Record Reviews

GEMBALSKI / IWANSKI / MAJCHRZAK / ZDUNIAK ~ 1999 HARMOLODIC ODYSSEY MTJ 11977 (Barcode: 5906409119778) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1999 Released: 2020 This is an archival album by a Polish Jazz quartet comprising of violinist Henryk GembalskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Krzysztof MajchrzakFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal ZduniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents five lengthy improvised pieces, co-credited to the participating musicians. The music was recorded live and waited for over twenty years to be finally released. It is dedicated to the memory of Zduniak, who sadly passed in 2006. Polish political martyrology created the “cursed soldiers” idiom to commemorate the lesser known heroes of the struggle for independence, but many Polish Culture champions, who acted over the years on the margins of the Polish post WWII State sanctioned mainstream Culture never won the proper recognition, neither collectively as a movement nor individually as fighters for intellectual freedom. Polish Jazz is of course no different. In parallel to the Jazz activities overseen by the State recognized Polish Jazz Society, which controlled the local scene with an iron fist, many less conformist Jazz musicians managed to create their own, mostly Avant-Garde oriented facet of Polish Jazz, which enjoyed many creative peaks. People like Andrzej MitanFind albums by this artist, Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist and many others were almost completely anonymous on the Polish Jazz scene for decades, and even today are known only to a handful of hardcore specialists. The musicians on this album also belong to the league, which operated mostly on the outskirts of the Polish Jazz mainstream, taking part in ensembles like LabiryntFind albums by this artist, Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, Free CooperationFind albums by this artist and others, playing exactly what they wanted to, regardless if it fit any “party line” or not, and often suffering the consequences. The music is a mixture of Fusion and Avant-Garde, or Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion, which is a wonderful amalgam of the four individual voices, with diverse stylistic accents, which creates a forceful statement, losing nothing of its intensity and innovation over time. Between Gembalski, who represents the Free Jazz approach, Iwanski, who is a Rocker at heart, Majchrzak, who is a Fusion kicks-ass and Zduniak, who is simply a brilliant drummer beyond classification, the music is a highly concentrated exchange of individual soloing and ensemble playing, which although demanding, is unique and superbly uplifting, with energies equaling an erupting volcano. Overall this is excellent document of the lesser travelled path of Polish Jazz, that rightfully deserves to be a part of the documented history of the genre. Good to see it finally available and hopefully more of such hidden gems will float to the surface. It would be a Cultural crime to have this music doomed as forgotten.

Updated: 30/03/2021Posted: 30/03/2021

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GRAAL ~ CZARNE 13 FOR TUNE 0059 (Barcode: 5902768701630) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2011 Released: 2015 This is the sixth album by the cult Polish ensemble GraalFind albums by this artist, founded and led by the legendary trumpeter / composer / bandleader Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, who is also known for his involvement in such pivotal Polish ensembles as Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, Young PowerFind albums by this artist, Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, Woo Boo DooFind albums by this artist, YesheFind albums by this artist and others. This album, recorded four years before it finally gets to be released, presents ten songs, all composed by Gralak and the ensemble with lyrics by the ensemble´s vocalist Jacek SzymkiewiczFind albums by this artist. Two radio edits of two of the songs on this album are added as bonus tracks. In addition to Gralak, who also plays tuba and Szymkiewicz, who also plays acoustic guitar, the other members of Graal are: trombonist Bronek DuzyFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Klaudiusz KlosekFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Aleksander KoreckiFind albums by this artist and Marek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Locko RichterFind albums by this artist, drummers Ola RzepkaFind albums by this artist and Arek SkolikFind albums by this artist and finally tuba and trombone player Darek SprawkaFind albums by this artist; altogether ten musicians. The music of Graal is a strange amalgam of Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion, with elements of cabaret and theatrics. The "songs" are often full of dramatic exclamations and theatrical displays of emotion, and the "free" lyrics add to the overall atmosphere of "controlled anarchy". The huge brass section sounds at times like a street marching band, or Balkan brass ensemble, or typical Brass-Rock section, constantly changing its ambiance. The sound is rather muffled and often creates an impression of a live recording. The rhythm section sets a groovy paste, with funky bass guitar in charge of the bottom parts and the drums keeping the mayhem in check. The lead vocals are always up front and the brass is always in the background, which makes the solo parts somewhat less prominent in the overall sound, but those are all well worth being discovered by careful listening. The solitary instrumental piece on this album is perhaps the most powerful glimpse to the essence of this ensemble, with the multilayered brass parts creating a mini-suite which is both beautifully organized and free at the same time; a wonderful example of contemporary music. Gralak has a gift of creating stuff, which is always unique and exists outside of the Polish Jazz / Fusion scenes, being a typical Lone Ranger. This music simply creates a universe of its own, which is incomparable to anything else happing on the local scene or anywhere else for that matter. Since this is a typical ensemble project, there are few displays of Gralak´s virtuosic ability as a trumpeter, but it is his leadership that holds this project together. Whether one loves or hates this music, one thing is sure: it´s impossible to say indifferent to it, which is already a huge achievement in comparison to most of the music created today. Gralak is one of those people who make the Polish music scene worth following and admiring!

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ANTONI GRALAK ~ GANGA AUDIO CAVE 2017/011 (Barcode: 5905669566377) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017 This is an album by renowned Polish trumpeter / composer / bandleader Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, one of the most colorful and fascinating figures on the independent / Avant Garde / anti establishment Polish music scene, who participated in many musical projects like Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, Young PowerFind albums by this artist, GraalFind albums by this artist, YesheFind albums by this artist and others. Completely unpredictably, as always, this album finds Gralak, who plays trumpet, bass guitar and keyboards, in the company of three Indian musicians who play tabla, sitar and shehnai (Indian reed instrument) respectively and Polish percussionist Zbigniew BrysiakFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Gralak. The music is heavily influenced by ethnic Indian musical motifs, incorporating Jazz improvisations, Drum & Bass, electronics and other elements, creating a fascinating amalgam of melodies and rhythms, which sounds exotic, vibrant and exciting. The folkloristic, innate to Indian music, improvisations intertwine with Gralak´s Jazzy playing quite naturally and create a cross-cultural dialogue. Parts of this music bring forward a reminiscence of the Miles DavisFind albums by this artist sessions featuring Badal RoyFind albums by this artist, which also showed some Indian influence, albeit much more subtle than here. Of course Indian music is never simplistic and its meditative nature requires attentive listening and submission, which is not easy to a Western ear, even when slightly dressed up in Western ornament. Some listeners might find this music somewhat monotonic in the long range, but hopefully the majority will be able to embrace it and enjoy it in full, as it surely deserves to reach as many listeners as possible. Overall the album shows another facet of the multitude of Gralak´s talents and musical worlds, which always was his personal signature. The restless search for new discoveries and diverse environments is the trademark of progress in Art in general and in music in particular, and Gralak deserves the title of the Great Wanderer probably more than most of his Polish contemporaries. If anybody can sit still while listening to this album, he is either in coma or dead already ;)

Updated: 17/12/2018Posted: 21/03/2018

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OLES BROTHERS / ANTONI GRALAK ~ PRIMITIVO FOR TUNE 0118 (Barcode: 5906395808212) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2016 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio comprising of bassist Marcin OlesFind albums by this artist and drummer Bartlomiej OlesFind albums by this artist (collectively known as Oles BrothersFind albums by this artist) and trumpeter Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, known as member of such Polish cult ensembles as Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, GraalFind albums by this artist, YesheFind albums by this artist, Tie BreakFind albums by this artist and Young PowerFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten pieces, three of which are based on traditional folkloristic motifs, one is a collective improvisation, two are composed by Gralak, one is composed by Bartlomiej Oles, one is co-composed by Marcin Oles and Gralak and two are compositions by others. The music, as the title suggests, is a very fascinating journey exploring early, or so called "primitive" music, which naturally deals with basic human emotions, like sadness and joy, as reflected in contemporary musical environment of Jazz and Improvised Music. The folkloristic themes originate mostly from Africa - the cradle of Man – but venture also as far as Tibet and Mexico. The modus operandi in these sessions relays completely on the ability of the three musicians to converse and express their "primitive" emotions towards each other, based on whatever thematic sub-context was chosen for each of the pieces. This cooperation with Gralak takes the Oles Brother back in time to the period when they cooperated closely with another Polish trumpet legend, Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, who died six years ago (in 2011). Therefore the setting of trumpet accompanied only by a rhythm section is not a new concept to them. Gralak, accidently (or maybe not) shows many similarities in his playing and general attitude towards music to those displayed by the late Przybielski. Even the tone of his trumpet brings immediate fond memories of Przybielski´s work. In any case it´s great to see the older generation of Polish Jazz Trumpet School alive and kicking. This album is very intimate and does not pretend to dazzle or swap anybody off their feet. It does however propose a serious re-examination of what the essential elements of music are and what can be considered as superficial worthless deception that often pretends to be the real thing. Oles Brothers have always taken their music seriously, and this time is no different. Listeners willing to explore new (albeit in fact very old) territory will find this album fascinating in every respect: the musical choices, the candor of the attitude and of course the perfection of execution. Fans of the trumpet should expect a revelation, and if this is the first album they hear with Gralak on it, they will surely try to find his other work. Overall wholeheartedly recommended, as usual with Oles Brothers projects, when buying an album is completely risk-free!

Updated: 03/02/2017Posted: 03/02/2017

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MATEUSZ POSPIESZALSKI ~ TAM I SAM POLSKI RAP 04 (Barcode: 5902860144779) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2020 This is a solo (au naturel saxophone and Nature) album by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / flautist / composer Mateusz PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, recorded outdoors in several locations. The album presents nine (one appearing twice) original compositions / improvisations, all by Pospieszalski, featuring the natural ambience and Nature sounds of the beautiful Polish landscape during the late autumn of the pandemic year and according to the social distancing protocol. Pospieszalski belongs to the highly respected Polish Jazz oppositionists, beautiful freaks and proud Avant-Gardists, who over time created some of the most interesting music on the local scene with ensembles like Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, GraalFind albums by this artist, Voo VooFind albums by this artist and others, as well as cinematic and theatre music, a truly vast scope of creativity. This album presents Pospieszalski at the most intimate setting, not only completely solo, but also without the comfort and protection of a studio environment or concert audience. This is perhaps the reason the music sounds so brutally honest and penetrating, devoid of any mannerism or showmanship. The music is deeply lyrical, almost gloomy and desperate, perhaps a reflection of the atmosphere influenced by the pandemic, which took from us the most basic need of human contact. I cannot, of course, speak for the creator of this music, only as a listener, but it seems that the music carries universal human emotions, in this case of sadness and grief. It is a great artistry to be able to express grief through music, as heartbreakingly and boldly as present on this album. Perhaps one day in the future, this album will become an aural testimony of what 2020 was all about, like Allen GinsbergFind albums by this artist’s “Howl” remains a testimony of the Beat Generation. The is no doubt that this album is a monumental achievement in the already impressive legacy of Pospieszalski’s work. Probably not intended as such, as in most cases of important achievements, this intimate statement shouts more loudly than gigantic productions, which often turn to be hollow. My deepest respect and thanks for this gift of music are accompanied by a wholehearted recommendation to all music lovers to get a copy of this album, since there are but a few singular statements of such emotional authority out there as this one!

