Record Reviews

BOSSA NORKAH ~ NA MOIM BRZEGU MULTIKULTI MPJ 024 (Barcode: 5907529223994) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2016 - 2017 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz ensemble Bossa NorkahFind albums by this artist, led by vocalist Honorata KozuchowskaFind albums by this artist, which also includes some of the top Polish Jazz instrumentalist: pianist Andrzej JagodzinskiFind albums by this artist, guitarists Rafal SarneckiFind albums by this artist / Piotr AleksandrowiczFind albums by this artist, bassists Wojciech PulcynFind albums by this artist / Michal JarosFind albums by this artist, drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist and several other guests appearing on selected tracks playing brass and a plethora of percussion instruments. The album presents thirteen songs (two of which appear twice in alternate versions), all of which were written by Polish songwriter / poet Antoni MurackiFind albums by this artist. The music has a distinct Bossa Nova flavor, which is the main climate of all the songs. On the other hand the album is also clearly a Jazz & Poetry project, since Muracki´s songs are all deeply lyrical and evocative. The songs are kept in pretty reticent attire, featuring the vocals clearly in the center of the attention and the instrumental work kept to a bare minimum, with the piano providing the steady accompaniment and the rhythm section keeping the rhythm in check. There are only a few instrumental solos, which is a pity as those might have added a spark to the proceedings. Kozuchowska handles the vocals well, which is not an easy task in this case for many reasons; the lyrics are complex and often difficult to express in rapid succession and admittedly South American rhythms are hardly native to East European singers. The vocals therefore lack the sensual and often plainly erotic sensitivity of Bossa Nova, which are native and natural to Brazilian vocalists. But all things considered, the album works fine and offers a pleasant listening experience with an added value of excellent texts (sadly relevant to Polish-speaking listeners only). Overall this is an album floating between Pop and Easy Jazz, which can be enjoyed by a wide range of listeners, offering both musical and lyrical values combined with highly professional musicianship.

Updated: 21/02/2019Posted: 21/02/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

ZIELINSKA / FRASZYNSKA / STECIUK / DREZEK ~ SOFIA DE MAGICO FOR TUNE 0060 (Barcode: 5902768701623) ~ POLAND ~ Soundtracks Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This album presents a wonderful Polish adaptation of twenty one songs originally recorded by the cult British Avant-Garde / Punk group The Tiger LilliesFind albums by this artist, all written by the group´s leader Martyn JacquesFind albums by this artist. The songs, beautifully translated into Polish by Michal ChludzinskiFind albums by this artist, were arranged by Marcin PartykaFind albums by this artist into a musical show, performed by four vocalists (Katarzyna ZielinskaFind albums by this artist, Jolanta FraszynskaFind albums by this artist, Tomasz SteciukFind albums by this artist and Mariusz DrezekFind albums by this artist) and later on recorded for this album with the vocalists accompanied by a quintet, which includes Partyka on keyboards, Sebastian FeliciakFind albums by this artist on saxophone, Piotr AleksandrowiczFind albums by this artist on guitar, Piotr FilipowiczFind albums by this artist on bass and Kuba SzydloFind albums by this artist on drums. These superbly clever and sophisticated songs are a wonderful continuation of the great tradition of Berlin cabaret perfected by Berthold BrechtFind albums by this artist and Kurt WeillFind albums by this artist. Funny, but serious, often deadly serious, these songs make us laugh and cry almost simultaneously. Of course in this specific case the verbal messages are sadly restricted to the Polish-speaking audience, but of course most true music lovers know them already in their original versions. The instrumental arrangements are all perfectly suitable to the cabaret / vaudeville and even circus atmosphere, being a mixture of popular music and early Jazz. Of course the vocal delivery is the centerpiece of this album and all four vocalists perform wonderfully, convincingly and heartbreakingly. There is actually nothing else left but to listen to this little masterpiece of European music, which is enjoyable, interesting, and clever and sophisticated, all at once. Absolutely delightful!

Updated: 08/08/2022Posted:

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