Jazz Choral / Tomasz Szukalski – Borzomski Wawoz / Body And Soul (Polish Jazz Vol. 91 Deluxe) (2006)

Tomasz Szukalski - saxophone
Artur Dutkiewicz - piano
Andrzej Cudzich - bass
Marek Stach - drums

Jazz Choral Vocal Group

Muza PNCD 1091



By Adam Baruch

This unusual and very interesting album by the superb Polish saxophonist / composer Tomasz Szukalski, who sadly died this year, presents him in a double setting: first as a guest artist accompanying the Georgian vocal group Jazz Choral and than as a leader of his quartet, which includes also pianist Artur Dutkiewicz, bassist Andrzej Cudzich and drummer Marek Stach.

The album starts with six pieces performed by Jazz Choral; First three tracks are sung a cappella and the remaining three are performed with Szukalski and an unidentified rhythm section (piano, bass and drums). The vocal tracks are followed by three tracks performed by Szukalski and his quartet, two of which are standards and one is an original composition by the leader.

Jazz Choral were a vocal group similar to the Polish group Novi, which existed on the local scene twenty years earlier, and several other ensembles which based their performances on perfectly matched harmonies and swinging melodies. Their performance is spotless and quite virtuosic, with a nostalgic touch. Szukalski spices their music with excellent solos, which can only be constructed by a musician of his statue.

The three tracks by Szukalski and his quartet highlight his incredible power as a player, clearly emphasizing his post-Coltrane legacy and incredible versatility. Listening to him play, now that he is gone, is truly moving to everybody familiar with the Polish Jazz scene. His premature death is a great loss!

This album was recorded during the transition period between Poland finally freed itself from the Socialist regime, and was somehow "lost" in the turmoil. This reissue brings back to life a piece of music, which should not be forgotten. Definitely worth investigation!

Jazz Choral and Tomasz Szukalski - Borzomski Wawoz & Body and Soul (1989)

Jazz Chorał (choir) and Tomasz Szukalski Quartet

Jazz Chorał (Gruzja) - Aleksander Kiładze-conductor

Tomasz Szukalski - saxophones

Artur Dutkiewicz - piano

Andrzej Cudzich - double bass

Marek Stach - drums,

Borżomski Wąwóz & Body and Soul (1989)

During recent World Championship chess match Vishy Anand when asked about some weak move he made in only game lost to Boris Gelfand he answered: "In bad position all moves seem bad". And this phrase very well applies to this album by Tomasz Szukalski. The leader (Tomasz Szukalski) was one of the most talented musicians in whole Polish jazz history. His partners (Artur Dutkiewicz, Andrzej Cudzich, Marek Stach) were cream de creme of then young jazz musicians in Polnad. The idea was brilliant: to infuse Polish jazz with World music (Georgian choir conducted by Aleksander Kiładze) which then (and still is!) was rising in popularity. But it all didn't work as expepted. Why? 

Because it was done in wrong time! Last years of communism in Poland were gloomy and uninspired. The politics by General Jaruzelski was directed to destroy all individuality, creativity, to cut all links with Western thought as much politically as culturally. In Poland there were promoted only mediocrity, the art became conservative and reactionary. Unfortunately this spirit diffused itself also into jazz music. The progress in jazz music stopped. All eyes were turned back. The quality of jazz was measured by how faithfully it copied Afroamerican masters. 

In this atmosphere even for such a talented man as saxophonist Tomasz Szukalski the task proved to be too difficult. Consequently the music on this album is disappointing: Georgian folk element (splendid in itself!) is not coherent with jazz as played by Szukalski Quartet (splendid in itself!). There are moments  when they meet together and then pure magic starts but for the most time it sounds artificial, superficial and lacks the direction. 

By Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl 

Tracklisting: 1. Borżomski Wąwóz [02:38] 2. Gurijska (A. Kiładze - sł. lud.) [02:18] 3. Spojrzenie ukochanej (G. Cabadze - I. Karalaszwili) [04:39] 4. Hymn dla Słońca (A. Kiładze - W. Gogołaszwili) [03:01] 5. Szczęśliwy poranek (A. Kiładze - L. Beradze) [03:01] 6. In A Mellow Tone (D. Ellington - E. Gabler) [03:51] 7.  Body And Soul (J. W. Green, E. Heyman, F.Eyton, R. Sour, oprac. T. Szukalski) [07:58] 8. Pieśń portugalska (A.P. Vargas, oprac. T.Szukalski) [05:49] 9. Blues wymyślony na działce (t. Szukalski) [09:57]

Sun Ship – Follow Us (Polish Jazz Vol.61, 1979)

Sun Ship (band)

Władysław Sendecki - piano, el. piano, polymog, arp omni
Zbigniew Jaremko - soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
Henryk Miśkiewicz - soprano saxophone
Witold Szczurek - bass, violoncello
Marek Stach - drums

Follow Us (Polish Jazz Vol.61, 1979)

This is the only studio recording by the excellent Polish Jazz ensemble Sun Ship, founded in 1978 by two ex-Extra Ball members: virtuoso pianist / composer Wladyslaw Sendecki and saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak, with bassist Witold Szczurek and drummer Marek Stach. Olejniczak left son after the group was founded, to be replaced by a double saxophone front line consisting of Zbigniew Jaremko and Henryk Miskiewicz. Miskiewicz was the group's second composer and contributed two of the five compositions present on this album in addition to the three compositions by the leader, Sendecki. Sun Ship was the first of the Polish ensembles, which tried to leave behind them the Jazz-Rock Fusion, which was the predominant genre in the 1970s and return to mainstream Jazz, with more advanced chord changes and extended improvisations, which they did extremely well. Sendecki's keyboard wizardry is plainly evident on this beautiful album, as are the highly developed skills as improvisers. In retrospect this is one of the most interesting Polish Jazz recordings of that turbulent period. Highly recommended!

Track Listing: 01. Prymka; 02. Ballada na wiosnę; 03. Szipson; 04. Mrówka, jak wiemy; 05. Należy się wykupić

By Adam Baruch

http://adambaruch.com/