Winicjusz Chróst - Promienie dźwięku (2021)

Winicjusz Chróst

Promienie dźwięku (2021)

Wydawca: GAD Records

Tekst: Mateusz Chorążewicz

Winicjusz Chróst to jeden z najważniejszych polskich muzyków lat 70-tych i 80-tych XX wieku, który za życia nie doczekał się swojej autorskiej, solowej płyty. Album "Promienie dźwięku", który swoją premierę miał w listopadzie 2021 to w istocie antologia nagrań artysty.

Na całość składa się dwanaście zremasterowanych utworów z archiwum Polskiego Radia z okresu lat 1983 – 1987. Poza Winicjuszem Chróstem na gitarze i syntezatorze usłyszymy tu także takich artystów jak Adam Lewandowski (perkusja), Jerzy Bartz (perkusjonalia), Zbigniew Wegehaupt (kontrabas), Janusz Skowron (fortepian), Joanna Morska (wokal), Ewa Bem (wokal), Izabela Zając (wokal), Czesław Bartkowski (perkusja), czy Janusz Smyk (saksofon tenorowy). Od takiego składu należy oczekiwać samych najlepszych rzeczy i taki też materiał otrzymujemy.

Wszystkie kompozycje zachowane są w stylistyce fusion, która w tamtym okresie właściwie królowała na szeroko rozumianej polskiej scenie jazzowej. Wiele brzmień, zastosowanych harmonii, czy form kompozycyjnych od razu przywodzi na myśl takie zespoły jak choćby Weather Report. Muzyka jest silnie inspirowana amerykańską szkołą fusion i jako taką należy ją traktować.

Co zwróciło moją szczególną uwagę to fakt, że całość brzmi w sposób bardzo spójny, pomimo sporego rozstrzału czasowego nagrań. Nie mówię już nawet o charakterze muzyki, ale również o różnorodności środowiska nagraniowego. Osoby odpowiedzialne za przygotowanie zremasterowanych wersji wykonały tu kawał naprawdę dobrej roboty.

Dnia 28.03.2022 przypada druga rocznica śmierci Winicjusza Chrósta. Uważam, że album Promienie dźwięku to wspaniały hołd dla całej kariery muzyka, który nie doczekał swojej solowej płyty. Oczywiście muzyka sama w sobie nie jest w żaden sposób przełomowa. Nie wywróci ona do góry nogami naszego postrzegania muzyki fusion czy nawet dotychczasowej wiedzy o twórczości Winicjusza Chrósta, ale przez nie o to w tym przypadku chodzi. Dzięki tej płycie otrzymujemy świetnej jakości materiał muzyczny niejako dokumentujący dokonania artysty i utrwalający pamięć o nim.

Specjalne podziękowania należą się córce Winicjusza, Aleksandrze Chróst, która trzyma pieczę nad twórczością ojca i dzięki której album taki jak ten ujrzał światło dzienne.

Kwartet Wojciecha Gogolewskiego - Skok Nr 8 (2019)

Kwartet Wojciecha Gogolewskiego

Wojciech Gogolewski – electric piano
Mieczysław Wolny – flute
Zbigniew Wegehaupt – bass
Czesław Szymański – drums

Skok Nr 8

GAD 094

By Adam Baruch

This is an archival album, which presents radio recordings by a quartet led by Polish Jazz pianist/composer Wojciech Gogolewski, which also included flautist Mieczysław Wolny, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and drummer Czesław Szymański. The album presents six original compositions, all by the leader, all previously unreleased except for the title track which appeared on a compilation in "live" version.

The music is modern Jazz mainstream, with a touch of Fusion, somewhat similar to the first version of Return To Forever sans the vocals of course. The compositions are all solid and suit the unusual lineup of the quartet perfectly. The balance and the delicate sound created by the electric piano/flute front line results in serene, but beautifully expressive melodic tunes. The superb rhythm section provides the perfect frame for the music with the virtuosic bass lines by Wegehaupt, who despite his young age at the time was already one of the leading Polish Jazz bassists, and the delicate, melodic percussion ornamentation by Szymański.

It is a great pity that this fabulous music had to wait over forty years to be released. Michał Wilczyński, the owner of GAD Records, states on the album´s liner notes that this music deserved to be a part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series, probably more than some of the albums that managed to be released as part of that series, and I wholeheartedly agree.

This album is also a wonderful tribute to Wegehaupt, who was a dear friend of mine and whose tragic and untimely death was a shock to the entire Polish Jazz community, and is a testimony of his great talent, as clearly audible here. His soli are simply breathtaking. For Polish Jazz fans, flute lovers and European Jazz enthusiasts this album is an absolute must, a true gem finally seeing the light of day. Brilliant stuff!

Zbigniew Seifert – Polish Radio Jazz Archives Vol. 32 (2018)

Zbigniew Seifert

Zbigniew Seifert - violin, alto saxophone
Jarosław Śmietana - guitar
Janusz Grzywacz - electric piano
Jan Jarczyk - piano
Zbigniew Wegehaupt - bass
Jan Gonciarczyk - bass
Mieczysław Górka - drums
Janusz Stefański - drums


Polish Radio Jazz Archives Vol. 32

POLSKIE RADIO 2145

By Adam Baruch

This is the thirty-second installment in the series of releases initiated by the Polish Radio, which presents archive Jazz recordings from the radio vaults. Radio recordings are always a fabulous source of remarkable material, and as far as Polish Jazz history is concerned, the Polish Radio, which was a state monopoly for 45 years, recorded over time a plethora of invaluable material, which apart from the albums released by the Polskie Nagrania record company (also a state monopoly), is the only available additional source of Polish Jazz recordings. For many years Polish Radio recorded concerts presented during Poland's most important Jazz venues, including the annual Jazz Jamboree Festival and many other festivals as well.

The seven tracks presented here were recorded by one of the most iconic Polish Jazz figures: saxophonist/violinist/composer Zbigniew Seifert, who sadly died at a ridiculously young age succumbing to cancer. Influenced by the music of John Coltrane, Seifert revolutionized the Polish Jazz violin school and achieved international recognition. All the tracks are original compositions by Seifert.

The first five tracks, recorded just three months before Seifert's death (in November 1978), were recorded live at the "Pod Jaszczurami" Jazz club in Kraków. They were recorded by a quintet, which also included guitarist Jarosław Śmietana (also not with us anymore, another victim of cancer), keyboardist Janusz Grzywacz, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt (my dear and sadly also departed friend) and drummer Mieczysław Górka. Grzywacz and Górka were at the time members of the legendary Polish Jazz-Rock ensemble Laboratorium. The music, although composed by Seifert, gets here a Fusion oriented treatment, as a result of the fact that all four members of the quintet except Seifert were involved with Fusion at the time. Nevertheless the music is superb in every sense and the fact that it remained unreleased to this very day is a Cultural crime!

The sixth track originates from a recording Seifert made with the Polish Radio Jazz Studio Orchestra directed by Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski in 1972. It presents him as a soloist backed up by an excellent Jazz orchestra, performing one of his early compositions, which is also previously unreleased.

The seventh and last track goes even further back and was recorded in 1970 during the thirteenth edition of the Jazz Jamboree Festival. On this track Seifert plays saxophone and is accompanied by pianist Jan Jarczyk, bassist Jan Gonciarczyk and drummer Janusz Stefański. This track was already released in 2010 by the great Polish reissue label GAD Records on the album "Nora", dedicated to Seifert's early recordings, and the inclusion of this track here is redundant and somewhat questionable.

The beautifully restored sound quality is excellent and the warm ambience of the analog recording is a true joy. As usual with this series, which is very reasonably priced, I miss the presence of "in depth" liner notes/booklet, which should convey the circumstances at which this music was recorded and its importance to the development of Jazz in Poland. Nevertheless this is an absolutely essential piece of Jazz history which every Jazz fan will surely consider an absolute must.

Tadeusz Sudnik - Tadeusz Sudnik & His Friends In Art (2017)

Tadeusz Sudnik

Tadeusz Sudnik - synthi AKS, electronics, computers
Tomasz Stańko - trumpet
Adam Pierończyk - saxophone
Aleksander Korecki - saxophone
Tomasz Duda - saxophone
Janusz Skowron - keyboards
Witold Szczurek - bass guitar
Zbigniew Wegehaupt - double bass

Andrzej Mitan - sound poetry
and others

Tadeusz Sudnik & His Friends In Art 

AUDIO CAVE 001 2017

By Robert Ratajczak

Płyta "Tadeusz Sudnik & His Friends In Art" to zbiór nagrań mistrza instrumentów elektronicznych z lat 1986-2005, dokonanych z udziałem takich znakomitości, jak m.in. Tomasz Stańko, Adam Pierończyk, Witold Szczurek, Janusz Skowron czy Zbigniew Wegehaupt. Tadeusz Sudnik to działający od wielu lat muzyk, kompozytor i realizator dźwięku, założyciel historycznego już Studia Dźwięków Niemożliwych. Artysta przez kilkanaście lat związany był ze Studiem Eksperymentalnym Polskiego Radia, gdzie realizował nagrania dla potrzeb teatru, filmu i baletu oraz współpracował z festiwalem Warszawska Jesień.

Zawartość niniejszej płyty to sięgnięcie do archiwum nagrań muzyka kryjącego w sobie nieocenione muzyczne skarby. Już 10 lat temu nakładem wytwórni Polonia Records w cyklu "The Best Of Polish Smooth Jazz" ukazała się płyta firmowana szyldem Tadeusz Sudnik & His Friends In Art. Tym razem jednak mamy do czynienia z wyborem bardziej wyszukanym i bliższym miłośnikom polskiego jazzu. 

Mimo nagrań pochodzących z różnych sesji realizowanych na przestrzeni blisko 20 lat, album robi wrażenie spójnej i zamkniętej całości. Wszystkie utwory łączy wyjątkowa fantazja i zmysł głównego bohatera płyty, eksponującego brzmienie analogowych syntezatorów, elektronicznych przetworników i efektów natury. Mimo przyprawiających o zawrót głowy nazwisk muzyków, jacy pojawiają się na płycie, jej prawdziwym bohaterem są bity, efekty dźwiękowe i ambientowe brzmienie, za którymi stoi Mistrz Ceremonii, Tadeusz Sudnik.

Generowane przez artystę efekty i rozwiązania, zarówno rytmiczne, jak i harmoniczne, to efekt improwizacji. Sudnik doskonale potrafi trafić z pętlą czy samplami zarówno w przypadku trąbki Tomasza Stańki, saksofonu Adama Pierończyka, czy wreszcie nadać wyjątkowego brzmienia recytacjom Andrzeja Mitana. Zgromadzone nagrania prezentują szeroki wachlarz stylistyczny - od elektroniczno-jazzowych dokonań formacji Stańki Freelectronic, poprzez nasycone rytmem transowe utwory w rodzaju "Canadada", aż do awangardowych rejestracji, jak kończące płytę "Symphonix", "Cats In Space" i zrealizowane w ramach Studia Dźwięków Niemożliwych "7'37".

Wydawnictwo będące rodzajem starannie przygotowanej antologii Tadeusza Sudnika, ukazującej rozmaite etapy jego działalności, stanowi prawdziwą gratkę zarówno dla miłośników muzyki elektronicznej, jak i zwolenników jazzu.

www.longplayrecenzje.blox.pl

Wojciech Konikiewicz – Another Form Of Communication (1993)

Wojciech Konikiewicz

Wojciech Konikiewicz - piano
Zbigniew Wegehaupt - bass
Cezary Konrad - drums

Another Form Of Communication

ARTING



By Adam Baruch

This is a beautiful and sadly little known album by the Polish Jazz pianist/composer Wojciech Konikiewicz. The album presents six original compositions by Konikiewicz, performed on piano solo (the two opening tracks) and in a trio setting (the remaining four tracks, recorded live) with the wonderful late bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and drummer Cezary Konrad, recorded at the Warsaw Music University. The album was released first as an exquisitely packaged promotional gift by the prestigious Paris based communication and design firm Arting, which is today a highly sought-after collector's item, and which I was honored to receive from the Artist himself. Later on it was released commercially in Poland by Koch, but is of course completely gone from the market.

The album presents the gentle/lyrical side of Konikiewicz, who weaves beautifully melodic themes and improvises at length, slowly developing his ideas and exposing fragment after of his inner soul to the listener. The album completely lacks any attempts of flashy display of technique or self-centered showmanship, and is simply all about the music and its sound and feeling.

The trio tracks are a superb example of the classic piano trio format, with all three musicians listening to each other with obvious sympathy and respect. Personally I feel that these tracks are also some of the most beautiful pieces Wegehaupt ever recorded (and I know all of his work intimately), with fabulously crafted solos, full of finesse and emotion, being another added value of this project. He was definitely, in the words of Konikiewicz, a great poet of the bass.

In retrospect I can say that the fact that this music in unavailable to the Polish Jazz connoisseur is a crying shame. All those forgotten albums truly deserve a proper reissue, as they are beyond a shadow of a doubt, part of the Polish Jazz legacy, which deserves to be cherished and preserved. It today's "one minute attention span" world, pieces of art like this one are simply islands of sanity.

Janusz Muniak – Crazy Girl (2009) ***

Janusz Muniak - saxophone

Wojciech Puszek - piano

Zbigniew Wegehaupt - bass

George Buckner - drums

ANEX 322

By Adam Baruch

This is the third album as a leader by the veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist / composer Janusz Muniak, recorded live with his quartet, which also included pianist Wojciech Puszek, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and American drummer George Buckner. They play only four compositions, one of which is an original by Muniak, another is by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, Krzysztof Komeda (the title track) and the remaining two are standards.

Although well played the album offers no innovation whatsoever and is simply one more Be Bop set, which is quite forgettable. The leader plays some mighty solos, which are, as always in his case, quite incredible and virtuosic, but the overall effect remains pretty unremarkable.

The album also suffers from a pretty amateurish sound quality, which often victimized live Polish Jazz recordings, with mobile recording equipment in the Socialist country being sadly sub-standard. Nevertheless it is a document both of the times and of Muniak's legacy, and therefore definitely worth listening and enjoying his bravado performances.

Side Note: The Poljazz label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie Nagrania / Muza and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label Anex reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.

Marek Blizinski – Wave (2009) ***

Marek Blizinski - guitar

Pawel Jarzebski - bass

Zbigniew Wegehaupt - bass

Janusz Stefanski - drums
Czeslaw Bartkowski - drums

ANEX 327




By Adam Baruch

This is the only album as a leader recorded by Polish Jazz guitarist Marek Blizinski, who was one of the first Jazz guitar players on the local scene. He was a very in-demand session player and participated in many recordings as well as recording with several groups of which he was a formal member, led by such Polish Jazz luminaries like Michal Urbaniak, Wojciech Karolak, Zbigniew Namyslowski and Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski. He was a brilliant improviser and had a wonderful tone, which ornamented many important Polish Jazz recordings.

His solo career, however, never really took off and this was the only album he managed to release as a leader, before his untimely and tragic death at the age of 42. The album consists of two radio sessions, with Blizinski playing on both in a trio format, first with bassist Pawel Jarzebski and drummer Janusz Stefanski and then with bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski. Both these rhythm sections are considered to be among the best ones ever active on the local scene. The album includes seven compositions, all of which are standards.

Although well played, both by Blizinski and the rhythm sections, this album does not present his true abilities and sensitivities and in retrospect is unfortunately much less impressive than it could have been. Playing these standards, which present no true intellectual challenge for these experienced musicians, was a poor decision. His numerous recordings with other artists are much more impressive.

Guitar enthusiasts will obviously find here many beautiful moments of mainstream Jazz, with are every bit as good as those recorded across the pond. Definitely worth remembering!

Side Note: The Poljazz label, which originally released this album, was active for 20 years (between 1972 and 1991) and was owned by the Polish Jazz Society. Considering the fact that the music industry in the Socialist State was centralized and totally controlled, with just one State owned music company producing all the albums, the possibilities to record and release Jazz albums were extremely limited. Poljazz was conceived and founded in order to allow for many more Jazz (and other) albums to be released independently from the State owned Polskie Nagrania / Muza and as such revolutionized the music industry at the time, being the only such enterprise in Eastern Europe. The Polish label Anex reissued many of the original Poljazz albums on CD, bringing this fabulous music back to life.

Krzysztof Herdzin – Dancing Flowers (2005)

Krzysztof Herdzin - keyboards
Marek Napiorkowski - guitar
Zbigniew Wegehaupt - bass
Cezary Konrad - drums
and others

FUSION 001





By Adam Baruch

This album by Polish keyboardist / composer / arranger Krzysztof Herdzin presents yet another aspect of his seemingly universal musical personality. It is basically a Funk album, which consists of seven instrumentals and three songs, all composed by Herdzin. The arrangements, especially those involving the horn section, have some proximity to Jazz, but overall it is a Pop album with some Jazz-Rock Fusion elements.

The music is performed by an excellent team, which includes guitarist Marek Napiorkowski, bassists Zbigniew Wegehaupt (in a rare appearance on bass guitar), Filip Sojka and Miroslaw Wisniewski and drummers Cezary Konrad, Grzegorz Grzyb and Michal Dabrowka and horn players like saxophonists Michal Kulenty, Marek Podkowa and Mariusz Melczarek and several others. The vocals are handled by three young Pop vocalists, two female and one male, all of them quite unimpressive

The music is based on the American Funk model, which was developed in the 1970s / 1980s by a plentitude of mostly African American musicians, especially the archetypical Earth, Wind & Fire, but also by many partly Jazz oriented artists like George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Grover Washington, Jr. and even Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock during some periods of their extensive careers. Herdzin presents his version of Funk, which is based more on the melodic content than the rhythmic progression and is therefore somewhat softened, or simply more European. Herdzin often states that anything he does is by no means inferior to whatever the Americans are doing, and to tell the truth he is often correct when saying so, but on the other hand as it was once so adequately put: "White Man Can't Jump" and Funk is after all about "jumping" more than anything else. When asked if he ever played Funk, Herdzin can most certainly answer positively, following this recording.

Overall this is a well done, pleasant album (except for the vocal tracks), which is ideal for driving on sunny days (pretty rare in Poland) with the volume up and a pretty blonde beside you. Enjoy!

Krzysztof Herdzin – Live In Tygmont (2006)

Krzysztof Herdzin - piano
Zbigniew Wegehaupt - bass
Cezary Kondrad - drums

ALLEGRO 011








By Adam Baruch

This album presents a live recording captured at the Warsaw's Tygmont club by pianist / composer Krzysztof Herdzin and his trio, with bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and drummer Cezary Konrad. The trio performs six compositions, four of which are originals by the leader and two are standards. The recording has a beautiful realistically captured live sound and an overall superb sound quality.

People familiar with the Polish Jazz scene are surely aware of the fact that Herdzin is one of the busiest and most versatile musicians in the country, who left his mark on a large scale of different musical projects in Contemporary Classical music, Jazz and Popular music. His work as an arranger / orchestrator marks most of the great Pop albums recorded in the last two decades in Poland. Sometimes it seems as if there is hardly anything happening in Polish music, which does not involve Herdzin one way or another. Of course such omnipresence can be dangerous and lead to spreading the talents thin, but one must admit that everything Herdzin touches turns out well, which simply proves his incredible talent, versatility, stamina, perseverance and above all professionalism.

To be fair one must remember that this album presents just one aspect of Herdzin's activity, i.e. his work as a leader of a classic Jazz piano trio. During his career Herdzin recorded several albums in this format, and I must admit this is the favorite one for me. There are several reasons why I feel that way; firstly the material included herein presents a wide emotional range, from up-tempo numbers presenting Herdzin as a virtuoso pianist performing neck-breaking solos and up to deeply contemplative ballads, where the listener can hear Herdzin the atmospheric painter. Secondly the trio work, which is absolutely stunning, is a superb example of creative cooperation in real time, which after all is what Jazz is all about. The dazzling displays of piano bravura are brilliantly supported at all times by the rhythm section, which at the time of the recording was probably the best in the country. My deeply lamented personal friend Zbigniew Wegehaupt, who left us at a ridiculous young age a year ago, was undoubtedly one of the greatest bassists to emerge on the local scene and drummer Cezary Konrad, with whom Herdzin works often, is probably to top drummer of the second Jazz generation in Poland.

This is a classic piano trio album in every respect, which should satisfy even the sternest and most capricious Jazz connoisseurs. Regardless if your champion is Chick Corea, Bill Evans or Herbie Hancock, you will find something here, which is of course first and foremost Herdzin's statement, but sits firmly in the same state of mind that these great Masters bestowed upon us. A timeless jewel!

Rudolf Dasek / Andrew Cyrille /Karel Ruzicka / Zbigniew Wegehaupt - Interlanding (1985)

Rudolf Dasek / Andrew Cyrille /Karel Ružicka / Zbigniew Wegehaupt

Rudolf Dašek, guitar
Karel Ružicka, piano
Zbigniew Wegehaupt, double bass
Andrew Cyrille, drums

Interlanding (1985)

Relationship between Polish and Scandinavian jazz are numerous and well known in contrast to links between Polish and Czech jazz. But they have one thing in common: there are among these collaborations the projects of the highest artistic caliber. This truth certainly applies to this disc which upon its rehearsal left me stupefied! Recorded in 1985 it sounds as fresh and forward-thinking as if it was done yesterday. 

Who was responsible for this awesome session? The leader of this project is Rudolf Dasek, born in 1933, a Czech guitarist who seems to me rather unknown outside his country. In 60ties he established trio with George Mraz but unlike this famous bassist he never left Czechoslovakia and consequently didn't make big international career. But believe me, in purely musical terms, he is equally outstanding artist as his having more luck compatriot. What astonishes in Dasek style is his versatility: he feels equally at ease in a typical mainstream play as when he starts experimenting. His sound if full, superbly articulated, his phrasing is rich and imaginative. To be honest though I admire Polish jazz a lot I simply do not find a guitarist of similar talent on our scene! 

That Dasek is the premium class artist is also evidenced by choice of musicians he invited for this session. Karel Ruzicka, a Czech pianist, is perhaps a little better known than Dasek himself. On Czech jazz scene he is a giant as much as, say, Jaromir Honzak or Otto Hejnic (I leave Miroslav Vitous in the same category as George Mraz since they both left country). His piano play is perfect supplement for leader's guitar: compassionate, alert, charismatic. 

Like Mal Waldron, Kenny Draw or most of all Ahmed Jamal Ruzicka is capable of perfectly linking soloing instrument (in this case guitar) with rhythm section. It consists of two great players: best known of all American drummer Andrew Cyrille and Polish bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt. Cyrille does not need introduction since he is a legend of avantgarde jazz drumming. As for Wegehaupt I can say about him the same I did about Ruzicka and Dasek: though he never made international career he was simply outstanding musician. In terms of bass players he was one of the best in Poland if not THE best. He played on Zbigniew Seifert's 'Kilimanjaro' and also colaborated with Zbigniew Namysłowski and Tomasz Stańko. You can easily find him on our Polish-Jazz blog as he played on hundreds recordings in Poland. 

Althogether these gentlemen created music that is as inspiring as fresh. Rooted in bop jazz, saturated by European influences of classical and chamber music, it looked far ahead and could be easily seen as important as works by Derek Bailey, Joe Morris or, recently, Mary Halvorson. Outstanding achievement!

By Maciej Nowotny
http://kochamjazz.blox.pl



Tracklisting:
1. Kocicí ocí - Olhos de gato (Carla Bley) 08:38
2. Jako vcera - Like Yesterday (Rudolf Dašek) 06:28
3. Fašank - Fashank (Rudolf Dašek) 08:44
4. Nech to tak - Let it stay (Karel Ružicka) 05:36
5. Vše,co zustalo - Everything That's Left (Rudolf Dašek) 06:57
6. Mezipristani - Inter-Landing (Rudolf Dašek) 09:12

Big Band Katowice – Music For My Friends (Polish Jazz Vol.52, 1978)

Big Band Katowice

guests:
Andrzej Olejniczak - tenor saxophone (3, 5)
Władysław Sendecki - piano (3, 5)
Jarosław Śmietana - guitar (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Zbigniew Wegehaupt - bass (1, 2, 4)

Music For My Friends (Polish Jazz Vol.52, 1978)

Katowice, the Capital of Upper Silesia - Poland's industrial region, was very important to the development of the Polish Jazz scene due to the fact that the local Music Academy was the first and for many years the only higher educational facility teaching a Jazz programme which awarded a degree in Music. The highly dedicated faculty and stuff directed generation after generation of young Polish musicians towards a career in Jazz music and in time the majority of the local Jazz scene was indeed a collection of the Katowice Music Academy alumni, the names of which are simply too numerous to mention. This phenomenon emphasizes the crucial importance of music education and its contribution to Culture. This album presents a Jazz Big Band led by trumpeter / composer Zbigniew Kalemba and comprising of the students of the Katowice Music Academy and guest soloists, some of which were ex-students, such as guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt, pianist Wladyslaw Sendecki and many others. They perform eight compositions, five of which are originals and three standards, all beautifully arranged and passionately performed. The majority of the music has a distinct Jazz-Rock Fusion feel, which is not surprising as the genre ruled the local scene in the late 1970s. Since the Polish Jazz series includes only a handful of Big Band recordings, this is a most valuable addition to the overall presentation of the Polish Jazz scene. Warmly recommended!

Track listing:

01. Happening
02. Lil' Darlin'
03. Sorcery
04. Ballada dla Alicji
05. Madrox
06. Hey, Man
07. Music For My Friend
08. Experience

By Adam Baruch
http://www.adambaruch.com/

Stanislaw Sojka – Blublula (Polish Jazz Vol.63, 1981)

Stanisław Soyka - vocals

Wojciech Karolak - piano, leader

Zbigniew Wegehaupt - bass
Czesław Bartkowski - drums

Blublula (Polish Jazz Vol.63, 1981)

This is the 2nd album by the excellent Polish Jazz vocalist Stanislaw Sojka, who dominated the male vocal spot on the local scene since the early 1980s and is still very much active today. Always in the gray area between Jazz, Gospel, Blues, Rhythm And Blues and even Pop, Sojka is a first rate interpreter and lately also composer. His live performances are legendary and his versatility is awe inspiring. This early album finds him in a superb company of top Polish Jazz players: pianist Wojciech Karolak, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and veteran drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski, a fantastic trio by any standard. He performs eight Jazz standards, but performed with flare and outstanding originality, using scat singing, playing with words and other improvisational techniques. This is a breathtaking performance, from start to finish, which every Jazz fan should be exposed to at some point. An absolute must!

Track Listing: A1. I’m just a lucky so and so (D. Ellington – M. David); A2. Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (R. Rodgers – O. Hammerstein II); A3. Satin Doll (D. Ellington – J. Mercer); A4. Blue Monk (T. Monk – S. Sojka); B1. I’ve Known Rivers (G. Bartz – G. Bartz); B2. Doxy (S. Rollins); B3. Naima (J. Coltrane); B4. P.S. (All Blues) (M. Davis)

By Adam Baruch

http://adambaruch.com/

Zbigniew Wegehaupt Quartet - Wege (Mazowieckie Centrum Kultury i Sztuki, 2005)

Zbigniew Wegehaupt Quartet (band)

Zbigniew Wegehaupt - double bass

Marcin Masecki - piano

Jerzy Małek - trumpet, flugelhorn
Sebastian Frankiewicz - drums

Wege (Mazowieckie Centrum Kultury i Sztuki, 2005)

Recently deceased Zbigniew Wegehaupt (born 1954) was significant figure on Polish jazz scene for decades. He cooperated with such eminent musicians like Zbigniew Namysłowski, Zbigniew Seifert or Janusz Muniak. But as a leader he was late starter since he debuted with 'Sake' in 1984. For his next release, above mentioned 'Wege', we had to wait another 20 years! But it was worthy to do that!

First, Wegehaupt picked very carefully musicians for this project. They were all young and all prodigiously talented. Moreover their inclinations went in different directions. For example Masecki was interested in avantgarde while Małek was closer to mainstream. That created interesting creative tension in this music. Second, the music written by Wegehaupt for this occasion is refined, sophisticated and deep. Third, a cooperation between musicians is exemplary. These guys really know their instruments perfectly and at the same time understand that jazz is all about team work. 

My only minor objection to this disc is that it is so conservative. I therefore choose to call it perfect example of "classic jazz music". Whether such a attitude in jazz music has any sense is another question. But even if it has I still feel that with artists of such a talent something more adventurous was possible and... pity that it didn't happen...  

Track listing: 1. Zambuko; 2. Manana; 3. Dziewczyna lipcowa; 4. Dominikowi W.; 5. Satoko; 6. Ewe; 7. Namapa; 8. Four Ross

By Maciej Nowotny
http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html

Zbigniew Namyslowski – The Last Concert (Polonia, 1992)

Zbigniew Namysłowski - flute, sax

Zbigniew Wegehaupt - bass
Maciej Strzelczyk - violin (5, 6)
Janusz Skowron - piano
Cezary Konrad - drums

The Last Concert (Polonia, 1992)

(Editor) Recorded „live” at The Jazz Jamboree, Warsaw, 24. October 1991

This is a brilliant album by veteran Polish saxophonist / composer Zbigniew Namyslowski, one of the pillars of modern Jazz in his country. A superb player and a gifted composer, Namyslowski first as a member of the Krzysztof Komeda's group and later as a leader of his numerous ensembles created excellent music and served as a model to generations of Jazz players in his country. This album, one of very few live recordings by Namyslowski, was captured at Warsaw's Jazz Jamboree festival and features one of the strongest quartets Namyslowski ever led, with pianist Janusz Skowron, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and drummer Cezary Konrad. Violinist Maciej Strzelczyk joins the quartet on a couple of tunes. All seven compositions performed are by Namyslowski and portray his wonderful sense of melody, polyrhythmic approach and tendency to incorporate World Music elements in his music. Two of the tracks are over 10 minutes long, which allows plenty of space for extensive improvisations. I have no idea why this album is entitled "The Last Concert" (perhaps this was the last concert with this particular quartet?), as this certainly wasn't Namyslowski's last live performance and he's still playing brilliantly twenty years later, to the delight to his many admirers and fans, as well as writing great music. For lovers of Polish Jazz, this is an absolute classic, which should be a part of any decent Jazz collection. Highly recommended!

Track List: 1. Total Incompetence; 2. Half Done Chicken; 3. Samba Under Control; 4. Something to Sing; 5. Five in One; 6.What's in Yemikoy; 7. Samba Przestawianka

By Adam Baruch
http://adambaruch.com/

Jarek Smietana – A Tribute To Zbigniew Seifert (2009) by Adam Baruch

Jarek Śmietana (guitars)

Piotr Wyleżoł (acoustic & electric piano)
Janusz Grzywacz (keyboards)
Zbigniew Wegehaupt (bass)
Adam Czerwiński (drums)
Sławek Berny (percussion)

A Tribute To Zbigniew Seifert (2010)

and guests:

- Jerry Goodman - violin (1)
- Mateusz Smoczyński - violin (2)
- Didier Lockwood - violin (3)
- Krzesimir Dębski - violin (4)
- Christian Howes - violin (5)
- Mark Feldman - violin (6)
- Maciej Strzelczyk - violin (7)
- Adam Bałdych - violin (8)
- Pierre Blanchard - violin (9)

This is a stunning tribute album to the Polish violin virtuoso / composer Zbigniew Seifert by the great Polish guitarist Jarek Smietana and his band: pianist Piotr Wylezol, bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt, drummer Adam Czerwinski and percussionist Slawek Berny. Keyboardist Janusz Grzywacz guests on two tracks. Smietana invited nine leading Jazz violinists to play along with this fabulous band, performing Seifert's wonderful compositions. They are: Jerry Goodman (ex-Mahavishnu Orchestra, USA), Mateusz Smoczynski (Poland), Didier Lockwood (France), Krzesimir Debski (Poland), Christian Howes (USA), Mark Feldman (USA), Maciej Strzelczyk (Poland), Adam Baldych (Poland) and Pierre Blanchard (France). These nine virtuosi play like there's no tomorrow and the resulting music is simply a breathtaking trip into Seifert's world. This is such a conglomerate of talent, that anything said beyond this would be simply superfluous. Simply grab this ASAP, as you are about to take trip of your life – violin heaven indeed!

Sample of great misci by Zbigniew Seifert:

Author: Adam Baruch
http://www.adambaruch.com/
check also his music boutique: https://www.jazzis.com/shop/

Janusz Trzcinski - The Book Of Job (1985-2007)

Krzysztof Zgraja (flute and piano)

Andrzej Przybielski (trumpet)

Zbigniew Wegehaupt (bass)

Janusz Trzcinski (drums)

Mieczyslaw Litwinski (sitar)

Milo Kurtis (percussion, Jew’s harp and trombita)

Andrzej Mitan (vocals)

Adam Baruch (narrator hebrew)

Juliusz Berger (narrator hebrew)

Ignacy Machowski (narrator german)

Jerzy Radziwiłowicz (narrator english)

Zdzisław Wardejn (narrator polish)

(Editor) This special recording is as interesting from musical as from historical point of view because its story is reflecting dramatic events in Poland after Solidarity movement became subdued through imposing martial law in 1981. All this in fascinating narration by Adam Baruch (his musique boutique www.jazzis.com):  

The tale of The Book Of Job project originates in 1981, when a group of Polish jazz musicians, actors and other intellectuals decided to stage a production based on one of the most dramatic biblical stories – the story of the sufferings God decided to put on Job to test his faith. To understand the context, one has to remember that at that time Poland was being torn apart by political and social upheaval, led by the “Solidarnosc” movement, in protest against the socialist regime. The political struggle included many strikes and demonstrations, some of which led to violent clashes with the police and people being shot or beaten to death. The biblical story of Job’s suffering seemed to many Poles as an allegory reflecting their situation. 

The project involved a musical suite written especially for the project and performed by top Polish jazz musicians, with fragments of text from the Book of Job being recited by actors. The premiere performance was presented during the 1981 Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw, with further performances scheduled all over Poland. However, on December 13, 1981 the Martial Law was announced in Poland as a last resort to save the regime from crumbling and all art activities were put on hold, with tanks occupying the streets of Warsaw. It seemed that the project was dead after just one performance. The Martial Law was finally lifted in 1983 and it was only a question of time when the Soviet Block was about to disintegrate, but the socialist government stayed in power till the end of the decade. 

In 1985 I received a call from some musician friends in Warsaw, inviting me to come over and co-produce a recording of “The Book Of Job” as well as take part in the expanded multi-lingual version of the project, by reciting the text in Hebrew (in addition to Polish, German and English). As much as I understood the Polish background and circumstances surrounding the project, my interior motives to take part in the project were quite different. I always considered the Book of Job as the closest biblical allegory to the fate of the Jewish People with the Holocaust symbolizing Job’s sufferings and the birth of the State of Israel as the outcome. Therefore realizing this project in Poland, where most of the Holocaust took place seemed more that appropriate to me. I was very excited by the prospect, but the possibility to actually undertake the venture seemed utterly impossible. I left Poland in 1967 and never visited the country since. My Polish citizenship was taken away when I left Poland, and at the time (1985) Poland and Israel had no diplomatic relationships. Poland and all other Socialist countries severed they diplomatic ties with Israel following the 1967 Six Days War, which meant there was no Polish Embassy in Israel, where I could get a Polish visa. In general no Polish visas were issued to Israeli citizens, especially those of Polish origin. My Polish friends started to thread the winding path of Polish bureaucracy and for some strange and completely incomprehensive reasons the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to grant me a visa for a few days, which I had to collect in Germany, something that was completely unheard off at the time. 

Finally in the bitterly cold late autumn (October) of 1985 I made the trip to Warsaw via Frankfurt and stepped on Polish soil for the first time in 18 years. I still remember the face of the Polish border police officer when I presented my Israeli passport at the Warsaw airport. I was of course a total nerve wreck, considering the fact that Poland was still very much a police state at that time, and constantly imagined that I could get arrested under any pretext at any given moment. For a few days I never stopped looking around trying to figure out if I’m being followed. Eventually the nervousness disappeared, mostly due to the warm reception I received from my friends, old and new alike. I flew to Krakow, where the production team and the musicians and actors assembled and we started rehearsing and then recording the music and the recitations. The recordings were done in a well-equipped studio, which was located behind the stage of the “Teatr Stu”. Everything went pretty smoothly and I stayed on for a couple of days to mix the tapes for the final master. After the production was over I went for a few days to visit Silesia, the southern, coal-mining part of Poland were I was born, and later on returned to Warsaw. I couldn’t take the master tapes with me, as these would surely be confiscated as illegal political unauthorized contraband, but I was promised they would be sent to me, as I planned to release them on my own Jazzis label, which I planned to start soon after. The producers also promised to release the album in Poland. 

A few days later I was back home in Israel and although I visited Poland many times later, I never heard about the project again. I lost contact with my Polish co-producers and although the tapes did land in my lap many years later, I left them untouched. Imagine my surprise when upon my recent visit to Poland a friend told me that the album was finally released just a few days before I arrived and even some reviews appeared in Polish papers (mentioning me) on the day I arrived. I was flabbergasted, angry for about 10 seconds (for not being consulted about this) and of course ecstatically happy to see this baby finally being born, after a 22 years long pregnancy. Especially so when I saw that the album was beautifully packaged in book format with splendid historical photographs (mine included, looking much younger of course). So much about the background of this album, and as to the contents, listening to it for the first time in so many years I must admit I’m more than proud to be associated with its creation. The music, performed by a wonderful septet of Polish jazz musicians, including Krzysztof Zgraja – flute and piano, Andrzej Przybielski – trumpet, Zbigniew Wegehaupt – bass, Janusz Trzcinski – drums, Mieczyslaw Litwinski – sitar, Milo Kurtis – percussion, Jew’s harp and trombita and Andrzej Mitan – vocals, resembles in spirit the Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew sessions, with plenty of space for solos performed over spacey / funky rhythmic patterns. The recitations are used as overlays, switching between the various languages, creating a dramatic collage effect over the music. Quite ambitious and far reaching in any respect and considering the fact that it was done 22 years ago, I’d say it was well ahead of its time. I suppose not everybody can enjoy this kind of creation as much as I do, but nevertheless it is a momentous piece of intellectual significance, cutting deeply into the listener’s soul, if listened to carefully and attentively.

Check music from this album:

Author of text: Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

Robert Majewski - Komeda (1995)

This recording dates back to 1995 and is kind of family business. Henryk Miśkiewicz is alto saxophonist while Michał Miśkiewicz, his son, is a drummer, well-known from his long term collaboration with Tomasz Stańko and Marcin Wasilewski. He also has a sister, Dorota Miśkiewicz, a talented pop and jazz singer.

On the other hand a senior of Majewski family, Henryk Majewski, trumpeter, is not present on this album but instead his son, Robert Majewski, is playing on this same instrument accompanied by his younger brother pianist Wojciech Majewski (his performance appeals to me most). The only musician outside these two families is Zbigniew Wegehaupt but only nominally since they all know each other for ages.

Good thing resulting from such a steup is that they are all playing technically impeccable and are communicating with each other perfectly. The music is very sweet and emotional. However it's well too polite and well-behaving as far as I am concerned. It does not bring this "sound of surprise" which I expect from good jazz recordings and I therefore treat is as rather uninspiring tribute to such a musical genius as Komeda was. Please, check this film to listen to a mellow and refined sound these musicians are capable to produce.

    

Janusz Muniak Quartet - Crazy Girl (1986)

This is 2010 CD re-print of vinyl album issued in 1996 and although on this blog I rather tend to focus on completely new things in Polish jazz, once I started to listen to this music in Empik music store I just couldn't resit and decided to buy it. Responsible for that is first track on this album, Crazy Girl, a very famous composition of legendary Krzysztof Komeda which is so  beautiful played here that you feel dumb and stunned for as long as music flows from speakers and then you simply cannot imagine yourself walking away without piece of this music in your pocket and mind.

Janusz Muniak is indeed one of true masters of Polish jazz coming from the same generation as Komeda, Stańko or Trzaskowski with whom he played of course for many years. He also started as leader in 70ties and continued later on recording significant material as this album testifies. 

As I said before the program of the album starts with Komeda Crazy Girl (please listen to the clip if you want to get to know this tune), then You Taught My Heart To Sing by McCoy Tyner follow, I Remember April comes third and CD ends with original penned by Muniak titled Znienacka ("Unexpectedly"). These tunes are so good I need not to comment on them with Muniak's original no less good. Apart from sensitive and powerful tenor of Muniak we meet on this CD on piano Wojciech Puszek, relatively unknown, but I must say that he plays astonishing jazz here, marvellous performance, on bass Zbigniew Wegehaupt, great Polish bassist who is in absolutely top form here, and on drums George Bruckner, whose play left me the least impressed.

Finally let me tell you one very important thing: Janusz Muniak started to play in early sixties in Cracow and since 50 years has passed if you ever visit this unforgettable city of Cracow you still may hear him playing in his own jazz club U Muniaka:   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPLg0uDB3U4&feature=player_embedded

Jarosław Śmietana Band - A Tribute To Zbigniew Seifert (2009) by Maciej Nowotny

Zbigniew Seifert, born in 1946, lived only 33 years, but nonetheless he earned himself a reputation of the best polish jazz violinist ever (contended only by Michał Urbaniak). In this short span of time he had fruitous collaboration with Tomasz Stańko and also managed to play with Joachinm Kuhn, Charlie Mariano and Oregon group, which was quite exceptional back in 70ties when communist goverment virtually locked up Polish artist from Western world. His brilliant carrer was interrupted by cancer with which he was figthing for long time. Just 3 months before death he recorded his farewell album titled Passion accompanied by Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, Eddie Gomes, Richie Beirach and Nana Vasconselos.

Guitarist Jarek Śmietana is no less prominent person in Polish Jazz and he worked together with Seifert on another of his legendary recording called Kilimanjaro. Thirty years after the departure of his friend he decided to venture on this specific project which turn out to be as succesul as it is ambitious. Jarek Śmietana Band consists of excellent pianist Piotr Wyleżoł, legendary bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and Janusz Grzywacz (keybord), Adam Czerwiński (drums) and Sławek Berny (percussion). But apart from these top musicians we encounter on this recording ten foreign and polish jazz violinits:

1. Kilimanjaro (with J. Goodman)

2. Where Are You Fron (with M. Smoczyński)

3. Passion (with. D. Lockwood)

4. Quo Vadis (with K. Dębski)

5. City Of Spring (with Ch. Howes)

6. Way To Oasis (with M. Felman)

7. Taniec Garbusa (with M. Strzelczyk)

8. Untitled Song (with A. Bałdych)

All compositions are Seifert's but newly arranged by Śmietana.  Addition of different violinist to each song makes the rehearsal of this album similar to the riding on the rollercoster but the one you really like to be on, in short it is simply pure joy. Great recording for the lovers of jazz violin!

Author: Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html