Record Reviews

JAN BOKSZCZANIN ~ KOMEDA INSPIRATIONS ARMS 09 (Barcode: 5900238791082) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2010 Released: 2010 This magnificent album is an astonishing tribute to the music of the great Polish composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, the Godfather of Polish Jazz and one of the most important figures of the European Jazz scene. Organist Jan BokszczaninFind albums by this artist, born in Russia and living in Poland, famous for his Church Organ performances and recordings of Classical Music, undertakes here an unprecedented project of presenting the music of Komeda in a completely new light, transposing it into contemporary Chamber-Jazz, quite afar from it´s Jazz origins. Of course Komeda´s music is often played by Jazz musicians (sadly mostly only in his native country), but such ambitious undertaking, as presented here, has never been attempted so far. In retrospect, this project proves the true greatness and depth of Komeda´s music, which transpires as being beyond and above any genre classification. The album includes thirteen pieces of music, eight of which are original Komeda´s compositions and the rest are new pieces composed by contemporary composers, who were inspired by him and his music. Bokszczanin carefully assembled a group of instrumentalists, mostly Jazz players, which consists of trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Pawel GusnarFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist and flautist Ryszard BorowskiFind albums by this artist. Four of the tracks include vocals, performed by the excellent Grazyna AuguscikFind albums by this artist, who not only sings the song´s lyrics (written by Polish poetess Agnieszka OsieckaFind albums by this artist) but also adds some vocalese a la early Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded at the Reformed Evangelical Church in Warsaw, with the majestic sound of the organ serving as the base element of all the music, with the other instruments playing on top of this basic sound layer. The sensitive and intelligent arrangements were written partly by the participating musicians and partly by other contemporary Polish composers / arrangers. Overall this is obviously a work of love, admiration and respect, a tribute in the true meaning of the idiom. For people familiar with Komeda´s music, this is a revelation, for those unfamiliar with it; this is a heavenly gate which marks a great entry point towards it. It is a rare occasion indeed that an album gave me so much pleasure upon first listening and I´m sure to return to it repeatedly in the future. It goes without saying that I recommend this music to anyone with a pair of ears and some gray matter between them. If anything is essential, this is it!

CD 1 Gold Essential Recommend To A Friend

CH.A.S.A. ~ 1975 LIVE INDIES HAPPY TRAILS 775 (Barcode: 8595026677524) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1975 Released: 2018 This is an archival album by Czechoslovak Jazz-Rock Fusion group Ch.A.S.A.Find albums by this artist recorded live in 1975, presenting material which was previously unreleased. The group consisted of vocalist Mirka KrivankovaFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / flautist Pavel ChmelarFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jiri AdamFind albums by this artist, bassist Ivo AlbrechtFind albums by this artist, drummer Antonin StrizFind albums by this artist and percussionist Ivan HavlicekFind albums by this artist. Violinist Jan BeranekFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album presents nine original compositions, seven of which were composed or co-composed by Adam and one each was composed by Striz and Albrecht. All the music is beautifully remastered and the album comes with extensive liner notes, extremely well researched and full of discographical information, sadly only in Czech language (which works fine for me, but probably less so for other enthusiasts who also might be interested). The group was founded in 1973 by Chmelar, Albrecht, Striz and Adam (hence the group´s name – an acronym), which were later joined by Havlicek and Krivankova. With the charismatic vocalist fronting the group they soon became a popular attraction on the local scene. Although the group existed until 1978, it never recorded a studio album and this material is their only recorded legacy. The music is all melody based Fusion, based on excellent original compositions, which faithfully represent European Jazz-Rock Fusion of the 1970s. Complex, multi-themed compositions and odd rhythmic patterns make the music interesting even today, four and half decades later. Obviously the wordless vocalese by Krivankova is the main point of interest, remaining stylistically close to the work of the pioneering Polish vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist. As usual in Fusion groups, Chmelar represents the more Jazz oriented side of the group´s music while Adam is the more Rock oriented contributor, and the balance between them is what makes this music work so well. The rhythm section is very solid and keeps the music flowing efficiently. Since the music was recorded live, it offers a lot of soloing by all the group´s members, which allows them to show their individual chops. For fans of European Jazz-Rock Fusion and its history, reissues of this kind are an absolute must, and the fact that this music is available on CD for the first time makes it a wonderful treasure. Brilliant stuff! My personal thanks to Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, the owner of Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label, for his friendship and the incredible job he is doing to keep this music alive! Side Note Since the 1950s Czechoslovakia had a highly developed Jazz scene, certainly in proportion to its population, which included many successful ensembles and even Big Bands, as well as Jazz clubs, festivals and publications, all this in spite of state censorship and political limitations. The similar situation existed since the 1960s as far as Rock (including Progressive Rock and Jazz-Rock Fusion) was concerned, resulting in many excellent, interesting and innovative ensembles. The music was relatively well documented by the three state owned record labels: SupraphonFind albums on this label (founded in 1927), PantonFind albums on this label (founded in 1968) and OpusFind albums on this label (founded in 1971 and based in Bratislava, created on the base of Slovak division of Supraphon). Following the "Velvet Revolution" in 1989, the state owned record labels were privatized, with Supraphon dominating the local market. However, Supraphon was quite reluctant as far as exploring its vast back catalogue is concerned, and this is where the small independent Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records, a reissue label dedicated to the preservation of the recorded legacy of Czechoslovak music, owned and run by the devoted enthusiast / historian Jaromir KratochvilFind albums by this artist, founded in 2007, comes in. Over the years the label released a plethora of brilliant music, reissuing long deleted LPs and extensively exploring the archives in search of bonus material. The quest of Indies Happy Trails is similar to what the GADFind albums on this label Records label, run by Michal WilczynskiFind albums by this artist, is doing for Polish music, with similar consistency and praiseworthy dedication.

Updated: 03/03/2020Posted: 03/03/2020

CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

LARRY CORYELL / MICHAL URBANIAK ~ A QUIET DAY IN SPRING STEEPLECHASE 31187 (Barcode: 716043118724) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1983 Released: 1992 This is the second album recorded by the duo comprising of American Jazz guitar virtuoso / composer Larry CoryellFind albums by this artist and Polish Jazz violin virtuoso / composer Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist. This time the duo is expanded to a trio with the participation of Danish bassist Jasper LundgaardFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, five by Coryell and two by Urbaniak. The previous meeting between Coryell and Urbaniak resulted in the album simply titled "DuoFind albums with this title", released originally in 1982, which featured Polish Jazz vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist as guests on two tracks. The music is an absolutely spectacular collection of great melodies, very diverse stylistically spanning between Gypsy Jazz, Classically influenced themes, Folklore and many more, stunningly performed by these two Masters. The intimate duo setting allows for tight interplay as well as individual soloing, all elegantly supported by the excellent bass playing, which fills the spaces. Both Coryell and Urbaniak are in absolutely top form and the obvious empathy and respect between them is what makes this music such a delight. Following a period of involvement with Fusion by both these musicians in the early to mid 1970s, this album shows their love of acoustic, intimate formats, which can be as fully expressive as the passionate and innovative form of Fusion they were involved with. Personally I love the two duo recordings by Coryell and Urbaniak very much and in spite of the fact that I am familiar with dozens of albums recorded by these musicians individually, those two are definitely among my all time favorites. This is absolutely essential listening to all Coryell and Urbaniak fans and with Coryell sadly departed, his legacy deserves to be remembered.

Updated: 14/02/2020Posted: 14/02/2020

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MARIA PIA DE VITO ~ NEL RESPIRO PROVOCATEUR 1031 (Barcode: 5038491103127) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2001 - 2002 Released: 2002 Following her brilliant album “VersoFind albums with this title”, recorded a couple of years earlier, Italian Jazz singer Maria Pia De VitoFind albums by this artist returns with her second album on the splendid ProvocateurFind albums on this label label, and her sixth consecutive album. Her two faithful companions on the previous album: British pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist and US guitarist Ralph TownerFind albums by this artist are back with her again, but this time the instrumental ensemble is expanded to a quartet with the participation of legendary US bassist Steve SwallowFind albums by this artist and French drummer / percussionist Patrice HeralFind albums by this artist. The music, composed by De Vito, Taylor, Towner and Swallow, is beautifully minimalist and quite complex, providing an ideal vehicle for the singer’s vocal explorations. She uses lyrics and vocalese interchangeably, with a rare ability to sound perfectly right at each given moment. The written music is but a frame for hers and the musicians’ improvisations, which keep floating effortlessly. De Vito continues in her singing the modern European vocal Jazz tradition, initiated in the 1970s by singers like Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, Lauren NewtonFind albums by this artist and Jeanne LeeFind albums by this artist (Vocal SummitFind albums by this artist), but of course this tradition is brought up-to-date and her personal input is dominant. The album is a beautiful collection of highly sensitive, lyrical music, which captures the listener totally and requires his total dedication. Most importantly it keeps the process of exploration, as far as vocal Jazz is concerned, alive, rather than following the “easy” path of yet another attempt at vocal Jazz standards. Listening to this album one realizes that vocal Jazz is still alive and kicking, a relief indeed, and has a lot of fascinating innovations to offer. Don’t even think twice!

Updated: 03/07/2020Posted:

CD 1 HDCD Recommend To A Friend

ELMA ~ AD REM HEVHETIA 0113 (Barcode: 8588005257657) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2016 This is the second album by Polish Jazz vocalist ElmaFind albums by this artist, but in fact it could be viewed as the second part of Elma´s debut album, as it presents material recorded at the same recording session as the material released on the debut. A conscious decision was made at the time to collect the "song oriented" material on the debut and the improvised material on this second album The album was recorded by a quartet, which features Elma with Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist and Polish pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist. The music on this album comprises of twelve improvised pieces; a prologue and then an eleven-part suite. Except for the first part of the suite which is credited to Elma and Pohjola, the rest of the music is credited to all four participants. Although the Improvised Music is enjoying a spectacular Renaissance in the last few years, it is almost always completely instrumental and does not involve the human voice. The glorious days of the vocal Improvised Music are sadly completely gone and pioneering vocalists like Jeanne LeeFind albums by this artist, Lauren NewtonFind albums by this artist, Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, Jay ClaytonFind albums by this artist, Bobby McFerrinFind albums by this artist and others are either forgotten or changed their field of interest. Therefore Elma can be considered as the torch bearer of this fantastic tradition into the 21st Century. Elma treats her voice as an instrument, which has always been the basic rule of great vocalists. Since the human voice is limited only by the vocalist´s imagination, it is the most versatile and virtually unlimited instrument, a fact which becomes plainly evident to anybody listening to this music. With the incredibly compassionate accompaniment Elma receives from her three partners, the resulting music is one of the most unique musical creations recorded in the last few years. The importance of this music is twofold; firstly it is breathtakingly beautiful, emotionally intense and aesthetically stunning and secondly it is intellectually courageous and fascinating. Elma is not regressing to the 1970s to create more of the same vocal Improvised Music created then, but takes the tradition right up to date, moving forward and updating the concept, adapting it to contemporary Jazz language, sound and vision. Her vocalese and other tricks of the trade, most of which she invented herself or expanded from earlier examples, is a completely new language in itself, which enables her to go where nobody went before; an extremely rare quality these days. The contributions of the three instrumentalists present here is simply outstanding. They all manage to contribute to the music without overshadowing the focus of the vocals and their empathy and ability to communicate with Elma almost telepathically is simply phenomenal. This is indisputably one of the most important albums released on the Polish Jazz scene in the last decade and as far as vocal Jazz is concerned, also on a world scale. There is no other vocal Improvised Music of this intensity and innovative authority anywhere else at the moment, which makes this album simply a one of its kind. To say the truth, this album should be studied by every vocalist in the world, Jazz and otherwise, just to make them aware of what the human voice (and mind) is capable of. This might of course make some of them stop singing, which would be of great benefit of course. Absolutely essential item in every serious record collection!

Updated: 29/02/2016Posted: 29/02/2016

CD 1 Digipak Essential Recommend To A Friend

ELMA ~ HIC ET NUNC IMP 101 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by female Polish Jazz vocalist, who hides behind the pseudonym ElmaFind albums by this artist, recorded with Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist (son of the Finnish Jazz legend Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist) and two great polish musicians: pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, seven of which are by Elma, three by Garbowski and the remaining one by Pohjola. The album was recorded at the legendary Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist presiding, and with spectacular, as usual, sonic results. To put things straight, vocals in this case mean vocalese, i.e. wordless vocal phrases, which basically represent the human voice as just another instrument, placing it on the same level as the rest of the musicians involved. Stylistically the music is much more organized and melodic than one might expect by reading the liner notes, which basically suggest a lot of spontaneous improvisation, which is definitely present here but does not dominate the proceedings. On the contrary the majority of the music consists of clearly defined musical themes, which must have been rehearsed before the actual recording. Of course there is nothing wrong with such approach. Musical birds tell me that large part of the recorded music stays unreleased, so perhaps this album includes the more melodic content and the forthcoming one will present the spontaneously improvised pieces? Elma seems to be more involved in vocalese than any other female Polish Jazz vocalist at the moment, most of which use vocalese sparingly and prefer singing lyrics. Personally I always preferred the instrumental approach to human voice and therefore this album is a breath of fresh air in that department. Elma uses a wide variety of vocal paraphernalia, moving between scat, modulation, syllables or simply singing notes. The actual tone of her voice is perhaps an acquired taste, but the overall result is very unique and enjoyable. The instrumentalists are all quite spectacular, which in their case is not surprising. Wania arises as one of the absolute best Polish Jazz pianists and everything he touches simply turns into the proverbial gold. Garbowski, who is one of my personal favorites since quite a while, also delivers some incredible bass lines, which keep this music afloat, especially in a drumless environment. Pohjola plays some tasty trumpet solos, but his input is a bit too predictable for me personally, although many listeners addicted to the Nordic Jazz sound will surely love it. This is definitely one of the most interesting debuts (so far) in 2014 and deserves a lot of love and attention, simply to show daring musicians that conventions mean very little as far as good Art is concerned. Of course similar attitude towards vocals was already displayed several decades ago, including those of Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist in Poland, but hearing someone trying to revive such experimentation is truly refreshing. I´d love to hear more from Elma and this quartet, hopefully in a not too distant future. Well done indeed!

Updated: 29/02/2016Posted:

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

ELMA ~ LICENTIA POETICA HEVHETIA 0232 (Barcode: 8588005259286) ~ POLAND ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2020 Released: 2022 This is the long awaited third album by Polish Jazz vocalist ElmaFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Elma KaisFind albums by this artist) recorded live with American guitarist Knox ChandlerFind albums by this artist, Australian (resident in Berlin) bassist Daigo NakaiFind albums by this artist and German drummer Klaus KugelFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen original pieces, all co-composed by the four musicians. The music is spontaneously improvised, although obviously somewhat pre-conceived, and as such could be classified as Improvised Music or Free Jazz, but honestly it makes no sense to apply any definitions to it, as it is as free-spirited as humanly possible. Although Elma’s vocal parts are obviously in the center of the listener’s attention, the music is collaborative and involves all four musicians at the same level of creativity. Elma continues her wordless vocalese / “voice as instrument” approach, which she demonstrated on her two earlier albums, but takes it further out into the truly virtuosic sphere, which sets her in a separate universe from almost all Jazz vocalists active today, continuing the vocal Jazz revolution started in the 1970s by European vocal pioneering female vocalists like Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, Lauren NewtonFind albums by this artist, Jeanne LeeFind albums by this artist, Mirka KrivankovaFind albums by this artist and several others. On contemporary Polish Jazz scene, she seems to be almost completely solitary, except for the work of Anna GadtFind albums by this artist. There is no doubt that this album is completely unique, as far as vocal Jazz is concerned, and Elma’s talent shines ever so brightly, fulfilling gracefully all the great hopes she stirred with her earlier albums. The music she creates with her colleagues hits the listener straight between his eyes, shocks and uplifts on a truly spiritual level, which happens only very rarely with new music that arrives on my desk. Considering the fact that Elma practically reinvents the approach to vocal improvisation, throwing away all pre-conceptions and limitations, she is able to cross into uncharted territory. We often tend to think that “everything was already done” in music (or otherwise), but that is a defeatist approach and life proves that there a possibility for progress. Overall, this is a shockingly beautiful, uplifting musical experience, which happens extremely rarely. As pompous as this might sound, this is probably the most perfect Polish Jazz vocal album of all times, a creation of unprecedented courage, inventiveness and free-spirited exploration. Yes, yes I see all the sceptics shrugging…

Updated: 21/05/2022Posted: 21/05/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

GIL EVANS ORCHESTRA ~ TRIBUTE TO GIL SOUL NOTE 121209 (Barcode: 02731212092) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1988 Released: 1989 The great American (of Canadian origin) pianist / composer / arranger / bandleader Gil EvansFind albums by this artist was one of the most influential Jazz personalities in the 20th Century. The orchestra he led and conducted, The Gil Evans OrchestraFind albums by this artist, was undoubtedly one of the most important orchestras in Jazz history, for many reasons, the most important of which being the constant innovative approach as far as the arrangements were concerned and the openness to other music genres, especially Rock, which often made the orchestra sound like a Rock Big Band, as well as the presence of young and upcoming Jazz players as members of the orchestra. In the summer of 1987 the orchestra performed in Italy and was enthusiastically welcomed by the warm Italian audiences. Following Evans´ death in March of 1988 it was decided to repeat the Italian concert series in July of 1988, as a tribute to Evans, which included appearances at the Umbria and Sicilia Jazz Festivals, where the music presented on this album was recorded. The orchestra´s lineup reads like a who´s who of American and European Jazz at the time: trumpeters Lew SoloffFind albums by this artist, Hannibal PetersonFind albums by this artist and Miles EvansFind albums by this artist (Gil´s son), saxophonists Chris HunterFind albums by this artist and Alex FosterFind albums by this artist, pianist Gil GoldsteinFind albums by this artist, guitarist Bireli LagreneFind albums by this artist, bassist Mark EganFind albums by this artist, drummer Danny GottliebFind albums by this artist and many others. For Polish Jazz enthusiasts it is worthy to mention that both vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist and violinist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist take part in the proceedings. The music is a series of vibrant cross-genre oriented arrangements, which use a Funky rhythm section pulsation and layers of Big Band brass sound to create a unique amalgam. Four of the six tracks present music composed by Evans and are a great tribute to his compositional vision. The Dudziak / Goldstein duo is one of the absolute highlights of the album, featuring her idiosyncratic vocal / electronics pyrotechnics. Overall this is a great tribute to Evans´ contribution to Jazz music and a piece of history well deserved revisiting!

Updated: 12/09/2019Posted: 12/09/2019

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

FUNK FACTORY ~ FUNK FACTORY WOUNDED BIRD 0116 (Barcode: 664140011625) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1975 Released: 2007 1st and only album by a one-time recording project organized by the brilliant Polish Jazz musician Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and his wife Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, following their move to the USA and after recording of several exquisite albums for the Columbia label. The album is to a large extent a cheek-in-tongue joke by Urbaniak in response to the "accusations" by his fellow American colleagues, that Eastern European musicians are not "funky". Here we have a proof that Urbaniak and his cohorts can play Funk as well as any American musician, and perhaps even better, as his Funk is so much more sophisticated and multilayered than anything else recorded in that style. Together with Urbaniak and Dudziak a couple of two other talented Polish musicians also take part in this project: virtuoso keyboardist Wlodek GulgowskiFind albums by this artist and singer Bernard KafkaFind albums by this artist, founder and leader of the superb Polish vocal group NOVIFind albums by this artist. In addition to the four Poles, a sensational American rhythm section was assembled, with bassists Anthony JacksonFind albums by this artist and Tony LevinFind albums by this artist, drummers Steve GaddFind albums by this artist and Gerald BrownFind albums by this artist and guitarists Barry FinnertyFind albums by this artist and John AbercrombieFind albums by this artist. Urbaniak burns his electric violin with the usual passion and virtuosity and Dudziak performs magic with her voice. The music was all written by Urbaniak, Gulgowski and Kafka, so here we have Polish Funk, which funks away all that´s funky. Although completely obscure, this is a great album, which hopefully can now be discovered by a wider audience after being reissued on CD. A must for all Polish Jazz enthusiasts!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

ANNA GADT ~ MYSTERIUM LUNAE HEVHETIA 0170 (Barcode: 8588005258326) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2017 - 2018 Released: 2018 This is the fifth album by Polish vocalist / composer Anna GadtFind albums by this artist and her second cooperation with the fabulous Polish piano trio RGGFind albums by this artist, which comprises of pianist Lukasz OjdanaFind albums by this artist, bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Krzysztof GradziukFind albums by this artist. Cellist Annemie OsborneFind albums by this artist from Luxembourg is the guest artist. The album presents seventeen pieces some of which incorporate four poems written by the Polish / Jewish poet Boleslaw LesmianFind albums by this artist, but most feature only wordless vocalese. Nine of the pieces were composed by Gadt, one each by Ojdana and Garbowski and the remaining six are improvisations. The album was recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, with the usual superb sound quality. From the very onset of the album it is obvious that this is her most ambitious effort so far, mostly improvised and full of complex melodic themes, which last sometimes only for a brief moment before being transformed into another improvised passage. With wordless vocalese dominating the proceedings, this is perhaps the boldest step in Polish vocal Jazz since decades, bridging the void stretching over forty years into the past, when Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist created her revolutionary vocal experiments in the early 1970s. Gadt is exceedingly fortunate to develop the collaboration with RGG, who are one of the most open minded and technically proficient Polish ensembles able to match her vision, which as a result goes way beyond accompaniment and becomes a fully integrated musical creation. The piano trio also moves consistently over time towards more open formats and Improvised Music, and proves to be a most amicable companion to Gadt, which is fully demonstrated herein. It is also very satisfying to see Gadt embarking upon the ambitious and highly aesthetic Jazz & Poetry idiom, especially in view of the fact that a century old poems are able to become a part of today´s Avant Garde, alive and kicking, timeless and penetrating. Words and sounds combined are able to build highly complex and intricate intellectual structures, which can be, when properly executed like in this case, more potent than simply the sum of their ingredients. Overall this is a brilliant piece of contemporary music, fascinating, exciting and challenging, which is a sublime proof of the fact that music knows no limits and there is always a way to step beyond the horizon. My sincere thanks to the musicians involved, not only for the intellectual pleasure their music bestows upon the listener, but primarily for keeping the ray of hope alight in a word full of mediocre darkness. Hats off Milady and Gents!

Updated: 17/12/2018Posted: 20/03/2018

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MARIA JOAO / AKI TAKASE ~ LOOKING FOR LOVE ENJA 5075 ~ PORTUGAL ~ Jazz Absolutely amazing album by Portugese vocalist Maria JoaoFind albums by this artist and Japanese pianist Aki TakaseFind albums by this artist, recorded live in Germany. The two great female Jazz performers present an unforgetable experience and breathtaking technigue. Joao`s unique vocal style reminds closly the amazing and pioneering work done by Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist and other superb singers, stretching the boundaries of vocal Jazz.

Updated: 03/08/2019Posted:

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

GRZEGORZ KARNAS ~ SNY DEBIES 002 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2002 - 2004 Released: 2004 This is the second album by Polish Jazz vocalist / composer / arranger Grzegorz KarnasFind albums by this artist, one of the most unique and talented representatives of the young generation of the local Jazz scene. Born in the southern Polish province of Upper Silesia, Karnas graduated form the Jazz Institute at the Katowice Academy of Music, where a large percentage of the young Polish Jazz musicians get their initial graduate education. His debut album "ReinkarnasjaFind albums with this title", released in 2000, created quite a stir on the local scene and immediately established him as one of the most significant newcomers. He is accompanied on this album by a superb team of excellent players: pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist (who plays the Fender electric piano here rather than his usual acoustic piano), guitarist Damian KuraszFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Sebastian FrankiewiczFind albums by this artist. In addition several guest artists also participate: legendary veteran saxophonist Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Jerzy MalekFind albums by this artist, cellist Adam OlesFind albums by this artist (a future close collaborator, who also hails from Silesia), vocalist Patrycja GolaFind albums by this artist and congas player Bogusz WekkaFind albums by this artist. The album consists of twelve pieces, ten of which were written (music & lyrics) by Karnas, one was co-written by Karnas and Oles and one is a standard. Karnas wrote all the arrangements, which are quite unusual and beautifully atmospheric. Of course Karnas´ vocal performances are the focal point of the album, but his ability to involve all these wonderful players to become an integral part of the overall result is absolutely astounding. Szukalski plays wonderfully here, but for me Tokaj and his incredible electric piano phrasing are the cherry on the cake. Karnas is a unique vocalist, a power of Nature. Although many of the tricks of the trade he so skillfully utilizes can be traced back to other great vocalists, like the great Bobby McFerrinFind albums by this artist and the Polish diva Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, but he is truly original. First and foremost he completely disregards any conventions, allowing himself a total freedom as far as his vocal expressions are concerned. Regardless if he sings lyrics, vocalese, scat or just utters sounds from his throat, there are no rules involved. His pronunciation of the lyrics is completely off the wall and probably would give his primary school Polish language teacher a heart attack, but the effect is overwhelming. He also twists the melody any way he wants and his disregard of "proper" timing is simply scandalous; and yet all these elements put together create an amalgam, which is just so beautiful and intelligent, that any experienced music connoisseur simply melts away. Vocal Jazz or more exactly interesting and challenging vocal Jazz is unfortunately a rarity on contemporary Jazz scene and therefore any Artists of the level presented by Karnas is a most welcome addition. People who truly love music will love this music immediately and unconditionally. Not to be missed!

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

BOGNA KICINSKA ~ THE MAZE SURCA 002 (Barcode: 5907796319574) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by the Polish (resident in NY) Jazz vocalist Bogna KicinskaFind albums by this artist, recorded with a core quartet comprised of violinist Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Kuba CichockiFind albums by this artist, bassist Edward PerezFind albums by this artist and drummer Colin StranahanFind albums by this artist. Electric bass player John BenitezFind albums by this artist plays on two tracks replacing the regular bassist, and a string quartet is utilized on two other tracks. The album includes nine tracks, five of which are originals by Kicinska (only one of those includes lyrics) and the remaining four are standards. I approach albums by Polish vocalists with an almost pathological fear of the dreaded "English vocals sung by non-native English speakers" syndrome, which for many years time after time consistently proves to be a failure, sometimes of catastrophic proportions. The exceptions are few and far between, and luckily this album manages to slip into the class of exceptions, which does not mean that the English vocals work – they simply don´t. But there is enough merit on this album to make it interesting and the English vocals are after all the less significant ingredient of the entire package. What does work wonderfully is the fact that Kicinska uses her vocals as an instrument, singing scat and vocalese, which combined with the excellent instrumental backing, works out wonders. She emerges as a very interesting composer and arranger, with her original compositions being the highlight of this album musically and her arrangements of the standards being very original, non-trivial and intricate. She combines wonderfully her Polish roots by using folkloristic themes and mixing them with other elements, most importantly Jazz improvisation. With the violin behind her, these originals bring fond recollections of the work done by Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist four decades earlier. Considering the fact that four of her five original compositions do not involve lyrics at all and concentrate on vocal explorations is very promising and hopefully shows the way towards the future. The two Polish players on this album: Smoczynski, who is a violin virtuoso and swings like hell and Cichocki, who is a delicate poetic player yet also swings magnificently, both support the vocalist intelligently and elegantly. The rhythm section is accommodating and handles the sometimes complex tempi changes well, but remains in the background without leaving a very strong impression. Overall this is a very promising debut, full of potential and holding many promising developments in the future. Just skip the lyrics (and the standards) next time and you will get far girl. Thanks for the thrills and keep doing your thing!

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA ~ KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA W POLSKIM RADIU VOL.05 – MUZYKA BALETOWA I FILMOWA - CZESC DRUGA POLSKIE RADIO 1865 (Barcode: 5907812248659) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1961 - 1964 Released: 2015 This is the fifth installment in a new series of albums launched by the Polish Radio, which presents radio recordings by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer / bandleader Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. Komeda is of course the most familiar name associated with Polish Jazz and his legacy is of crucial importance to Polish and European Jazz. Considering the fact that Komeda´s studio recordings are relatively scarce, the radio recordings are in fact the main source of his recorded legacy, as they include among others the Jazz Jamboree festival appearances by Komeda and his various ensembles over the years. Eight of the ten tracks on this album were recorded between 1961 and 1964 during the forth to seventh edition of the seminal Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw, this collection showcases legendary Komeda ensembles (quintet / trio), which in many respects were the quintessential vehicles, which presented Komeda´s music at its pinnacle. Two additional tracks were recorded in the Polish Radio Studio, both featuring vocals, the second of which is especially interesting as it presents an early recording by vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist. The musicians, besides Komeda of course, include top Polish Jazz musicians at the time: trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, bassists Maciej SuzinFind albums by this artist and Roman DylagFind albums by this artist, drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, vocalist Wanda WarskaFind albums by this artist and others, as well as Swedish musicians: saxophonist Bernt RosengrenFind albums by this artist and drummer Rune CarlssonFind albums by this artist. The music is of course selected to reflect Komeda´s involvement with composing music for cinema, theatre and ballet. A few bonus tracks are also added, which are not connected with the above, but present rarely heard Komeda´s recording. Overall this is a collection of excellent Jazz music, superbly performed, which is an absolute delight to anybody who loves Jazz. It is a fundamental piece of every decent Polish Jazz record collection, especially in the case of the younger generation of listeners, which is just getting acquainted with the enormous legacy of Polish Jazz. The recordings are splendidly restored and remastered and nicely packaged in an elegant digipak / slipcase. Dates, places and lineups are faithfully included and even personal liner notes by Polish Jazz critic Filip KosinskiFind albums by this artist are present, but there is no in-depth background material about Komeda and his music, however considering the plentitude of published material and several excellent books on the subject, an intelligent listener can easily bridge the knowledge gap. The only small reservation one might have is the fact that these recordings have been already released many times, more or less legally on the somewhat untamed Polish music market, which means they is already owned by the serious Polish Jazz collectors, probably more than once.

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NATALIA KORDIAK ~ BAJKA HEVHETIA 0194 (Barcode: 8588005258708) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist Natalia KordiakFind albums by this artist recorded in a quintet setting with saxophonist Przemyslaw ChmielFind albums by this artist, pianist Mateusz KolakowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Alan WykpiszFind albums by this artist and drummer Grzegorz PalkaFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Kordiak, two of which feature lyrics (one by Polish poetess / playwright Maria Pawlikowska-JasnorzewskaFind albums by this artist and the other by Kordiak) and the rest feature wordless vocalese. The album was recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Michal WasylFind albums by this artist, and offers a superb sound quality. A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to hear Kordiak sing live in Katowice as a member of the First Was The VoiceFind albums by this artist vocal ensemble conducted and directed by my friend the fabulous Anna GadtFind albums by this artist, which should have prepared me for what I was about to hear on this album, but now I have to admit that probably nothing could have really prepared anybody for what this album offers. This is simply the Polish Jazz vocal album I have been dreaming about for the last half a Century, since Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist appeared on the Polish Jazz scene and revolutionized the approach to vocal Jazz not only in Poland but worldwide. Kordiak treats her voice as an instrument and her vocalese explorations are simply unbounded by any previously set limitations, conventions or boundaries. Her singing is completely intuitive and her sense of melody is so open and free that the music becomes completely boundless and unconventional. Each of the tunes offers a melodic theme, but the vocal and instrumental improvisations move freely beyond the sketched horizons into the unknown and unexpected, which happens extremely rarely and immediately pushes this music into the "high sphere" of Jazz aesthetics. The instrumentalists do a magnificent job on this album, with the most important task always before their eyes: do not disturb the vocals. Each of these players is able to play exquisitely as a soloist but this album sets a textbook example of respect and supportive role by the instrumentalists, who are clearly heard within the delicate fabric of the music, but never overshadow the vocal parts even for one moment. The rhythm section of Wykpisz and Palka, which is certainly phenomenal on its own, offers here a magnificent assistance to the vocals, often just in a trio settings. Kolakowski, who deserves a much wider recognition that he enjoys in Poland at the moment, is a key element which makes this music what it is, playing absolutely stunningly and beautifully free, which is amazing considering his Classical Music upbringing and education. Chmiel, also relatively anonymous, offers some stunning saxophone parts, which immediately put him alongside the most respected names on the Polish scene. In short this is a true dream team and Kordiak was extremely fortunate to record this album with these magnificent musicians at her side. Polish vocal Jazz has been struggling in the last decades to produce anything as artistically and aesthetically valuable as the output it managed to offer time after time in modern instrumental European Jazz, which won it an international acclaim. Sadly Polish vocal Jazz got stuck mostly in imitating rather that inventing, with the ever present obsession of singing English lyrics, more often than not with appalling results. Therefore, although obviously hardly politically correct, the most accurate compliment I can think of under these circumstances is to say that Kordiak emerged here as someone with truly "big-balls", setting everything aside and doing her own thing. I am not surprised that Kordiak comes from under the wings of the above mentioned Anna Gadt, who is a true revolutionary Artist and obviously also and Educator. Considering the fact that Kordiak is still a student, God only knows what she is capable of in the future and I can’t wait to find out. And yes, now I know what my best Polish Jazz album for 2019 will be on my list ;) Thank you for a true fairytale my Dear!

Updated: 13/12/2019Posted: 13/12/2019

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JANA KOUBKOVA ~ BOSA GALEN 19 148 (Barcode: 8594042901576) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Jazz Recorded: 1985 Released: 2019 This is a reissue of a wonderful album by Czech Jazz vocalist Jana KoubkovaFind albums by this artist, which is basically a solo vocal recording using multi-tracked voice and a plethora of magnificent vocalese paraphernalia, with a limited instrumental accompaniment supplied mainly by percussion Master Alan VitousFind albums by this artist (yes the brother of Miroslav VitousFind albums by this artist) and involving also pianists Karel RuzickaFind albums by this artist and Zdenek KalhousFind albums by this artist, bassists Alexej CharvatFind albums by this artist and Vit FialaFind albums by this artist and a few others playing percussion instruments as well as a chorus adding "background noises". The album presents seven original compositions by Koubkova and a medley of songs by Antonio Carlos Jobim, which is the title track. This remastered edition offers superb sound quality. The music is an absolute revelation, showing the infinite musical potential achievable by using the human voice in an instrumental capacity. Obviously somewhat similar to the work by other Jazz vocalist exploring this direction like Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, Lauren NewtonFind albums by this artist and others, Koubkova´s approach is unique in many ways, not only because of the use of percussion accompaniment but also vocally and conceptually. It is perhaps less Avant-Garde oriented than what the a.m. vocalists demonstrated and more melodic, but surely not less challenging or innovative. This album is an important instructional tool for contemporary young Jazz vocalists, who sadly rarely take a step beyond the beaten tracks of standard vocal approach, repeating the tradition ad nauseam rather than exploring new possibilities. It appears that there is much to be learned from the past. The album also demonstrates the incredibly high level of musicianship behind the Iron Curtain, which despite the hardships of censorship and political domination of the Socialist regime managed to flourish, often not less impressively then what was happening in the West. Czechoslovakia and Poland led the evolution / revolution of the European Jazz idiom in Eastern Europe and produced a monumental body of recorded music over time, and contained to do so after the liberation from the Socialist shackles, with a vengeance. Side Note The Czech publishing house and record label GalenFind albums on this label, run by Lubomir HoudekFind albums by this artist, is another player on the local scene, reissuing historical recordings from the deep vaults of the SupraphonFind albums on this label / PantonFind albums on this label labels, supported by the Czech Ministry of Culture. This commendable initiative is a wonderful example of the preservation of Cultural heritage. Hopefully the label's future releases will include information in English in the album's booklets, so that Jazz enthusiasts around the world might be allowed to share the knowledge. For more reissues of Czechoslovak Jazz (and Rock) see also the releases by Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records.

Updated: 01/06/2020Posted: 01/06/2020

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MIRKA KRIVANKOVA / JIRI STIVIN ~ ZRCADLENI (REFLECTIONS) GALEN 19 149 (Barcode: 8594042901583) ~ CZECH REPUBLIC ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 1982 - 1984 Released: 2019 This is a reissue of the wonderful debut album by the Czech vocalist Mirka KrivankovaFind albums by this artist recorded with a trio led by flautist / saxophonist / composer Jiri StivinFind albums by this artist with bassist Ondrej SoukupFind albums by this artist and drummer Alan VitousFind albums by this artist. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Stivin. The musical approach of this album is completely innovative, treating the vocals as an instrument and finds Krivankova performing wordless vocalese and improvising vis-à-vis Stivin or soloing, supported amicably by the rhythm section. Although based on pre-composed sketches, the music is mostly freely improvised and very open, both harmonically and rhythmically. Each side of the original LP combines five pieces into a two cycles titled "Odrazy (Reflections)" and "Doteky (Contacts)" respectively, which refer to the different moods prevailing on each side. Krivankova debuted as vocalist with the Fusion group Ch.A.S.A.Find albums by this artist and her vocal performances with that group were already quite extraordinary almost a decade before this album was recorded. With time her vocals became more refined and minimalist, and clearly more Avant-Garde oriented, as this album perfectly reflects. She remains stylistically close to the early work by Polish vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist. Of course Stivin is clearly the musical instigator and anchor of this music, being way more than a faithful companion to Krivankova but rather a fully equal partner behind this album. His wonderful performances on a plethora of instruments, each ideally suited to the mood of every specific piece are masterly worked out. Soukup and Vitous also contribute their individual input with elegance and grace. The overall effect of party composed and partly Improvised Music is absolutely enchanting. Overall this is an important piece of the musical puzzle of East European Jazz and a significant historical document of the Czech scene, which is surely worth investigating. For Improvised Music connoisseurs and lovers of East European Jazz this album is an absolute must! Side Note The Czech publishing house and record label GalenFind albums on this label, run by Lubomir HoudekFind albums by this artist, is another player on the local scene, reissuing historical recordings from the deep vaults of the SupraphonFind albums on this label / PantonFind albums on this label labels, supported by the Czech Ministry of Culture. This commendable initiative is a wonderful example of the preservation of Cultural heritage. Hopefully the label's future releases will include information in English in the album's booklets, so that Jazz enthusiasts around the world might be allowed to share the knowledge. For more reissues of Czechoslovak Jazz (and Rock) see also the releases by Indies Happy TrailsFind albums on this label Records.

Updated: 07/06/2020Posted: 07/06/2020

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AGNIESZKA MACIASZCZYK ~ IN SEARCH OF NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz vocalist Agnieszka MaciaszczykFind albums by this artist recorded with a quartet comprising of pianist Michal CiesielskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Szymon LukowskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Michal BakFind albums by this artist and drummer Przemyslaw JaroszFind albums by this artist - all four prominent upcoming representatives of the young Polish Jazz scene. The album presents seven original compositions, all co-credited to Maciaszczyk and Ciesielski, although in a short online conversation I conducted with her Maciaszczyk credited the entire crew for arranging and co-creating the music, except the one song, which she composed and wrote the English lyrics for and one other track which was entirely composed by Ciesielski. All the six compositions, other than the song, feature wordless vocalese by Maciaszczyk. The music was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist, with usual as always superb sound quality. The music and the entire artistic concept of this album is quite unusual and unique, since as already stated, the focus here is on wordless vocalese rather than on songs, which use lyrics (with one exception). As I have already stated repeatedly, most young Polish Jazz vocalist make the tragic mistake of insisting to sing in English, which in most cases ends up in a fiasco. I also often say that it would have been better if they used wordless vocalese instead. I have no idea if Maciaszczyk ever read any of my record reviews and took my advice or arrived at this conclusion on her own, but the result is exactly what I had in mind and now I can use this album as an example. The vocalist uses her voice like an instrument and becomes an integral part of the resulting quintet, something great Jazz vocalist, including the sublime Polish vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, pioneered already five decades ago. I was a bit surprised that Maciaszczyk decided to use only acoustic vocals and chose not to use electronic enhancements, but that is of course entirely her own decision and a future option. The courage to choose the path less travelled by is of course admirable. The four instrumentalists all perform superbly here, as expected. Ciesielski builds up most of the melodic and harmonic layer, accompanying the vocalist amicably and with great sensitivity. Lukowski is less dominant but adds some hair-rising parts, especially those played on the bass clarinet. The rhythm section is also absolutely first class, handling the often devilishly tricky odd rhythmic patterns and quirky tempi changes with flair and elegance. The ensemble performance is absolutely second to none. Overall this is a stunning debut, full of intelligent music and superb performances by these excellent musicians. The music might be a tad difficult at first hearing, but open minded listeners are sure to fall in love with this music at some point, as it offers a new perspective on vocal Jazz in contemporary young European Jazz, an event that happens only very rarely. Wholeheartedly recommended to all serious vocal Jazz connoisseurs and thanks to the talented minds behind this music! Chapeau bas!

Updated: 28/09/2019Posted: 28/09/2019

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ADAM MAKOWICZ ~ UNIT (POLISH JAZZ VOL. 35) WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190296509773 (Barcode: 190296509773) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1973 Released: 2022 This is a reissue / remaster of the debut album as a leader by the Polish Jazz pianist / composer Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded in a duo setting with drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist and presents ten tracks, eight of which are original compositions by Makowicz, one is co-composed with Bartkowski and one is a standard. At the time the album was recorded both Makowicz and Bartkowski were members of the group led by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, which also included Urbaniak’s wife, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist. Makowicz and Dudziak recorded, just four months before this album was recorded, the legendary duo album “Newborn LightFind albums with this title”, which was later also released in the US by ColumbiaFind albums on this label, paving Makowicz career across the pond, where he moved in 1977, first to NY and later to Toronto. Makowicz is the only Polish Jazz musician, who managed to establish a significant career in the US, although many others tried to do so over the years. Makowicz was always deeply rooted in the American Jazz tradition and his music stayed mostly within the mainstream idiom, emphasizing the melodic approach. His stint with Urbaniak was, in retrospect, the most adventurous period of his career. A piano / drums duo was quite an innovative and daring idea at the time, and remains a rare bird to this very days, with just a few recordings capturing such a cooperation. There is no doubt that in this case the stars were smiling upon these two musicians, and the music they recorded still sounds innovative and interesting, despite the five decades that passed since. With Bartkowski celebrating his 80th Birthday just a couple of days ago and both of them still alive and playing music, this reissue is a nice reminder of their early work. Overall, as all the albums in the Polish Jazz series, this is an important document of the development of the genre against all odds. A great example of the “Art of the Duo” idiom and definitely an album worthy of honorable position in every serious Jazz collection, certainly a must for Polish Jazz enthusiasts. Side Note The iconic "Polish Jazz" series of recordings, originally released between 1965 and 1989 by the Polish state owned record company Polskie NagraniaFind albums on this label, which used the MuzaFind albums on this label label as its moniker, consists of seventy six LP albums. It presents the history of Polish Jazz recordings during that period, which includes some of the most important Polish / European modern Jazz milestones and reflects the extraordinary development of Jazz music behind the Iron Curtain. It is one of the most important historic documents of Polish Music and of course Polish Culture in general. The series had an eminent logo designed by Roslaw Szaybo and the albums were numbered sequentially from Vol.1 to Vol.76 accordingly. The album's artwork was wonderfully stylish and modernist, featuring the brilliant photographs and characteristic design by the legendary Polish Artist Marek Karewicz. Stylistically the series presented all Jazz genres, from Traditional Jazz to Avant-Garde / Free Jazz, which was extraordinarily liberal considering the cultural censorship imposed by the Socialist Regime. It suffered from some inconsistency, as far as the musical quality and aesthetics were concerned, as well as the internal "politics" of the Polish Jazz scene at the time, but in retrospect it achieved a spectacular overall result, unparalleled as far as consistently documenting a national Jazz scene is concerned. After the Polskie Nagrania catalogue was bought by Warner Music PolandFind albums on this label, the new owner started a reissue process of the Polish Jazz series, carefully remastered, repackaged and including extensive liner notes, which keeps the artwork as close to the original design as possible. So far forty four volumes of the original series were reissued. In 2016 Warner Music Poland decided to continue the original series by releasing new contemporary Polish Jazz recordings under the same format and even to continue the sequential numbering starting with Vol.77 – a decision I personally consider almost sacrilegious. Some things are simply untouchable, and the "Polish Jazz" series is surely one of those things. If Warner Music Poland wants to produce Jazz albums, which is always more than welcome, they could have started a new series, under a new title, rather than exploiting the reputation of the historic series. As a result, some artist whose albums are released as part of the new series might be led to expect instant gratification, fame and stardom, just for being an artificial part of a prestigious past, which of course is as bogus as it is sad.

Updated: 23/04/2023Posted: 21/04/2023

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MARIPOSA ~ EFEKT MOTYLA NOT ON LABEL ~ POLAND ~ Afro-Cuban Music Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 This is the debut album by Polish vocalist / songwriter MariposaFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Asia PyrekFind albums by this artist), recorded at the legendary EGREM Studio in Havana, Cuba, where many of the stellar Afro-Cuban albums by such luminaries as IrakereFind albums by this artist, Chucho ValdesFind albums by this artist, Gonzalo RubalcabaFind albums by this artist, Arturo SandovalFind albums by this artist and others were recorded. She is accompanied by some top Cuban instrumentalists which results in the album offering an authentic Afro-Cuban sound and ambience. Polish vocal Diva Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album presents thirteen original songs, all composed by Mariposa and featuring her lyrics in the Polish language. The music is all pure Afro-Cuban grooves and the resemblance to original Afro-Cuban Music is so effective that it is almost hard to imagine that this album was written and performed by a Polish artist. Of course all the arrangements and the instrumental work were done by bona fide Cuban musicians, but Mariposa´s ability to fit in that environment is truly remarkable. In retrospect this is the only Polish album ever recorded which offers authentic Afro-Cuban Music. The vocal parts are not particularly spectacular, but of course they don´t need to be in this idiom, it is more the feel and ability to ride the grove that matters in this case. The vocal solos by Dudziak are a very clever move and they are absolutely delightful, as are those by Cuban opera singer who also adds her voice to the proceedings on one track. Mariposa´s texts are intelligent and touch upon a diverse and non-trivial collection of subjects, which she very able puts into words. Her decision to use Polish lyrics is absolutely commendable and proves my claim that it is possible to sing in Polish in every musical environment. I´d hate to hear this album sung with a poor Spanish or English pronunciation. Overall this is an absolutely delightful Afro-Cuban Music album, which every fan of this music should be able to enjoy, even those who are not native Polish speakers. The instrumental parts, the brass and the rhythm arrangements simply move your buttocks either you want it or not and an absolutely good time is had by all. Obviously a result of heartfelt personal involvement and love of music by the author, this album is a bomb of energy and good time, sometimes with a teardrop in one´s eye. Well done indeed!

Updated: 22/11/2019Posted: 22/11/2019

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LAUREN NEWTON ~ FILIGREE HATOLOGY 519 (Barcode: 752156051923) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 1982 Released: 1998 American born but resident in Europe vocalist / composer Lauren NewtonFind albums by this artist is undoubtedly one of the most important innovators of the modern vocal idiom in Jazz and Improvised Music. After moving to Europe from her native Oregon, she became a founding member of the legendary Vienna Art OrchestraFind albums by this artist and later joined forces with other vocal innovators: Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist (from Poland), Jeanne LeeFind albums by this artist (from the US but also active in Europe), Jay ClaytonFind albums by this artist and Bobby McFerrinFind albums by this artist (both from the US) forming the legendary vocal ensemble Vocal SummitFind albums by this artist in 1982. This album is a long overdue reissue of her debut recording, initially released under the title "TimbreFind albums with this title". Accompanied by vibraphonist David FriedmanFind albums by this artist, bassist Thomas StabenowFind albums by this artist and drummer Manfred KnielFind albums by this artist, Newton delivers a breathtaking set of her own compositions, using her completely unique vocal and improvisational techniques. The reissue also adds a most valuable and excellent bonus track. The overall effect of this music is absolutely overwhelming and for me raises precious memories of hearing her perform both with the Vienna Art Orchestra and Vocal Summit, as well as our conversations together. Don´t miss the opportunity of this gem being available again, probably for a short while. Wholeheartedly recommended to all open-minded listeners!

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NOVI ~ FIVE, FOUR, THREE GAD 025 (Barcode: 5901549197310) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1974 - 1975 Released: 2015 This is a reissue of the fifth album by the Polish Jazz vocal ensemble NOVIFind albums by this artist, recorded after the ensemble´s founder / leader / primary composer / arranger Bernard KawkaFind albums by this artist left Poland for the greener pastures of the Big Apple, following a whole wave of his compatriots, like Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist and others. Kawka´s departure seemed to have little impact on the remaining three members of the ensemble: Ewa WanatFind albums by this artist, Janusz MychFind albums by this artist and Waldemar ParzynskiFind albums by this artist. They immediately embarked upon the recording of this album, which as usual included original material, composed by Parzynski (seven of the nine compositions on this album) and Mych (the other two compositions). Three of the compositions included also lyrics (in English). The ensemble was accompanied by an instrumental combo, which featured top Polish Jazz musicians: keyboardist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, guitarist Marek BlizinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel JarzebskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, and the Polish Radio Jazz Studio OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Jan Ptaszyn WroblewskiFind albums by this artist. In addition to the original album, this remastered edition includes four bonus tracks, two of which feature the vocalist Tomasz OchalskiFind albums by this artist, who expanded the ensemble to the original quartet lineup for a brief period. The original album was released only three years after it was recorded, which was an example of how political bureaucracy dictated the fate of musicians behind the Iron Curtain. Musically this album was a continuation of the fantastic work they did on the previous releases, but the stress of loosing their leader and the confusion that followed is pretty obvious. The selection of material and inclusion of songs is obviously a step towards commercialism, but the album still presents several top-notch numbers, beautifully and skillfully executed, which stand up to par with their earlier work. But overall the glory days of NOVI were over and although they would record a couple of additional albums, they were moving further away from the revolutionary and innovative vocal achievements of their early days. Considering the fact that this music has been unavailable for such a long time this is definitely another project by GADFind albums on this label Records, which deserves to be praised. NOVI fans will find this an indispensable part of their collection and hopefully we will get a complete set of NOVI reissues sometime in the future.

Updated: 13/10/2016Posted:

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KRZYSZTOF SADOWSKI ~ NA KOSMODROMIE GAD 030 (Barcode: 5901549197389) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1972 Released: 2015 This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the second album by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist recorded with an ensemble called Organ GroupFind albums by this artist, which also included flautist / vocalist Liliana UrbanskaFind albums by this artist, Dutch trumpeter Eddie EngelsFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Wlodzimierz NahornyFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Pawel DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Tomasz ButowttFind albums by this artist and congas player Jozef GawrychFind albums by this artist. This album was not released at the time as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series, for reasons that are way beyond the scope of this text. The original album included only six tracks, the first of which gave the album its title and was a twenty minutes long six parts suite originally found on side A of the LP. The five tracks on side B were all much shorter. All the compositions were originals, four composed by Sadowski and one each by Nahorny and Engels. This remastered reissue adds three bonus tracks recorded at the Polish Radio. By the time this album was released the Polish Jazz scene was in a state of upheaval, torn between two extremes: Free Jazz on one side and Jazz-Rock Fusion on the other. Strangely this album presents a bit of both, since although conceptually belonging to the Jazz-Rock Fusion genre it features a few Free Form solos. Obviously Sadowski was shifting his organ playing stylistics from the traditional influences (Jimmy SmithFind albums by this artist) towards (then) contemporary keyboard approach represented by Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist or Weather ReportFind albums by this artist´s Joe ZawinulFind albums by this artist. The use of vocalese, which was one of the trademarks of Polish Jazz at the time, utilized extensively by Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist in Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist´s ensemble, is only one of the parallels between these two pioneering Fusion bands active at the time. The space exploration, which seems a bit strange as a subject matter of a Jazz album, was at the time one of the main pillars of the Socialist propaganda, which excitedly participated in the space race between USSR and USA, with an obvious winning side. Picking such a subject increased of course significantly the possibility to have one´s music released by the State controlled solitary record company in existence at the time in Poland (Polskie Nagrania). In retrospect the albums is a great document of the time at which it was recorded, proving that in spite of the relative separation from what was happing beyond the Iron Curtain, Polish Jazz was responding rapidly to the changes in the Jazz idiom, often with ferocity and ingenuity, which were impossible to hold back by the political regime. As usual it is my duty to thank GADFind albums on this label Records for taking care of the Polish Jazz heritage, who is sadly a lonely rider on that trail. This superb music definitely needs to be fondly remembered and discovered by new generations!

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KRZYSZTOF SADOWSKI ~ THREE THOUSANDS POINTS (POLISH JAZZ VOL.47) GAD 031 (Barcode: 5901549197396) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 - 1997 Released: 2015 This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the third album by Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Krzysztof SadowskiFind albums by this artist recorded with an ensemble called Organ GroupFind albums by this artist, which also included flautist / vocalist Liliana UrbanskaFind albums by this artist, saxophonists Vesselin NikolovFind albums by this artist and Tomasz SzukalskiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Winicjusz ChrostFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Wojciech BruslikFind albums by this artist, drummers Zbigniew KitlinskiFind albums by this artist and Wojciech MorawskiFind albums by this artist and finally percussionists Andrzej ZielinskiFind albums by this artist and Bozena BruszewskaFind albums by this artist. The reason for the long lineup is the fact that the album was recorded during two separate sessions with two different lineups. This album was released at the time as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series (as Vol.47) and included originally only four tracks, the first of which gave the album its title and was a twenty one minutes long suite originally found on side A of the LP. The three tracks on side B were shorter and spanned between three to nine minutes in duration. Two of the compositions were originals, both composed by Sadowski; one was a Keith JarrettFind albums by this artist tune and one was a Classical piece. This remastered reissue adds three bonus tracks recorded at the Polish Radio. The music on this album shows Sadowski at full swing as a Jazz-Rock Fusion musician, firmly based in the Fusion idiom, which was pretty well established by then both on the Polish scene and abroad. He expands his arsenal and uses electric piano and early synthesizer (ring modulator) gadgets. The flute parts are more daring and the vocalese more developed, clearly following the work of Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist. Nikolov adds a tinge of Balkan spice and Szukalski blows away like only he could, touching upon Free at times. The rhythmic support is very Rock oriented and the overall sound and feel of the music resembles to some extent the best Fusion ensembles active in the West but maintains an East European identity both harmonically and melodically. In retrospect the album is a great document of the time at which it was recorded, proving that in spite of the relative separation from what was happing beyond the Iron Curtain, Polish Jazz was responding rapidly to the changes in the Jazz idiom, often with ferocity and ingenuity, which were impossible to hold back by the political regime. The grammar mistake in the English version of the title (preserved for historic consistency) is a nice reminder of Socialist bureaucracy (an insider´s joke). As usual it is my duty to thank GADFind albums on this label Records for taking care of the Polish Jazz heritage, who is sadly a lonely rider on that trail. This superb music definitely needs to be fondly remembered and discovered by new generations!

CD 1 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend

SAXOFOUR & MARIA JOAO ~ CINCO ATS 0744 (Barcode: 9005216007448) ~ AUSTRIA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2004 Released: 2011 This is a stunning album by the Austrian saxophone quartet SaxofourFind albums by this artist, which consists of Florian BrambockFind albums by this artist, Klaus DickbauerFind albums by this artist, Christian MaurerFind albums by this artist and Wolfgang PuschingFind albums by this artist, who between them play soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet and flute. On this album they combine forces with the wonderful Portuguese vocalist Maria JoaoFind albums by this artist. The album presents twelve compositions, seven of which are by the great Portuguese pianist / composer Mario LaginhaFind albums by this artist, five are by the quartet members and one is a standard. Joao wrote the lyrics to three of the compositions. All the music was arranged by the quartet members. The music is an orgy of creativity and spontaneity, combining the exquisite sound created by the saxophone quartet with the extraordinary vocal pyrotechnics of Joao. Although seemingly lacking any rhythmic support, this music is full of polyrhythmic complexity, combining the familiar Jazz setting with the exotic South European vivacity. The saxophone quartet is capable of producing a rich and complex soundscape, combining the four individual instruments into an almost symphonic sound environment. The articulation and sophistication of these four superb musicians seems to have absolutely no limits. Joao is of course a living legend, one of the most original and forward thinking European Jazz personas, and most significantly one of the sublime vocal Jazz pioneers, who defined the contemporary role of human voice in Jazz, together with a small and exclusive group of other European female vocalists like Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, Lauren NewtonFind albums by this artist, Jeanne LeeFind albums by this artist and a few others. The twelve pieces on this album are all absolute gems with no weak moments whatsoever. The quartet weaves layers of melodic background, spiced with exciting improvisations, and Joao tops the bill with her idiosyncratic vocalese, which is so inventive and refined that it sends waves of pleasure shock down the listener´s spine. The symbiosis between the quartet and Joao is so organic and complete, that it is hard to believe this album was just a one-time cooperation. Overall the album is an exquisite example of European Jazz at its best, full of wonderful music and sublime performances, which should make even the most demanding Jazz connoisseurs completely happy. For vocal Jazz fans this is an absolute must of course, being one of the finest and most tasteful examples of musical ingenuity. Beyond essential!

Updated: 03/08/2019Posted: 03/08/2019

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

SVELIA ~ TRANSITIONS LOSEN 136 (Barcode: 7090025831362) ~ SWEDEN ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by a young Swedish / Australian ensemble SveliaFind albums by this artist, which comprises of vocalist Casey MoirFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Reuben LewisFind albums by this artist, pianist Luke SweetingFind albums by this artist, bassist Johan MoirFind albums by this artist and drummer Aidan LoweFind albums by this artist. They perform eight original compositions / songs, most of which were composed by Casey Moir, who also wrote most of the lyrics, with the exception of two songs composed by Lewis, one by Johan Moir and one by Sweeting. The music is a surprisingly unusual blend of melodic themes performed in a very free / improvised setting, with a lot of space and breathing space, directed by Casey Moir´s incredible vocal parts and dominated by the complex music she composed. She is one of the very few female vocalist, who tries to continue and keep alive the wonderful vocal Jazz tradition, which was developed decades ago by such wonderful female vocalists as Jeanne LeeFind albums by this artist, Lauren NewtonFind albums by this artist, Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist and a few others, and which has sadly almost no parallels in contemporary Jazz, even on the European scene. Casey Moir uses lyrics and vocalese, theatrical expression and on-the-fly vocal improvisations, which make the hair on the back of the listener´s neck to stand up, not only because she is so bizarre and fabulous, but mostly because she dares. The entire concept of this album and the overall impression it makes is truly amazing. But of course the vocalist is not alone out there and her companions all contribute magnificently to the overall success. Lewis plays some "nasty" trumpet parts, which would make Don Cherry smile, Sweeting delicately adds his free-Baroque ornamentations and the rhythm section, which plays anything but rhythm, completes the sound design by another dimension of freedom. Personally the more improvised the music gets, the better it gets and I don´t even dare to think what these musicians might come up with next; hopefully something even more daring and wonderfully weird than this gem of an album. Overall a stunning debut effort, which deserves praise not only for what it offers, but the sheer audacity and chutzpah, mixed with pure genius, which are so rare these days. Another great release on LosenFind albums on this label Records, which again makes me wonder where do you, Odd GjelsnesFind albums by this artist, find all these fantastic musicians?

Updated: 22/11/2016Posted: 22/11/2016

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TURNING POINT ~ CREATURES OF THE NIGHT / SILENT PROMISE VOCALION 8448 (Barcode: 765387844820) ~ UK ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1977 - 1978 Released: 2009 1st and 2nd albums by the great British Jazz-Rock Fusin ensemble Turning PointFind albums by this artist, one of the most interesting and unique phenomena of the late 1970s, formed by great bassist Jeff ClyneFind albums by this artist and vocalist Pepi LemerFind albums by this artist with saxophonist Dave TidballFind albums by this artist, pianist Brian MillerFind albums by this artist and drummer Paul RobinsonFind albums by this artist. The two albums represent the entire recorded output of the group, which disbanded following the recording of the second album as the musical scene at the time could no longer sustain ambitious music. The group´s music is a wonderful, typical British version of Jazz-Rock Fusion, which is based on clever compositions and virtuosic performances. The band had all that and more, as Lemer´s vocalese was quite unusual and the integration of the human voice as another instrument was rarely used, with the exception of Polish musicians Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist and Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist in their bands. Therefore I´ve always kept a worm spot for this band in my heart and the fact that this music was unavailable for so many years was a crying shame, now corrected by the wonderful Vocalion label. This is a must for any true lover of the British Jazz and Jazz-Rock Fusion followers, but Canterbury fans will also find this music fascinating. Most warmly recommended!

CD 2 Remastered Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK ~ ATMA UBX 1022 (Barcode: 884502405217) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1974 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of the second US album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, released originally on the ColumbiaFind albums on this label label in 1974. It was recorded by the same group of Polish musicians, who played with Urbaniak since several years: his wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, bassist Pawel JarzebskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. American percussionist Ray MantillaFind albums by this artist also took part in the recording. The album presents ten tracks, all composed by Urbaniak, including the three parts suite that gave the album its title. The music continues the development that Urbaniak presented on his recordings since the early 1970s, creating a unique Fusion of Jazz and Ethnic elements, mostly sourced from Polish Folklore. The distinctive instrumentation and the use of the idiosyncratic explosive vocals by Dudziak resulted in one of the most advanced Fusion albums of all times, which remains completely original and groundbreaking to this very day. Although Urbaniak authored all the music there is no doubt that Dudziak added a crucial element to the final result. Her vocal pyrotechnics are absolutely stunning and without those the music would have never reached the expressive power it offers. Her solo vocals / electronics track reveals her imaginative abilities, which were fully exposed on her solo album "Newborn LightFind albums with this title" recorded in 1972 and later also released in US on Columbia. There is no doubt that this music was light years ahead of its time, and being deeply based in European Jazz experimentation, which at the time of its release was almost completely misunderstood in the US, resulted in commercial failure on the US market, despite its superb musical achievement. In retrospect this album was undoubtedly the absolute peak of Urbaniak´s career, especially as a composer and pioneer of innovative music exploration. All three of the Urbaniak´s Columbia albums ("FusionFind albums with this title", "AtmaFind albums with this title" and "Fusion IIIFind albums with this title") can be combined as one of the most artistically successful album triptychs in Jazz / Fusion history. This is an absolute must to all Fusion fans the world over, now more than ever, as the genre proved to run out of steam decades ago and absolutely nothing comes even close to the quality and the electrifying powers of the music included here. Grab it as long as you can get hold of a copy! Beyond essential!

Updated: 08/09/2019Posted: 08/09/2019

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK ~ BODY ENGLISH UBX 1017 (Barcode: 5099902839325) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1976 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of the only album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist released originally on the AristaFind albums on this label label in 1976. Following Urbaniak´s departure from ColumbiaFind albums on this label after recording three albums for the label, he released just one album on the AtlanticFind albums on this label label in 1975 with a group called Funk FactoryFind albums by this artist (not bearing his name for contractual reasons) and moved on to Arista. The team that recorded the album included also his wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist and excellent young American players: keyboardist Harold WilliamsFind albums by this artist, guitarist Joe CaroFind albums by this artist, bassist Basil FearringtonFind albums by this artist and drummer Steve JordanFind albums by this artist and a few guests. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Urbaniak. Musically the album continues the direction of the Columbia and Atlantic albums, offering a unique blend of Jazz-Rock Fusion, which includes strong Polish Folklore influences in its melodic motifs. The sound is much more influenced by synthesizers than on any of the previous albums and Dudziak´s voice is much less prominent, but the stylistic similarity is consistent and easily recognizable. Urbaniak´s ability to combine Funk, Groove, Fusion and World Music influences set him apart from his contemporaries and in retrospect this album still sounds refreshing and fascinating. The most intriguing aspect of this and the earlier albums mentioned above is the fact that Urbaniak, who arrived in the US just a short while ago, is more genuinely Funky, Groovy and Swinging than any of his US contemporaries, paving the way for Jazz-World Fusion more boldly than the "natives". As such he surely deserves the credit and appreciation for his innovative spirit. For Funk and Fusion fans, this is an absolute must, a timeless album that keeps kicking the butt as forcefully as it at the time of its release over four decades ago.

Updated: 13/09/2019Posted: 11/09/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK ~ FOR WARSAW WITH LOVE AGORA 5903111493684 (Barcode: 5903111493684) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rap Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 "Jazz is (*) the music of the oppressed black working class in capitalist America". This is the slogan that enabled Polish Jazz musicians to play and flourish behind the iron curtain, when the above definition was softened following Stalin´s death (1953) from its original form, which also included "the product of the degeneration presented as" in the place of the asterisk above. Expression of solidarity by the Polish working class with the "black working class in capitalist America" was allowed by playing Jazz. Of course Polish Jazz musicians – including our hero saxophonist / violinist Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist – were never a part of the working class, but that was the beauty of the whole thing. Polish intelligentsia and the artistic bohemian class in particular, which included filmmakers, Jazz musicians, actors, poets and other undesirable riffraff, were absolute Masters in fooling the system and its censorship apparatus into believing in their legitimacy as representatives of the working class and their conformity with the official Socialist Party policies. Urbaniak and a few of Polish Jazz pioneers visited the US in 1962 and he fell head over heels in love with the "original" American Jazz. From that moment on his primary life´s desire was to move to NY and become part of the local scene, which he consistently pursued and eventually achieved in 1973, together with his wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist. His NY residency was crowned by a recording contract with Columbia and release of several brilliant and groundbreaking albums and a brief stint with the legendary Miles DavisFind albums by this artist. His talent and intensive work schedule earned him many friends among the American (and not only) musicians, which explains how he managed to get on this album a string of stars like drummer Lenny WhiteFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcus MillerFind albums by this artist, pianist Herbie HancockFind albums by this artist, guitarist David GilmoreFind albums by this artist, rapper Walter WestFind albums by this artist and others. Eventually Urbaniak, like many other Polish Jazz musicians who tried their luck in the US, returned to Poland, which in the meantime managed to free itself from the shackles of the Socialist regime, and resumed his activity on the local scene, retaining of course his NY ties. His keen senses and sharp ears enabled him to select some of the best Polish Jazz musicians, mostly members of the young generation, and invite them to take part in this project, like pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, keyboardists Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, Michal WroblewskiFind albums by this artist and Marek PedziwiatrFind albums by this artist and others. Formally this album is a tribute to the city of Warsaw, commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the tragic Warsaw Uprising against the Nazi German occupation and the album was issued by the Warsaw Uprising Museum. To be honest I completely fail to see any connection and for me this is not a tribute to Warsaw but a tribute to NY and contemporary American music scene. It offers a mixture of Rap, Hip-Hop, Groove, Blues and a bit of Jazz, with a distinct Afro-American feel, which to people familiar with Urbaniak´s current activity is hardly surprising. Most of the music is attributed to Urbaniak, but there are also two classic Jazz standards dressed up to fit with the rest of the album. And yes, it offers a lot of superb playing on the way. The album proves that Urbaniak wishes to stay relevant and up to date with contemporary trends, which is certainly more than other musicians of his group age are doing. It has a strong Jazz tinge, but certainly is not meant as a Jazz album per se; and why not? Urbaniak does not have to justify his musical choices to anybody, and his extensive legacy proves that he paid his dues and can do whatever he wants to do. The "critics", who dismissed this album outright, fail to see the point here – it is up to the musician to play what see thinks is right and it is up to the listener to decide if he wishes to listen / buy the album. Urbaniak is simply well beyond scrutiny by self proclaimed "critics" – he has been around for long enough to ignore this bullshit. It was a pleasure to meet Michal again a couple of month ago at the after party of the Singer Festival, where he gave me an autographed copy of this album. Nigel KennedyFind albums by this artist, the star of the final concert and an accomplished musician by all standards, looked at Michal with love and admiration deserved by an older Master… certainly good enough for me. Even if this music is not exactly my glass of vodka, if this is what he wants to play, who am I to tell him otherwise? Respect!

Updated: 11/11/2019Posted: 11/11/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK ~ FUSION COLUMBIA 5099706552529 (Barcode: 5099706552529) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 1973 - 1974 Released: 1998 This is a reissue of the first US album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, released originally on the ColumbiaFind albums on this label label in 1974. The album was actually recorded in Germany in June of 1973 and released that year by CBSFind albums on this label on the European market under the title "Super ConstellationFind albums with this title", since the group was called Michal Urbaniak ConstellationFind albums by this artist. The US release added one track recorded in the US by Urbaniak with American musicians, which was used as the title track of that edition. The Constellation was a quintet which included also Urbaniak´s wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, two keyboardists: Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist and Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist, all top Polish Jazz musicians at the time. Constellation recorded also a live album in May of 1973, called "In ConcertFind albums with this title", which was released in Poland as Vol. 36 of the legendary Polish Jazz series, and included mostly live versions of the same material that is included on this album. The album presents seven original compositions, six by Urbaniak and one by Karolak. The album is one of the most unique Fusion albums of all time, presenting a sensational amalgam of Fusion and Polish Folklore, pioneering the Jazz-World Fusion idiom light years ahead of anybody else. Dudziak´s vocalese pyrotechnics were completely innovative at the time and the double keyboards lineup, which allowed usage of early electronic wizardry, topped with Urbaniak´s idiosyncratic violin sound created a tapestry of sound unmatched by any other group on both sides of the pond. The fact that Columbia released the album was truly surprising, as this music is completely European at its very core, which usually was way above the heads of American music industry executives. It took a Jewish Columbia executive Sol RabinowitzFind albums by this artist and his visionary openness to give Urbaniak a chance on the US scene, which sadly did not last for very long. Urbaniak recorded two more albums for Columbia: "AtmaFind albums with this title" (1974) and "Fusion IIIFind albums with this title" (1975) before the label gave him the boot. In retrospect this album remains to this very day as one of the best Fusion albums ever recorded and is an essential chapter in Fusion history. It is also one of the best Polish Jazz albums of all time. Sadly Urbaniak did not manage to repeat the Artistic peak he reached on the Columbia recordings and although he is still active today, his triumphant days are long gone.

Updated: 08/09/2019Posted: 30/07/2019

CD 1 Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK ~ FUSION III WOUNDED BIRD 3542 (Barcode: 664140354227) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1975 Released: 2012 This is a reissue of the third (and last) US album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist, released originally on the ColumbiaFind albums on this label label in 1975. In retrospect it is also one of the best Fusion albums ever recorded on this planet. Urbaniak, a veteran of the Polish Jazz scene, first came to prominence as the member of the legendary groups led by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist. While with Komeda, Urbaniak played the saxophone and switched to violin only after founding his own group in the late 1960s, when he also changed his musical direction from Modern / Free Jazz to Fusion, inspired by the groundbreaking innovations created at the time by Miles DavisFind albums by this artist. In his group he included his wife, the extraordinary singer Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist and together they quickly developed a completely unique type of Fusion, which was light years ahead of anything else happening in that genre at the time anywhere in the world. Mixing Jazz, Rock, Folklore and Avant-Garde vocals, they established a completely new approach to composition and multilayered complexity, as documented on the two albums the group recorded as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series of albums, which was simply brilliant. Frustrated by the state of affairs in his country, which suffered under a Socialist Regime and harsh economic conditions, Urbaniak, like most of his colleagues, constantly looked for an opportunity to leave Poland and establish a career behind the Iron Curtain. He managed initially to record a couple of albums in West Germany for the SpiegeleiFind albums on this label label, but the real break came when Columbia offered him a recording deal. He and his wife left Poland and settled in the USA, as did several other Polish Jazz musicians at the time, like his ex group member pianist / composer Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist for example. The three albums Urbaniak recorded for Columbia (and several more for other US labels, especially the dazzling "Funk FactoryFind albums with this title" album recorded shortly after this one and also reissued on Wounded BirdFind albums on this label) were outstanding and simply much better than anything the local scene could muster, but unfortunately Urbaniak´s US career never really took off, same as the careers of all other Polish Jazz musicians who tried to make it there, in spite of their immense talents. The reason was simply the narrow-mindedness of the US Jazz community (listeners and critics alike), which considered Jazz to be exclusively an American Art Form and failed to recognize anything originating outside of the US as artistically valid and meaningful, even if it hit them in the face. On this album Urbaniak is accompanied by top US Fusion players like guitarist John AbercrombieFind albums by this artist, bassist Anthony JacksonFind albums by this artist and drummer Steve GaddFind albums by this artist, as well as Polish compatriot keyboardist Wlodek GulgowskiFind albums by this artist. Guitarist Larry CoryellFind albums by this artist guests on one track, guitarist Joe CaroFind albums by this artist guests on another and Polish vocalist Bernard KafkaFind albums by this artist guests on yet another track. Drummer Gerald BrownFind albums by this artist replaces Gadd on two tracks. Dudziak´s vocals are simply out of this world and alone are worth listening to this album repeatedly. Urbaniak wrote almost all the dazzling music except for three tracks: a Dudziak improvisation, a superb composition by Polish saxophonist Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, which fits this album´s mood like a glove and one tune by Gulgowski. As already said, this is timeless, heavenly, unparalleled music, which I´ve been listening to in the last almost 40 years without any trace of getting tired by it any time soon. This is an absolutely essential Fusion music, and anybody who has not heard this music does not know the true meaning of Fusion. God bless Wounded Bird for finally releasing this divine album on CD!

Updated: 11/09/2019Posted:

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK ~ INACTIN UBX 1020 (Barcode: 888174593128) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2014 This is a reissue of the second album recorded for the small German label SpiegeleiFind albums on this label by the ensemble headed by Polish Jazz saxophonist / violinist / composer Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist. The ensemble included also Urbaniak´s wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist, bassist Roman DylagFind albums by this artist, drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist and Yugoslav percussionist Branislav KovacevFind albums by this artist. The album includes seven tracks, all composed by Urbaniak. This album has several similarities to the live album Urbaniak and his ensemble recorded in 1973 in Poland, released as part of the legendary Polish Jazz series (Vol. 36) and entitled "In ConcertFind albums with this title", which in retrospect was one of Polish Jazz most significant and pivotal recordings and a giant milestone towards the discovery of Jazz-Rock Fusion on the local scene. Those two albums share several of the compositions and almost identical core lineup and most importantly the unique stylistic approach, which mixed Jazz, Rock, Electronics and Free Jazz in a way never previously attempted. The Spiegelei contact, which also produced the album "Paratyphus BFind albums with this title" recorded a year earlier with the same lineup except for Pawel JarzebskFind albums by this artisti on bass, happened as a result of the success Urbaniak achieved in Europe touring there extensively in the early 1970s, which culminated with his appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1971 and winning there a first prize as instrumentalist, at the time still playing the saxophone. The switch to violin, which was Urbaniak´s original instrument, changed his career dramatically and marked the new period in his career. The entire period marks a turbulent time for Urbaniak and Dudziak, with their dramatic emigration to USA soon after. The music Urbaniak´s group created was definitely one of the most innovative and adventurous experiments done at the time, surely by any musicians originating from behind the Iron Curtain. The freedom of expression, which originated in the Free Jazz, mixed with the use of electric instruments and electronic voice enhancements, emerged as some of the most exciting sounds then, and to same extent even today, almost four decades later. Urbaniak used Polish folk motifs and uneven meters to make things even more exciting and Dudziak´s visionary usage of the human voice was eons ahead of its time. In retrospect the two Spiegelei albums and the three albums Urbaniak recorded for ColumbiaFind albums on this label in the USA during the years immediately after his arrival there remain to this very day as his strongest statements, with the body of work created by him and his groups in the early 1970s being unsurpassed. The sonic quality of this album is rather Lo-Fi in today´s standards and it’s a pity that a proper remastering effort was not attempted. The album´s liner notes are pretty sketchy and such significant reissue surely deserves much better. Nevertheless this is an iconic piece of music and as such deserves to be listened to today, after being unavailable for a scandalously long period of time.

Updated: 01/06/2018Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK ~ SMILES AHEAD UBX 1018 (Barcode: 5099901531725) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1976 - 1977 Released: 2012 This is a reissue of the first (of two) album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist released on the legendary German MPSFind albums on this label label, which was produced by my Friend and Mentor Joachim BerendtFind albums by this artist, who had a deep understanding and love for Polish Jazz and who was instrumental in spreading the fame of Polish Jazz beyond the Iron Curtain. Of the eight tracks on this album, six were recorded at the famous Zuckerfabrik studio in Stuttgart / Germany in November of 1976 with vocalist (and Urbaniak´s wife at the time) Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Harold WilliamsFind albums by this artist, bassist Robert BunnFind albums by this artist and drummer Woody TheusFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Transcending SonshipFind albums by this artist). Two additional tracks were recorded in NY in January of 1977, one of which was a duo with Urbaniak and Emmet ChapmanFind albums by this artist, the inventor of the Chapman stick, and the other was recorded by the same team that recorded the "Body EnglishFind albums with this title" album (i.e. Urbaniak, Dudziak, Williams, guitarist Joe CaroFind albums by this artist, bassist Basil FearringtonFind albums by this artist and drummer Steve JordanFind albums by this artist). Urbaniak composed or co-composed four of the pieces, Dudziak two and Williams and Bunn one each. Under Berendt´s supervision, the album moves back into the most experimental and musically advanced aura of Urbaniak´s exploration of Jazz-Rock Fusion, Electronic and World Music influences, leaving somewhat aside the American Funk and Groove influences, which stylistically resembles the early recordings with ConstellationFind albums by this artist and the three ColumbiaFind albums on this label albums. Berendt, who was a great admirer of Urbaniak´s vocal wizardry, managed to bring back her contribution to the music, giving her an equally prominent role in the proceedings, with two superb unaccompanied solo pieces, a duo with Urbaniak and a strong vocal presence on the rest of the tracks, which overall played a decisive part in the album´s final result. The duo track with Chapman proves Urbaniak´s deep interest in innovation and electronic music development. In retrospect this is surely one of the strongest Urbaniak´s recordings and a quintessential piece of Fusion history, which still remains unparalleled four decades later. The unique amalgam of musical influences combined with virtuosi performances and a freedom of expression rarely found in today´s music. For Urbaniak and Polish Jazz fans this is an absolute must of course, but Fusion connoisseurs the world over should be aware of the fact that their record collection is truly incomplete without this album in their possession.

Updated: 29/12/2023Posted: 13/09/2019

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK ~ SOUND PIECES MOOSICUS 1223 (Barcode: 885513122322) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 - 1973 Released: 2023 This is an expanded 3CD reissue / remaster of the two albums, “Paratyphus BFind albums with this title” and “InactinFind albums with this title”, recorded for the small German label SpiegeleiFind albums on this label by the ensemble headed by Polish Jazz saxophonist / violinist / composer / bandleader Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist. The ensemble included also Urbaniak´s wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist, bassists Pawel JarzebskiFind albums by this artist (on the 1st album) and Roman DylagFind albums by this artist (on the 2nd album), drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist and Yugoslav percussionist Branislav KovacevFind albums by this artist. The 1st album included five tracks, four by Urbaniak and one by Makowicz, and the 2nd album included seven tracks, all composed by Urbaniak. Both albums are now combined as the twelve tracks of CD1. CD2 and CD3 of this album present three tracks each, recorded live by Radio Bremen during a club performance on January 21, 1972, a few months before the two studio albums were recorded, and later released in 1973. The material covers the same material that was later recorded in the studio. The lineup playing live is the same as on “Paratyphus B”, except for Kovacev, who is not present. “Inactin” has several similarities to the live album Urbaniak and his ensemble recorded in 1973 in Poland, released as part of the legendary Polish Jazz series (Vol. 36) and entitled "In ConcertFind albums with this title", which in retrospect was one of Polish Jazz most significant and pivotal recordings and a giant milestone towards the discovery of Jazz-Rock Fusion on the local scene. Those two albums share several of the compositions and almost identical core lineup and most importantly the unique stylistic approach, which mixed Jazz, Rock, Electronics and Free Jazz in a way never previously attempted. The Spiegelei contact, which produced the two albums, happened as a result of the success Urbaniak achieved in Europe touring there extensively in the early 1970s, which culminated with his appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1971 and winning there a first prize as instrumentalist, at the time still playing the saxophone. The switch to violin, which was Urbaniak´s original instrument, changed his career dramatically and marked the new period in his career. The entire period marks a turbulent time for Urbaniak and Dudziak, with their dramatic emigration to USA soon after. The music Urbaniak´s group created was definitely one of the most innovative and adventurous experiments done at the time, surely by any musicians originating from behind the Iron Curtain. The freedom of expression, which originated in the Free Jazz, mixed with the use of electric instruments and electronic voice enhancements, emerged as some of the most exciting sounds then, and to same extent even today, almost five decades later. Urbaniak used Polish folk motifs and uneven meters to make things even more exciting and Dudziak´s visionary usage of the human voice was eons ahead of its time. In retrospect her performances on this album remain unmatched to this very day, again five decades later. In retrospect the two Spiegelei albums and the three albums Urbaniak recorded for ColumbiaFind albums on this label in the USA during the years immediately after his arrival there remain to this very day as his strongest statements, with the body of work created by him and his groups in the early 1970s being unsurpassed. The album´s liner notes are pretty sketchy and such significant reissue surely deserves much better. Nevertheless, this is an iconic piece of music and as such deserves to be listened to today, after being unavailable for a scandalously long period of time. Overall, this album is a dramatic statement in Jazz history, serving as a beacon to the fact that by the time it was recorded, Jazz development moved from America to Europe, never to return again. This music is so much advanced over anything happening beyond the pond, already at that time, and the fact that it originates from Easter Europe, from behind the Iron Curtain, proves that it has been finally liberated from American supremacy, or even perhaps enslavement. Any Jazz lover, who is not aware of this music, and sadly a vast majority is in that position, has very little understanding as what Jazz Music is all about.

Updated: 16/02/2024Posted: 16/02/2024

CD 3 Mini-Sleeve Remastered Bonus Tracks Essential Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK ~ URBANIAK INNER CITY 1036 (Barcode: 077712710367) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion Recorded: 1977 Released: 2008 This is a reissue of the only album recorded by the Polish Jazz violinist / saxophonist / composer / bandleader Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist for the American Inner CityFind albums on this label label, which followed his stint with ColumbiaFind albums on this label. He is accompanied by his wife at the time, vocalist Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist and Polish saxophonist / composer Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist. The rest of the band comprised of American musicians: keyboardist Kenny KirklandFind albums by this artist, bassist Tony BunnFind albums by this artist and drummer Lurenda FeatherstoneFind albums by this artist. Both Dudziak and Namyslowski also released albums on Inner City. The album presents seven original compositions, three by Urbaniak and four by Namyslowski. The music is a direct continuation of the innovative music Urbaniak recorded at the time, which combined Jazz, Funk and Polish Folklore. All the compositions are absolutely brilliant, since Namyslowski was also an excellent / prolific composer and followed a similar musical path at that time. The performances are also excellent, blending superb violin, vocalese and saxophone parts with the rest of the instrumental work. The rhythm section adds a Funky beat and both Urbaniak and Namyslowski play excellent solo parts throughout. Overall, this is a brilliant album, which withstands the test of time without any problem. It documents the attempt of Polish Jazz musicians to develop a career in the USA, which in retrospect achieved a very limited success, and led to almost all of them returning to Poland, leaving no impact whatsoever on the American Jazz scene, which of course is hardly surprising. However, it produced some memorable recordings, this being one of them. For Polish Jazz fans this is a gem worth visiting!

Updated: 02/06/2022Posted: 21/05/2022

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK / CONSTELLATION ~ IN CONCERT (POLISH JAZZ VOL.36) MUZA 1036 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2005 This is a reissue of the second album on the legendary "Polish Jazz" series by the Polish saxophonist / violinist / composer / bandleader Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist. A veteran Polish Jazz musician, Urbaniak was a member of the legendary ensembles led by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, where he played the saxophone, but by the early 1970 he switched to the violin and plunged into Jazz-Rock Fusion, rapidly becoming one of the most inventive and creative pioneers of the genre. This album and the albums recorded in Germany and later in the USA are absolute Fusion milestones, but also stand out as completely unique in their approach to the genre. Urbaniak combined the marvelous abilities of his wife Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist and her extraordinary and experimental vocalese technique with his common usage of Polish Folklore motifs, creating a superb and completely unparalleled Fusion music. This live recording captures his baseless / double keyboard ensemble, which also includes organist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, pianist Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. The music, all composed by Urbaniak, is simply out of this world, brilliant and fresh, absolutely resistant to the tides of time and fashion. In retrospect one can only regret that Fusion followed mostly the direction of flashy virtuosic display of neck-breaking guitar races rather than the direction proposed by Urbaniak´s Fusion, but it´s unfortunately too late now. At least we can savor this music, 40 years after it was recorded, well aged and beautifully eternal. A must!

Updated: 08/09/2019Posted:

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL URBANIAK / CONSTELLATION ~ IN CONCERT (POLISH JAZZ VOL.36) POWER BROS 00119 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 1993 This is a reissue of the second album on the legendary "Polish Jazz" series by the Polish saxophonist / violinist / composer / bandleader Michal UrbaniakFind albums by this artist. A veteran Polish Jazz musician, Urbaniak was a member of the legendary ensembles led by Krzysztof KomedaFind albums by this artist, where he played the saxophone, but by the early 1970 he switched to the violin and plunged into Jazz-Rock Fusion, rapidly becoming one of the most inventive and creative pioneers of the genre. This album and the albums recorded in Germany and later in the USA are absolute Fusion milestones, but also stand out as completely unique in their approach to the genre. Urbaniak combined the marvelous abilities of his wife Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist and her extraordinary and experimental vocalese technique with his common usage of Polish Folklore motifs, creating a superb and completely unparalleled Fusion music. This live recording captures his baseless / double keyboard ensemble, which also includes organist Wojciech KarolakFind albums by this artist, pianist Adam MakowiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Czeslaw BartkowskiFind albums by this artist. The music, all composed by Urbaniak, is simply out of this world, brilliant and fresh, absolutely resistant to the tides of time and fashion. In retrospect one can only regret that Fusion followed mostly the direction of flashy virtuosic display of neck-breaking guitar races rather than the direction proposed by Urbaniak´s Fusion, but it´s unfortunately too late now. At least we can savor this music, 40 years after it was recorded, well aged and beautifully eternal. A must!

Updated: 08/09/2019Posted:

CD 1 Essential Recommend To A Friend