Agnes Bazsinka – Things Look Different From Here (2020)

Agnes Bazsinka

Agnes Bazsinka - vocals
Bartłomiej Dybel - drums
Szymon Bora - vibraphone
J.J. Kołacki - bass

Things Look Different From Here

NOT ON LABEL


By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by Hungarian (living in Poland) vocalist / composer Agnes Bazsinka recorded with the las IIII quartet, which includes also Polish musicians: vibraphonist Szymon Bora, bassist J.J. Kolacki and drummer Bartlomiej Dybel. The album's artwork is mystically secretive about details, but the album presents one continuous piece of music "build up form larger units and intermezzo parts" composed by her and including her (I assume) lyrics (in Hungarian). The album is divided into eight tracks, (intro, three parts, each followed by an intermezzo and finally part four) which total in twenty-three minutes – way, way below album timing limit and in today's terms even below the accepted EP timing.

The music is very interesting, but not as experimental as claimed, based on repetitive riffs played by the vibraphone and occasional melodic fragments, and including some background sounds made by the bass and drums and only occasionally featuring the rhythm section in its traditional role. However, the music has a unique ambience, which manages to create tension and interest, and is most pleasing aesthetically, leaving the listener wishing to her more, in this case much more. 

Altogether the album offers a very minimalist musical content, fragmented and not entirely coherent, but obviously fascinating enough for me to want to hear more of these fresh ideas in the future. Accordingly, I'll refer to this "album" as a teaser and wait patiently for the real thing! Good luck with it!

Joachim Sevenitz – Z Tysiaca I Jednej Nocy Wigilijnych (2019)

Joachim Sevenitz

Joachim Sevenitz - bass
Marta Król - vocals
Paweł Tomaszewski - keyboards
Paweł Dobrowolski - drums

Z Tysiaca I Jednej Nocy Wigilijnych

PRIVATE EDITION 798190106458

By Adam Baruch

This is an album conceived of produced by Polish (resident in Germany) bassist/arranger Joachim Sevenitz, which presents ten well known Christmas Carols arranged in the spirit of the Jazz idiom and involving some top Polish Jazz players like keyboardist Paweł Tomaszewski, vocalist Marta Król and drummer Paweł Dobrowolski. A string quartet accompanies the quartet and seven guests play/sing on selected tracks.

I usually avoid Christmas Jazz albums like the plague (especially these days), as they usually are the epitome of kitsch, but this album is an exception to the rule. It is both wonderfully arranged and performed, with each of the songs being cleverly referenced to a different musical setting.

The instrumental performances are excellent, as expected. Tomaszewski's enchanting parts, both on the acoustic piano and the keyboards, are simply perfect, and he remains by far one of my favorite Polish keyboard wizards. Sevenitz and Dobrowolski take care of the rhythm section duties with grace and the vocals express the moods nicely. The string quartet parts fit well within the general musical messages and moods and the guests add the proverbial cherries on top.

Overall this is a pleasant listening experience, elegant and clever, which turns the somewhat worn-out concept of Christmas albums into a worthy piece of music that can be enjoyed also in the spring. Definitely worth investigating!

Tomasz Kowalczyk Trio feat. Markus Stockhausen w Hamburgu

Markus Stockhausen - trąbka, flugelhorn
Tomasz Kowalczyk - fortepian
Felix Behrendt - kontrabas
Janosch Pangritz - perkusja

Zapraszamy na koncert online formacji Tomasz Kowalczyk Trio. Trzej młodzi muzycy o niezwykle interesujących biografiach, którzy poszerzają horyzont pojęcia "jazz" daleko poza granice muzyki na inne obszary twórczości, szukają spotkania z jednym z najbardziej ekscytujących i kreatywnych improwizatorów w Europie: trębaczem Markusem Stockhausen, który sam od lat jest pionierem w dziedzinie podróży między światami. Koncert odbędzie się 18.10 o godz. 20.00 w Hamburgu i będzie również transmitowany na żywo pod następującym linkiem: https://hamburg.stream/kowalczyk.

Tak pisaliśmy o debiutanckim albumie formacji, "Changing Perceptions": "This is a wonderful Jazz piano trio album, full of excellent original music and a true joy of playing. Although the music is conventional, it is as good as mainstream Jazz gets, doing everything exactly right. It is a very strong debut statement, which immediately calls for more to follow, and congratulations all definitely due. For melodic Jazz piano trio lovers, this is a dream come true".

Fredrik Lundin - 5 Go Adventuring Again (2017)

Fredrik Lundin

Fredrik Lundin - saxophones

Tomasz Dąbrowski - trumpet

Petter Hängsel - trombone, synth
Joel Illerhag - bass

Anders Provis - drums, percussion
Jesper Løvdal - contrabass clarinet (9)

5 Go Adventuring Again

STUNT 17182

By Adam Baruch

This is an album by veteran Danish saxophonist/composer Fredrik Lundin and his quintet which also includes Polish trumpeter Tomasz Dąbrowski, Swedish trombonist Petter Hängsel, Bazantar (five string acoustic bass) player Joel Illerhag and Danish drummer Anders Provis. Danish contrabass clarinet player Jesper Løvdal guests on one track. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Lundin.

The music is dense and complex, dark and epic, close to contemporary Classical music although undoubtedly Jazzy at the core. The sound of the quintet majestically rises to the level of an orchestral reverberation, with the brass instruments playing unisono riffs behind the solos and the slowly moving melody lines are supported by a brilliant mixture of electronic and acoustic drums and mindboggling bass, or rather Bazantar pulsations. At times it all sounds like a bizarre funeral procession or a very drunk circus band, but the music is absolutely dazzling in its power and glory.

The level of individual statements is also astonishing. Dąbrowski, as usual, plays some incredible trumpet parts, but Lundin and Hängsel are there with him playing not less amazingly. Illerhag is one of the most impressive bass players I have had the pleasure to hear in a long while and Provis pushes the music right to the very edge. But first and foremost the ensemble collectivism these incredible musicians are able to achieve here is way beyond just a sum if its ingredients, which of course adds another layer of significance to this recording.

Overall this is an incredible album, full of superb music and virtuosic performances, which deserves to be heard by as many music connoisseurs around the world as possible. It is absolutely European in its intrinsic elegance and aesthetics, with a strong emphasis on Nordic atmosphere and melancholy and could have never been envisaged and created anywhere else. It is also a monumental road sign as to the future of Jazz, which is moving further and further away from its stale traditionalism towards creating a completely revamped idiom, which is multicultural, cross-genre and open to constant change and progress and deep spirituality. Wholeheartedly recommended to anybody, who really cares about music and where it is going!

Dobie / Madry Project – Body Up (2017)

Dobie / Madry Project

Jonathan Dobie - guitar
Tomasz Madry - electronics
and others

Body Up

REQUIEM 138



By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by British / Polish duo which consists of British guitarist/composer Jonathan Dobie and Polish electronics performer Tomasz Madry. They are assisted by several additional British and Polish musicians, some of which are well known names in the avant-garde/ambient music communities. The album presents two extended original compositions, not credited explicitly on the album's artwork and therefore assumed to be collective compositions.

The music is a wonderful amalgam of ambient / drone / electronic music and Jazz improvisations, combined together in a very original form. The electronic sounds serve as a platform upon which the Jazzy improvisations float like wind above earth. The sublime contrast between the heavy, dark sound of the electronics and the gentle, melodic sound of the saxophone improvisations creates an eerie effect, perfectly suitable as a soundtrack to an imaginary movie.

This intuitive and highly adventurous music manages to present a completely coherent structure and sense of direction. In many respects this music could be treated as contemporary "Classical" Music, presenting a completely new gateway into unexplored musical universes. This music offers new discoveries with each listening session and its scope is truly amazing.

This is revolutionary music in every sense, as it eschews all conventions and known parameters, simply creating a new form of collective expression, which combines recorded sounds and studio manipulation. Although seemingly depressive and sinister, it is in fact nothing of the sort. It uses the minimalism of the drone background and "white noise" electronic effects as canvas, upon which the improvisations act like brightly colored shapes.

Overall this is an amazing piece of contemporary music, which is a wonderful example of ingenuity and limitless searching, which still, thank God, happens on this planet, often against all odds. As usual kudos is due to the Polish Requiem label for the courage and wisdom to release albums like this one; albums that change the perception of what music is, for generations to come.

Mariusz Smoliński Trio - 10 Minutes Later (2020)

Mariusz Smoliński Trio

Mariusz Smoliński - piano, keys
Bartosz Kucz - bass
Piotr Budniak - drums

10 Minutes Later

NOT ON LABEL

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by young Polish keyboardist/composer Mariusz Smoliński recorded in a trio format with bassist Bartosz Kucz and drummer Piotr Budniak. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Smoliński.

The music is all strictly melody based mainstream Jazz/Fusion, with a distinct retro feel reminiscent of Chick Corea 1970s/1980s recordings, constantly moving on the border between Jazz and Fusion. Smoliński plays both acoustic piano and the Fender Rhodes (or synthesizer), which naturally swing the mood between the Jazz and Fusion idioms. Kucz plays a distinct Fusion oriented electric bass whereas Budniak's drumming is more Jazz oriented, which again emphasizes the stylistic dichotomy of the album.

The compositions are all solid and well structured, the ballads being typically drenched in Polish melancholy and for me stronger than the up-tempo numbers, with have less distinct character. But all in all the music is certainly very well crafted and offers a pleasant experience to a wide range of listeners.

The performances are all first class, as usual with the young and well schooled Polish Jazz musicians. Smoliński has what it takes to play a wide range of stylistic nuances, sounding confident and sparkling. Kucz gets a lot of exposure and soloing opportunities, and his bass work is truly inspiring, with a wonderful fretless sound and fluidity. His contributions on this album are an essential part of the entire result and for Fusion bass lovers are probably the focus of interest. Budniak, who is a frequent participant in on the Polish Jazz/Fusion recording scene, is as precise and inspiring as always.

Overall this is an excellent debut effort, which shows potential and professionalism of the leader in this early stage of his career. Smoliński needs to find his personal voice and style in time, which will surely happen very quickly based on the rapid development displayed by the young generation of Polish Jazz players, and I'm already curious to hear his sophomore effort.

Stanisław Słowiński - Solo Violin Avantgarde - premiera nowej płyty

Stanisław Słowiński - skrzypce

"Solo Violin Avantgarde" to już piąty autorski album skrzypka Stanisława Słowińskiego i jeden z kilkudziesięciu w jego dyskografii. Jest on kontynuacją wydawnictwa "Solo EP", które wydane w 2017 spotkało się z uznaniem publiczności oraz krytyków muzycznych; towarzyszyła mu również promocyjna trasa koncertowa. 

Siedem autorskich kompozycji, które składają się na całość płyty, to utwory łączące dwa muzyczne światy będące dla Stanisława Słowińskiego najważniejszymi filarami muzycznej drogi: świat muzyki klasycznej oraz jazzu, muzyki improwizowanej. Album inspirowany jest pionierskim wydawnictwem najwybitniejszego polskiego skrzypka jazzowego, Zbigniewa Seiferta - "Solo Violin". 

Jednocześnie "Solo Violin Avantgarde" to podsumowanie dotychczasowych eksploracji Słowińskiego w kontekście solowych form skrzypcowych. Nawiązania do największych dzieł minionych epok na gruncie struktur form utworów, poszukiwania swobody i ekspresji, którą daje improwizacja i spontaniczna kreacja fraz i brzmienia; język harmoniczny i fakturalny epok romantyzmu, baroku będący punktem wyjścia do improwizacji i kreacji. To filary, na których zbudowany został program wydawnictwa. To także podsumowanie dotychczasowej drogi Słowińskiego na płaszczyźnie najbardziej wymagającej, intymnej i bezpośredniej w przekazie formy, jaką są kompozycje i improwizacje solowe. Album ukaże się nakładem oficyny wydawniczej InfraArt Record Label.

Stanisław Słowiński - skrzypek, kompozytor, producent muzyczny. Od 15 roku życia nieustannie na scenie. Gra przeszło 100 koncertów rocznie odwiedzając sceny całego świata; m.in.: Polska, Hiszpania, Węgry, Serbia, Islandia, Niemcy, Chiny, Korea Południowa, Chile, Capo Verde, Mongolia. Jego albumy nagrane dla prestiżowego labelu - Hevhetia spotkały się z uznaniem publiczności i krytyków muzycznych, a ich trasy promocyjne objęły przeszło 100 koncertów na terenie Europy, Ameryki Południowej, Azji. Regularnie współpracuje z projektem Jazzpopolsku i jest jednym z najczęściej koncertujących w Azji przedstawicieli polskiej sceny - zapraszany na trasy koncertowe corocznie nieprzerwanie od 2016 roku.

Laureat Grand Prix 39. Jazz Juniors 2015. Laureat Nagrody Publiczności na I Konkursie Skrzypcowym im. Zbigniewa Seiferta. Laureat Stypendium Twórczego Miasta Krakowa 2014. Wielokrotnie nominowany w kategoriach "Skrzypce" oraz "Nowa nadzieja" w ankiecie Jazz Top czytelników Jazz Forum. Wspiął się na szczyt listy Oriental Billboard Chart Shanghai dzięki zaproszeniu do gościnnego udziału w nagraniu singla wokalistki Shine Yang i producenta muzycznego Guo Liang.

Najnowszy album - "Visions Violin Concerto" nagrany został z udziałem jednej z najlepszych orkiestr kameralnych w Europie - AUKSO pod batutą wybitnego dyrygenta - Marka Mosia. Płyta ukazała się nakładem oficyny wydawniczej założonej przez Słowińskiego - InfraArt Record Label w podwójnym formacie - CD oraz DVD Live. Poza działalnością koncertową niezwykle aktywny również jako kompozytor, aranżer, producent muzyczny; dyskografia z jego udziałem to już kilkadziesiąt albumów. Jest też twórcą muzyki filmowej i teatralnej.

Gadt / Osborne / Zakrocki / Olak - Spontaneous Chamber Music Vol.3 (2020)

Gadt / Osborne / Zakrocki / Olak

Anna Gadt - vocals
Annemie Osborne - cello
Marcin Zakrocki - viola
Marcin Olak - guitars

Spontaneous Chamber Music Vol.3

FSR 2020/17

By Adam Baruch

This is the third album in the "Spontaneous Chamber Music" series, created by the Polish improvising duo comprising of violinist Patryk Zakrocki and guitarist Marcin Olak, this time expanded to a quartet with participation of Polish vocalist Anna Gadt and Luxembourgian cellist Annemie Osborne. The album presents fourteen relatively short spontaneous performances, recorded in a studio, which are assumingly credited to the participating musicians.

Although continuing the ideas and modus operandi behind the two previous albums, the music presented here is even more "chamber" than before, in the "intimate" meaning of the chamber idiom. The presence of the two female musicians must have deeply influenced the proceedings, which is hardly surprising after all. 

Gadt treats her voice as an instrument, which she uses skillfully both to improvise in tandem with the others and to create a background tonal layer behind the others while they improvise. Her brilliant ideas and technical abilities easily place her on top of the list of Polish female improvising vocalists. Considering the fact that she in parallel to her performing career also teaches vocals, the next generation of Polish Jazz vocalist is certainly in good hands. She is the first Polish vocalist to take Polish Jazz / Improvised Music vocals a significant step forward for the first time in decades. Her cooperation with Olak can be heard on the wonderful album "Gombrowicz" they recorded as a duo and Osborne appeared as guest on the recording of her beautiful solo album "Mysterium Lunae". 

Although Gadt's contributions on this album are the most striking, all four musicians contributed wonderfully to its creation. Olak plays some superb guitar lines, Zakrocki adds atmospheric viola choruses and Osborne weaves complex cello structures, all of which combined with Gadt's vocals create some of the finest improvising music I came across lately, which is perhaps also accessible to relatively wider audiences than such music usually is able to attract, due to the highly melodic approach used by the musicians. 

Overall this is a splendid album, which proves that Improvised Music can by way more than just an expression of musical freedom and cooperation but also an opportunity to innovate and produce music that is able to reach audience beyond the close circle of sympathizers, which sadly is the case in most Improvised Music recordings. For enthusiasts if Avant-Garde vocals this album is an absolute must.

Bastarda - Nigunim (2020)

Bastarda

Paweł Szamburski - clarinet

Michał Górczyński - contrabass clarinet
Tomasz Pokrzywiński - cello

with Choir "Grochów" (9)

Nigunim

MULTIKULTI MPT 016


By Adam Baruch

This is the third album by the Polish trio Bastarda comprising of clarinetist Paweł Szamburski, cellist Tomasz Pokrzywiński and contrabass clarinetist Michał Górczyński. A choir participates on one track. The music was recorded live and the sound quality is a bit iffy at times. The album presents nine tracks, all traditional melodies arranged by the trio

Following the pattern established by the two earlier albums, the trio re-examines music originating a few Centuries earlier, this time Jewish Hasidic music created by members of the Hasidic movement established in the 18^th Century. Deeply rooted in Jewish mysticism the Nigunim (from Heb. "lenagen" to play) are pieces based on simple melodic themes sung and/or played repeatedly with varying intensity and prompt the performing participants to enter an ecstatic state of mind, seeking contact with the omnipresent God. Each of the many Hasidic "courts" had its specific collection of Nigunim and some of the ones interpreted here originate from the Modzitzer "court" founded in the Polish village of Modzitz (Pol. Modrzyce) and headed by the generations of Taub family Rebbes.

Bastarda interpret the Hasidic music very closely to its original source and spirit, and except for the instrumentation, which of course is very unique and beautiful, very little improvisation or other "foreign" musical elements are used. The emphasis is on a more melancholic melodies and minimalist approach, highly respectful of the original. Overall this '"solid" and faithful modus operandi is highly effective and avoids the disastrous "Klezmer" attitude, which might have turned this, almost sacred music, into a pastiche.

I am not sure if this specific treatment of the Nigunim is able to convey in full the actual spirit of the music, as initially intended, but using the Biblical proverb "The work of the righteous is done by others'", I can assume that the beauty of this music ant its universality will find new audiences thanks to this album, which is always a positive thing. Overall this is, as usual with Bastarda, a highly aesthetic and spiritual experience and the fabulous performances overcame any minor reservations. The album is highly recommended to serious music lovers not familiar with Jewish music, as this might serve as a wonderful introduction, albeit not on the trivial route.

Przemysław Chmiel Quartet - Witchcraft (2020)

Przemysław Chmiel Quartet

Przemysław Chmiel - tenor & soprano saxophones, clarinet
Mateusz Gramburg - piano
Piotr Narajowski - double bass
Michał Szeligowski - drums

Witchcraft

FSR 2020/16


By Krzysztof Komorek

O roku 2020 trudno jak na razie powiedzieć coś dobrego. Świat sztuki szczególnie odczuł przeróżne perturbacje i ograniczenia pandemiczne. Nieoczekiwanie jednak, po niemal trzech kwartałach roku kończącego drugą dekadę XXI wieku, oznajmić można rzecz pozytywną. Otóż bieżący rok obfituje w naprawdę ciekawe i dobre, a wręcz bardzo dobre, polskie jazzowe debiuty. 

Niełatwa będzie rola krytyków, mających wskazać najlepszy z nich. Na pewno wśród faworytów znajdzie się wydany przez Fundację Słuchaj album "Witchcraft", nagrany przez kwartet saksofonisty Przemysława Chmiela. Lider zespołu ma na swoim koncie liczne wyróżnienia indywidualne i grupowe krajowych konkursów, między innymi na Tarnów Jazz Contest oraz Blue Note Poznań Competition. Firmowaną nazwiskiem Przemysława Chmiela grupę współtworzą koledzy z katowickiej Akademii Muzycznej im. Karola Szymanowskiego. 

"Witchcraft" trwa godzinę i jedną minutę. W każdym z ośmiu utworów znaleźć można solidną, ponad pięciominutową dawkę autorskiej muzyki lidera formacji. Muzyki bardzo różnorodnej, bowiem na albumie znajdziemy zarówno niebanalny mainstream, jak i improwizację. We wszystkich tych obszarach kwartet porusza się równie sprawnie i znakomicie. 

Płytę otwiera "Jurassic Park" z wyraźnie wyeksponowaną rolą saksofonu i ciekawym tłem kreowanym przez pozostałych członków grupy. Po tych niemal siedmiu minutach poszukującego spaceru w stronę muzyki improwizowanej, w kolejnym nagraniu zespół zabiera słuchacza na muzyczny rollercoaster. "Dear Wayne", najdłuższe nagranie na krążku, trwające równe dwanaście minut, zaczyna się i kończy w stylistyce melodyjnego, momentami rzecz można delikatnego, mainstreamu. Jednak w środkowej części utworu czeka słuchaczy niespodzianka w postaci śmiałego przełamania nastroju dynamicznie rozpędzającym się solem saksofonu. Przełamania, które równie gwałtownie rozpoczyna się, co i kończy, powracając ku stonowanym klimatom finału rozegranego w triu, bez udziału lidera. Notabene pianista Mateusz Gramburg dość często wysuwa się na pierwszy plan. Już w kolejnym utworze - "Metropolis And Mental Life" - właśnie on najdobitniej zaznacza swoją obecność.

Całość "Witchcraft" - jak już wspomniałem - balansuje pomiędzy różnymi stylistykami. Jednakże owa dwoistość oblicza kwartetu nie jest odczuwalna jako rozdarcie czy dysonans, ale raczej jako dowód całkowicie spójnej wszechstronności. Albumu słucha się z wielkim zainteresowaniem, czekając cały czas, w którą stronę pokieruje nas fantazja muzyków. Wymienione przeze mnie wcześniej konkursowe laury zyskują wraz z debiutancką płytą zespołu potwierdzenie, że objawiła się  nam kolejna, warta szczególnej uwagi i zainteresowania formacja.