Record Reviews

SLAWOMIR KULPOWICZ ~ CALMNESS AND UNISONO GAD 282 (Barcode: 5903068125195) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 - 1985 Released: 2024 This is an archival album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Slawomir KulpowiczFind albums by this artist. It presents six previously unreleased solo piano pieces, recorded by the Polish Radio, two from 1982 and four from 1985, all composed by Kulpowicz. It is a most welcome addition to the four archival albums of music by Kulpowicz, released by Polish Radio in 2013, and an important tribute to his remarkable contribution to Polish Jazz. The music is, as always, wonderfully expressive and combining a myriad of influences from within the Jazz idiom and beyond, including contemporary Classical Music and World Music, which Kulpowicz was strongly associated with, especially the music of India. Kulpowicz died prematurely in 2008, leaving behind a sublime legacy of recorded music, which somehow never received the proper appreciation on the local scene, despite the fact that it was always one of the most advanced and creative music ever created by Polish Jazz Artists. Therefore, this album is especially important, both for the fact that in unearths previously unheard music by Kulpowicz, and that it offers an opportunity for new listeners to get exposed to his Genius. Kulpowicz was strongly influenced by the music of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist and his improvisations offer the listener the same kind of trance-like total submission and free-flow consciousness, but in his case the music never leaves its connection to melody. Although widely improvised, the music here could be easily considered completely cross-genre, and listeners of Classical music might enjoy it as much as Jazz buffs. The album offers a remarkable sound quality, which enhances the listening pleasure to the max. Overall, this is a truly magical album, which offers a condensed serving of brilliant improvised music, with deeply melodic message and aesthetic wealth, achieved only once in a blue moon. It is an absolute must for all true lovers of Polish Jazz and a fascinating beacon of how potent improvised music can be. As much as I love and support the remarkable work by the people behind the GADFind albums on this label Records label (Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist and Lukasz HernikFind albums by this artist), this is definitely one of the most important releases in their 300 albums’ strong catalogue. An absolute gem!

Updated: 29/05/2024Posted: 29/05/2024

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