Record Reviews

ATOM ACCORDION QUINTET ~ ATOM ACCORDION QUINTET REQUIEM 120 (Barcode: 5902547013411) ~ POLAND ~ Classical Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish ensemble Atom Accordion QuintetFind albums by this artist, which comprises of accordionist Rafal GrzakaFind albums by this artist and the renowned string quartet called Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (violinists Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist). Together they perform four contemporary Classical compositions by young Polish composers: Mikolaj MajkusiakFind albums by this artist, Piotr WrobelFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof Lenczowski and Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist. While the works by the Majkusiak and Wrobel are single-piece compositions, the work by Lenczowski is a four-part Quintet and the work by Kolodziejczyk is three-part suite. The album was released simultaneously on two Polish labels: RequiemFind albums on this label Records and DUXFind albums on this label Records As much as I appreciate the need to expose young composers, which this album is all about, somehow I felt a bit disappointed when the music was over. Contemporary Classical music can be, and often is challenging and groundbreaking but this album has little of these qualities. The sound of accordion and a string quartet works together well but was already explored before, and although the musicians are top class, but the music itself just fails to make a strong impression. Even the music by Lenczowski, who writes wonderful music in the Jazz idiom, somehow does not present his usual excellence here, being simply too conventional, even if it is beautifully melodic and gracefully melancholic. An example of the lack of originality is the very last track on this album (by Kolodziejczyk), which sounds almost exactly like music by Astor PiazzollaFind albums by this artist with string quartet. Somehow the entire album invokes a kind of a déjà vu symptom. The album is supposed to offer, according to the enclosed booklet, an amalgam of Classical Music, Folklore and Jazz. There is Classical music in abundance, there are some Folkloristic motifs, but there is certainly no Jazz at all, as there is obviously no improvisation involved since all the music is strictly written. This of course is not a problem by itself, but simply an unnecessary confusion. Obviously the album has its positive sides as well: a profound European aesthetics, wonderful performances by all five musicians, who are obviously virtuosic players, an excellent recording and sound quality and elegant packaging that includes informative bilingual liner notes. Overall this is a well done and original presentation of contemporary Polish Classical Music, which can be enjoyed by many Classical Music connoisseurs anywhere in the world and serve as a wonderful calling card of Polish Culture.

Updated: 22/11/2016Posted: 22/11/2016

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STEPANKA BALCAROVA ~ EMOTIONS ANIMAL MUSIC 117 (Barcode: 8594211850247) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by Czech Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Stepanka BalcarovaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic quartet setting with Czech bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz MaslowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, all of which are original compositions by Balcarova. This is only the third album by Balcarova as a leader, but she has quite a remarkable recording legacy already, which includes albums by the Concept Art OrchestraFind albums by this artist (4 albums), which she leads, as well as the Czech / Polish Inner SpacesFind albums by this artist quintet (3 albums), all recorded since 2010 and all quite noteworthy, which makes her a busy bee of the local scene. This album offers a double focus: Balcarova’s trumpet playing, which is more prominent here than on any of her previous recordings, as well as her superb compositional talent, which is of course already her trademark. This is also her most relaxed, intimate and perhaps also mature statement to date, after reaching a point in her career, where she does not need to prove anything anymore, and is free just to express her innermost self. The music is mostly very introvert and lyrical, almost romantic at times, with gentle melodic themes floating in the air, waiting for ears willing to get enchanted. The minimalist format of the quartet is ideal for the music and the wonderful team supports the leader superbly, with Kolodziejczyk delicate harmonic support and brief and well-structured soli balancing the melodic layer and of course Honzak on bass, the anchor able to hold any musical ship steady, is there at all times with his round, solid notes, with Maslowski delicate rhythmic support always there when needed and silent, when not essential, a rare quality among drummers. As all Animal Music releases, this album offers a wonderfully warm and perfect sound quality, achieved by the masterful Milan CimfeFind albums by this artist, which makes listening to the music a true pleasure. Overall, this is another beautiful album in Balcarova’s treasure chest, which is a sublime sonic experience and uplifting aesthetic adventure for every true Jazz lover on this planet. It might take more than just a brief listening exposure to discover the depth and gorgeousness of this music, but patience is a virtue and the reward is absolutely worth the effort. Thank you Milady, as usual, for this gift of music!

