Natalia Kordiak Quintet – Bajka (2019)

Natalia Kordiak Quintet

Natalia Kordiak - voice
Przemysław Chmiel - tenor & soprano saxophones
Mateusz Kołakowski - piano, rhodes
Alan Wykpisz - bass
Grzegorz Pałka - drums

Bajka


HEVHETIA 0194

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist Natalia Kordiak recorded in a quintet setting with saxophonist Przemysław Chmiel, pianist Mateusz Kołakowski, bassist Alan Wykpisz and drummer Grzegorz Pałka. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Kordiak, two of which feature lyrics (one by Polish poetess/playwright Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska and the other by Kordiak) and the rest feature wordless vocalese. The album was recorded at the RecPublica Studios and engineered by Michal Wasyl, and offers a superb sound quality.

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to hear Kordiak sing live in Katowice as a member of the First Was The Voice vocal ensemble conducted and directed by my friend the fabulous Anna Gadt, which should have prepared me for what I was about to hear on this album, but now I have to admit that probably nothing could have really prepared anybody for what this album offers. This is simply the Polish Jazz vocal album I have been dreaming about for the last half a Century, since Urszula Dudziak appeared on the Polish Jazz scene and revolutionized the approach to vocal Jazz not only in Poland but worldwide.

Kordiak treats her voice as an instrument and her vocalese explorations are simply unbounded by any previously set limitations, conventions or boundaries. Her singing is completely intuitive and her sense of melody is so open and free that the music becomes completely boundless and unconventional. Each of the tunes offers a melodic theme, but the vocal and instrumental improvisations move freely beyond the sketched horizons into the unknown and unexpected, which happens extremely rarely and immediately pushes this music into the "high sphere" of Jazz aesthetics.

The instrumentalists do a magnificent job on this album, with the most important task always before their eyes: do not disturb the vocals. Each of these players is able to play exquisitely as a soloist but this album sets a textbook example of respect and supportive role by the instrumentalists, who are clearly heard within the delicate fabric of the music, but never overshadow the vocal parts even for one moment. The rhythm section of Wykpisz and Palka, which is certainly phenomenal on its own, offers here a magnificent assistance to the vocals, often just in a trio settings. Kołakowski, who deserves a much wider recognition that he enjoys in Poland at the moment, is a key element which makes this music what it is, playing absolutely stunningly and beautifully free, which is amazing considering his Classical Music upbringing and education. Chmiel, also relatively anonymous, offers some stunning saxophone parts, which immediately put him alongside the most respected names on the Polish scene. In short this is a true dream team and Kordiak was extremely fortunate to record this album with these magnificent musicians at her side.

Polish vocal Jazz has been struggling in the last decades to produce anything as artistically and aesthetically valuable as the output it managed to offer time after time in modern instrumental European Jazz, which won it an international acclaim. Sadly Polish vocal Jazz got stuck mostly in imitating rather that inventing, with the ever present obsession of singing English lyrics, more often than not with appalling results. Therefore, although obviously hardly politically correct, the most accurate compliment I can think of under these circumstances is to say that Kordiak emerged here as someone with truly "big-balls", setting everything aside and doing her own thing. I am not surprised that Kordiak comes from under the wings of the above mentioned Anna Gadt, who is a true revolutionary Artist and obviously also and Educator.

Considering the fact that Kordiak is still a student, God only knows what she is capable of in the future and I can’t wait to find out. And yes, now I know what my best Polish Jazz album for 2019 will be on my list. ;) Thank you for a true fairytale my Dear!

Kołakowski/Wykpisz/Korelus – Schönberg (2016)

Kołakowski/Wykpisz/Korelus

Mateusz Kołakowski - piano
Alan Wykpisz - double bass
Bartłomiej Korelus - drums

Schönberg

FOR TUNE 0119




By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by Polish Jazz piano trio comprising of pianist Mateusz Kołakowski, bassist Alan Wykpisz and drummer Bartłomiej Korelus. The album presents the trio's interpretation of the famous set of six pieces for solo piano by Jewish Austrian composer Arnold Schönberg called "Sechs Kleine Klavierstucke" (Op. 19 from 1911). All the six pieces of the set and an alternate take of the first piece are present herein.

Schönberg's music was as much revolutionary in its nature at the time it was composed, as Free Jazz was some fifty years later, braking with existing tradition of Classical music (or Jazz music later) and paving the way for reinvention of the idiom. The six brilliant miniatures comprising the set influenced an entire generation of young European composers and Classical Music would not be the same from that moment on.

Kołakowski, Wykpisz and Korelus take a giant leap into the unknown by attempting to reinterpret this complex and highly sophisticated music and the final result proves that sometimes taking risks pays off big time. The music is indeed reinvented, often quite distant from the origin, and manages to amalgamate perfectly the essence of Jazz with the compositional concept of tonality, which the original pieces introduce.

The music is beautifully executed, perfect both technically and emotionally and full of virtuosic phrasing and dazzling arpeggios which should make the listener's head spin. The elegance which characterizes the trio's transitions between Classically influenced passages and the Jazzy vistas is mind-bugling and awe inspiring. It is difficult to imagine a more perfect match between Classical Music and Jazz than what this album offers, which simply means that musical genres are really quite meaningless. Overall this is a superb piece of music, which should satisfy the most sophisticated music connoisseurs. Listeners who look for intellectual challenges in what they let into their ears should find this album overwhelmingly satisfying. Hats off!

Trio Kołakowski:Wykpisz:Korelus feat. David Liebman gra Schönberga

Trio Kołakowski:Wykpisz:Korelus z gościnnym udziałem amerykańskiego saksofonisty Davida Liebmana wystąpi 9 listopada na festiwalu Azoty Jazz Contest w Tarnowie (Tarnowskie Centrum Kultury) oraz 10 listopada w Akademii Muzycznej w Katowicach (Ars Cameralis),  prezentując przedpremierowo materiał "Sześciu Małych Utworów Fortepianowych op. 19" Arnolda Schoenberga. Ten sam program, ale już bez udziału Liebmana, trio wykona również na koncertach: 20 listopada w Rudzie Śląskiej (MCK) i 21 listopada w Bielsku-Białej (Kombinat#1).

"Sześć małych utworów na fortepian op.19 Schoenberga" – idea trawestacji atonalnego dzieła na grunt muzyki improwizowanej powstała w wyniku łączenia współczesnej muzyki jazzowej oraz muzyki klasycznej. W prezentowanym materiale, muzycy czerpiąc z kompozycji Schoenberga, poddają je dekonstrukcji, starając się przedstawić klasyczny utwór atonalny w nowym świetle.

Tym programem trio Kołakowski:Wykpisz:Korelus wywalczyło zwycięstwo w konkursie Open Jazz towarzyszącym festiwalowi Warsaw Summer Jazz Days 2015. Koncert tria podczas WJSD został zarejestrowany przez Telewizję Polską i będzie miał premierę na jesień. Płyta z prezentowanym materiałem w wersji studyjnej ukaże się wiosną 2016.

Mateusz Kołakowski – pianista, w 2002 roku otrzymał "Jazzowego Fryderyka" oraz zdobył nagrodę "The Most Promising Performer" na Jazzowym Konkursie Pianistycznym im. M. Solala w Paryżu. Wydał dwie solowe płyty: „14th Spring” i „Ad Libitum". W 2008 r. wystąpił w Nowym Jorku z Dave'em Liebmanem, a wydana z tego koncertu płyta "Live at Jazz Standard" otrzymała nagrodę "Gwarancja Kultury 2009". Koncertował na Kubie, w Indiach, Kenii, Chile oraz w Europie.

Alan Wykpisz – kontrabasista, absolwent Akademii Muzycznej w Krakowie. Student Instytutu Jazzu Akademii Muzycznej w Katowicach. Jest członkiem High Definition Quartet, z którym był nominowany do nagrody Fryderyk 2014. Laureat wielu konkursów m.in.: Jazz Hoeilaart 2011, Bass2012 Copenhagen, Tarnów International Jazz Contest 2014. Trzykrotny stypendysta Ministra Kultury oraz laureat nagrody „Debiut Śląski”.

Bartłomiej Korelus – perkusista, założyciel zespołu. Swój warsztat perkusyjny rozwija pod kierunkiem Krzysztofa Gradziuka. Inspiracji szuka zarówno na polu muzyki klasycznej oraz jazzowej. jak i sztuk plastycznych czy literatury. Istotną rolę w jego grze oraz podejściu do sztuki stanowi element duchowości.

Mateusz Kolakowski / Dave Liebman – Live At Jazz Standard, New York (2009)

Mateusz Kolakowski - piano
Dave Liebman - soprano saxophone, wooden flute

FENOMMEDIA 009






By Adam Baruch

This is a live recording captured at the NY Jazz Standard club by a duo comprising of young Polish Jazz pianist Mateusz Kolakowski and legendary American saxophonist Dave Liebman. Although Kolakowski and Liebman were email buddies for quite a while, they actually met in person just a few moments before this music was recorded, which explains why the majority of the material is based on Jazz standards. Of the six pieces on this album, five are standards (one is even repeated twice, taken from two different sets) and the remaining one is a free on the spot improvisation.

Kolakowski was at the time a Classical Music student and his Jazz tendencies were all self cultivated, which is quite apparent when listening to the music. He not only quotes Classical music themes but his entire approach to harmony and rhythm is strongly based in Classical music. This dichotomy between Classical music and Improvised music has certain charm, but is also a hindrance, which is hard to ignore. Liebman, on the other hand, is Godly, as always, with every note just in the right place and his virtuosity, taste and spirit of cooperation being impeccable.

Since this is a duo album, the decisive factor is the way the two musicians perform together, rather than their individual statements. It seems that the fact this music works out one way or another is due only to the enormous experience and musicality of Liebman, who is able to cope with Kolakowski's limitations, rather than the duo's spiritual unity. Nevertheless the overall result is certainly entertaining and worth being listened two, especially in view of its "one of its kind" setting, which can also be educational. The fact that Liebman is always open to work with young and less experienced musicians is truly commendable.

Mateusz Kolakowski - Ad Libitum (2007)

Mateusz Kołakowski - piano

Ad Libitum (2007)

Mateusz is 21 years old and currently studying classical piano at the music Academy of Katowice. He was the winner of 3rd prize at the International Chopin Competition in Antonin, Poland (1996), and at the Padereweski Competition in Katuuzy (1997). In 1997, he was made a laureate of "Vertuosi per musica di pianoforte" (Usti). He has also performed Beethoven & Mendelssohn concertos with the Polish Youth Symphony Orchestra in Erkelenz, Germany.

Mateusz toured the USA every year from 1998 to 2005, playing in places such as The Knitting Factory in New York City; The Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, California; Sandy's in Chicago, Illinois; and the 7th Vail Jazz Festival in Vail, Colorado. In 2002, he received a scholarship for the summer Jazz program at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.

At the 2002 Martial Solal competition in Paris, Mateusz won the prize for "The most promising pianist." He has participated in the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland twice, receiving an honorable mention in the Jazz Piano Competition in 2002 and playing with the Oles brothers as the house pianist. During his run as house pianist, Mateusz performed in 14 trio concerts in the "Montreux Jazz Club," playing with Stanley Jordan, among others.

In 2003, his solo recital in Prague was recorded by Czech Radio during the "8th International Festival of Jazz Piano." A CD of the performance "14th Spring" was released in Poland by Jazz Forum. He won the "Jazz Frederyk" in 2002, a prize awarded by the Polish Ministry of Culture. Mateusz has received wide acclaim from leading jazz critics:

"![Mateusz] has accumulated and been blessed with the wisdom to use his harmonic knowledge to achieve believable jazz ends." -Doug Ramsey, Jazz Times (2003)"I was impressed with his touch, harmonic sense, and in particular, his poise-remarkable for one so young."-

Track listing:
1 Nardis 4:48
2 Landmark 9:24
3 14th Spring 9:03
4 Sophisticated Lady 8:45
5 Well You Needn't 12:02
6 Double Kiss 4:15
7 Free for Two 7:17

By Dan Morgenstern

http://www.jazzforum.com.pl/

Mateusz Kołakowski, Dave Liebman - Live at Jazz Standard, New York (2009)

When I saw this record on the shelf in my favourite Warsaw's Empik store I felt as stricken by lighting. First, I was puzzled that Mateusz Kolakowski recorded with Dave Liebman. Wow!!! Second, just look at the program:

1. Nature Boy (Eden Abbez)

2. Body and Soul (J. Green/ E. Heyman)

3. Free

4. Nardis (Miles Davis)

5. Footprints (Wayne Shorter)

6. Body and Soul (J. Green/ E. Heyman)

How ambitious! How they dare to choose songs like those and assume that they can show something new, original, something we have not yet heard in numerous versions of these standards recorded up-to-this-date?! Then I immadietely bought and simply ran home to listen to it.

Let me first pay tribute toDave Liebman who is musician I respect a lot. What I admire in him is that not only he is very fine and creative saxophonist, clarnecist etc. but that he also teaches a lot and is known for coaching young talents very much like Art Blackey, Miles Davis (with whom he collaborated in 70ties) did or Tomasz Stanko does. To reach such a level of musicianship that you feel need to share with young artist what experience and wisdom you already gatherred is for me an exceptional quality in artist showing that he reached the highest level not only as musician but also as human. And this is by the way exactly what polish young musicians need, since they often have excellent technical skills but they obviously lack contact with top jazz players to form their own style, to mature to the level of excellency that is separating craftmanship from artistry.

Mateusz Kolakowski, 22 years old polish artist is prodigiously talented pianist, who concerted in Poland and abroad even as a child. But who now is somewhat in shadow of other young lions of polish jazz piano (the level of competition is very high in Poland as far as this instrument is concerned). If he wants to become significant figure in polish jazz he simply must learn from the best, work hard to create his own, unique sound and also keep in touch with the audience that is distracted by multiple interesting projects of other musicians. Yes, polish jazz scene is thriving and even such a talented musician as Kolakowski cannot take it for granted that he shall attain success if he does not show something new and worthy on regular basis.

Taking all this into account his recording with Dave Liebman is excellent move.  He did what Oles brothers are doing on much larger scale (look into the cd review prior to this one) that is to make recordings with world top jazz players. By this he was able to put this record in the spotlight of polish jazz audience. But he also showed through this collabolaration that he is capable to inspire such a great and creative artist as Liebman. He showed that he also would like to be the artist searching for what is new in jazz, to reach the boundaries ot this musiacal genre, to be in avant garde of what is in jazz free, experimental, improvised. We shall closely observe this young man next steps. By this record he clearly showed great potential for future.