Wojciech Konikiewicz - keyboards
Mieczysław Jurecki - bass
Jacek Ratajczyk - drums
Live At Rura 1982
GAD 091
By Adam Baruch
This is an archival album
presenting a live concert recording by Polish Jazz keyboardist/composer
Wojciech Konikiewicz and his Free Funk Trio, which also included bassist
Mieczysław Jurecki and drummer Jacek Ratajczyk. Recorded at the legendary
Wrocław Jazz Club Rura, it presents eight original compositions, all by
Konikiewicz.
To properly understand the
historic perspective of this recording it is important to remember that this
music was recorded just a few months after Martial law was imposed in Poland in
December of 1981, in
a desperate attempt of the Socialist regime to quench growing social and
political unrest in the country. As usual in Poland, political dictatorship was
always challenged by the country's intelligentsia and Artistic circles, and
although Cultural activities were severely limited and heavily censored, they
became a primary form of resistance to the oppression. Some of that anger and
frustration is evidently expressed by these young (at the time) musicians in
their display of wild energy and complete disregard of authority, as much
musical as political.
The music is a raw mixture of
Funk, Punk, Jazz, Rock and Groove, which will become the modus operandi for
Konikiewicz for years to come and which was obviously influenced the late
period stylistic explorations of Miles Davis, who remains a major influence on
Konikiewicz to this very day. Fate decided that Davis
played at the Jazz Jamboree Festival in Poland just over a year after this
music was recorded, immediately after the Martial law was lifted in 1983.
Although the trio format might
seem somewhat limiting for such explosive musical adventure, Konikiewicz and
his cohorts squeeze the proverbial lemon to the max under the circumstances,
giving everything, both musically and emotionally, they have to offer. Konikiewicz
on acoustic piano and the Fender Rhodes is in charge of the melodic content,
but his percussive playing goes hand in hand with the dynamic rhythm section, which
takes care of the groove, with occasional outbursts of frenzy solo parts
featuring the fretless bass and the drums.
There is no doubt that the Free
Funk Trio was a formative ensemble in the musical career of Konikiewicz. The
same kind of attitude present here, which eschews pompous mannerisms and fake
pretentiousness, will be his musical compass in the years to come, when he was
involved in some the most important Polish Jazz projects during the 1980s and
1990s, alas hardly ever scoring any real-time recognition for his efforts. It
was also the same attitude that ostracized him from the established
domesticated Polish Jazz establishment, causing him to be active mostly on the
fringe scene, refusing to compromise and sell out; an attitude which makes me
proud to call him my friend.
Overall this album is an
important piece of the Polish Jazz history, which is brought back to life by
the excellent GAD Records label, which never fails to nail the forgotten gems
and expand our horizons. It is most educational and certainly warmly
recommended!
