Sławomir Kulpowicz - Complete Edition (2013)

Sławomir Kulpowicz - piano

In-Formation Trio (1CD)
Private Balet Music (1CD)
The Quartet (2CD)
Sławomir Kulpowicz & Shujaat Khan (1CD)

Sławomir Kulpowicz - Complete Edition (2013)

Text by Maciej Nowotny

Sławomir Kulpowicz was a significant figure as far as jazz piano in Poland is concerned. Born in 1952 he studied in Katowice Music Academy. At the beginning of his career he played with Zbigniew Namysłowski which here is the thing approximately of the same caliber as in the US playing with Art Blackey & The Jazz Messangers. Very soon however he started to work on his own and in 1977 set up a band unpretentiously named The Quartet which turned out to be a great success indeed. In this set we got full CD of mostly unpublished music of this legendary combo together with other recordings documenting his rich career spanning over 30 years and ended in 2008 by premature death.

The Quartet remains a highlight of the whole set. Its style was influenced as much by Kulpowicz as by Tomasz Szukalski. Szukalski is a true giant on Polish jazz scene and can be compared in influence he exerted on it only with such figures like Krzysztof Komeda or Tomasz Stańko. With Stańko he collaborated on most of his albums made in 70ties. Among them "TWET" or "Balladyna" stand out as most important recordings of that era as much in Polish as in European jazz. This powerful duo was supported by rhythm section consisting of drummer Janusz Stefański and double bassist Paweł Jarzębski. The uniqueness of the music of The Quartet owes a lot to strong personalities of both Kulpowicz and Szukalski. Kulpowicz style may be described as something between Bud Powell and Franz Liszt with an addition of McCoy Tyner. As you recall this last pianist was a long time companion of John Coltrane. Kulpowicz found in Szukalski a partner whom Coltrane found in Tyner. But although the music of The Quartet is clearly inspired by American jazz as played by John Coltrane's band it is by no means the imitation which shall become evident upon rehearsing other CDs of this set.

CD titled "Private Ballet Music" shows Kulpowicz in solo recital.  On this album Kulpowicz, drawing much from jazz solo albums by his famous contemporary Keith Jarrett, also pays homage to classical music. Since then it has become necessary for Polish jazz pianists to record sometime during their carreers a solo album mixing jazz and classical music. Albums by Adzik Sendecki, Leszek Możdżer or recently Sławek Jaskułke or Marcin Masecki are good examples of such phenomenon.

Next CD Kulpowicz recorded with Indian sitar virtuoso Shujaat Khan. But for Kulpowicz it was much more than just copying Coltrane's interest in Eastern cultures. It was also a true spiritual venture which added the authenticity to this recording which as far as Polish jazz is concerned is one of few successful ventures into world music territory.

I especially like the fourth part of this set with CD of In-Formation Trio in which Kulpowicz was supported by double bassist Witold Szczurek (Rek) and drummer Czesław Bartkowski. I find music they played as highly original not being one of multiple offsprings of Bill Evans Trio but going its own unique way. That makes this whole set actual even after many years since its recording and one of key albums in history of Polish Jazz.

Dixie Warsaw Jazzmen – China Boy (2012)

Stefan Wozniakowski - trumpet
Andrzej Bigolas - clarinet, vocals
Wlodzimierz Halik - bass saxophone
Zygmund Jagodzinski - banjo, vocals
with
Maciej Strzelczyk - violin
Fuerte String Quartet

PRIVATE EDITION


By Adam Baruch

This delightful album presents the Polish Traditional Jazz ensemble Dixie Warsaw Jazzmen, which comprises of musicians who used to play with other Polish Trad ensembles like Hagaw, Vistula River Brass Band, Gold Washboard and others: trumpeter Stefan Wozniakowski, clarinetist and vocalist Andrzej Bigolas, bass saxophonist Wlodzimierz Halik and banjoist and vocalist Zygmunt Jagodzinski. They invited the violinist Maciej Strzelczyk as a special guest and finally added the Fuerte String Quartet to play with them, creating a most unusual Trad ensemble with a new approach and rich sound texture.

The music includes seven classic Dixieland compositions mostly dating from the early 20^th Century, newly arranged to include the string quartet parts and featuring Polish lyrics on some of them. The overall effect is quite surprising and fresh, which should please many listeners, even those who usually don't listen to Trad Jazz. It is great to see Trad Jazz still being performed vigorously and with such obvious dedication. Many younger Jazz listeners, who are unaware of the early history of the music, should find this most educational on top of being highly enjoyable.

Strzelczyk plays some wonderful solos here and all the rest of the musicians perform spotlessly and with inspiration. This is a great opportunity to take a peek at the less serious, demanding and often over-intellectual Jazz by visiting the historic sources of the music and simply having fun! Very nice indeed!

Don Ellis / Wojciech Karolak Trio – Polish Radio Jazz Archives Vol.02 (2013)

Don Ellis - trumpet
Wojciech Karolak - piano
Roman Dylag - bass
Andrzej Dabrowski - drums

POLSKIE RADIO 1590





By Adam Baruch

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

The material presented here was recorded in 1962 during the 5^th Jazz Jamboree and features American trumpeter Don Ellis, accompanied by a Polish rhythm section consisting of pianist Wojciech Karolak, bassist Roman Dylag and drummer Andrzej Dabrowski. All the six tracks were recorded live during the Festival, the last of which is an extended suite composed by Polish pianist / composer Andrzej Trzaskowski presented as part of a concert dedicated to the Third Stream (early Jazz-Classical Fusion initiated by American composer Gunther Schuller in the late 1950s). On that track the quartet is accompanied by the Polish National Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra. Of the five shorter Jazz pieces, two are original compositions by Ellis and the remaining three are standards.

Ellis was the second US musician who opted to play with a local rhythm section, following Stan Getz who did so two years earlier (as captured on the first volume of this series). Although he was just 28 years old at the time, he already had a lot of experience and quite a reputation as a result of playing with many top American Jazz acts in the late 1950s and early 1960s. His Polish partners: Karolak (aged 23), Dylag (aged 24) and Dabrowski (aged 24) sound like veterans, obviously ready and able for the occasion. Ellis was the ideal choice as a performer of the orchestral piece by Trzaskowski, as he was one of the musicians / composers involved in this genre from its early stage.

There is a clear division between the first part of this album, which includes the five Jazz pieces and the orchestral suite, which is quite avant-garde and geared more towards Classical music listeners. Both parts are excellent, each presenting different merits of course. The fact that Trzaskowski composed the orchestral suite at that time is quite astonishing, considering the limited information about contemporary musical trends and developments that managed to cross over from behind the iron curtain. Obviously he was a man of great vision beyond his obvious talents as a player and composer.

The wonderful ambience of the hall and the remastered sound quality are spectacular, worm and natural, leaving many contemporary recordings way behind, even though they were done 51 years ago using quite primitive equipment.

The only note of criticism about this new edition is the lack of a proper booklet with proper liner notes, photographs and other well deserved details, which this monumental music truly deserves. Polish Radio really should have made an effort there. A pity!

In retrospect this is a great document of the era and an integral part of the Polish Jazz saga, which deserves to be told and studied. The presence of the orchestral suite makes this an absolute must for collectors of Polish Jazz albums and Third Stream followers.

Stan Getz / Andrzej Trzaskowski Trio – Polish Radio Jazz Archives Vol.01 (2013)

Stan Getz - saxophone
Andrzej Trzaskowski - piano
Roman Dylag - bass
Andrzej Dabrowski - drums

POLSKIE RADIO 1567





By Adam Baruch

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

The material presented here was recorded in 1960 during the 3^rd Jazz Jamboree and features American saxophone Giant Stan Getz, accompanied by a Polish rhythm section consisting of pianist Andrzej Trzaskowski, bassist Roman Dylag and drummer Andrzej Dabrowski. Nine of the twelve tracks included here were recorded live during the Festival and the additional three tracks were recorded in the same hall but late at night, without any spectators being presents. All the music comprises of Jazz standards. This recording was made before Getz reached the superstar popularity as a result of his Bossa Nova recordings a couple of years later, but he was already a much respected saxophonist with a very impressive record behind him, although he was just 33 years old at the time.

