Michał Tokaj Trio - Bird Alone (2004)

A very strange recording, of utmost beauty, which unfortunately remains in obscurity. Classic cool jazz trio featuring pianist Michał Tokaj, double bass player Darek Oleszkiewicz and drummer Łukasz Żyta. Michał Tokaj career had splendid beginning, he went from one prize to another, and was playing with all the greatest in Poland, concerting extensively here and abroad. This record, issued in Japan (Gats Production), but recorded in Poland, is kind of climax of this early period: accomplished in every detail, it brings music as flawless and perfect an one can expect from one of the best piano trios in a world. Surprisingly, however, it turned out never to be continued. Sadly it remains great but the only Michał Tokaj's album recorded as a leader.  

Why it is that Michał Tokaj stopped recording as leader is beyond me! He is so, so good it is with great loss to Polish jazz indeed. He is active as educator working as scholar in famous Chopin Music Academy in Warsaw and is also appearing on some recordings as sideman like for example on good disc by Aga Zaryan  "Looking Walking Being" recorded for Blue Note last year. Still if he ever read this post by chance, let me tell him in a name of many thousands of jazz lovers in Poland and abroad: Michał we are waiting for your new album far too long!

For more information check artist's web page http://www.michaltokaj.com/.

Finally let me invite you to check this link for one of the gems of this record: Michał Tokaj Trio interpretation of tune from film series "Chłopi" (Peasants) based on novel by Władysław Reymont, who for this novel received Nobel Prize in literature in year 1924.