Blues Duo - Sz-Sz (1989)

Blues Duo

Tomasz Szukalski - saksofony
Janusz Szprot - fortepian

Sz-Sz (1989)

By Maciej Nowotny

Tomasz Szulaski is probably THE best saxophonist in Polish jazz history. He earned this reputation while playing with Tomasz Stańko, Zbigniew Namysłowski and countless others. His incredible versality allowed him to fit well as much in Stańko's free jazz "Balladyna", on Namysłowski's mainstream "Kuyaviak Goes Funky" or, recently, on Aga Zaryan's pop "My Lullaby". His own project swere not always so succesful. There were excellent ones like collaborations with Józef Skrzek (check "Ambitus") and less succesful like this one with Janusz Szprot. The difference is that Józef Skrzek, though not jazz musician himself, had enough charisma and individuality to counterbalance Szukalski overpowering presence. While Szprot is just very able accompaniator. And nothing more. Enough for so many ordinary musicians but it revealed to be too little for such a genius as Szukalski. In consequence this album is entirely one-sided: it comprises one after another splendid saxophone improvisations of Szukalski and one after another meagre, pale, insufficiant piano lines by Szprot. Unfortunately (for this recording) jazz is always team effort. Without interplay the music lacks depth and in consequence fails to engage the listener. Excellent album but it could be great. It is a pity it isn't...

Tracklisting:
1. Amazing Grace
2. Backwater Blues
3. Trouble In Mind
4. Sz-Sz Blues
5. Left Alone
6. Goin Home
7. Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor
8. Nobody Knows You When You Are Down And Out
9. Proof Of Man
10. Barefoot Boy From Queens Town
11. Blue Moon

Jazz Choral and Tomasz Szukalski - Borzomski Wawoz & Body and Soul (1989)

Jazz Chorał (choir) and Tomasz Szukalski Quartet

Jazz Chorał (Gruzja) - Aleksander Kiładze-conductor

Tomasz Szukalski - saxophones

Artur Dutkiewicz - piano

Andrzej Cudzich - double bass

Marek Stach - drums,

Borżomski Wąwóz & Body and Soul (1989)

During recent World Championship chess match Vishy Anand when asked about some weak move he made in only game lost to Boris Gelfand he answered: "In bad position all moves seem bad". And this phrase very well applies to this album by Tomasz Szukalski. The leader (Tomasz Szukalski) was one of the most talented musicians in whole Polish jazz history. His partners (Artur Dutkiewicz, Andrzej Cudzich, Marek Stach) were cream de creme of then young jazz musicians in Polnad. The idea was brilliant: to infuse Polish jazz with World music (Georgian choir conducted by Aleksander Kiładze) which then (and still is!) was rising in popularity. But it all didn't work as expepted. Why? 

Because it was done in wrong time! Last years of communism in Poland were gloomy and uninspired. The politics by General Jaruzelski was directed to destroy all individuality, creativity, to cut all links with Western thought as much politically as culturally. In Poland there were promoted only mediocrity, the art became conservative and reactionary. Unfortunately this spirit diffused itself also into jazz music. The progress in jazz music stopped. All eyes were turned back. The quality of jazz was measured by how faithfully it copied Afroamerican masters. 

In this atmosphere even for such a talented man as saxophonist Tomasz Szukalski the task proved to be too difficult. Consequently the music on this album is disappointing: Georgian folk element (splendid in itself!) is not coherent with jazz as played by Szukalski Quartet (splendid in itself!). There are moments  when they meet together and then pure magic starts but for the most time it sounds artificial, superficial and lacks the direction. 

By Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl 

Tracklisting: 1. Borżomski Wąwóz [02:38] 2. Gurijska (A. Kiładze - sł. lud.) [02:18] 3. Spojrzenie ukochanej (G. Cabadze - I. Karalaszwili) [04:39] 4. Hymn dla Słońca (A. Kiładze - W. Gogołaszwili) [03:01] 5. Szczęśliwy poranek (A. Kiładze - L. Beradze) [03:01] 6. In A Mellow Tone (D. Ellington - E. Gabler) [03:51] 7.  Body And Soul (J. W. Green, E. Heyman, F.Eyton, R. Sour, oprac. T. Szukalski) [07:58] 8. Pieśń portugalska (A.P. Vargas, oprac. T.Szukalski) [05:49] 9. Blues wymyślony na działce (t. Szukalski) [09:57]

Michal Urbaniak - Songs For Poland (1989)

Michał Urbaniak - violin

Obstreat Orchestra

Songs For Poland (1989)

Michał Urbaniak is one of main exponents of famous Polish school of jazz violin  with others like Zbigniew Seifert, Henryk Gembalski or Krzesimir Dębski. His carreer has spanned over 40 years and two countries: Poland and the US where he is currently residing. Its highlight  is cooperation with Miles Davis who hired him for his 'Tutu' album. Like Davis in his later years Urbianiak tried to get in touch with popular music but with mixed success. In this album I find more of this "mixed" than "success" element. Mixed are multiple ingredients: most often disco, folk, funk but also rap and hip hop, all served in fusion sauce. Unfortunately unlike Mile's famous 'Doo Bop' for example this dish is really hard to digest. Then why do I write about this album? Just to inform you: do not be repelled by this album as other works by Urbaniak are much much better than this one... 

Tracklisting: 1. Simple Solution; 2. Polish Jazz; 3. Zomocop; 4. Decadence from the Film 'Farewell to Autumn'; 5. The Party Is Over; 6. Can't Complain; 7. Carouselski; 8. Boleronez; 9. Imigrants Songs

By Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl

Lora Szafran – Lonesome Dancer (Polish Jazz Vol.76, 1989)

Lora Szafran - vocal

Wojciech Niedziela - piano
Jacek Niedziela - bass
Piotr Wojtasik - trumpet, fluegelhorn
Adam Czerwiński - drums

Lonesome Dancer (Polish Jazz Vol.76,  1989)

This is the excellent debut album by female Polish Jazz vocalist Lora Szafran, the best new arrival on the local scene in the 1980s in the vocal department. She was blessed with great musicality, versatility and superb vocal abilities, which are rare and precious. On this album she is accompanied by an exceptional quartet called New Presentation, consisting of the best young Polish Jazz musicians at the time: pianist / composer / leader Wojciech Niedziela, his brother bassist Jacek Niedziela, drummer Adam Czerwinski and the excellent trumpeter Piotr Wojtasik. Together they perform nine songs, two of which were composed by Wojciech Niedziela, two others are by other Polish composers and the rest are Jazz standards. The overall level of performance is truly excellent from start to finish and for people who love mainstream Jazz delivered with taste and virtuosity, this is a must.

Side Note: This is the last album released under the "Polish Jazz" series, and as the volume number suggests the entire series consists of 76 albums released between mid-1960s and late 1980s. Some of the best European Jazz ever recorded can be found in this exceptional collection of recordings, which is often collected by Jazz fans around the world. A giant box set with all the 76 albums in mini-sleeve replicas would be a "dream come true" for true lovers of Polish Jazz. Hopefully soon!

Track listing: 1. Summertime; 2. Sweet Love To Keep; 3. New York Lament; 4. New York Lament; 5. My Funny Valentine; 6. Lonesome Dancer; 7. Kiss Me Right; 8. Sleep Safe And Warm; 9. A melancholy 

By Adam Baruch

http://adambaruch.com/

Tomasz Stanko – Chameleon (1989) by Adam Baruch

Tomasz Stanko - trumpet

Apostolis Anthimos - guitar, bass guitar, drums, percussion, sampler
Janusz Skowron - piano, synthesizer, sampler

Chameleon (1989)

This album's title is perhaps the most concise and precise description of its contents. With the 1970s behind him Polish trumpeter / composer Tomasz Stanko takes a sharp turn off the path he followed previously as the leader of the local Free Jazz / avant-garde scene and as other musicians before him (or like a chameleon) entered the world of Jazz-Rock Fusion.

The album was recorded in Athens in 1982 and remained unreleased until 1989 (by that time Stanko was already moving to the next phase of his career), when it was finally released by a small independent Greek label. But chronologically this is the first recording of Stanko's 1980s "new" style, preceding "C.O.C.X.".
The setting is a trio with guitarist Apostolis Anthimos (of SBB fame), who also plays bass, drums and percussion and young keyboardist Janusz Skowron, who uses the electronic devices to create beautiful sound vistas.

The music is (as always with Stanko) absolutely stunning and quite different from his earlier works. Here we can hear the "easier" or happier side of Stanko, with almost cheerful melody lines and relatively simple rhythmic approach. Let's make no mistake however; this is still Stanko at his best, with his unmistakable personal way of making music, virtuosic blowing and genius musical concept, all this in a slightly more accessible wrap up.

Of the eleven tracks on the album seven were composed by Stanko and four are credited to the trio, as much of the music was actually created on the fly in the studio. In retrospect this is definitely one of the most memorable Stanko albums and an absolute must to all his numerous fans. Just grab it!

Author: Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

check also his music boutique: https://www.jazzis.com/shop/

Tomasz Stańko - Chameleon (1989) by Maciej Nowotny

My unofficial complete discography of Tomasz Stańko continues with the record titled Chameleon printed originally in Greece in 1989 and only in 2006 in Poland. Why in Greece? Thanks to Apostolis "Lakis" Anthimos, multi instrumentalist (guitars, drums) who at those times lived in Greece and managed to find there producer willing to invest money in this session. Two above mentioned musicians are accompanied on this CD by Janusz Skowron playing keyboards, mainly Roland as far as I can hear.

Eighties were the most erratic and self-destructive period in Stańko life mainly due to situation in Poland which suffered depression under martial law imposed by Gen. Jaruzelski in 1981 in order to suppress Solidarity movement. After seventies when he played state-of-art European version of Ornette Coleman free jazz, in next decade Stańko flirted with pop, electronic music, rock and even reggae starting with recordings titled C.O.C.X. (can be translated into English as D.O.P.E.) and Freeelectronic. So in those terms Chameleon is perhaps most mellow, easy-to-listen and smooth-jazzy record of Stańko and yet it is very, very beautiful and rewarding. 

Stańko as Miles never failed and he can be compared to mythical king Midas who whatever he touched turned into gold. What is fascinating in this record is that despite being at moments very accessible yet it comprises some compositions that counterpoint this sweet and light mood with typical Stańko brooding and bluesy sound. So this music retains Stańko musical identity which we appreciate so much but at the same time, as he states in his recently issued autobiography, could be used during intimate date with his girfriends who would probably run away immediately if exposed to Stańko excellent free jazz recordings as Music For K, Twet or even Balladyna. Typical Stańko sense of humour ;-)))

Author: Maciej Nowotny
http://kochamjazz.blox.pl