Adam Bałdych – „Portraits”

Adam Bałdych

Adam Bałdych – skrzypce, skrzypce renesansowe
Sebastian Zawadzki – fortepian, pianino preparowane
Marek Konarski – saksofon tenorowy
Andrzej Święs – kontrabas
Dawid Fortuna – perkusja
Kari Sál – głos
Piotr Odoszewski – głos

Wydawnictwo: Imaginary Music

Tekst: Mateusz Chorążewicz

Adam Bałdych od lat wypracowuje własny, rozpoznawalny język muzyczny – pełen elegancji, skupienia i emocjonalnej powściągliwości. Najnowszy album „Portraits” to kolejny rozdział tej konsekwentnej drogi. Z jednej strony mamy tu wszystko, czego można by się spodziewać po artyście tej klasy: dopracowane aranże, pełną kontrolę nad brzmieniem i zespołem, a z drugiej – subtelne poszerzenie granic estetycznych, które czyni ten album bardziej refleksyjnym niż efektownym.

Sebastian Zawadzki - Viridian (2022)

Sebastian Zawadzki

Sebastian Zawadzki - fortepian

Viridian (2022)

Tekst: Jędrzej Janicki

Współczesny pejzaż polskiej jazzowej pianistyki solowej prezentuje się całkiem okazale. Choć niekwestionowanym mistrzem tej konwencji pozostaje dla mnie Sławek Jaskułke (burza braw za płytę The Son), to zaszczytne miejsce wśród śmiałków mierzących się z tak trudnym wyzwaniem jak granie solo niewątpliwie zajmuje Sebastian Zawadzki. Ten zamieszkały w Kopenhadze muzyk dał się Urbi et Orbi poznać znakomitą debiutancką autorską płytą Luminescence. Ta w pojedynkę (a jakże) nagrana płyta zachwycała dosłownie każdym aspektem muzycznego kunsztu Zawadzkiego – wirtuozerską biegłością, wyczuciem frazy i melodii, czystym brzmieniem i melodiami łączącymi klasyczne inspiracje z dużą dozą polishjazzowej melancholii. Wobec wydanej osiem lat później płyty Viridian litanię tych samych pochwał można tak naprawdę powtórzyć. No właśnie, powtórzyć. Zawadzki, choć jest chyba jeszcze delikatniejszy i głębszy we frazowaniu, to jednak zasadniczo swojego języka artystycznej wypowiedzi nie zmienia. Choć oczywiście nie ma takiego obowiązku, to od tak nieprzeciętnie utalentowanego artysty (nie bójmy się słów!) oczekiwać można próby osiągnięcia i poznawanie coraz to innych (być może wyższych?) rejonów muzycznego uniwersum. I choć w swojej stylistyce Zawadzki to klasa sama w sobie, to pewna powtarzalność jego nagrań pozostawić może mały niedosyt…

Jazzpocalypse feat. Caterina Palazzi - Sisyphonic (2017)

Jazzpocalypse feat. Caterina Palazzi - Sisyphonic

Jakub Skowroński - saxophone
Sebastian Zawadzki - piano, keys
Wojciech Świeca - guitar
Caterina Palazzi - double bass
Janosch Pangritz - drums

Sisyphonic



SAINT LOUIS JAZZ COLLECTION 017.1

By Adam Baruch

This is the second album by the quartet Jazzpocalypse, which comprises of Polish saxophonist Jakub Skowroński, keyboardist Sebastian Zawadzki, guitarist Wojciech Świeca and German drummer Janosch Pangritz, expanded to a quintet with the addition of Italian bassist Caterina Palazzi. The album presents ten original compositions, two by Skowronski, three by Zawadzki, two by Swieca and three by Pangritz.

The music is typical contemporary European mainstream Jazz, with solid compositions and excellent improvisations by the ensemble members. The tunes are melody based and present diverse approaches used by the four young composers, each creating a slightly different sonic world, but with all the compositions adding up to a coherent musical kaleidoscope. Some of the tunes are pretty straightforward, some are close to Jazz-Rock Fusion, mostly due to the strong presence of the electric guitar and yet others are relatively open and feature less restrained improvisations.

The performances are all top notch, with the soloing evenly distributed between the front line players and a steady solid background provided by the rhythm section. All Jazz and Fusion connoisseurs should be able to find a lot to their liking here, and overall the album is a great fun to listen to, but also full of European Jazz aesthetics, superb compositions and depth rarely found across the pond. The album definitely fulfills the expectations that the group's semi-official debut released some years ago managed to create. Hopefully we won't have to wait so long for their next release!

Paweł Wszołek Quintet - Faith (2016)

Paweł Wszołek Quintet

Mateusz Śliwa – tenor saxophone
Łukasz Kokoszko – guitar
Sebastian Zawadzki – piano
Paweł Wszołek – double bass
Szymon Madej – drums

Faith

FOR TUNE 0106

By Krzysztof Komorek

"Faith" to już druga płyta, którą Paweł Wszołek nagrał z własnym zespołem. Tego muzyka uważni słuchacze mieli okazję poznać nie tylko przy okazji jego autorskich projektów. Wszołek pojawia się także w składach uznanych i nagradzanych w ostatnich latach zespołów Franciszka Raczkowskiego czy Darka Dobroszczyka. W nagraniu "Faith" Pawłowi towarzyszyli muzycy, z którymi współpracuje od lat: Łukasz Kokoszko – gitara, Szymon Madej – perkusja oraz Sebastian Zawadzki – fortepian. Ten kwartet uzupełniony został tym razem o saksofonistę Mateusza Śliwę.

Nagrania na "Faith" są bez wyjątku dziełem lidera. Sam tytuł płyty, jak i nazwy poszczególnych kompozycji, mają swoją genezę – jak to zaznacza sam muzyk – w głębokiej wierze i poznawaniu Boga. Czy w związku z tym należy po "Faith" oczekiwać materiału, który – muzycznie – sięgać będzie po motywy religijnych pieśni ? Otóż nie. Ta płyta nie jest bowiem odniesieniem do religijnych obrzędów, ale opowieścią o osobistych odczuciach związanych z wiarą, a kompozycje tworzące tę narrację, to nowoczesny i bardzo ciekawy jazz.

Dość długie nagrania – w większości przekraczające siedem minut – dają możliwość rozwinięcia poszczególnych tematów, zarówno w grze zespołowej, jak i w solowej prezentacji poszczególnych instrumentalistów. Utwór "7" to swoisty zbiór mini-duetów, rozmów kontrabasu z innymi instrumentami. Spokojny i nastrojowy "Ojciec Niebieski" w przeważającej części jest  - znów - duetem kontrabasu i fortepianu, z krótką gitarową wstawką i delikatnym wspomaganiem ze strony perkusji. "Skała" zaczyna się dość spokojnie, by po kilku minutach przejść w grę nieco rozedrganą i bardziej drapieżną, zahaczającą o pierwiastek abstrakcji. "Gość" to kapitalne, równolegle grane sola gitary i saksofonu przechodzące w dłuższy popis pianisty, a następnie perkusisty. Zamykający płytę "Dar Wiary" prowadzony jest rewelacyjnie zagraną linią basu i zaskakuje sprytnie pomieszanymi odniesieniami stylistycznymi oraz fantastycznie zagraną przez sekcję rytmiczną końcówką.

Trzeba przyznać, że samo umiejscowienie się przez lidera w tych nagraniach jest bardzo pomysłowe. Z jednej strony nie ogranicza się on do roli jedynie dyskretnie pozostającego w tle dyrygenta, z drugiej nie stara się na siłę wyeksponować swojej obecności na pierwszym planie. Można powiedzieć, że kontrabas jest tu (kontynuując wątek z genezy powstania płyty) przewodnikiem dla pozostałych instrumentów. "Wierzę, że w muzyce chodzi o coś więcej niż bardzo dobrze zagrane przez grupę wykonawców różne wysokości dźwięków i to pragnąłem zawrzeć na płycie. Mam nadzieję, że to ‚więcej’ będzie odczuwalne i że będzie poruszało serca słuchających" – tak swoje oczekiwania wobec "Faith" opisywał sam Paweł Wszołek. Muszę przyznać, że te założenia udało mu się w pełni zrealizować.

Paweł Wszołek Quintet - trasa promująca nowy album "Faith"

05.10.2016 - Kraków - MDK Dom Harcerza
06.10.2016 - Warszawa - Studio Koncertowe PR im. W. Lutosławskiego
07.10.2016 - Wrocław - Vertigo Jazz Club

Mateusz Śliwa – saksofon
Łukasz Kokoszko – gitara
Sebastian Zawadzki – fortepian

Paweł Wszołek – kontrabas
Grzegorz Pałka – perkusja

Paweł Wszołek Quintet to zespół, który chce stanowić alternatywę do muzyki o niskiej wartości artystycznej, która tak często proponowana jest słuchaczom. Muzycy młodego pokolenia, ludzie o świeżej wizji i wielu pomysłach, za cel stawiają sobie promowanie muzyki wartościowej, nie zamkniętej w schematach, a jednocześnie niosącej ponadczasowe przesłanie. Zespół wykonuje kompozycje lidera, Pawła Wszołka.

Paweł Wszołek - kompozytor i kontrabasista młodego pokolenia, urodzony w 1991 r. Ukończył klasyczną szkołę muzyczną, początkowo na skrzypcach, następnie na kontrabasie. Jest absolwentem Akademii Muzycznej w Krakowie, gdzie uczył się gry na kontrabasie u Macieja Adamczaka. Aktualnie zaangażowany w wiele projektów jazzowych oraz rozrywkowych. Założył własny zespół, z którym nagrał płytę "Choice". Laureat festiwalu Jazz Wolności z zespołem Paweł Wszołek Quintet (2016), laureat Bielskiej Zadymki Jazzowej z zespołem Franciszek Raczkowski Trio (2016), laureat IV edycji Jazzowego Debiutu Fonograficznego z zespołem Apprentice (2015), zdobywca Grand Prix na Festiwalu Jazz Juniors z zespołem Darek Dobroszczyk Trio (2014), laureat festiwalu Azoty Jazz Contest z zespołem Apprentice (2014). 

Sebastian Zawadzki Trio & Strings – Euphony (2015)

Sebastian Zawadzki Trio & Strings

Sebastian Zawadzki - piano
Johannes Vaht - bass
Morten Lund - percussion
Sofie Meyer - 1st violin
Polyxeni Zavitsanou - 1st violin
Kalina Wasilewska - 2nd violin
Susan Bregston - viola
Valeriya Sholokova - cello


Euphony

FOR TUNE 0077

By Adam Baruch

This is the second album released on For Tune Records by the Polish Jazz pianist/composer Sebastian Zawadzki, who in spite of his young age has already quite an impressive portfolio of achievements to his credit, which includes several albums and notable soundtracks of Polish movies. Zawadzki, who currently resides in Copenhagen, like numerous other young Polish Jazz musicians, who studied there and decided to settle in Denmark, recorded this album at the Danish Royal Academy of Music with an international team of musicians. It features his piano trio with Swedish bassist Johannes Vaht and Danish drummer Morten Lund and a string quartet comprising of musicians from different countries. The album presents twelve original compositions, all by Zawadzki, which encompass solo piano, trio, string quartet and septet (trio & strings) lineups.

The music is beautifully melodic, romantic and lyrical, smoothly amalgamating Jazz and Classical elements with taste and elegance. Although this kind of music often borders on muzak or schmaltz, Zawadzki manages to avoid crossing the line and keeps the music ambitious and accessible at the same time. The idea of using different instrumental lineups saves this album from sounding somewhat monotonous, which is always a danger. Of course some listeners might find it too "pretty", but honestly serene, harmonious, well composed and beautifully played music is always a blissful aesthetic experience.

It is interesting to compare this album with his previous For Tune release ("Luminescence"), which was a solo piano outing recorded over two years earlier. Zawadzki made quite a leap forward with his music, as evident on this new album, and learned to avoid many of the tribulations present on the earlier recording, which is commendable. This album is of course a complete anomaly in the For Tune catalog, a proof of the label's continuous search for new areas where good music thrives, which is greatly appreciated.

Zawadzki/Praśniewski/Wośko – Tage (2013)

Zawadzki/Praśniewski/Wośko

Sebastian Zawadzki - piano
Mariusz Praśniewski - double bass
Radek Wośko drums

Tage

MULTIKULTI MPJ 009



By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by a young Polish Jazz trio comprising of pianist Sebastian Zawadzki, bassist Mariusz Praśniewski and drummer Radek Wośko. The album was recorded in Odense (Denmark) where the trio members studied music at the time of the recording at the local Academy, where many other Polish musicians also study music in the last decade. The album presents eight original compositions, five by Zawadzki, one by Wosko and two collective compositions by all three members of the trio.

Although recorded at the early stages of their career, this album shows the musicians searching and exploring the Jazz idiom with a youthful carefree approach, not yet bounded by convention and "proper" norms. The music is melodic and falls within the mainstream classic piano trio setting, but it is also pretty adventurous and at times even unconventional.

Technically both the pianist and the rhythm section are proficient and sound professional. Zawadzki shows early signs of his brilliant technique, which will blossom a bit later, as evident on his subsequent albums. Praśniewski plays beautifully, with great feel and intrinsic melodious elegance, always exactly when his support is needed, and so does Wośko, who manages to keep the volume of his drums at a suitable level, not being obstructive with his solo spots being truly inspired.

The two collective compositions are much more open and improvised than the strictly composed pieces, and are the highlights of this album, showing the trio's experimentation and more ambitious approach. Zawadzki's tunes are a bit too sweet at times, but definitely not crossing over into the sugary muzak. Overall a very impressive debut, which is just a glimpse at these talented young musicians, a sonic document caught for posterity. It is definitely nothing to be ashamed of and can be proudly mentioned in their respective CVs as a jumpstart success.

Paweł Wszołek – Choice (2015)

Paweł Wszołek

Łukasz Kokoszko - guitar
Sebastian Zawadzki - piano
Paweł Wszołek - double bass
Szymon Madej - drums

Choice

FRESH SOUND 478



By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by young Polish Jazz bassist Paweł Wszołek recorded with his quartet with also includes guitarist Łukasz Kokoszko, pianist Sebastian Zawadzki and drummer Szymon Madej. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Wszołek and was released on the Spanish Fresh Sound label as part of the prestigious New Talent series.

The music is all within the melodic modern mainstream boundaries, solid and well crafted, but not particularly ambitious. It is, however, excellently executed, especially due to the superb piano parts by Zawadzki and sensitive drumming my Madej, who have both already appeared with great success on other Polish Jazz recordings in the last few years. Wszołek also plays well, handling the bass solos with self confidence and playing alongside his cohorts amicably. Of course, although he is the quartet's leader, playing a bass solo on every track of the album is a bit excessive. The guitar, however, I find a bit overbearing, as it is loud in the mix and its sound is slightly harsh (too much echo?), not fitting ideally to the acoustic piano trio setting of the rest of the band. Stylistically the round guitar sounds are definitely way too related to Pat Metheny for my taste.

Nevertheless this is still a very strong debut effort, which should satisfy most mainstream Jazz fans and serve as a sold proof of the talents of these young musicians, who are after all at the very early stages of their career. I look forward to hear more of Wszołek's music in the future, after he matures a bit and gains the experience so much needed when playing Jazz.

Sebastian Zawadzki - Luminescence (2014)

Sebastian Zawadzki - piano

Luminescence (2014)










By Maciej Nowotny

We witness here on this blog many debuts that are often good or very good. It usually means that young musicians mastered their instrument to the degree allowing them a free pursuit of their own artistic destiny. But few of them do that. There is a vast difference between becoming the musician and... the artist. The more we appreciate when it happens that the debutante turns out to be at the same time a unique artistic individuality. This is a case with the pianist Sebastian Zawadzki.

Approximately two years ago he started to bomb us with his albums issued at a rate of machine gun. In 2012 "Tone Raw" by  Tone Raw, in 2013 "Live at Torun" by International Jazzpocalypse and "Tage" by Zawadzki / Prasniewski / Wosko featured him as a member of young promising bands. Although he was only one of many in these projects but I immediately realized that the scale of his talent hugely exceeds what is usual, typical or ordinary. It was obvious he is singing the song that is entirely his own. Even then I was wondering what this young artist may accomplish if he decides to speak in his own name.

Much earlier than one could expect he was given by For Tune Records an opportunity to record his own album. I then learnt with great surprise that he intends to record a solo recital with all originals composed by himself. That sounded to me extremely risky and I was waiting for the outcome of this challenge with impatience accompanied by some apprehension. But the result of this enterprise leaves me not just satisfied but rather astonished as much by Zawadzki's courage but first of all by the mastery, so rare in so young the artist, with which he accomplished his idea.

And this idea is to create on this album his own peculiar world. Built upon very strong inheritance of classical music, saturated with unique Polish sense of blues and animated by the spirit of jazz improvisation. But it is first and foremost the treatise on the melody.  Melody that is so often in retreat in modern jazz which is sort of dominated by free jazz tradition where collective improvisation in a sense limits the possibility of using the melody. Zawadzki does not follow this path. Neither he is imitating anybody from the past as much of jazz or of classical music. The uniqueness of his voice lays in its utter simplicity, the innocence, the unpretentiousness with which he reveals his most intimate emotions. This album contains music that should not be overlooked as it stands out as one of most potent messages I heard from Polish jazz musicians in recent years even if spoken in so simple and childlike words. Outstanding achievement!

International Jazzpocalypse - Live in Torun (2013)

International Jazzpocalypse (band)

Kuba Skowronski - saxophone
Wojtek Swieca - guitar
Sebastian Zawadzki - piano
Asger Nordtorp Pedersen - bass
Janosch Pangritz - drums

Live in Torun (2013)

Text by Maciej Nowotny

Every now and then there happens in Polish jazz a debut so good that it heralds the emergence of strong and unique personality that may join those who give direction to this music in our country. We were recently awed by the fantastic debut of the band called Tone Raw (check Adam Baruch's review) featuring young pianist Sebastian Zawadzki. And now in comes his second album and it is at least equally interesting showing clearly that Zawadzki's star is ascending.

Born in 1991 in Toruń he is one of many talented lads who in recent years studied in Music Academy in Odense, Denmark. Together with Tomasz Dąbrowski, Tomek Licak and Marek Kądziela they form kind of "Danish Wave" in Polish jazz. They all can be characterized as having both high level of competence on their respective instruments AND openness for what is alive and actual in contemporary jazz. 

One additional feature which can attributed to these young musicians is an ease with which they mingle with their peers not only from Poland but also from Scandinavia, Germany, other European countries and from the U.S. Most of their projects are "international" with modern jazz being a common language which allows youth from so many different countries and cultures to work together. In itself a great thing especially when so successful from artistic point of view.

Apart from above mentioned Zawadzki on piano we find here his compatriots  Jakub Skowroński on saxophone and Wojtek Świeca on guitar. Their playing is outstanding! Skowroński tone is sparing but very elegant, it resembles a bit Wayne Shorter thoughtful style. Świeca also makes an excellent impression on me: emphatic  compassionate, blending well with whole ensemble which is not so often met in young musicians.

Danish-German rhythm section consisting of, respectively, bassist Asger Nordtrop and drummer Janosh Pangritz cannot be praised too much! I am especially impressed by Pangritz whose play is very individual and additionally he composed or co-composed three pieces out of four on this album. All these young artists seem to have bright future ahead of them. Their class impressed me even more when taking into account that though young they also work magnificently as a collective. 

The result is music that can be described as modern mainstream: enough adventurous to attract those interested in avantjazz yet very communicative so it can appeal to those who value a lot more traditional jazz language. In short, a brilliant achievement of these young musicians!

Polish-Jazz blog provides media patronage for new album by Tone Raw !!!

Tone Raw

Marek Konarski - saxophone
Sebastian Zawadzki - piano
Thomas Kolarczyk - bass
Kuba Gudz - drums

Tone Raw (2012)

Tone Raw is a band formed in 2012 by young instrumentalists who study in Academies of Music in Berlin and Odense in Denmark. Their music is based in traditional European jazz inspired by ethnic sounds from Germanic, Scandinavian and Slavic nations. Musical heritage and new compositions results in unique mixture of tradition and modernity. Marek Konarski's spontaneous saxophone and lyrical harmony of Sebastian Zawadzki's piano meets rhythm section of drummer Kuba Gudz and Thomas Kolarczyk on the double bass who played with each other in many bands in Berlin. Tone Raw instrumentalits have been awarded in many contests and festival, such us European Jazz Contest in Rome, Novum Jazz Festival and Jazz Juniors in Cracow, Tarnów Jazz Contest or Young Jazz and Blues Bands Contest in Gdynia. Despite the young age, musicians who formed Tone Raw have played concerts throughout the whole world (Poland, Denmark, Germany, Italy Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, USA, Russia etc.).

Their first album, named after the band Tone Raw, is a result of winning Jazz Debut Album program subsidized by Institute of Music and Dance in Poland and financial help from Office of the Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship. It was recorded in Tokarnia Studio in Nieporęt in August 2012. Before the recordings band was played the tour in Poland during which spontaneous improvisations turn into the tunes that are included in this album full of enthusiasm and energy coming from the new experience. Besides new compositions by the band, Tone Raw includes Svantetic by Krzysztof Komeda in Sebastian Zawadzki's interpretation.

"The real substance of that music came from looking for the truth about ourselves. Whole concept was born in the distanced Fyn island in Odense where we had met to express our need to create. Monotony and rawness of that place influenced us so much that it resulted in our music. It's peaceful and balanced without exaggeration but with tempestuous character. We think that the biggest beauty lies in the simplicity".

Tone Raw - Tone Raw (2012)

Marek Konarski - saxophone
Sebastian Zawadzki - piano
Thomas Kolarczyk - bass
Kuba Gudz - drums

SOS 12012






By Adam Baruch

This is a phenomenal debut album by a young (very young) Polish Jazz quartet Tone Raw, which consists of saxophonist Marek Konarski, pianist Sebastian Zawadzki, bassist Thomas Kolarczyk and drummer Kuba Gudz. All four are music students, two of them in Berlin and two others in Odense, Denmark (where many Polish young musicians set out to study Jazz at the local Academy of Music). The album consists of nine tracks, five of which were composed by the pianist, one each by the saxophonist and the drummer, one by a fellow Danish student and one by the godfather of Polish Jazz Krzysztof Komeda, which is performed solo by the pianist. The album was recorded at the Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan Smoczynski, with the usual spectacular sonic result.

It is truly impossible to guess the age of these musicians just from listening to the album, as they project incredible maturity both as performers and composers. The music, which although is based on solid melodic themes, is full of space and freedom, allowing the players and the listener to float willingly somewhere in the vicinity without being constrained in any way. The melodies have a subtle, but recognizable ethnic influence, which encompasses such diverse (culturally) areas as Eastern Europe, Middle East or Scandinavia. But in spite the different influences, the music presents quite a recognizable stylistic unity, which is extremely rare among young ensembles. Zawadzki, who is the most prominent composer on this album, and who also plays the solo piano piece, is perhaps at the focal point herein, but it seems that the teamwork and mutual respect shift the focal point towards the cooperative effort rather than individual statements.

The overall effect of the album is typical European Jazz aesthetics, which not only refuses to be forgotten, but keeps pushing the envelope of the genre further and further away from its 20^th Century sources, traditions and limitations. These youngsters understand subconsciously that Jazz, Classical Music and Folklore are simply different manifestations of the same Cultural asset, a resource, which one can explore at will, guided only by one's intrinsic sense of beauty, intelligence and above all talent. And there is certainly a lot of talent on this album.

These players and their music deserve the attention of Polish Jazz enthusiasts, as they certainly have a lot of potential, which they have just started to explore. If this is their starting point, one might only wonder what they are capable of creating in the not too distant future. Definitely a striking debut effort!