Record Reviews

TRIBUTE TO MILES ORCHESTRA ~ LIVE WARNER MUSIC POLAND 039842388922 (Barcode: 039842388922) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 1998 Released: 1998 This is the only album by Polish Jazz ensemble Tribute To Miles OrchestraFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. TTMOFind albums by this artist), led by keyboardist / composer Wojciech KonikiewiczFind albums by this artist, which also featured trumpeter Andrzej PrzybielskiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Mariusz MielczarekFind albums by this artist, guitarist Janusz Yanina IwanskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Marcin PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Radek MacinskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist (usually keyboardists) Piotr IwickiFind albums by this artist. The album, which was recorded live at the legendary Akwarium club in Warsaw, presents six compositions, five of which are by Miles DavisFind albums by this artist and one is by Konikiewicz (dedicated to Davis). Musically the album presents the style Miles Davis utilized during the last period of his career, when he switched to Warner Bros. and released the world shattering "TutuFind albums with this title", presenting a combination of Funk and electronic music, which at the time was as innovative as every other giant step Davis took during his career. The Polish Jazz musicians handle the Funk rhythmic challenge formidably and paraphrasing on the "white man can´t jump" - white man definitely can Funk! There are plenty of superb solos and passionate moments, as well as interesting arrangements of earlier Davis compositions transcribed into the Funky style. The remarkable bass playing, which is the basis upon which this music is built, is the core element of its success. But all the participants are contributing extraordinarily and the overall result is way beyond what one might expect. The most thrilling and astonishing facet of this album is the presence of trumpeter Andrzej Przybielski, who is ordinarily associated with the Free / Avant-Garde Polish scene. This is surely the most "conventional" recording that Przybielski ever took part in and his sound and imitation of the Miles Davis phrasing are simply marvelous. The invitation of Przybielski to participate on this album was a prophetic and bold move by Konikiewicz, who is therefore credited for showing us a face of the legendary trumpeter that we never knew about and is preserved here for posterity. There is no doubt that the idea behind this album was influenced by the two Miles Davis visits in Poland, in 1983 and in 1988 (I attended that concert), which are generally accepted as life changing experience for the Polish Jazz scene, both collectively as a community and individually as directly influencing the local musicians. The second visit, which happened shortly before Poland was finally released from the grip of the Socialist regime, was a symbol of a changing reality, which at the time was just around the corner (pun intended). The album suffers from some minor sound quality problems due to the recording conditions, but those are completely negligible in view of the musical contents and the historic significance of this album. The fact that this album disappeared from the shelves almost immediately after it was released and was never reissued is a crying shame.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted:

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NAXOS ~ THE TRIP AROUND THE BRAIN WARNER MUSIC POLAND 0825646292103 (Barcode: 0825646292103) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock-World Fusion Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by the Polish ensemble NaxosFind albums by this artist, led by the celebrated musician / personality Milo KurtisFind albums by this artist, one of the pioneers of World Music and World-Jazz Fusion in Poland, who was a member of the legendary ensemble OssianFind albums by this artist in the 1970s and many other groups over the years. It was delightful to meet Milo in person just a few weeks ago in Warsaw and talk about the old times and the future, which for him is always full of bright things. I remember him taking part in my production of "The Book Of JobFind albums with this title" in 1985, under insane circumstances, and his worm personality didn´t change one iota over the years, which is truly remarkable Kurtis is one of several Polish musicians of Greek origin, same as guitarist Apostolis AnthimosFind albums by this artist of SBBFind albums by this artist fame, who also participates in this recording. Other members of the ensemble include keyboardist Konstanty JoriadisFind albums by this artist (also of Greek origin), female vocalist Rasm Al-MashanFind albums by this artist (of Yemenite origin), percussionist Adeb ChamounFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Marcin KajperFind albums by this artist and bassist Marcin PendowskiFind albums by this artist. Several guest musicians participate on selected tracks. The album presents thirteen tracks, most of which are credited to Kurtis and Joriadis, either separately or as co-composers. The music has a distinctive Mediterranean flavor, mixing Greek and Middle Eastern influences, rhythms and melodies into a lively and fascinating amalgam of cultures. On the Polish scene that kind of music is definitely quite unusual and exotic, but where I live this is basically a part of our everyday milieu and this kind of music can be heard all day long on the radio or on stage in music venues, big and small. This kind of synthesis has been the most distinctive characteristic of Israeli music over the last few decades, and it´s really heartwarming to hear it happening in Poland as well. Kurtis is doing his pioneering work again, and deserves to be encouraged and praised for it, especially in view of the impressive outcome, not to mention the popularization the idea that diverse cultures can work together for a common goal, as much aesthetic as practical. This music has no boundaries and should appeal to every open-minded fun loving person on this globe. The streets of Athens, or Beirut or Tel-Aviv swarm with fun loving people and their music reflects their love of life and the ability to live life in full, if only allowed to do so. This album could be a perfect soundtrack of that desire to simply enjoy life. Of course a glass of ouzo, arak or raki (preferably all three) definitely makes listening to this music even more enjoyable. So ευχαριστώ πολύ, my dear friend, I am looking forward to many more such great musical gifts in the future.

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MACIEJ GOLYZNIAK ~ THE ORCHID (POLISH JAZZ VOL.85) WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295184599 (Barcode: 190295184599) ~ POLAND ~ Smooth Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish drummer Maciej GolyzniakFind albums by this artist recorded in a trio setting with keyboardist Lukasz DamrychFind albums by this artist and bassist Robert SzydloFind albums by this artist. Trumpeter Lukasz KorybalskiFind albums by this artist guests on four tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, co-credited to all three trio members. Golyzniak is a highly acclaimed drummer on the Polish Pop / Rock scene, with many recordings with his participation to his credit, but he is definitely not a Jazz musician, which of course is immediately apparent from the very onset off this album. The music is all pretty simplistic and has a strong Pop feel and ambience and altogether can be perhaps considered as Smooth Jazz at best. Korybalski, who is a splendid Jazz trumpeter (see his “CMMFind albums with this title” album), plays on the first four tracks over the background provided by the trio, adding a Jazzy glazing on top, which sadly only emphasizes how much this music does not belong within the Jazz idiom. The remaining tracks, on which he does not play, are completely devoid of any musical sense. The album has a very unbalanced sound ambience, with the bass way too high in the mix, resulting in a boomy, unpleasant effect, which is pretty disturbing. Overall, one can only wonder how this album entered the prestigious Polish Jazz series to start with, but of course it is not really the real Polish Jazz series anymore, is it? 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: 12/01/2022Posted: 12/01/2022

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KRZYSZTOF HERDZIN ~ THE BOOK OF SECRETS (POLISH JAZZ VOL.84) WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295370787 (Barcode: 190295370787) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz keyboardist / composer Krzysztof HerdzinFind albums by this artist recorded in a quartet setting with American saxophonist Rick MargitzaFind albums by this artist, and Polish rhythm section: bassist Robert KubiszynFind albums by this artist and drummer Cezary KonradFind albums by this artist and a rather atypical clarinet quintet adding an orchestral dimension to the proceedings. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Herdzin, which according to him: "make up a closed narrative" or "a concept album". Followers of the Polish music scene are certainly familiar with Herdzin´s gigantic legacy amassed during his professional career since the mid-1990s, which includes twenty (this one included) albums as a leader, dozens albums as a sideman, numerous compositions in diverse genres, including Jazz, Pop and Classical Music, arranging, conducting, producing, playing a myriad instruments and a plethora of other accomplishments – for more details just read his biography on his website or his Polish Wiki entry – all this before reaching his 50th Birthday. There is no doubt that Herdzin´s biography is extremely impressive, or rather extreme in every sense, almost superhuman. Herdzin is an unusually talented and gifted musician, but personally I have always found his activities somewhat unfocused, lacking certain depth beneath all that glitter. His music and his playing are always "nice", polished, pleasant and nearly "perfect", but at the same time he seams to tease the listener boasting his aptitudes and most of all taking it (or himself) way to seriously. This album is a perfect example of Herdzin´s music in every sense. It is full of brilliant ideas, beautiful music, melancholy and lyricism, gleaming performances and everything that makes a listener schvitz. And yet once the music is over, the question "what was all that about?" arises almost instantly. And yes, the music is instant gratification incarnate: smooth, easy to swallow and scintillating, like a glass of champagne. With all the confusion these days about what is Jazz and what isn´t, I´d say that this album offers entertaining instrumental music amalgamating Pop with Jazz and Classical Music ornamentations, which is accessible to a wide audience. As to its lasting value, time will tell. I wish Herdzin for his upcoming Birthday another fifty years (and a Jewish 20% bonus) of health and productivity, and even if I don´t always appreciate his music I do appreciate his Sisyphean effort. May the Force be with you! 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: 23/02/2020Posted: 23/02/2020

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JERZY MACZYNSKI ~ JERRY & THE PELICAN SYSTEM (POLISH JAZZ VOL.83) WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295475895 (Barcode: 190295475895) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the debut album as a leader by young Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Jerzy MaczynskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with his quintet which also includes trumpeter Marcin ElszkowskiFind albums by this artist, keyboardist Marcel BalinskiFind albums by this artist, bassist Franciszek PospieszalskiFind albums by this artist and drummer / flautist Wiktoria JakubowskaFind albums by this artist. Hindu violinist Apoorva KrishnaFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents eight original compositions, two of which are in three parts and one in two parts – together thirteen tracks. The music was beautifully recorded at the Monochrom Studio, engineered by Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist. Maczynski is an archetypical representative of contemporary young European Jazz musician: musical education from early age, academic studies in Poland, then Odense in Denmark, then Berklee in Valencia, Spain, recordings, concerts and festivals, a biography that reflects the borderless Europe which allows its young musicians to get exposed to diverse education systems, meet musicians from many different places and cultures and develop their personal styles in a span of just a few years, something that usually took decades to achieve in the not so distant past. It is not surprising therefore to see these young musicians to show characteristics such as diversity, openness and multi-genre / multi-cultural approach to the music they create. The music on this album is exactly like that – an amalgam of influences which encompasses such radically different genres as Rock, Yass (a Polish variety of Jazz rebellion with a strong Punkish attitude), Jazz-Rock Fusion, Free Jazz and even Avant-Garde, spiced with beautifully melodic, almost Popish balladry - a multi culti heaven on earth. One can not avoid an immediate feeling of likeness to the music created by Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist, who after all is of almost identical age and biographical background, and who is another proud representative of the young Polish Jazz generation. The musical approach that this album reflects has one imminent danger, however. The diversity, as blessed as it is, can, and in this case does, create a slight sensation of lack of musical focus. Perhaps it is the highly emotional debut album responsibility, perhaps the untamed youthfulness, but this music creates an impression that Maczynski tries to say a bit too much in the scope of one album. Strangely (or perhaps not really) the two albums by Wiecek suffer from the same slight predicament. But all things considered, this is by all means a splendid debut effort, full of potential, great promises, exciting musical ideas and superb playing by all the participants. As already stated earlier, many Jazz musicians of older generations had to wait for years to produce an album as rich in contents and talent as this one, which means that congratulation are in order. Since I am writing these words exactly on Jerzy´s birthday (completely accidentally BTW) I can only wish him many future achievements, which will surely outshine this one, surely after such an outstanding liftoff! 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: 17/03/2020Posted: 17/03/2020

