Record Reviews

ADAM BALDYCH / BALTIC GANG ~ IMAGINARY ROOM ACT 9532 (Barcode: 614427953223) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2012 This is the first international release by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist. Recorded in Berlin, it features Baldych in a sextet / septet setting with some of the best Scandinavian musicians (hence the Baltic GangFind albums by this artist): trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist (Finland), saxophonist Marius NesetFind albums by this artist (Norway), trombonist Nils LandgrenFind albums by this artist (Sweden) who plays on two tracks and co-produced the album, pianist Jacob KarlzonFind albums by this artist (Sweden), bassist Lars DanielssonFind albums by this artist (Sweden), and drummer Morten LundFind albums by this artist (Denmark). Baldych composed ten of the album´s twelve tunes and co-composed the remaining two (one with Karlzon and the other with Danielsson). The album was released on the German ACTFind albums on this label label, which already features several Polish Jazz artists on its recording artist roster. Baldych, just 26 years old at the time this music was recorded, has already a most impressive list of achievements behind him and is often referred to as the new hope of Polish Jazz violin, which has a remarkable tradition indeed, with such outstanding masters as Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist and Krzesimir DebskiFind albums by this artist. With this album Baldych certainly earned his final seal of approval, joining the distinguished club of his predecessors. The music included on this album is a major step in the development of Baldych as a composer. There is a definite style and a personal signature on all the tunes, which share a remarkable tendency towards melancholy, romanticism and deep lyricism. Most of the music is delicate, low key and slow tempo, with long and winding melody lines, a manner quite typical to the great Polish composers, both Classical and Jazz. The presence of the Scandinavian musicians, who are also known for their specific tone, might have influenced the overall sound and atmosphere of the album, but that would be only marginal. Considering also the fact that the tracks are relatively short and the arrangements do not allow expanded improvisations, it is obvious that the focus of this album is the music (compositions) rather that the performances. The performances are, of course, stellar, which is not surprising considering the level of the musicians involved. Baldych plays superbly, as expected, but much less flashy and extrovert than on his earlier recordings. It is obvious that he reached a mental maturity, which turns him into a total musician, who does not need to prove his ability to the world, but to present a complete musical work of art, which includes composition, arrangement, performance and ambience as a whole. There are plenty of superb musical moments on this album, which of course will be revealed and discovered with repeated listening sessions. The album is definitely one of the finest recent Polish Jazz recordings and will become part of the Polish Jazz canon for years to come. Baldych, who is just making his first international steps, is destined for glory, which hopefully will be achieved gradually. In the meantime this music is his gift to us, to be enjoyed to the fullest. Chapeau!

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IZABELLA EFFENBERG ~ IMPRESSIONS IN COLOURS GLM 365 (Barcode: 4014063436528) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2024 This is a 2CD album by Polish (resident in Germany) multi-instrumentalist / composer / music activist Izabella EffenbergFind albums by this artist, recorded with several German musicians and featuring the Polish / Japanese vocalist / songwriter Yumi ItoFind albums by this artist. The album presents twenty-two tracks, all but two composed by Effenberg and one each composed by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist and Lars DanielssonFind albums by this artist. Izabella Effenberg emerged on the European Jazz scene just about a decade ago and during that relatively short period of time she proved to be not only an outstanding musician and composer, but also an important activist, recording Artist, educator and festival organizer, which of course is a highly commendable and unique achievement. Despite the fact that Izabella plays the vibraphone, one of the most difficult instruments within the Jazz milieu, she continuously expands her interest in the entire mallet family, expanding way beyond the obvious with trying new and uncharted territory and introducing experimental new instruments, like glass harp, array mbira and others, incorporating them into her set of performing tools. The presence of Ito is a true proverbial cherry on top! By using such a wide collection of instruments within her performances and recordings, Izabella is able to create one of the most unique and unparalleled arrays of sonic experiences, which keep the audiences electrified and astounded time and again. Her compositions are perfectly suited for her instrumental abilities and offer the listeners a magic, unforgettable aural voyage. Overall, this is a remarkable musical experience, which presents a wide range of diverse mallet instruments, masterly performed and composed by Effenberg. It combines Jazz with many other genres, offering a stunning kaleidoscope of sound and ideas. I am proud to be her keen follower since her early days and a Friend, always proud of her remarkable achievements. Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 04/12/2024Posted: 04/11/2023

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METTE JUUL ~ CHANGE UNIVERSAL 060257796101 (Barcode: 060257796101) ~ DENMARK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the fourth album by Danish Jazz singer / guitarist / songwriter Mette JuulFind albums by this artist recorded with a team of excellent musicians: Swedish bassist Lars DanielssonFind albums by this artist and Danish keyboardist Heine HansenFind albums by this artist who play on most of the tracks and three guitarists playing on selected tracks: Swedish Ulf WakeniusFind albums by this artist (three tracks), Israeli Gilad HekselmanFind albums by this artist (two tracks) and Danish Per MollehojFind albums by this artist (one track). The album presents thirteen tracks, five of which are written or co-written by Juul and the rest are her interpretations of standards. The music is a collection of intimate trio, duo and solo performances, completely acoustic and minimalist, with the "more is less" attitude clearly in mind. The bass and piano trio sessions are kept in a classic vocal Jazz atmosphere, whereas the solo and duo tracks with the guitarist have a slightly Folksier ambience. The material is carefully selected to suit Juul´s vocal abilities, which allows her to be relaxed and feel herself for the entire duration of the album. As usual for a non-native English speaker the accent and pronunciation are evidently "foreign" (well Scandinavian obviously), but in this case it is rather charming than obtrusive. The vocal stylistics and mannerisms are somewhat similar to those of the great Karin Krog, which of course is meant as a compliment. The instrumental performances are of course perfect in every respect. Both the trios and the duos with the guitarists keep the focus on the vocalist accompanying her amicably and creating the appropriate ambience rather than being dominant. In the age when making music is usually associated with overloading the listener´s ears with a wall of synthetic noise, such modest and delicate approach is most welcome and commendable. Overall this is wonderful, subtle and delicate piece of music, which is full of great instrumental performances and heartfelt vocals, superb choice of songs and a straightforward, honest delivery, despite its sophistication and artistry. Warmly recommended!

Updated: 19/09/2019Posted: 19/09/2019

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