Record Reviews

ALGORHYTHM ~ MANDALA ALPAKA 001 (Barcode: 191061415527) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the second album by Polish Jazz quintet AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist, which comprises of trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof SlomkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, three each by Miszk and Burnos, two co-credited to them both and three short (not-credited) pieces. The music on this album is a significant step forward in comparison to what the quintet offered on their already quite excellent debut. It is much more complex, diverse and ambitious and includes many twists and turns, polyrhythmic layers, odd meters and multifaceted dynamics within each composition. Some World Music influences are also present. Therefore, again in comparison to their straight ahead debut album, this one is a whole new game. The performances are also more energetic and focused, with the entire crew taking part in the proceedings, contribution and supporting each other vigorously. The teamwork on these difficult pieces it truly wonderful. The overall sound of the quintet is very contemporary and sparkling with talent and oomph, placing Algorhythm on the list of Polish Jazz ensembles, which deserve to be closely watched and which are definitely very promising in their quest to better themselves. This is European Jazz at its best, bursting with talent, ideas and courage to explore rather than imitate, which of curse is what great music is all about. It makes me very happy to see the quintet to make such a giant step forward and I hope to catch them on stage soon. In the meantime hats off!

Updated: 09/04/2017Posted: 09/04/2017

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ALGORHYTHM ~ SEGMENTS NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by the young Polish Jazz quintet AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist, which comprises of trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof SlomkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. It presents seven original compositions, five by Burnos and two by Miszk. The classic Jazz quintet setting and the music are all well within the mainstream Jazz tradition, presenting modern, vital and interesting European version of the standard Jazz idiom, as usual drenched in the Polish lyricism and melancholy, which characterizes Polish Jazz. The compositions are well rounded and definitely non-trivial, with many odd rhythmic patterns; with altogether create an interesting listening experience. Personally I think the two compositions by Miszk are the best on the album, but the ones by Burnos do not fall far behind. The dynamic development and atmosphere of these pieces is quite remarkable. All three soloists perform splendidly and play several impressive passages and the rhythm section does a superb job supporting them all the way through, handling the complex rhythms elegantly and flawlessly. Again Checki seems to be the most impressive soloist on this album, but his colleagues are all gifted musicians and in time are sure to join the ranks of top Polish Jazz players. This is definitely an impressive debut, which deserves praise and support and as always makes me wonder how such young people are able to produce such mature and well developed music. Well done indeed!

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ALGORHYTHM ~ TERMOMIX ALPAKA 010 ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the third album by young Polish Jazz ensemble AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist, this time reduced to a quartet which includes trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. It presents fourteen short compositions, which are not credited on the album´s artwork and therefore assumed to be co-composed by all four members of the ensemble. In fact even the name of the ensemble is (almost) missing from the artwork. The music and the ambience of this album are radically different from their earlier work and moves almost completely away from the traditional Jazz idiom into contemporary ambient / electronic music, Avant Rock and Avant-Garde explorations. However, Jazzy improvisations, are still an important ingredient of the music, and as such are an obvious link with the past. This album must have taken the followers of the group and the Polish Jazz scene by surprise, as it is both quite unexpected and stylistically revolutionary. In order to appreciate this music properly one has to put aside the ensemble´s earlier work and accept the music for what it is rather than judging what it should / could have been, which some "critics" graciously implied. Of course experimenting and searching for new ways of expression is always welcome, even if it produces a less appealing or immediately accepted result. Obviously this music sets a challenge in front of the listeners, who have to decide if they are willing to follow the musicians on their new path or let this music pass them by. The audiences are more often than not much more stagnant and conservative than the music makers, which creates the commonly accepted reserved attitude towards Avant-Garde, blaming the musicians for leaving the listeners behind, but it fact it is the listeners who are lingering behind of their own choice. Personally I find this album as a bold and important experiment, which finds the ensemble in a transitory stage between the established and safe musical environment and a new experimental milieu, without actually quite making up their mind. The future will tell if this was just a one time venture or a start of a new aesthetics which will be further developed. Whatever the future may hold for them, Algorhythm deserve respect for daring to experiment and looking into new forms of expression, threading the less travelled road. Their individual ability as instrumentalists is already well established and now is the time to forge their unique personal musical identities. May the Force be with you ;)