Updated: 06/03/2021Posted: 06/03/2021

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TIE BREAK ~ THE END AGORA 5903111494148 (Barcode: 5903111494148) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2014 - 2018 Released: 2019 This is an album by the legendary Polish ensemble Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, which features four founding members of the ensemble: trumpeter Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Mateusz PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Marcin PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and also American (resident in Poland) drummer Frank ParkerFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, all co-composed by the ensemble members, five of which also include lyrics which are chanted (rather than sung) by the ensemble in a Greek chorus manner. The music was recorded during three separate sessions between 2014 and 2018. Following the release of the marvelous "Tie Break (Box Set)Find albums with this title" in 2014, which summed up the ensemble´s output recorded between 1984 and 1995, it seemed that the fate of Tie Break was sealed, but apparently the protagonists thought otherwise and continued to make music together, which is collected here. Following this pattern, one might hope that the ominous title of this album is also only temporary, as Tie Break definitely has still more energy and creativity than most young contemporary ensembles. The music is, not surprisingly, completely unique; a zany mixture of Rock, Funk, Punk, World Music and Jazz worthy of epic Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist and his Mothers Of InventionFind albums by this artist proportions. This music is bolder than most contemporary Rock, Funkier that today´s Funk, way Punkish than anything in Punk history and still Free Jazzier than most. The overall sound of the ensemble manages to create a wall of sound effect, which allows every tiny detail of the multi-layered complexity to be heard clearly and distinctly. The music has elements of marching funeral bands, Balkan wedding music, Polish Folklore and countless other relations, which can only be discovered as a result of repeated listening sessions. In short there never was anything in the Polish music history close to Tie Break, and following this album, the gap becomes even deeper. Although the ingredients of which the music of Tie Break is made of is not Avant-Garde as such, the unique combination and the obvious "oppositional" attitude to everything mainstream is still deeply implanted in this music and it is obviously refusing to be tamed. The album pays tribute to all the numerous members of the ensemble over the years and other outside of the mainstream great Polish musicians like the lamented Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, including the founding member Krzysztof MajchrzakFind albums by this artist, whom I had the pleasure to meet a few weeks ago and reminiscence early days of the ensemble and many other things with. In short this is a brilliant piece of music, full of creativity, ingeniousness and pure joy, completely unique and striking, unconventional and as musically anti-establishment as music can be. I refuse to interpret the album´s title literally and already long for the next chapter in Tie Break´s journey! The End of boredom is definitely here!

Updated: 21/12/2019Posted: 20/12/2019

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TIE BREAK ~ TIE BREAK (BOX SET) NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1984 - 1995 Released: 2014 This incredible Box Set is a long overdue tribute and homage to Tie BreakFind albums by this artist, one of Poland´s most important ensembles in the country´s modern music history, a cult phenomenon known mostly only to insiders and a cradle of the Polish rebellious musical underground, which kept the flame of uncompromised Artistic expression burning for decades, while the rest of the scene was drowning in opportunistic nothingness and anticultural shite. Of course analyzing the importance of Tie Break is impossible without explaining the political, social, economic and historical background of Poland during the period spanning about three decades from the early 1970s to the late 1990s, which is the period when the ensemble was active in one form or another. However, as usual, a scope of a music review is definitely way too limited to even attempt such a challenging task, therefore my references to these subjects will be naturally limited. It is important to remember that these were the most tumultuous years for the Polish People, and amongst them Polish Artists, which saw a gradual but dramatic transformation from the darkest pits of Socialist Regime to a free Democratic society, a process of unparalleled National trauma and Social upheaval. Tie Break hails from Czestochowa, a provincial Polish town (which happens to be the birthplace of my Father), famous as one of Poland´s most important religious centers, with the Pauline Monastery of Jasna Gora and its Black Madonna painting drawing millions of Catholic pilgrims every year from the world over. Even during the darkest times of the Socialist Regime the town kept being flooded by pilgrims, to the dismay of the ruling party officials. In order to change the town´s image a huge steel mill and other industrial enterprises were constructed in the area, which caused a rapid expansion of the town (and of course massive pollution). In retrospect Czestochowa had its share of unholy activities, with dozens of Beat and Rock groups active in the city since the late 1960s, and the early days of Tie Break are largely a result of this background, leading to the formation of the ensemble in the late 1970s. Music was, after all, a most popular method of escapism for young people living at the time on both sides of the Iron Curtain. The need to escape reality was as strong in the case of deep economic depression in the West as it was in the case of oppressive ideology in the East. The group went through many personnel changes during its early days, but eventually the core crystallized around four musicians: trumpeter Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Mateusz PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist and bassist Marcin PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist. The booklet accompanying this Box Set lists twenty three musicians, who cooperated with the ensemble for various periods of time over the years. The music of Tie Break was a completely unique and immediately recognizable amalgam of Rock, Funk, Jazz, Avant-Garde and World Music influences, which was light-years ahead of its time and kept developing constantly during the time of its existence. In parallel to their activities with Tie Break, the ensemble members also took part in other revolutionary enterprises on the local scene, like the legendary Free CooperationFind albums by this artist ensemble or the Young PowerFind albums by this artist ensemble, and appeared under different monikers playing more Rock oriented material, such as the SvoraFind albums by this artist group with vocalist Stanislaw SojkaFind albums by this artist or the WooBooDooFind albums by this artist group. And yet in spite of their obvious talents and brilliant music-making the musicians of Tie Break and the ensemble itself were left to vegetate on the very outskirts of the local scene, with obvious animosity and dislike from almost everybody connected to the music scene: media, record labels, press and even fellow Jazz musicians, especially those mainstream veterans who felt threatened by their innovative and uncompromising approach to music. Tie Break had to wait for over ten years to record their debut album, the eponymous live album recorded in 1988 and released a year later, and recorded only four proper albums altogether during their career. Although their music was mostly instrumental, they used sometimes lyrics in an imaginary gibberish language. Their fourth and last album was an outstanding Jazz & Poetry project, which featured the great vocalist of Greek origin, Jorgos SkoliasFind albums by this artist, singing poems written by the priest / poet Jan TwardowskiFind albums by this artist. Listening to the music of Tie Break brings on in retrospect the obvious influences that shaped the ensemble´s creations: first and foremost the improvisational freedom of John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, which seems to be the most significant ingredient linking the ensemble members, but there are also obvious shades of the late Miles DavisFind albums by this artist bands with their heavy Funk, as well as contemplative Indian music, tribal chants and other folkloristic elements. And of course above all there is the omnipresent spice of craziness, madness, artistic folly and zaniness, which turn the music from being just great into being divine. Some music critics credit Tie Break for being precursors of Yass, but personally I don´t support this line of thought. Yass was motivated mainly by protest and revolt against old ways (of Jazz), whereas Tie Break were simply inventing new Jazz in a most positive way they could think off, in complete disregard of commercialism, opportunism and fads of fashion, as appropriate for true anarchists, and as most anarchist they never achieved fame and fortune, but they managed to expand the borders of our culture more than most others, for which they deserve our eternal gratitude. This Box Set includes remastered versions of the four Tie Break albums and three additional CDs with archive and radio recordings by Tie Break, Svora and WooBooDoo. Beautifully packaged and accompanied by a gorgeous booklet with original artwork and in-depth interviews with Tie Break members, this is obviously a labor of love and finally a much deserved retrospective of one of Poland´s most meaningful musical contributors. This is an absolute must to any serious Polish Jazz or Polish Culture connoisseur.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

CD 7 Digipak Box Set Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

YESHE ~ PIASTOWSKA 1 SONY 887654098221 (Barcode: 887654098221) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2012 This is the second album by the Polish ensemble YesheFind albums by this artist, led by the legendary trumpeter / composer Antoni GralakFind albums by this artist, who was a member of such groundbreaking Polish ensembles as Free CooperationFind albums by this artist, Young PowerFind albums by this artist and Tie BreakFind albums by this artist and participated in countless other projects over the years, including leading his ensembles like GraalFind albums by this artist and Yeshe. This incarnation of Yeshe includes also guitarist Piotr PawlakFind albums by this artist and keyboardist Darek MakarukFind albums by this artist who is in charge of a plethora of electronic effects and sampling. The music, all original by Gralak, was recorded live and is dedicated to the Polish pioneering visual Artist Andrzej UrbanowiczFind albums by this artist. Stylistically the music presents a wide spectrum of contemporary musical trends and incorporates such diverse influences as Avant-Garde Jazz, electronic music, Techno, Industrial and World Music. The amalgamated result is a completely original and unique blend, which is fascinating and electrifying from start to finish. The basic formula presents Gralak improvising on top of an ambient / sampled background, which changes from track to track both rhythmically and conceptually. A trained listener will hear many citations form Indian and other Far Eastern Cultures, as well as samples of exotic instruments like sitar, tabla and a plethora of others. Gralak´s trumpet work is nothing short of brilliant and brings immediately memories of his Free Cooperation cohort Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, who is sadly no longer with us. Throughout the entire duration of this album Gralak improvises almost without a break, in a truly phenomenal form. This album is not only a rare musical gem, but also a wonderful example of completely boundless music, which crosses cultural, stylistic and time borders effortlessly and elegantly. It definitely deserves a much wider recognition that it actually has today. Brilliant stuff!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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