Record Reviews

HENRYK MISKIEWICZ ~ COME BACK… POLSKIE RADIO 2454 (Barcode: 5905610873110) ~ POLAND ~ Big Band Jazz Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024 This is an album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Henryk MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist, recorded with the Chopin University Big BandFind albums by this artist led and conducted by Piotr KostrzewaFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven tracks, ten of which are original compositions by Miskiewicz and one is a standard, all arranged by Miskiewicz. Miskiewicz solos extensively and several of the young band members also get solo spots along the way: keyboardist Tymoteusz HartmanFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Ignacy WendtFind albums by this artist, pianist Stanislaw PantaFind albums by this artist and others. The music was splendidly recorded at the Polish Radio S-4 studio and offers a worm, delightful sound quality and perfect balance and separation. The music is all well within the mainstream Jazz idiom, based on the excellent compositions by Miskiewicz, which combine great melodic themes and interesting rhythmic flow, all splendidly arranged for the traditional Big Band environment, which offers plenty of soloing space for Miskiewicz and the band members. This music is meant to pleasant and uplifting, without compromising any aesthetic values, and is performed with taste and precision by the university students under the watchful eye of Kostrzewa, who has been leading the Big Band for many years, fully dedicated to his vision. Overall, this is a rare opportunity to hear a Big Band album recording by Polish Jazz musicians, as Big Bands are sadly almost impossible to sustain in the harsh economic conditions of today’s music scene. Miskiewicz shows where his well-earned respect and admiration among his peers and the young generation originate from and Kostrzewa can be proud of the band’s performances. Definitely this album is highly recommended to all Jazz Big Band lovers anywhere in the world, as the music is as universal as can be.

Updated: 31/07/2024Posted: 31/07/2024

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TRIO PBP ~ SCHUBERT WINTERREISE REQUIEM / LYDIAN 2020/12 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz Trio PBPFind albums by this artist comprising of young (fifteen years old when the project commenced) pianist Stanislaw PantaFind albums by this artist, flautist Ryszard BorowskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Pawel PantaFind albums by this artist. As the title suggests, the trio plays ten interpretations of songs from the Winterreise song cycle by Franz SchubertFind albums by this artist, with the music being credited to Borowski (?). The music is rather predictable, with the original themes clearly audible and the improvisations kept within the strictly mainstream Jazz idiom, resulting in a pleasant, easy going Jazz-Classical Fusion outing, which can be easily enjoyed by a wide audience, not necessarily associated with Jazz. Pawel Panta is an excellent bassist with an impressive recording legacy and his work on this album is the key element which keeps the music together, being in charge of the pulse (especially in a drumless setting) and providing the music with some sense of swing. Stanislaw Panta is still very young of course, but he plays nice harmonic structures and accompanies the flute work amicably, soloing modestly, but displaying talent and obvious understanding of the Jazz principles. Borowski, who is a Classical flautist, arranger, composer and educator, has been involved with Jazz for years, as a performer, educator and recording artists, always combining the cross-genre attitude, with various degrees of success. Overall, this is a pleasant, but hardly challenging piece of easy Jazz-Classical Fusion, which borders on Smooth Jazz.

Updated: 20/09/2021Posted: 20/09/2021

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