Record Reviews

WYNTON MARSALIS ~ THINK OF ONE WOUNDED BIRD 8641 (Barcode: 664140864122) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1983 Released: 2007 Whereas the eponymous debut album by American trumpeter / composer / arranger / bandleader Wynton MarsalisFind albums by this artist was somewhat a mixed affair, comprising of two different recording sessions with two different rhythm sections, this, his second album, is a well tempered affair. Finally heading his own permanent quintet, with brother Branford MarsalisFind albums by this artist on saxophones, the wonderful pianist Kenny KirklandFind albums by this artist, bassist Phil BowlerFind albums by this artist (or Ray DrummondFind albums by this artist on half of the tracks) and drummer Jeff WattsFind albums by this artist, Marsalis in truly in his element, firmly holding the reins of a leader. With Miles DavisFind albums by this artist influence still looming in the background, Wynton´s trumpet playing shows first signs of his lyrical side with less emphasis on the technical brilliance and more relaxed flow. He contributes three original compositions and the rest of the material includes a Kirkland and Drummond (one each) originals and standards by Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist and Duke EllingtonFind albums by this artist. Wynton and Branford play well together, although a tension between the brothers was about to develop soon after, as a result of Branford´s tendencies towards more free-form improvisations while Wynton demanded a more conservative approach. Overall this is an incredibly solid album with no weak moments, flowing seamlessly from one tune to another, with brilliant soloing and tight but inventive rhythm section work. The 1980s were after all the age of the great return, when the two decades of experimentation first with Free form and improvised music and later with Jazz-Rock Fusion was pretty much over, leaving the Jazz musicians to re-invent modern Jazz using solid and well established ground while pushing the boundaries of virtuosity to the limit or perhaps beyond the limit – no other musician at the time was better at it than Wynton Marsalis and his crew. A classic!

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ED PARTYKA JAZZ ORCHESTRA ~ ED PARTYKA, ARRANGER - COMPOSER TCB 38702 (Barcode: 725095387026) ~ USA ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2025 This is the 5th album by American Jazz composer / arranger / conductor / educator Ed PartykaFind albums by this artist and his Ed Partyka Jazz OrchestraFind albums by this artist. The album presents four extended tracks, two of which are original compositions by Partyka, one is by Charlie ParkerFind albums by this artist and finally one is by Kenny KirklandFind albums by this artist, all arranged for the orchestra by Partyka. Partyka moved to Europe in 1990 and has been conducting Jazz Big Bands / Orchestras all over the continent, as well as being a proficient educator. He established the Berlin based Ed Partyka Jazz Orchestra in 2007. Partyka admits to being deeply inspired by the work of American trombonist / composer / arranger Bob BrookmeyerFind albums by this artist, and this album is a tribute to Brookmeyer. The music emphasizes the European approach to Jazz Orchestral music, which treats the orchestra as an organic body. As a result, there are relatively few soli within each track on this album, and most of the music is performed by the entire orchestra, cleverly using the interplay between all the instruments. The music is based on solid melodic themes and the arrangements skillfully utilize changing moods and sound colors, which produce an elegant flow and continuity. Overall, for lovers of Big Band / Orchestral Jazz, this is a true feast, from start to finish, which shows that large Jazz ensembles are still a very important part of the scene and can be as creative and entertaining as all other forms of Jazz music, if not more so. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 30/09/2025Posted: 25/09/2025

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MICHAL URBANIAK ~ URBANIAK INNER CITY 1036 (Barcode: 077712710367) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion Recorded: 1977 Released: 2008 This is a reissue of the only album recorded by the Polish Jazz violinist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist for the American Inner CityFind albums on this label label, which followed his stint with ColumbiaFind albums on this label. He is accompanied by his wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist and Polish saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist. The rest of the band comprised of American musicians: keyboardist Kenny KirklandFind albums by this artist, bassist Tony BunnFind albums by this artist and drummer Lurenda FeatherstoneFind albums by this artist. Both Dudziak and Namyslowski also released albums on Inner City. The album presents seven original compositions, three by Urbaniak and four by Namyslowski. The music is a direct continuation of the innovative music Urbaniak recorded at the time, which combined Jazz, Funk and Polish Folklore. All the compositions are absolutely brilliant, since Namyslowski was also an excellent / prolific composer and followed a similar musical path at that time. The performances are also excellent, blending superb violin, vocalese and saxophone parts with the rest of the instrumental work. The rhythm section adds a Funky beat and both Urbaniak and Namyslowski play excellent solo parts throughout. Overall, this is a brilliant album, which withstands the test of time without any problem. It documents the attempt of Polish Jazz musicians to develop a career in the USA, which in retrospect achieved a very limited success, and led to almost all of them returning to Poland, leaving no impact whatsoever on the American Jazz scene, which of course is hardly surprising. However, it produced some memorable recordings, this being one of them. For Polish Jazz fans this is a gem worth visiting!

Updated: 02/06/2022Posted: 21/05/2022

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