Jaroslaw Smietana – Talking Guitar (Polish Jazz Vol.93 Deluxe, 1984)

Jarosław Śmietana - Electric Guitar

Henryk Miśkiewicz - Alto Saxophone
Zbigniew Jaremko - Tenor Saxophone
Henryk Majewski - Trumpet
Robert Majewski - Trumpet
Roman Syrek - Trombone
Jan Baytel - Flute
Wojciech Groborz - Fender Piano, Synthesizer
Antoni Dębski - Bass Guitar
Jacek Pelc - Drums, Percussion
Jerzy Bartz - Conga, Percussion 

Talking Guitar (Polish Jazz Vol.93 Deluxe, 1984)  

This is an excellent debut album as a leader by Polish guitarist / composer Jaroslaw Smietana, presenting a set of ten original compositions performed by a superb team of musicians, including his ex-cohorts from the Extra Ball ensemble. The list of names reads like a who’s who of the local scene at the time and includes keyboardist Wojciech Groborz, bassist Antoni Debski, drummer Jacek Pelc, percussionist Jerzy Bartz, saxophonists Henryk Miskiewicz and Zbigniew Jaremko, trumpeters Henryk Majewski and Robert Majewski (father and son), trombonist Roman Syrek and flautist Jan Baytel. The music is all Fusion oriented, with great melody lines. Smietana plays some excellent solos and is well supported by his partners. Overall this is mainstream Fusion, which ruled in the 1980s, so one must not expect complexity and innovation in what is supposed to be “good time” music, which it certainly is. The level of professionalism and talent expected from Polish Jazz are certainly there. Recommended to Fusion fans!

Track listing: 1. Bieganie po Manhattanie 2. Alisia 3. Tabasco Song 4. Podróżując we śnie 5. Trzech panów w łódce 6. Samba Carrera 7. Papierek lakmusowy 8. Od siedmiu wzwyż 9. Polowanie na robaczka 10. Samochody w pokrowcach

By Adam Baruch
www.adambaruch.com

Wojciech Kaminski – Open Piano (Polish Jazz Vol.66, 1982)

Wojciech Kamiński - Piano

Zbigniew Jaremko - tenor saxophone
Henryk Majewski - trumpet
Janusz Zabiegliński - alto saxophone, clarinet
Władysław Halik - bass saxophone
Zbigniew Konopczyński - trombone
Marek Bliziński - guitar
Janusz Kozłowski - bass
Jarzy Bartz - drums 

Open Piano (Polish Jazz Vol.66, 1982)

This album by veteran pianist / composer Wojciech Kaminski presents the versatility of the Polish Jazz scene, which at all times presented the entire scope of Jazz music, from Ragtime to Avant-Grade, all of them on a very high artistic level. Kaminski was active on the local scene mainly in the traditional Jazz circles, co-founding such splendid ensembles as Ragtime Jazz Band and Old Timers. He felt most comfortable playing Jazz, which ranges from Ragtime, through Dixieland and into Swing and selected some of the absolutely best local players at the time to accompany him on this album: trumpeter Henryk Majewski, trombonist Zbigniew Konopczynski, saxophonists Zbigniew Jaremko, Janusz Zabieglinski and Wladyslaw Halik, guitarist Marek Blizinski, bassist Janusz Kozlowski and drummer Jerzy Bartz. Kaminski composed five of the ten compositions on this album (the remaining five include four standards and one composition by Zabieglinski). The level of performance is absolutely excellent all the way through and every Jazz fan should be able to enjoy this music for what it stands for: quality and fun! Recommended!

Track listing: 01. Codzienny Blues; 02. Deszczowy Maj; 03. The Wika Rag; 04. The Entertainer; 05. Wchodź po trzech; 06. Autumn Leaves; 07. Ruchome schody; 08. I Wish I Could Shimmy My Sister Kate;
09. Blues Dla Dziewczyny; 10. Jazz Me Blues

By Adam Baruch
www.adambaruch.com

Ewa Bem – Be A Man (Polish Jazz Vol.65, 1981)

Ewa Bem - vocal

Henryk Majewski - leader, flugelhorn, trumpet
Henryk Miśkiewicz - clarinet, alto saxophone
Zbigniew Jaremko - tenor saxophone
Zbigniew Konopczyński - trombone
Andrzej Jagodziński - piano
Jerzy Stawarz - bass
Henryk Stefański - guitar
Tadeusz Federowski - drums
String Orchestra conducted by Zbigniew Jaremko
Zbigniew Wodecki - vocal

Be A Man (Polish Jazz Vol.65)
 

This is the 2nd album by the excellent Polish Jazz vocalist Ewa Bem, who dominated the female vocals spot in her country in the late 1970s and 1980s and is still active today. The five songs, which were included on side A of the vinyl LP are standards, which she sings in English and the six songs on side B of the vinyl LP are all originals, written especially for her, which she sings in Polish. She is accompanied by a wonderful octet, called Swing Session, led by Polish Jazz icon, trumpeter Henryk Majewski, who also wrote the wonderful arrangements. The octet members include also reedmen Henryk Miskiewicz and Zbigniew Jaremko, trombonist Zbigniew Konopczynski, guitarist Henryk Stefanski, pianist Andrzej Jagodzinski, bassist Jerzy Stwarz and drummer Tadeusz Federowski. Male vocalist Zbigniew Wodecki guests on two songs and three songs have also string arrangements. Whatever Bem misses as a virtuoso vocalist, she fully compensates by her wonderfully warm tone and exceptional musicality. Her interpretation and delivery are first-rate and she is definitely a world-class performer. Although pretty mainstream, this music is done with elegance and taste, which is why it stands the test of time wonderfully. Warmly recommended to fans of female Jazz vocals!

Track listing: 1 Medley: Them There Eyes, Love Is Here To Stay, Exactly Like You, The Days Of Wine And Roses, When The Saints Go Marching In (arr. H. Majewski) [06:26]; 2 Misty (E. Gerner - J. Burke) [04:31]; 3 The Man I Love (G. Gershwin - I. Gershwin) [03:47]; 4 Oh What A Beautiful Mornin' (R. Rodgers - O. Hammerstein II) [03:29]; 5 Grovin' High (C. Parker) [01:21]; 6 Badz mezczyzna (H. Majewski - M. Czubaszek) [02:56]; 7 Czy powie mi pan dzien dobry (Z. Jaremko - M. Wojtaszewska); Zbigniew Wodecki [03:30]; 8 Dzien dobry Mr. Blues (J. Wasowski - G. Perkun) [05:39]; 9 Wyznanie wieczorne (Z. Jaremko - K. Trębacz) [02:52]; 10 Tylko dni (Z. Jaremko - M. Czubaszek) [02:47]; 11 Rob co chcesz (H. Majewski - M. Czubaszek) [02:42]

By Adam Baruch

http://adambaruch.com/

Sun Ship – Follow Us (Polish Jazz Vol.61, 1979)

Sun Ship (band)

Władysław Sendecki - piano, el. piano, polymog, arp omni
Zbigniew Jaremko - soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
Henryk Miśkiewicz - soprano saxophone
Witold Szczurek - bass, violoncello
Marek Stach - drums

Follow Us (Polish Jazz Vol.61, 1979)

This is the only studio recording by the excellent Polish Jazz ensemble Sun Ship, founded in 1978 by two ex-Extra Ball members: virtuoso pianist / composer Wladyslaw Sendecki and saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak, with bassist Witold Szczurek and drummer Marek Stach. Olejniczak left son after the group was founded, to be replaced by a double saxophone front line consisting of Zbigniew Jaremko and Henryk Miskiewicz. Miskiewicz was the group's second composer and contributed two of the five compositions present on this album in addition to the three compositions by the leader, Sendecki. Sun Ship was the first of the Polish ensembles, which tried to leave behind them the Jazz-Rock Fusion, which was the predominant genre in the 1970s and return to mainstream Jazz, with more advanced chord changes and extended improvisations, which they did extremely well. Sendecki's keyboard wizardry is plainly evident on this beautiful album, as are the highly developed skills as improvisers. In retrospect this is one of the most interesting Polish Jazz recordings of that turbulent period. Highly recommended!

Track Listing: 01. Prymka; 02. Ballada na wiosnę; 03. Szipson; 04. Mrówka, jak wiemy; 05. Należy się wykupić

By Adam Baruch

http://adambaruch.com/