Updated: 16/06/2019Posted: 16/06/2019

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MICHAL BAK QUARTETTO ~ MICHAL BAK QUARTETTO ALPAKA 002 (Barcode: 191924127741) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz ensemble called Michal Bak QuartettoFind albums by this artist (the Italian reference remains obscure), led by bassist / composer Michal BakFind albums by this artist and also featuring trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. Miszk, Checki and Koryzno are also members of the AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist quintet, with another bass player and a pianist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Bak. In a recent conversation with a fellow Polish Jazz journalist the subject of debut albums by young Polish Jazz groups released in 2017 came up and the conclusion was that relatively very few of those albums dealt with Free (at least to some degree) Jazz, concentrating mostly on melody and harmony. This album, although still based on melodic themes, demonstrates a much wider degree of freedom, which balances the overall output very nicely. The music is typical Modern Polish Jazz, based on beautifully lyrical / melancholic compositions, expanded into lengthy statements, full of opportunities for improvisation by the quartet members, which here demonstrate the freedom and space which can be achieved within music, which is still within the traditional boundaries of the idiom. All the players on this album demonstrate a high level of professionalism and obvious talent, and to those who follow their consecutive recordings, also a consistent path of personal development. The fact that this quartet is pianoless and still manages to sound fully harmonic speaks firmly as to the quality of these musicians and their mutual respect and ability to cooperate. Miszk plays some superb solo trumpet parts and is also a great accompanist when playing behind Checki, who is the romantic soul most of the time but also delivers some truly biting solos. Bak gets a lot of exposure as a bassist, both as part of the rhythm section and as a soloist, and his performances are all top notch. Koryzno is the rhythm machine driving the music forward and he is excellent both as an illustrator on the slow and free parts and the pusher behind the up-tempo swinging parts, demonstrating an overall exquisite drumming technique and feel. Overall this is an impressive debut album, which presents daring, intelligent and adventurous music and brilliant personal abilities by the players. Connoisseurs of Modern Jazz, especially those following the Polish Jazz scene, are in for a refreshing, invigoration experience. Definitely one of the most interesting debuts of 2017 – highly recommended!

Updated: 18/11/2017Posted: 18/11/2017

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TOMASZ CHYLA ~ CIRCLESONGS POLSKIE RADIO 2208 (Barcode: 5907812244033) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the second album by young Polish Jazz violinist / composer Tomasz ChylaFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet which also includes saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist (also in charge of the electronic effects), bassist Krzysztof SlomkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents fifteen relatively short original compositions, all of which were collectively composed by the quintet members, grouped into three "circlesongs". In complete contrast to the debut album, the music on this album is a cosmic jump into Avant-Garde, Free Jazz and Improvised Music, which comes as an overwhelming and complete surprise. One can expect development and progression, sometimes gradual and in other cases quite rapid, but taking such a dramatic and drastic step, like in this case, is almost unheard off. As a result the music almost completely shuns any effort to be described. "Making love via telephone" comes to mind in this case, as words are simply inadequate to express the essence of this music, surely not adequately. So what can be said? There is almost no melody, at most short bursts of a few consecutive notes, no steady rhythm, but rather drone like passages, little dynamics and no soloing in the traditional sense. At times the music sounds like contemporary minimalist music, at others like Free Jazz group improvisation, and yet at others like Avant-Garde soundscapes of cinematic or theatre music. But enough of trying to describe the music; which is an a priori futile attempt anyway. The most important thing is that this innovative and courageous approach works out amazingly well and the music is simply astounding. It manages to drown in the listener completely and entangle his attention like a spider´s web. The continuity and constant development creates a natural flow, which when succumbed to, takes the listener on a phantasmagorical journey into the unknown. Listening to the music for the first time is a shocking experience but consecutive listening sessions have the power of addiction. It makes no sense to write about the individual contributions by the quintet members, as this album is a classic team effort. My praise goes to the leader, who keeps his playing on the same level, and perhaps even more modest, that his cohorts, which in this case is the most sensible decision. These players have already proved their chops on numerous other recordings, and this music is all about unison. It is not often that a new genre / idiom / form is created in music, especially so in Jazz (in its broad meaning), but this album definitely is an eye (ears) opener in many aspects. Many of the elements used here have been tried out earlier on, but placing them together in this specific climate, order and context is completely innovative, even for the Polish Jazz scene, which bursts with innovation. One can not predict the future of course, but this album is definitely a Giant Step as far as Polish / European Jazz are concerned and only future will tell of its influence on the genre. It epitomizes everything that European Jazz stands for: innovation, inventiveness, boldness, open-mindedness, elegance and beyond all musical aesthetics, which exists only in Europe. To put things boldly: this is a fucking great album (excuse my French) and you better believe it! As far as I am concerned, this album is already the winner of the best Polish Jazz album for 2018 and it will take a miracle to change my mind. I am not so sure if the usual bunch of Polish Jazz "critics" will be able to swallow this music so easily, but who gives a damn. Hopefully they will, as usual, follow my lead, even when they hate the music.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 21/10/2018

