Record Reviews

BABOOSHKI ~ BEDZIEMY SIE KREZYLI MULTIKULTI MPF 005 (Barcode: 5903068683374) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the third album by Polish Jazz-World Fusion ensemble BabooshkiFind albums by this artist, formed by Polish vocalist / violinist Karolina BeimcikFind albums by this artist and Ukrainian vocalist / pianist Dana VynnytskaFind albums by this artist, and including top Polish Jazz players: trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, pianist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal JarosFind albums by this artist and drummer Bogusz WekkaFind albums by this artist. A couple of guest musicians play on selected tracks. The album presents nine traditional songs of Polish / Ukrainian and Byelorussian origins, performed in the original languages, all arranged by the ensemble members. The music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia, owned by Smoczynski, and offers a splendid sound quality. Musically, the album offers a pretty faithful interpretation of the original Folkloristic material, with the Jazzy arrangements being pretty minimalist and delicate, not disturbing the authenticity of the songs, but enhancing the result and bringing it closer to contemporary listeners. The vocal duets by Beimcik and Vynnytska are the epicenter of the music, beautifully performed and cleverly synchronized, amalgamation two pretty diverse vocal traditions (Polish more Western and Ukrainian more Eastern), which complement each other splendidly. The instrumental work is also brilliant, as expected by the level of the participating musicians. Sarnecki, Smoczynski and Tomaszczyk add a few splendid soli, and Jarosz plays stunning bass parts, but overall this music is all about team work. Listeners interested in the East European vocal tradition should be absolutely delighted by this little gem, as should all Jazz-World Fusion fans, especially since this is one of the best projects on the Polish scene recorded in this sub-genre in the last years. Overall this is a beautiful piece of music, beautifully authentic, highly aesthetic and brilliantly executed from start to finish. Hats off!

Updated: 04/06/2021Posted: 04/06/2021

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BIG BAND SLASKI ~ A WIDE SPECTRUM TEATR ROZRYWKI 002 (Barcode: 5902596066819) ~ POLAND ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by a new Jazz Big Band on the Polish scene, appropriately called Big Band SlaskiFind albums by this artist (Silesian Big Band), as it was founded in Chorzow (the town where I was born) and includes many of the musicians who graduated from the Katowice Music Academy, like trumpeter Pawel PalcowskiFind albums by this artist or saxophonist Jaroslaw BothurFind albums by this artist, to mention just a few. The Big Band is led by its Artistic Director, trombonist / composer Grzegorz NagorskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven compositions, one by Nagorski, one by trombonist / composer Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, one by pianist / composer Pawel TomaszewskiFind albums by this artist, who appears as a special guest on the album, two by American trumpeter / composer Tim WaltersFind albums by this artist and the remaining two by another American trumpeter / composer / arranger Michael Philip MossmanFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded at Radio Katowice and offers a splendid sound quality and separation, which makes the music resound clearly and brightly. The music is all strictly within the mainstream Jazz idiom, offering melodic compositions arranged skillfully for the Big Band and performed spotlessly by all the musicians, featuring many splendid solo parts. Most of the music is pretty straightforward, except for the closing track by Tomaszewski, and is obviously dominated by the American Big Band tradition, which sounds somewhat outdated today, despite its slick and professional glamor. I would have expected from a contemporary Polish Jazz band to be somehow more aligned with the European approach to Jazz Big Bands, which is more daring and innovative, but all things considered and in view of the fact that Jazz Big Bands are such a rare phenomenon today, we should rejoice every time some new Big Band music is being created. Overall, this is a very pleasing and entertaining, almost danceable, Jazz Big Band album, which should make many enthusiasts of the genre happy. The music is accessible and the performances are highly spirited, which results is a most enjoyable listening experience. Hopefully the Big Band Slaski will be able to continue its activity in the uncertain, economically and otherwise, atmosphere that surrounds the music scene these days.

Updated: 28/12/2022Posted: 28/12/2022

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BIOTONE ~ UNSPOKEN WORDS SJ 002 (Barcode: 5902020415558) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2009 Released: 2011 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz quartet BiotoneFind albums by this artist, led by trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, who also wrote all the music present herein. The other members of the quartet are saxophonist Przemyslaw FlorczakFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej ZielakFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. These four young musicians are all typical examples of the new generation, which is slowly establishing themselves on the, rather crowded one must say, Polish Jazz scene. This scene was always exploding with talent and is now overflowing, unfortunately not being developed enough, dynamic enough and flexible enough to contain all that incredible influx of talent flowing in at an ever increasing paste. One must admire Tomaszczyk for his self-confidence, as a trombone-led quartet is a very uncommon phenomenon in Jazz history. Even the greatest trombonists were usually satisfied with the role of a sideman, but Tomaszczyk boldly presents his approach, and shows us all an upper hand. The quartet has a fresh, well balanced sound and all the members play excellently throughout. The rhythm section is inventive and fully participates in the music-making process together with the two front soloists. The compositions are also very good, both melodically and rhythmically, presenting an interesting compositional palette, which at this stage already shows individuality and character. But of course the key point of the album is the solo work of the leader, who manages to make the most of his difficult and often ungrateful instrument. His performances are absolutely first class from top to bottom and as someone, who has a lot of trombone "mileage" (after producing several trombone-centered albums) I can definitely say this is first class work and more importantly a great promise for the future. Altogether a superb debut, worth investigating!

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OLGA BOCZAR MUSIC ESSENCE ~ LITTLE INSPIRATIONS NOT ON LABEL 001 (Barcode: 5905279086005) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2013 - 2014 Released: 2014 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Olga BoczarFind albums by this artist, recorded with her ensemble called Music EssenceFind albums by this artist, with core members: keyboardist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Andrzej GondekFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel DobrowolskiFind albums by this artist. In addition several other musicians also participate on selected tracks, including bassist Krzysztof PacanFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Radek NowickiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Dominik GawronskiFind albums by this artist, trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist and several background vocalists; altogether quite a formidable team. The album presents ten original songs all composed by Boczar and with lyrics mostly written by her as well. Only two of the songs feature lyrics in Polish and eight have English lyrics. The music was recorded in three different studios, including the Studio Tokarnia where Smoczynski also served as the sound engineer recording the rhythms section tracks. In spite of the fact that the album features some very prominent Polish Jazz musicians, it is by no means a Jazz album. Except for a few piano solos, the album presents a singer / songwriter Pop / Rock effort with slight Jazzy accents mostly present in some of the arrangements. There is of course nothing wrong with that, but promoting and marketing this album under a Jazz moniker is a conceptual mistake. The music is a collection of mostly low key melancholic melodies, which all sound a bit similar and leave no lasting impression. Everything is "nice" and "smooth", but there is no excitement, zest or attempt hit the listener between his eyes. Boczar´s voice and delivery don´t help much either, as she has a limited range and sings in the same narrow spectrum using repeatedly the same mannerisms, regardless of the text she is singing. Except for a few vocalese attempts, the rest is rather unexciting. And on top of this all these there is the problem with lyrics in English, which sound pretty inappropriate. In contrast, plainly audible, the two songs sung in Polish sound infinitely better. The instrumental work is all quite all right, but again lacks any spark. The arrangements are all rather trivial, and the potential of such mighty team of musicians seems completely wasted. Except for the already mentioned piano solos, there is no attempt to put some excitement into this music. Overall this is all professionally done, but sadly completely uninspired. This album has a potential on the Polish Pop market, if promoted properly. It might even win a Fryderyk award next year, as anything can happen there, but hopefully not in the Jazz category. And before an outcry of angry responses accusing me of ruining young people´s careers erupts again, let me emphasize that this is just my private, subjective opinion, which has absolutely no bearing on anybody´s fate.

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ANDRZEJ DABROWSKI / ALL STARS ~ LIVE FOR TUNE 0154 (Barcode: 5906395808700) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 - 2021 Released: 2022 This is a live album by veteran / iconic Polish Jazz vocalist / drummer Andrzej DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded during a concert celebrating his 80th Birthday. He is accompanied by a formidable sexted comprising of top Polish Jazz musicians: trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, pianist Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Marcin JahrFind albums by this artist. Dabrowski sings nine songs, seven of which are American standards and two are Polish ones, written by Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and Agnieszka OsieckaFind albums by this artist. A bonus track, the symbolic “My Way” (sung in Polish), recorded at the Polish Radio three years later with different musicians, is added to complete the set. Dabrowski has been a part of the Polish Jazz scene since its inception and this album is a loving tribute to his lifetime contribution to the Polish Jazz scene and its achievements. Considering the age of the protagonist of this recording, any attempt to say anything about his performances are completely irrelevant, and would simply miss the point by a mile. The musicians gathered here all pay tribute to their colleague, with obvious respect and adoration, and that is all that matters. Overall, the For TuneFind albums on this label label should be congratulated for releasing this loving tribute, which is a wonderful document of the Polish Jazz scene history. The respect paid to Culture is always highly appreciated. Side Note: This For Tune release initiates the new graphic layout of the label’s releases, which combines the decade-long tradition of consistent elegance and class. The move to digipak from the traditional jewel case is a sign of commitment to the collectors, many of which own the entire output of this excellent label, now numbering 155 releases – a true treasure of Polish Jazz.

Updated: 09/06/2022Posted: 09/06/2022

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ANIA MICHALOWSKA ~ BACK TO THE TREES NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the second album as a leader by Polish Jazz vocalist / songwriter Ania MichalowskaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a core trio featuring keyboardist / arranger Michal IwanekFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. Several additional musicians play on selected tracks. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are original compositions by Michalowska (one co-composed with Iwanek) and feature her own lyrics on two songs and lyrics written by others on the rest of the songs. Only the title song features English lyrics. Michalowska’s debut album from 2017 “Snow PejzazeFind albums with this title” was very impressive and I was eagerly waiting for a follow up, which arrives seven years later. I am happy to say that the sophomore effort is definitely worth the wait. The main difference between the two is the fact that this time all the music is her own, expanding the scope of her achievements not only as a vocalist but also as a composer. The album offers an impressive collection of beautiful songs, with literally no exception, all exquisitely executed both vocally and instrumentally. The arrangements maintain a delicate balance between the vocal parts and the instrumental accompaniment, which work harmoniously together, offering a modern sound, full of skillful usage of background vocals and acoustic and electric keyboards. Michalowska has a very idiosyncratic voice, which she uses intelligently and skillfully, applying modulation, moving up and down the scale and most importantly being expressive and emotional, which adds an elegant energy to the lyrical character, the album is soaked in. The songwriting is also exemplary, offering clearly define aesthetics and perfect bland of Jazzy accents with soulful melodic vistas. The album also makes a clever use of guest musicians, who add outstanding gems on some of the tracks, like the hair-raising viola solo by Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist or trombone solo by Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist. Overall, this is a beautiful, heart-grabbing album, full of outstanding vocals and excellent instrumental parts, which is a delight from start to finish. Michalowska managed to create a very personal piece of music, which offers universal elements of elegant beauty and charm. Although on the lighter side of the Jazz spectrum, this music should delight Jazz listeners as much as music lovers who have no Jazz inclinations at all. Hats off, my Lady, you came back with a bang!

Updated: 11/03/2024Posted: 11/03/2024

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MICHAL TOMASZCZYK & PETTER OLOFSSON ~ SKETCHES FROM THE NORTH NOT ON LABEL 001 (Barcode: 195448415902) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by a duo comprising of Polish Jazz trombonist / composer Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist and Swedish bassist Petter OlofssonFind albums by this artist, both members of the Swedish Norrbotten Big BandFind albums by this artist, where they met. The album presents twelve original compositions, eleven by Tomaszczyk and one improvised piece credited to both members of the duo. The album offers an exceptional sound quality and is one the best bass sound recordings I came upon in years. The music is a wonderful collection of beautifully crafted melodic themes preformed by the duo with superb passion, virtuosity and panache. Despite the seemingly limited possibilities offered by just two instruments like trombone and acoustic bass, the music sounds complete and fills the aural space with an extraordinary experience, which is almost unprecedented since trombone / bass Jazz duo recordings are extremely rare. The album is of course a superb example of the "Art of the Duo" and the "less is more" idioms, which are always joyous experiences, and this one is definitely one of the most unusual and striking of them. I have followed Tomaszczyk since his debut album "Unspoken WordsFind albums with this title" released almost a decade ago and this album finally portrays his full capacity and instrumental virtuosity to the fullest extent. This is definitely a gem of an album, which every true music lover should be able to enjoy, way beyond just the strict Jazz audiences and one can only hope it will eventually find its way into all respected record collections, as it fully deserves. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 24/12/2020Posted: 24/12/2020

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OLA TRZASKA ~ ALL AROUND SJ 009 (Barcode: 5912596066085) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Ola TrzaskaFind albums by this artist, recorded by a sextet which also includes trumpeter Lukasz KorybalskiFind albums by this artist, trombonist Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Marcin PiekosFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight songs, all original by Trzaska (music and lyrics), six of which feature English and two Polish lyrics. The music is a nice mixture of Pop / Soul / Funk & Groove, based on Trzaska´s melodic themes jazzed up by the arrangements and instrumental work, especially that of the brass section. Not a Jazz album per se, but close enough for comfort to turn the ear of a Jazz fan as well as those who have almost nothing to do with it. Usually I completely condemn Polish singers singing in English, but in this case the result is acceptable, thanks to Trzaska´s phrasing and a skillful mix which keeps the vocals usually in unisono with instrumental backing, which mute the language "imperfections". Trzaska has a limited vocal range and wisely utilizes her voice safely within her comfort zone, which of course becomes somewhat inadequate in the long range, making all the songs to sound a bit alike. But her singing is expressive and full of emotion, which overall saves the day. Combined with the truly inspired instrumental work by the players, the album is a fun to listen to. Swies deserves a special mention since his bass notes drive the entire album with an incredible funky groove. Tomaszczyk also plays a few beautiful trombone solos on the album, which are little gems. This is definitely an impressive debut, presenting Trzaska as a gifted songwriter, vocalist and arranger, who will surely take part in the development of the Polish music scene in the years to come.

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OLA TRZASKA ~ AMULET SJ 016 (Barcode: 5912596066184) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2016 Released: 2016 This is the second album by Polish vocalist / flautist / songwriter Ola TrzaskaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a formidable team of musicians, very similar to the lineup of her debut album, which includes trombonist / co-producer Michal TomaszczykFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. Several other musicians participate on selected tracks. The album presents twelve compositions, eight of which are original compositions by Trzaska and one is co-composed with Tomaszczyk. One short piece is composed by Kolodziejczyk and two are of Brazilian origin. Trzaska also wrote most of the lyrics, of which three are in Polish and the rest are in English. Musically the album continues the same musical approach as Trzaska´s debut, with nice Jazzy arrangements and excellent playing by al the participants, but very limited vocal parts and unremarkable compositions, making very limited progress from the debut, which is a pity. Trzaska continues to sing in English, which does her no good at all, and the professionalism of her colleagues is not able to conceal her limitations. For the second time the bass parts by Swies and the trombone parts by Tomaszczyk are truly wonderful, but that is about all there is to this album.

Updated: 16/04/2017Posted: 16/04/2017

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