Record Reviews

CHICK COREA ~ PORTRAITS STRETCH 888072356030 (Barcode: 888072356030) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 - 2012 Released: 2014 As incredible as it might sound, pianist / composer Chick CoreaFind albums by this artist has been an integral and continuous element of the soundtrack of my life for the last five decades. I travelled with him hand in hand through every album he released over the years, moving from modern Jazz, to Free and Improvised Music, to piano solo miniatures, to Fusion, back to modern mainstream, to piano-vibraphone duets, to piano duets, to electric groups and acoustic trios, to Classical explorations and on and on. What a journey... As usual every new album by Chick is an adventure. It´s been a while since he released a solo piano album and this 2CD set full of outstanding solo performances is a true delight in every sense. All the music was recorded live during his solo piano performances in Europe, Canada and US (and even Africa). On the first CD Chick performs several lengthy interpretations of pieces by Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist, Bud PowellFind albums by this artist and Bill EvansFind albums by this artist, one standard and one pop song by Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist. The last track on the first CD is his composition dedicated to Paco De LuciaFind albums by this artist. On the second CD he performs twenty five miniatures, first by Classical composers Alexander ScriabinFind albums by this artist and Bela BartokFind albums by this artist and then two sets of his own compositions grouped under the common titles: "Children´s Songs" and "Portraits". Both CDs include Chick´s spoken interludes explaining his intentions and motivations behind the music he performs. It seems pretty superfluous to try and explain anything about the music herein. Obviously it presents a wide scope of cultural backgrounds from Classical European music to modernism and than Jazz and its various facets and finally the personal universe of Chick Corea, which is able to contain all that infinite richness and expand upon it. Chick´s way of playing is very personal and quite recognizable to his followers and connoisseurs, so there are no great surprises in that area, except that for a man in his seventies Chick is infinitely more alive, creative and inventive than today´s young zombie generation stuck inside their smart phones. Technically the music is superbly recorded, with excellent detail and warm ambience, which makes listening to this album a delightful experience. Chick is still one of the leaders of the Jazz pack and life seems to treat him and his music well, for which we all should be grateful. Listening for two hours to this music is a trip to sanity so put your feet up and enjoy as long as you can.

Updated: 26/08/2020Posted:

CD 2 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

MATTI JARVINEN / CASCADE / MIKE WESTHUES BAND / FYYRALYYRA ~ POP LIISA VOL. 13 & VOL. 14 SVART 085 (Barcode: 6430065583080) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1976 - 1977 Released: 2017 The "Popstudio" / "Jazzstudio" broadcasts were usually dedicated to one band / artist, but in some cases two acts were combined into one show, which allowed each of them just about twenty minutes to perform, as is the case on these two sessions. Guitarist / composer Matti JarvinenFind albums by this artist appeared on the Finnish scene for a brief period, which allowed him to record just one album called "Martin LevyFind albums with this title" and a few concerts, before he decided to leave the music business completely and disappeared into oblivion. This live broadcast is the only glimpse in existence of his concert activities. He is supported by keyboardist Kari KuusamoFind albums by this artist, bassist Harri MerilahtiFind albums by this artist and drummer Upi SorvaliFind albums by this artist. Together they perform four original songs, all by Jarvinen, which originate from the a.m. album. Musically this material is Prog oriented and offers highly melodic compositions based on interesting Rock riffs. These live versions feature impressive guitar and keyboards soloing. The group CascadeFind albums by this artist, fronted by the double female vocal line of Ami EspelundFind albums by this artist and Marjo-Riitta KervinenFind albums by this artist included also keyboardist Kari Kuusamo, guitarist Pekka LeminenFind albums by this artist, bassist Renne AngelvuoFind albums by this artist and drummer Heikki LyttinenFind albums by this artist. They perform four covers of Pop songs (three of which are by Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist), nicely arranged with a slight Jazzy feel. It is the most Pop oriented material in the entire Pop Liisa series. American singer / songwriter Mike WesthuesFind albums by this artist lived in Finland twice for relatively short periods, during which he managed to record four albums as a leader. This live broadcast finds him performing five songs from the two albums he recorded for LoveFind albums on this label Records, all written by him. He is supported by pianist Heikki HiekkalaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Dave LindholmFind albums by this artist, bassist Make LievonenFind albums by this artist, and drummer Urpo LeppanenFind albums by this artist. Tiitta SpoutFind albums by this artist sings backing vocals. The music is pretty straightforward American Country Rock, but is excellently executed, being no less exciting than the same kind of music was played across the pond. FyyralyyraFind albums by this artist is by far the most interesting group in this collection, a Jazz-World Fusion quintet fronted by two multi-instrumentalists Jouni KoskimakiFind albums by this artist and Hannu LehtorantaFind albums by this artist, who among the two of them played a plethora of string and wind instruments, guitarist Arto KakkoFind albums by this artist, bassist Hannu TahtelaFind albums by this artist and drummer Juoni KestiFind albums by this artist. Just before this live broadcast was captured they recorded their eponymous debut album, which sadly turned out to be their sole recorded output. They perform four pieces, two composed by Lehtoranta and two folk tunes (one Irish and one Finnish) arranged by Lehtoranta and Koskimaki. They are often compared to the legendary Finnish group PiirpaukeFind albums by this artist, who pioneered the local Jazz-World Fusion idiom. Overall this is some of the most staggering music created in Europe in the early to mid 1970s that one is able to hear and for Fusion and Jazz oriented Prog-heads this is an absolute must have! Side Note The Finnish independent label SvartFind albums on this label Records released an unprecedented series of albums called Pop Liisa and Jazz Liisa, which present priceless historical recordings of Finnish Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz music, recorded live and broadcasted from the Liisankatu Studios in Helsinki under the "Popstudio" and "Jazzstudio" monikers between 1972 and 1977. The studios were owned by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company), a public broadcasting service, which not only allowed the burgeoning Finnish music scene at the time to be exposed but also carefully archived the recordings for future generations. All this incredible music was previously unissued and collectively is probably the most important document of Finnish music from that period ever assembled. The music was released on 36 LPs (Pop Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18 and Jazz Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18) and on 18 CDs with every two consecutive volumes combined on one CD. The sound quality is absolutely superb, often better than the sound quality on the LPs released by these artists at the time. Many of the groups appearing on these albums never managed to record an album and these recordings are the only recorded legacy in existence of their activity. The released are accompanied by well researched and intelligent liner notes. This archival project is an outstanding example of how Cultural Legacy should be treated as well as of exemplary dedication to record producing professionalism.

Updated: 15/05/2020Posted: 13/05/2020

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

BEATA PRZYBYTEK ~ I`M GONNA ROCK YOU FLID 001 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2011 - 2012 Released: 2012 This is the fourth album by the Polish vocalist Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist and her debut as a singer / songwriter. After releasing three consecutive albums between 2003 and 2005, Przybytek took almost seven years to come up with this album, which presents sixteen songs written by her to lyrics (in English) by Alicja MaciejowskaFind albums by this artist (thirteen songs) and her own (the remaining three songs). She is accompanied by a wonderful ensemble of gifted and sympathetic instrumentalists, which includes the keyboardist / arranger Tomasz KalwakFind albums by this artist, who is responsible for the truly excellent and highly skilled musical settings created for her songs. Other players include guitarist Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist, pianist Boguslaw KaczmarFind albums by this artist, bassists Tomasz KupiecFind albums by this artist and Adam KowalewskiFind albums by this artist, drummers Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist, Krzysztof DziedzicFind albums by this artist and Filip MozulFind albums by this artist and percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians also appear, among them trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist, vibraphonist Bernard MaseliFind albums by this artist, organist Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist and others. Przybytek started her career as a Jazz vocalist, but her last album ("WonderlandFind albums with this title"), which comprised entirely of songs by Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist, saw her already flirting with Pop, Soul and Rhythm And Blues. This album, which focuses on her songwriting as much, if not more, as on her performances, takes her into new territory, which in a beautiful amalgam of Pop, Blues, Gospel, Soul and Jazz. The artistic level of her songwriting is formidable and these sixteen songs are all jewels in their own right, quite diverse and beautifully full of character. I must admit that at first hearing I could hardly believe my ears as I haven´t heard such a sublime collection of new songs in a very long time. The vocal performances are also first-class, somewhat similar to the mannerisms of Etta JamesFind albums by this artist / Amy WinehouseFind albums by this artist, but with a wonderfully warm tone and total control of timbre and expression. It´s a pity she chose to sing in English as I personally am quite convinced that if she sang these songs in her native language the result would have been even more stunning. Well, one can´t win them all. Still this is one of the best albums of its kind that I´ve heard in a very long time. The instrumental parts are, as already mentioned, simply delightful. Each song gets quite a different treatment, which keeps the album changing mood and ambiance often, as well as the instrumentation. The guest musicians get to deliver their respective solo spots and it sure looks like a great time was had by all during the recording sessions. This album is also a wonderful example of high quality music, which can be overtly accessible, without compromising even an iota of its intrinsic value. Every music lover should have a field day with this brilliant piece of music. Hats off, Beata! Silesia rulez again!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