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TOMASZ CHYLA ~ ETERNAL ENTROPY POLSKIE RADIO 2033 (Barcode: 5907812241988) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Tomasz ChylaFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quintet setting with saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof SlomkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. These four players are also members of the quintet called AlgorhythmFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, three of which were composed by Chyla, three were co-composed by him and other members of the quintet, one was co-composed by him and his teacher at the Gdansk Music Academy Witoslawa FrankowskaFind albums by this artist and two were composed by Slomkowski. The music is mostly modern mainstream Jazz, but allows a lot of freedom to the quintet members to spread their wings. The melodic themes are very solid, mostly lyrical, with strong ties to Polish Folklore and typical Polish melancholy, felt even on the up-tempo numbers. The level of the compositions is surprisingly mature and coherent for such young musicians / composers, and again emphasizes the incredible strength of the young Polish Jazz scene. All three soloists play some amazing solo parts on this album and the rhythm section manages to support them amicably all the way through. Slomkowski deserves special mention as his bass pulsations are a stronghold of stability on which this entire music rests. Koryzno also plays exceptionally well, proving that drumming can be creative and atypical and at the same time fulfill the role assigned to the instrument. All five musicians are superb instrumentalists and they perform the music with passion and obvious mixture of talent and professionalism. Chyla has a surprisingly original tone and stylistic approach, quite different form other violinists active on the Polish violin scene. His playing is much closer to Polish Folklore than to classical music, which is usually the starting point for violinists and he is more open to less constrained improvisation, which at time borders with Free. He is definitely the most interesting new arrival on the crowded Polish Jazz violin scene, and a most welcome one due to his divergence. Overall this is an outstanding debut offer, one of the strongest on the Polish Jazz scene so far this year. The creativity and inventiveness of these young musicians simply never ceases to amaze. Hats off!

Updated: 09/06/2017Posted: 09/06/2017

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JASKULKE SEXTET ~ KOMEDA RECOMPOSED NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 5900378715009) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz sextet led by pianist / composer Slawomir JaskulkeFind albums by this artist, which also includes five excellent musicians of the young Polish Jazz generation: trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist and Michal Jan CiesielskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Piotr KulakowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Roman SlefarskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions by Jaskulke, which were, as the album´s title suggests, "inspired by the creations" of Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, the Godfather of modern Polish Jazz. The titles of the eight compositions clearly define (for the Komeda erudite) the specific Komeda´s compositions which were the source of the related inspirations. To be perfectly honest I´ve just about had it with the various Polish Jazz Komeda related projects. Komeda has been mercilessly re-composed, de-composed, un-composed and mercilessly mutilated each and every possible and impossible way for decades and he really deserves some piece and quiet to be appreciated exactly for what he had to say by himself. Of course this is just my personal opinion, but hey, enough is enough! Having said all that, this album is by all means a nice piece of Polish / European Jazz, mostly due to the exceptional performances by these young musicians, who sound as if they have been at it since decades. The album offers many superb solos and extraordinary ensemble playing. The music, however, is pretty predictable and the Komeda quotations are a bit corny. Nevertheless it is a very pleasant listening experience altogether, but the somewhat pretentious title is not reflected in these pretty standard mainstream offerings. Overall this is a very pretty, melodic, easy on the ear Jazz album, which has very little to do with Komeda´s urgency and restlessness, but is very listenable and with Komeda´s name in the title will be highly praised by Polish "critics" and fans alike.

Updated: 24/11/2019Posted: 01/08/2018

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SLAWOMIR JASKULKE ~ EUROPA 67/21 NARODOWE CENTRUM KULTURY 5905279869219 (Barcode: 5905279869219) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is an album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Slawomir JaskulkeFind albums by this artist, recorded in a classic Jazz quintet setting with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Adam ZuchowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The Neo QuartetFind albums by this artist, a string quartet playing electric string instruments, and actor Tomasz BorkowskiFind albums by this artist, who recites poetry, are also on board. The album presents six tracks, all original compositions by Jaskulke. The concept behind the album is an attempt to “remake” one of the most iconic Polish Jazz albums of all time, Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist’s “Meine Susse Europaische HeimatFind albums with this title” Jazz & Poetry masterpiece, produced by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, which presented Komeda’s compositions accompanying contemporary Polish Poetry (translated into German), recorded in 1967, hence the album’s title. This album utilizes six of the same poems (in original Polish version), which were included on the a.m. album, and the same quintet instrumentation, but all the music is new and composed by Jaskulke and adds the string quartet. This is the second album by Jaskulke, which proposes to “remake” Komeda’s music, following the 2018 album “Komeda RecomposedFind albums with this title”. The sheer boldness of attempting to “remake” an icon might seem suicidal, to say the least. The result should be judged on its own merit, rather than in comparison to the source of inspiration, as such comparison simply does not materialize itself. My opinion about producing new versions of Komeda’s music is widely known, so I won’t repeat it herein. The music is overtly melodic, full of sentimental lyricism and melancholy, which falls easy on the ear but lacks the depth suitable for the accompanying poetry. The performances are spotless, as expected from the participating musicians, but not particularly exciting. I wandered why this album was completely unnoticed at the time of its release, thinking it was all due to the pandemic, but now after hearing the music I see there were other reasons… Overall, this is another Komeda inspired album, which contributes little to his memory, despite the fact that the music is fine and the performances are highly professional. I certainly don’t regret buying a copy, if only to hear my beloved poetry.

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 04/12/2023

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WOJTEK MAZOLEWSKI QUINTET ~ BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE WMQ 09 (Barcode: 5908252861705) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2024 This is the 6th album by Polish bassist / composer / bandleader Wojtek MazolewskiFind albums by this artist and his quintet, which current lineup includes Slovak trumpeter Oskar TorokFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, pianist Marcel BalinskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Tymoteusz PapiorFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Tymek PapiorFind albums by this artist). The album presents ten tracks, nine of which are original compositions by Mazolewski and one is co-credited to all the members of the quintet. Two of the compositions are repeated twice in different versions and the last track is annotated as a “bonus track” (bonus to what?). The music follows the established pattern of the quintet’s previous albums, with solid melodic compositions and excellent performances by the quintet members, but in the long run the album, as nice as it sounds, adds nothing new to the cumulative output, which means that a strong déjà vu feeling is in the air, for listeners who faithfully follow the quintet’s output. That said, this is still a very pleasant listening experience and for Polish Jazz lovers, who enjoy the melancholic lyricism and the acoustic Jazz sound, this is as good as it gets. Overall, this is another well played and pleasing Jazz experience, which can be universally enjoyed, without being groundbreaking or innovative.

Updated: 05/01/2025Posted: 05/01/2025

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EMIL MISZK / THE SONIC SYNDICATE ~ ARTIFICIAL STUPIDITY ALPAKA 013 (Barcode: 308175527811) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the second album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist and his octet called The Sonic SyndicateFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonists Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist and Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist, trombonist Pawel NiewiadomskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, guitarist Michal ZienkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad ZolnierekFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist, same lineup as on the debut. The album presents six original compositions, which strangely are not credited on the album´s artwork and are therefore assumed to be all by the leader. The total playing time of the album is just below thirty-five minutes, which is closer to an EP than a full album. The brilliant debut album released a couple of years earlier created enormously high expectations from the sophomore release, which are almost impossible to be fulfilled. Considering the fact that the music on this album is significantly different from that on its predecessor, any attempt to compare the two is practically fruitless. Combined with loosing the element of surprise, the resulting effect is somewhat less exciting. Nevertheless this is still brilliant music, beautifully performed by some of the best young generation Polish Jazz musicians. The compositions are complex and combine several melodic and rhythmic themes within each of the pieces. They are all carefully designed, ordered and planned, cerebral and refined, oriented towards the "big sound" the octet is able to create, at times offering up-to-date Big Band mannerisms. There is no doubt that Miszk and his Sonic Syndicate offer some of the cleverest music on the Polish Jazz scene, which can eventually lead to some level of estrangement with the audience. This album, as already mentioned, has a short playing time, but is so intensive and demanding that perhaps any additional material might have been simply over the top. Miszk obviously gives up almost completely his role as an instrumentalist and is completely absorbed by his role of a composer and arranger. Overall this is a dazzling piece of music, which concentrates on highly complex, sophisticated compositions, which are difficult to follow but highly rewarding to advanced Jazz listeners. The (almost) orchestral arrangements are devilishly tricky and must have been a real challenge to perform and record, which makes me wonder if this music is possible to be played live. In any case Miszk is surely an Artist to be watched closely, as he obviously is just worming up.

Updated: 21/07/2022Posted: 17/07/2020

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EMIL MISZK / THE SONIC SYNDICATE ~ DON`T HESITATE! ALPAKA 005 (Barcode: 191924149736) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This is the debut album as a leader by young and upcoming Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, who has made a significant mark on the local scene lately. On this album he leads an impressive octet, called Sonic SyndicateFind albums by this artist, which also includes saxophonists Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist and Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist, trombonist Pawel NiewiadomskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Michal ZienkowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad ZolnierekFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by the leader. The stunning music consists of some of the most original Jazz compositions I have heard in many years. Miszk uses brilliantly the power of the octet, which has almost the strength and possibilities of a Big Band / Orchestral scale, to express his complex, suite like compositions, which are all multilayered, with twisted melody lines and constant tempi changes, but which in spite of their devilishly clever intricacy sound completely coherent and complete. The music moves between melodic statements of the composed themes and almost Free Form mini-improvised passages, presenting a fresh and invigorating approach to Jazz composition, which is simply phenomenal. At times the music ventures into the Brass Rock approach, fondly remembered from the work of ensembles like ChicagoFind albums by this artist and ChaseFind albums by this artist (and many more), but of course is completely brought up to date and modernized. All the members of the octet are of course radiant instrumentalists, who are able to execute the convoluted and challenging twists and turns of the music spotlessly. The music calls mostly for an ensemble / orchestral sound and presentation, which means that individual soloing, is not the focus of this music, but rather creating sound vistas that require discipline and collaboration by all the participants; which of course does not exclude some blood-curdling solo work by the leader and others and surprising Rocky guitar statements by Zienkowski. This music is also the epitome of European Jazz, being completely open to all musical styles and influences, managing to amalgamate them in a perfect way. There is a lot of tradition here, some conscious and some subconscious, but absolutely no stagnation or repetition. This is exactly what European Jazz aesthetics is all about – experiment and elegance, good taste and talent. This kind of music can probably only be made in Poland. Any attempt to describe this beautiful piece of music is of course completely futile and does not replace the experience of listening to it, which of course I absolutely recommend. It is very rare that a debut album of this magnitude appears and usually it happens only once or twice in a given year, and for 2018 this is definitely it. Absolutely not to be missed!

Updated: 07/05/2018Posted: 24/04/2018

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EMIL MISZK / THE SONIC SYNDICATE ~ SCRATCHES FOR 8 MUSICIANS ALPAKA 023 (Barcode: 3663734142964) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the third album by Polish Jazz trumpeter / composer / bandleader Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, recorded live with his octet called The Sonic SyndicateFind albums by this artist, which comprises of top young Polish Jazz musicians: saxophonists Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist (tenor) and Jakub KlemensiewiczFind albums by this artist (baritone), trombonist Pawel NiewiadomskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Michal ZienkowskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Mikolaj BasiukiewiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad ZolnierekFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. The album presents four extended pieces, which are uncredited on the album’s artwork (open for speculation). The music is essentially improvised, with just very few sketchy melodic themes and coherent continuity, at some occasions being more about a sonic atmosphere than music, as most people conceive it. It is fascinating to compare this album with Miszk’s earlier recordings since he first appeared on recording scene in 2014, including the two previous albums with the Sonic Syndicate, which shows a radical estrangement from melodic modern Jazz, gradually moving towards Improvised Music and Avant-Garde. Of course Miszk has every right to experiment and develop his music any way he sees fit, and his qualities are clearly obvious here, as they were in his earlier work. The album, although being more about the ensemble sound that individual soloing, which is typical of European larger ensembles, allows all the members of the octet to show their chops, even in the highly unconventional environment of this music. At best, the ensemble sounds like a Big Band, but during the intimate improvisation moments the ensemble sound gets lost obviously, which is a pity. As a result, the music is very uneven and depends largely on the listener’s attention span and patience. Overall, this is a courageous experiment, exposing the more experimental / searching facets of the young Polish Jazz scene, which refuses to stand still. The music might prove to be trying to an average Jazz listener, but the more open-minded and searching Jazz fans should find this album worth of their attention.

Updated: 16/07/2022Posted: 16/07/2022

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KAMIL PIOTROWICZ ~ BIRTH HEVHETIA 0105 (Barcode: 8588005257572) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kamil PiotrowiczFind albums by this artist recorded in a quintet setting with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BakFind albums by this artist and drummer Slawomir KoryznoFind albums by this artist. It presents nine original compositions (one appearing twice and another based on a Folk tune) by Piotrowicz and one standard. The music is mostly quite conventional, well within the mainstream Jazz format, with occasional less constrained and more open moments. The compositions are however quite sophisticated and often feature several subsections with different rhythmic patterns and melodic themes, turning them into mini-suites. The overall level of these compositions is certainly well advanced, especially in view of the young age of the composer. The arrangements feature the entire ensemble extensively, with the brass section up front, in charge of most of the solos, and the leader staying relatively in the background. It is pretty obvious that the emphasis of this album is in the following order of importance: compositions, arrangements, ensemble performance and only then individual solos. All the young members of the quintet have already some experience and appear on earlier recordings and they are the new generation that will dominate the Polish Jazz scene in the years to come. Judging by what they are able to do herein, things look pretty promising. This is definitely a most impressive debut effort, which although does not break any new ground, certainly proves that there are still infinite opportunities within the established borders of Jazz. Congratulations are in order and of course I´m already waiting for the next endeavor.

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KAMIL PIOTROWICZ ~ POPULAR MUSIC HEVHETIA 0134 (Barcode: 8588005257916) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the second album by young Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kamil PiotrowiczFind albums by this artist, this time recorded in a sextet setting with trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist and Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Piotrowicz. The music is a superb collection of modern Jazz compositions, brilliantly arranged for the sextet, using all the power and interplay possibilities of the relatively large ensemble. The compositions are diverse and quite complex, changing styles and tempi rapidly and displaying an incredible maturity relative to the age of the composer. In spite of the complexity and multilayered structure the compositions are completely coherent and deeply moving emotionally. Stylistically the music moves between contemporary Classical oriented pieces and large ensemble compositions, firmly based on the tradition developed in the late 1950s and 1960s by such Jazz mavericks like George RussellFind albums by this artist and Charles MingusFind albums by this artist. Adorned with typical European harmonies this music reaches peaks rarely heard before. The level of execution of this difficult music is also exceptional. All the participants play amazing solo parts and cooperate brilliantly in the ensemble parts, with the rhythm section firmly holding the intricate musical construction in place. Nothing is taken for granted here and these wonderful musicians keep surprising the listener again and again, with a bag of virtuosic tricks that never ceases to amaze. Most of the individual statements are concise and perfectly suited to the musical setting at the moment of their execution, This album is a giant step forward for Piotrowicz and although his debut album, released a year earlier, showed a lot of potential, nothing prepared the listeners for this masterpiece following up so soon. This is definitely one of the best Polish Jazz albums released in 2016 and a very strong contender for the top of the heap. If Piotrowicz is able to create music of such profound impact today, what will happen next? This is an absolute must for all Polish Jazz connoisseurs around the world and an exquisite example of the fact that Jazz is alive and kicking and progressing and exciting and intensely beautiful! Hats off!

Updated: 28/10/2016Posted: 28/10/2016

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KAMIL PIOTROWICZ ~ PRODUCT PLACEMENT HOWARD 1 (Barcode: 5903420785937) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the third album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Kamil PiotrowiczFind albums by this artist recorded with the same sextet lineup which recorded the previous album a couple of years earlier. Besides Piotrowicz the sextet also includes trumpeter Emil MiszkFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist and Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Piotrowicz, one of which is an epic multipart eighteen and a half minutes long piece and another is a short bonus track closing the album. The music on this album makes a bold step towards Free Jazz and other less constrained musical forms in comparison to the two earlier albums, with the traditional sense of composition almost completely lost in the process. Of course the music has a coherent continuum and sense of direction, but there are almost no melody lines or steady rhythmic passages. As a result the music simply flows propelled by its intrinsic drive and allows the instrumentalists to create the sound on the fly. It is often very difficult to distinguish between the "composed" and the improvised ingredients of this music, not that it really matters, as the end result is what counts, similarly to an attempt to analyze an abstract painting and try to find in it the pre-designed and the spontaneous smears of paint. The album is a stupendous exhibit of ensemble work, without which the entire creation would have simply collapsed on itself. The level of conversation and mutual influence, as displayed by the sextet members, is simply phenomenal. Obviously they are all superb instrumentalists, as is clearly heard all along the way, but this music is all about fusion of individual statements into an amalgam, which is way grander than just a sum of its ingredients. Piotrowicz obviously plays a central role in the entire process and his piano lines and synthesizer parts serve both as the glue and the backbone of the entire musical structure, strangely playing more a role of a conductor rather than a soloist. In spite of the devilish complexity, multi-layered and multi-directional structure, unusual approach and even eerie sound at times, this music is remarkably lucid and comprehensible and as a result accessible. In complete contrast to most Avant-gardish statements of such scope, this album is a true pleasure to listen to, which hopefully will help this music to reach as wide an audience as possible. Overall this is another brilliant album made by young Polish Jazz musicians and another pretender to the title of one of the best albums of 2018. It is also another statement of quality, which puts the Polish Jazz right at the very top of the European level. By now Piotrowicz has entered the "serious" league of contemporary European Jazz Artists, well earned and praiseworthy by any standards. Personally I already can´t wait for the next album. Well done messieurs and hats off high!

Updated: 08/11/2018Posted: 08/11/2018

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KAMIL PIOTROWICZ ~ WEIRD HEAVEN HOWARD 6 (Barcode: 5903689818278) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Kamil PiotrowiczFind albums by this artist, recorded in a sextet setting, almost identical to the sextet which recorded the previous album except for the trumpeter, with trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist and Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, bassist Andrzej SwiesFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten tracks, all original compositions by the leader. The music continues faithfully the direction set by the previous album “Product PlacementFind albums with this title”, released four years earlier, moving even further into experimental music, which although composed, includes many elements of Free Improvisation. Piotrowicz manages, despite the obvious complexity, multi-layered structures and weird time signatures, to create music which is listenable and even enjoyable to a relatively wide spectrum of Jazz connoisseurs. The album is an incredible example of ensemble playing, with individual statements, however significant, which are completely lost in the general scale of things, being simply building blocks of the “bigger picture”. It takes musicians of the highest echelon to perform this music and of course the team Piotrowicz assembled is able to escape the challenges without a hitch. It is quite obvious that Piotrowicz consistently emerges as one of young Lions od the Polish Jazz scene, and my enthusiasm about his earlier recordings, both those as a leader and his other projects, was fully justified. Overall, this is a brilliant example of contemporary Polish Jazz at its best, which proves the vibrancy and incredible creative power of the scene, which sadly often remains unrecognized outside the country’s border. This music doesn’t try to be nice or pretty, but takes no prisoners in its power of expression, deserving the attention of those looking for something truly remarkable and challenging.

Updated: 13/09/2023Posted: 11/09/2023

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KARI SAL ~ BETESDA HEVHETIA 0153 (Barcode: 8588005258135) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2015 - 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Polish singer / songwriter Kari SalFind albums by this artist, recorded with a dream-team backup group consisting of top Polish Jazz musicians: violinist Adam BaldychFind albums by this artist (Sal´s husband), violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, pianist Pawel KaczmarczykFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal KapczukFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof SzmandaFind albums by this artist. Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist also guests on several tracks. The album presents seven original songs, five of which were composed by Sal, one was co-composed by Sal and Baldych and one was co-composed by Sal, Baldych and Kaczmarczyk. Sal wrote the lyrics to five of the songs and two songs have lyrics based on Biblical texts. There is also one track featuring wordless vocalese with music by Baldych. The music is a mixture of many diverse influences, which include Polish Folklore roots, Scandinavian Alternative Pop and others; altogether close in spirit to the Polish sung poetry idiom. The arrangements add a distinct Jazzy flavor, but the music is not rooted in Jazz per se. Sal´s songwriting is full of typical Polish lyricism and melancholy, both on the musical and textual planes. Influenced by her visit to Island, the music also encompasses the Nordic characteristics, which are not that far away from the Slavic sources, which perhaps explains why Polish and Scandinavian musicians feel so much affinity towards each other. The biblical sources and Sal´s own lyrics reflect deeply religious / spiritual involvement, which is rarely present in contemporary Art. Sal´s compositions are all remarkably mature, harmonically coherent, stylistically consistent and aesthetically rounded, which of course deserves praise and admiration. As expected, the performances by all the instrumentalist present on this album are nothing short of stellar. There are numerous exquisite solos and the accompaniment by the basic violin / piano / rhythm section quartet is superbly and consistently executed. But of course the vocal parts by Sal are the focus of this album. She has a wonderfully clear, steady and colorful voice, which she uses wisely and cleverly. Both her lyrics and vocalese parts are moving and fascinating, and although she demonstrates self-confidence and clear musical vision, she is not over-confident and respectfully cooperates with the band members. The decision to sing in Polish is also extremely important and it´s encouraging to see that some Polish vocalists are free of the "singing in English" complex, which is a plague and keeps Polish vocalists in many cases back from achieving its full potential. Overall this is a beautiful and most impressive debut album, which proves that determination and talent conquer all. Obviously Sal received a lot of support and help from the musicians playing on this album, but it is first and foremost her own achievement, both as a songwriter and performer and she deserves every bit of our gratitude for creating this sensitive, intelligent music. I already can´t wait for the next album… Thank you, Milady!

Updated: 04/11/2017Posted: 04/11/2017

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SEKSTANS ~ SEKSTANS MULTIKULTI 010 (Barcode: 5907529223376) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 Released: 2013 This is an excellent debut album by the young Polish Jazz sextet called SekstantFind albums by this artist and originating form the Baltic Tricity, founded and led by saxophonists Lukasz JuzkoFind albums by this artist and including saxophonist Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Dawid LipkaFind albums by this artist, pianist Szymon BurnosFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej SadowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomasz KoperFind albums by this artist. The album comprises of seven original compositions, two of which (the opening and closing tracks) are improvised pieces, three are composed by Juzko and one each by Sadowski and Koper. As usual with the young Polish Jazz ensembles the music crosses all possible boundaries and is almost impossible to be neatly categorized. On top of the obvious Jazz tradition there are traces of Rock and even Punk (especially in the somewhat hassle-free attitude), Free Jazz and even Improvised Music excursions and many other elements, which of course make this music fascinating and unpredictable. The usage of electric piano and the brass arrangement on certain pieces take the ensemble close to Jazz-Rock Fusion, but then electronics and Ambient elements remind the listener that this is 21st Century and music is constantly changing and expanding its idioms. Underlying these stylistic explorations, the compositions present solid melodic themes, which are all quite impressive. Both the individual abilities of these players and their collective cooperation are very impressive. As usual it´s hard to believe that these are such young players only starting their musical life´s journey. The open-mindedness and personal courage to explore non-trivial music and eschew mediocrity are truly admirable. I eagerly anticipate the next step on this ensemble´s path, which in view of this promising debut could be even more thrilling. In the meantime this is a true little gem, which should give Jazz connoisseurs a most pleasurable listening experience. Well done!

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VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ ILLINOIS JACQUET IN MEMORIAM NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2005 Released: 2017 As the title suggests, this is a tribute album to the great American saxophonist Illinois JacquetFind albums by this artist, recorded live by top Polish Jazz musicians. The album presents eight tunes recorded over a period of one year at the Gdynia Jazz club UCHO and two bonus tracks recorded earlier at the NOSPR concert hall in Katowice. The album features ten Polish tenor saxophone players, whose ages span four generations: Piotr CheckiFind albums by this artist, Michal Jan CiesielskiFind albums by this artist, Przemek DyakowskiFind albums by this artist, Tomasz GrzegorskiFind albums by this artist, Dariusz HerbaszFind albums by this artist, Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist, Maciej SikalaFind albums by this artist, Wojciech StaroniewiczFind albums by this artist, Irek WojtczakFind albums by this artist and Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. They are accompanied by various rhythm sections comprised of organist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Dominik BukowskiFind albums by this artist, guitarists: Maciej GrzywaczFind albums by this artist, Marcin WadolowskiFind albums by this artist and Michal ZienkowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Janusz MackiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummers: Eric AllenFind albums by this artist (an American in Gdynia who played with Jacquet´s quintet and Big Band) and Tomasz SowinskiFind albums by this artist. Two of the tracks are originals by Jacquet and the rest are standards. Although recorded live, the album offers excellent sound quality. The music is everything one might expect form a tribute album like this one: familiar tunes, superb playing and an obvious joy ride. This is Swing and Bebop at its best and the participants seem to have great fun but the performances are all professional and heartfelt. It is great to see four generation of Polish Jazz musicians cooperating on one stage and playing every inch as good as any American musician might do, again simply wiping out any inferiority complexes still present among Polish Jazz musicians and many Jazz fans in Poland. Mainstream classic Jazz fans all over the world should have a great fun with this music, as it is full of the Jazz spirit and offers a high standard of playing well beyond of what is present on similar album recorded over the pond. The entire project, including this superbly produced album with beautiful artwork and fabulous photography is an obvious labor of love and the people standing behind it deserve all the praise we can offer them, including buying the album. Great stuff!

Updated: 24/11/2019Posted: 31/07/2018

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