Karolina Kowalczewska - piano, composer
with others
Chiara
PRIVATE EDITION
By Adam Baruch
This is the debut album by Polish Jazz pianist/composer Karolina Kowalczewska, recorded with a core trio consisting of bassist Maurizio Rolli and drummer Józef Eliasz, which is joined on various tracks by saxophonists Mariusz Mielcarek, Adam Wendt and Michal Kobojek, a couple of vocalists, a violinist, a choir and even a symphonic orchestra (sampled mind you) arranged by Leszek Kulakowski on the opening track. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Kowalczewska, with one of them being repeated twice as the opening and closing track.
Kowalczewska is clearly
flirting with both the Classical and Jazz idioms, a perilous game, which is
rarely very successful. The music ranges from forms like a concerto for orchestra
and sax, via a choir psalm and saxophone trio (with a lot of almost free
blowing) which slowly degrades to a bluesy ballad in which the trio supports a
lengthy saxophone solo, a series of mainstream quartet pieces, three vocal
tracks and a sax quartet to round things up: altogether an unimpressive
hodgepodge of musical ditties lacking any coherence or sense of direction. Yes
there are some nice melodic themes and nice sax solos but in all honesty there
is nothing here which deserves special attention or something that wasn't
played endless times before at best and at it's worst moments this albums
sounds like a junior high school band, completely amateurish.
I am truly sorry but this stuff
is really embarrassing and releasing this material for the world to hear is a
major misjudgment of quality, which should be avoided at all cost.
Dear Sir,
OdpowiedzUsuńthis article sounds rather like an unfounded hateful comment than a valuable review. "Chiara" has received numerous positive references and if you do not find anything worth appreciating, then I feel trully sorry for your insensitivity. Everyone owns the right to have their opinion, however the truth is, that some really exquisite artists have connected their visions to create this music and calling it "embarrasing" or "amateurish" is the first missjudgement, made by you. All of the concerts, where this material has been performed were highly successfull and there is no need for such a harsh comment from you, because if the music has made one single heart move, it was worth making, and honestly, these pieces have moved many more hearts. It's a shame to see an experienced critic dissing artists this way, but if throwing shade at people is what you do for living, than I can only feel sorry for you. Please, be aware of the fact, that this is just your personal opinion, until now, the only negative one, that I have seen. Next time, please try to keep it a lot more classy and let others enjoy, even if you personally don't.
Best regards,
Chiara & Friends