Krzysztof Komeda Quintet - Live In Praha 1964 (2022)

Krzysztof Komeda Quintet

Krzysztof Komeda – fortepian
Tomasz Stańko - trąbka
Michał Urbaniak - saksofony
Jacek Ostaszewski - kontrabas
Czesław Bartkowski - perkusja

Live In Praha 1964 (2022)

Wydawnictwo: GAD Records

Autor recenzji: Piotr Banasiak

Słucham tego albumu już chyba 20 raz. I się zastanawiam. Jaki był biochemiczny skład powietrza w Hali "Lucerna" w Pradze, że Oni grają jak natchnieni? A później słucham, jak w Pradze w '65 grał Jerzy Milian z ekipą Gustava Broma, jak w '67 grał Roland Kirk, po nim Charles Lloyd... I się zastanawiam. Co tam wtedy leciało z kranów? Czy gdzieś pod Pražským Hradem bije źródło weny twórczej?

Słucham sześciu znakomitych kompozycji. Złożonych, urozmaiconych, a jednak przejrzystych i czytelnych. Osadzonych na improwizacji i awangardowych poszukiwaniach, a jednak chwytliwych. Wykonanych na najwyższym poziomie. Słucham fantastycznego jakościowo, selektywnego dźwięku, w którym świetnie słychać każdy instrument. I reakcje publiczności. I się zastanawiam. Jakim sposobem to przeleżało gdzieś na półce aż 60 lat? I przez tyle lat nikt, nic? Niepojęte.

Słucham zapowiedzi konferansjera. I się zastanawiam. Czy Kwintet Komedy faktycznie płynął w tzw. trzecim nurcie? I w zasadzie jakie to ma znaczenie po tylu latach?

Słucham "Svantetic". I się zastanawiam. Czy będzie impertynencją, jeśli napiszę, że to wykonanie, swobodne i energetyczne, uważam za ciekawsze niż wersja kanoniczna z albumu "Astigmatic"?

Słucham saksofonowania Pana Urbaniaka, czasem błyskotliwie melodyjnego, czasem dzikiego i zachłyśniętego wolnością. I się zastanawiam. Czy będzie impertynencją, jeśli napiszę, że dla mnie osobiście Pan Urbaniak na saksofonie jest jedyną postacią Michała Urbaniaka, jaką tolerują moje uszy?

Słucham trąbki Pana Stańki, w niebywały sposób łączącej wystudzoną nordyckość ze słowiańską duszą. I się zastanawiam. Czy Stańko zdefiniował "europejską trąbkę"?

Słucham soczystej i pomysłowej gry Pana Bartkowskiego. I się zastanawiam. Jak to jest - każdego ranka po przebudzeniu, patrząc w lustro mieć prawo sobie pomyśleć "kurczę, na iluż to doniosłych, fantastycznych i niezapomnianych płytach bębniłem... aż sam sobie zazdroszczę"?

Słucham kontrabasu Jacka Ostaszewskiego, chwilami arco - subtelnego jak w momentach "Repetition" chwilami transowo-motorycznego jak w "Roman Two". I się zastanawiam. Czy właśnie za taką kombinację transu i subtelnosci uwielbiam grupę Ossian?

Słucham gry Krzysztofa Komedy. I przypominam sobie zeszłoroczny koncert Squadu Wojciecha Jachny w Łodzi. Gig zakończył się utworem, w trakcie którego lider, po zawistowaniu tematu i kilku fraz na trąbce, wycofał się gdzieś na tył sceny, a zespół "poszedł na całość". Po wybrzmieniu ostatnich dźwięków Pan Jachna wrócił na scenę i rzucił krótko do mikrofonu: "Najważniejsze to nie przeszkadzać". I się zastanawiam. Czy gdyby podstawić Komedzie pod koniec mikrofon, powiedziałby dokładnie to samo?

Słucham tej muzyki. Tych niepodrabialnych Komedowych tematów, tych momentów, kiedy trąbka i saksofon grają unisono, albo w dialogu, albo wymieniają się na prowadzeniu, dopingowane barwną i dynamiczną grą sekcji. Słucham "Sophia's Tubn", "Alea"... Tego oszałamiającego fresku dźwiękowego, w którym awers stanowi nieskrępowany duch wolnej, poszukującej muzyki, a rewers logiczna, naprawdę przystępna forma pełna... romantyzmu? Słucham tych pięciu facetów, pięciu osobowości, z których każdy przez lata stworzył własne uniwersum. A na tym albumie stanowią jedność. I się zastanawiam. Co tam w końcu - do cholery - leciało wtedy z kranów?!

I tylko konferansjer mi odpowiada: "Dobrou noc! Dobrou noc!"

Winicjusz Chróst - Promienie dźwięku (2021)

Winicjusz Chróst

Promienie dźwięku (2021)

Wydawca: GAD Records

Tekst: Mateusz Chorążewicz

Winicjusz Chróst to jeden z najważniejszych polskich muzyków lat 70-tych i 80-tych XX wieku, który za życia nie doczekał się swojej autorskiej, solowej płyty. Album "Promienie dźwięku", który swoją premierę miał w listopadzie 2021 to w istocie antologia nagrań artysty.

Na całość składa się dwanaście zremasterowanych utworów z archiwum Polskiego Radia z okresu lat 1983 – 1987. Poza Winicjuszem Chróstem na gitarze i syntezatorze usłyszymy tu także takich artystów jak Adam Lewandowski (perkusja), Jerzy Bartz (perkusjonalia), Zbigniew Wegehaupt (kontrabas), Janusz Skowron (fortepian), Joanna Morska (wokal), Ewa Bem (wokal), Izabela Zając (wokal), Czesław Bartkowski (perkusja), czy Janusz Smyk (saksofon tenorowy). Od takiego składu należy oczekiwać samych najlepszych rzeczy i taki też materiał otrzymujemy.

Wszystkie kompozycje zachowane są w stylistyce fusion, która w tamtym okresie właściwie królowała na szeroko rozumianej polskiej scenie jazzowej. Wiele brzmień, zastosowanych harmonii, czy form kompozycyjnych od razu przywodzi na myśl takie zespoły jak choćby Weather Report. Muzyka jest silnie inspirowana amerykańską szkołą fusion i jako taką należy ją traktować.

Co zwróciło moją szczególną uwagę to fakt, że całość brzmi w sposób bardzo spójny, pomimo sporego rozstrzału czasowego nagrań. Nie mówię już nawet o charakterze muzyki, ale również o różnorodności środowiska nagraniowego. Osoby odpowiedzialne za przygotowanie zremasterowanych wersji wykonały tu kawał naprawdę dobrej roboty.

Dnia 28.03.2022 przypada druga rocznica śmierci Winicjusza Chrósta. Uważam, że album Promienie dźwięku to wspaniały hołd dla całej kariery muzyka, który nie doczekał swojej solowej płyty. Oczywiście muzyka sama w sobie nie jest w żaden sposób przełomowa. Nie wywróci ona do góry nogami naszego postrzegania muzyki fusion czy nawet dotychczasowej wiedzy o twórczości Winicjusza Chrósta, ale przez nie o to w tym przypadku chodzi. Dzięki tej płycie otrzymujemy świetnej jakości materiał muzyczny niejako dokumentujący dokonania artysty i utrwalający pamięć o nim.

Specjalne podziękowania należą się córce Winicjusza, Aleksandrze Chróst, która trzyma pieczę nad twórczością ojca i dzięki której album taki jak ten ujrzał światło dzienne.

Andrzej Jagodziński Trio - Bach (2020)

Andrzej Jagodziński Trio

Andrzej Jagodziński - piano
Adam Cegielski - bass
Czeslaw Bartkowski - drums

Bach

SRMT 5907222840047

By Adam Baruch

This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz pianist/composer Andrzej Jagodziński recorded with his fabulous trio with bassist Adam Cegielski and drummer Czesław Bartkowski. As the title suggests, the album is dedicated to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and presents six of his compositions, beautifully transformed into the Jazz idiom.

Playing Bach by Jazz musicians is of course nothing new and the romance goes back to the early 1960s, when French pianist/composer Jacques Loussier made a grand career by Jazzing up Bach’s compositions for the crowds, and many other Jazz musicians since tried to tackle this task, including Keith Jarrett and Brad Mehldau, with varying results. Bach’s music, which undoubtedly is one of the absolute pinnacles of Human artistic ingenuity, in most cases is best served by being left alone in its original form and shape, with rare exceptions.

I am happy to see (or rather hear) that Jagodzinski and his trio are up to the challenge of successfully transforming Bach’s music into the Jazz realm, served by their great sensitivity, talents and of course extensive experience. They manage to avoid trivializing this great music, keeping the original sense of flow, melody and rhythm intact, and adding the Jazzy ornamentations with carful respect of the original compositions. This is not altogether surprising taking into consideration the sublime Jazz oriented interpretations of the music by Polish National composer Frederic Chopin, which Jagodziński and his cohorts managed to create in the past.

The performances are absolutely stellar, as expected, and although the piano is naturally in the epicenter of the sonic experience, the rhythm section also contributes some superb parts, which deserve no less admiration. Personally I hear a bit of Chopin on these interpretations of Bach, which again is hardly surprising, as Chopin’s music flows in the blood (or sub consciousness) of every Polish musician at all times.

Overall this is a wonderful album in every sense, both emotionally and intellectually, which deserves to be heard by every true lover of Jazz-Classical Fusion, Bach’s followers and Jazz piano trio enthusiasts all over the world. A true elixir for mind and body at these crazy days of misfortune and suffering.

On a personal note, almost exactly to a day last year I had the immense pleasure to attend a concert at a small Jazz club outside of Warsaw, where messieurs Jagodziński, Cegielski and Bartkowski (and others) were performing. This was an unforgettable evening of great music and friendship, especially since it was the last live concert I managed to attend before the pandemic and the last time I was abroad…

Various Artists – Polish Radio Jazz Archives Vol. 30 (2017)

Various Artists

Zbigniew Namysłowski - saxophone
Adam Makowicz - piano
Janusz Kozłowski - bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums
and others

Polish Radio Jazz Archives Vol.30


POLSKIE RADIO 2063

By Adam Baruch

This is the thirtieth installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland's most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well. The tracks presented here were recorded live in October 1966 during the ninth Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw and are the second volume of a collection of tracks from that event.

The first ten tracks present the legendary French vocal group The Swingle Singers, led by Ward Swingle (an American in Paris) and including seven more vocalists. The vocal octet is accompanied by bassist Guy Pedersen and drummer Daniel Humair. In contrast to the earlier iconic French vocal ensemble Les Double Six (which included several of the Swingle Singers members earlier on), which sung vocal versions of Jazz standards, The Swingle Singers performed mostly vocal Jazz arrangements of Classical Music pieces, by Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and others. The tracks present here are all in this particular idiom.

The next two tracks present a trio led by American organist Lou Bennett, who moved to Paris in 1960. The other members of the trio are: Belgian guitarist Philip Catherine and Italian drummer Franco Manzecchi. These tracks are of interest as early examples of Catherine's playing before he started his illustrious solo career. The last track presents a Polish Jazz quartet led by saxophonist Zbigniew Namysłowski, which also includes pianist Adam Matyszkowicz (a.k.a. Adam Makowicz), bassist Janusz Kozłowski and drummer Czesław Bartkowski. They perform an original composition by Namyslowski, recorded on his debut Polish album by the same lineup.

The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes/booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.

Auguścik & Jagodziński Trio – Szeptem (2016)

Auguścik & Jagodziński Trio

Grażyna Auguścik - vocals
Andrzej Jagodziński - piano
Adam Cegielski - double bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums

Szeptem

MTJ 11725



By Adam Baruch

This is an exquisite album by Polish Jazz Diva Grażyna Auguścik recorded with the classic piano trio led by pianist/arranger Andrzej Jagodziński which also includes bassist Adam Cegielski and drummer Czesław Bartkowski. The album presents nine Polish evergreens, beautifully transcribed into the Jazz idiom by Jagodziński. The album is a loving tribute to the Polish popular songbook, collecting nine wonderful ballads written over a period of many years by some of the best Polish composers and lyricists, which points out clearly what t takes to create a great song, which can last for posterity: a beautiful melody and intelligent poetic lyrics.

The songs are performed with a very minimalistic approach. Auguścik sings the melodies in a very straightforward manner, eschewing almost completely the typical Jazz mannerisms and improvisations (except for a few vocalese parts), emphasizing the lyrics which are pronounced clearly and elegantly. The piano trio, which provides the Jazzy background, treads also carefully, with Jagodziński playing the chords behind the vocalist and soloing rather sparingly. It is the rhythm section which keeps the music swinging at all times and doing a superb work at that.

One can only hope that this album will find its way into the hands of the young generation of Polish music connoisseurs, who should be able to discover the treasures of their National musical heritage while listening to this music. However, if this music should reach only listeners in the third age group, it would be tragic overlook. Both Auguścik and Jagodziński should be praised for preserving Polish Culture in general and the Polish musical heritage, which they have been doing for many years. The fascination with music originating from other sources, which often blinds many Polish musicians as to their own roots, is luckily balanced by their activity.

What a great way to start a new year (2017) by writing this review, which talks about old, but not forgotten music, that has been given new life. Blindly idolizing the "new" has proven to be a disastrous path, so please let's enjoy this wondrous journey into the past, for the benefit of the future. Kudos!

Andrzej Jagodziński Trio - Opowieści wigilijne (2016)

Andrzej Jagodziński Trio

Andrzej Jagodziński - piano
Adam Cegielski - double bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums

Opowieści wigilijne

SRMT 2016




By Krzysztof Komorek

Trio Andrzeja Jagodzińskiego to jeden z zespołów, od których zaczynałem swoją przygodę z jazzem. Wystarczy wspomnieć klasyczne już dziś interpretacje chopinowskie czy płyty z Giovannim Mirabassim. Dlatego cały czas pilnie śledzę, co nowego to utytułowane trio serwuje swoim miłośnikom. W tym roku mieliśmy już okazję poznać zaskakującą płytę z klasyką polskiej piosenki, nagraną wspólnie z Grażyną Auguścik. Koniec roku przyniósł kolejną niespodziankę w postaci albumu "Opowieści wigilijne".

W samym środku lata tego roku Andrzej Jagodziński, Czesław Bartkowski i Adam Cegielski nagrali dziesięć klasycznych polskich kolęd. Przy tej zapowiedzi niektórzy poczuć mogą uczucie rozczarowania. Repertuar to bowiem oklepany, a w dodatku taki, na którym potknął się już niejeden, nawet wysokiej klasy wykonawca. Otóż nic bardziej mylnego. Trio Jagodzińskiego przedstawiło bowiem słuchaczom coś wyjątkowego. Proszę nie oczekiwać "odplumkanych" kolęd, które pośpiewać będzie można z wujkiem i ciocią pod jazzujący podkładzik.

"Opowieści wigilijne" to solidna jazzowa płyta, na której usłyszymy całkiem nieoczekiwane interpretacje niezwykle popularnych utworów. Interpretacje mistrzowskie, choć często poruszające się na dalekich obrzeżach granych tematów. Niezadowoleni będą jedynie zwolennicy konserwatywnego sposobu grania kolęd. Wszyscy poszukujący oryginalnej, pięknej muzyki będą zachwyceni. Perkusyjne popisy w "Z narodzenia Pana", fantastyczne i niezwykłe solo Jagodzińskiego w "Pójdźmy wszyscy do stajenki" czy rewelacyjnie nakreślony przez bas początek "Lulajże Jezuniu" są tego absolutnym potwierdzeniem.

Andrzej Jagodziński – W Hołdzie Wolności (2015)

Andrzej Jagodziński

Andrzej Jagodziński - piano
Robert Majewski - trumpet
Anna Stankiewicz - vocals
Agnieszka Wilczyńska - vocals
Janusz Strobel - guitar
Adam Cegielski - bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums

W Hołdzie Wolności


POLSKIE RADIO 1986

By Adam Baruch

This is a live recording of a concert performed by veteran Polish Jazz pianist/composer Andrzej Jagodziński, which was organized to commemorate the fifteenth Anniversary of the IPN (Institute of National Remembrance). For the concert Jagodziński collected thirteen pieces of Polish music, which constitute a soundtrack of the Polish struggle for Freedom, both National and Political. They range from music composed by the Polish National composer Frederic Chopin to popular Folk and Pop songs, mostly those related in many ways to the Polish underground struggle during WW II, including the heroic Warsaw Ghetto uprising and the no less heroic Warsaw Uprising, the anti-Communist struggle following the immediate post-WW II years and up to the Solidarity movement, which finally led to the creation of the Free Polish Republic with the fall of the Soviet Empire.

These are all undoubtedly patriotic songs, one way or another, and in time when patriotism is often not considered as "politically correct", it is encouraging to see musicians taking a clear stand, without being ashamed or intimidated by it. Polish Jazz history has always been intertwined with political messages, as was Polish Literature, Poetry, Film and all other Arts. Being able to state one's political or patriotic view is after all an integral ingredient of the very Freedom, Poles have been fighting for so long.

Jagodziński "called to arms" some of the top Polish Jazz musicians on this album: vocalists Anna Stankiewicz and Agnieszka Wilczyńska, guitarist Janusz Strobel, trumpeter Robert Majewski, bassist Adam Cegielski and drummer Czesław Bartkowski. They all perform brilliantly, which is hardly surprising considering their experience and talent, creating a sensitive, intelligent and moving piece of meaningful music with carries a clear message without being vulgar or offensive. Jagodziński's arrangements are all elegant and tasteful, suiting the atmosphere ideally.

Of course this album has a layer which speaks only to people, who understand the Polish language and have some knowledge of Polish history. Nevertheless it has also universal values, which should be able to cross language barriers. This album made very little impact on the Polish Jazz scene at the time of its release, which is a great pity. The fragmented and often plainly divided Polish Society should really grow up put aside its political differences, when it comes to appreciation of Art or human relationships. The precious Freedom is after all so fragile and easily lost.

Robert Majewski – Tribute To Henryk Majewski (2016)

Robert Majewski

Robert Majewski - trumpet, flugelhorn
Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski - tenor saxophone
Henryk Miśkiewicz - alto saxophone
Andrzej Jagodziński - piano, yamaha piano
Wojciech Majewski - yamaha piano

Adam Cegielski - double bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums

Tribute To Henryk Majewski

SRMT 2016

By Adam Baruch

This album is exactly what it is supposed to be: a loving tribute to one of the Godfathers of Polish Jazz, trumpeter/composer Henryk Majewski, recorded by his colleagues and sons to commemorate the tenth anniversary of his death.

All seven musicians participating in this recording are top Polish Jazz musicians and the ensemble could have been easily called Polish Jazz All Stars. They are: trumpeter Robert Majewski (Henryk's son), saxophonists Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski and Henryk Miśkiewicz, pianists Andrzej Jagodziński and Wojciech Majewski (Henryk's son), bassist Adam Cegielski and drummer Czesław Bartkowski. The album was recorded partly live in a club and partly at the legendary Tokarnia Studio, with a stunning sound quality. The ensemble performs ten tunes, six of which are original compositions (four by Henryk Majewski and two by Robert Majewski) and the remaining four are standards.

The music is, as expected, well within the Jazz mainstream, mostly Bebop oriented, with no surprises but excellently performed from start to finish. Many fabulous solos, most of which feature Robert Majewski, ornament the album and the overall atmosphere of great time was had by all seems to be the essence. For listeners unaware of Polish Jazz history this album symbolizes the process of growing up by the Polish Jazz scene, proving that European Jazz musicians can play (and swing!) as well as their counterparts across the pond, and the inferiority complex of past generations is completely baseless today.

So both as a great mainstream Jazz album and a document of Polish Jazz history, this beautifully packaged and lovingly executed package is absolutely worth having! As someone who knew Henryk Majewski I can only salute with a tear in the corner of my eye, in memoriam!

Rolf Kuhn Quintett – Solarius (2012)

Rolf Kuhn Quintett

Rolf Kuhn - clarinet
Michał Urbaniak - tenor & soprano saxophones
Joachim Kuhn - piano
Klaus Koch - bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums

Solarius



CONTENT 4029759080473

By Adam Baruch

This is a reissue (first time on CD) of the seminal album by legendary German clarinetist/composer Rolf Kuhn (born 1929), recorded with a quintet, which also included his younger brother pianist/composer Joachim Kuhn (born 1944), bassist Klaus Koch and two Polish Jazz legends: saxophonist Michał Urbaniak and drummer Czesław Bartkowski. The album presents six pieces: three original compositions by Rolf Kuhn, two original compositions by Joachim Kuhn and one arrangement of a folk tune.

Over the years this album achieved a legendary status and became a highly sought after collector's item, because of its political implications, as well as being one of the earliest East European Jazz recordings and an important cornerstone of European Jazz in general. The album was recorded three years after the Berlin Wall, which divided the city until 1989, was constructed and served during that period not only as a symbol of division of Germany into two separate States living in a constant state of political tension, but in fact also as a symbol of the imaginary Iron Curtain, which divided the European Continent into two opposing political camps, engaged in the Cold War, which periodically threatened to become "hot".

Rolf Kuhn left East Germany (or DDR as it was called at the time) in 1950, shortly after Germany was split into two separate states, and moved to West Germany. For several years he lived and performed in the USA, establishing his position as one of the top clarinet players in the world. Upon his return to West Germany he continued his prolific career. Meanwhile his younger brother Joachim Kuhn lived in DDR and led his own trio, which was a pioneering Free Jazz outfit at the time.

The fact that the meeting of the Kuhn brothers captured on this album happened is one of those "against all odds" situations that often happened in East Europe. This was by all means a meeting of the Giants of East European modern Jazz, with Urbaniak arriving from the legendary Krzysztof Komeda quintet, Bartkowski from the no less legendary Zbigniew Namyslowski quartet, Koch who played in the Joachim Kuhn trio and finally the two brothers, who despite the age difference are true musical twins.

Together the quintet plays some of the best modern European Jazz ever captured on record, with great melodies expanded into lengthy solos played perfectly by all the musicians involved. Listeners familiar with the Polish Jazz scene will find this music quite similar to the Komeda and Namyslowski albums receded around that time, which present the same formula and even sound very similar to this album. Rolf Kuhn plays some of the best Jazz clarinet ever and no true Jazz connoisseur can honestly afford not to have this album in his collection.

The rapport and incredible telepathic communication between these musicians, as well as the incredibly tight musical environment that pushed the players to their limits resulted in one of the all time best Jazz albums recorded in East Europe, which lost absolutely nothing of its beauty and incredible power in the five decades that passed since. They don't make music like that any more, which means this is an absolute must and an essential piece of music history!

Side Note: As all the East European countries under the Socialist regime, East Germany, or DDR as it was known at the time, had only one state owned and controlled Music Company, which released most of its productions on the Amiga label. Among the many Amiga releases the legendary "orange J" series was dedicated to Jazz recordings, many of which were licenses from the West, but others were original productions, mostly of Jazz made in DDR. Some of these releases, like the one described above, were absolute gems. Following the unification of Germany, the Amiga albums disappeared from the face of the earth and only in 2012 a German label reissued 15 Amiga Jazz albums on CD. They are all worth checking out!

Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio – Muzyka Polska (2011)

Andrzej Jagodziński Trio

Andrzej Jagodziński - piano
Adam Cegielski - bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums
Grażyna Auguścik - vocals
and others

Muzyka Polska

PRIVATE EDITION


By Adam Baruch

This is a beautiful and very ambitious album by Polish Jazz pianist/composer Andrzej Jagodziński and his trio with bassist Adam Cegielski and drummer Czesław Bartkowski, also involving the great vocalist Grażyna Auguścik and two Classical Music soloists: flautist Jadwiga Kotnowska and harpist Anna Sikorzak-Olek, as well as the AUKSO String Orchestra conducted by Marek Moś. The album presents a seven part Jazz suite for piano trio, voice, string orchestra and soloist, which attempts to "define" what "Polish Music" means in general and especially in the Jazz context as what we understand under the term "Polish Jazz". Five parts of the suite are based on Polish Folk tunes, one is a Krzysztof Komeda composition and one is a tune composed by Marcin Januszkiewicz. Jagodziński and Auguścik arranged the vocal parts and Jagodziński wrote the elaborate piano trio/string orchestra arrangements.

The concept behind this album obviously points towards the conclusion that contemporary Polish Music/Polish Jazz are a synthesis of the Polish Folk tradition with contemporary music forms. The Polish Folk tradition is most obviously identified with the Polish Folklore dances, such as kujawiak, mazurka, oberek and others, but also with the intrinsic Polish melancholy and lyricism, which create its unique characteristics, which are instantly recognizable to a trained ear. Regardless of the concept, this album is first and foremost a true celebration of music, crossing and bridging between Folklore, Jazz and Classical Music and doing it in an impressive, intelligent and truly beautiful way. All the parts and ideas fall together into an amazing amalgam, which is a delightful listening experience.

The album is also a wonderful platform to enjoy the individual contributions by the participating musicians. Auguścik again proves that she has very little competition on the local scene and her wonderful sensitivity and power of expression are simply stunning. Her appearance on this album is somewhat prophetic in the sense that her album "Inspired By Lutosławski", which was recorded four years after this one, would deal with the same subject matter. Jagodziński, who also plays accordion on this album, and his trio cohorts, as well as the soloists and orchestra all perform spotlessly and harmoniously, with obvious dedication and joy of creation.

This is the best album by far that Jagodziński recorded during his splendid career, and one of the best attempts to create a coherent musical concept, dedicated to Polish Music. Personally I'd love to see more such attempts done by other musicians. Discovering one's musical roots and traditions is surely preferable to imitating other cultures. This album is a pure delight from start to finish and I recommend it wholeheartedly to every Polish Jazz fan, as it reveals many of the innermost secrets about what Polish Jazz really means.

Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio – Chopin Les Brillantes (2010)

Andrzej Jagodziński Trio

Andrzej Jagodziński - piano
Adam Cegielski - bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums

Chopin Les Brillantes

PRIVATE EDITION




By Adam Baruch

This is the fifth album dedicated to Jazz interpretations of the music composed by the great Polish composer Frederic Chopin recorded by Polish Jazz pianist/composer Andrzej Jagodziński and his trio with bassist Adam Cegielski and drummer Czesław Bartkowski. This double album is a fact a new recording of the same material that is featured on the trio's first two albums recorded fifteen years earlier, re-captured from a retrospective view and enriched by years of common experiences and joy of playing this music together.

When Jagodzinski first recorded Chopin's music twenty years ago he was pioneering a trend, which in time swept the Polish Jazz scene like a tsunami, with literally hundreds of albums with Chopin's music reinterpreted in the Jazz milieu. These attempts to follow a trend and jump on a bandwagon, which varied in quality form important and innovative to completely redundant and often preposterous, eventually had an adverse effect on the Polish Jazz fans, who had just about enough of Jazzy Chopin being showed down their throats.

Even if the original recording of Chopin's music by Jagodziński and his trio were not perfect and lacked the practice, they were bold, innovative and fresh. Sadly the repeated attempt, although richer and with better arrangements, lacks the original qualities and therefore is in some respect not such a great idea. Of course Jagodziński and his cohorts are superb musicians and do a wonderful job playing on this album, but sticking to the original recordings is by and large preferable and sounds like a good idea. On the other hand since the original Polonia releases are not easily available, perhaps this album can fill the gap.

Overall there is plenty of great music herein, as well as excellent playing by these legendary veterans and in case you don't own the original recordings this one is definitely worth checking out.

Krzysztof Komeda – Krzysztof Komeda W Polskim Radiu Vol.04 – Sophia`s Tune (2014)

Krzysztof Komeda

Krzysztof Komeda - piano
Tomasz Stanko - trumpet
Michal Urbaniak - saxophone
Janusz Kozlowski - bass
Maciej Suzin - bass
Czeslaw Bartkowski - drums

Krzysztof Komeda W Polskim Radiu Vol.04 – Sophia`s Tune

POLSKIE RADIO 1864

By Adam Baruch

This is the fourth installment in a new series of albums launched by the Polish Radio, which presents radio recordings by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist/composer/bandleader Krzysztof Komeda. Komeda is of course the most familiar name associated with Polish Jazz and his legacy is of crucial importance to Polish and European Jazz. Considering the fact that Komeda's studio recordings are relatively scarce, the radio recordings are in fact the main source of his recorded legacy, as they include among others the Jazz Jamboree festival appearances by Komeda and his various ensembles over the years.

Recorded in 1963 and 1964 during the sixth and seventh edition of the seminal Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw, this collection showcases the legendary Komeda Quintet, which in many respects was the quintessential vehicle, which presented Komeda's music at its pinnacle. The quintet included, besides Komeda of course, trumpeter Tomasz Stanko, saxophonist Michal Urbaniak and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski, who play on both dates, and bassist Maciej Suzin who plays on the 1963 date and Janusz Kozlowski who plays on the 1964 date. The album includes only five compositions, all originals by Komeda, which get an extended treatment which stretches around seventeen minutes for three of the tunes, twelve minutes for the fourth and six minutes for the tune which gives the album its titles, dedicated to Komeda's wife Zofia.

This is obviously some of the most important Jazz music recorded in Poland during the early days of modern Polish Jazz, but also some of the most important European Jazz, which was shaping out at the time as a new wave of independent thinking, based on American Jazz tradition, but expanding the known realm with new ideas and European legacy, melancholy, folklore and other prominent factors, which eventually were to create a completely new genre altogether. Komeda's outstanding ability to weave beautiful melodies, combined with the virtuosity of his quintet's members, reach unprecedented emotional and aesthetic levels, which to this day can hardly be matched.

This music is a cradle of modern European Jazz, ultra modern and even avant-garde at the time, which almost completely rebels against American mainstream Jazz, simply doing whatever feels right, in complete disregard of conventions and stylistic limitations. The tunes develop almost spontaneously, often from a riff or a chord sequence, which hints of the melodic theme, which is often developed later on and sometimes remains hidden behind the chord changes and is never actually stated in full. The rhythmic patterns change several times during each tune, often without warning. Such dramatically novel approach is amazingly bold even today, almost fifty years later.

Overall this is a collection of excellent Jazz music, superbly performed, which is an absolute delight to anybody who loves Jazz. It is a fundamental piece of every decent Polish Jazz record collection, especially in the case of the younger generation of listeners, which is just getting acquainted with the enormous legacy of Polish Jazz.

The recordings are splendidly restored and remastered and nicely packaged in an elegant digipak/slipcase. Dates, places and lineups are faithfully included and even personal liner notes by Polish Jazz critic Maciej Nowotny are present, but there is no in-depth background material about Komeda and his music, however considering the plentitude of published material and several excellent books on the subject, an intelligent listener can easily bridge the knowledge gap. The only small reservation one might have is the fact that these recordings have been already released many times, more or less legally on the somewhat untamed Polish music market, which means they is already owned by the serious Polish Jazz collectors, probably more than once.

Michal Urbaniak Group - Inactin (1973)

Michal Urbaniak Group

Michal Urbaniak - electric violin, violectra, soprano sax
Urszula Dudziak - vocal, Dynacord, Echocord, percussion
Adam Makowicz - Fender piano, Hohner clarinet
Roman Dylag - Barcus Berry bass and electric bass
Czeslaw Bartkowski - drums, Paiste cymbals
Branislav Kovacev - conga-drums

Inactin (2014)

By Maciej Nowotny

If one were looking for a single most important contribution of Polish jazz musicians into world jazz heritage that would perhaps be the rediscovery of a violin in jazz. Works by Zbigniew Seifert paved the way for other Polish jazz violinists to be eventually recognized worldwide. Among them Michał Urbaniak plays the pivotal role as one of the most famous due to his collaboration with Miles Davis in 80ties on "Tutu" and "Music from Siesta" albums.

Urbaniak's career prior to collaboration with Miles remains as one of the most interesting adventures in Polish jazz history. He was among those who very early realized that jazz is taking great twist toward fusion incorporating in its idiom influences from rock, funk, rhythm'n'blues and folk music from all over the world. Michał plunged into this stream where he found his own place and uniqueness of his language eventually drew the attention of Davis. While rehearsing this album recorded in 1973 one can only admire the quality of this music which did not grow old even a bit.

But this album is memorable not only due to Urbaniak's violin but also due to breathtaking performance by his then wife Urszula Dudziak. Undisputable Polish jazz singer number one at that era she was as powerful and original voice as Urbaniak's. On this album her voice plays role of the one more instrument, there are no songs, no words are spoken, but Dudziak's vocalizes are just beyond the praise. As much as are performances of other musicians taking part in this session, all cream the creme of Polish jazz: pianist Adam Makowicz, double-bassist Roman Dylag, drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski and Serbian congas player Branislav Kovacev. What more can I say save that this is the Polish jazz at its best and simply the kind of album that is nothing less than a pure must!

Tracks Listing
1. Inactin (6:58)
2. Alu (3:58)
3. Ekim (5:49)
4. Silence (3:31)
5. Fall (7:42)
6. Groovy Desert (5:01)
7. Lato (8:06)

Andrzej Jagodzinski – Koncert Fortepianowy G-moll (2013)

Andrzej Jagodzinski - piano
Adam Cegielski - bass
Czeslaw Bartkowski - drums

PRIVATE EDITION








By Adam Baruch

Polish Jazz pianist / composer Andrzej Jagodzinski is one of the veterans of the local scene and a prominent figure among his peers. He was one of the first musicians to record Jazz versions of the music by the great Polish composer Frederic Chopin, and his trio recording of Chopin's works from the early 1990s remains a classic of this variety and started a trend, which continues to this very day and produced dozens of similar projects over time, some of which are completely redundant.

This album takes Jagodzinski to a whole new level of the Jazz-Classical Fusion trend, with a piano concerto he composed for a Jazz piano trio and orchestra, presented here. The piano trio consists of Jagodzinski and two other Polish Jazz veterans: bassist Adam Cegielski and legendary drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski. The orchestral parts are performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Wojciech Zielinski.

The three-part concerto consists of melodic / romantic atmospheric music, which is heard mostly in the background, supporting the piano trio. The themes are all quite well-rounded and easy on the ear, easily accessible to the average listener and not really challenging his intellect. The trio performance is very good, as expected from such distinguished musicians, but also lacks a certain degree of excitement, which is expected in Jazz. The entire project seems to be making an effort of not stepping on anybody's toes.

Overall this is a very "slick" piece of music, which undoubtfully will find many eager listeners, who like romantic, lyrical orchestral music. Enthusiasts of more ambitious Jazz projects might find this disappointing. The album lasts only for about 36 minutes, which really puts it in the EP category, regardless of the elegant digibook packaging.

Various Artists – Polish Radio Jazz Archives Vol.13 (2014) ****

Zbigniew Namyslowski - saxophone
Wlodek Gulgowski - piano
Tadeusz Wojcik - bass
Czeslaw Bartkowski - drums

and others

POLSKIE RADIO 1663



By Adam Baruch

This is the thirteenth installment in the new series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland's most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.

The material collected here presents a second volume of recordings made in 1963 during the sixth Jazz Jamboree festival in Warsaw. It starts with two lengthy tracks, both treatments of classic Jazz standards, by the legendary American saxophonist Johnny Griffin and his quartet. Prior to this recordings Griffin, like many of his Afro-American colleagues, moved to Europe, where Jazz was experiencing an explosive development and was considered an Art Form and racial discrimination was almost completely absent. The quartet includes fellow American pianist Kenny Drew, who settled in Europe a couple of years earlier, Dutch guitarist Wim Overgaauw and Dutch bassist Ruud Jacobs. Followers of this series are of course aware of the fact that the eleventh volume already presents a double CD with material recorded by Griffin at the same festival with the same musicians. Personally I'd have preferred to have that release expanded into a triple CD set and have all the Griffin sessions together, but I'm not the series' editor.

Next come three tracks by the Danish trumpeter Allan Botschinsky and his quintet with American born saxophonist Ray Pitts, who moved to Denmark in 1962, pianist Atti Bjoern (name most probably miss spelt), bassist Benny Nielsen and American drummer Robert Joseph (real name Robert Joseph Durham or Bobby Durham as he was known to all – Polskie Radio should have known this, especially since I already made this comment / correction on the a.m. Griffin album – please read people! The music is all original and includes two compositions by Pitts and one by Botschinsky. It is typical bee bop, well played, especially by the leader who was a first rate trumpeter, but not extraordinary in any sense.

The two tracks closing the album are the most interesting for the Polish Jazz fans and they present the Zbigniew Namyslowski quartet with pianist Wlodek Gulgowski, bassist Tadeusz Wojcik and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski, the same quartet that would record several months later in Britain the legendary album "Lola", the first significant exposure of Polish Jazz behind the Iron Curtain. Both are original compositions by Namyslowski, the first would be the title track of the British LP and the second seems to be the only appearance of this composition on record. These are the initial steps of the first golden decade of Polish Jazz, and as such their documentation is priceless, as is the music.

The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes / booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.