Witold Janiak - Mainstreet Quartet (2010)

The cover of this CD very well reflects the mood of the music inside: sunny, relaxing evening, drinks, smiling girls as brown as a berry. And from speakers music as mellow and elegant as Martini is sipping. However if someone decided to listen to it more carefully he would discover how masterfully it is accomplished, that it is by no means prosy but has links to such great formations of the past as fusion jazz Chick Corea's Return To Forever, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters or smooth jazz giants David Sandborn (clearly inspiration for saxophonist Michał Kobojek) or Bob James (the same for piano player Witold Janiak). Other musicians in this quartet are bassist Marcin Błasiak and drummer Emil Waluchowski who give a very solid support in rhythm section.

This recording prove that many prizes that befell on this group, among them Grand Prix of Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa, the festival organized under auspices of Tomasz Stańko himself, were by no means accidental. By this album they show that there is still something worthful to say on smooth side of jazz and that jazz is so interesting because it has so many faces, not only free or avant garde, but also easy-to-listen and melodic, sometimes traditional and dance-like.

Please, listen to one song from this album Thursday Evening. More music is available on following web page where you can also find in my opinion the best track on this album, the interpretation of Herbie Hancock's Chameleon (http://www.myspace.com/mainstreetquartet), a truly wonderful tune! I am waiting impatiently for their next recording where I hope they will go deeper in this direction, rehearsing hidden gems jazz of undervalued jazz of fusion era...

Author of text: Maciej Nowotny (http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html)

Maciej Tubis - Fulfilment (2007)

Today I present young polish pianist Maciej Tubis (b. 1983) and his first recording titled Fulfilment. Why "fulfilment"? Although still very young Tubis has behind himself almost 20 years of musical edution. He finished with acclamation studies in Music Academy in Lodz where he is now working as a teacher of jazz improvisation. Although he is exceptionally well educated in classical music, his inclination towards pop music (he's great fan of Jamiroquai) and jazz music led him eventually toward improvised music.

His music still sounds very classical and is inspired by composers like Arvo Part, Michał Górecki and Grażyna Bacewicz, therefore being very spacious, cold, solemn and melodic. There are present some touches of jazz but generally speaking they are rather sparse and this is jazz almost without syncopated or swing element, strange as it sounds. In this few moments however when Tubis start to play more jazz than classical music we listen to pianist that has incredible and great possibilties, the one that may in future continue the line of polish virtuoso pianist succesfully melding classic and jazz music, like for example Mieczysław Kosz, Adam Makowicz or Leszek Możdżer.

Tubis composed all the music played on this album (except song Moja Lodz that is improvisation on the theme of polish opera composer Stanisław Moniuszko). Last but not least music on this disc is stylistycally coherent, attractive and inspiring. I simply admire this work of such a young artist who shows that as composer, performer, musician he's capable of great things in future.

On this record he is accompanied by Jacek Delong playing on tenor saxophone, Mariusz Wiater on double bass and Emil Waluchowski on drums. All these muscians come from Lodz and are connected to its Music Academy as teachers or students.

Another song on this record is titled Jest jak jEST (It is like it is) and is evidencing the influences of wonderful Esbjorn Svensson Trio on Maciej Tubis music. I believe this video is proving that his talent may in time match the genius of his master: