Record Reviews

KORYBALSKI / TRACZYK / ZEMLER ~ DON`T TRY FOR TUNE 0156 (Barcode: 5906395808724) ~ POLAND ~ Avant-Garde Jazz Recorded: 2020 Released: 2022 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio comprising of trumpeter Lukasz KorybalskiFind albums by this artist (who also plays synthesizers), bassist Wojciech TraczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Hubert ZemlerFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven original compositions, described as “emerging from collective improvisation”. Korybalski is a fascinating figure, with rare appearances on the recording scene. His brilliant debut album “CMMFind albums with this title” from 2015 was one of the best Polish Jazz recordings at the time, but he almost completely disappeared from the scene during the five years that separate this album and the debut, and emerged in a completely new musical environment. Combining forces with two experienced representatives of the Polish Improvised Music scene, Korybalski and his cohorts create a stylistic amalgam between melodic Jazz and Free Jazz, whatever that means. The resulting music is way more accessible than the usual Improvised Music havoc and mayhem, but certainly is also far detached from mainstream melody based Jazz, which might function as a double edged sword, with the Improvised Music fans rejecting it as “too easy” and mainstream fans as “too challenging”. It is therefore at the mercy of the listener to decide its fate. Personally, although respecting the will to search and explore, I feel Korybalski is way more effective when playing well-behaved compositions, which are truly heart-wrenching, rather than playing Miles Davis late period short phrases, which are all beautiful miniatures, but lose their effectiveness on top of the improvised rhythm section background, and which worked splendidly on top of the Funky Groove that the Davis’ groups were so brilliantly producing, so long ago. The trio truly gets things going by the last track on the album, which is the epitome of what the album might have sounded at its best. Overall, this is a fascinating album by one of the best Polish Jazz trumpeters, which portrays him searching for a new way of expressing himself, and as such is absolutely worth listening to. It might disappoint some of his fans, who loved his mainstream work, but it will bring new fans willing to take a risk. This music takes a while to get into, but grows on the listener with time, as all good things do. Welcome back!

Updated: 08/07/2022Posted: 08/07/2022

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PURUSHA ~ COSMIC FRICTION FOR TUNE 0067 (Barcode: 5902768701685) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2015 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz trio PurushaFind albums by this artist, which comprises of saxophonist Pawel PostaremczakFind albums by this artist, bassist Wojciech TraczykFind albums by this artist and drummer Pawel SzpuraFind albums by this artist, all three known to Polish Jazz followers as members of the large ensembles led by Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist (HeraFind albums by this artist and others). The album presents six original pieces, four of which were composed by Traczyk and two are co-credited to all three members of the trio. The music of Purusha is a "classic" Free Jazz venture, which is its biggest drawback. Free Jazz exploded in the mid 1960s and this music sounds almost exactly as if recorded at that time, i.e. about 50 years ago. With all due respect to the cradle of Free Jazz, Albert AylerFind albums by this artist and everything else, the clock keeps ticking. This of course might bring on reflections as to the possible path of Free Jazz in general, which may lead to a conclusion that Free Jazz only truly existed for a brief moment in the 1960s and everything done in that idiom since is simply ripples of that Big Bang? But aside from the basic problem of being sort of "outdated", the music of Purusha is quite excellent within the boundaries of the Free Jazz idiom. Dominated by the saxophone, as usual in saxophone trios, it explores the various stages of expression between fury and tranquility, exemplifies the group interplay and allows for personal displays of instrumental ability, which are all top notch. Postaremczak is obviously a highly talented soloist and his approach to the tenor saxophone is very personal and unique. In his hands the saxophone turns into many different instruments, often sounding exotic, weird and wonderful, which of course is very unusual. The rhythm section stands shoulder to shoulder with Postaremczak, both expanding and complimenting his journeys with obvious empathy and spirit of shared goal. Overall this is a very good Free Jazz album for diehard fans of the genre, which although does not innovate, keeps the tradition and legacy alive and kicking. Definitely worth investigation!

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WACLAW ZIMPEL TO TU ORCHESTRA ~ NATURE MOVES FOR TUNE 0036 (Barcode: 5902768701340) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by Polish Jazz clarinetist / composer / bandleader Waclaw ZimpelFind albums by this artist and his nonet called To Tu OrchestraFind albums by this artist (the name is probably a wink in the direction of the legendary Warsaw club Pardon, To Tu), which includes saxophonist Pawel PostaremczakFind albums by this artist, flautist Dominik StrycharskiFind albums by this artist, hurdy-gurdy player Maciej CierlinskiFind albums by this artist, pianist Jacek KitaFind albums by this artist, bassists Wojciech TraczykFind albums by this artist and Mike MajkowskiFind albums by this artist and drummers Pawel SzpuraFind albums by this artist and Hubert ZemlerFind albums by this artist. The album includes six original compositions, arranged into three mini suites, of one, three and two parts respectively. The music is in many respects a continuation of Zimpel´s earlier work with the group Hera, which combines elements of Avant-Garde, Jazz and contemporary Classical music with World Music from all over the world. The strongest influence on this album is minimal music pioneered decades earlier by Philip GlassFind albums by this artist, Steve ReichFind albums by this artist, Terry RileyFind albums by this artist and others, which Zimpel embraces, most evidently in the first of the three mini suites but in fact throughout the entire album. The repeated structures returning cyclically, typical in minimal music, which are normally produced by electronic or acoustic orchestral patterns, are created here by World Music patterns, like Balinese gamelan music, slowly changing and intensifying until they reach a massive sound, but do not reach an expected crescendo. Minimalism continues to be present in the rest of the compositions, simply changing the geographic colorization, using Japanese, Middle Eastern and other folkloristic influences. Zimpel is undoubtedly a master of atmosphere and building tension, which accompany his earlier work as well, but come to a fruition and perfection on this album. The large ensemble allows him to "paint" much denser multilayered vistas, which move freely in the World Music universe. The music does not actually get into Jazzy improvisation until the very last piece on the album, so listeners anticipating that facet of Zimpel´s music are in for a disappointment. What emerges here is a new type of minimal music which amalgamates the earlier forms of minimalism with World Music, creating a World Minimal Music. Zimpel evidently had a great fun creating this music and it is also very listenable, but the fundamental question as to what Zimpel wanted to achieve remains open, at least in my case. I have not been overwhelmed neither by the aesthetics nor by the musical result, which after all simply states nihil novi sub sole. But it is very well done for sure!

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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