Updated: 12/08/2023Posted: 12/08/2023

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STEPANKA BALCAROVA ~ LIFE AND HAPPINESS OF JULIAN TUWIM ANIMAL MUSIC 065 (Barcode: 8594155991709) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album as a leader by Czech trumpeter / composer Stepanka BalcarovaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a septet comprising of Czech and Polish Jazz musicians: vocalist Malgorzata HutekFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marcel BartaFind albums by this artist, flautist Robert FischmannFind albums by this artist, pianist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Jaromir HonzakFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz MaslowskiFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the album presents nine poems by Polish / Jewish poet Julian TuwimFind albums by this artist, which were made into songs with original music composed by Balcarova. The album is a typical Jazz & Poetry project, which apparently is a specialty of the Eastern European region (Poland especially), and which keeps the wondrous and much neglected elsewhere idiom alive and kicking. Of course tackling Tuwim´s poems, who after all was the most important 20th Century Polish poet, is an extremely risky undertaking, especially in view of the fact that his poems were already made into songs countless times before by some of the best composers out there. Balcarova decided to compose music to Tuwim´s early poetry, published (with one exception) between 1918 and 1923, which are more rarely used as sources of songs, and therefore she brings forward to the public eye a lesser known facet of his poetry. I am happy to say that Balcarova managed to create a consistent song cycle, with her music being very appropriate to the poetic contents. The music is full of melancholy, perhaps even a bit too somber at times, since these poems are considered as optimistic and vital in comparison to Tuwim´s later work, which was full of cynicism and resentment. Nevertheless the music, as already mentioned, is more than appropriate in this context and its melodic qualities, which incorporate strong Eastern European folkloristic motifs, is definitely impressive. The polyrhythmic compositions are the most successful and interesting musically, but they are a minority. The instrumental work is also very solid from start to finish, with excellent solo parts by the players and supportive rhythm section. Kolodziejczyk is definitely the key player, who keeps the harmonic structures in place and accompanies the vocals amicably, adding some splendid solo parts on the fly. The vocals suffer from some problems: they are way too theatrical and loud; there is way too much vibrato and almost no reference between the actual lyrics (poems) and the way they are expressed. Hutek sings forcefully even in the most intimate moments, which at its extreme manifestations is pretty annoying. I´d rather have these texts whispered rather than sung the way they are. But to be fair these texts are extremely difficult and combined with the music, which also is often challenging, Hutek does the best she can to make it work and overall, with a bit of acquired taste, does fine. But this album is all about the music, first and foremost, and as such it is a splendid piece of work, that deserves to be heard and enjoyed. Beautifully packaged and with a booklet that includes the original poems in Polish and Czech and English translations, this is a piece of Culture that true connoisseurs of the Jazz & Poetry idiom would absolutely love to have in their collections. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 04/03/2018Posted: 04/03/2018

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JANA GAVACOVA ~ BIELE NOCI HEVHETIA 0162 (Barcode: 8588005258258) ~ SLOVAKIA ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2016 - 2017 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by Slovak vocalist Jana GavacovaFind albums by this artist, recorded with an impressive group of Jazz players. The core rhythm section includes bassist Martin KapusnikFind albums by this artist and drummer Marian SevcikFind albums by this artist. Two excellent Slovak pianists / arrangers: Ondrej KrajnakFind albums by this artist and Lubos SramekFind albums by this artist, Hungarian pianist / arranger Kalman OlahFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist / arranger Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist take part, as well as guitarist Lubos BrtanFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Miroslav HloucalFind albums by this artist and others, including the Mucha String QuartetFind albums by this artist. Gavacova contributed to six of the songs on the album (music and / or lyrics) and the other songs are mostly Jazz arrangements of folklore material. Although most of the lyrics are sung in Slovak, Gavacova also sings in Polish, French, English, Roma and Hungarian, which is pretty impressive. The recording quality of the album is absolutely wonderful! The music, including the original compositions, is strongly influenced by East European folklore, even if the rhythmic background dictates Bossa Nova. The album is definitely a showcase of Jazz arrangements, which are as important as all the wonderful performances the album offers. The album, although recorded by several different lineups, offers a refined and coherent musical continuity, in spite of the linguistic, ethnic and rhythmic diversity, thanks to the excellent rhythm section and the general concept Gavacova intelligently formulated. Overall this is a very impressive debut, which shows plenty of ambition and chutzpah, fully justified by the result. Gavacova demonstrates a lot of experience and self confidence, as well as obvious talent and sensitivity. Her vocals range from expressive and highly dynamic delivery to delicate, soft and almost timid balladry, always perfectly carried out. The entire album is a showcase of superb vocal delivery, excellent musicianship, masterful arrangements and a wise selection of material, which all come together to create an excellent piece of music, from start to finish. Well done Milady and Friends; hats off!

Updated: 16/08/2018Posted: 16/08/2018

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RENATA IRSA ~ CZERWONA SPODNICA SOLITON 1190 (Barcode: 5903684231904) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2019 - 2021 Released: 2021 This is the second album by Polish vocalist / songwriter Renata IrsaFind albums by this artist recorded with a spectacular team of Polish Jazz musicians, which include the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, pianists Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, Artur JurekFind albums by this artist and Canadian John RoneyFind albums by this artist, bassist Jaroslaw StokowskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Grzegorz LewandowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarists Maciek PyszFind albums by this artist and Krzysztof PaulFind albums by this artist, trumpeters Piotr SzlempoFind albums by this artist and Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Dariusz HerbaszFind albums by this artist. Actor Miroslaw BakaFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents twelve songs, eleven of which are original compositions by Roney (2), Jurek (3), Jurek & Irsa (4) and Miszk (2) and one is a standard. Irsa wrote the lyrics to the original songs, all in Polish except one in English. The album, from the very onset, is absolutely amazing, offering a dazzling amalgam of superbly composed songs and brilliant, highly intelligent, witty and humorous, and above all very personal lyrics, which can hardly be found within the Polish Jazz vocal scene lately. Although Irsa’s lyrics are not poetry per se, at least not formally, I personally think they are, and therefore the album easily falls within my favorite Jazz & Poetry idiom. What is poetry after all if not an expression of deeply personal observations, captured in a frame of words, and these lyrics do exactly that. It is a rare occasion when a collection of songs on an album consists of a coherent continuity, with each of the songs fitting perfectly to the ones preceding and following it, despite the diversity of stylistic approaches and arrangements, but Irsa manages to pull this off as well. There are no weak songs here, and each one seems to be simply irreplaceable. The vocal abilities Irsa displays here are also quite remarkable. She floats somewhere between singing and reciting the lyrics, with every syllable and every word clearly articulated and audible, and the whole always telling a story, which is believable and deeply personal. Well, these are her lyrics after all, and she knows exactly what to do with them. Accompanied by a collection of seasoned Jazz musicians, who know exactly how to play the right notes every time, she does not have to worry about what is happening behind her and is able to concentrate on her vocal parts. Her delivery is often wonderfully “old fashioned”, which is meant as a compliment here, with a close association to cabaret and on stage coquetry, and which is all charming. Combined with the excellent sound quality this album offers, it is an unadulterated piece of joy. Even the album’s elegant artwork and booklet with the lyrics are carefully designed and fit the entire picture perfectly. Overall, this is a wonderful album, exceptionally put together and performed, and a blissful reminder of what Jazz vocals can deliver, when properly done. These songs go directly to the listener’s heart, and are perfect sonic companions for rainy days. Sadly, this is one of the very few Polish Jazz vocal albums released this year that make any sense. Definitely a ray of hope and a superb listening pleasure, which could prove to be a best friend in days of need. Wholehearted recommended of course and hats off Milady for this gift of music!

