Record Reviews

NOT NECESSARY BAND ~ NIEKONIECZNIE KONIECZNY NOT ON LABEL 01 (Barcode: 606707129411) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the debut album by the Not Necessary BandFind albums by this artist led by veteran organist / composer / arranger Pawel SerafinskiFind albums by this artist, one of the unsung heroes of the Polish Jazz scene active since the 1970s. The quartet also includes saxophonists Piotr BaronFind albums by this artist (another Polish Jazz veteran) and Kuba RaczynskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek BolewskiFind albums by this artist, the last two are representatives of the new generation of the local scene. Members of the hip-hop group ThinkadelicFind albums by this artist guest briefly on one track. The album presents six tracks, three of which are original compositions by Serafinski, one is co-composed by the quartet members and two are composed by the legendary Polish composer Zygmunt KoniecznyFind albums by this artist. The music is all mainstream oriented Jazz, with touches of Blues and Soul, very relaxed and lyrical. Serafinski composed some elegant tunes, which offer great melody lines and are superb platforms for improvisation. Konieczny is of course a Master songweaver, and his two compositions are classics. As a sucker for the Hammond organ I simply cannot help the nostalgia / sentiment to overflow any rational approach and like the music, even if only for the great fun it brings to the listener. It does sound rather retro, but that was probably intentional, and the album has a distinct 1970s attitude, which in today’s music is a blessed whip of fresh air, rather than a sign of being old-fashioned. The quartet offers a very unusual sound ambience, with just the organ up front, supported by the sax players, no bass (which is compensated by organ pedals) and the drums keeping the time vigorously and tastefully. Funs of Brian AugerFind albums by this artist and Graham BondFind albums by this artist will obviously find this quite familiar stylistically. Overall, this is a very well put together album, which offers great music and excellent performances, with a focus on the Hammond organ sound, which of course makes it a must for the many lovers of this legendary keyboard. The minimalist, subdued atmosphere of this music is a welcome contrast to the terrible noise that surrounds us today most of the time.

Updated: 15/12/2021Posted: 15/12/2021

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

KUBA RACZYNSKI ~ MY MUSIC SOLITON 1170 (Barcode: 5903684231706) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 - 2021 Released: 2021 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Kuba RaczynskiFind albums by this artist recorded in a classic quartet setting with pianist Rafal StepienFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej ZielakFind albums by this artist and drummer Radek BolewskiFind albums by this artist. Five musicians, including saxophonist Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist, guest on selected tracks. The album presents eleven original compositions, all by the leader. The music is all within the modern mainstream, highly melodic and very well structured. It manages to eschew the usual lethargic paste of most Polish Jazz mainstream albums and offers several medium and up tempo numbers, which inspires the general atmosphere of the album to sound more alive. But the most impressive quality of the music is it’s melodic / harmonic quality, which is truly heartwarming. Raczynski, who plays alto, soprano and baritone saxophones, as well as clarinet and bass clarinet, has a wonderfully warm sound, which acts like honey on the listener’s ears. The diverse stylistics employed within the compositions allow him to display the full palette of his instrumental abilities, which after all debut albums are about. The rest of the quartet performs splendidly, with Stepien accompanying the soloists amicably and adding several highly impressive, but not superficially flashy soli of his own. The rhythm section drives the music with vigor and precision, exactly as the doctor prescribed, The guests all add some icing on the cake, making the proceedings less uniform, but more sparkling, except for the one vocal track, which is a bit tacky and honestly out of context. Overall, this is a very nice mainstream Jazz album, somewhat on the lighter side of the spectrum, but highly enjoyable, offering a pleasant listening experience to a wide audience of Jazz listeners. It is definitely an earnest debut album, which shows a lot of talent by the leader, especially as a composer. It is full of youthful naiveté, but shows a lot of promise, which will surely not disappoint. Well done!

Updated: 31/12/2021Posted: 31/12/2021

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend