None of the pianists revealed such a variety of style - from Art Tatum to Keith Jarrett - as Makowicz. His impressions were the biggest solo attraction of the evening. Live Embers
Rare jazz from the Polish scene of the 70s, one of the unsung hotbeds of modern rock jazz in the 20th Century. One of the most influential jazz-rock albums ever made behind the Iron Curtain. In spirit of Weather Report...just better.
One of the highlights of 1970s' Polish Jazz featuring Bartkowski on drums, Stanko on the trumpet, Makowicz on piano, Szukalski on soprano saxophone and Studio Jazzowe PR Orchestra directed by Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski and featuring Wojtek Karolak on keybords. Audio Clips: Drums Dream Kolysnka dla malutkich Chinczykow
The New Orleans Revivals is coming into its own, especially in its now second home - Europe. Based in Poland, the Vistula River Brass Band is the best example of European Dixieland. Among its 9 members there are two car mechanics, a graduate in hydrobiology, a technician mechanic, a teacher and the sociologist. Traditional jazz, the earliest jazz music of the worlds, has been owning its freshness and vitality to amateurs. In the amateur music making in the 20ties emerged the ideal of its tone, and its amateurs that keep it now so much alive. The Entertainer
Legendary recording from 1974 presents Big Band Katowice at its peak form with a selection of jazz-rock tunes mixed with contemporary mainstream - all presented it's trade marked "Silesian sound". The lineup consist of students Katowice Academy of Music and includes some of the brightest stars from Polish Jazz constellation of 1970s that formed leading jazz-rock bands of that era: Extra Ball and Sun Ship. Blast from the past that sounds surprisingly modern and very, very funky! Audio Clip: Sorcerer
Can one be born a jazzman? It is not easy, though not impossible. But in Janusz Muniak's case, I am sure, it must have been even stranger: he was born holding a saxophone in his hands. Audio Clip: Obertas
...they worked out their own, original jazz-rock idiom, adding to their tonal imagination, a liking for complicated rhythmic figurations, a tendency to extend and diversify the form...
Extra Ball's leader Jaroslaw Smietana's artistic conceptions and energy animated the group, which was made up of representatives of the generation of 1970's who now prevail in the world of Polish jazz.
"Essential European Jazz" (Penguin Guide for Jazz)"..his quintet record “Astigmatic,” from 1966, with Mr. Stanko in the group, is one of the great jazz records of its time" (Ben Ratliff, The New York Times, 5/21/2008)
One of the best example of a very unique Polish Jazz fusion of jazz rock's language with Coltrane Quartet's atmosphere. Featuring Kazimierz Jonkisz - Polish Elvin Jones and young Krzesimir Debski - one of the most important fixtures on Polish Jazz scene of 1980's.
The 5th piano LP in series of "Polish Jazz" is merely indicating the domination of the piano by subtle exposure of the piano solo or by correlating the instrumental arrangement with the piano texture - and not other way around.
The album documents short lived but very important Stanko's cooperation with McCoy Tyner - influenced pianist Kulpowicz, one of the most innovative bass players in Europe - Rek and the legendary drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski.
Andrea Centazzo started his musician career in 1970 as devoted jazz fan and hard practicing drummer. But he was also interested in electronics and experimental music. His goal was to blend in an unique form of musical expression all his interests. This collection in two discs presents the best of his early music recorded either in the studio and live as solo artist or in cooperation with other musicians.
Long awaited and stylishly stimulating second album from guitarist Przemyslaw Straczek, contains compilation of Przemyslaw's eclectic original tracks and features a rendition of exciting pieces from the legendary Polish rock band, Maanam. The record is delightfully energetic and represents a number of different styles, which all have influenced and inspired the artist over the years: jazz, Latin American music, blues and modal elements; they all are subtle but cleverly and skillfully incorporated into his music. The amazing fusion of different styles, gives the appropriate background to the guitarist's virtuoso technique and manner, which perfectly blends with memorable inputs from the other members of the band: Jerzy Malek (trumpet), Maciej Garbowski (bass) and Sebastian Kuchczynski (drums).
On releasing his CD, Nowicki was aged thirty-one—exactly the same age as Coltrane at the time of his first original album. A pure coincidence and, of course, of no particular significance, and yet it seems like a good omen...
Music for male's vocal, electronics and drums is inspired by modern electronic, jazz and contemporary chamber music to poems by: Josif Brodski, Wislawa Szymborska, Siergiej Jesienin, and Miron Bialoszewski.
The youthful energy which emanates from every note on the CD perfectly corresponds with the surprising musical maturity of the leader, both on a compositional level and in its narrative drama and its individual phrases. (Jazz Forum)