Updated: 30/12/2021Posted: 30/12/2021

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AGA KIEPUSZEWSKA ~ SILENCE POLSKIE RADIO 1519 (Barcode: 5907812245191) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2012 This is the debut solo album by Polish Jazz vocalist / songwriter Aga KiepuszewskaFind albums by this artist, who also took part in the phenomenal album she recorded with the Polish Jazz ensemble SoundcheckFind albums by this artist, called "Marysia – Wiersze Z KazachstanuFind albums with this title". On this album Aga presents ten original songs, five of which were composed by Soundcheck´s leader, saxophonist Maciej KocinskiFind albums by this artist, two by keyboardist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, who accompanies Aga on this album, another two by keyboardist Kamil UrbanskiFind albums by this artist and the remaining one by Aga herself. Aga wrote the lyrics to eight of the songs (two in English and the rest in Polish) and the remaining two are poems by the great Polish poet and Nobel Prize laureate Czeslaw MiloszFind albums by this artist. One of the songs appears twice on the album, the second time as a bonus track in the form of a radio edit. The two other musicians supporting Aga on this album are bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Robert RaszFind albums by this artist. This is definitely a very ambitious project, which reflects Aga´s many talents at their best. The fact that the album made little impact on the local scene is truly criminal, and the only logical explanation could be the astonishing plentitude of wonderful Jazz being produced in Poland these days, but nevertheless this is an album, which deserves much more attention. As a vocalist, Aga emerges full of self confidence and wonderful sensibility, which is evident from the moment she opens her mouth. She is in full control of her voice, both on the acoustic as well as the emotional scales. Her timbre and mannerisms are remarkably close to those of the "other" Aga of Polish Jazz, Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist of course. Perhaps the fact that Aga Kiepuszewska chose to sing deeply lyrical and poetic material and her innermost feelings are reflected in her vocals are the cause of the proximity. However, there is no attempt here of consciously copying Zaryan´s style, and the young Kiepuszewska will surely reach her completely unique and personal manner of expression in the not too distant feature. The amazing lyrics Aga wrote for her songs are another big surprise, which in the age when completely moronic songs rule the airwaves, are truly exceptional. Deeply personal, these little pearls are remarkably poetic and meaningful, fitting the music perfectly. Good lyrics are so difficult to find these days and this album is full of them; how wonderful! Aga gets a superb support from the trio, which accompanies her with obvious empathy and elegance. Kolodziejczyk is a great player with virtuosic qualities and remarkable sensitivity, and is one of the upcoming stars of the Polish Jazz scene. Szczycinski, who plays solidly and supportively, also uses arco passages and even utilizes the Middle Eastern oud to make the outmost effort to make this music as perfect as possible. Rasz also makes the best of it all, playing with varying intensity always in sync with the music and utilizing additional percussion instruments to enhance the overall result. All in all this is a remarkable debut effort, which hopefully is a forerunner to other great achievements, just please Aga don´t keep us in suspense for too long. This is wholeheartedly recommended to all lovers of vocal Jazz, Polish Jazz and good music in all forms and shapes. Kudos!

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NIKOLA KOLODZIEJCZYK ORCHESTRA ~ BAROK PROGRESYWNY NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5904730933018) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015 This is the second album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, recorded by an orchestra which includes fifteen musicians from a variety of musical idioms: Classical, Jazz and Folklore, who play among others original instruments from the Baroque era. Together they perform a twelve-piece suite called "Barok Progresywny" composed by Kolodziejczyk. The music was performed completely acoustically and recorded "live" without any overdubs or multiple takes. Kolodziejczyk´s debut album released a year earlier created quite a stir on the local Polish music scene, including a nomination for the county´s most prestigious music award. Such dramatic events are unfortunately very hard to beat and so far the release of this album seems to have created a much more modest response. The music on this album is much less exciting in comparison to its predecessor. Heavily set in Classical Music, with just brief excursions into the Jazz of Folklore environments, the suite is dominated by melancholic, low key themes, which move forward slowly and hesitantly, much closer to Serialism or Minimalism than Baroque. A few excellent Jazz solos erupt sporadically, but as good as they are, they seem to be detached from the main line of the suite and sound rather out of place. The overall feeling the listener is left with once the music is over is quite depressing and therefore in complete contrast to the spirit of Baroque Music. Kolodziejczyk is undoubtedly a very gifted and talented musician / composer and his work so far gives us a glimpse into his diverse and complex musical personality. Hopefully his ambitious orchestral projects will continue to be realized and recorded, which in today´s economic reality is far from trivial. Even if this album does not really make me jump out of my socks, I´m looking forward to hear more of his music, the sooner the better.

Updated: 18/02/2016Posted: 17/02/2016

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NIKOLA KOLODZIEJCZYK ORCHESTRA ~ CHORD NATION FOR TUNE 0042 (Barcode: 5902768701487) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, recorded by a twenty five piece orchestra, with members who originate from three different countries, which presents a five-part suite, which in turn is a hybrid of contemporary Classical music, classic mainstream Big Band and Free Jazz / Improvised music. There is no doubt that this is a very ambitious project, brought into reality against all odds and one that refuses to compromise and takes no prisoners. Although highly motivated and certainly ingenious, this project is not quite as revolutionary or innovative as one might imagine. In fact it continues the European orchestral Jazz tradition, which followed a different path from the American orchestral Jazz tradition, which flourished in the US in the early 20th Century and was than imported into Europe and mimicked for a few decades until the emancipation of the European Jazz in the 1960s. Since than a long line of superb European Jazz orchestras carried the torch towards new horizons, starting with the British orchestras led by Neil ArdleyFind albums by this artist, Michael GibbsFind albums by this artist, Mike WestbrookFind albums by this artist and many others and than gradually spread across Europe and even behind the Iron Curtain, with such notable bandleaders as Gunter HampelFind albums by this artist, Hans KollerFind albums by this artist, Martial SolalFind albums by this artist, Gustav BromFind albums by this artist and such distinguished ensembles as the NDR Big BandFind albums by this artist, the Vienna Art OrchestraFind albums by this artist and so many others. Many of these European Jazz orchestras often use similar characteristic devices to those used in the process of making the music heard on this album: switching between melodic mainstream Big Band parts and freely improvised passages, using string arrangements and wordless human vocalese, in short the typical palette of contemporary European Jazz orchestral music. Considering Kolodziejczyk´s age, limited experience, restricted resources and all the obstacles that he had to confront in order to record this album, one must admit that this is a remarkable achievement, not only from the aesthetic perspective but also from the pure organizational one. But of course most listeners are not really interested in the behind the scenes of music making and judge it by what they hear. As far as the music is concerned, Kolodziejczyk presents a collection of sonic plateaus, which intertwine and develop slowly, and are best listened to in the sequence dictated by the album´s tracks and as a whole. The separate parts of the suite do not really stand on their own, as the melodic content of the entire proceedings is relatively limited. To use a metaphor from a different media, the suite makes sense the same way a complete canvas of a painting makes sense, and wouldn´t do so if looked at when sliced into several pieces. At times one might get the impression that this music is more about "how" than about "what". Kolodziejczyk is obviously enamored with the bag of tricks that are at his disposal as a composer / orchestrator, and with the sound of the orchestra, much more than with the actual compositions, and as a result we get a complex baroque musical structure, supported by quite simple foundations. Sometimes the instinctive urge to show as much of one´s talents as possible, here and now, can prove hazardous. This often happens to young and talented artists and is quite meaningless in a long range, provided that Kolodziejczyk is treating this project as just one of many lessons he has to go through during his long and hopefully very successful career. All in all this is a very impressive, ambitious and unusual debut album by an obviously talented musician / composer, who presents enormous potential, which hopefully will be fully realized in his future projects. Since orchestral Jazz albums are extremely rare, this is even more of a valuable contribution to the Polish Jazz scene. Thanks to For Tune for finally releasing this album, over three years after it was recorded, it´s certainly better off now in the open for all music lovers to enjoy. I am anxiously waiting for the next project.

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MALGORZATA MARKIEWICZ ~ BRING THE LIGHT REQUIEM / LYDIAN 2020/07 ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 Although her career goes back over two decades, this is finally the debut album by Polish vocalist Malgorzata MarkiewiczFind albums by this artist. It was recorded with the vocals supported by a basic trio consisting of keyboardist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal BryndalFind albums by this artist. In addition a string quartet, which is 3/4 of the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (violinist Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist (Malgorzata´s husband) and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist) and violinist Marta ZalewskaFind albums by this artist takes part in the recording as well as eight other musicians playing / singing on selected tracks. The album presents twelve original songs, nine of which were composed by Markiewicz (two co-composed with others) and three were composed by Gabriela KapczukFind albums by this artist. She also wrote three of the lyrics and co-wrote one with the rest being by different authors. Six of the songs feature lyrics in Polish language and the other six feature lyrics in English. The album is elegantly packaged and offers the lyrics, arty photographs and stylish design. The songs are all typical contemporary Polish Pop, very melodic and solidly written but slightly samey. The album offers a modern production and sound, which I personally don´t appreciate very much. But the instrumental arrangements, with just a tinge of Jazz here and there, and the playing / singing are absolutely perfect and professional. If not for the Polish lyrics, this album might have been mistaken for an American album, which proves that the Poles can beat the Americans at their own Smooth Jazz production game, but as such does not offer much originality. With that said, Markiewicz proves she can write great tunes and sing them with true feeling, even in English, which most of her local vocal colleagues fail at badly. It is obvious that a lot of thought and work was invested into creating this album and the result is highly entertaining and offers a great listening experience, which Pop and Smooth Jazz listeners should enjoy immensely. Overall this is an excellently produced and beautifully performed album, full of great tunes and typical Smooth Jazz feel, which should make aficionados of that genre perfectly happy.

Updated: 09/01/2021Posted: 25/03/2020

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MAREK NAPIORKOWSKI ~ STRING THEORY AGORA 5903111498719 (Barcode: 5903111498719) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is an album by celebrated Polish Jazz guitarist / composer Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with bassist Max MuchaFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal BryndalFind albums by this artist and accompanied by the AUKSO Chamber OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Marek MosFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original pieces, all composed and arranged by the leader, with orchestrations by Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist. The music is mostly highly melodic and the guitar has a strong Fusiony tinge, but the orchestral arrangements take the music all over the place, which creates a somewhat confusing general impression. As a result, the album leaves the listener with more questions than answers, both musically and aesthetically. Napiorkowski is of course a great guitarist and writes beautiful tunes, earning a lot of respect over time, but this highly extravagant experiment might have proved just one step too far. I wonder how this album might have sounded without the orchestral parts. Mucha is one of the best Polish bassists today and his pulsations are the main reason this music is listenable and somewhat coherent at all. Bryndal keeps the groove rolling, which also helps, and the fragments when the trio plays without the orchestral accompaniment (or when that accompaniment is kept in the background) the music sounds great. But when the ambitious arrangements take over, the charm is gone. It is no secret that I have had a problem with Kolodziejczyk’s methodology towards Jazz since he arrived on the scene, although I tried to approach every new recording he was involved with, with no prejudice (I swear). But sadly I find his over-ambitious arrangements simply way overboard. But that of course is just my personal opinion, which can be ignored at will. Overall, this might have been a great guitar trio album, which gets lost in the orchestral arrangements. This takes none of the great talents Napiorkowski and his cohorts have to offer away, and despite my reservations many people might love and enjoy this album, and probably will.

Updated: 11/01/2023Posted: 11/01/2023

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BARTOSZ PIESZKA ~ SLOW MOTION SJ 008 (Barcode: 5912596066078) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 - 2009 Released: 2013 This is the debut album by the young Polish Jazz vibraphonist Bartosz PieszkaFind albums by this artist and his quartet, which also includes pianist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian KuchczynskiFind albums by this artist. Guest musicians: oboe player Katarzyna RudaFind albums by this artist and bass clarinetist Piotr TorunskiFind albums by this artist are featured ne one track each. The album presents ten pieces, of which four are standards and six are originals, four by Pieszka, one by Szczycinski and one co-composed by Pieszka and Kolodziejczyk. The album was recorded over a period of two years several years back but only now sees the light of day. The vibraphone, one of the noblest instruments, which has a wonderful tradition in Jazz music, is sadly almost forgotten in recent years. The Polish Jazz scene is perhaps the last bastion where the vibraphone plays a significant role in Jazz music and new players of the instrument still join the ranks of legendary veterans. It is therefore with great joy and special attention that every new discovery in that area is welcomed by me and other Polish Jazz enthusiasts. This album presents a balanced mixture of original music and standards, ballads and up-tempo numbers, all kept within mainstream Jazz tradition. There is nothing groundbreaking about this music and the no risks are taken, but the overall result is definitely enjoyable and well done, especially in view of the young age of the players involved. Mainstream Jazz connoisseurs will definitely enjoy this ride from start to finish. As far as individual contributions are concerned, Pieszka emerges somewhat subdued and is seldom in the lead. To be perfectly hones this album is absolutely "stolen" by the incredible performances by Kolodziejczyk, who plays most of the solos and is by far the most gifted player on this album. The rhythm section is also interesting, which the drummer being a bit too busy for my taste, buy playing with feel and imagination. The bassist is very musical and supportive. The album often makes the impression of a piano trio album rather than a quartet recording. As debuts go, this is fresh and promising, hopefully providing a glimpse of future to come for these youngsters. Definitely a nice listening experience!

Updated: 02/10/2022Posted:

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MATEUSZ PLINIEWICZ ~ WARSZTAT DZWIEKU POLSKIE RADIO 2055 (Barcode: 5907812249670) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz violinist Mateusz PliniewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with keyboardist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin JadachFind albums by this artist and drummer Szymon MadejFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded live in the Polish Radio Lutoslawski Studio (in Warsaw) and presents eleven original compositions, seven of which were composed by Pliniewicz, two were co-composed by all four quartet members, and one each was composed by Jadach and Kolodziejczyk. The music is not focused stylistically and moves between melodic mainstream pieces and more adventurous / atmospheric vistas, but is overall quite original and interesting. The strongest compositions are soaked in the typical Polish melancholy, which is a trademark of Polish Jazz since many years. The music develops very slowly and sometimes sounds a bit hesitant, but eventually the beauty of the melodies wins the listener over, even if he has to wait for it for a long while. Pliniewicz plays beautifully and movingly, somewhat "old fashioned" like early Jean-Luc PontyFind albums by this artist, but with great charm and feeling. Kolodziejczyk supports the violin amicably and plays several well built solos. His acoustic piano playing is perfectly compatible with the overall atmosphere of the music, but his synthesizer parts sound somewhat out of place. The rhythm section does a good job pushing the music forward and setting the rhythmic layer behind the acoustic sound of the violin and piano, without dominating it. Jadach plays several interesting bass parts and is certainly worth following. Madej, who plays the drums also for another great young Polish Jazz violinist Bartosz DworakFind albums by this artist, is perfectly at home in this setting. Overall this is a very impressive debut, which brings to light another hero of the Polish Jazz violin, which in turn seems to enjoy a great renaissance lately. I am looking forward to the first "proper" studio album, which hopefully will fulfill all the hopes this album manages to raise. Well done!

Updated: 04/12/2016Posted: 04/12/2016

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RANNE PTASZKI ~ W PELNI VOICE MUSIC 1009 (Barcode: 5906489287374) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is the 2nd album by Polish group Ranne PtaszkiFind albums by this artist, led by singer / songwriter Martyna KubiakFind albums by this artist, with vibraphonist / guitarist Marcin PaterFind albums by this artist, bassist Mateusz SzewczykFind albums by this artist, percussionist Patryk ZakrzewskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomasz MachanskiFind albums by this artist. A string quartet performs arrangements by Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, accompanying the quintet and vocalist Anna BratekFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents eleven tracks, all songs written by Kubiak (music and lyrics), except one, which has music co-credited to Kubiak and Szewczyk and with string arrangements by him, and one with music by Szewczyk. The album was recorded at the legendary Monochrom Studio, engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, and offers, as usual, a spectacular sound quality. The music is absolutely sensational, from start to end, offering a wonderful amalgam of Pop, Rock and Jazz, sophisticated melodies, twisted rhythm changes, brilliant vocal and instrumental performances, in short a stunning piece of music, which undoubtedly deserved the Fryderyk prize for 2024. Kubiak is a perfectly natural vocalist, singing completely without any effort, not trying to prove anything or show off any of her qualities. Everything that comes out of her throat sounds just right, regardless if she uses a jokingly cabaret attitude or almost whispers her messages. She is utterly unique on the Polish scene, and since I know almost everything that gets recorded in Poland, she simply stands out without any competition. As if her vocal qualities were not enough, she also writes brilliant songs, both musically and lyrically. In short this lady is a phenomenon! The musicians who accompany Kubiak do a splendid job all along the way, with incredible sensibility. Selecting the vibraphone as the main harmonic instrument accompanying the vocals was a risky decision, buy proved to be a genius one. I’d love to hear more from Pater and although I have his debut album from five years ago and one additional album he played on, he certainly deserves a wider recognition. Szewczyk also plays brilliantly, and his bass pulsations provide a solid foundation for the music, but he also appears rarely on records. Zakrzewski ornaments the music with his percussion effects, and he also is rarely featured on albums, and as far as Machanski is concerned, who keeps the music perfectly on time, he is completely unfamiliar to me. There are simply so many brilliant young musicians on the Polish scene, that the competition becomes incredibly tough. Kolodziejczyk, who on the other hand needs no introduction, does a perfect job with the string arrangements, and those are also superbly played. Overall, this is an outstanding album, which I enjoyed playing several times in a row (and that happens extremely rarely), and enjoyed the experience repeatedly. Even for listeners, who are unable to understand the Polish lyrics, the sonic message should be definitely astounding enough to enjoy the music immensely. It’s a pity I got a copy of the album so late, as I’d have voted it the album of the year for 2024, well perhaps next time… Hats off Milady, you managed to capture my heart unconditionally. Bon chance with your future endeavors!

Updated: 05/06/2025Posted: 05/06/2025

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

STRYJO ~ A VISTA SOCIAL CLUB NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5904730933025) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio StryjoFind albums by this artist, which consists of pianist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal BryndalFind albums by this artist. Apparently the trio exists already for ten years, but only now releases its music in recorded form. The double CD includes seventeen original compositions, implicitly co-credited to all three members of the trio, as all the music is declared as spontaneously composed while being played. The recording dates and locations are not specified but this is a studio recording and the sound quality is excellent. The music is very melodic and well within the Jazz mainstream idiom, and therefore the fact that it is all spontaneously composed is very hard to believe, at least as far as pre-arranged themes and motifs are concerned, but of course I have no reason to disbelieve whatever the musicians claim to be true. The level of spontaneity and unexpectedness one would expect in case of such music is also almost completely absent herein, and the music sounds extremely well tamed and agreeable. The performances are all top-notch: Kolodziejczyk gently strokes the keyboard and streams one sweet melody after another, Szczycinski plays along admirably, with clear and amicable bass lines, and adds a few admirable mini-solos to the proceedings, and Bryndal adds groove and zest to the whole enterprise. The overall result is pleasing and enjoyable, easy on the ear and generally satisfying, but… The real question here is what is the purpose of this music? The melodies, as nice as they are, are not really very memorable and as far as piano trios, the Polish Jazz scene is blessed by a plentitude of those, most of them more stimulating, ambitious and artistically inclined. I am not denying the above mentioned virtues of this album, but a double CD? Oh well...that´s entertainment! I invite everybody to judge by themselves.

Updated: 03/10/2016Posted: 03/10/2016

CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

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

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL ZABORSKI ~ FEELING EARTH HEVHETIA 0189 (Barcode: 8588005258623) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2019 This is the debut album as a leader by the Polish violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist, mostly recognized as a member of the Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, recorded with a quartet, which also includes pianist Nikola KolodziejczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SzczycinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal BryndalFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Zaborski and the music was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. With the viola in the lead, the quartet produces a noticeably "different" sound than one expects from a Jazz recording, and indeed this music, although Jazz oriented, includes also strongly noticeable additional influences, such as Classical and Folklore music, which are immediately apparent from the onset. The compositions are all deeply melancholic and mostly low key, emphasizing a strong melodic presence, with the themes stated by the viola at the beginning of each piece and than gently carried on by the fragile piano and viola improvised parts. The piano is a tad too busy at times, but not extravagantly so. The rhythm section keeps things to bare minimum, with the bass pulsating in the background and playing a few beautifully melodic soli and the drums steady and barely audible at times. And yet the music has an irresistible charm to it, a magical flow that keeps the listener mesmerized for the duration of the album, taking him from one piece to the next as if hypnotized. In spite of the minimalist outcome produced by the musicians, the music does not seem to be missing anything and is perfectly rounded and whole. The music is kept mostly on a relaxed level with little dynamics displayed along the way, which could be considered a bit indistinguishable, but easily forgiven. Personally I really enjoyed the music, although I suspect some listeners will find it a bit "too pretty" and altogether lacking the "kick" Jazz enthusiasts expect to hear in the music. There is no doubt Zaborski is a virtuoso and his performances here as every bit as strong as on his numerous earlier recording. His compositions are heavily influenced by Polish Folklore music and his Classical Music background, which he openly admits in his music, not trying to make it sound more Jazzy than it rally is. Overall this is a very unique album, different from most of the output arriving on the Polish Jazz scene, and also different from the material Zaborski records with the Atoms, showing another facet of his musical personality. A Gentle Giant by all means, who can weave beautiful melodies and share them with his listeners with obvious love and modesty.

Updated: 07/10/2019Posted: 07/10/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend