Materiał: utwory live z koncertu Eli Bennett Quartet zarejestrowanego podczas festiwalu Jazz w Ruinach 2024 w Gliwicach
Autor tekstu: Mariusz Olczyk [MO]
Po przesłuchaniu „Breakthrough: Live in Poland” zainteresowała mnie nie tylko sama muzyka, ale też to, jak doszło do tego spotkania. Nie wiem, kto dokładnie połączył tych muzyków: festiwal, wydawca, wcześniejsze kontakty, dobra intuicja organizatorów. Wiem natomiast, że na płycie słychać, iż nie jest to przypadkowe zestawienie.
Eli Bennett nie jest w Polsce nazwiskiem dość dobrze znanym, ale przyjechał tutaj z konkretnym dorobkiem: jako saksofonista jazzowy, kompozytor filmowy i muzyk mający za sobą doświadczenie dużych scen. Po drugiej stronie są Paweł Tomaszewski, Robert Kubiszyn i Paweł Dobrowolski, czyli muzycy, których nie trzeba traktować jako „polskiej sekcji” dopisanej do zagranicznego lidera. Każdy z nich wnosi do tego składu własne doświadczenie i sposób myślenia o zespole.
Eddie Henderson — trąbka, skrzydłówka Adam Pierończyk — saksofony: sopranowy i tenorowy Dominik Wania — fortepian, pianino Rhodes Robert Kubiszyn — kontrabas Tomasz Grochot — perkusja, okaryna
"My Stories" (2010)
Wydawca: TG
Autor tekstu: Marcin Kaleta
Nie brakuje nam wybitnych bądź utalentowanych trębaczy. Wymieniać można by długo: Piotr Wojtasik, Antoni Gralak, Robert Majewski, Piotr Damasiewicz, Maciej Fortuna, Artur Majewski, Piotr Schmidt, Tomasz Dąbrowski, Jerzy Małek, Paweł Palcowski, Marcin Gawdzis, Wojciech Jachna, Patrycjusz Gruszecki, Tomasz Kudyk, Emil Miszk i wielu innych, których niechcący pominąłem lub zwyczajnie (jeszcze) nie poznałem.
Niemniej sporadycznie polskie formacje jazzowe wspomagają przybysze z zagranicy, którzy również upodobali sobie ten instrument (i mu pokrewne: skrzydłówkę, kornet). Ostatnimi czasy byli to m.in. Tim Hagans, Ralph Alessi, Paolo Fresu, Avishai Cohen, Randy Brecker, Toshinori Kondō, Christoph Titz, Herb Robertson, Verneri Pohjola, Gary Guthman, itp.; wcześniej Lester Bowie i Art Farmer; jeszcze wcześniej Don Ellis i Ted Curson... Przede wszystkim jednak zwracam uwagę na kogoś, kto nasz kraj odwiedza(ł) systematycznie. To oczywiście Eddie Henderson (ur. 1940).
Muzyk zaiste legendarny, na przestrzeni półwiecza współpracujący z najwybitniejszymi. Nawet anglojęzyczna Wikipedia nie uwzględnia wszystkich. Dlatego poprzestanę na tym, co najbardziej mnie teraz zajmuje: uczestniczył także w nagraniu dwóch albumów Jarka Śmietany, dwóch Leszka Kułakowskiego (w tym "Baltic Wind"), wreszcie dwóch Tomasza Grochota, którego ponadto wyróżnił w nadzwyczajny sposób. Otóż na swojej autorskiej płycie "Be Cool" (2018) zamieścił utwór skomponowany właśnie przez naszego rodaka, pt. "Dla Juzi". Pochodzi on z debiutanckiej płyty Tomek Grochot Quintet i pierwszej z tych, na których wystąpił amerykański trębacz: "My Stories" (2010). Druga to "In America" (2016).
Materiał wcześniejszej został zarejestrowany w 2008, w niepołomickim Preisner Studio, w składzie: Eddie Henderson – trąbka i flugelhorn, Adam Pierończyk – saksofony sopranowy i tenorowy, Dominik Wania – fortepian i pianino elektryczne Rhodes, Robert Kubiszyn – kontrabas oraz lider – perkusja i okaryna. Konstatacja, że artyści ci stanowią gwarancję najwyższego poziomu, nie oddaje istoty rzeczy. Albowiem tutaj wręcz się uwzięli, by zagrać najlepiej, jak potrafią, dać z siebie dosłownie wszystko. Podobnie widział to Piotr Siatkowski ze Slo Jazz: "Porozumienie muzyków jest maksymalne. Sam Eddie Henderson ofiarowuje nam tak wiele ze swej osobowości, a jego maestria, doświadczenie i smak sprawiają, że wszyscy improwizatorzy sięgają wyżyn kreacji".
Powstała zatem płyta wybitna, jak podsumowała redakcja strony Jazzarium.pl doceniana "zarówno przez krytykę, jak i fanów". Nijak nie można się dziwić, że ktokolwiek ją recenzował, przyznawał jej najwyższą notę. Czyli na przykład Ryszard Borowski w "Jazz Forum" lub Bogdan Chmura w "Hi-Fi i Muzyka". Nie żałują komplementów — dla pierwszego to pozycja "znakomita", dla drugiego "doskonała". Z kolei Maciej Nowotny na tutejszym blogu stwierdzał: "that is beautiful". "Fantastic, outstanding, extraordinary". Mamy bowiem do czynienia z poważnym współczesnym jazzem, skondensowanym, dynamicznym i intensywnym. Lecz występują też momenty liryczne, spokojne i wyciszone, w których do głosu dochodzi jakby przeświadczenie o... spełnieniu.
Nadmienić trzeba jeszcze, że otrzymaliśmy repertuar trwający aż 80 minut. Składa się nań dziesięć kompozycji Grochota, bardzo pomysłowych. Łatwo przy tym obliczyć średnią długość utworów — za każdym razem nabierają one rozmachu. A że ani perkusista, ani kontrabasista tu nie brylują, tylko krzeszą żarliwe rytmy, które pianista bezkompromisowo spowija kaskadami akordów, to i w tej pulsującej energią przestrzeni trębacz i saksofonista wyczyniają cuda.
Niestety, ponieważ krakowski perkusista wydał tak tę, jak i następną pozycję własnym sumptem, niełatwo je pozyskać. Posłuchać jednak można, chociażby na YouTube.
This is the debut album by young
(eighteen years old) Polish saxophonist / flautist / composer Marta Wajdzik
recorded in a quartet setting with veteran Jazz musicians: keyboardist Paweł Tomaszewski, bassist Robert Kubiszyn and drummer Paweł Dobrowolski. Zuzanna Wajdzik (Marta's
sister) adds vocalese on a couple of tracks. The album presents seven original
compositions, all by Wajdzik.
The music is all melody based mainstream
Jazz, bordering on Fusion due to electric keyboards and bass ambience and
dynamic drumming. Some ethnic influences are also present in the music, which
offers a nice variety. The compositions are solid and coherent, serving as
ideal basis for the extended improvisations and the up-tempo rhythmic character
of most of the tunes makes the music flow briskly from one tune to another,
offering a pleasant listening experience.
Most of the solo work on the
album is performed by the myriad of keyboard instruments, and Tomaszewski's
limitless imagination finds plenty of opportunities to skyrocket. Wajdzik solos
sparingly, which is understandable considering her limited experience and
technical skills, and she mostly states the melodic themes, leaving the
expressive improvisations in the hands of Tomaszewski. The rhythm section is
superb all the way, playing respectively in the background with an occasional bass
solo, but offering interesting bottom harmony and rhythmic intensity.
One might wonder if the album
was not recorded a bit too early as far as Wajdzik is concerned. With all due
respect to wunderkinds, their stories usually end in a rather grim manner in
the long range. Hopefully this is not the case here and I am anxiously awaiting
her real debut sometime in the future. Overall this is an impressive
debut, but not entirely earned by Wajdzik herself and with another team of
players might have sounded quite different. Good luck and may the Force be with
you young Lady!
This is an album by veteran
Polish Jazz keyboardist/composer Krzysztof Herdzin recorded in a quartet
setting with American saxophonist Rick Margitza, and Polish rhythm section:
bassist Robert Kubiszyn and drummer Cezary Konrad and a rather atypical clarinet
quintet adding an orchestral dimension to the proceedings. The album presents
seven original compositions, all by Herdzin, which according to him: "make
up a closed narrative" or "a concept album".
Followers of the Polish music
scene are certainly familiar with Herdzin's gigantic legacy amassed during his
professional career since the mid-1990s, which includes twenty (this one
included) albums as a leader, dozens albums as a sideman, numerous compositions
in diverse genres, including Jazz, Pop and Classical Music, arranging,
conducting, producing, playing a myriad instruments and a plethora of other
accomplishments – for more details just read his biography on his website or
his Polish Wiki entry – all this before reaching his 50th Birthday.
There is no doubt that
Herdzin's biography is extremely impressive, or rather extreme in every sense,
almost superhuman. Herdzin is an unusually talented and gifted musician, but
personally I have always found his activities somewhat unfocused, lacking
certain depth beneath all that glitter. His music and his playing are always
"nice", polished, pleasant and nearly "perfect", but at the
same time he seams to tease the listener boasting his aptitudes and most of all
taking it (or himself) way to seriously.
This album is a perfect example
of Herdzin's music in every sense. It is full of brilliant ideas, beautiful
music, melancholy and lyricism, gleaming performances and everything that makes
a listener schvitz. And yet once the music is over, the question "what was
all that about?" arises almost instantly. And yes, the music is instant
gratification incarnate: smooth, easy to swallow and scintillating, like a
glass of champagne.
With all the confusion these
days about what is Jazz and what isn't, I'd say that this album offers entertaining
instrumental music amalgamating Pop with Jazz and Classical Music
ornamentations, which is accessible to a wide audience. As to its lasting
value, time will tell. I wish Herdzin for his upcoming
Birthday another fifty years (and a Jewish 20% bonus) of health and
productivity, and even if I don't always appreciate his music I do appreciate
his Sisyphean effort. May the Force be with you!
Side Note
The iconic "Polish Jazz" series of recordings, originally released between 1965 and 1989 by the Polish state owned record company Polskie Nagrania, which used the Muza label as its moniker, consists of seventy six LP albums. It presents the history of Polish Jazz recordings during that period, which includes some of the most important Polish / European modern Jazz milestones and reflects the extraordinary development of Jazz music behind the Iron Curtain. It is one of the most important historic documents of Polish Music and of course Polish Culture in general.
The series had an eminent logo designed by Roslaw Szaybo and the albums were numbered sequentially from Vol.1 to Vol.76 accordingly. The album's artwork was wonderfully stylish and modernist, featuring the brilliant photographs and characteristic design by the legendary Polish Artist Marek Karewicz.
Stylistically the series presented all Jazz genres, from Traditional Jazz to Avant-Garde/Free Jazz, which was extraordinarily liberal considering the cultural censorship imposed by the Socialist Regime. It suffered from some inconsistency, as far as the musical quality and aesthetics were concerned, as well as the internal "politics" of the Polish Jazz scene at the time, but in retrospect it achieved a spectacular overall result, unparalleled as far as consistently documenting a national Jazz scene is concerned.
After the Polskie Nagrania catalogue was bought by Warner Music Poland, the new owner started a reissue process of the Polish Jazz series, carefully remastered, repackaged and including extensive liner notes, which keeps the artwork as close to the original design as possible. So far forty two volumes of the original series were reissued.
In 2016 Warner Music Poland decided to continue the original series by releasing new contemporary Polish Jazz recordings under the same format and even to continue the sequential numbering starting with Vol.77 – a decision I personally consider almost sacrilegious. Some things are simply untouchable, and the "Polish Jazz" series is surely one of those things. If Warner Music Poland wants to produce Jazz albums, which is always more than welcome, they could have started a new series, under a new title, rather than exploiting the reputation of the historic series.
As a result, some artist whose albums are released as part of the new series might be led to expect instant gratification, fame and stardom, just for being an artificial part of a prestigious past, which of course is as bogus as it is said.
Anna Maria Jopek - vocals
Branford Marsalis - saxophone
Krzysztof Herdzin - piano
Marcin Wasilewski - piano
Robert Kubiszyn - bass
Piotr Nazaruk - flute, clarinet, etc.
Mino Cinelu - percussion
Atom String Quartet
Every new release by the Polish
Diva Anna Maria Jopek is a celebration of Culture and a major musical event on
an international scale, especially so when it involves a revered Jazz superstar
like saxophonist Branford Marsalis. Jopek, famous for her consistent
independent Artistic vision, managed to create her own universe, where she does
not need to compare or compete with the rest of the world, which enables her
complete freedom of expression and self-determination, which only very few
Artists worldwide were able to achieve over time.
Recording an album with
Marsalis was a dream, which Jopek held on to since the time she heard him
playing with Sting, which of course was a huge influence on every true music
lover at the time. The incredible chemistry that Sting and Marsalis
demonstrated was an extremely tall order to follow, but Jopek never eschewed a
challenge and this album proves that the realization of that dream was indeed
worthwhile waiting for.
The album was recorded during
two separate recording sessions, twenty one months apart, which considering the
busy schedule that Jopek and Marsalis are both entangled in, is not as
surprising as it might sound. The somewhat esoteric group of musicians includes
percussionist Mino Cinelu, pianists Krzysztof Herdzin (who was also in charge
of arrangements and conducting) and Marcin Wasilewski, multi-instrumentalist Piotr
Nazaruk, bassist Robert Kubiszyn and Atom String Quartet (violinists Mateusz
Smoczyński and Dawid Lubowicz, violist Michał Zaborski and cellist Krzysztof
Lenczowski). Polish Folklore Guru Maria Pomianowska guests on one track. The
album presents ten tracks on the "formal" first CD and four
additional tracks (one of which is an alternate version of a track on the
album) on the "bonus" second CD. The songs are mostly originals,
written by Jopek or co-written with her spouse Marcin Kydryński, one song is by
Herdzin, one by Tomasz Stańko (see below), one by Andrzej Zieliński (Skaldowie)
and one by Harry Kandel with the rest being originally traditional Polish
Folklore songs.
Musically the album marks a
return to Jopek's established modus operandi, which combines Polish Folklore
and original songwriting, spiced with Jazzy arrangements and of course dominated
by her highly original expressionism. The music is deeply soaked in Polish
lyricism and melancholy and her decision to sing in the Polish language
emphasizes these elements even further. Marsalis plunges into this Slavic environment
with vigor and determination, as if Eastern European sensitivities were his
second nature, which is quite remarkable. It proves not only his openness and
ability to embrace diverse Cultures, but also his incredible musicality, which
enables him to feel completely at home in this Slavic musical setting. It also
proves, perhaps more importantly, that music is universal, as is human soul,
and ethnic boundaries can be crossed and amalgamated on the collective plane.
Jopek, Marsalis and all the
musicians involved in the recording of this album are of course veteran
professionals in addition to their individual Artistic abilities, which results
in the music being perfectly and incredibly sensitively executed. This music
requires total dedication and every single note played by every musician at
every given moment must be precisely articulated to achieve the desired effect.
Luckily this team rises to the challenge admirably. The delicate and
wonderfully written string arrangements performed by the Atoms add a superbly
"angelic" aura to the overall sound and the folkloristic elements by
Nazaruk spice the proceedings splendidly. Marsalis plays a series of
breathtaking solos throughout the album, exactly as expected of course and
Jopek, as always, manages to create goose bumps all over the listener's body
regardless if she sings lyrics or awe-inspiring vocalese.
When selecting the material for
this album, Jopek requested the permission of Tomasz Stańko to use his
beautiful ballad "A Farewell To Maria", originally used in the
soundtrack of a movie of the same name, as she was sure Marsalis would be able
to embrace the lyricism of this incredible melody and create a marvelous solo
while performing it. She was right of course and this track is definitely one
of the highlights of this album, and at the same time it constitutes a mournful
tribute to Stańko, who passed away before the album was released.
Another interesting piece is
the excellent arrangement of the classic Harry Kandel (born in Lwow) Klezmer
tune "A Night In The Garden Of Eden", which features Jopek's
hair-raising vocalese. Of course Klezmer music has always been an integral part
of the Polish Folklore tapestry, in which the Jewish contribution was
invaluable.
Overall this album is a
Masterpiece from start to finish, which is no news to the numerous Jopek's
fans. There is not one moment on this album, which is not inspirational and
eloquent, heartwarming and heartfelt. Both deeply Polish and at the same time
universally appealing this music knows no stylistic or Cultural boundaries. It
is beautiful and sensitive and at the same time deeply emotional,
soul-searching and introspective. In short, this album delivers everything one
expects to hear when Great Artists are involved. Thank you, as always, my Dear!
This is the eagerly awaited and
highly anticipated debut album as a leader by Polish Jazz violinist Dawid
Lubowicz, primarily known as a member of the Atom String Quartet. The music was
recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Krzysztof Herdzin (who also plays
flute and accordion), bassist Robert Kubiszyn and drummer Łukasz Żyta. Vocalist
Jacek Kotlarski and keyboardist Tomasz Kałwak guest each on one tune. The album
presents nine compositions, eight of which are originals by Lubowicz and one is
by Polish Classical composer Karol Szymanowski.
Musically the album is quite
surprising, especially in view of extensive recorded legacy Lubowicz created with
Atom String Quartet and other projects. The compositions are all exquisitely
melodic, melancholic and delicate, seemingly "simple" in their scope,
leaving the complexity to be expressed via the performance layer rather than
making the music less communicative. Such honesty and straightforwardness is an
extremely rare quality among Jazz composers these days, which mostly adhere to
the notion that music has to impress by its "cleverness" and "intricacy",
neglecting the "simple is beautiful" ideal, which Lubowicz is able to
bring to perfection herein.
Another significant aspect of
this music is its strong connection, almost umbilical, to Polish Folklore, and especially
to the music of the Polish Highlanders, which is of course native land of Lubowicz. The ties to folkloristic themes
are quite subtle at times and need a trained ear to be recognized, but they are
preset almost continually as part of the aesthetic climate this album offers. The
inclusion of the Szymanowski composition also refers to the composer's
fascination with the music of the Highlanders.
The decision to use Herdzin as
part of the team might seem surprising at first, as Herdzin is rarely used as a
sideman these days and his role is usually much more dominant. But in
retrospect Lubowicz made the ideal decision, as Herdzin has very few equals
when playing "pretty" is in order. He is a master of sweetness and romanticism
and his work on this album is simply perfect in every respect.
Kubiszyn is a Master and every
album he is on is blessed by his presence. His acoustic bass pulsations and
fretless solos are all breathtaking. Żyta is the metronome man, always ideally
on time and with the right intensity, even if he is playing just in a duet
setting with Lubowicz. Kalwak transforms the single tune he is on into a gleaming
magic pearl, full of sensitivity and intrinsic beauty, using his unique
"touch".
And Lubowicz? Oh well Lubowicz
is a Monster, a quiet, gentle Monster, mind you, but a true virtuoso, who plays
music rather than showing his chops, always elegant, stylish and graceful,
creating an irresistible urge to embrace everything that his vibrating strings
are able to create. Overall this is a most
impressive debut album and the only regret about it is that we had to wait for
it for so long. But now, that it is finally out there, don't hesitate and grab
it ASAP and I guarantee you won't regret it. The album is exquisitely packaged
and offers a superb sonic quality, which should make the decision to get a copy
even easier. The album was released by the
Zbigniew Seifert Foundation, run by the unwearied Aneta Norek, who deserves our
gratitude for keeping the Polish Jazz violin tradition flourishing.
This is an album by Polish guitarist/composer Marek Napiórkowski, recorded (as the title suggests) with a Polish/American quartet, which also includes Cuban (resident in NY) pianist Manuel Valera, Polish bassist Robert Kubiszyn and American drummer Clarence Penn. American saxophonist Chris Potter guests on one track. The album presents seven original compositions, six by Napiórkowski and one by Kubiszyn.
The music presents a collection
of beautifully melodic tunes, as appropriate for Napiórkowski's already well
established composing career, which all suite ideally his virtuosic guitar
performances. Floating between genres and changing moods, the music eventually
could be best described as Fusion, but of course in case of Napiórkowski that
is only fitting for lack of a better term, as his music is way richer and
ambitious than the usual Fusion efforts. The tunes are full of twists and
turns, tempo changes and complex harmonic structures, that produce an overall
powerful and broad sound, which keeps the listener on his toes from start to
finish.
All the musicians participating
in this project are Masters of their trade and their playing here is
professional and perfect in every respect. The focus is obviously on Napiórkowski,
but this is definitely a group effort in every respect and the leader shares
the responsibilities with his partners on an equal foot. Valera is a magnificent pianist, with an
incredibly sensitive touch on the keyboard and a soulful lyricism, which are
ideal for this music. Kubiszyn is a highly melodic bassist, very sensitive to
the intricacies this music requires and always there where his support is
needed. Penn is exquisitely dynamic, always there behind the players, but never
obtrusive or overwhelming beyond the call of duty.
Overall this is a wonderful
album which is a true pleasure to listen to, calling for repeated listening
sessions in order to get the depth and complexity of these performances
absorbed in full. Fusion fans the world over should be melting to the sound of
this music playing in the background, not to mention guitar diehards, who are
in for a treat. But beyond the guitar artistry and group performances, the
music is what stays in the long term! Hats off Maestro!
This is the third album by Polish Jazz guitarist/composer Daniel Popiałkiewicz, recorded in a quartet setting with a stellar lineup consisting of keyboardist Paweł Tomaszewski, bassist Robert Kubiszyn and drummer Paweł Dobrowolski. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Popiałkiewicz (although not explicitly stated so the album's artwork).
The music is an exquisite,
highly melodic Fusion, full of well crafted melodies, quirky rhythms and
unpredictable harmonic charges, which keeps the listener on edge during the
entire duration of the album, never quite sure of what to expect next. There is
a constant feeling of agility and vitality, which drives the music relentlessly
straight into the listener's sub-consciousness, before he is able to analyze
what exactly is going on. It takes several listening session in order to
comprehend this music in a more relaxed ambiance and start detecting the myriad
of interplays, ornamentations and fast arpeggios that happen as if on a
separate plane. In short this is Fusion with a high level of sophistication,
which basically happens very rarely within the idiom.
Not surprisingly the
performances are nothing short of stellar. Popiałkiewicz, obviously unfamiliar
to Fusion/guitar freaks outside of his country, is such a surprising
virtuoso, that most of his fellow Fusion guitar cohorts the world over would be
simply left speechless and jaw dropped if they ever listened to this album. He
uses a plethora of sounds, techniques, effects and other tricks of the trade,
as a result of which he never sounds alike for more than a short while during
the entire duration of this album. The only way to understand what I mean is to
listen to this music, as words are inadequate to convey it.
But Popiałkiewicz gets a
tremendous support from his colleagues. Tomaszewski is one of the most talented
Polish keyboardists, whose progress in the last few years is nothing short of
stellar. He feels perfectly natural in mainstream Jazz and in the Fusion environments
and his contributions on this album are absolutely stunning. Kubiszyn is
probably the most sensitive electric bass player on the Polish scene, and no
wonder that he is highly sought after session player with the top Polish Jazz
musicians. His fretless bass playing on this album is a worthy of the status of
the greatest mavericks of the instrument in Fusion history. Dobrowolski is an
incredibly sensitive drummer, with impeccable technique and atomic clock
precision, and his playing, which is way beyond just keeping time, in an
integral part of this album's identity and musical significance.
In short if I had to pick up
just one Fusion album released in 2017, this one beats all others easily,
leaving only a cloud of dust behind. Fusion and guitar freaks will be fainting
to the sound of this album and even a hard-ass critic like yours truly had a
hard time to control his emotions. Fusion heaven is here!
Anna Maria Jopek - voice
Robert Kubiszyn - other instruments
Czas Kobiety
TS LUBLIN/UNIVERSAL MUSIC POLSKA 2017
By Krzysztof Komorek
To dość nietypowe wydawnictwo. Płyta jest rejestracją muzyki ze spektaklu Leszka Mądzika, prezentowanego na deskach Teatru Starego w Lublinie. Spektaklu zrealizowanego wspólnie z duetem Anna Maria Jopek – Robert Kubiszyn. Zarówno w warstwie muzycznej, ale i aktorskiej (w przypadku AMJ). Oczywiście odbiór muzyki będącej częścią spektaklu jest zupełnie inny, kiedy nie mamy możliwości obcowania z warstwą wizualną. Nie zawsze sprawdza się ona jako byt odrębny. "Czasu Kobiety" słuchałem jednak z naprawdę dużym zainteresowaniem.
Ten Krótki album to zaledwie 32 minuty muzyki. Bardzo różnorodnej. Od minimalistycznej elektroniki, przez wycieczki w stronę ambientu, po akustyczny duet kontrabasu i głosu. Głosu, nie śpiewu, bowiem Anna Maria Jopek ogranicza się w części muzycznej do wokaliz, czasem bardzo subtelnych, ledwie zaznaczonych. Nostalgiczną, nieco smutną opowieść o kolejnych etapach życia, wieńczy piękny epilog w postaci oryginalnie zaaranżowanych tradycyjnych pieśni kościelnych.
Płyta identyfikowana jest jako kolejna w dyskografii Anny Marii Jopek. Chociaż tak naprawdę jest przynajmniej w połowie (jeżeli nie w większym procencie) albumem Roberta Kubiszyna. Większość kompozycji, wykonanie i aranżacja wszystkich partii instrumentalnych to właśnie jego dzieło. Jednak dziwi mnie względna cisza wokół jego wydania. "Czas Kobiety" nie jest może wydawnictwem, które podbije rankingi i listy przebojów, ale na pewno nie zasługuje na to, by przejść obok niego obojętnie. Dla mnie to wielka, fascynująca, pozytywna niespodzianka, po wysłuchaniu której wiem, że bardzo chciałbym zobaczyć to przedstawienie (pal licho, może być nawet na DVD). Czy będzie to kiedykolwiek możliwe?
This is the debut album as a leader by the veteran Polish Jazz drummer/composer Krzysztof Dziedzic. Surrounded by a formidable team, which includes keyboardist Piotr Wylezol, saxophonist Kuba Więcek, guitarist Apostolis Anthimos, bassist Robert Kubiszyn and Michal Baj (a.k.a. DJ Eprom), who is in charge of turntablism, Dziedzic presents nine original compositions/improvisations, all credited to him.
The music, as described in the
album's liner notes, is all about tempo measured in beats per minute, or BPM,
which changes here from one tune to another from the very slow 25 BPS to the
extremely fast 207 BPM. The melodic content is quite limited on this album,
with the drums being the anchor instrument, which leads the proceedings. Bass
guitar parts turn some of the tunes into improvised Funk and Groove. The piano
takes most of the solo parts and the saxophone and guitar play only on selected
tracks, but deliver excellent contributions, especially the Anthimos parts
which are Fusion heaven, as usual. The drums dominate the proceedings of course
all the way through.
This album is mostly about
drums and drumming and fans of rhythmic grooves should find this music
delightful. For others, especially those looking for straightforward Jazz might
find this music somewhat less approachable, except for some excerpts. Overall this is a bold and
quite unique statement, which deserves to be heard and hopefully will conquer
hearts in the process. Dziedzic already proved that he is one of the top Polish
Jazz drummers over the years and now is time to discover his less obvious
qualities.
Adam Pierończyk - saksofony, elektronika Robert Kubiszyn - gitara basowa, elektronika John B. Arnold - perkusja
13.07.2017, Klub Muzyczny 4art, Gliwice Bilety: 20 zł przedsprzedaż / 25 zł w dniu koncertu
W lipcu projekt Monte Albán, czyli jubileuszowy, dwudziesty już album pod nazwiskiem wybitnego polskiego muzyka jazzowego, Adama Pierończyka. Oryginalna muzyka improwizowana w połączeniu z elektroniką została nagrana w HH-Studio w Mexico City. Muzyka zainspirowana wizytą w tytułowym Monte Alban - prekolumbijskim centrum kultur olmeckiej, zapoteckiej i mixteckiej. Muzyka i płyta nominowana do Fryderyka 2017.
Adam Pierończyk - czołowy polski saksofonista jazzowy, lider i kompozytor. Znany z niezwykłej kreatywności, jeden z "największych innowatorów w polskim jazzie", koncertuje na całym świecie. Zdobył wiele nagród, w tym 18 nominacji oraz 2 główne nagrody "Fryderyk" jako "Jazzowy Muzyk Roku" oraz za "Jazzowy Album Roku". Jedenaście razy został wybrany "Najlepszym Saksofonistą Sopranowym" według magazynu Jazz Forum. W latach 2004-2005 dyrektor artystyczny festiwali Jazz Aux Oudayas i Jazz Au Chel-lah w Rabacie, stolicy Maroko, oraz Sopot Jazz Festival w latach 2011 - 2015. Współpracował m.in. z takimi muzykami jak: Gary Thomas, Greg Osby, Sam Rivers, Miroslav Vitous, Archie Shepp, Bobby McFerrin, Tomasz Stańko, Ted Curson, Anthony Cox, Joey Calderazzo, Leszek Możdżer.
Robert Kubiszyn - basista, kontrabasista, aranżer i producent. Wśród muzyków, z którymi współpracował, są m.in.: Adam Pierończyk, Gregoire Maret, Janusz Muniak, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Dean Brown, Jon Herrington, Maria Schneider (z orkiestrą Krzysztofa Herdzina), Gary Husband, Cezary Konrad, Anna Maria Jopek, Grzegorz Turnau, Ewa Bem, Natalia Kukulska, Kuba Badach.
John B. Arnold - rdzenny nowojorczyk - to nie tylko wnuk słynnego autora światowej sławy standardów jazzowych Hoagy Carmichaela (Stardust, Skylark, The Nearness of You), ale przede wszystkim ekscytujący i energetyczny perkusista, który ciągle rozwija swój muzyczny język. Współpracował z takimi artystami jak: Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, Kenny Garrett, Greg Osby, John Abercrombie, Matthew Garrison, John Pattitucci, Reggie Washington.
This is an album by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist/composer Michał Kulenty, recorded in a classic quartet setting with pianist Krzysztof Herdzin, bassist Robert Kubiszyn and drummer Cezary Konrad and accompanied by the Polish Radio Orchestra conducted by Herdzin. The album presents twelve original compositions, all by Kulenty and all arranged by Herdzin. The album was recorded four years prior to its release.
The music is all very melodic
and well structured, only marginally belonging to the Jazz idiom, being much
closer to Popular and light Classical music, especially in view of Herdzin's
elaborate, but sugary arrangements. Although Kulenty improvisations are at the
centre of the listeners attention, they are somewhat watered down by the
orchestral accompaniment with an overall Smooth Jazz ambience. Kulenty's
wonderful tone and phrasing, which awarded him the nickname of "saxophone
poet" due to his superb feeling and lyricism, are indeed pure delight.
The album offers many
wonderfully lyrical moments, appropriate especially for the less strictly Jazz
oriented audiences, and is highly professionally executed and recorded, which
overall produces a very pleasant listening experience. Tragically the release of this
album almost coincided with Kulenty's premature death in January 2017, which
was a great loss to the local Jazz scene.
Premierowe trio Pierończyka z udziałem basisty Roberta Kubiszyna oraz mieszkającego w Meksyku, argentyńskiego perkusisty Hernana Hechta. Wydana własnym sumptem płyta "Monte Alban", 20 autorska w karierze jednego z najważnejszych polskich saksofonistów, jest absolutnie jedną z jego najodważniejszych, najbardziej kreatywnych, prezentujących wszystko to, za co uwielbiamy tego muzyka, tyle że jakby dodatkowo z bardziej wyczuwalną szczyptą elementów free. Kontynuacja kapitalnej passy wydawniczej po albumach w ForTune i Jazzwerkstatt Records.
9. Artur Tuźnik Trio - Artur Tuźnik Trio (12 pkt)
Pianista Artur Tuźnik z bardzo dobrą płytą w konwencji klasycznego piano trio wydaną przez Multikulti Project, potwierdzającą świadomy, głęboki i przemyślany rozwój artystyczny tego muzyka. Na kontrabasie znany chociażby ze świetnego Tom Trio Nils Bo Davidsen, na perkusji Jakob Hoyer. Wykorzystując sztukę kompozycji połączoną z wirtuozerią i doświadczeniem duńskiej sekcji rytmicznej, Tuźnik prezentuje idealnie zgrany band, zdolny do łączenia intensywnej energii, dynamicznych improwizacji z lirycznymi, niemal medytacyjnymi balladami.
8. Mateusz Gawęda Trio - Overnight Tales (13 pkt)
Album "Overnight Tales" to debiut tria prowadzonego przez jednego z najciekawszych młodych polskich pianistów jazzowych, Mateusza Gawędy. W muzyce Gawędy w przemyślany i wysmakowany sposób spotyka się jazzowa tradycja i współczesność. Inspiracje tym, co w historii gatunku najpiękniejsze, idą w parze z młodym, wizjonerskim spojrzeniem i niebanalnymi umiejętnościami warsztatowymi. "Overnight Tales" to z jednej strony potwierdzenie bardzo dobrego roku dla Mateusza (świetna płyta Cracow Jazz Collective i udział w projekcie Silberman), z drugiej - przykład na twórcze i kreatywne rozwinięcie formuły tria fortepianowego.
Pierwsze tak konkretne (na zasadzie równorzędności partnerskiej) poszerzenie składu o dodatkowego muzyka i od razu strzał w dziesiątkę. Duet Wojciech Jachna/Jacek Buhl wraz z kontrabasistą Jackiem Mazurkiewiczem odbywają symboliczną wycieczkę do wnętrza starej synagogi w bydgoskim Fordonie i zainspirowani akustyką budynku i z pomocą przetworzonego kontrabasu oraz elektroniki Mazurkiewicza proponują rozwinięcie formuły muzycznej znanej z duetowych płyt Jachny i Buhla. Koncepcja absolutnie broni się jako nienachalna modyfikacja struktur i schematów znanych z wcześniejszych albumów trębacza i perkusisty.
6. Minim Experiment - Dark Matter (15 pkt)
Minim Experiment to kwartet dowodzony przez gitarzystę Kubę Wójcika, w skład którego wchodzą pianista Kamil Piotrowicz, kontrabasista Luca Curcio oraz perkusista Albert Karch. Razem stworzyli "Dark Matter", jeden z najważniejszych płytowych debiutów 2016 roku. Jak pisał Maciej Krawiec, muzyka nie jest dobra ot tak sobie – musi stać za nią koncept, kompozycja, dyskusja w grupie, wreszcie realizacja. A "Dark Matter" to płyta właśnie przemyślana, inteligentnie równoważąca żywioły i potrzeby artystyczne. Każdy z muzyków ma czas, aby się zaprezentować, kreując przy tym wyraz całości albumu. Być może w kontekście całego poprzedniego roku "Dark Matter" to największa pozytywna niespodzianka.
This is a live album recorded at the Polish Radio Studio Three by Polish Jazz guitarist/composer Marek Napiórkowski. The recording captures Napiórkowski in a sextet setting with some of the absolute top Polish Jazz payers: saxophonists Adam Pierończyk and Henryk Miśkiewicz (who also plays on bass clarinet), pianist Krzysztof Herdzin (who also plays flute), bassist Robert Kubiszyn and drummer Paweł Dobrowolski. They perform six original compositions, all by Napiórkowski.
The music is a superb example
of modern mainstream Jazz, which combines excellent compositions with perfect
execution. Based on beautiful and masterly woven melodic themes, full of
romanticism, melancholy and typical Polish mystery, the tunes presented here
have been masterly arranged for the sextet by Herdzin, who is celebrated for
his ability to create wonderful sonic structures, which are elaborate and
highly sophisticated but sound remarkably pleasing.
The lineup selected by
Napiórkowski ensured a truly marvelous performance, with all the musicians
involved having plenty of opportunity to play extended and expressive solos.
The leader delivers his usual, slightly Fusion oriented strings of pearls on
his electric guitar, which are, as always, dazzling. He also uses the acoustic
guitar no less effectively. The saxophonists have plenty of opportunities to
play heartwarming solos, the bass clarinet and flute provide nice atmospheric
layers, the piano keeps the harmony together and leads the way and the
excellent rhythm section takes care of the pulse, always perfectly on time.
However, the individual
performances are only pieces of the puzzle, which, when combined together,
creates a much stronger and more satisfying whole. This is one of the best mainstream
Jazz ensemble albums I came across lately, which proves that mainstream Jazz
can be fulfilling and sophisticated, if talented and dedicated musicians are
involved. The arrangements and the team work present here are a classic example
of contemporary mainstream Jazz perfection.
As if all this wasn't enough,
the album is also beautifully recorded and considering the fact that this is a
live recording, the quality is even more remarkable. Overall this is a superb modern
mainstream album, which offers beautiful compositions and perfect execution,
and which should satisfy even the sternest connoisseurs and bring joy to all
true Jazz lovers. Hats off!
This is a beautiful album by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Adam Pierończyk, recorded during a Mexican tour with his trio, which also included Polish bassist Robert Kubiszyn and Mexican drummer Hernan Hecht. Together they perform eight original compositions, seven of which were composed by Pierończyk and one was co-composed by all three trio members.
The album has a highly unusual sound, mostly due to the use of electronic devices to process the sound of the bass and add background sound layers to the trio's performances. This contemporary approach creates a vigorous and fresh sound of the otherwise strictly Jazz oriented material and is by itself very unique.
Pierończyk is of course one of
the best Polish Jazz saxophonists and his playing is nothing short of spectacular.
His post-Coltrane approach, which he follows since many years, is an
inexhaustible source of inspiration and delight and his stability and
consistency are also remarkable. This recording is basically well within the
"organized" Free Jazz idiom, with some Fusion injected via the rhythm
section contributions.
It is remarkable to hear
established and respected musicians still trying to innovate and search for new
ways to express their musical vision. This tireless quest is what Art is all
about and it's great to see that Pierończyk is faithful to his inner truth and
keeps challenging himself, the musicians he plays with and of course his
listeners. The intimate relationship
between Pierończyk and the rhythm section is one of the crucial elements of
this music, which make it so successful. Minimalism, respect and a lot of
freedom and space, which this music is based on, can only exist when the
ensemble is as tightly knit as this trio, which of course is extraordinary.
Overall this is a superb Free
Jazz album, with modern sound and innovative approach, which is definitely one
of the most interesting releases on the Polish scene in 2016, which was a great
year for Polish Jazz in every facet of its activity. Obviously highly
recommended to all music connoisseurs the world over!
This is a live recording by an international ensemble performing a Jazz & Poetry concert. The ensemble, led by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist/composer Adam Pierończyk, also includes Brazilian guitarist Nelson Veras, Polish bassist Robert Kubiszyn and American drummer John B. Arnold. They are joined by British (of Caribbean roots) poet Anthony Joseph, who recites his poems accompanied by the quartet. The album consists of seven tracks, six of which are poetry accompanied by music and one is an instrumental piece. All the music is original and was composed by Pierończyk.
The
albums brings on fond memories of times (mostly the 1960s) when Jazz &
Poetry concerts were a common happening, both in Britain and in Poland,
producing some of the most adventurous and aesthetically challenging music at
the time. Since the sub-genre is quite a rarity today, this album is a welcome
reminder of this magnificent Art form. The
overall performances on this album are all very good, with Pierończyk playing
as usual with great fluidity and taste. The rhythm section produces a steady
groove as a background to the poetry recitation and the guitar and saxophone
solos are intertwined between the stanzas or after the recitation is over.
Pierończyk, although perfectly
capable of Free Style improvisation, keeps a very calm profile here, playing
mostly very lyrically and melodically, suitable Joseph's poetry, which is
mostly more associative than clear-cut thematically, full of exotic smells, tastes
and panoramas. Overall this is a beautiful
trip of poetic dreams engulfed in lyrical music, that make the listener forget
his whereabouts and take him on a dreamy trip to a far away place. Definitely
worth investigating!
It takes a true musical "nut" (of the nicest sort), like The Polish pianist / composer / arranger / conductor Krzysztof Herdzin to come up with a project like this, which is designed to establish a new musical "genre" (or sub-genre) of chamber string music he defines as "string big band", a marriage between the European tradition of the string orchestra and the American Jazz Big Band. In order to prove his point, Herdzin took ten "classic" Jazz standards, some of which are closely associated with Big Band performances, others that aren't, and arranged them for a musical collective, which brings together the sensational Atom String Quartet (violinists Mateusz Smoczynski and Dawid Lubowicz, violist Michal Zaborski and cellist Krzysztof Lenczowski) with Sinfonia Viva orchestra to create a large string ensemble equivalent to the size of a Big Band. Bassist Robert Kubiszyn and vocalist Agnieszka Wilczynska (she sings on a couple of tracks only) also take part and the entire ensemble, conducted by Herdzin, which is appropriately named String Big Band.
I must admit that before I listened to the music, just by looking at the CD and reading the texts, I was absolutely sure I'm going to hate this thing with vengeance. Boy was I wrong! It turned out to be one of the most uplifting pieces of musical delight I have heard in a long time. Herdzin somehow managed the impossible: he turned a potentially kitschy and schmaltzy musical idiom into absolute magic. I felt transformed back in time, about ninety years or so back in time, watching a Broadway stage performance at the peak of the Great Gatsby's "Jazz Age", with tall women in tight lush dresses, glasses of champagne and all that Jazz! Pure Magic!
Of course a big part of the success goes also to the wonderful performers; Atom String Quartet emerges as one of the most intriguing discoveries on the Polish scene in the last decade and the Sinfonia Viva orchestra, which Herdzin utilizes repeatedly as part of his projects, is definitely a group of most talented and worthy of admiration musicians. But Maestro Herdzin is definitely the main honcho, the inspirer and the chief (or perhaps chef) of this whole crazy happening. It takes a lot of courage and self confidence to undertake such a perilous venture and to emerge triumphant and victorious is simply phenomenal.
This music can be enjoyed by almost anybody who has a working pair of ears on him, and it so multilayered and elegant that the more experienced and sophisticated the listener, the more pleasurable the experience becomes. Kudos Krzysztof, you really hit the jackpot this time!
The live recording at the Polish Radio studio #3 in Warsaw has an unusually excellent, clear and vibrant sound quality, which enhances the whole album tremendously. The stars were definitely smiling at that project!
Marek Napiorkowski - guitar
Adam Pieronczyk - saxophone
Henryk Miskiewicz - bass clarinet
Krzysztof Herdzin - piano
Robert Kubiszyn - bass
Clarence Penn - drums
Although this is only his fourth album as a leader, Polish guitarist / composer Marek Napiorkowski is one of the most recorded artists on the local scene, being probably the most in-demand session guitarist since many years, which resulted in him taking part in over 140 different albums so far. He played and recorded with many world famous musicians and literally with everybody who is anybody on the local Polish scene; people like Tomasz Stanko and Anna Maria Jopek, to mention just two extremely different environments, which emphasize his legendary diversity and chameleonic ability to suit every musical milieu.
This is by far his most ambitious project so far, which involves eight of his original compositions arranged for a Jazz ensemble and a nine-piece chamber ensemble. The Jazz players are saxophonist Adam Pieronczyk, bass clarinet player Henryk Miskiewicz, pianist Krzysztof Herdzin, bassist Robert Kubiszyn and American drummer Clarence Penn. Herdzin was also the man in charge of the arrangements, orchestration and conducting the chamber ensemble, turning him in many respects into the most significant contributor to this album alongside Napiorkowski.
The result is a sophisticated Jazz-Classical Fusion, based on solid melodies and featuring many excellent guitar solos, which floats between energetic up-tempo moods and gentle melancholic themes. Although the individual tunes are not related per se, the overall ambience and atmosphere of the album turns it into a kind of orchestral suite for chamber orchestra and Jazz soloists. The guitar work on this album, both in the acoustic and the electric tonalities, is simply brilliant and for me the best ever achieved by Napiorkowski. Rather than trying to prove his ability as a player, which is already established anyway, Napiorkowski really concentrates on playing music, the essence that so often tends to be forgotten in favor of flashy emptiness.
Herdzin, the Polish musical Wizard of Oz, once again manages to sprinkle his magic all over this music, both as a pianist and of course as the man behind the ornamentation, which makes this music spark and sizzle. Luckily he found the way of balancing the basic Jazz contents and the chamber enhancements, keeping them both intact and coexisting alongside each other rather than mixing them into an undistinguishable mesh, which happens, unfortunately, way to often in such situations. Herdzin is probably the only person on the local scene who can pull this off.
Some listeners might have a problem to identify with this music, which often happens when an Artist changes his established path in search of new means of expression. Perhaps this will be either too Jazzy or not Jazzy enough for some? One can never satisfy everybody and it's preferable that the Art prevails rather than the attempt to be liked by everyone. This album is a statement by a mature, self-aware musician, who presents his vision, hoping that other can share it with him. I certainly hope many will do so!
Although released under the name of American Jazz trumpeter Michael Patches Stewart, this is in fact a product of cooperation between American and Polish Jazz musicians. The Americans also include saxophonist Kenny Garrett, keyboardist George Duke (on one track only), drummer Poogie Bell and a few others. The Poles are represented by bassist / keyboardist Robert Kubiszyn, guitarist Marek Napiorkowski, keyboardist Pawel Tomaszewski and others. The album comprises of eight tracks, four of which were composed by Kubiszyn and the remaining four by American composers. One track includes vocals.
The music has almost nothing to do with Jazz and is a kind of instrumental Soul / Funk with only marginal Jazzy touches. The melodies are completely banal and unremarkable and the improvisations shallow. The performances are well executed, which is not surprising considering the level of the musicians involved and their professionalism. However the overall result is pretty miserable, screaming "muzak" and "elevator music" from start to finish. Why such talented musicians would stoop so low is completely beyond me and I hope they'd all rather forget this disaster ASAP.
Polish vocalist extraordinaire Anna Maria Jopek (a.k.a. AMJ) never stops to amaze her faithful fans and devoted listeners, but this, her latest box set (or rather book set), which consists of not one, not two but three full-fledged musical projects released simultaneously, is simply awe-inspiring. The three projects, entitled "Polanna", "Haiku" and "Sobremesa", were also released separately, but this set includes all three of them packaged with a marvelous book full of photographs and background information, elegantly designed and exquisitely printed, in a format similar to her previous 3 CD set "Dwa Serduszka Cztery Oczy", released three years earlier.
The three projects, although
diametrically different from each other, form a coherent "whole",
which reflects AMJ's complex artistic vision of this world, which bridges
different cultures, traditions and backgrounds, finding the common beauty in
all of them, and engulfing her inner spirit. Obviously she feels completely
"at home" with her music, regardless if it is rooted in the Polish
melancholy, Japanese introversion and minimalism or Portuguese / African
pulsations. Spanning the entire world this music is simply a living proof that
geography, language and nationality have absolutely no meaning when artistic
expression is concerned.
As usual AMJ is surrounded by
excellent musicians, some from Poland,
other from around the world. The list is very long and can be studied by
reading the book, but the most significant names include Japanese pianist /
composer Makoto Ozone, Cuban pianist / composer Gonzalo Rubalcaba, American
keyboardist / producer Gil Goldstein and many more. Polish musicians include,
among others, bassist Robert Kubiszyn and drummer Pawel Dobrowolski. The music
on all the albums is superbly recorded and mastered, being not only perfect
musically but also sublime sonically even to the most uncompromising sound
quality connoisseurs. This is a "total" listening experience, which
is so incredibly rare these days.
I must say that every time I
confess my love of AMJ's work my Jazz friends give me a "funny" look,
which I find often infuriating. This is not Free Jazz, it's not freely
improvised music, and in fact it is only marginally Jazz at all, or rather a
Jazz-World Fusion. So what? I find it fulfilling, challenging, aesthetic and
meaningful nevertheless. The fact that this music can be enjoyed by a wide
circle of listeners without losing an iota of quality and dedication testifies
of its inherent value, which I'm always ready to defend.
So overall this is a serious
piece of excellent music, diverse and surprising, deeply heartbreaking at times
and unboundedly cheerful at others, but always honest and straight to the
point, again a rare quality these days. Keep doing what you are doing girl,
never look back!
