JAREK SMIETANA
Sounds and Colours
Polish Jazz vol.73
Label: Polskie Radio / Polskie Nagrania - Muza , 1987/2005
Catalogue No: PRCD 533 (SX 2537)
Format: DIGI-PACK audio CD (24-bit re-mastered from original master tapes)
Condition: GENUINE, BRAND NEW, FACTORY SEALED
Jarek Smietana and Extra Ball's Playlist:
Tracks:
- Sounds and Colors
- Okapi, Pekari, Karibu
- Flashing Dance
- Every Day Niagara
- Turtle Song
- Days Of Wine And Roses
- Try To Make It Better
Recorded:
March 1987, at Polskie Nagrania Studio, Warsaw, Poland
Performed by:
Janusz Smietana - leader, electric guitar (made by W.Dlugosz), acoustic Fender guitar, keyboards, voices
Piotr Baron - Selmer Mark VII tenor saxophone, soprano, clairnet, keyboards
Antoni Debski - Fender bass, synthesizer
Jacek Pelc - Premier drums, Paiste cymbals, percussion
About Jarek:
JAROSLAW SMIETANA is one of the premiere jazz musicians in Poland. For many years, jazz guitarist No.1 in jazz critics' and listeners' pools (magazines: Jazz Forum, Jazz, Gitara i Bass, Muzyk). Winner of "Fryderyk '98" award for "Songs And Other Ballads". Honoured with President of Cracow Prize for eminent achievements on culture. One of the top guitar players in Europe.
Since 1975 till 1981, he was the leader of the legendary Polish jazz group "Extra Ball". Since 1982 till today he was the leader of the following groups: "Sounds", Big Band "Symphonic Sound Orchestra", "Polish Jazz Stars Band" (with most of the top jazz musicans from Poland). He was also a co-leader of very famous "Namysłowski-Śmietana Quartet". Jarek Śmietana has been playing all around the world (major festivals, concert tours, workshops) including USA and India.
During his musical career he has been playing and recording together with such great artists: Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Henderson, Joe Zawinul, Gary Bartz, Carter Jefferson, Vince Mednoza, John Abercrombie, Hamiet Bluiett, Idris Muhammad, Ronnie Burrage, Harvie Swartz, Mike Stern, Jack Wilkins, Zbigniew Seifert, Cameron Brown, Andy McKee, Greg Brandy, David Gilmore, Dave Friedman.
Śmietana is a very talented composer and teacher, too. He wrote about 200 jazz songs and has been leading many workshops and clinics. His dicography includes 23 recordsa as a leader and plenty of records as a sideman with other artists. In last years Śmietana together with world known jazz giants created a lot of very interesting "special jazz projects".
"... All the notes fall naturally into place. Never garrulous or merely exhibicionistic, it is a jazz concert of the highest calibre. Each phrase is swinging and is full of drive and feeling. In brief, that is how you can describe the music of Jarek Śmietana, one of the most outstanding Polish jazz musicans. He has created his own music style and indyvidual sound, always personal yet constantly communicative. His first priority is the highest possible artistic level".
(Leszek Kotarski, "Jazz Forum")
