Record Reviews

ASAF ~ SILENT PRAYER SOLITON 669 (Barcode: 5901571096698) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album by the Polish Jazz quartet ASAFFind albums by this artist, following a sixteen years break in its activity. The current lineup includes saxophonist Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist, pianist Joanna GajdaFind albums by this artist, bassist Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist (who replaced the original bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist) and drummer Piotr JankowskiFind albums by this artist. Bassist Michal BakFind albums by this artist and vocalist Barbara PospieszalskaFind albums by this artist guest each on one track. The album presents seven original compositions, four recorded in studio and three recorded live on various occasions. Sikala and Gajda composed two of pieces each, Pospieszalski and Bak composed one piece each and the last is by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Andrzej CudzichFind albums by this artist, who sadly departed at a tragically young age in 2003. The debut album by ASAF from 2004 was dedicated to the memory of Cudzich. The music is strictly mainstream Jazz oriented, with solid melodic themes and straightforward arrangements, which offers little innovation or challenge but is excellently executed by the participating musicians, who are all highly professional. The superb saxophone parts by Sikala, who is after all one of the top Polish Jazz players, are especially impressive. Despite the fact that the album mixes studio and live recordings, the overall sound quality is very good and the album offers a coherent sound and stylistic continuity. The nature of the music is rather contemplative and as the album´s title and individual track titles (as well as the album´s liner notes) suggest, the music is an attempt to offer a spiritual message with the music serving as a medium. The atmosphere of some of the compositions is definitely soaked in deep melancholy, which of course every listener can interpret in his own way. Overall this is a good mainstream Jazz album, which should make fans of music closer to the American rather than European Jazz aesthetic very happy. Great compositions and perfect execution is exactly what the doc prescribed. Definitely worth checking out!

Updated: 26/05/2020Posted: 26/05/2020

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JANCZARSKI & MCCRAVEN QUINTET ~ LIBERATOR FOR TUNE 0132 (Barcode: 5906395808427) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2018 This is the second album by the Polish / American quintet co-led by Polish saxophonist Borys JanczarskiFind albums by this artist and American drummer Stephen McCravenFind albums by this artist, with Polish pianist Joanna GajdaFind albums by this artist and bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and American trumpeter Rasul SiddikFind albums by this artist. Together they perform seven tunes, five of which are originals (three by Gajda and one each by Janczarski and McCraven) and two standards, one each by Woody ShawFind albums by this artist and Billy EckstineFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live at Warsaw´s 12 on 14 Jazz Club and another venue and has a superb sound quality. The music is a continuation of the direction established on the quintet´s debut album, i.e. straightforward mainstream American Jazz, very well played and presenting solid composition, but hardly innovative or challenging. It seems that although the majority of the quintet members are Polish musicians, the spirit of the music is completely enthralled within the American traditionalism, which changed very little since the heyday of Bebop half a Century ago. But innovation aside, this is still a perfectly enjoyable Jazz album, with highly professional playing, which is much more relaxed and less constrained that on the debut album, and full of joy and energy. Considering the fact that mainstream Jazz has a large following the world over, this album should be appealing to many Jazz lovers. It also proves that European musicians are able to play Jazz as well as any American musician, even within the mainstream idiom, and the "White Man Can´t Jump" is a lot of bull. It is good to see that the quintet gives more exposure to the compositions by Gajda, who is undoubtedly a very skillful and talented composer. Her piano solos are also amongst the most interesting moments on the album. Overall this is a nice mainstream effort, which should be very enjoyable to a wide range of mainstream Jazz audiences, which presents well woven tunes and heartfelt performance as well as superb sound quality.

Updated: 08/05/2018Posted: 08/05/2018

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JANCZARSKI & MCCRAVEN QUINTET ~ TRAVELLING EAST WEST FOR TUNE 0081 (Barcode: 5902768701876) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is an album by the Polish / American quintet co-led by Polish saxophonist Borys JanczarskiFind albums by this artist and American drummer Stephen McCravenFind albums by this artist, with Polish pianist Joanna GajdaFind albums by this artist and bassist Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and American trumpeter Rasul SiddikFind albums by this artist. Together they perform eight tunes, seven of which are originals (three by Janczarski, two by Gajda and one each by McCraven and Siddik) and one is a standard by Woody ShawFind albums by this artist. The music is standard mainstream Jazz, with nice compositions and eloquent execution, but sadly not remarkable in any way. Except for the singular Siddik´s tune, which has an interesting World Music motif, the rest of the material is well within the Bebop or even Swing tradition, which has been already exploited to death decades ago. The musicians are all professionals, but one can find hardly anything out of ordinary by any of them on this album. Siddik´s presence in these proceedings seems completely accidental, considering his past musical path. Of course many Jazz enthusiasts still like this kind of music, especially in America, where it still rules, but honestly it contributes nothing to the development of Jazz nowadays and recording such music, especially in Poland, as good as it might be, does not make much sense. Overall it is a pleasant, well played mainstream album, which surely will please many mainstream listeners, but is definitely not something I´d play again after enjoying it once.

Updated: 22/02/2016Posted: 22/02/2016

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