Paul Band
Krzysztof Paul - guitars
Artur Jurek - keys
Karol Kozłowski - bass
Adam Golicki - drums
Soliton, 2011
Frank Gambale or Alan Holdsworth, great virtuoso players of rock guitar in jazz, one might thought that their times are long gone. But no! Recently on my desk has landed new album of Krzysztof Paul (leader of the group) who plays on guitars with Artur Jurek - accompanying him on keys, Karol Kozłowski on bass and Adam Golicki on drums. Athough jazz rock seemed to me dead and last Polish jazz rock band I listened to with pleasure was Laboratorium approximately 20 years ago, I must confess that listening to newest album by Paul Band titled "Second Face" was pure pleasure. Although you may attribute my positive feeling toward this record to a long period of deprivation from good jazz rock music, I prefer to turn your attention to lively and energetic performances this CD contains.
Once I start to dig in the net to learn more about these artists, previously completely unknown to me, I discovered that Paul Band has indeed quite long history. It existed already in 2003 when they won some minor jazz competion in Poland but at some point in following years Krzysztof Paul disbanded it. Fortunately it was reactivated in 2009 and in 2010 they recorded CD titled "Wanted" and very soon after that CD at the beginning of 2011 this album "Second Face". I cannot execute routine comparison of those two recordings since up to few days ago I was totally unaware of this band's existence. However judging from level of music recorded on "Second Face" I come to conclusion that it seems like effect of long process of maturation as music is perfect in every aspect: composition, interplay, internal coherence.
"Second Face" was therefore very pleasant surprise and I expect it will be very warmly welcomed by large group of lovers of sound of electrical guitar in Poland. As for my jazz soul it is perhaps too constrained and predictable to stay longer in my CD player but that is why I also rather seldom reach to even such masters of this genre as above mentioned Gambale or Holdsworth. If however Paul Band ever moved closer towards Miles Davis jazz rock period as exemplified by "Bitches Brew" I would probably reconsider my position...
Author of text: Maciej Nowotny
Although there is nothing "new" here, neither stylistically nor musically, it is still very well done and thr "retro" sound is great!
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