Joanna Bejm – Jesteś (2019)

Joanna Bejm

Joanna Bejm - vocals
Rafał Stępień - keyboards
Marcin Skaba - violin
Wojciech Pulcyn - bass
Sebastian Frankiewicz - drums

Jesteś

SOLITON 972


By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by Polish vocalist/songwriter Joanna Bejm recorded with a Jazz trio consisting of keyboardist Rafał Stępień, bassist Wojciech Pulcyn and drummer Sebastian Frankiewicz. Violinist Marcin Skaba plays on six tracks and several additional guests participate on selected tracks. The album presents ten original songs, all composed by Bejm or co-composed by her and Skaba. All the lyrics are by Polish poetess Halina Poświatowska, one of Poland's most striking literary figures. As such the album falls comfortably within the Polish Jazz & Poetry idiom.

As someone familiar with Poświatowska's poetry I admit approaching this album with great anticipation mixed with some trepidation, considering the depth and intellectual complexity of the literary layer. I am glad to say that Bejm managed to embrace the poetry with considerable talent and respect, carefully selecting the poems and dressing them in appropriate musical attire. There is always a danger that profound literary work could be trivialized by inappropriate musical treatment, which sadly does happen from time to time, but certainly did not happen in this case.

The music is, as expected, full of typical Polish melancholy and lyrical emotionality, which Polish Jazz warmly embraces on a day to day level, but in particular within the Jazz & Poetry projects. Low key ballads with slow intrinsic motion are like a gentle wind carrying the words like yellow autumn leaves. The deep sadness, which characterizes the poetry, is somewhat softened by the music, making it perhaps more approachable to the listeners.

The instrumental parts are all excellent, as expected from these seasoned veterans. The rhythm section is steady like a rock and sensitive like velvet, Stępień is a superb player both on the acoustic piano and the electric keyboards, always playing only what is truly needed and his piano soli are the cherry on top. The guests add their part amicably and the entire album offers a coherent musical continuity.

Bejm manages the vocal parts with respect and restrain, which of course is ideal in this case. She is an instrument delivering the poems, which are the focus of this album and she cleverly eschews unnecessary theatrics, which would have spoiled the magic. Considering the fact that this is her debut album, she does a remarkable job.

The only small criticism I could think of is the packaging of the album, which sadly does not include the printed version of the poems – an addition that as a Jazz & Poetry buff I consider absolutely necessary. Of course there are copyright issues, etc, but it would have been nice to have them. Overall this is a beautiful piece of Art, an absolute must for all Jazz & Poetry lovers around the world, even those who are not native Polish speakers – the music transcends language barriers. Well done Milady!

Anna Serafińska – Chopin Trio (2017)

Anna Serafińska

Anna Serafińska - vocals
Rafał Stępień - piano
Cezary Konrad - drums

Chopin Trio

ART HORSE 001

By Krzysztof Komorek

Zawsze ogromną radość sprawiają mi – także w muzyce – miłe niespodzianki. Z takim przypadkiem miałem do czynienia właśnie przy opisywanej tu płycie, po którą sięgnąłem z lekka przymuszony. No bo Chopin na jazzowo? Kolejny raz? Jeszcze z wokalem na pierwszym planie? Te elementy nie były dla mnie raczej pozytywnymi rekomendacjami. Przesyt jazzowym Chopinem dopadł już wielu miłośników gatunku i pewnie opisany powyżej obronny odruch odrzucenia może się przydarzyć niejednej osobie. Sugeruję jednak przełamać ewentualne wątpliwości, bowiem bardzo szybko można się przekonać, że "Chopin Trio" zasługuje na bezapelacyjnie pozytywną reakcję. 

Pierwszym argumentem na tak okazały się nazwiska muzyków. Anna Serafińska ma już na swoim koncie kilka płyt, choć raczej "piosenkowych". Rafał Stępień doświadczeniem we współpracy z wokalistkami bije na głowę większość krajowego rynku muzycznego. Cezary Konrad to absolutna czołówka krajowej perkusji. Pozytywnie nastroił mnie oryginalny i intrygujący układ fortepian-perkusja-wokal, sugerujący brak podziału na głos i akompaniatorów oraz równoprawność każdego z członów zespołu. Jak zresztą się okazało, przeczucie mnie nie myliło. 

Już pierwszy na płycie "Mazurek C-dur op.24 No.2" przyniósł kapitalne solo perkusji. Mistrzowsko zabrzmiał drugi z kolei "Mazurek F-dur op.68 No.3" z długim, lirycznym intro fortepianu, które nagle przeskoczyło w dynamiczny jazz z efektownymi wokalizami i kapitalnym, przeplatanym dialogiem wokalu i fortepianu pod koniec. Wyobrażam sobie, jak rewelacyjnie musi to wyglądać na koncertach. "Nockturn cis-mol op.11" zagrany w duecie bez perkusji to pokaz wokalnych możliwości Anny Serafińskiej i kolejne piękne, długie solo Rafała Stępnia. 

Album "Chopin Trio" to także świetnie zaśpiewana piosenka - wykonany z dużym luzem "Poseł op.74 no1." z klasycznym tekstem Stefana Witwickiego. Wrażenie robi także "Preludium c-mol op.28 No.20" zaprezentowane w estetyce współczesnej muzyki improwizowanej. Ręce same składają się do oklasków i trudno zdecydować, które z wymienionych powyżej wykonań można uznać za najlepsze na płycie. Zwłaszcza, że wydawnictwo kończy genialnie wymyślona interpretacja "Życzenia op.74 no.1" ("Gdybym ja była…"  - tekst także autorstwa wspomnianego Witwickiego) z dowcipnym, pastiszowym początkiem i zakończeniem.  

Zaskakujące, świeże i nowoczesne okazały się interpretacje poszczególnych tematów. Interpretacje, w których oryginał stawał się punktem wyjścia do muzycznych poszukiwań idących często w nieoczekiwanych, acz nieodmiennie atrakcyjnych kierunkach. Znakomicie zaprezentowali się muzycy, a zróżnicowane pomysły wykorzystania wokalu robią naprawdę duże wrażenie (aranżacyjna praca Anny Serafińskiej i Rafała Stępnia to kolejny atut albumu). Na koniec warto jeszcze zaznaczyć, że "Chopin Trio" to debiut nowej (acz doświadczonej, o czym świadczą nazwiska producentów wykonawczych) wytwórni na polskim rynku - Art Horse. Bez wątpliwości udany.

Anna Serafińska – Chopin Trio (2017)

Anna Serafińska

Anna Serafińska - vocals
Rafał Stępień - piano
Cezary Konrad - drums

Chopin Trio

ART HORSE 001




By Adam Baruch

This is the sixth album by Polish vocalist Anna Serafińska, this time recorded in a trio setting with pianist Rafał Stępień and drummer Cezary Konrad. As the title suggests, the album presents eight interpretations of pieces composed by the Polish composer Frederic Chopin, two of which have been complimented with lyrics.

Serafińska's previous albums have all been only marginally Jazz oriented, dominated by Pop, Soul and Groove, which makes this her most ambitious endeavor to date. Additionally, considering the fact that Chopin's music has been the subject matter of a multitude Polish Jazz (and non-Jazz) albums over the years, including such lofty vocal interpretations like those done by the NOVI ensemble, attempting to tackle this subject seems a priori highly risky.

I am happy to say that the album turned out to be a nice surprise in contrast to the initial reservations. Serafińska uses the full range of her voice here for the first time on record, reaching operatic ranges and performing spiraling vocalese parts which are able to break glass. Her vocal improvisations are Jazzier than at any time before and the intimate, minimalistic trio format works out splendidly. The music is non-trivial and sometimes even quite complex and the entire project has a much more aesthetic ambiance than ever before. Spiced with a subtle dose of good humor, it is simply great.

The vocals/piano/drums trio is highly unusual and takes time to get fully used to, but it is very effective musically, with Stępień laying down the melodic/harmonic background and Konrad performing a myriad of percussive pyrotechnics, both of them supporting the vocalese/vocals amicably. The resulting sound is innovative and intriguing, which in general is pretty rare these days. Of course as a result of this ambitious and sophisticated approach the music becomes less acceptable and requires more attentive listening than Serafińska's earlier efforts.

Overall this is a very surprising and unexpected outing, better that anything Serafińska recorded earlier on and disclosing her abilities in new areas. By selecting the right partners and choosing the new format she redefined her artistic environment very successfully. Both Chopin and Jazz lovers should find this album intriguing and challenging, but at the same time highly entertaining. Well done indeed!

Anna Serafinska – Groove Machine (2013)

Anna Serafinska - vocals
Rafał Stępień - keyboards
Andrzej Gondek - guitar
Michal Baranski - bass
Cezary Konrad - drums

POLSKIE RADIO 1662




By Adam Baruch

This is a live radio recording by veteran Polish Jazz vocalist / songwriter / educator Anna Serafinska with her group called Groove Machine, which consists of mostly younger musicians: keyboardist Rafal Stepien, guitarist Andrzej Gondek, bassist Michal Baranski and drummer Cezary Konrad. The group also includes a couple of female backing vocalists. The album includes ten pieces, nine of which are originals on which Serafinska contributed the music or the lyrics or both and only one is a standard.

The group's name conveys exactly its musical direction, which is Funk, Soul-Jazz and Groove, without exception. Although marginally Jazzy, this music is quite excellent at what it stands for and does not fall behind similar efforts recorded anywhere else in the world, US included. The band plays with a superb feel and groove, as expected, driven by the excellent rhythm section of brilliant Baranski and veteran Konrad, who never fails regardless the musical environment. Keyboards and guitar, which provide the melodic content as well as atmospheric ornamentation, are also spotless and inspired. The tasty hints of ambient and electronic sounds by the keyboardists bring the overall sound up to date sounding completely contemporary.

Serafinska, who sings in Polish and English, does a good job, obviously technically proficient and with a lot of feeling and understanding for this kind of music. However, her voice lacks any distinctive elements and is simply unremarkable. But the lack of luster is definitely a minor drawback and overall she really does an excellent job here both as a performer and composer / lyricist.

This is what it is – good time music, which manages however to preserve musical quality, aesthetics and integrity. With excellent sound quality and truly entertaining contents this is definitely worth listening to, especially while driving a convertible on a sea-side road. Groovy indeed!