BEATA PRZYBYTEK ~ WONDERLAND NOT TWO 767 (Barcode: 5907589871678) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2005 Released: 2005 This is the third album by Polish Jazz vocalist Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist, recorded with her quartet, which comprises of pianist Dorota ZaziabloFind albums by this artist, bassist Konrad BasiukFind albums by this artist and drummer Ryszard BalcerFind albums by this artist. Guest artists include percussionist Slawomir BernyFind albums by this artist, guitarists Jacek KrolikFind albums by this artist and Jaroslaw SmietanaFind albums by this artist and veteran saxophonist Janusz MuniakFind albums by this artist. On this album Przybytek says farewell to the Jazz standards songbook, which she used on her two earlier recordings, and dedicates this entire project to songs by the great Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist, selecting ten of his well-known tunes and presenting them in new arrangements, which results of course in a tribute album of sorts. Wonder´s songs, although catchy and beautifully melodic, are by no means straightforward musically and Przybytek takes quite a risk here attempting to re-invent the Master singer / songwriter by changing his original songs utilizing a Jazzy arrangement but also playing around with the melodies harmonically, twisting them and altering their tempi, usually to half the original speed. Somehow magically all this works out fine and the resulting music has a life of its own; still close enough to the source to be easily identified but at the same time significantly different to make things interesting. Her vocal performances are her best to date, showing undeniably that she sings well when not limited by stylistic restrictions, i.e. her Jazz education and experience, utilizing mannerisms and vocal routines commonly used in Soul, Rhythm And Blues and even Rock. All these influences finally amalgamate in her vocal performance on this album, which immediately put her on a completely new plane musically. Her vibrato is simply irresistible, causing goose bumps and other inexplicable physical and metaphysical effects to the innocent listener. She gets a very sympathetic support from the quartet, especially the acoustic bass, which is right at her side at all times supporting her wonderfully. The percussionist plays on several tracks, keeping his arsenal to minimum, which is very tasteful and rare since percussionists often tend to dominate every recording they´re on. Both guitarists and the saxophonist solo briefly, ornamenting the album but not adding any vital contributions, which would change its quality. All in all this is a very bold statement, beautifully executed and full of wonderfully sensitive musical tricks and treats. It takes more that a single listening sessions to really appreciate this album, but that is quite customary for all quality musical ventures as this one. A few more spins and the listener is hooked entirely. In many respects this album could appeal to a wide range of music connoisseurs, both those who prefer Jazz and those who like Pop material. Quality is a universal heart opener, and this album definitely opens many hearts!

Updated: 08/05/2023Posted:

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

JAMES TAYLOR ~ THE WARNER BROS. ALBUMS 1970-1976 RHINO 603497852390 (Barcode: 603497852390) ~ USA ~ Classic Rock Recorded: 1970 - 1978 Released: 2019 This Box Set offers a reissue of the six albums recorded by the iconic American singer / songwriter / guitarist James TaylorFind albums by this artist, released on the Warner Bros.Find albums on this label label. Following the recording of his debut album on the BeatlesFind albums by this artist´ owned AppleFind albums on this label Records, Taylor signed with Warner Bros. and released his second to seventh album on that label, which were hugely successful and established him as one of the voices of the Woodstock Generation. The albums were carefully remastered under the supervision of the Peter AsherFind albums by this artist, who was Taylor´s manager and produced the first three albums in this Box Set, which is carefully designed and includes detailed information about recording dates and personnel, which sadly is not always the case with Box Sets of this kind. This Box Set includes some of the most beautiful songs written by American music makers over time. Most of the songs were written by Taylor, but he also used a few songs by other songwriters. His idiosyncratic voice knows no equals to this date and his heartfelt singing lost nothing of its magic touch. He was accompanied by the absolute crème de la crème of instrumentalists and his albums were carefully arranged and produced. In retrospect these six albums are all absolute gems, which lost nothing of their power of expression and intrinsic delicate beauty during the years that passed since they were recorded. Taylor´s music impersonates American Classic Rock at its best, incorporating, mostly subconsciously, elements of Country & Western, Blues, Jazz and other indigenous American music sources with Pop and Rock, creating a unique style of his own, but one that corresponded to the music made in America at the time by many other Artists like Crosby, Stills & NashFind albums by this artist, Joni MitchellFind albums by this artist, Carole KingFind albums by this artist, Carly SimonFind albums by this artist (to whom he was married at the time), Simon & GarfunkelFind albums by this artist, Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist and others. Many of these artists made appearances on the albums included here, the most surprising being probably Jazz guitar virtuoso John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist, who contributed one of the songs and played guitar on it. Overall this Box Set is a true treasure chest of superb music, which deserves a proud place in any serious music collection. For me this is of course a voice of my Generation, but the music is absolutely relevant also today and hopefully some young listeners will discover this timeless piece of Art. Beyond essential!

Updated: 10/08/2019Posted: 10/08/2019

CD 6 Mini-Sleeve Box Set Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

AGA ZARYAN ~ LIVE AT PALLADIUM COSMOPOLIS 081/082/083 (Barcode: 5907476693574) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2008 Released: 2008 This is the fourth album by Polish Jazz vocalist Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist and her first live recording, captured at the Warsaw´s Palladium club. She is accompanied by a trio of excellent musicians: guitarist Larry KoonseFind albums by this artist, bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and percussionist Munyungo JacksonFind albums by this artist, who all participated in the recording of her second album "Picking Up The PiecesFind albums with this title", recorded a couple of years earlier in the USA. The album comprises of thirteen tracks, spread over two CDs and a DVD with the video of the concert, which has the same musical content and some bonus material with artists´ interviews. The music originates mostly from the second album, with a couple of earlier songs form the debut album, one instrumental piece, which opens the concert and one previously unrecorded song (by Stevie WonderFind albums by this artist), which closes it. It takes balls of steel (especially for a woman) to face a large crowd and being able to mesmerize it with such a delicate music, which is based on aesthetics and finesse and requires total silence and complete attention from the listener. There are but a few female vocalists able to perform such magic on stage and Zaryan is certainly at the very top of this exclusive guild. The three master musicians accompanying Aga deserve of course a large piece of the praise, especially Oleszkiewicz, since lengthy parts of the concert are simply duets between him and the singer. His playing is way beyond virtuoso bass performance; it is simply the vehicle carrying this entire show on his shoulders. His empathy and telepathic conversation with Zaryan and the other musicians is simply sensational. Zaryan´s performances are simply breathtaking from start to finish. She is much more adventurous here than on the studio albums, using her full vocal range as well as creating a panorama of sound effects using her voice. Her total control of tone, expression, volume and theatrics is masterful, as is her ability to switch moods and atmosphere. She simply holds the audience at the palm of her hand. Although the album brings little new material, it summarizes perfectly the first phase of Zaryan´s career, where she concentrated on her vocal interpretations of Jazz standards. The next phase, which started with the third album, was about to expose her also as lyricist and a Jazz & Poetry artist, taking her right up to the very top of the Polish Jazz scene. When the legendary Blue Note label signed Aga Zaryan as its recording artist, it was a culmination of the first decade of her career, well earned and truly deserved, as this album proves beyond any reasonable doubt. In retrospect this is a wonderful document, a time capsule preserving magic moments, which are always associated with sublime pleasure, when revisited. I simply can´t imagine anybody could resist Zaryan´s charm and talent for long, so give in and grab this crown jewel as soon as you can – satisfaction guaranteed!

Updated: 01/01/2016Posted:

2CD+DVD 3 Digipak Recommend To A Friend