Mieczysław Kosz - "Volume 2: Piano Solo, Duo, Trio"

Mieczysław Kosz 

Mieczysław Kosz - fortepian
Janusz Kozłowski - kontrabas (2-4)
Sergiusz Perkowski - perkusja (2-4)
Bronisław Suchanek - kontrabas (11)

"Volume 2: Piano Solo, Duo, Trio"

Wydawca: Polskie Radio; seria Polish Radio Jazz Archives, vol. 37 (2023)

Tekst: Marcin Kaleta

Rzadko się zdarza, by wybitność identyfikować po pierwszych dźwiękach. Zazwyczaj potrzeba co najmniej utworu. Albo i całej płyty. Bywa, że dorobku życia. W tym jednak przypadku nie zdążyłem nawet usiąść po uruchomieniu odtwarzacza, a już "wiedziałem". Podobno jury Bielskiej Zadymki Jazzowej wystarczyło "piętnaście sekund", by podjąć decyzję o wyróżnieniu wykonawcy, czyli RGG Trio. Dokładnie: Przemysława Raminiaka (fortepian), Macieja Garbowskiego (kontrabas) i Krzysztofa Gradziuka (perkusja). Oraz albumu "Unfinished Story — Remembering Kosz" (2007), zadedykowanego współtwórcy "polskiej szkoły jazzu", Mieczysławowi Koszowi (1944-1973; o nim Maciej Pieprzyca wyreżyserował film z 2019 pt. "Ikar. Legenda Mietka Kosza").

Mamy tam do czynienia z kwintesencją medytacji. To kameralny jazz, w którym dominuje spokój, szelest, szczegół. Krystaliczne uduchowienie, dyskretne piękno i wyciszony smutek. Albo i "muzyka wypełniająca przestrzeń powagą i świętym światłem" (Anders Jormin). Dwie kompozycje Kosza, natomiast za inspirowanych jego twórczością pozostałych dziesięć odpowiadają członkowie grupy, zwłaszcza Raminiak.

Intensywniejszy kontakt z niewidomym pianistą nawiązałem, kiedy przekonałem się, że jego interpretacja słynnej kołysanki Krzysztofa Komedy ("Rosemary's Lullaby"; oryg. "Sleep Safe and Warm") należy do najciekawszych, jakie miałem okazję poznać. Uzbierałem cztery płyty: "Mieczysław Kosz" (2009, Wydawnictwo Anex), "Piano Solo" (2013, Polskie Radio; seria Polish Radio Jazz Archives, vol. 10), "Reminiscence" (2017, Polskie Nagrania; seria Polish Jazz, Vol. 25; kolejna reedycja albumu z 1971) i obecnie omawianą: "Volume 2: Piano Solo, Duo, Trio" (2023, Polskie Radio; seria Polish Radio Jazz Archives, vol. 37). Ta ostatnia poprzez sam tytuł zdradza, jakie formacje preferował (bądź na jakie był skazany). Przewaga występów solowych, sporadycznie trio bądź duet.

Samodzielnie parafrazował głównie klasykę (Liszt, Chopin), ponadto prezentował standardy jazzowe, współczesne przeboje, a także autorskie utwory. Zamierzałem napisać, że legenda legendą, ale to repertuar niekonieczny: takie plumkanie, smęcenie. Cenił przecież muzykę, która przygnębia. Niemniej przyznaję, przy odpowiednim nastawieniu również urzeka, otaczając nimbem melancholii. Pogrążamy się wtedy w "zadumie i czekaniu na piękno", by sparafrazować opinię Tomasza Stańki. Należy uruchomić wyobraźnię — zaiste, sugestywny jest ten Kosz i w epoce, gdy wszystkiego brakowało, zwłaszcza jazzu, takie występy musiały stanowić nieomal misterium. Coś z tej aury pozostało.

Stwierdza Marek Romański: "Jego sława opierała się przede wszystkim na niesamowitej charyzmie koncertowej. [...] Melodie podawał w sposób nieoczywisty, zawoalowany. Ich piękno było dla niego jedynie pretekstem, powierzchnią muzycznego przekazu. Natomiast jego istota kryła się [...] w kłębiących się w nim emocjach". Grywał w klubach, kawiarniach, lokalach Krakowa, Zakopanego, Warszawy. Potem na festiwalach: od Jazz Jamboree po Montreux. Wszędzie go chwalono, doceniano, porównywano do samego Billa Evensa, chociaż bardziej oddziaływali na niego już Cecil Taylor czy Keith Jarrett.

Współpraca ze znakomitymi sekcjami rytmicznymi przynosiła "czysty jazz". Świadectwem tego na omawianej płycie są trzy własne utwory, nagrane w 1968 w towarzystwie kontrabasisty Janusza Kozłowskiego i perkusisty Sergiusza Perkowskiego. Pierwszy z nich, "Wspomnienie" ("Reminiscence"), powtórzy po latach z kontrabasistą Bronisławem Suchankiem i perkusistą Januszem Stefańskim na jedynej, tak też zatytułowanej płycie długogrającej, jaką zdąży wydać za życia.

I właśnie Suchanek współtworzy duet w kompozycji Kosza "Elza". Połączenie kontrabasu i fortepianu tak w jazzie, jak w muzyce poważnej, nie zdarzało się naówczas często. Upowszechni się po dekadzie czy dwóch i obecnie mógłbym wymienić wiele takich par, zasługujących na najwyższą uwagę. Tutaj odczujemy zaledwie przedsmak tego, w jakim kierunku podąży muzyka improwizowana. Śmierć przerwała karierę utalentowanego pianisty akurat w momencie, gdy zaczynał odczuwać potrzebę eksperymentowania. W wywiadzie z 1970 wyznawał: "W jazzie najbardziej pasjonuje mnie awangarda. To jest oczywiście muzyka bardzo trudna, muzyka wymagająca kolosalnych umiejętności".

On je posiadał.

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.

Krzysztof Komeda – Krzysztof Komeda W Polskim Radiu Vol.06 – Muzyka Filmowa Oraz Jazz I Poezja (2016)

Krzysztof Komeda

Krzysztof Komeda - piano
Tomasz Stańko - trumpet
Zbigniew Namysłowski - saxophone
Roman Dyląg - bass
Janusz Kozłowski - bass
Rune Carlsson - drums

Krzysztof Komeda W Polskim Radiu Vol.06 – Muzyka Filmowa Oraz Jazz I Poezja

POLSKIE RADIO 1938

By Adam Baruch

This is the sixth 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.

The first part of the music included here originates in the Polish Radio recording session from 1967, which presents the Komeda Quintet with trumpeter Tomasz Stańko, saxophonist Zbigniew Namysłowski, bassist Roman Dyląg and Swedish drummer Rune Carlsson. The quintet performs four original Komeda compositions. The second part was recorded live during the 1965 Jazz Jamboree Festival and features the Komeda Quartet with Stańko, bassist Janusz Kozłowski and Carlsson. The quartet performs two original Komeda compositions. Three of the quintet tracks can be associated with the Polish Jazz & Poetry movement, the last quintet track and the first quartet track are both examples of cinematic music Komeda created for movie soundtracks and the last bonus track is a live performance of Komeda's most famous tune "Astigmatic", which gave the title to his groundbreaking debut album.

The Komeda Quintet present on this album recorded an entire album in the Jazz & Poetry idiom, which was produced by the legendary Joachim Berendt. That album called "Meine Süsse Europäische Heimat" was released in West Germany and became in time one of the most iconic Jazz & Poetry recordings in Polish and European Jazz. All of the music on this album is of course some of the most prophetic and revolutionary European Jazz ever recorded, and as such deserves to be a part of every decent music library on this planet.

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 Roch Siciński 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.

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.

Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet w/Joachim Kuhn - Live at Kosmos, Berlin (2008) by Adam Baruch

Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet w/Joachim Kuhn

Zbigniew Namysłowski - alto saxophone
Joachim Kuhn - piano
Janusz Kozlowski - bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums

Live at Kosmos, Berlin (2008)

This is an iconic recording by the Polish Jazz quartet led by saxophonist Zbigniew Namyslowski, with German pianist Joachim Kühn, bassist Janusz Kozlowski and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski. Recorded live on November 30, 1965 at the East Berlin Kosmos cinema, this is a quintessential piece of Polish and European modern Jazz history. Of the eight compositions present on this album, seven are by Namyslowski and one is by Kühn.

In order to fully comprehend the meaning of the music captured here, one must in fact look at (and hear) three separate recordings by the Zbigniew Namyslowski quartet spanning a mere one and a half year period, which fully present the history of the Polish Jazz in the making. Starting with the album "Lola", recorded in August 1964 in London, which was the first Jazz album recorded and released beyond the Iron Curtain by an East European artists, followed by this album from late 1965 and finally by the album "Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet" recorded in January 1966, which was Namyslowski's first recording released as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" Series.

In the liner notes accompanying this album German critic / historian Bert Noglik describes the historic background and the enormous significance of the modern Polish Jazz, which developed independently, almost isolated from the sources of information and influences, reliant only on sporadic radio broadcasts, few LPs trickling illegally and played till they were flat and ever rarer visits abroad. The fact that the Polish Jazz scene was so incredibly vibrant, inventive and beyond all revolutionary is one of the greatest miracles, which escape any attempt of logical or sociological explanation. But the fact remains that Namyslowski and many other Polish Jazz musicians spontaneously re-invented modern Jazz by daring to go where nobody ventured before.

The presence of the German pianist / composer Joachim Kühn is another fabulous bonus. Kühn would of course become one of the great leaders of the German Jazz scene in the years to come, but first he drifted where the great East European Jazz revolution was happening, living in 1964 in Czechoslovakia and playing with the legendary SHQ led by Karel Velebny and then moved to Poland, where he lived in 1965 and met Namyslowski, only to be invited to sit in the piano chair of his quartet. The following year Kühn, like many other fellow East German musicians, would move over to the West and develop a fabulous musical career of his own.

The music is, of course, absolutely brilliant and the live setting allows for a considerably less constrained treatment of the themes, allowing for truly expanded improvisations, one of which goes beyond the half hour mark, something which was completely unthinkable earlier on. Again, when examining the three a.m. albums, it is interesting to see how the same compositions developed, which of them survived and which were dropped and most interestingly noting Namyslowski's fascination with odd meters, which would become his trademark.

Drummer Bartkowski, who is the only musician present on all the three a.m. recordings alongside Namyslowski, is an outstanding example of how these young musicians developed rapidly, almost overnight. His contribution is an integral part of the music. Bassist Kozlowski, who plays on this album, was also present on the studio album recorded a few months later. His performance is also absolutely top notch.

Surprisingly enough, the sound quality is very decent compared to other archival recordings of that period, which enhances the overall experience of listening to these fabulous recordings. In all honesty there have been very few other archival Polish Jazz discoveries, if any at all, which are comparable to this monumental document. The fact that this music was buried for over forty years is a crime, but now that it finally sees the light of day, all serious music connoisseurs should be absolutely delighted. Such gems are as rare as the Koh-i-Noor and should be treated accordingly. Absolutely essential! 

By Adam Baruch
http://www.adambaruch.com/ 

Tracklisting: CD1: 1. Rozpacz, 9:55 2. Bye Bye Black Cat, 7:55 3. Balbina, 9:04 4. Der Letzte Tag, 10:45 5. Szafa, 9:00 6. Blues Shmues, 7:02 CD2: 1. Piatawka, 16:28 2. Straszna Franka, 30:23 

Warsaw Stompers – Warsaw Stompers (Polish Jazz Vol.01, 1963)

Warsaw Stompers (band)

Henryk Majewski- trumpet
Waldemar Kurpinski- clarinet
Wlodzimierz Kruszynski - clarinet
Jerzy Kowalewski - trombone
Andrzej Dobrawa - trombone
Dimitr markiewicz - trombone
Wojciech Kacperski - piano
Wlodzimierz Gulgowski - piano
Tomasz Ochalski - piano Bogdan Ignatowski - banjo
Zdzislaw Orlowski - bass
Adam Skorupka - bass
Tadeusz Wojcik - bass
Janusz Kozlowski- bass
Marian Zabek - drums
Mieczyslaw Wadecki - drums

Warsaw Stompers (Polish Jazz Vol.01, 1963)

This album presents a series of recordings made by the polish traditional Jazz ensemble Warsaw Stompers (earlier called New Orleans Stompers), which was one of the first and certainly the best of its kind. Led by the excellent trumpeter Henryk Majewski and drummer Mieczyslaw Wadecki the ensemble changed the membership over the years and included in its ranks some of the best future Polish Jazz musicians like saxophonist Zbigniew Namyslowski and keyboardist Wlodzimierz Gulgowski. The traditionalists vs. modernist Jazz War raged in Poland in the 1950s similarly to what happened all over Europe at the time with the New Orleans revival emerging as a counterforce of the new Bebop and beyond. However, beyond the heated discussions running into the wee hours of the night between the opponents, Jazz as music coexisted peacefully, resulting in outstanding results in both fields. The Warsaw Stompers played an all original programme, which is quite remarkable for the time, again emphasizing the deep involvement of the Polish scene with the Jazz tradition, which started even before the WWII. The level of the compositions as well as the performance is truly stellar and anybody who loves traditional Jazz should be able to enjoy this music to the fullest. Highly recommended!

Side Note: Although some Polish Jazz albums were recorded and released in Poland before this album, it marks the very beginning of the legendary Polish Jazz series, which over the years documented the development of the Polish scene and resulted in total 76 releases, which in retrospect include some of the best European Jazz recorded beyond the Iron Curtain. The Polish Jazz LPs and CDs are highly collectable and many fans all over the world try to complete the collection, which is not an easy task these days. The CD reissues (called Polish Jazz Deluxe) expanded the original series with some 20 additional titles, which somehow missed the original series at the time but belong to be a part of it in retrospect.

Track listing:
01. Warsaw Ragtime No.1 (3:25)
02. Bluesoragtime No.2 (2:15)
03. Melba Rag (3:31)
04. Roztanczony Kundel (3:03)
05. Zabawny Charlston (2:52)
06. Kas Bil Rag (3:23)
07. Czarny Lad (3:10)
08. Marzenie Misia (2:52)
09. Ej Przelecial Ptaszek (3:08)
10. Starzyk (3:16)
11. Motywy Goralskie (3:06)
12. Gdyby Rannym Slonkiem (3:02)
13. Rozbawiony Klarnet (2:40)
14. Madras (3:13)
15. Upal (3:06)
16. Nietoperz (2:58)

By Adam Baruch
http://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

Krzysztof Komeda - Live at the Jazz Jamboree Festival 1961 - 1967 (Polskie Nagrania, 2011)

Krzysztof Komeda - piano

Adam Skorupka (tracks: CD1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) - bass
Janusz Kozłowski (tracks: CD1: 6; CD2: 1; CD3: 3, 4) - bass
Maciej Suzin (tracks: CD3: 1, 2) - bass
Roman Dyląg (tracks: CD1: 7, 8, 9; CD2: 2) - bass
Adam Jędrzejowski (tracks: CD1: 4, 5) - drums
Czesław Bartkowski (tracks: CD1: 6; CD3) - drums
Leszek Dudziak (tracks: CD1: 1, 2, 3) - drums
Rune Carlsson (tracks: CD1: 7, 8, 9; CD2) - drums
Jimmy Gourley (tracks: CD1: 4) - guitar
Bernt Rosengren (tracks: CD1: 5) - tenor saxophone
Michał Urbaniak (tracks: CD3) - tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Tomasz Stańko (tracks: CD2; CD3) - trumpet
Jerzy Milian (tracks: CD1: 6) - vibraphone

Live at the Jazz Jamboree Festival 1961 - 1967 (Polskie Nagrania, 2011)

This is absolute and pure gem as far as Polish jazz is concerned. Dug out of Polskie Nagrania vaults it was released at the end of year 2011. It brings to us mind blowing music comprising live recordings of different bands all led by legendary pianist Krzysztof Komeda which played during Warsaw's legendary Jazz Jamboree Festival from 1961 to 1967. Musicians featured in these recordings are no less prominent. As Miles Komeda could pick up whom he wanted on Polish scene and abroad as evidenced by presence of some Scandinavian players as well. Only 2500 copies are available of this 3 CDs set making it on top of wanting list for any true Polish jazz lover...

Track listing:

CD 1

Krzysztof Komeda Trio (1961, 1962, 1964)
1. This Or This
2. My Ballad
3. Love For Sale
4. Three Little Words
5. An Oscar For Treadwell
6. Basin Street Blues
7. Ballet Etude I
8. Ballad For Bernt
9. Crazy Girl

CD 2
Krzysztof Komeda Quartet (1965, 1967)
1. Kattorna
2. Nighttime Daytime Requiem

CD 3
Krzysztof Komeda Quintet (1961, 1962, 1964)
1. Ballad (z filmu "Nóz w wodzie"/from the movie "Knife in the Water")
2. Alea
zapowiedz / announcement
3. Sophia's Tune
4. Svantetic

By Maciej Nowotny
http://kochamjazz.blox.pl

Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet (Polish Jazz Vol. 6, 1966)

Zbigniew Namysłowski Quartet (band) 

Zbigniew Namysłowski - alto sax
Adam Matyszkowicz (Makowicz) - piano
Janusz Kozłowski - bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums

(Polish Jazz Vol. 6, 1966)

(Editor) One of the best and most significant recordings of then just 27-years old legendary Polish altoist Zbigniew Namysłowski...

"Jazz fills up my life. It means to me everything -- said Namyslowski. -- Playing in a quartet suits me best... Until recently I did not set great store by composition. But now to be successful one cannot merely play Horace Silver's themes and other people's arrangements. And so I have created my own quartet and my own music, to be able to play what I want and how I want...". 

Quoting these words I cannot help recalling a thin and insignificant looking boy who burdened with a huge cello scrambled on to the gigantic stage of the Forest Opera in order to play with the Modern Combo group, which was taking part at the II International Jazz Festival at Sopot (August 1957), as a completely unknown soloist. And yet a few years later Zbyszek Namyslowski won recognition not only with jazz fans and connoisseurs at home but also with the exacting critics abroad -- after numerous tours of his quartet in such countries as Italy, Belgium, West Germany, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Finland, USA. Namyslowski went through most suitable stages before he achieved his present-day results; he played the trombone in traditional and swing bands, for some time also the trumpet and cornet, and when there was need he accompanied the vocalists on piano. 

But the ambitious musician was never after the label of a "multi-instrumentalist". Eventually he chose the alto saxophone in which he could prove himself completely. What we appreciate with Namyslowski particularly is his equally enthusiastic attitude to all styles in jazz; he is always himself while playing hard-bop along with rhythm and blues, free-jazz and the third current along with the fringes of pop-music, and who at the same time would feel an irresistible fascination towards new ventures? A separate chapter could be devoted to Namyslowski's compositions, the more so that his ambition is to draw inspiration from Polish folk-lore which leads to the sort of music that Poland exports as her contribution to the world of jazz. 

While writing on Namyslowski we must say a few words about the remaining members of the band as they also have their say in modern jazz. The pianist ADAM MATYSZKOWICZ (b. 1940) made his first steps as jazzman within the Cracow "jazz boheme"; in 1963 he made his mark as member of "The Jazz Darlings", and already in those days critics predicted him a fine career which was to lead him subsequently to appearances in the quartet of the known Polish tenore saxophonist Michal Urbaniak. His greatest success abroad was his accompanying to the known Polish group "Novi" which won the first prize at the 15th International Jazz Festival in Zurich (1965). The percussionist CZESLAW BARTKOWSKI also became a jazzman in a student milieu having begun his career in the FAR quartet. In 1961 he made himself known to the wider public at the International Jazz Jamboree at the Warsaw Philharmonic, then he participated in the triumphant tour of Namyslowski's quartet (among others in Britain, Italy, West Germany). From time to time he joins other bands such as the excellent quartet of the Polish pianist Krzysztof Komeda. The bass player JANUSZ KOZLOWSKI (b. 1941) started, like his colleagues, as member of modern student bands. For some time he played with traditional bands such as "Warsaw Stompers", Ragtime Jazz Band, the group Bossa Nova Combo and "Pagart's" big band with whom he went on numerous tours abroad.

Siodmawka (Seven-Four Bars) -- After the composition based on Polish mountaineer's themes called "Piatawka" (Five-Four Bars) in which Namyslowski used rarely appearing in jazz rhythm 5/4, the composer went here still farther and used in "Siodmawka" the beat 714. Along with the free form we hive here harmonies of a mountaineer's tune. This is undoubtedly one of the most interesting items of the record. 

Despair -- In respect of melody and harmony, an equally interesting piece. This is a twelve-bar form of  blues, but without the use of the blues scale. 

Frances the Terror -- Here we come to know the quartet operating within free-jazz, the sort of music which perhaps does not appeal to all, but expresses, however, the artistic changes occurring in our days and the evolution of jazz. The band is improvising in two tempi, two phases, and does it very consistently. 

The Beetle Humming in the Reeds -- A folk-tune again, this time it's a Krakowiak. The quartet plays it with dash and half-jokingly. 

My Dominique -- A typical ballad of simple harmonies, in slow tempo. The composer wrote it with his little daughter, Dominika, in mind. 

The Wardrobe -- The composition, which is being played dynamically and in a "dirty" way, may be regarded as a mixture: free harmony + big beat. Let's hear what's been the result. 

Mead Drinker Lola -- A sort of Charleston, a musical joke with typical solo parts. It can do without commentary, being simply a musical relaxation. 

"Despite the comings and goings of our many American visitors in 1964, one of the most refreshing things to hit the British jazz scene last year was the visit of these four young Poles. This album... is a striking illustration of the high standard of European jazz. ("Melody Maker", London, Jan. 9th 1965) "...As an orthodox modern jazz group, they possess all the qualities one would look for in their American counterpart... As a group, the four men are obviously well accustomed to each other's playing.. In addition their music has a strange attractive flavor which one can only put down to their contact with Polish folk music...".  

(Editor) Please check "The Wardrobe" (Szafa) from this album:

Text:  original line notes from the album's back cover ("The Times", London, 18.3.1966)

Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet w/Joachim Kuhn - Live at Kosmos, Berlin (2008) by Maciej Nowotny

This is simply an invaluable disc! First and most important of all it contains splendid music. Recorded in 1965 it proves how forward thinking was Polish jazz at those days. Almost everybody knows what Komeda or Stańko did but there were others doing equally interesting things like Trzaskowski, Kurylewicz, Seifert and Zbigniew Namysłowski. Namysłowski is a legend in Poland, great hero and master of Polish jazz but unlike Stańko he never was recognized enough outside Poland. In 1964 he was first EVER Polish jazz musician who made recording for foreign label, namely for Decca with album titled "Lola", containing a truly fantastic piece of music. And only year later he made this recording which is going another step forward because by inviting German pianist Joachim Kuhn he injected into his top-notch mainstream a drop of avantgarde placing this music among one of the most interesting recordings of all European jazz in second half of sixties. 

Unfortunately we are given an opportunity to get to know with this album only after 44 years since its recording!!! What could be Namysłowski career if he would live in West rather than in communist Poland is perhaps evidenced in story of Joachim Kuhn life. One year after this recording he left East Germany and settled in its Western part. Being since then able to move freely around world he became colossus of European jazz immortalized by such sessions as 1996 duo with Ornette Coleman titled "Colors". He remains  active up to this date his latest incredible "Out Of Desert" being more than necessary proof for that.

PS. Namysłowski and Kuhn are accompanied on this album by Janusz Kozłowski (bass) and Czesław Bartkowski (drums).

Please listen to a piece of music from this album, a song titled "Bye Bye Black Cat".

Author of text: Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html

...