANICKI / JANICKI ~ MINIMALOVER NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2011 This is the debut album by the Polish Avant-Garde trio, which consists of clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawek JanickiFind albums by this artist and drummer Qba JanickiFind albums by this artist. The album consists of a CD, which includes six improvised pieces recorded in a studio, based on Mazzoll´s ideas, and a DVD which documents a live concert filmed immediately following the studio recording. The music and video was recorded at the legendary "Mozg" center in Bydgoszcz, which includes a recording studio and a club, one of Poland´s most interesting musical epicenters. Mazzoll, one of the pioneers of Polish contemporary Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene and one of the Godfathers of the Yass movement, remains to be a central figure of that scene and his prolific activity is well documented. Slawek Janicki was a member of Mazzoll´s Arhythmic PerfectionFind albums by this artist for many years and they are now joined by Slawek´s son Qba. Mazzoll was also an early member of the legendary ensemble MiloscFind albums by this artist. Although obviously highly spirited and full of great musicianship, the music presented on this album failed to engage me, which is a prerequisite to be able to truly enjoy it. To make sure this is not just a whim of the moment I listened to the music on different occasions and still was left cold. Even the additional visual layer present on the DVD failed to change the situation. Perhaps this music was an ideal vehicle as a means of communication between the players, but it failed to break the intimate inner circle. I admit a personal failure here, not blaming the musicians. The album itself is a beautiful document of the Mozg center and the activities that are carried out there. Considering the fact that this kind of underground culture, which is supported by local Government and carries on a tradition for several decades, this is a wondrous and highly unusual phenomenon.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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MAZZOLL / SROCZYNSKI ~ RITE OF SPRING VARIATION REQUIEM 2013/055 ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2013 Released: 2013 This is a live in the studio recording by the Polish Improvising Music duo, comprising of clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist and violinist Tomasz SroczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven improvised pieces, inspired by the orchestral piece “The Rite Of Spring” composed by Igor StravinskyFind albums by this artist, one of the most revolutionary pieces of Modern Classical Music, premiered in 1913, exactly a hundred years before this music was recorded. Although primarily improvised, the music offers some subtle references to its source of inspiration, which are more spiritual than immediately recognizable. But the amount and variety of sounds and sound effect the duo members are able to produce during the execution of this piece is truly astounding, at times sounding close to a full orchestra and proving the virtuosic abilities of both participants. Obviously this is demanding and difficult music to an unexperienced listener, previously unexposed to the “unconventional” sounds of Improvised Music in its full-blown complexity, but for champions of the genre this music is a true revelation. When listening to this album I often speculate what would have been the reaction of Stravinsky himself to this “unearthly” interpretation, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he loved it – after all his music sounded a Century ago as bizarre or perhaps even more so, than this album sounds to contemporary listener. Overall, this is a little known episode in Mazzoll’s complex recorded legacy, which is definitely worthy of being brought to the attention of those, who might have missed it at the time it was released. Obviously it lost nothing of its charm and magic over the last decade, and is still warmly recommended to the brave-hearted Improvised Music aficionados.

Updated: 10/07/2025Posted: 10/07/2025

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JERZY MAZZOLL ~ BYC WYTWORNIA KRAJOWA 17 (Barcode: 5902860147176) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is an album by Polish Jazz clarinetist / composer Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist, one of the mythical figures of the Avant-Garde / fringe Polish Jazz since the late 1980s. Although presented as a solo album, the music is co-credited to Mazzoll and producer / multi-instrumentalist Michal SzturomskiFind albums by this artist, who co-composed the seventeen pieces of instrumental music with Mazzoll. Pianist Milosz WoskoFind albums by this artist, bassist Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, percussionist Artur ChaberFind albums by this artist as well as a couple of other musicians perform alongside the two composers. For someone, who knows Mazzoll and his music since ages, the album comes as a complete surprise in many respects. But Mazzoll states clearly on the album’s artwork that: “This album came to be as a result of my desire for calmness and beauty, which lately I am able to experience again”. That motto reflects the character of the music perfectly, as the album presents a series of beautiful, highly melodic tunes, often meditative, sometimes close to Hasidic Nigunim, which Mazzoll states on plethora of various clarinets like the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The clarinet is accompanied on some of the tracks by the superb performances of Wosko and Pospieszalski, which ideally suit the concept and paint the entire proceedings with s subtle Jazz tinge. However, on other tracks the accompaniment is more “mechanical”, i.e. synthesizes, samples and other electronic paraphernalia, which I prefer much less, but am able to accept, in view of the charm of the music and the concept at large. Mazzoll’s clarinet parts are of course brilliant and one can simply not get enough of them, which makes one long for more when the music is over – the only solution being to put the album on repeat. He is a true sound magician, which I have always known to be true, but his convoluted recording / life history not always managed to reflect it. I am thankful that he finally found his peace of mind, which enables him to play as magnificently as herein, and live his life “under his wine and his fig tree”. Overall, this is a magnificently moving piece of music, seemingly simplistic at times, but able to reach the deepest heartstrings of the listener’s soul. This is Mazzoll the Gentle Giant, the Buddhist Monk, the Hassid thankful for the Almighty’s Grace… Thank you my Friend, for this gift of Music!

Updated: 07/06/2022Posted: 06/06/2022

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MILOSC ~ MILOSC AGORA 9788326812972 (Barcode: 9788326812972) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 - 2012 Released: 2012 This is the DVD version of the film "Milosc" by Polish director Filip DzierzawskiFind albums by this artist, which is a documentary about the Polish Jazz ensemble MiloscFind albums by this artist, which was the most influential group on the Polish Jazz scene in the 1990, revolutionizing the approach to Jazz in the country, establishing the Yass sub-genre and most importantly waking up the local scene from the mainstream lethargy, which was overwhelmingly dominating the scene for almost two decades that preceded the 1990s. Milosc was formally founded in April 1988, when the group which included bassist Tymon TymanskiFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Mikolaj TrzaskaFind albums by this artist changed its name to Milosc. Soon after the group was joined by clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist, who left after a brief stay and then the drummer Jacek OlterFind albums by this artist and pianist Leszek MozdzerFind albums by this artist joined the group creating the core quartet of Tymanski / Trzaska / Olter / Mozdzer, which recorded the group´s debut album. A year later the quartet expanded into the full stable lineup when saxophonist Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist joined them to create the quintet version of Milosc. After several fruitful years and a series of brilliant albums, two with legendary American trumpeter Lester BowieFind albums by this artist, the group started to disintegrate, when Mozdzer left in 1998 to pursue a solo career, Olter died tragically after a long mental illness and Trzaska left the group in 2001. A year later the group played its last gig and formally announced the end of its activity in July 2002, after fourteen years of existence. The documentary, which was filmed during a four years period (2008-2012) pays tribute to the group´s history and to the individual personalities, focusing on the meeting of the Milosc members organized in order to prepare for a concert by the legendary original lineup, less Olter of course who was replaced by drummer Kuba StaruszkiewiczFind albums by this artist. The documentary moves between the scenes captured during these rehearsals, historic footage and interviews with individual members, speaking their minds out. The director wisely avoids any external commentary, simply presenting the reality portrayed by the camera, leaving the spectator free to reach his own conclusions. Although not a typical documentary by any standard, the film presents a cohesive and intelligent document, which highlights several profound observations about people, music and culture. Milosc was all about freedom. Considering the fact that the group was established at the crucial point of modern Polish political history, when the oppressive Socialistic Regime was about to collapse and Poland was finally to achieve its new political Freedom, Milosc expressed the same feeling of upheaval, but on an artistic plane. Polish Jazz, which exploded with incredible vitality and freedom of expression in the 1960s, slowly ran out of steam as a result of economic and social hardships and by the late 1970s and 1980s it was almost completely devoid of any truly spirited, adventurous, inspired activity and completely immersed into ambitionless mainstream. The young generation of Polish Jazz musicians and fans was about to rebel against this stagnant state of affairs and Milosc was one of the first and most successful demonstrations of this rebellion. Although initially associated with Free Jazz, Milosc never actually played Free Jazz, surely not close to its American origins established by Albert AylerFind albums by this artist, Eric DolphyFind albums by this artist and John ColtraneFind albums by this artist. The group was an amalgam of many musical influences and created a unique and new approach and stylistic expression, which eventually was christened Yass. And Yass was more clear about what it didn´t want to be rather than about what it wanted to be, a rebellion against "pretty" melodic, carefully planned, well defined by harmonic conventions music. No more of that old-fashioned bullshit! Yass was "dirty", imperfect, spontaneous, unconventional and constantly changing, but it did not exclude the element of melody and standard meters. Free? Yes by all means, but definitely not Free Jazz. From the very start Milosc was an impossible combination of conflicting strong personalities and diametrically different musical approaches. Why it managed to exists for such a long time is a mystery and a miracle. But musical miracles do happen and when they do, the listeners are the ones to collect the crops. The musicians, initially euphoric, start to suffer at some point and then simply can´t take it any more. The key conflict inside Milosc was always the clash between Trzaska and Mozdzer: a rebel and visionary and a classically trained hipster. This fundamental conflict was what brought Milosc to its knees, but it wasn´t of course the only factor. Poland and its cultural environment went through a dramatic change following the fall of the Socialist Regime, and a new reality emerged; politically, socially and of course culturally. This new reality opened up new possibilities and closed the lid on many others, which existed earlier. Such dramatic environmental changes have a profound impact on people, and musicians are people after all. The 2008 meeting between the Milosc members, which is the focal theme of this film, shows how profound these changes are, so profound that although they are able to play together, they are unable to communicate as human beings. Separated by an unbreachable chasm Trzaska and Mozdzer are further apart that ever, the former representing the Polish Avant-Garde scene still being its non-formal leader in every sense and the latter representing the absolutely opposite ad-nauseam commercialism; a clash of Titans, which simply has no peaceful solutions. So is this a film about failure? About ideas and values that get outdated? Personally I don´t think so. Yes, sometimes not everything works as planned, but that does not necessarily mean a failure and in some rare occasions failures can be magnificent. I still very much believe that the same values that stood behind Milosc: freedom, pioneering search for artistic truth, personal integrity and the courage to do your own thing, are as much valid today as they have always been. Opportunism and conformism have always been and still are the root of evil. This film is a wonderful piece of musical history, which sheds some light on a much neglected period in the history of Polish Culture. Although perhaps unintended, it also spotlights some profound artistic and ethic dilemmas, leaving the resolutions to the spectators. An absolute must to all Polish Jazz connoisseurs, wherever they might by!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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NOEL / PLESZYNSKI / MAZZOLL ~ GREEN ANTIDEPRESSANT ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2017 This is a wonderful Avant-Garde recording created by the British (resident in Berlin) artist Ann NoelFind albums by this artist, who reads texts from her journals, with Polish avant-gardist Grzegorz PleszynskiFind albums by this artist, who plays plastic tube trumpets and Polish Jazz clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist who plays the bass clarinet. The album present nine collages of voice and improvised music. The entire project could be looked upon as an extension of the Jazz & Poetry idiom, with the liberties and lack of formality typical of the Avant-Garde approach. It is neither spoken word not music, but an amalgam of the two, mostly spontaneous and meaningful in the spur of the moment, but also relevant in retrospect, at least to some listeners. Considering the limited possibilities intrinsically embedded in the "lineup" creating this music, the result is way beyond all expectations. Whether treated at the detailed level, as three separate ingredients or as an amalgam of expressions, the result is communicative and striking, provided the listeners are open-minded and artistically liberal enough. For all those people who repeatedly ask "why do we need all that Avant-Garde nonsense", my answer, as usual, is that without Avant-Garde (in Art / Science or any other activity involving the brain) the reverse process humanity is going through (i.e. from man to ape) would be even faster than it is today. With that in mind, this is definitely something worth investigating, for listeners who did not lost yet the capacity to listen and participate…

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 16/02/2018

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SZTUROMSKI / MAZZOLL / WOSKO / CHAMOUN / SZCZYCINSKI ~ PTAKI POLSKI REQUIEM 256 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Ambient Fusion Recorded: 2024 Released: 2025 This is an album by a quintet of Polish musicians, led by producer / electronics manipulator Michal SzturomskiFind albums by this artist, with clarinetist Jerzy MazzollFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Milosz WoskoFind albums by this artist, percussionist Adeb ChamounFind albums by this artist and bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist. They perform music inspired by the calls and songs uttered by bird species common in Poland, which are described by texts written by Alexandra Kornelia MajFind albums by this artist and recited by Filip KosiorFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, each dedicated to a different bird. The music is mostly improvised, with Mazzoll being the leading voice in most cases, beautifully accompanied by the rest of the quintet, with plenty of space for individual contributions. Although improvised, the music is wonderfully melodic, with strong influences of Mediterranean accents, flowing gently and dreamy, almost contemplatively. The three elements, i.e. the birds’ calls, the music and the recitation are balanced delicately and offer a coherent whole, which is moving and highly enjoyable. Obviously, as a Mazzoll admirer, I enjoy immensely his contributions, which prove again how comprehensive his talent is, always fitting perfectly to whatever musical environment he finds himself in. He is a modern Pied Piper of Hamelin, at least for me, always taking me wherever he is going with his music, where I can only follow blindly and submissively. Of course this particular assembly of musicians is truly amicable and talented, which makes everything even more perfect aesthetically. Chamoun is especially fitting and I always admire his special sense of rhythm, which we share instinctively. Overall, this is a remarkable piece of musical Art, carefully put together, as always in the case of RequiemFind albums on this label Records, beautifully packaged and bearing a sublime musical gift. My sincere thanks to all participants and contributors.

Updated: 01/04/2025Posted: 01/04/2025

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