Tadeusz Borczyk – No Name (2011)

Tadeusz Borczyk

Tadeusz Borczyk - bass
Jan Smoczyński - piano
Cezary Konrad - drums
Tomasz Kałwak - keyboards
Marek Podkowa - saxophone
Michał Dąbrówka - drums
Damian Kurasz - guitar
Jarosław Spałek - trumpet

No Name

FLOWER 030

By Adam Baruch

This is the second album by Polish Jazz bassist/composer Tadeusz Borczyk recorded over a period of several years in different studios (including the excellent Studio Tokarnia) with a changing lineup, which includes pianist Jan Smoczyński, keyboardist Tomasz Kałwak, guitarist Damian Kurasz, saxophonist Marek Podkowa, trumpeter Jarosław Spałek and drummers Cezary Konrad and Michał Dąbrówka. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Borczyk.

The music belongs to the melodic easier side of Jazz and Fusion, is well played and solidly composed, which means that although it is not very ambitious, it is altogether quite a pleasant listen. The problem with such recordings is of course their dangerous proximity to Smooth Jazz, which although in this case does not cross the line, is very close to it. All these compositions sound very similar to each other and are eventually quite unremarkable, which means that once the album is over one remembers almost nothing of the actual music.

Borczyk plays a few nice bass solos, which are amongst the highlights of this album, and Smoczynski saves the day with his piano playing, which is the most constructive contribution on this album. A few other solo spots are also worth notice. The album has a very good sound quality, which basically means that fans of easy Jazz music, which is almost danceable, should have a field day with it. It is also ideal for driving. Altogether this is quite a nice album for people who treat Jazz as entertainment.

Cezary Konrad – One Mirror… Many Reflections (2000)

Cezary Konrad

Cezary Konrad - drums
Piotr Żaczek - bass
Darek Krupa - guitar
Marek Podkowa - saxophone
Zbigniew Jakubek - keyboards
Leszek Możdżer - keyboards

One Mirror… Many Reflections


SELLES 0182

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by Polish Jazz drummer/composer Cezary Konrad, one of Poland's top drummers since many years, recorded with a core trio consisting of himself, bassist Piotr Zaczek and guitarist Darek Krupa, which is extended by additional players up to a quintet on some tracks with the addition of saxophonist Marek Podkowa and two keyboardists: Zbigniew Jakubek and Leszek Mozdzer. The album includes nine original compositions, all by Konrad.

Most of the music on this album is closely associated with Jazz-Rock Fusion, obviously influenced by the work of Allan Holdsworth and his groups. The electric fretless bass and synthesizers and of course the sound of the guitar imitate almost exactly the sound of European Fusion popular during the 1990s. The compositions are all quite interesting, with nice melodic themes and interesting harmonic approach, but overall the music is not remarkable enough to leave a deep impression, certainly not leaving a lasting impression.

The personal contributions are all quite excellent, with all the participants obviously being highly skilled musicians. There are some impressive solos and the overall level of playing is certainly satisfactory. Surprisingly the highlight of the album is the acoustic piano performance by Mozdzer on the only track, which is actually not a Fusion piece.

In retrospect, the album definitely sounded better at the time of its recording than now and does not withstand the tides of time well. This is unfortunately the fate of most Fusion albums, which proved to be mostly repetitive and derivative, with a very few exceptions.

Grzegorz Karnas - Karnas (Hevhethia, 2011)

Grzegorz Karnas - vocal, voices

Michał Tokaj - piano
Adam Oleś - cello
Michał Jaros - bass
Sebastian Frankiewicz – drums

Guests:
Edi Sanchez – bass (19)
Piotr Wyleżoł – piano (19)
Marek Podkowa – tenor sax (19)
Jean Paul Garces – percussion (19)

• Karnas (Hevhethia, 2011)

After years of hearing close to nothing interesting from Polish male jazz singers I must admit that recently I am discovering some interesting projects from them at last! One of the albums I am waiting most impatiently for in Polish jazz is one planned by Oleś Brothers and vocalist Jorgos Skolias (check this link for more info) for Tzadik Records. But this one, released just couple of days ago by Hevhetia, Slovak record label, though unexpected brings pleasant surprise indeed. All due to vocalist Grzegorz Karnas who managed to record album intriguing, forward-thinking and challenging.

Grzegorz Karnas, born in 1972, graduated from well-known Jazz Faculty at Katowice Music Academy and has already recorded three albums starting in 2000 with "Reinkarnasja" for Not Two followed by "Dreams" in 2004 and "Ballads For The End Of The World" in 2006 issued by his own Ninth Floor Production. Honestly I cannot say much about his previous CDs since I simply got no opportunity to listen to them. But basing on this album I find his voice mature, his conceptions daring, his taste refined. He strives to imitate nobody, he is searching for his own sound and he succeeds in this not least through excellent choice of his fellow-workers. Mikołaj Tokaj is one of best pianist in Poland and permanent partner of allegedly the best Polish female jazz singer Aga Zaryan (check her "Looking Walking Being" and "A Book Of Luminous Things"). But Adam Oleś on cello, Michał Jaros on bass (very good on recent debut disc "I Remember" by pianist Michał Wróblewski) or Sebastian Frankiewicz (very active and present on recent albums by Przemek Strączek, Dominik Bukowski, Joanna Gajda or very interesting "Hendrix Piano" by Artur Dutkiewicz) are equally good support. 

Going back to music, this is nothing close to typical jazz singing, though we find here marvelous version of Sting immortal cover "Roxanne" but otherwise it is laborious search for what is "new land" in jazz singing. Although sometimes irritant (as any avantarde effort usually are), I do not want to hide it, sometimes it is simply breathtakingly beautiful like on "Fin d'ete" but always free in spirit and thus earning my respect. Worth-checking!

Check tune "Spytaj milicjanta" (tranls. Ask a policeman) from this album: 

Author of text: Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html