Leszek Kułakowski/Maciej Sikała - Red Ice (2019)

Leszek Kułakowski/Maciej Sikała

Leszek Kułakowski - piano
Maciej Sikała - soprano saxophone

Red Ice

SOLITON 662



By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by a duo of two veteran Polish Jazz musicians, pianist/composer Leszek Kułakowski and saxophonist Maciej Sikała. The album presents eleven original compositions, all by Kułakowski.

Kułakowski is a versatile and highly imaginative composer and his music always reflects the Polish Jazz lyricism at its best, as echoed by his extended recording legacy. But on this excellent recording his composition are padded and extended by the improvised contribution of Sikała, who turns out to be an ideal partner in this intimate encounter, adding not only his soprano saxophone virtuosity but also his own layer of melancholy and lyricism. The combined result is deeply moving and instantly becomes another exquisite instance of my favorite "Art of the Duo" idiom.

The music is beautifully melodic, and yet offers rich and often quite complex chord structures, which never stop to amaze with their ingenuity, but remain wonderfully coherent. As such it is an ideal vehicle for the improvised contributions, which are natural extensions of the basic melody lines. Sikała does an absolutely amazing work here, not only as a player/improviser, but more importantly as a co-composer of sorts, since his improvisations often add an additional melody line of its own,

The intimate atmosphere of the duo, which in these circumstances bridges between the classic Jazz idiom and the minimalism of chamber Classical Music, becomes completely full and perfectly rounded, proudly standing on its own. I dare to suggest that this music performed by a larger lineup would have probably lost much of its charm in comparison to these intimate versions.

On this album Kułakowski leaves most of the soloing to Sikała, but the few soli he does play here make me smile, longing for a long awaited solo piano album by the Maestro. Overall this is a brilliant Jazz album, which offers highly rewarding listening experience on many different levels; lovers of Jazz duo albums, fans of both of these excellent musicians, Polish Jazz enthusiasts and Jazz connoisseurs all over the world, all should be equally satisfied with what this album has to offer. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Jaromír Honzák Quartet - A Question To All Your Answers (2007)

Jaromír Honzák Quartet

Michał Tokaj - piano
David Dorůžka - guitar
Jaromír Honzák - double bass
Łukasz Żyta - drums

A Question To All Your Answers

ANIMAL MUSIC 005



By Adam Baruch

This is the third album as a leader by Czech Jazz bassist / composer Jaromír Honzák and his first release on the excellent Czech label Animal Music. The album was recorded by a Czech/Polish quartet which also included Czech guitarist David Dorůžka and Polish pianist Michał Tokaj and drummer Łukasz Żyta, both of which played with him on this album's predecessor "Present Past". Clarinetist Tomáš Čistecký, flautist Lucie Čistecká and pianist Vojtěch Procházka appear as guests. The album presents eight original compositions, all by Honzák. Seven on the tracks were recorded at the excellent Studio Tokarnia and engineered by Jan Smoczyński, with the usual superb sound quality. The last track was recorded at the Czech Radio and features the a.m. guests.

Honzák, whom I have been watching closely since many years, proudly continues the Czech Jazz Bass tradition, established by internationally known bassists like George Mraz (really Jiri Mraz) and Miroslav Vitous, but also less known outside of their homeland like Luděk Hulan, František Uhlíř, Karel Vejvoda, Petr Korinek and others. His beautifully round notes and chronometric pulsations are always a guarantee of a perfect rhythm section anchor in the numerous recording he took part in.

But on this album Honzák great forte are his wonderful compositions, which are beautifully woven, versatile and most importantly open enough to be stretched and explored by the quartet members, often towards unexpected directions. As a result this album is a superb ride into the unforeseen, with each track taking the listener on a new adventure. Not losing the sense of melody and coherence, the music has so much freedom and breathing space that the flexibility is endless.

Of course the leader gets fantastic support from the quartet members; Dorůžka, here fourteen years younger than today, is already a bright star on the European scale, while Tokaj and Żyta, despite their relatively young age at the time were already seasoned veterans, capable of playing virtually anything. Together the quartet sounds like an organic unit and in retrospect I'd love to hear this experience repeated again. Overall this is a brilliant album from start to finish, a perfect reflection of 21^st Century European Jazz at its best. Fourteen years later it still sounds perfectly fresh and sparkling with ingenuity, like a gem it is. Absolutely not to be missed!

Zoubek/Cruz/Witkowski - Radium (2019)

Zoubek/Cruz/Witkowski

Philip Zoubek - prepared piano, synth
Ivann Cruz - guitar, electronics
Marcin Witkowski - drums, electronics

Radium

CIRCUM DISC LX015


By Andrzej Nowak

Jesteśmy we francuskim Lille, na koncercie pewnego tria, jest rok 2017. Philip Zoubek gra na fortepianie preparowanym i syntezatorze analogowym, Ivann Cruz na gitarze elektrycznej i elektronice oraz Marcin Witkowski na perkusji preparowanej i elektronice. Dziewięć improwizacji (na ogół bardzo swobodnych), 54 minuty i 56 sekund.

"Radium", bo tak zwie się foniczna dokumentacja owego koncertu, to prawdziwie elektroakustyczna przygoda, kreowana wyobraźnią trzech bystrych improwizatorów, w trakcie której nie brakuje zwinnych preparacji, masywnych pasm elektroniki i mnóstwa niebanalnych rozwiązań dramaturgicznych. Jedynym dylematem odbiorcy zdaje się tu być odwieczna wojna żywych i syntetycznych dźwięków. Gdy dominują te pierwsze, jakość nagrania osiąga stany wysokie lub jeszcze wyższe. Kiedy dominują te drugie i biorą na swoje barki całe jarzmo świata, wszystkie jego problemy i chcą je rozwiązać masywnymi pasażami niemal harsh-noise, to recenzent zgłasza votum separatum.

Skupmy się wszakże na niewątpliwych atutach płyty. Już samo otwarcie obiecuje naprawdę wiele - metaliczny rezonans strun gitary, młoteczki czarnych klawiszy fortepianu, skupiony, aktywny drumming na wytłumionym werblu i tomach. Matowa narracja z elektronicznym backgroundem, który wzmaga jakość akustycznych ekspozycji - mamy wrażenie, że na scenie jest mała orkiestra, nie zaś trójka muzyków. W drugim utworze napotykamy na ciekawą koegzystencję syntetycznego ambientu, świetlistej gitary i akustycznych preparacji. 

Kolejny fragment jest niezwykle perkusjonalny, a to zasługa wszystkich uczestników spektaklu, także znów świetnie preparującego pianisty. W czwartej części narracja nabiera niemal industrialnej mocy, posmaku dark ambient i po raz pierwszy szuka hałaśliwych akcentów. Piąta improwizacja tonuje jednak emocje, schodzi na samo dno i stawia na elektroakustyczne preparacje. Nie brakuje akcji typu call & responce, a całość pięknie wygasza akustyka gitary i piana. 

Równie zmysłowy zdaje się być odcinek numer siedem - garść całkowicie zasłużonego chilloutu, dubowa gramatura gitary, perkusjonalne błyskotki. A wszystko to po odcinku numer sześć, niemal 13-minutowym ataku harsh elektroniki. Podczas gdy ósma improwizacja znów brnie w syntetyczny hałas, finałowa, dziewiąta koi wszystkie zszargane nerwy - piano szuka ciszy na dnie pudła rezonansowego, szczoteczki perkusyjne szeleszczą, a szklista gitara nuci meta-melodyjne frazy.

Tekst pierwotnie opublikowany na blogu Trybuna Muzyki Spontanicznej.

Cykl koncertów w ramach projektu "W sieci dźwięków" - Future Jazz Impro Session

Zapraszamy na cykl siedmiu wspaniałych koncertów, które zostały przygotowane w ramach programu "W sieci dźwięków". Siedem koncertów - ponad siedem godzin muzyki - kilkunastu znakomitych artystów. Wszystkie koncerty będą retransmitowane w sieci, a część z nich odbędzie się z udziałem publiczności - całość na profilu Fundacji Genarator Sztuki.

30.08.2020, godz. 20.00 - "Future Jazz Impro Session" - to finałowy koncert z cyklu "W sieci dźwięków" - realizowany przez Fundację Generator Sztuki w ramach programu "Kultura w sieci".

Grzegorz Tarwid - piano & synth
Tomasz Licak - saksofon
Wojciech Jachna - trąbka
Michał Starkiewicz - gitara
Ksawery Wójciński - kontrabas
Krzysztof Szmańda - perkusja

Koncert będzie transmitowany w sieci na stronach Fundacji Generator Sztuki. Wszystkie wydarzenia "W sieci dźwięków" dofinansowano ze środków Narodowego Centrum Kultury w ramach Programu Kultura w sieci.

Anna Gadt/Marcin Olak - Gombrowicz (2020)

Anna Gadt/Marcin Olak

Anna Gadt - voice
Marcin Olak - guitars

Gombrowicz

HEVHETIA 0196





By Adam Baruch

This is a wonderful debut album by the Polish Avant-Garde Jazz duo comprising of vocalist Anna Gadt and guitarist Marcin Olak, which offers their interpretations of the writings by Polish author Witold Gombrowicz, one of the most idiosyncratic and controversial literary figures in Polish Cultural heritage. Although based on prose fragments, this album firmly belongs to the Jazz & Poetry idiom, both conceptually and aesthetically. The album presents twelve tracks of improvised voice/guitar pieces, which include recitation, singing and vocalese, each of them based on a different fragment taken from texts by Gombrowicz

Listeners familiar with the Polish Avant-Garde/Improvised Music scene are probably familiar with Marcin Olak's recordings on the FSR label, which are all worth checking out. Gadt is of course one of the brightest stars on the Polish Jazz vocal scene, with a substantial recording legacy, but most importantly characterized by her chameleonic quality of constant transformation of her vocal style, which over the years developed from mainstream to highly personal Improvising Music environment, which is still evolving. She is also a respected and devoted teacher of the vocal Art and her students are beginning to shape the next generation of the Polish Jazz vocal scene.

During my recent visit in Warsaw I had the opportunity to attend the debut performance of this music in a small club, which offered an intimate opportunity to celebrate the release of this album. I watched the audience to see how effectively this highly demanding music will be able to penetrate the walls of indifference and cerebral demand this music requires, but to my surprise the audience was absolutely mesmerized by what was happening on the small stage. Obviously this music is stronger and more communicative than what one might expect, in spite of its farfetched aim towards intellectual brain functionality, acting on the purely emotional, raw instinct level as well, in retrospect somewhat similar to Gombrowicz's writing.

Connoisseur of the human voice Art will be of course delighted by Gadt's performances on this album, which include probably many of the things "you always wanted to do with your voice but were afraid to try" list. She is simply fearless and completely uninhibited in the way she uses her voice, which often expands the known boundaries of vocal expression. Although using texts in Polish language, this kind of vocal expression transcends any language barriers completely, making them meaningless. In some cases Gadt's vocal construction are so distinctive, that she seems to construct a completely new vocal "language" of her own design.

It is pretty rare when an album labeled as Avant-Garde is truly Avant-Gardist in its nature, since the label is used way too lightly these days. Anything that is unusual/unconventional often gets labeled as Avant-Garde, whereas in fact despite being different, it does not offer anything that is done for the first time and is a pillar of fire showing the way to whoever is following. This album, however, is genuinely Avant-Gardist in every bit of its existence and its ingredients as much as a whole - a rare and beautiful thing indeed - and an absolute treasure! Thank you Anna and Marcin!

Wojciech Jachna Squad - koncert promujący płytę Elements

Wojciech Jachna - trąbka, flugelhorn
Marek Malinowski - gitara
Jacek Cichocki - pianino, elektryczne pianino, syntezator Moog, fx
Paweł Urowski - kontrabas
Mateusz Krawczyk - perkusja, perkusjonalia

30 lipca w bydgoskim MCK odbył się koncert grupy Wojciech Jachna Squad, promujący album "Elements", przygotowany w ramach dotacji udzielonej przez Ministra Kultury i Dziedzictwa Narodowego w "Programie stypendialnym na upowszechnianie kultury przez osoby fizyczne - Kultura w sieci". Koncert został nagrany i zrealizowany przez bydgoskie Miejskie Centrum Kultury, a następnie udostępniony za pośrednictwem YouTube poprzez strony oraz platformy zajmujące się kulturą. Działanie to ma na celu pokazać zespół w warunkach koncertowych, których zabrakło na skutek wiosennej pandemii Covid-19 i braku możliwości kontaktu ze słuchaczem.

Płyta "Elements" stanowi pomost pomiędzy kreatywnie wykorzystaną elektronikę i otwartymi formami muzycznymi, a bardziej tradycyjnym, jazzowym podejściem do kompozycji i improwizacji. Wielką wartością albumu Wojciecha Jachny są czytelne i atrakcyjne melodie, które powodują, że nawet te bardziej eksperymentalne fragmenty pozostają nadal przystępne dla słuchacza. Bogactwo pomysłów sprawia, że nie sposób przy tej muzyce się nudzić. 

Marta Wajdzik Quartet - My Planet (2020)

Marta Wajdzik

Marta Wajdzik - saxophones, flutes, programming
Paweł Tomaszewski - piano, rhodes piano, programming
Robert Kubiszyn - bass
Paweł Dobrowolski - drums
Zuzanna Wajdzik - vocals (2,3)

My Planet


NOT ON LABEL 5907785040588

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by young (eighteen years old) Polish saxophonist / flautist / composer Marta Wajdzik recorded in a quartet setting with veteran Jazz musicians: keyboardist Paweł Tomaszewski, bassist Robert Kubiszyn and drummer Paweł Dobrowolski. Zuzanna Wajdzik (Marta's sister) adds vocalese on a couple of tracks. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Wajdzik.

The music is all melody based mainstream Jazz, bordering on Fusion due to electric keyboards and bass ambience and dynamic drumming. Some ethnic influences are also present in the music, which offers a nice variety. The compositions are solid and coherent, serving as ideal basis for the extended improvisations and the up-tempo rhythmic character of most of the tunes makes the music flow briskly from one tune to another, offering a pleasant listening experience.

Most of the solo work on the album is performed by the myriad of keyboard instruments, and Tomaszewski's limitless imagination finds plenty of opportunities to skyrocket. Wajdzik solos sparingly, which is understandable considering her limited experience and technical skills, and she mostly states the melodic themes, leaving the expressive improvisations in the hands of Tomaszewski. The rhythm section is superb all the way, playing respectively in the background with an occasional bass solo, but offering interesting bottom harmony and rhythmic intensity.

One might wonder if the album was not recorded a bit too early as far as Wajdzik is concerned. With all due respect to wunderkinds, their stories usually end in a rather grim manner in the long range. Hopefully this is not the case here and I am anxiously awaiting her real debut sometime in the future. Overall this is an impressive debut, but not entirely earned by Wajdzik herself and with another team of players might have sounded quite different. Good luck and may the Force be with you young Lady!

Marton Juhasz - Discovery (2019)

Marton Juhasz

Olga Konkova - piano, rhodes
Sergio Wagner - trumpet
Enrique Oliver - tenor saxophone

Paco Andreo - valve trombone
Szymon Mika - guitar
Yumi Ito - vocals
Danny Ziemann - bass

Marton Juhasz - drums

Discovery

PRIVATE EDITION

By Krzysztof Komorek

Akademia Muzyczna w Bazylei prowadzi od 2017 program "Focusyear" skierowany do młodych przedstawicieli sceny jazzowej. Podczas pobytu na uczelni, muzycy pracują nad programem koncertowym i płytą, która wieńczy roczny kurs. Dyrektorem artystycznym przedsięwzięcia jest znakomity gitarzysta austriacki Wolfgang Muthspiel, a pośród wykładowców znaleźć można same gwiazdy. W pierwszym roku zajęcia prowadzili między innymi Jeff Ballard, Django Bates, Larry Grenadier, Dave Holland, Lionel Loueke, Joshua Redman, Steve Swallow i Mark Turner. 

Naturalnym jest, że tak bliska współpraca przez niemal rok rodzi muzyczne i osobiste przyjaźnie, a także stwarza szanse na zrealizowanie projektów już poza tokiem studiów. Pierwszy rocznik liczył osiem osób, a znaleźli się w nim: perkusista Marton Juhasz, trębacz Sergio Wagner, puzonista Paco Andreo, saksofonista Enrique Oliver, pianista Olga Konkova, kontrabasista Danny Ziemann, wokalistka Yumi Ito oraz gitarzysta Szymon Mika. Radzę uważnie śledzić ich muzyczne działania, bowiem nie mam wątpliwości, że będą to zawsze wydarzenia wartościowe i godne uwagi. 

Pisałem już jakiś czas temu o świetnym koncercie Yumi Ito i Szymona Miki. Teraz chciałbym polecić płytę firmowaną przez Martona Juhasza nagraną z oktetem grupującym cały debiutancki rocznik bazylejskiego programu. Jedenaście w większości krótkich nagrań, skomponowanych zostało przez węgierskiego perkusistę. Płytę zaczyna minutowa, solowa etiuda Yumi Ito. Jej wokalizy będą pojawiać się na pierwszym planie podczas całego albumu, a możliwości wokalne zaskakiwać będą z każdym kolejnym utworem. Także w "Spellbound", klasycznej, pięknie zaśpiewanej balladzie, z tekstem napisanym przez samą wokalistkę. 

Miejsce na indywidualne popisy znalazło się jednak dla całej ósemki muzyków. Zachwycają chociażby następujące po sobie solówki poszczególnych instrumentów w "Little Prayer", saksofon we wspomnianym już "Spellbound", kapitalna gra Szymona Miki i Olgi Konkovej, stylistyczne pomysły i wolty. Każdy bez wyjątku utwór polecić można szczególnej uwadze. "Discovery" jest pierwszą płytą Martona Juhasza w roli lidera i śmiało można orzec, że jest to debiut perfekcyjny. 

Mam nadzieję, że wspomniane tu nazwiska, w różnych konfiguracjach osobowych objawią się w najbliższej przyszłości z jeszcze niejednym ciekawym pomysłem. A jeżeli kuźnia talentów Akademii w Bazylei w kolejnych latach działać będzie równie udanie, to czeka nas prawdziwy jazzowy urodzaj.

Błoto - Erozje (2020)

Bloto

Marek Pędziwiatr - piano, synth, percussion
Olaf Węgier - tenor saxophone, percussion
Paweł Stachowiak - bass, percussion
Marcin Rak - drums

Erozje


ASTIGMATIC 013

By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by Polish quartet Błoto, which is a classic "Son of Godzilla" type of offshoot of the popular EABS ensemble, comprising of keyboardist Marek Pędziwiatr (a.k.a. Latarnik), saxophonist Olaf Węgier (a.k.a. Książę Saxonii), bassist Paweł Stachowiak (a.k.a. Wuja HZG) and drummer Marcin Rak (a.k.a. Cancer G). The quartet and its music are a result of an incidental gathering of these musicians in a studio, during a short break in the EABS tour, which resulted in a spontaneous recording session undertaken without any preparation whatsoever. The well oiled EABS PR machine as well as the contemporary sound and attitude managed to create a stir on the local market and even the COVID-19 pandemic did not manage to halt the viral reaction. The album presents ten tracks, which were cut from the ninety minutes of music that was recorded, lasting just above forty minutes.

The music is indeed fresh, vibrant and a great fun to listen to, but it is not that much different from the improvised passages played during EABS live performances, which of course is not very surprising. Hypnotic groove, synthesizer soundscapes, dynamic rhythms and almost Free Jazz solos on top are a well oiled formula that EABS perfected over time and this session basically offers nihil novi sub sole.

The album's title and the PR material allude to a parallelism between this album and the iconic recording "Korozje" by Polish Jazz legends Andrzej Kurylewicz and Tomasz Stańko. Personally I find nothing in common between these two albums and the unnecessary references to the Polish Jazz history are more damaging than useful. EABS are not like any of the Polish Jazz past icons, and they don't need to be. They are an excellent ensemble living in a different era and playing music that has five decades of additional musical influences to absorb, which they indeed do all the time.

Overall this album offers many great moments and an ambience that brings young generation of listeners closer to Jazz, which by itself is a great success. It is first and foremost oriented towards the wide circle of the EABS fans base, but being less visceral that the EABS albums, it also appeals to new listeners, which again is a good thing. These guys are excellent musicians and they still have a lot of youthful enthusiasm and creativity, so let's enjoy them as long as that lasts. Is it Jazz?... Frankly, my dears, I don't give a damn!

Ulf Johansson Werre Trio - Two Hearts (2020)

Ulf Johansson Werre Trio

Ulf Johansson Werre - piano, trombone, vocal
Zbigniew Wrombel - bass
Wojciech Lubczyński - drums

Two Hearts

FOR TUNE 0146



By Adam Baruch

This is a live recording by a Jazz piano trio comprising of Swedish pianist / trombonist / vocalist Ulf Johansson Werre and Polish bassist Zbigniew Wrombel and drummer Wojciech Lubczyński. The album presents ten tracks, all of which are Jazz adaptations of Swedish and Polish Folk songs, all arranged by Werre.

The music is kept strictly within the mainstream Jazz idiom, sounding like something that might have been recorded in the 1950s. Striding, swinging piano and amicable accompaniment by the rhythm section create a very pleasant and easy Jazz atmosphere, which seems to be hanging to the glory of the Jazz tradition, but adds nothing contemporary to the proceedings.

The concept of arranging Folk songs and using them as a basis for the Jazz environment has been utilized with various degrees of success since many years. Some Polish Jazz albums managed to create sublime projects in this idiom, but this album sadly can't be counted among them. It trivializes the Folk material rather than upgrading it within the cross-genre transition. The Folk roots and their aesthetics are completely lost here and there is nothing left except for occasional melody quote and a barrage of catchy boogie-woogie phrases.

Werre and his Polish cohorts are of course accomplished musicians and technically this music is without reproach of course, as is the excellent sound quality. Overall, although this is hardly my cup of tea, this is still a very enjoyable easy Jazz album, which many listeners can enjoy, especially those who listen to Jazz looking for entertainment while drinking cocktails.