The story about why Getz opted to play with a local rhythm section has many versions. Most Polish sources quote some vague statements indicating this as being a conscious decision made "in recognition of the talent of the young Polish Jazz musicians". That version has very little support in reality. One should bear in mind that Getz was living at the time in Scandinavia and did not have a steady group he performed with in Scandinavia, where he actually arrived from to play at the Jazz Jamboree (not from the USA). When I talked to Getz about his first visit in Poland (he was there again in 1974 and 1980), he told me that he heard just a little about Jazz in Poland before he arrived there, thanks to the early relationships between the Polish and the Scandinavian scenes, which was about to be expanded in the years to come. His willingness to play with the young Poles should be rather credited to his open-mindedness and general good nature, with always characterized him as a person. Also let us not forget that the logistics and costs involved with bringing an entire quartet from the USA at that time were quite beyond the capabilities of the festival's organizers.

As to the music, there is actually no need to say much about it. Getz plays divinely, as usual, with his unique tone and virtuosity and the sweetest saxophone sound ever. Obviously enjoying himself enormously, he allows the rhythm section to stretch out, playing relatively long solos. The young Poles: Trzaskowski (aged 27), Dylag (aged 22) and Dabrowski (aged 22) sound like veterans, obviously uplifted spiritually by the event. The music is simply perfect, from start to finish. The wonderful ambience of the hall and the remastered sound quality are spectacular, worm and natural, leaving many contemporary recordings way behind, even though they were done 53 years ago using quite primitive equipment. In short everything about this album is simply miraculous.

The only note of criticism about this new edition is the lack of a proper booklet with proper liner notes, photographs and other well deserved details, which this monumental music truly deserves. Polish Radio really should have made an effort there. A pity!

No wander that this material (in one form or another) was bootlegged countless times and the original vinyl release ("Stan Getz W Polsce") reached outrageous sums on the collectors' market all over the world. Now they are available in the best sounding quality ever for the price of a regular CD, so don't even dare to think about this twice. This is an absolute must!

Alex Kolosov / Big Sky – 3 Days (2012)

Alex Kolosov - guitar

Lev Lebedev - clarinet

Vladimir Ivanov - keyboards

Andrey Rozdobudov - drums
with

Michal Urbaniak - violin





By Adam Baruch

This is the debut album by the group Big Sky, formed and led by veteran Russian guitarist / composer Alex Kolosov. The group also includes clarinetist Lev Lebedev, keyboardist Vladimir Ivanow and drummer Andrey Razdobudov. A special guest, Polish Jazz violinist Michal Urbaniak, appears on five of the eight tracks, all of which were composed by the leader. The album was recorded at the legendary Rainbow studio in Oslo, celebrated for its fabulous sound quality and ambience.

The music is quite typical Jazz-Rock Fusion, strongly based in Blues and incorporating some World Music influences. The presence of the clarinet adds an unusual dimension to the overall sound of the group, as the delicate tone of the clarinet contrasts with the distorted guitar, which dominates the proceedings. Urbaniak's violin parts are definitely the highlight of the entire recording and Lebedev's parts, although mostly brief, are also delightful.

The album suffers from several disadvantages; First the lack of a bass player, which would add some kind of basic rhythmic pulse to the music, which the drums and keyboards are not capable of providing and without which the music simply lacks the drive it should have. Than the sound of the guitar, which is highly distorted and condensed, is simply unpleasant, especial since it does not change an iota almost for the entire duration of the album. And inviting Urbaniak to play on the album simply emphasizes the colossal difference in the level of the musicianship between him and the regular members of the group.

Altogether this is not a bad album, which Fusion fans might enjoy, but unfortunately not good enough to become a part of the Fusion canon. But considering the fact that Western listeners are rarely exposed to Russian Jazz, this might be worth investigating.

Włodzimierz Nahorny - Jej Portret (GAD Records, 2013)

Włodzimierz Nahorny – piano, alto sax, flute, harpsichord

Zespół instrumentalny, cond. Jan Ptaszyn-Wróblewski(1-12), Zespół Rozrywkowy Rozgłośni Gdańskiej, cond.Jan Tomaszewski (13), Studio M-2, cond. Stefan Rachoń (14), Zespół Perkusyjny Jerzego Bartza (15),Studio Jazzowe Polskiego Radia, cond. Bogusław Klimczuk (16), Big-Band Polskiego Radia, cond. Bogusław Klimczuk (17), Orkiestra Polskiego Radia, cond. Stefan Rachoń (18)

Jej Portret (GAD Records, 2013)

By Maciej Nowotny

I am often asked, as much abroad as in Poland, what really is Polish jazz? What does distinguish it from jazz as played in other countries? This is not easy to answer such inquiries as usually is with all questions regarding music. Perhaps the best way to describe such a complex phenomenon is to give some examples of albums thanks to which we can talk about something as distinctive and unique as Polish jazz.

One of such albums is "Jej Portret" (eng. Her Picture) recorded by Włodzimierz Nahorny. I will not delve here on details of Nahorny biography as it is enough to say that he is one of those crucial personalities in Polish music which shaped its uniqueness over few last decades. This album features him as much as multi instrumentalist, as he plays on piano, alto sax, flute and harpsichord, but first of all as an arranger. He took some of the best Polish songs of 60ties and 70ties, some typical pop, other from movies, and reforged them using bits of language of jazz. The effect? Simply outstanding! First, these songs are creme-of-the-creme of Polish song writing, truly brilliant in every possible sense. Second, in all his arrangements Nahorny used then existing different orchestras whose level in those years (as they were supported by the state radio and television) was nothing else but stellar. Finally, it is Nahorny himself who regardless which instrument he played, sounded absolutely uniquely and individually.

By combining these first-class elements what we got here is simply one of those legendary recordings  of Polish jazz. Released in 1971 on vinyl it remained since then in very limited circulation being an object of longing of many collectors and fans. It is therefore very fortunate that small Polish label GAD Records specializing in reissuing of old Polish vinyls or yet unpublished archive recordings decided to remind it to the public. The level of publishing is first class. Great liner notes both in Polish and English languages give insight into colourful background of this recording. We also got in this reissue six additional tracks which are as excellent as the rest of twelve songs on the album. All in all this album is truly a pearl which every serious fan of Polish jazz should be more than happy to add to her or his collection!

Tracklist:
01. Jej portret
02. Powiedzieliśmy już wszystko
03. Cała jesteś w skowronkach
04. Melodia z filmu „Dziura w ziemi”
05. Taki dzień
06. Mówiły mu
07. Niech pan mi nie odsłania wnętrza
08. Wrócę do ciebie
09. Jest Warszawa
10. Obok nas
11. Właśnie tego dnia
12. Trzymając się za ręce

Bonusy:
13. Zapomniany emigrant
14. Waltz nr 29
15. Namiastka
16. Swing dla Włodka
17. Melodia dla Zofii
18. Zacząć jeszcze raz

Nowojorczycy i Powrót Króla

Dante w “Nowym Życiu” wymienia trzy kategorie pielgrzymów: palmieri, romei i peregrini w zależności od tego czy podążają oni do Ziemi Świętej, Rzymu czy Santiago de Compostella. Jednak gdyby żył dzisiaj kto wie czy nie dodałby do tego zestawienia jeszcze jednej kategorii, aby opisać pielgrzymki jakie odbywają młodzi muzycy jazzowi do Nowego Jorku. Zbiegają się tam z całego świata, by stanąć na 52 ulicy i wspominać czasy, gdy kilkadziesiąt lat temu w miejscach takich jak Onyx, 3 Deuces, Carousel, Downbeat czy Birdland rodził się bebop. Tych miejsc już nie ma, ale muzyka, która w nich powstała, dzięki takim postaciom jak Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk czy Miles Davis ciągle żyje w tym miejscu.

Wśród tych podróżników do źródeł jazzowej tradycji słychać niekiedy polską mowę. Zwłaszcza w ostatnich latach jest ich wielu, co zwiastuje nową falę w naszej muzce, jej renesans. Adam Bałdych, Tomasz Dąbrowski, Maciej Obara czy Rafał Sarnecki, by wymienić tylko killku spośród wielu, to młodzi polscy artyści, dla których wizyta w mieście nad rzeką Hudson i współpraca z tamtejszymi muzykami, okazać się może trampoliną do wielkiej kariery. Jeśli jeszcze tego nie zrobiliście koniecznie sięgnijcie po będące owocem tych peregrynacji albumy! Oto krótki przewodnik, aby ułatwić nieco Wasze muzyczne wędrówki:

Warto sięgnąć po płytę “Imaginary Room” skrzypka Adama Bałdycha, która pojawia się wysoko w wielu zestawieniach najlepszych polskich płyt jazzowych roku 2012. Trudno się dziwić skoro nagrany został dla renomowanej wytwórni ACT i z udziałem takich wspaniałych skandynawskich muzyków jak Lars Danielsson czy Jacob Karlzon. Nie wiadomo jednak czy w ogóle by powstał gdyby nie poprzedzająca go wyprawa Adama do Nowego Jorku, której owocem był “Magical Theatre”. Wiele kompozycji, i to najlepszych, jakie znalazły się na obsypanej nagrodami płycie nagranej dla wytwórni Sigiego Locha, pochodzi właśnie z tego krążka.

Talent młodego trębacza Tomasza Dąbrowskiego rozwija się w niebywałym tempie! W ostatnich dosłownie 2-3 latach zagrał na dziesięciu różnych płytach, wszystkich godnych uwagi. Przykładem może być krążek Kennetha Dahla Knudsena “Clockstopper”, na którym obok niego pojawiają się takie młode gwiazdy nowojorskiej sceny jak perkusista Jonathan Blake czy pochodzący z Izraela gitarzysta Gilad Hekselman. Jednak ja czekam najbardziej na album “Steps” jaki Dąbrowski nagrał latem ubiegłego roku w Nowym Jorku z legendarnym avantjazzowym perkusistą Tyshawnem Soreyem. Słuchałem ich koncertu podczas ubiegłorocznego festiwalu JazzArt w Katowicach i niewiele przypominam sobie tej rangi wydarzeń w polskim jazzie w ostatnich latach.

Etap nowojorski saksofonista Maciej Obara ma już za sobą. Jednak będące rezultatem jego wyprawy do Nowego Jorku i wydane w 2010 roku płyty “Four” i “Three” należą ciągle do najciekawszych w jego dyskografii. Znajdziecie na nich śmietankę tamtejszej awangardy, a wśród nich muzyków z wyśmienitej School Of Improvisational Music takich jak: Ralph Alessi czy Mark Helias. Nie zapomijcie także o najnowszych planach Obary, wśród których “Komeda” nagrany z nowym zespołem Obara International powinien być perłą w katalogu powstałej niedawno nowej polskiej wytwórni For Tune Records.

Na okładce wydanej w 2008 roku płyty “Songs From A New Place” gitarzysty Rafała Sarneckiego widać wieżowce Manhattanu, bo właśnie w Nowym Jorku studiował i obecnie mieszka. Jego kariera także nabrała w ostatnich latach przyśpieszania, o czym niech świadczy to, że następny krążek “Madman Rambles Again” (2011) wydała mu prestiżowa hiszpańska oficyna Fresh Sound New Talent. Na kwiecień planuje nagranie nowej płyty z sekstetem, z którym na co dzień gra w Nowym Jorku. Zapewne nie tylko ja czekam na ten album z niecierpliwością!

Jednak najsłynniejszym ze wszystkich Polaków jacy w ostatnich latach zjawili się w tym mieście jest Tomasz Stańko. Po zakończeniu współpracy ze swoim “polskim” kwartetem postanowił spełnić marzenie swojego życia i zamieszkał na Manhattanie, naprzeciwko Central Parku. Jego najnowszy, wydany w tym roku album “Wisława” stanowi owoc dwuletnich poszukiwań, w trakcie których Stańko grał z najbardziej znaczącymi przedstawicielami awangardowej sceny nowojorskiej, z których dwóch czyli perkusista Gerald Cleaver i kontrabasista Thomas Morgan, zagrało na tej płycie. Skład uzupełnia inny nowojorczyk, młody pianista kubańskiego pochodzenia David Virelles, któremu wielu wróży karierę równie ekscytującą co ormiańskiemu supertalentowi Tigranowi Hamasyanowi.

Mimo, że po siedemdziesiątce Stańko podszedł do tego zadania z pasją i wigorem młodzieniaszka. Bez względu na to jak ocenimy efekt końcowy, który jednym się będzie podobał bardziej a drugim mniej (należę do tej grupy), to właśnie ten niezmienny entuzjazm Stańki dla muzyki jest tym co sprawia, że jest punktem odniesienia dla kolejnych pokoleń jazzmanów w Polsce. Mamy zatem z początkiem 2013 prawdziwy Powrót Króla. Jednak tak jak w tolkienowskiej sadze to co naprawdę robi wrażenie to fakt, że król nie wraca sam. Otacza go świetna drużyna polskich muzyków, o których nie słyszeliśmy do tej pory w ogóle lub tylko niewiele. To właśnie oni, ci bohaterowie znikąd, nie znani jeszcze szerszej publiczności, sprawiają, że wraz z królem wrócić mogą złote lata dla polskiego jazzu.

Autor: Maciej Nowotny

Slawomir Jaskulke – Fill The Harmony Philharmonics (2004)

Slawomir Jaskulke - piano
Slawomir Kurkiewicz - bass
Krzysztof Dziedzic - drums
with
Hanseatica Chamber Orchestra
Mika Urbaniak - vocals

BCD 04




By Adam Baruch

This is the third album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Slawomir Jaskulke, which presents a five parts suite for piano trio and chamber orchestra of the Jazz-Classical Fusion variety. The additional trio members are bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz, one of Polish Jazz most renowned bassists (Simple Acoustic Trio, Tomasz Stanko), and drummer Krzysztof Dziedzic. The orchestral parts are performed by the Hanseatica Chamber Orchestra. Vocalist Mika Urbaniak is featured on one track. The music was composed by Jaskulke, who was twenty four years old at the time.

This ambitious project, undertaken by such a young musician, is quite extraordinary by any standard. Although Jazz and Classical music have been previously combined with various degree of success, this attempt is certainly quite different from all the others, employing musical devices, themes and arrangements often contrasting and seemingly clashing with other, like the vocal Rap part in the midst of a fragment performed by the strings. The Jazz trio interludes move in and out of the orchestral accompaniment, as do the solo piano parts. The overall structure does not seem to follow any of the pre-ordained Classical musical configurations, and Jaskulke appears to be using the orchestra as a tool rather than a point of reference.

Although free-structured, the music maintains a melodic backbone, which re-appears both in the orchestral and the trio parts. The listener might find this music quite difficult to absorb, certainly during the initial listening phases, since things seldom continue for a period of time long enough to begin to sound "familiar". There is a sense or urgency and unrest, which is reminiscent of music composed for suspense movies. But listeners willing to listen patiently and repeatedly will eventually embrace the entire piece, finding its intrinsic logic.

The Classical parts are obviously influenced by contemporary composers and a well trained might hear traces of George Gershwin, The French Modernists and of course the Polish avant-gardists (Krzysztof Penderecki & Co.). Polish composer / pianist Frederic Chopin presides as well, if not bodily then surely spiritually. Stylistically this hodge-podge might need some polishing and sorting out, but give the guy a break; after all he is only twenty four…

Regardless if one enjoys this music or not, it surely deserves to be appreciated for its aesthetic merits, its audacity and its innovation. Perhaps it is a bit over the top, but people who don't dare don't get there. Personally I quite like it and wholeheartedly recommend it to music aficionados, who are after the less obvious yet more rewarding game.

Slawomir Jaskulke – Sugarfree (2003)

Slawomir Jaskulke - piano
Krzysztof Pacan - bass
Krzysztof Dziedzic - drums

BCD 03







By Adam Baruch

This is the second album by Polish Jazz pianist / composer Slawomir Jaskulke, which was recorded in the classic piano trio format with bassist Krzysztof Pacan and drummer Krzysztof Dziedzic. The album presents seven original compositions, all by Jaskulke.

By the time this album was recorded, Jaskulke was already a member of the quartet led by the Polish Jazz legend Zbigniew Namyslowski, which is the most desirable position for any Polish Jazz musician and which means that his talent was recognized as extraordinary on the local scene. Anybody listening to this album must admit that Jaskulke is indeed one of the most extraordinary musicians to arrive on the Polish Jazz scene in the 21^st Century. This album confirms not only his superb qualities as a player, but even more interestingly and dramatically his talent as a composer.

Jaskulke has an easily recognizably personal style, which is quite extraordinary for such a young musician. His approach to the piano is percussive, almost "aggressive" at times, and at the same time he can stroke the keys delicately as a summer breeze. His compositions are also quite distinct and remarkable and regardless of their tempi, they convey a punctuated, but clearly stated melody, irregular meters and ultra-modern rhythmic devices, which can be found in contemporary electronic music. All these, combined with the obvious Jazz legacy create an amalgam, which is highly innovative and surprising.

This music is perhaps one of the most contemporary approaches to Jazz, taking the music from the 20^th Century, where it was born and raised, into the 21^st Century, where it now develop into a plethora of new directions. It proves that Jazz does not need to be stagnant and can be innovated in many ways, not only in the avant-garde / Free / Improvised Music idiom, but also in new and unexpected directions.

The performances on this album are truly stellar, not only those by the leader but also those by the rhythm section. Pacan, who was also a member of the Namyslowski quartet at the time, is a brilliant bassist, capable of a wide range of styles, from classic Jazz to modern, almost Pop / Rock pulsations. Dziedzic is an ideal drummer in this setting, perfectly in sync with Jaskulke in the percussive beat parts and his by and large more Rock than Jazz sound.

Overall this is a brilliant album in every aspect, sadly largely overlooked at the time of its release but certainly deserving an honorable position among the great Polish Jazz piano trio recordings. This is highly recommended to all Polish Jazz fans and Jazz aficionados in general. It's never too late to discover this priceless gem!

Simon Krebs - Please Don't Feed The Tears (2012)

Simon Krebs

Simon Krebs (guitar)
Kasper Tranberg (trumpet)
Tomasz Licak (tenor sax)
Bartlomiej Wawryniuk (alto sax)
Rasmus Fribo (bass clarinet, tenor sax)
Richard Andersson (bass)
Anders Mogensen (drums)

Please Don't Feed the Tears (2012)

By Maciej Nowotny

Since few years when Polish students began to flock to Music Academy in Odense (Denmark) we have something like "Danish Wave" in Polish jazz. Significant number of talented, young musicians who studied or are studying there have brought onto our scene the enthusiasm, fresh attitude and new ideas. Names like Tomek Dąbrowski, Marek Kądziela and Tomek Licak must be mentioned here. These guys are on the brink of significant careers having in their hands everything necessary to become key players on our scene in decades to come.

It happened that above mentioned Licak is also one of musicians featured on this record titled "Please Don't Feed the Tears" and released by Danish Blackout label in 2012. As usual he is playing on tenor saxophone being supported in horns section by another Pole, and student of this school, alto saxophonist Bartek Wawryniuk. But this is definitely collective work with all musicians of this septet playing equally important role. Apart from both Poles the band consists of trumpeter Kasper Tranberg, clarinetist Rasmus Fribo, bassist Richard Andersson and drummer Anders Mogensen. They are all led by young guitarist Simon Krebs who also composed six out of seven tunes (seventh one being well-known standard "Nature Boy").

I don't know much about Simon Krebs apart from that this is not his debut recording. Judging solely on this album I can say he is extremely talented composer and gifted musician. The septet play is immaculate. The level of musicianship as displayed by all musicians is simply outstanding. Tunes are captivating and far from being trivial despite fact that music is kept well within limits of mainstream. All in all, excellent proposal, fully deserving to be recommended to anyone interested in high-quality modern jazz of Scandinavian origin with small but significant drop of Polish blood.