Bartosz Pernal Sextet - Into The Wild (2020)

Bartosz Pernal Sextet

Bartosz Pernal - trombone
Dominik Gawroński - trumpet
Wojciech Lichtański - alto saxophone
Marek Konarski - tenor saxophone

Jakub Olejnik - double bass
Grzegorz Pałka - drums

Into The Wild

BCD 47

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album as a leader (as far as I know) by Polish Jazz trombonist/composer Bartosz Pernal recorded in a pianoless sextet setting with trumpeter Dominik Gawroński, saxophonists Wojciech Lichtański and Marek Konarski, bassist Jakub Olejnik and drummer Grzegorz Pałka. The album presents six original compositions, including the title track three part suite, all by Pernal. The album was recorded at the excellent Monochrom Studio and was engineered by Ignacy Gruszecki, offering a wonderful sound quality, as expected.

The music is typical modern Jazz, based on melodic compositions and skillfully arranged for the Brass dominated sextet, which has a very unique sound due to lack of harmonic support. The extended pieces offer plenty of opportunity for all the participants to solo at length and the first-rate rhythm section keeps the music moving forward on secure ground. Despite their relative young age all the members of the band are seasoned and experienced instrumentalists, as evident by their performances herein. The outstanding drumming by Palka is an absolute highlight and definitely worthy of special attention.

The album is not trying to be flashy or dazzling, but it offers solid, well developed musical ideas, superbly performed and coherently put together, which turns it into a most enjoyable and rewarding listening experience, worth returning to, especially for enthusiasts of Brass sections and multi-part expanded Jazz compositions.

Overall this is a great piece of music, perhaps more in the "musician's musician" mold, as it offers many tricks of the Jazz trade on different levels, starting with the compositions and then almost orchestral arrangements, the delicate balance between the instruments and crowned by the wonderful execution. Definitely well done!

Damian Hyra Quartet - Z Oddali (2020)

Damian Hyra Quartet

Damian Hyra - vocals, guitar
Dominik Gawroński - trumpet, flugelhorn
Ambroży Ranz - bass
Dawid Opaliński - drums

Z Oddali

V 019



By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist/guitarist Damian Hyra recorded in a quartet setting with trumpeter Dominik Gawroński, bassist Ambroży Ranz and drummer Dawid Opaliński. The album presents nine original songs composed and featuring lyrics (eight in Polish and one in English) by Hyra.

The music is all melodic mainstream Jazz, based on solid themes, easy on the ear and definitely on the easier side of the Jazz spectrum, but highly entertaining, briskly swinging and offering a good time listening experience to the listeners. The instrumental lineup is unusual, with the trumpet/flugelhorn playing most of the leads and soli and the guitar playing the "second fiddle", but also soloing on most of the tracks, utilizing a somewhat Fusion oriented sound and attitude while soloing. The rhythm section is highly supportive and keeps the time perfectly, but stays mostly on the back plane.

Hyra's vocals are definitely an acquired taste and take a while to get used to, but after a while become enjoyable, despite their atypical sound and articulation. The one track with the English lyrics is a perfect example of what should be avoided by all possible means. Overall this is an entertaining Jazzy album, which offers some nice songs and a lot of good time, but stays away from exploring uncharted territory. This is definitely not a typical Polish Jazz album, by any respect, showing another facet of the local scene.