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KUBA WIECEK ~ MULTITASKING (POLISH JAZZ VOL.82) WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295475918 (Barcode: 190295475918) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the second album by the young Polish Jazz saxophonist Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist recorded with the same trio like the debut released two years earlier, which includes bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist. Keyboardist Marcin MaseckiFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Wiecek. Wiecek "exploded" on the local Jazz scene with the release of his debut album, which was released as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series, same as this one (see below). Immediately hailed as a wunderkind, youngest ever Jazz prodigy and the "darling" of the local scene and hyped by the media to ridiculous proportions, Wiecek never had a true chance to be seriously analyzed and evaluated as a player and composer. The debut album had its moments, but was recorded way too early before the material had a chance to be polished and mature during live performances and in retrospect was no more than a promise of better things to come in the future. This album is undoubtedly a much more accurate document of Wiecek´s many talents with the emphasis on his compositions, which are obviously unique and innovative. This album is in fact a collection of short ditties, ingenious and full of humor, masterly conceived and consistently fascinating. But the short duration of these ten pieces, lasting together under forty minutes, allows only to present the melodic / rhythmic ideas, but there is not enough time left to allow for any extended improvisations, which after all is expected from a Jazz album. Strangely, although this album was recorded at the best Polish recording studio (Monochrom Studio, with Ignacy GruszeckiFind albums by this artist presiding) it offers a muddy and thin sound, which does not help at all. Happily I have had the opportunity to hear the trio live many times in the last two years and can gladly testify that this material and the trio sound infinitely better on stage than on this album. Wiecek and his cohorts are stage animals and they put up a superb live show, taking this material places hardly imaginable, when listening to the studio album. I have also heard Wiecek play many times in jam sessions, where his adaptability and diversity was tested to the max, and which he always survived like a true knight in shining armor, without any hype miles around. Wiecek is undoubtedly one of the most ingenious, talented and promising upcoming young Polish Jazz musicians in addition to his charming personality. He is definitely destined to go places and the world is at his feet. I am happy to see that the hype around him did not manage to spoil and hurt him as much as it could have done and it was just an episode better left behind. He is still to record his defining album though. 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: 02/01/2020Posted: 02/01/2020

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KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ IT`S CHRISTMAS TIME AGAIN WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295533755 (Barcode: 190295533755) ~ POLAND ~ Xmas Jazz Recorded: 2017 Released: 2018 This Xmas Jazz album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist was released a year ago (2018), but my personal health havoc at that time prevented me from writing about it then. Luckily Xmas has the habit of revisiting us at regular intervals, so here we are again nearing the White Holidays and I can return to this music and share my reflections about it with my readers, better late than never. The album was excellently recorded in LA and features a marvelous Jazz piano trio, which also includes veteran Polish (resident in US) bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and American drummer Tina RaymondFind albums by this artist. American guitarist Jordan BerliantFind albums by this artist guests on two tracks. The album presents eleven tracks, which are a mixture Xmas Jazz standards, Classical Xmas songs and traditional Polish Xmas carols, all arranged by Stankiewicz. Stankiewicz is a beautifully sensitive pianist and his albums, especially those recorded in the last decade, on which he interprets Polish Classical Music composers (Wojciech KilarFind albums by this artist and Roman StatkowskiFind albums by this artist) or Jazz standards by composers of Polish descent (Victor YoungFind albums by this artist, Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist and Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist) are some of the finest recordings on the Polish Jazz scene. Over the years I have had the immense pleasure to present his projects during the Singer Jazz Festival in Warsaw, of which I am the Artistic Director, and we have become friends, for which I am of course grateful. The same approach of seriousness, sensibility and immense talent are also part of this project. As we all know, Xmas Jazz albums are often not more than a mixture of cynical opportunism and sappy sentimentalism, bordering on complete kitsch, if not worse. It makes me very happy that Stankiewicz managed to avoid all the traps and produce a bona fide Jazz album, which stands on its own independently of the subject matter. In most cases the arrangements are so sophisticated that the original music is not necessarily associated with Xmas per se and achieves a universal appeal. The trio´s performances are stellar, as expected, characterized by a sublime interplay between the trio members and obvious mutual respect. Oleszkiewicz has a reputation of one of the finest bassist worldwide and fully justifies it every time he touches his instrument. Raymond plays very delicately and subtly, as appropriately for this occasion, but always right on the money. Overall this is an excellent world class quality Jazz piano trio album, which should keep every connoisseur of the idiom happy, full of delightful lyricism and virtuosic performances rarely found on record these days. A Merry Xmas to you all, even if you personally don´t celebrate it – the Xmas spirit is universal, as is great music!

Updated: 06/12/2019Posted: 06/12/2019

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AGA ZARYAN ~ HIGH & LOW WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295534981 (Barcode: 190295534981) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 It is almost unheard of for a Polish Jazz album to take a year to get to me; in fact in most cases I get new releases before they are even formally released… Apparently the tides of time rocked our (Aga´s and mine) boats pretty high & low in the last year, keeping us apart. As appropriate for old Argonauts it took a common sail on the good old Argo to get us finally together and share a glass of wine and a warm smile, and a word or two… ergo Argo served Pandora´s role and this album finally landed in my lap. Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist, surrounded by her beloved musicians, recorded twelve songs, some new and some old, some of hers and some by her favorite songwriters, a story in twelve chapters describing her life´s story in the five years proceeding the recording. Her lyrics tell the story sometimes subtly, but often straight in the face. She was never afraid to say what´s on her mind and she definitely does not mean to start now. A mature, intelligent, open-minded Woman, who cares about her loved ones, her friends, people in general and the world we share. So is this a Jazz album? Well, not really, but who cares; it is a beautiful piece of music performed by some of the best musicians around with a distinct Jazzy tinge, and wonderfully sung by a first class vocalist, who does not care if she needs to stick to any rules any more, as she has nothing more to prove. The only thing that matters is if her delivery is convincing and moving, and anybody in their right mind has to agree that it certainly is so. Zaryan has learned to use her hard learned Jazz experience to get above genre classification – she simply sings like nobody else. But there are plenty of instrumental passages that bring fond Jazz memories and with a crew that includes keyboardist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and other Jazz legends nothing can go wrong. Whatever the fussy Jazz "critics" might say (or already did) means very little, as Zaryan is by now in a class of her own, and whatever she decides to do is entirely her own decision. Her loyal fans definitely seem to think the same. Zaryan certainly didn´t loose any of her ability to write great songs, as this album proves beyond any doubt. Her melodies are well weaved and her lyrics concise, straight to the point and heartwrenching in their openness and directness, however painful. Getting together and parting, politics and social issues, sex and femininity, freedom of speech, nothing is taboo especially in times when people "fill their mouth with water" instead of voicing an opinion. Her poetic streak seems to be alive and kicking and getting better with maturity. Of course her faithful long-term partnership with Tokaj as the arranger and often co-creator of these songs should also be mentioned here. So whatever happens, my Dear, high & low, here or there, sad or merry, please just be yourself and do what you do best: sing. And yes after all these years you are still the only Polish vocalist able to sing in English and not make a fool of yourself!

Updated: 10/11/2019Posted: 10/11/2019

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AGA ZARYAN ~ WHAT XMAS MEANS TO ME WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295535001 (Barcode: 190295535001) ~ POLAND ~ Xmas Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This Xmas Jazz album by Polish Jazz vocalist Diva Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist was released a year ago (2018), but my personal health havoc at that time prevented me from writing about it then. Luckily Xmas has the habit of revisiting us at regular intervals, so here we are again nearing the White Holidays and I can return to this music and share my reflections about it with my readers, better late than never. The album was recorded in Warsaw, Prague & New York and features a marvelous ensemble of Polish Jazz veterans, headed by pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist, who was also in charge of the fabulous arrangements and co-produced the album with Zaryan: saxophonist Marcin KaletkaFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Robert MajewskiFind albums by this artist, trombonist Grzegorz NagorskiFind albums by this artist and a sublime rhythm section comprising of bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist. American vocalist Freddy ColeFind albums by this artist shared the vocal duties with Zaryan on selected tracks and the Filharmonic Orchestra PragueFind albums by this artist supplied the orchestral accompaniments. The album presents ten Jazz Xmas standards and one Polish song by the eternal Czeslaw NiemenFind albums by this artist, which is the only track with lyrics in Polish language. The carefully selected songs present a mixture of classic Xmas evergreens and less obvious and often almost forgotten songs, which deserve to be revisited. As we all know, Xmas Jazz albums are often not more than a mixture of cynical opportunism and sappy sentimentalism, bordering on complete kitsch, if not worse. It makes me very happy to say that Zaryan and Tokaj managed to avoid all the commercial traps and temptations, creating first and foremost a bona fide Jazz album, which also focuses on the Xmas Spirit. The arrangements are sophisticated and unique to give all the songs a fresh perspective and Zaryan´s vocals are as sincere and heartfelt as always, treating each and every song with outmost care and personal interpretation. The instrumental parts are all, as expected, absolutely perfect. These musicians are all capable of playing anything, and they give their best every time, both on record and live. The ensemble is capable of producing an almost Big Band sound on one hand and delicate low key accompaniment on the other hand. There are of course plenty of superb soli spicing the proceedings. Tokaj´s piano playing is outstanding as always and he proves again to be a true Zaryan´s musical soul-brother all along, exemplified by their piano / vocals duo. Also Baranski performs a beautiful bass / vocals duo with Zaryan which brings on goose bumps. Zaryan´s vocal performances are brilliant of course, and she carefully avoids unnecessary theatrics and focuses on her expressions, which is a great Art in itself. Her voice is wonderfully steady and focused, and her emotions so genuine, that one can not resist to feel them entering straight into one´s heart. Although dedicated to her two young sons, the album is obviously intended to be shared with everybody who takes time to listen to this wonderful music. The inclusion of Niemen´s song (with lyrics by the poet Jaroslaw IwaszkiewiczFind albums by this artist) is the proverbial cherry on top (or perhaps the star on top of the Xmas tree); it is a tribute to Niemen´s genius as a songwriter but also a longing for the spring that follows after winter and the Xmas Holidays, with renewed life and hope, as the deeply lyrical text implies. It is also a relatively rare opportunity to hear Zaryan sing in Polish, something I personally always long for. Overall this is a delightful listening experience, which offers a coherent and wonderfully put together piece of music, which sounds as good in December, as it does in July and which is honestly Spiritual. A Merry Xmas to you all, even if you personally don´t celebrate it – the Xmas spirit is universal, as is great music!

Updated: 06/12/2019Posted: 06/12/2019

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KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ THE MUSIC OF HENRYK WARS WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190295865016 (Barcode: 190295865016) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the third installment in a series of albums by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist dedicated to the music written by the composers of Polish / Jewish origins, who are known primarily as the great American composers of many Jazz standards, and their true origins are almost completely unheard of. Same as its predecessors, which were dedicated to the music of Victor YoungFind albums by this artist ("The Music Of Victor YoungFind albums with this title") and Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist ("The Music Of Bronislaw KaperFind albums with this title"), this album was recorded by the piano trio with Polish (resident in US) bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and veteran American drummer Peter ErskineFind albums by this artist and presents this time eleven compositions by Henryk WarsFind albums by this artist, including his most famous standards and a few much lesser known pieces. Stankiewicz, as usual, took great pains to conduct a serious research about the composer´s life and music before he selected the compositions included on this album. He is definitely quite a perfectionist in what he does, and this deserves our outmost admiration. The album includes a very educational write-up about Wars by Marek ZebrowskiFind albums by this artist (in Polish and English) and the album´s artwork continues the design originated on the previous albums. In short this is a very professional and highly aesthetic piece of music production in every aspect. The music is of course divine, its beauty timeless and these particular performances treat it with the respect these classics deserve. Stankiewicz and his cohorts play sparingly and delicately, treating each and every note like it was a priceless jewel. The rhythm section accompanies the pianist amicably and harmoniously, filling in the space but never disturbing the piano melody line and the improvised sections. In many respects this is a classic piano trio with a dream team playing perfect music – what else can we ask for. This is the Jazz traditions at its best, without being pretentious or condescending. It is an absolute must for all piano trio connoisseurs, and a great piece of Jazz history. As usual Stankiewicz, who happens to be a friend of mine, emerges victorious and highly accomplished, for which all lovers of great Jazz, myself included, thank him wholeheartedly. Not to be missed!

Updated: 27/02/2017Posted: 27/02/2017

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ZBIGNIEW NAMYSLOWSKI ~ FOLLOW YOU KITE WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190296307577 (Barcode: 190296307577) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1980 Released: 2022 This is a reissue / remaster of an album by the Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer / bandleader and a Godfather figure on the local scene, Zbigniew NamyslowskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with his sextet called Air ConditionFind albums by this artist, which also included keyboardist Wladyslaw SendeckiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Dariusz KozakiewiczFind albums by this artist, bass guitarist Krzysztof ScieranskiFind albums by this artist, drummer Wojciech KowalewskiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Jerzy TanskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, all by the leader. The album was one of the very few Polish Jazz recordings released at the time, which were not included in the legendary “Polish Jazz” series, and was now released in the new “Polish Jazz Masters” series. The music is all on the lighter side of the Jazz spectrum, supposedly part of the flourishing Fusion movement, that arrived in Poland a bit later than in Europe and even in other countries behind the Iron Curtain. Namyslowski, deeply rooted in the modern Jazz and Jazz-World Fusion genres, embraced Fusion following his short stint in the US, but that love affair was short lived. The same lineup recorded the same year another album, with included different material, called simply “Air ConditionFind albums with this title”, which was released by the PoljazzFind albums on this label label and also by Inner City in the US. But as always with Namyslowski, he was able to weave immensely beautiful tunes, with strong melodic lines, which were ideal vehicles for his sidemen to show their chops. The absolute star of this album is the very young and insanely talented keyboardist Wladyslaw Sendecki, who was to become one of top polish Jazz pianists in the years to come. His keyboards parts, especially those played on the acoustic piano, are still absolutely stunning. Although Namyslowski was not a Fusion player, Scieranski was the epitome of Funk, and his bass playing is what gives this album the Fusiony tinge. Kozakiewicz, who is a brilliant Blues / Blues-Rock guitarist, is sadly lost here as this musical environment is not really his cup of tea. Overall, this is a very nice historic Polish Jazz album, with great tunes and excellent performances by these splendid musicians, which is always great to return to, when in a nostalgic mood. The music lost nothing of its slick musicality and the reissue is a great tribute to Namyslowski, who sadly died in 2022.

Updated: 11/04/2023Posted: 11/04/2023

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BERNARD MASELI ~ DRIFTER WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190296460135 (Barcode: 190296460135) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2013 - 2019 Released: 2021 This is an album by the Polish Jazz vibraphonist / composer Bernard MaseliFind albums by this artist, recorded over a period of several years with a long list of Polish and international Jazz instrumentalists and vocalists. The album presents twelve tracks, eleven original compositions or co-compositions by Maseli and one by Japanese composer Kozaburo HiraiFind albums by this artist. The album was, for some strange and inexplicable reasons, released in the new “Polish Jazz Masters” series, which was designed to include Polish Jazz albums not released in the legendary “Polish Jazz” series, but recorded before 1990, which is not a case here. It was also released in a non-standard packaging as a jewel case and not as a digipak, as the rest of the series. The music is all on the distinctly lighter side of the Jazz spectrum, mostly Smooth Jazz and even in some case not Jazz at all, being Rap, Funk, Soul or simply Pop. Maseli plays vibraphone, marimba, kalimba and Mallet KAT and improvises brilliantly, the music has only a very fait Jazz undercurrent. The wonderful Beata PrzybytekFind albums by this artist adds some great vocals on several tracks, again those being mostly in the Soul department. Of course Maseli is still a superb Jazz musician and definitely has an honorable position among Polish Jazz vibraphonists, but on this album he shows other facets of his musical personality, which is perfectly fine. His compositions are all excellent and he and his fellow musicians are all first class performers and the album offers many wonderful moments, probably not necessarily for a Jazz audience. Overall, this is a very nice Pop-Jazz Fusion, Funk, Soul and World Music album, with superb mallet technique displayed by Maseli on all the instruments he uses to create this music, which is a great fun to listen to and mostly also quite danceable.

Updated: 15/04/2023Posted: 15/04/2023

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KUBA WIECEK TRIO & PAULINA PRZYBYSZ ~ KWIATECZKI (POLISH JAZZ VOL. 87) WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190296481222 (Barcode: 190296481222) ~ POLAND ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is an album by Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Kuba WiecekFind albums by this artist and his trio, with bassist Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist with vocalist Paulina PrzybyszFind albums by this artist. The album offers twelve songs, based on a twelve poems cycle by Polish 16th Century poet Jan KochanowskiFind albums by this artist. All the songs were co-composed by Wiecek and Przybysz. Although seemingly a Jazz & Poetry project, in reality this album has almost nothing to do with Jazz even in the most liberal definition of the term. It is a Pop album, and a bad one at that, with many elements that dominate contemporary Pop, such as simplistic melody themes, strong bass & drums sound, layers of ambient and electronics sounds that don’t add anything to the music, New Wave, Hip hop, Rap and many other elements, which results in a mishmash that is quite difficult to swallow, surely for a Jazz listener. There is a faint improvisational element hidden deeply in the background, which basically is completely out of context. The vocals are theatrical and full of mannerisms, which have no connection whatsoever to the original poetry. To put the record straight, I love Wiecek’s music within the Jazz idiom and of course I completely respect his Artistic freedom, which allows him to explore any avenue he chooses, but I don’t have to approve automatically of everything he does. Baranski and Zyta are brilliant musicians, which can be heard even here. Sadly, this album is beyond my tolerance and inserting it as part of the Polish Jazz series is nothing short of sacrilegious, even in my extra-liberal terms of reference. Overall, this is just a boring, badly conceived album, which often offends my basic aesthetic values. Of course this is only my highly personal view, but I am never keen to criticize work by Artists, that I respect and love. Well, shit happens… 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: 23/04/2023

