Gdynia Improvisers Orchestra - "Miliony słońc"

Gdynia Improvisers Orchestra

Filip Arasimowicz – kontrabas
Maja Babyszka – pianino
Wojtek Bergiel – saksofon
Stefan Biedronka – głos
Michał Andrys – gitara elektryczna / sampler / noise
Sławomir „Rodriguez” Porębski – perkusjonalia
Tomasz Gadecki – saksofon
Jakub Klemensiewicz – saksofon
Wiktor Klemensiewicz – handpan
Maria Krajk – akordeon
Michał Markiewicz – altówka
Emilia Pollock – głos
Adam Skorczewski – trąbka
Paulina Sidoruk – skrzypce
Piotr Szlempo – trąbka
Grzegorz Aleksander Sycz – perkusja
Zofia Esden-Tempska – głos
Xenia Uranova – handpan / perkusjonalia
Łukasz Żurawski – saksofon
Marcin Bożek – dyrygent

Tytuły albumów: "Plastikowy jednorożec" (2024) i "Miliony słońc" (2025)

Tekst: Maciej Nowotny

Gdynia Improvisers Orchestra gra już 8 lat! Lecz ja – podobnie jak zapewne wielu naszych czytelników – nic o tym nie wiedziałem. A kiedy dotarła do mnie ich druga płyta zatytułowana "Miliony Słońc", czułem się akurat jak ów człowiek "wydrążony" z poematu T.S. Elliota (podaję w przekładzie Antoniego Libery):

"To martwa ziemia, kraina
Kaktusów i kamieni,
Z których się wznoszą posągi,
Do których w błagalnej modlitwie
Pod znikającą gwiazdą
Wznoszą się ręce umarłych".

Elec-Tri-City - Depth Of Focus (2017)

Elec-Tri-City

Marcin Wądołowski - guitar
Dominik Bukowski - xylosynth
Janusz Mackiewicz - bass, minimoog
Grzegorz Sycz - drums, percussion

Depth Of Focus



SOLITON 707

By Adam Baruch

This is the second album by Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion ensemble Elec-Tri-City, which comprises of bassist/keyboardist/composer Janusz Mackiewicz, guitarist Marcin Wądołowski, vibraphonist Dominik Bukowski (who plays his electronic vibraphone called xylosynth) and drummer Grzegorz Sycz. The album presents ten original compositions, seven of which are by Mackiewicz and the remaining three are one each by the other ensemble members.

The album continues the path set by the debut and presents a superbly elegant Jazz-Rock Fusion, based on beautiful melodic compositions, which serve as vehicles for extended improvisations by the ensemble members. The music brings fond memories of what Fusion was at its early days, when it was all about the music and not about technical, but boring proficiency show-offs by mediocre musicians. Each and every one of the tunes on this album is a wonderful piece of stylish music, which stands very well on its own.

All four members of the ensemble are experienced musicians with impressive personal record and the music they play here is evidently a labor of love and joy of playing. There is plenty of superb guitar, synthesizer, bass and drum solos to keep every Fusion fan happy. Overall this is a very enjoyable and yet exceptionally musical and elegant album, which is a true joy to listen to from start to end; one of those pieces of music that can simply "make your day". Warmly recommended!

Special Jazz Sextet – Projekt Elbląg (2011)

Special Jazz Sextet

Bartek Krzywda - keyboards
Szymon Zuehelke - saxophone
Artur Olewniczak - trombone
Marcin Gawdzis - trumpet
Janusz Mackiewicz - bass
Grzegorz Sycz - drums

Projekt Elblag



ALLEGRO 022

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by a Polish Jazz sextet, which changed its lineup and name several times before settling with the name Special Jazz Sextet, before this album was recorded. It is led by keyboardist Bartek Krzywda and includes saxophonist Szymon Zuehlke, trombonist Artur Olewniczak, trumpeter Marcin Gawdzis, bassist Janusz Mackiewicz and drummer Grzegorz Sycz. Saxophonist Przemek Dyakowski guests on five tracks and guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana and violinist Jerry Goodman each guest on one track. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Krzywda.

The music is melodic mainstream Jazz bordering on Jazz-Rock Fusion. The brass section is skillfully used in the arrangements to support the keyboards/rhythm section passages and overall the sextet functions as a solid well synchronized unit, achieving a polished and highly professional effect. There are plenty of excellent solo parts by all the participants and the guests.

The individual contributions by all the participants are truly outstanding and although these are not "famous" Polish Jazz musicians, their level of technical proficiency and skillful delivery are as good as those by musicians from the "premier league", which of course is a testimony of the incredibly high level of Polish Jazz in general. Overall this is a very well played mainstream Jazz album, which should be satisfying to all listeners the world over. It is fun to listen to and presents first-class musicianship and interesting compositions.

Janusz Mackiewicz - Elec-Tri-City (2013)

Dominik Bukowski - vibraphone
Marcin Wądołowski - guitar

Janusz Mackiewicz - bass

Grzegorz Sycz - drums

with

Maciej Sikała - saxophone

Leszek Możdżer - keyboards

BITTT 002

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by Polish Jazz-Rock / Funk ensemble Elec-Tri-City, formed by bassist Janusz Mackiewicz and including also the excellent veteran vibraphonist Dominik Bukowski, guitarist Marcin Wadolowski and drummer Grzegorz Sycz. As the word-play title suggests, the band members originate from the country's Tricity on the Baltic Sea. Several guest musicians participate on the album, most notably the keyboards wizard Leszek Mozdzer. The album includes seven original compositions all by Mackiewicz.

The music lies well within the boundaries of the Jazz-Rock Fusion / Funk variety, but presents an up to date version of the idiom and even tries to expand its boundaries by adding somewhat more electronic ambience and more advanced harmonic structures as well as more ambitious improvisations than usually utilized by musicians operating within these genres. The compositions are surely better than most sketchy melodic lines usually used in Funk over a repetitious rhythmic pattern. In short this music is a breath of fresh air as far as Funk & Co are concerned.

The individual contributions are all beyond reproach, which is not surprising considering the obvious abilities of the musicians involved. Mackiewicz plays some pretty "nasty" bass lines, which can wake up the dead, Bukowski and his xylosynth (xylophone-synthesizer) produces superb atmospheric sonic layers and inspired solos, Wadolowski adds a gutsy, Bluesy guitar sound and Sycz keeps the entire shamadan moving forward straight to the listeners guts (or heart). Even Mozdzer plays here considerably more imaginatively than on his solo albums lately.

Overall this is an excellent album as far as Funk is concerned, elegant and entertaining and above all great fun. I enjoyed every minute of this music, which is definitely more suitable for warm climates. Thank you guys for bringing some joy to life!

Specjal Jazz Sextet & Jerry Goodman, Jarek Smietana - Projekt Elbląg (Allegro, 2011)

Special Jazz Sextet (band)

Bartek Krzywda - keyboards

Szymon Zuehlke - tenor saxophone

Artur "Żółwik" Olewniczak - trombone
Marcin Gawdzis - trumpet
Janusz "Macek" Mackiewicz - acoustic bass
Grzegorz Sycz - drums

Special guests:
Przemek Dyakowski - soprano saxophone
Jarek Śmietana - guitar (6)
Jerry Goodman - violin (10)

Yet another interesting album from Allegro Records released this year (check also "Afreakan Project" and "Facing The Challenge") and again it is pleasent surprise. Surprise because though musicians are not from first ranks of Polish jazz yet they deliver very good music indeed. All compositions are by Bartek Krzywda while all members of the sextet taking part in this project are from Elbląg (or connected to this city). It is astonishing that so many fantastic musicians live in this relatively small city and that they managed to join their forces to deliver such a palatable dish. As far as regular members of this sextet are concerned I want to single out Marcin Gawdzis, the outstanding trumpeter, that should be much better known on Polish scene. Melodic lines as supplied by his instrument underline catchy Krzywda compositions and saturate music with lyricism and levity. But other players input is of no less quality be it Szymon Zuehlke on tenor saxophone, Artur Olewniczak on trombone or rhythm section: Janusz Mackiewicz on double bass and Grzegorz Sycz on drums. A lot of spice is added by guests' appearance: soprano saxophone by Przemek Dyakowski is an outstanding counterpoint to Gawdzis' trumpet, Jerry Goodman violin sounds other-worldly and hauntingly beautiful (like on "The Heart On A Plate") and finally well-known guitar of Jarek Śmietana. All in all, this is definitely worthy debut by Special Jazz Sextet, a tribute both to jazz and to city of Elbląg (from which also come from Jerzy Małek whose excellent album "Air" is our October Album Of The Month). 

Promo video: 

Author: Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html