Acoustic Acrobats – Live (2012)

Acoustic Acrobats (band)

Piotr Skupniewicz
Bogusław Zięba
Jacek Hołubowski
Adam Leśniak
Jacek Fedkowicz

Live (2012)

This is the debut album by the excellent Polish Jazz-World Fusion ensemble Acoustic Acrobats, which comprises of clarinetist Piotr Skupniewicz, accordionists Jacek Holubowski and Boguslaw Zieba, bassist Jacek Fedkowicz and drummer Adam Lesniak. The album, recorded live, includes ten original tracks composed by the ensemble members: seven by Holubowski, one each by Zieba and Skupniewicz and the remaining one co-composed by Zieba and Skupniewicz. There is also a bonus track with one of the composition given a studio overhaul with surprising results. The band lists their manager, lighting and transport man occasional vocalist Damian Rekas as a sixth member, so I'll comply as well.

The unusual instrumental lineup of the ensemble sets them almost immediately apart from most other Jazz-World Fusion groups. They produce quite an innovative overall sound, with the two accordions collaborating wonderfully, complimented by the great rhythm section, with the clarinet wailing on top. Although the Jazz component is often quite subtle, it is nevertheless the driving force pushing the ensemble at all times and allowing for the extended improvised sections.

The World Music influences are quite varied and include Balkan, Jewish, Klezmer, Latin American and African spices, all used with moderation and good taste. The music is after all original, with distinctive melodies and climates, with the World Music additions ornamenting it rather than dictating the final result. The individual instrumental abilities of these musicians are beyond reproach and often border on virtuosity. The level of interplay and mutual respect is also commendable.

Experience tells that this kind of music sounds the best when heard live and therefore the unconventional decision of releasing a live album as a debut is definitely the correct one. The fact that it also is the least expensive way to record an album is secondary in this case.

Overall this is a first rate album, which is pure fun to listen to, without being simplistic or vulgar. In fact this music is quite complex musically and hides many wonderful moments, which will be revealed by repeated listening.

This is definitely a band worth following, going to hear them play in concerts if possible and now also waiting for their next album. Kudos!

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

Tracklisting: 1. Judasz 2. Old School Song 3. Free Acrobats 4. A Lot Things Happened 5. Sevdenka 6. Tu Est 7. Fun Key 8. Zimra 9. Shoboolah 10. Belgrad 11. Shoboolah

Hans Peter Salentin - Blue Window (2012)

Hans Peter Salentin - trumpet

Kuba Stankiewicz - piano
Roman Chraniuk - bass
Marcin Jahr - drums
Julia Sawicka - vocal

Guests:
Cheryl Pyle Flute/ Vocal / Lyrics on Track 6)
Dirk Rumig Bassclarinett ( Track 1/3/5)

Blue Window (2012)

Hans Peter Salentin is a trumpeter from Germany who visited Poland for the first time approx. 20 years ago. He particpated then as a teacher in Pulawy Jazz Workshops where he met with such giants of Polish scene as Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski or Henryk Majewski. Acquaintances he made there resulted in the tours with such prominent Polish players like Jarosław Śmietana, Piotr Baron, Zbigniew Namyslowski or Jacek Niedziela. He collaborated also with Zbigniew Wegehaupt and Cezary Konrad playing concerts and performing during festivals or workshops.

Few years ago while teaching at Leszno workshop Salentin refreshed again some of connections with his long time friends in Poland, among them pianist Kuba Stankiewicz, and met vocalist Julia Sawicka who was one of the organizers of this workshop. Subsequently Sawicka invited him to play on her debut album "Breathing Space" (2011). This experience was so fruitful that they decided to meet all again this time on Salentin's own project "Blue Window". Apart from Sawicka and Stankiewicz he invited to this session bassist Roman Chraniuk and drummer Marcin Jahr. This line-up was completed by American flutist / vocalists Cheryl Pyle  and German clarinetist Dirk Rumig, musicians with whom Salentin's collaborated on his previous projects. 

The music on this album is gentle, tender and relaxing in mood. It was composed after Fukushima and is dedicated by Salentin (who composed all tunes but one) to his Japanese and Polish friends. The innocent emotionality which pervades this music redeems the predictability of its form. Well-placed in the mainstream of jazz it is reminiscent of some of Chet Baker best works which though not perfect from musical point of view were nonetheless deeply moving because of its straighforwardness and authencity. 

By Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl 

Tracklisting: 1 Blue Window 2 Mongolian Song 3 Greenwall 4 Mr. B Was Here 5 Lake of Unspoken Words 6 Wishes and Dreams 7 Trip Down Memory Lane 8 Over the Years ( Tokyo) 9 All the Things You Are

Wojtek Mazolewski - Grzybobranie (2009)

Wojciech Mazolewski - bass

Candelaria Saenz Valiente - vocal, tuba
Irek Wojtczak - saxophone
Tomek Duda - saxophone
Kamil Szuszkiewicz - trumpet
Tomasz Ziętek - trumpet
Marcin Masecki - piano
Łukasz Moskal - drums
Kuba Staruszkiewicz - drums
Konstanty Czartoryski - voice
Wojtek Zralek Kossakowski - voice

Grzybobranie (2009)

This is the debut solo album by Polish bassist / composer Wojtek Mazolewski, well-known as the founder / leader of the legendary Polish Jazz ensemble Pink Freud, which managed to achieve considerable success on the local and international scene. He is supported on this album by a group of musicians, who were at the time members of Pink Freud or were associated with the group in one way or another. They are: trumpeters Kamil Szuszkiewicz and Tomasz Zietek, saxophonists Irek Wojtczak and Tomasz Duda, pianist Marcin Masecki and his wife Candelaria Saenz Valiente, who provided the vocal parts, drummer Kuba Staruszkiewicz and percussionist Lukasz Moskal. The album includes nine tracks, which although not specifically accredited to Mazolewski on the album's cover, are his compositions.

Recorded shortly after the excellent "Alchemia" album, which Mazolewski recorded with Pink Freud, this solo album is in many respects a continuation of the musical direction initiated there, i.e. a return to highly improvised Jazz. The music is not completely free and is based on pre-composed motifs, but with a lot of freedom awarded to the individual musicians, leading to lengthy expanded improvisations. Being very atmospheric, it develops slowly from delicate hints and low volume statements, gradually arriving at magnificent crescendos, with all the musicians playing together. There are many World-Music influences, some more obvious than others, like the distinctive Flamenco feel on the pieces featuring the Spanish vocals, which Candelaria delivers with a chilling sensitivity.

Although all the performances on this album are truly outstanding, I personally think that the work done by Masecki is the dominant factor, which turns this music from excellent to absolutely brilliant. The piano parts just keep everything together, filling the blanks and hinting towards the possible directions to be taken by the entire ensemble. Although not really up-front most of the time, his contribution is simply invaluable.

This is a complex album, which requires several (if not many) listening session in order to truly digest it and to appropriately comprehend its depth as well as appreciate its beauty. Regardless of one's favorite Jazz sub-genre, there is definitely something for everybody here, without compromising the quality or musical truthfulness herein.

This is something no serious Polish Jazz lover should ignore, so if you don't have it yet, get it as soon as possible. This stuff is timeless and although only a few years old, already feels like a classic.

By Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

Tracklisting: 1. Grzybobranie [07:26] 2. Roztrojenie Jaźni [03:09:00] 3. Unde Melum [06:14] 4. Rezerwat Dzikich Stworzeń [05:41] 5. Aprowizacja [05:16] 6. Picada [03:00] 7. Zyzn eto smiesznaja i głupia sztuka [04:16] 8. Spacer Po Trawie [04:18] 9. Unde Bonum [10:01]

3 Jazz Soldiers – Odlamkowa (2012)

3 Jazz Soldiers (band)

Krzysztof Misiak – gitara
Filip Sojka – bas
Grzegorz Grzyb – perkusja

Odlamkowa (2012)

This is the debut album by the Polish Jazz-Rock / Fusion trio 3 Jazz Soldiers, led by the veteran guitarist Krzysztof Misiak, with bassist Filip Sojka and drummer Grzegorz Grzyb. Of the twelve tracks on the album, four are original composition by Misiak and the rest are Jazz and Rock standards ranging from Miles Davis to the Beatles.

The group is a typical Jazz-Rock power trio with a stronger Rock than Jazz affiliation rhythmically, but the music is mostly improvised, as appropriate for the Jazz-Rock milieu. The guitar is of course the most dominant instrument, leading the music most of the time, with the rhythm section providing all the background and basis for the leader to ride upon. The bassist has very nice chops and the drummer is rock-steady and keeps time, which in these circumstances is exactly what the doctor prescribed.

Misiak is a gifted and very experienced player, who is able to make his guitar sound "retro", which is quite nice and effective. The overall atmosphere of the album is very much the 1970s, which in this case is a good thing. The selection of tunes is versatile enough to present a whole spectrum of guitar bravado, from slow and smoky ballads to up-tempo energetic rockers. The music is funky and enough to dead dance.

There are no great musical innovations or challenges here, this is good time stuff, which is meant to entertain, something music should definitely do, at least occasionally. But being entertaining without being vulgar or overly simplistic is rare these days and this album is just a nice example how to do it.

For guitar aficionados this is a must, especially those, who like the Rocky side of Jazz-Rock / Fusion. Definitely worth investigating!

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



Tracklisting:
1. Summertime (G.Gershwin) feat. Roch Poliszczuk – voice
2. Król Kanapy [King of The Couch] (K.Misiak)
3. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (M.Jagger/K.Richards)
4. You Can’t Do That (J.Lennon/P.McCartney)
5. Ryba, Ręcznik [Fish, Towel] (K.Misiak)
6. Jean Pierre (M.Davis)
7. Highway to Hell (B.Scott/A.Young/M.Young)
8. Blues 816 (K.Misiak) feat. Dave Latchaw – synth solo
9. Norwegian Wood (J.Lennon/P.McCartney)
10. Get Back (J.Lennon/P.McCartney)
11. Wykryto Niepewne Prawidłowości [Detected Uncertain Regularity] (K.Misiak)
12. Little Wing (J.Hendrix)

Bartosz Hadala – The Runner Up (2010)

Bartosz Hadala - Piano, Composer, Producer

Noriko Ueda - Double Bass, Bass (Acoustic)
Antonio Sanchez - Drums
Ada Rovatti - Saxophone
Dave Anderson - Bass (Electric)
Kevin Garcia - Percussion
Bartosz Hadala - Piano, Composer, Producer
Randy Brecker - Trumpet

The Runner Up (2010)

This is the debut album (in the Jazz field) by Polish pianist / composer Bartosz Hadala, currently residing in Canada. The album was recorded with the help of six excellent Jazz musicians, playing in different settings: trumpeter Randy Brecker, saxophonist Ada Rovatti, bassists Dave Anderson (electric) and Noriko Ueda (acoustic), drummer Antonio Sanchez and percussionist Kevin Garcia. The album includes nine original compositions by Hadala and one standard.

The music is mainstream modern Jazz, with clear melody lines and classic instrumentation approach, which clearly places the album in the American rather than European Jazz category. It is perfectly executed, with many excellent solos and professionalism evident at every step. The compositions are truly first-rate, and are the strongest asset of this album. Hadala's piano playing is absolutely wonderful, elegant and expressive but perhaps slightly too conventional for more advanced listeners. Nevertheless the overall level of the music and especially the compositions are praiseworthy.

The album's versatile settings, from a classic piano trio to a sextet, and the interesting compositions, which are excellent vehicles for the musicians' improvisations, make it a pleasurable listening experience, highly recommended to mainstream Jazz connoisseurs. Hopefully Hadala will record another album soon, as his music is too good to be undiscovered.

By Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

Tracklisting: 1. Salt Water 4:14 2. The One Call Behind 5:50 3. Another You 5:00 4. The B-files 6:10 5. A Night In Tunisia 3:34 6. Steve Wonders Why 9:13 7. Madame 6:38 8. The Runner Up 7:15 9. A Sunday Walk 7:33 10. Any Way

Mikrokolektyw - Revisit (Delmark, 2010) by Adam Baruch

Mikrokolektyw (band)

Jakub Suchar - drums, electronics
Artur Majewski - trumpet, electronics

Revisit (Delmark, 2010)

This is the debut album by Polish Jazz duo Mikrokolektyw, which includes trumpeter Artur Majewski and drummer Kuba Suchar. Both musicians play also electronic keyboards. The album includes eleven tracks, all composed by the duo members, either individually or collectively. The album was released on the veteran US (Chicago) Delmark label and was the label's first release by Eastern European Jazz musicians.

Mikrokolektyw creates a wonderful musical world of their own, with the trumpet and drums becoming one as if fused together and the electronic effects and sounds provide a background upon with the melodic content is spread. Although very close to Free Jazz, the music is lyrical and surprisingly melodic, not crossing over to the spontaneous Improvised Music territory. It is obvious that the music is carefully planned, before being executed, but during the actual performance a wide range of musical freedom is involved.

Although the concept of a trumpet / drums duo is seldom seen in Jazz, the Polish Jazz scene seems to be an exception, with several such duos active on the local scene. The excellent Wojciech Jachna / Jacek Buhl album "Niedokonczone Ksiazki" is in fact quite similar to this album, but there are several others. Of course one can always go back to the roots and seek out the Don Cherry / Ed Blackwell collaboration "Mu".

Of course the music of Mikrokolektyw is well based on the Jazz tradition, but tries to innovate on many fronts, including the electro-acoustic sound and the World Music influences. They also display a phenomenal level of communication with each other, which is essential especially in an intimate setting like a duo.

Overall this album is a great example of Jazz being alive and kicking, developing and growing, with an interesting future ahead. Hopefully other US and European labels will decide to release more albums originating in Poland, as that country seems to have more to offer than most others these days.

Jazz enthusiasts, who like their music with an interesting twist, will have a field day with this album!

By Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

Tracklisting: 1. Revisit 2. Rocket Street 3. Running Without Effort 4. Tiring Holiday 5. Almost a Good Mood 6. Attention! 7. Lipuko 8. Casio 9. Tar Man 10. Watermelon From the 80s 11. Gift

Olbrzym i Kurdupel - Six Philosophical Games (Electric Eye, 2012) by Adam Baruch

Olbrzym i Kurdupel (duo)

Marcin Bożek - bass guitar
Tomek Gadecki - tenor saxophone

Six Philosophical Games (Electric Eye, 2012)

This is the 2nd album by Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music duo Olbrzym I Kurdupel ("Giant And Tiny" in Polish, referring to their physical appearance), which comprises of saxophonist Tomasz Gadecki and bassist Marcin Bozek. Their debut, recorded in 2008, was an EP, which was warmly received at the time. The album includes six improvised pieces, co-credited to the duo members.

This album presents another glimpse at the Polish Free Jazz / Improvised Music scene, which is thriving in the last decade. Musicians all over Poland perform in clubs and art centers, which are dedicated solely to this kind of music, release many albums and play with top international artists. Such vigorous activity is absent almost completely from the contemporary scene in other countries.

The music is intensive and complex, demanding total dedication from the listener in order to achieve the same level of intensity as the musicians. Both musicians converse constantly, exchanging ideas on the fly and try to compliment each other rather than compete with each other. The bassist uses the bass guitar exclusively, which enables him to be much more flexible and versatile that upright bass players. The saxophonist has a wide tonal range and well developed improvisation skills. Together they create music, which is absorbing and rewarding to listeners willing to make the effort this kind of music requires.

This album is definitely worth investigation for listeners of Free Jazz / Improvised Music, especially those living in places that these genres are almost nonexistent on the local scene.

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

Tracklisting: Game 1 play with us a drummer; Game 2 get into a hot bath and listen with your ...; Game 3 sit comfortably in a cosy armchair, let ...; Game 4 listen to the whole part after a long run; Game 5 listen with someone You know well; Game 6 let's dance solo or in pairs

Samech - Quachatta (Tzadik Records, 2012)

Samech (band)

Marek Lewandowski (Marqs) - Double Bass
Anna Ostachowska (Osta) - Viola
Magdalena Pluta - Cello
Robert Sztorc - Percussion

Quachatta (Tzadik Records, 2012)

"The design of the Hebrew letter samech is a circle, and represents infinity, because it has no beginning or end. In Kabbalah the samech represents the infinite power of the Ein Sof, G-d's infinite light. Another brilliant Jewish music group out of Poland, Samech is a string trio with percussion that makes music with a sweeping melodic edge and a strong rhythmic drive. Picking up where Davka and the Masada String Trio left off, they combine a variety of world music traditions into a fresh and exciting new music. Charming and endlessly listenable, this is a new chamber music for the 21st century." 

source: http://www.tzadik.com/

Tracklisting: 1. Kwisz Mahir 2. The Dream of Rabbi Lavy 3. Pigwan 4. Ajde Jano 5. AGATAngo 6. Di Terkishe Khasene 7. Sun Salute 8. Laj laj laj laj laj 9. Zwiertnuk

Artur Dutkiewicz - Mazurki (Pianoart, 2012) by Adam Baruch

Artur Dutkiewicz - piano

Mazurki (Pianoart, 2012)

This is a solo piano album by the veteran Polish Jazz pianist / composer Artur Dutkiewicz. The album includes nineteen relatively short pieces, all composed by Dutkiewicz, and beautifully recorded in a church located in a Warsaw suburb.

Contrary to what one might expect, judging by the album's title, this is not one more Polish Jazz album, which contains Jazz interpretations of music by Frederic Chopin, a subject that has been completely exhausted in the last two decades, producing a plethora of such albums of very unstable quality. Chopin of course perfected the musical form of the mazurka (Polish folk dance) and composed 69 mazurkas for piano solo, which are today an integral part of the Polish / European Classical music heritage.

Dutkiewicz decided to approach the subject completely differently by composing a series of pieces, which have been largely influenced by Chopin's work, but are also quite different. In a manner similar to Chopin, Dutkiewicz incorporates other Polish folk motifs, like the oberek and the kujawiak, and on top adds the Jazz and Blues touches, which of course have nothing to do with the original inspiration. The resulting amalgam is truly charming and wonderful, providing the listener with a continuous listening pleasure.

Composing this music and performing it with such flair and elegance place Dutkiewicz again amongst the top Polish Jazz pianists. One can only hope for more such displays of his many talents in the future.

This album is a must for solo piano buffs and Jazz-Classical Fusion connoisseurs, providing repeated discoveries with each listening session. Warmly recommended!

By Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

Track listing: 1 mazurek oberek 5:48 2 mazurek inspirowany 1 1:59 3 mazurek inspirowany 2 2:21 4 mazurek Africa 3:54 5 mazurek kielecki 2:39 6 mazurek pogodny 3:30 7 mazurek satwiczny 5:51 8 mazurek blue 3:43 9 mazurek mazowiecki 3:52 10 mazurek "Trane" 3:44 11 mazurek goniony 1:59 12 mazurek przydrożny 3:24 13 mazurek Hanusi 3:35 14 mazurek pińczowski 2:59 15 mazurek improwizowany 3 2:55 16 mazurek księżycowy 3:53 17 mazurek polski 2:54 18 mazurek bold 4:07 19 mazurek poranny 1:47

Janusz Zdunek + Marienburg - Jedzie (2012) by Adam Baruch

Janusz Zdunek + Marienburg

Janusz Zdunek - trumpet, synthesizers, electronics

Ireneusz Kaczmar - bass guitar, sitarra
Rafał Baca - drums, percussion

Jedzie (2012)

This is the 3rd album by Polish trumpeter Janusz Zdunek and his ensemble Marienburg, which includes bassist Ireneusz Kaczmar and drummer Rafal Baca. The eight tracks on the album were all composed by Zdunek.

Zdunek, who was a prominent member of the Yass movement which flourished in Poland in the 1990s, continues his musical quest using similar approach to the original Yass formula, i.e. combining Jazz and Rock elements and creating improvisation-based instrumental music. His trumpet playing technique is quite accomplished, but he rarely moves away from the main melody line, staying safely within the mainstream limitations. The melodies are pretty straight-forward, as is the strong grove, which pulsates steadily, changing rhythmic patterns between Reggae, Rock and Jazz. The rhythm section also keeps things very straight-forward, often with clockwork precision.

Basically the modus operandi of the album stays pretty set, with the melody line being introduced at the start of each tune, followed by an improvised section, on top of a steady, almost danceable, rhythmic background often repeated in a drone fashion. Zdunek plays some great notes overall, but they are not enough to keep the entire album interesting for an entire span of its duration.

Some people will surely find this music greatly enjoyable for sure, and that is perfectly fine, but I can't find anything innovative or inspiring here, so my advice would be: listen and then decode for yourself. Trumpet aficionados watch out!

By Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

Track listing: 1 Oj nie; 2 Past Post; 3 Jedzie Preludium; 4 Jedzie wolny; 5 Jedzie Lab; 6 Jedzie On; 7 Trytony; 8 Od ślubu