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ZK COLLABORATION ~ SLOW FOOD (POLISH JAZZ VOL.86) WARNER MUSIC POLAND 190296508127 (Barcode: 190296508127) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2021 This is the second album by Polish Jazz outfit ZK CollaborationFind albums by this artist co-led by drummer Adam ZagorskiFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Maciej KadzielaFind albums by this artist, this time expanded to a quintet with original pianist Mateusz GawedaFind albums by this artist and new members: guitarist Jakub MizerackiFind albums by this artist and bassist Roman ChraniukFind albums by this artist (the last two are members of the Skicki-SkiukFind albums by this artist quartet). The album was recorded at the Warsaw Jasmine Jazz Club, but not live, and presents eight original compositions, seven of which were co-composed by the two leaders and one by Marek KadzielaFind albums by this artist, Maciej’s brother. The music is deeply soaked in Fusion and the guitar is the most dominant instrument in the proceedings, which remind the humorous “Heavy Metal Be-Bop” moniker almost perfectly. The compositions are all solid, but contrary to the statement in the liner notes, are completely mainstream oriented and bring nothing new to the table. The recording suffers from a murky / muddy sound, which makes listening to the album an effort and requires the volume knob to be turned down. The balance between the instruments is also heavily influenced, with the saxophone and piano often disappearing in the mix. Of course one can assume all this was done purposely and was the choice of the musicians. The members of the group are all experienced and talented musicians of course and there are many potentially enjoyable moments on this album, like the baritone saxophone parts and the more relaxed guitar soli, but this album sounds like something recorded in the 1970s, which might have worked well than, but sound rather outdated today. Overall, this is a rather mundane effort, which does not exploit the tremendous potential these musicians have to offer, and which suffers from some bad decisions involving the recording process. A pity but not a tragedy ;) 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: 06/01/2022Posted: 06/01/2022

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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

CD 1 Digipak Remastered Recommend To A Friend

PIOTR ORZECHOWSKI ~ CRITIQUE OF SWING IN TWO PARTS WARNER MUSIC POLAND 5021732270276 (Barcode: 5021732270276) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2021 Released: 2024 This is the long awaited fourth (not counting a self-released demo album) solo piano album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Piotr OrzechowskiFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. PianohooliganFind albums by this artist), recorded at the peak of the Pandemic in 2021 and released only now, three years later. It presents two tracks, selected from many original pieces recorded in an empty concert hall, which are the two most “strongly opposed” to each other. Since his recording debut in 2011, Orzechowski established his presence on the Polish Jazz scene as an exceptionally gifted performer and composer, in fact to such a degree that one could easily consider his work as a class of its own. His brilliant approach to composition, as well as his interpretations of music composed by others, are simply outstanding, even in their most minimalist external appearance, completely free of show off decadence and intellectual shortcuts. As the album’s title suggests, Orzechowski offers a contemplation of the meaning of “swing”, which of course is naturally associated with Jazz, but exists basically in all forms and shapes of music, even when entirely hidden to the naked eye (or ear). The two pieces are indeed quite contrasting, with the slow and seemingly completely non-swinging first part and obviously and ostentatiously strongly swinging second part. But, of course, both parts swing, simply in a very different manner. The music is a wonderful verification of the “expect the unexpected” principle, characteristic of the Jazz aesthetic, which here receives a truly magnificent application, and as such is a true intellectual delight to all open-minded music lovers. Overall, this is another superb piece of music by one of the most original, creative and challenging Polish Artists, who creates music, which is absolutely beyond genre classification, ageless and deeply moving, all this at an astonishing young age. I hope to be able to enjoy drinking from his musical cornucopia in the years to come, being as always grateful for his talent and creativity.

Updated: 07/05/2024Posted: 07/05/2024

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

MATEUSZ SMOCZYNSKI ~ ADAM`S APPLE WARNER MUSIC POLAND 5021732288127 (Barcode: 5021732288127) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2021 - 2022 Released: 2024 This is an album by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, recorded with the Chopin University Chamber OrchestraFind albums by this artist conducted by Rafal JaniakFind albums by this artist. The album presents two extended pieces for violin and orchestra: the five-part concerto for violin and orchestra composed by Smoczynski in 2018, entitled "Adam’s Apple”, and the four-part concerto for violin, rhythm section and Symphony Orchestra composed by Polish Jazz violinist / composer Zbigniew SeifertFind albums by this artist in 1974. The rhythm section comprises of pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist, bassist Slawomir KurkiewiczFind albums by this artist and drummer Michal MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist. In the album’s liner notes Smoczynski credits the influence of Seifert on his musical development from his early age and the more recent influence of the American composer John AdamsFind albums by this artist, and explains how the album’s title refers both to the Biblical story and the composer’s name. The music is every bit as brilliant as one might expect, in every sense. Placing both these violin concerti side by side, presents a wonderful opportunity to observe the development of the Jazz-Classical Fusion genre over the forty-four years’ time gap, as well as stylistic differences and approaches between the two composers. Considering the fact that this is the first time the Seifert’s concerto is released on record, this album is already a sensational occasion for celebration. Not less important is the opportunity to have such ambitious music recorded and released, which sadly is rather uncommon in the world ruled by commerciality and questionable aesthetics. As such, this album is an absolute gem, offering a wonderful opportunity to hear such a delightful music and at the same time playing tribute to the memory of Seifert, who was undoubtedly one of Polish Jazz most prominent figures. The performances by Smoczynski, the Orchestra and the rhythm section are stellar in every sense, which is hardly surprising, considering the fact that these are some of Polish Jazz top Artists. Listeners familiar with the local scene are of course aware that Smoczynski is a member of the fabulous Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist, Kurkiewicz and Miskiewicz are members of the Marcin WasilewskiFind albums by this artist Trio and Wania is one of the most revered Polish Jazz pianists. One can hardly wish for a better team. Overall, this is a superb example of the highly artistic level of the Polish Jazz scene, which often sees local musicians undertaking very ambitious projects, like the music on this album, with full support of the local recording industry and fellow musicians from across the genres. For Jazz-Classical Fusion lovers, this is as high as the genre soars. Not to be missed!

Updated: 28/12/2024Posted: 28/12/2024

CD 1 SACD Recommend To A Friend

MICHAL BARANSKI ~ MASOVIAN MANTRA (POLISH JAZZ VOL. 88) WARNER MUSIC POLAND 5054197299612 (Barcode: 5054197299612) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2021 Released: 2022 This is the debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz bassist / composer Michal BaranskiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio / quartet setting with Polish pianist Michal TokajFind albums by this artist and drummer Lukasz ZytaFind albums by this artist and Israeli guitarist Shachar ElnatanFind albums by this artist. Seven additional Polish musicians guest on selected tracks. The album presents eight tracks, seven of which are original compositions by Baranski and one is his arrangement of a Polish Folk song. Baranski earned his reputation as one of Poland’s top bass players since the turn of the Millennium, appearing on dozens of albums by Polish and international musicians, always being in absolute top form. He was mentioned as a co-leader on three albums over the years, but it is truly amazing to see that his debut recording as a leader arrives only now. Perhaps this should be appreciated, since the decision to record this album is a result of many years of studying and developing his musical personality, and his natural modesty and patience prompted him to make this album when he really had something to say. The music is an elegant amalgam of modern Jazz and Folkloristic influences, both Polish Folklore and the Indian konnakol vocal percussion technique, which is one of Baranski’s passions since several years. Based on solid melodic themes, the music emphasizes the rhythmic facets, which often are very intricate and require some “elasticity” from the listener, who might find some of these rhythms very unusual and even hard to follow. The decision to involve Elnatan, who is one of numerous Israeli Jazz players active on the NY Jazz scene, with a rich Ethnic background of Yemenite and other Middle Eastern influences, resulted in providing the album with many exotic sonic colors and other vistas, way beyond what can be found on most Polish Jazz albums. But his old friends, Tokaj and Zyta, also contribute brilliantly for the entire duration. The guests decorate the album with their contributions on selected tracks, putting the proverbial cherries on top. The result is definitely one of the most refreshing and interesting Polish Jazz albums released in 2022, and the fact that just a few days ago it won the “best Polish Jazz album of the year” prize and Baranski won the “Jazz artist of the year” prize, is hardly surprising and well deserved in this case. Overall, this is both a very interesting and beautiful album, recorded by top Polish Jazz musicians, offering a deep exposure to diverse rhythmic patterns, which are not found usually on Jazz albums. The inquisitive and open-minded listeners should find every second of this music highly fascinating. 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: 25/04/2023Posted: 25/04/2023

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AGA ZARYAN ~ SARA WARNER MUSIC POLAND 5054197336003 (Barcode: 5054197336003) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz & Poetry Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture”. I often ponder about this maxim, especially in cases when I write about music, which is particularly close to my heart, overwhelmingly emotional and with personal association, and as such possibly clouding my judgment, which some people think should be “objective”. I have been aware of this project from its very conception, being close to its creators on so many physical and metaphysical levels. Anna CiciszwiliFind albums by this artist, who wondrously translated the poems by American poetess Sara TeasdaleFind albums by this artist into Polish, recently published in a book, became practically a Family member, when the miracle of human contact joined together her and my Families forever. Aga ZaryanFind albums by this artist, whom I admire since so many years, is a symbol of Polish Jazz in its most Artistic revelation and such a wonderful Human being. Andrzej RejmanFind albums by this artist, who inspired this project and composed one of the melodies, is an old acquaintance. Czech guitarist David DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, who is a grandson of my dear friend Lubomir DoruzkaFind albums by this artist, who in turn was an inspiration to me in my early days of writing about Jazz, and who is one of the most talented young guitarists and composers around, as is Szymon MikaFind albums by this artist, who’s career I have been following closely since his first days on the stage, and who is also a superb songweaver. In short, everything connected with this album is extremely personal to me. The poetry of Teasdale, deeply lyrical and often mysterious, deserves a serious study and admiration, and her life, tragically ended by suicide, is also highly fascinating. The fact that she was the first winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry speaks volumes about her talent, but during the century following her death her life’s work was largely forgotten, which makes this album especially important. The album presents twelve songs, based on Teasdale’s poems, in one case featuring a Polish translation and the rest sung in English. The music was written mostly by Doruzka and Mika, with one song by Rejman and three by Zaryan in cooperation with Doruzka and Mika. The entire instrumental accompaniment is created solely by the two guitarists, which of course is uniquely original and striking as a musical concept. The music completely eschews all attempts of classification by accepted genre genealogy, with obvious Jazz lineage, but at the same time a completely unique amalgam of stylistic heritage. The sublime work of the guitar duo, which puts the vocals up there at the very front of the stage, and yet supports the singer most effectively, is a true revelation. The constant role changing between the guitarists, shifting the focus between accompaniment and soloing, is breathtakingly beautiful and intelligent at the same time. The harmonizing and role-sharing is a great example of the “Art of the Duo”, even if the duo consists of two musicians playing the same instrument and appears in “supporting” role only. Zaryan is completely at her element here. Being a romantic at heart, she fits Teasdale’s poetry expressionism perfectly, weather she sings the lyrics or just improvised vocalese. Her identification with the underlying messages of the poetic values is as impeccable as one might have wished for. Although this is not her first encounter with the Jazz & Poetry idiom, it seems that this time her personal intimate involvement with the text goes way beyond that, which is expected, perhaps somewhat motivated by her own recent personal experiences. Thank you, my Friends, for the gift of music! Overall, this is a milestone album, which bears unique approach to treating poetry within the Jazz milieu, focusing on the Art of delivery and a conceptual triumph in a minimalist setting. The poetry itself is deeply emotional, almost hunting, and the execution nothing short of miraculous, which of course happens all too rarely. The album grows on the listener with each listening session, expanding the intimacy as experienced within a developing love affair. This is definitely a paradise for the hopeless Romantics, whatever the price might be.

Updated: 23/11/2022Posted: 23/11/2022

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DOROTA MISKIEWICZ & TONINHO HORTA ~ BONS AMIGOS WARNER MUSIC POLAND 5054197756405 (Barcode: 5054197756405) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2019 - 2020 Released: 2023 This is an album by Polish Jazz vocalist Dorota MiskiewiczFind albums by this artist and Brazilian guitarist / vocalist / composer Toninho HortaFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded mostly in Brazil with bassist Michael PipoquinhaFind albums by this artist and percussionist Armando MarcalFind albums by this artist. Later on overdubs by Polish (resident in Germany) drummer Bodek JankeFind albums by this artist and vocal overdubs by Miskiewicz were added in Poland. The album presents eleven tracks, eight of which were composed by Horta, and three were co-composed by Miskiewicz and Marek NapiorkowskiFind albums by this artist, two appearing originally on the album “CaminhoFind albums with this title” from 2008 and one appearing originally on the album “AleFind albums with this title” from 2012. The music is everything Brazilian music lovers might expect: brilliant songs, excellent guitar parts, superb vocals by Miskiewicz, who sings in Portuguese and Polish, and heartfelt accompaniment by the rhythm section. Horta plays some amazing guitar licks and Miskiewicz sings as if she was born in Bahia, and it is obvious that a lot of fun was had by everybody on board. The music sounds completely authentic, which is not easy to achieve with musicians not originally from Brazil, but Miskiewicz obviously feels deeply the specific zest of Brazilian music, sounding natural even when she sings in Polish. Her lovely vocals are pure magic, as always. The album is full of delicate nuances, both instrumental and vocal, which should keep all fans of Brazilian music happy, and continues the vocalist’s passion with that specific genre, now in its natural habitat. Overall, this is a truly delightful piece of music, which Miskiewicz can be really proud of and her many fans and admirers can enjoy wholeheartedly, as can all Brazilian Jazz fans the world over. Thank you my Dear for this gift of music!

Updated: 03/03/2024Posted: 03/03/2024

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ATOM STRING QUARTET ~ UNIVERSUM WARNER MUSIC POLAND 5054197808319 (Barcode: 5054197808319) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-Classical Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2024 This is the 9th album by Polish Atom String QuartetFind albums by this artist (ASQ), which comprises of violinists Dawid LubowiczFind albums by this artist and Mateusz SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist, violist Michal ZaborskiFind albums by this artist and cellist Krzysztof LenczowskiFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents four string quartets, each of which was composed by one of the quartet members. Although the music is strictly composed, the spirit of it reflects the unique attitude of the quartet, which constantly floats between composed and improvised music, creating a well-earned association with Jazz-Classical Fusion, which is omnipresent on this album as well. Followers of the quartet’s thirteen years long recording legacy will probably not be surprised by the music this album presents, despite the fact that it consists of four full-length string quartets, signaling a Classical connection of unprecedented scale and scope. But in fact the music is completely and utterly unique and way beyond what one expects to hear in a Classical string quartet, even in the contemporary / modern ones. The spirit of freedom, fantasy and wild imagination prevails for the entire duration, refusing to stick to any “rules” prescribed by Classical Music theory, including even a strong notion of improvisation, if not de facto then surely in spiritu. The music, with its wonderfully rich melodic content and fascinating diversity, serves as ideal vehicle to showcase the incredible virtuosity of these musicians, both as individuals and even more importantly as a collective ensemble. The perfect balance they manage to achieve at all time, the interplay and collaboration, are all absolutely breathtaking, which results in ASQ achieving the well-earned position at the absolute worldwide top of string quartet Artistry. The music offers an incredible richness of Polish musical traditions, both Classical and Folkloristic, which are reflected throughout. Deep lyricism and underlying melancholy are spiced with rhythmic modernism and harmony, and although the music was composed by four quite dissimilar composers, it works perfectly together, keeping the listener on edge with dramatic passages and underlying tension. Overall, this is another brilliant addition to the ASQ recording legacy, which holds a unique position on the Polish / European music scene, clearly marking their position at the very top. Although the music is strictly composed, it holds for me clear elements of Jazz, such as swing and freedom, which are omnipresent in their music since its inception. Superbly recorded, breathtakingly performed and overwhelmingly beautiful, this is a musical nectar of the Gods.

Updated: 01/03/2024Posted: 01/03/2024

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KUBA STANKIEWICZ ~ THE MUSIC OF BRONISLAW KAPER WARNER MUSIC POLAND 825646368730 (Barcode: 825646368730) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the second installment in a series of albums by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Kuba StankiewiczFind albums by this artist dedicated to the music written by the composers of Polish / Jewish origins, who are know primarily as the great American composers of many classic Jazz standards, and their true origins are almost completely unheard of. Same as its predecessor, which was dedicated to the music of Victor YoungFind albums by this artist ("The Music Of Victor YoungFind albums with this title"), this album was recorded by the piano trio with Polish (resident in the US) bassist Darek OleszkiewiczFind albums by this artist and veteran American drummer Peter ErskineFind albums by this artist and presents this time nine compositions by Bronislaw KaperFind albums by this artist (two of which were co-composed by Walter JurmannFind albums by this artist, his musical partner for many years), including his most famous standards and a few much lesser know pieces. Stankiewicz, as usual, took great pains to conduct a serious research about the composer´s life and music before he selected the compositions included on this album. He is definitely quite a perfectionist in what he does, and this deserves our outmost admiration. The album includes a very educational write-up about Kaper by Anna FerensFind albums by this artist as well as an introductory text by Stankiewicz (in Polish and English) and the album´s artwork continues the design originated on the previous album. In short this is a very professional and highly aesthetic piece of music production in every aspect. The music is of course divine, its beauty timeless and these particular performances treat it with the respect these classics deserve. Stankiewicz and his cohorts play sparingly and delicately, treating each and every note like it was a priceless jewel. The rhythm section accompanies the pianist amicably and harmoniously, filling in the space but never disturbing the piano melody line and the improvised sections. In many respects this is a classic piano trio with a dream team playing perfect music – what else can we ask for. This is the Jazz traditions at its best, without being pretentious or condescending. It is an absolute must for all piano trio connoisseurs, and a great piece of Jazz history. As usual Stankiewicz, who happens to be a friend of mine, emerges victorious and highly accomplished, for which all lovers of great Jazz, myself included, thank him wholeheartedly. Not to be missed!

Updated: 27/02/2017Posted: 02/05/2016

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