Record Reviews

PASCAL VON WROBLEWSKY ~ SEVENTIES SONGBOOK DUNEFISH 693723125121 (Barcode: 693723125121) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Soul Fusion Recorded: 2009 - 2011 Released: 2012 This is an album by German vocalist Pascal von WroblewskyFind albums by this artist, which finds her revisiting the music of her youth and singing ten new arrangements of classic 1970s Pop / Rock / Blues material. The album was recorded in an intimate setting with guitarist / keyboardist Jurgen HeckelFind albums by this artist, who was also in charge of all the arrangements, bassist Pepe BernsFind albums by this artist and drummer Peter MichailowFind albums by this artist. I first heard von Wroblewsky when she recorded her debut album "Swinging PoolFind albums with this title" released on the East German AmigaFind albums on this label label thirty years ago, when Europe was still divided by the Iron Curtain. Her warm, soulful voice and wonderful sense of melody were already present on that album and they stayed intact over the years, as this album duly proves. Although von Wroblewsky is not a native English speaker, her pronunciation and accent are almost perfect and the ever so slight "foreign" feel is simply charming rather that disturbing. The choice of the material is perfect and suits perfectly the vocalist´s range and sensibilities, moving easily between Blues, Soul and Rhythm And Blues, always elegant, highly expressive and beautifully aesthetic. The instrumental arrangements are exquisite, delicate and display nothing but good taste. They are soaked in Blues and Jazz feel and suit the vocalist´s performances ideally. Heckel plays stunning guitar parts, well audible and yet not overshadowing the vocals. The acoustic bass adds a lot to the intimacy and Jazzy feel of the album and the delicate and elegant drum parts are also right on the money. Overall this is heartwarming to see that von Wroblewsky manages to stay relevant in a reality where quality music is no longer the name of the game. Although full of nostalgic feeling for better times, this album is by no way dated, as classic tunes obviously live forever and when treated as gracefully and stylishly like here, absolutely nothing can go wrong. For people my age this album is a wonderful trip down the memory lane, but for younger listeners this is a lesson on how to treat songs respectfully and carry them into future without annihilating them on the way. Very well done Milady!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted: 16/07/2016

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PASCAL VON WROBLEWSKY ~ SWINGING POOL EDEL CONTENT 4029759080503 (Barcode: 4029759080503) ~ GERMANY ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion Recorded: 1986 Released: 2012 This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the excellent album by the East German vocalist Pascal von WroblewskyFind albums by this artist, recorded with a large ensemble comprising of the top Jazz players active at the time, conducted by keyboardist / arranger / composer Reinhard WalterFind albums by this artist. She performs nine songs, eight of which are standards and one is an original composed by Walter. Wroblewski has a wonderful strong and soulful voice and the choice of the material and the superb arrangements combined created a first class Jazz-Rock / Soul-Jazz / Funk album, which is as good as anything recorded on the other side of the Iron Curtain at the time. Even her English language pronunciation and accent are almost perfect. Most listeners to this album in a blindfold test situation would bet their life that the vocalist is of Afro-American ancestry, which of course is a great compliment. But Wroblewsky is not an imitator and her vocal style has mannerism of her own, which makes it completely unique. She also sings scat and vocalese as skillfully as she sings lyrics. In short this is a wonderful forgotten gem, which sound as good today as it did at the time of its release. The great vocals and superb instrumental parts are simply spotless and fans of Soul-Jazz should find this stuff irresistible. Side Note: As all the East European countries under the Socialist regime, East Germany, or DDR as it was known at the time, had only one state owned and controlled Music Company, which released most of its productions on the AmigaFind albums on this label label. Among the many Amiga releases the legendary "orange J" series was dedicated to Jazz recordings, many of which were licenses from the West, but others were original productions, mostly of Jazz made in DDR. Some of these releases, like the one described above, were absolute gems. Following the unification of Germany, the Amiga albums disappeared from the face of the earth and only in 2012 a German label reissued 15 Amiga Jazz albums on CD. They are all worth checking out!

Updated: 06/06/2016Posted: 06/06/2016

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend