Krzysztof Herdzin Trio - Capacity (LEMCD, 2011) by Adam Baruch

Krzysztof Herdzin Trio (band)

Krzysztof Herdzin - piano

Robert Kubiszyn - bass guitar, double bass

Cezary Konrad - drums

Trio (LEMCD, 2011)

(Editor) Good music evokes strong reactions, either positive or critical but it means that it was something more behind it than just duly- delivered craftsmanship. This is the case of Adam Baruch's review of newest album by Krzysztof Herdzin...   

Polish pianist / composer / orchestrator / arranger Krzysztof Herdzin is undoubtedly one of the most revered musicians on the local scene, incredibly prolific and omnipresent across the entire genre spectrum between Pop and Contemporary Classical music, with Jazz as his epicenter. Recent years found him frantically busy with so many non-Jazz projects, that it is heartwarming to see him return to the basic piano trio format, with bassist Robert Kubiszyn and drummer Cezary Konrad, to confront his listeners directly, without the ornamentation of elaborate orchestral arrangements. Listening to this album definitely re-establishes Herdzin's position as a piano virtuoso and the five original compositions present here (with one additional standard) again fanfare his compositional skills. Add to this the excellent sound quality and dynamic mastering and here you have a perfect piano trio album… and yet… after listening to it for a couple of times I discovered that I feel somewhat uneasy about it. Everything is simply too good, too perfect, too… everything. Like a cake, which is so sweet it is too sweet? It seems that Herdzin has a tendency to make things just perfect, which sometimes is simply overdoing it. To summarize, this is a beautiful, smooth, professional album, which most people will love to bits and rightly so. I love piano trios and this is a great piano trio! Have I been intellectually challenged? Not really, but the heck with it, good time was had by all.

Author: Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

check also his music boutique: https://www.jazzis.com/shop/

Komeda Project - Crazy Girl (WMRecords, 2006)

Komeda Project (band)

Krzysztof Medyna - saxophonist
Andrzej Winnicki - pianist
Russ Johnson - trumpeter
Michael Bates - bassist
David Anthony - drummer

Crazy Girl (WMRecords, 2006)

The legacy of the great Polish jazz composer/pianist Krzysztof Komeda runs especially deep, while straddling the worlds of film music and modern jazz. While his life was sadly cut short in 1969 at the age of 38, his compositional output included more than sixty film scores and the influential European classic Astigmatic (Power Bros, 1966), with trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. Despite Hollywood credentials that boast the hit soundtrack for Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby, the Komeda Project's Crazy Girl reveals that Komeda was a visionary jazzer in both mind and soul.

Saxophonist Krzysztof Medyna and pianist Andrzej Winnicki established the Komeda Project by conscripting trumpeter Russ Johnson, bassist Michael Bates and drummer David Anthony to form a very versatile and potent quintet. Their performance is anything but a slavish recreation of Komeda's music but speaks more to the composer's sensuality of expression and grasp of emotionality. Beginning with three examples of Komeda's melodic film music, the quintet is not long into the first and title cut before it shows its well-developed abilities to blow bop.

Medyna and Johnson play exceedingly well together and they pleasantly blend for a sweet singular voice when remaining true to the thematic material, while also blowing up a storm when they expand the music's structure. Several Winnicki originals are in this same vein but a bit more loosely composed and fit well with the older material, allowing the band to stretch its legs and show that along with Komeda, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Keith Jarrett are also influences. A major aspect of Komeda's genius was his touchingly delicate phrasing and Winnicki does an admirable job of highlighting this on reinterpretations of "Svantetic" from Astigmatic and CD closer "Sleep Safe and Warm" from Rosemary's Baby. The former has piano dexterously comping while sax and tenor take turns soloing while the latter's piano/horn duet is the disc's most beautiful, albeit shortest moment. A testimony that stands alone as an enjoyable session, recasts Komeda's works in an interesting fashion and serves as an intriguing entré for those unfamiliar with the godfather of modern Polish jazz.

Check part of Komeda tune titled "Svantetic" from this album in concert version... 

Author of text: Elliott Simon

allaboutjazz.com

Krzysztof Scieranski – Bass Line (Anex, 1983)

Bass Guitar - Krzysztof Ścierański
Drums, Percussion - Jerzy Piotrowski
Guitar, Percussion - Paweł Ścierański
Percussion - Marek Wilczyński

Bass Line (Anex, 1983)

This is the 1st album by Polish bass virtuoso Krzysztof Scieranski, who was a member of such notable Polish groups as Laboratorium and String Connection, before starting his solo career. He is accompanied on this album by his brother Pawel Scieranski on guitar, Jerzy Piotrowski (of SBB fame) on drums and Marek Wilczynski on percussion. Scieranski composed all eight compositions on this album, which are quite excellent examples of intelligent Jazz-Rock Fusion and of course his incredible abilities as an electric bass player. Wholeheartedly recommended!

(Editor) The tune comes from album"Krzysztof Ścierański" issued in 1984 and very similar style:

Author: Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

check also his music boutique: https://www.jazzis.com/shop/

Contemporary Noise Quartet - Theatre Play Music (Electric Eye, 2008)

I became great fan of Contemporary Noise Sextet (CNS) after their two first albums "Pig Inside Gentleman" (2006) and "Unaffected Thought Flow" (2008) and though their last recording "Ghostwriter's Joke" left me little less enthusiastic, I am still of the opinion that CNS is one of the most interesting young bands in Polish jazz alongside Pink Freud, Sing Sing Penelope or Levity. Their jazz is tending to be close to film music, nu jazz, punk rock even. It is communicative, catchy, narrative - built of simple elements but certainly not banal.

"Theatre Play Music" (2010) was the only their album I did not yet listened to on the basis that I rarely find theatre music satisfactory. However this disc is exception to that rule: it's coherent and rewarding itself as separate soundtrack not linked with theatrical performance. BTW it was composed to accompany play titled "Miłość ci wszystko wybaczy" directed by Przemysław Wojcieszek and given in Warsaw's Teatr Polonia.

There is also one more reason to check this record, especially for all those already acquainted with CNS music because this is their only album in quartet format without horn section (Wojtek Jachna - trumpet, Tomasz Glazik - tenor sax). As a result music performed by Kuba Kapsa (piano), Bartek Kapsa (drums), Kamil Pater (gitara) and Patryk Węcławek (double bass) sounds especially fresh, less lavish but more elegant, suggestive, other-worldly. Must-listen for all CNS fans... 

Author: Maciej Nowotny (http://polish-jazz.blogspot.com/)
check my site in Polish as well: http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html
...

Tomasz Stanko – Egzekutor (Universal, 2001)

Tomasz Stańko - trumpet

Justyna Steczkowska - vocalise
Janusz Skowron - synthesizer
Slawomir Kurkiewicz - bass
Michal Miskiewicz - percussion
Zbigniew Brysiak - drums

Egzekutor (Universal, 2001)

(Editor) This soundtrack is a must for all in love with Tomasz Stańko blue notes. Read more in Adam Baruch's review:  

Polish trumpet virtuoso / composer Tomasz Stanko is universally recognized as one of world's top Jazz musicians since many years. However, his contributions as composer of music for cinema is somewhat lesser known, which is a pity. Stanko's work in that area started way back to the early 1970s, but even earlier, when he was a member of the legendary Krzysztof Komeda ensemble, he already became intimate with the art of writing for cinema from his mentor, who was one of the greatest soundtrack creators ever, mostly known for his work for Roman Polanski. It is therefore understandable that Stanko's music for films would become heavily influenced by Komeda's approach, which culminates with this soundtrack, written to a brilliant film by Polish director Filip Zylber. In fact this is the second time Stanko contributes the soundtrack to a film by Zylber, with "A Farewell To Maria" being the predecessor to this one. Stanko is accompanied by some impressive players on this album, most notably by singer Justyna Steczkowska, who contributes some breathtaking vocalese parts. Also present are Janusz Skowron on synthesizer, Slawomir Kurkiewicz on bass, Michal Miskiewicz on drums, and Zbigniew Brysiak on percussion, as well as a string quartet. But Stanko's trumpet dominates this music completely and overwhelmingly, when it plays completely solo or is accompanied by other instruments. Stanko's virtuosity and magic sound are truly magnificent and supported by the atmospheric and often melancholic melodic motifs, the overall effect is simply stunning. It is a rare occasion when a soundtrack stand alone as a full fledged Jazz album, and this is a superb example of this being the case. I can only say that every Stanko fan should try and listen to this album, even if finding it today, only 10 years after it was released, is virtually impossible. The album was released as a double set with a CD and DVD Audio (Surround Sound) version of the music, which present different mixes of the same music. An absolute must!

The music from "Egzekutor":

Author: Adam Baruch

http://www.adambaruch.com/

check also his music boutique: https://www.jazzis.com/shop/

Jerzy Malek - Air (Universal, 2011)

Jerzy Małek - trumpet

Marcin Wasilewski - piano
Michał Barański - doubloe bass
Michał Miskiewicz - drums

Air (Universal, 2011)

I am not jazz critic and I will never be. I have neither talent nor inclination in this direction. If you need proof for such my statement this text will provide good one. Why? Because this is album that many critics will disqualify while I wholeheartedly admire it! 

Before I clarify this situation let me tell you few words about players and this project. Jerzy Małek is arguably the most talented among young trumpeters in Poland (along with Artur Majewski). He is THE most in demand sideman in Poland playing in countless projects: always successful, always inspiring to his partners. But he nevertheless has modest achievements as a leader. Yes, he recorded something like 5 CDs released under his own name but honestly none of them persuaded critics that he is already stand-alone leader capable of joining the greatest in Polish jazz. So this time Małek invited musicians and composed music of such quality and caliber as to once and for all to silence all doubts about his talent. As for musicians better are impossible to find not only in Poland but anywhere! Marcin Wasilewski is on piano  whom we know from playing with Tomasz Stańko or in his own trio (check his newest "Faithful"). Michał Miśkiewicz, a drummer, is long-time companion of Wasilewski from Stańko quartet and member of above mentioned trio as well. While Michał Barański, himself absolute top player in Poland, in a smart move by Małek, has replaced third member of Marcin Wasilewski Trio, Sławomir Kurkiewicz, to alter rhythm section sound and make it more flexible in order to adjust it to the leader conceptions. 

Now as for music, it is all composed by the leader, and it sounds stylish, elegant yet simple and communicative. Although the root of this music is definitely bop and Małek's eclectic style is full of influences from Miles Davis through Lee Morgan or Booker Ervin to Tomasz Stańko, still he quite often sets his voice free. Certainly it's not free in Don Cherry ricochet but rather in Kenny Wheeler conceptual style. But the soul of this music is the beauty of the sound which is magnificent and augmented by excellent play by rhythm section. Marcin Wasilewski piano is capable of both to swing or drive full throttle in typical hard bop style. Michał Miskiewicz drums deliver great punch AND palette full of colours to this music. Michał Barański bass is solid rhythm anchor for Małek fly-aways while his voice remains individual enough never to be mistaken with anybody's else. 

So what's non-critic verdict on this CD? I do not care that it is nothing new, that musicians stay on so well-known ground, that it more looks back, towards classical roots of music, towards Schumann, Chopin or Haydn than towards American music distant shore. I know I still like it so much that my position is simple: album of the month!!!

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

Gos / Wojtczak - Jebal was pies (Sopocka Odessa Records, 2010)

Michał Goś - drums
Irek Wojtczak - saxophone

Jebał Was pies (Sopocka Odessa Records, 2010)

In 2009 trio Michał Goś (drums), Irek Wojtczak (saxophone) and Wojtek Mazolewski (double bass) recorded "Freeyo" (read post about this album to learn more about musicians), an excellent piece of free and improvised jazz, which was warmly received throughout Poland. Big chunk of interest from media as well as from public it owed to the presence of Wojtek Mazolewski who is one of the stars of Polish avantgarde music (check for example his latest "Monster Of Jazz" or "Smells Like Tape Spirit").

This CD looks like continuation of that project in duo format and though at least satisfactory in artistic terms it revealed to be disaster from commercial point of view. The reason is Wojtek Mazolewski withdrawal as well as title of this album which may be translated "Fuck You Dogs". It was very naive on artists' side to believe that album with such a title would be warmly received by distributors and shops. And it wasn't! Few months after its premiere in Autumn 2010 musicians announced that they managed to sell all 12 copies. I believe that their only consolation is that in that way they probably established new record worthy to be put among Guinness records.

In my opinion it is however great pity since music on this album deserves attention: spacious, deep, creative, it brings to its listener engaging dialogues between two very talented musicians. I look forward to their next projects hoping that next time they will show more professionalism in planning marketing side of their undertakings.

      

Check this video for sample of music from this album:

Gos / Wojtczak "Jebał Was Pies" Live

Gos/Wojtczak | Myspace Music Videos

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

Włodek Pawlik Quartet - Waning Moon (Universal, 1999)

The Western Jazz Quartet is a peripatetic group, traveling to other countries and recording with other artists. Their visits to Poland have resulted in a number of recordings, the latest of which results from collaboration with a local pianist. The Wlodek Pawlik Quartet has released The Waning Moon (Mercury 546739-2), featuring the leader's compositions as well as his piano, with Trent Kynaston on tenor and soprano saxes, Tom Knific on bass, and Tim Froncek on drums. Pawlik's compositions cover a wide range of moods and influences, drawing on a variety of Polish folk music sources, but also on Chopin and Monk. The complex compound folk rhythms of the pianist's native land are used to good advantage on "Pieniny" (a mountain range) and "Polish Folk Dance;" the visiting Americans handle these difficult tunes with ease. The delicate ballad "Almost Nothing" reminds one of another Polish composer-pianist, Krzysztof Komeda, and Kynaston even recalls somewhat Bernt Rosengren, the Swedish tenor man who performed and record often with the famous film score writer. Both saxophonists share an admiration for Stan Getz. Knific also shows his perfect taste and intonation on a lovely solo on this ballad.

The musicianship on The Waning Moon is first rate, and the compositions are superior. As good as all of this is, to me the outstanding contributions are by Kynaston. A fabulous saxophonist, who is equally at ease in the classical as well as jazz repertoire, Kynaston seems to have found a perfect context to put all his skills together. On the ballads he transmits a poignant sense of love and desire; on the swingers he digs in to explore all the corners of the music handling the most difficult passages with ease. But he outdoes himself on "Kadysz," Pawlik's tribute to the history of the Jews of Poland. The tenor saxophone solo on this piece makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck — it is a cry over desolation, desecration, and loss that is pure poetry, saying things that cannot be said with words. 

The music sample comes from album titled "Anhelli" but is very similar to that on above described album:

Author of text: Piotr Michalowski (Semja Update)

Grzegorz Karnas - Karnas (Hevhethia, 2011)

Grzegorz Karnas - vocal, voices

Michał Tokaj - piano
Adam Oleś - cello
Michał Jaros - bass
Sebastian Frankiewicz – drums

Guests:
Edi Sanchez – bass (19)
Piotr Wyleżoł – piano (19)
Marek Podkowa – tenor sax (19)
Jean Paul Garces – percussion (19)

• Karnas (Hevhethia, 2011)

After years of hearing close to nothing interesting from Polish male jazz singers I must admit that recently I am discovering some interesting projects from them at last! One of the albums I am waiting most impatiently for in Polish jazz is one planned by Oleś Brothers and vocalist Jorgos Skolias (check this link for more info) for Tzadik Records. But this one, released just couple of days ago by Hevhetia, Slovak record label, though unexpected brings pleasant surprise indeed. All due to vocalist Grzegorz Karnas who managed to record album intriguing, forward-thinking and challenging.

Grzegorz Karnas, born in 1972, graduated from well-known Jazz Faculty at Katowice Music Academy and has already recorded three albums starting in 2000 with "Reinkarnasja" for Not Two followed by "Dreams" in 2004 and "Ballads For The End Of The World" in 2006 issued by his own Ninth Floor Production. Honestly I cannot say much about his previous CDs since I simply got no opportunity to listen to them. But basing on this album I find his voice mature, his conceptions daring, his taste refined. He strives to imitate nobody, he is searching for his own sound and he succeeds in this not least through excellent choice of his fellow-workers. Mikołaj Tokaj is one of best pianist in Poland and permanent partner of allegedly the best Polish female jazz singer Aga Zaryan (check her "Looking Walking Being" and "A Book Of Luminous Things"). But Adam Oleś on cello, Michał Jaros on bass (very good on recent debut disc "I Remember" by pianist Michał Wróblewski) or Sebastian Frankiewicz (very active and present on recent albums by Przemek Strączek, Dominik Bukowski, Joanna Gajda or very interesting "Hendrix Piano" by Artur Dutkiewicz) are equally good support. 

Going back to music, this is nothing close to typical jazz singing, though we find here marvelous version of Sting immortal cover "Roxanne" but otherwise it is laborious search for what is "new land" in jazz singing. Although sometimes irritant (as any avantarde effort usually are), I do not want to hide it, sometimes it is simply breathtakingly beautiful like on "Fin d'ete" but always free in spirit and thus earning my respect. Worth-checking!

Check tune "Spytaj milicjanta" (tranls. Ask a policeman) from this album: 

Author of text: Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html

Profesjonalizm - Chopin Chopin Chopin (Lado ABC, 2011) by Adam Baruch

Profesjonalizm (band)

Marcin Masecki - piano

Kamil Szuszkiewicz - trumpet

Michał Górczyński - clarinet, saxophon

Tomasz Duda - saxophone

Jerzy Rogiewicz - drums 

Wojciech Domagalski - double bass

Chopin Chopin Chopin (Lado ABC, 2011)

(Editor) Phenomenal review by Adam Baruch (check his music boutique http://www.jazzis.com/) of Marcin Macecki breakthrough recording...

Profesjonalizm is the name of the new sextet created and led by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Marcin Masecki, one of the greatest talents on the local scene in the recent years and the enfant terrible / eccentric artist spearheading the Jazz anti-establishment, a role that fits him like a glove. During my recent visit in Poland I was lucky to be invited to the concert the band performed in a dinky Warsaw restaurant called Mozaika, which remarkably managed to sustain the atmosphere (and look, not to mention the service) of the 1970s Socrealizm, completely oblivious to the changes around. The concert celebrated the release of this album, so the music was simply a live version of what is included here, in its entirety. I must say that I was completely unaware of what was about to happen musically and therefore the experience was a total culture shock, even though I am a difficult man to surprise in view of the heavy burden of my age upon me. Masecki and his cohorts: trumpeter Kamil Szuszkiewicz, saxophonists Michal Gorczynski and Tomasz Duda, bassist Piotr Domagalski and drummer Jerzy Rogiewicz played a stunning set of outlandish music (all composed by Masecki), which is so original, unique and devilishly clever that one's mind is completely boggled. How the hell did they manage to do it at all (live!) is beyond comprehension, but nevertheless they did it with a spectacular result. Listen to the studio version herein and imagine this being played live to get the scope of the task ahead.
As to the music itself, I'm not even trying to start describing it, as it is well beyond the scope of words (as most great music is). Suffice to say that it is a suite of sorts, in seven parts, which tells the story of Jazz from its earliest days (Ragtime) to now, flowing like a soundtrack to an imaginary movie, constantly (and unexpectedly) changing rhythms and scales, themes and patterns, but remarkably and completely coherently keeping a brilliant sense of unity. The rhythm section is absolutely dazzling, managing the impossible task of gluing this passionate and untamed music together. Masecki's piano work is a chapter in itself, which is worth studying separately, but it serves the role of the thematic / melodic beacon pointing the way ahead for of this music. During a short chat before the concert I asked Masecki about his musical influences; he mentioned some usual suspects but emphasized Thelonious Monk and Conlon Nancarrow, two superb examples of total non-conformism, suiting Masecki's image perfectly. The problem with non-conformism is often that eccentric artists become often self-centered and completely uncommunicative, which luckily enough does not apply to Masecki. In spite of all the lunacy herein, this is (amazingly) quite an easy album to listen to, against all odds. When I asked Masecki as to the nature of his music, he replied: "We are playing entertaining music" – well, he was after all right, in his own crazy way.
Now if anybody is wandering about the album's title, I must assure you that the album has absolutely nothing to do with the great Polish National composer Frederic Chopin. This is one more of Masecki's clever stunts, expressing his disgust and ridicule of the Polish Jazz scene's exploitation of Chopin's music in the recent years. Using this tongue in cheek / sarcastic reference Masecki protests against the "One can't go wrong by playing Chopin" attitude, where in fact one can go wrong and as the plentitude of available recorded evidence proves one does in most cases. So what do we have here: a work of a mad genius, a wizard, a prophet? Who am I to judge? Suffice to say I love this music, every note of it and most of all the chutzpah and complete disregard of convention – exactly the qualities I admire in Artists. Bless you, Marcin Masecki!

Check tune "Długi" from this album:

If you want to listen to broadcast containing more Marcin Masecki music in different formats and also some of his musical inspirations - check this podcast (link).

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