Marcin Wądołowski Trio - Standards

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:20
Size: 147.3 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[7:48] 1. Equinox
[7:05] 2. Solar
[6:54] 3. All The Things You Are
[7:57] 4. Central Park West
[5:26] 5. Giant Steps
[6:50] 6. Nardis
[5:32] 7. Take Five
[4:57] 8. I Love You
[6:20] 9. Have You Met Miss Jones
[5:27] 10. Now's The Time

This is the fourth album by Polish guitarist Marcin Wądołowski, recoded in an intimate trio setting with the superb Polish Jazz bassist Piotr Lemańczyk and Canadian Drummer Tyler Hornby. The trio performs ten Jazz standards, three of which are by John Coltrane and two by Miles Davis. The album is dedicated to the two great Masters of Polish Jazz guitar: Marek Bliziński and Jarosław Śmietana, both sadly no longer with us.

Previous recordings by Wądołowski flirted with Jazz to some extent, but this one presents him for the first time as a bona fide Jazz player. The delicate arrangements, the careful selection of the tunes and their wonderful execution are all kept within the strict Jazz idiom, shearing away all the Blues-Rock or Fusion elements present on his older recordings. The transformation is quite remarkable.

Wądołowski's approach is very minimalistic and remarkably clean. The music is kept low key, almost acoustic, in order to emphasize every single note and chord, which thanks to the excellent recording quality are all perfectly audible. The guitar plays long beautifully structured solos, often introducing the tunes alone before the bass and drums join in. Even when the whole trio plays together, the music is still very unobtrusive and deliberately constrained. A wonderful atmosphere of relaxation and contemplation is present through out the entire duration of the music.

Overall this is a wonderful album from start to finish: fascinating guitar licks, breathtaking bass solos, superb selection of tunes and innovative nontrivial arrangements make it a brilliant listening experience. Yes it's mainstream and yes these are standards – this is exactly what was supposed to happen here and the result speaks for itself. In retrospect I am very glad Wądołowski recorded this album and proved his versatility and his skills as a player to all those who dismissed him in the past. This is definitely one of the finest Polish Jazz guitar albums ever recorded and a solid tribute to the past Masters. Hats off! ~Adam Baruch

Standards

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Aga Zaryan - High & Low

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:05
Size: 131,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. Back
(4:25)  2. High & Low
(4:00)  3. Not Here For Long
(4:29)  4. Paths
(5:19)  5. Spirit Voices
(5:10)  6. Proof
(5:28)  7. Dreams, Themes & Schemes
(6:42)  8. Turn Me On
(5:20)  9. A Story From A Tram (Listen, Little Man)
(3:27) 10. Boo To You Too
(2:43) 11. Geri (In Memory Of Geri Allen)
(4:01) 12. Evil

We present Aga Zaryan entitled "Spirit Voices" from the upcoming album "High & Low" , which premieres in November. Also in November, Aga Zaryan embarks on a concert tour promoting the new album. The artist will visit as many as 15 Polish cities with an international team! The first lady of Polish jazz, the vocalist whose albums appear, among others, in the legendary Blue Note Records label, prepared a new original material. For November concerts, wonderful musicians were invited to Poland, who took part in the recording of the album.

"High & Low" is a unique album, which Aga Zaryan has completely wrapped in her texts, and the authors of the compositions are eminent jazzmen: Michal Tokaj, David Doruzka, Dariusz Oleszkiewicz and Marcin Wasilewski. During the November tour, we will hear both new and original compositions, as well as songs from the previous repertoire. The artist decided not to cross the borders for the first time and invited musicians from various parts of the world for November concerts. On the stage will be accompanied by: Michal Tokaj (piano), Slawomir Kurkiewicz (double bass, bass guitar), a virtuoso guitar from the Czech Republic - David Doruzka and a star of percussion instruments from Portugal, Pedro Segundo. Translate by Google https://translate.google.com.br/translate?hl=en&sl=pl&u=https://jazzsoul.pl/2018/10/26/aga-zaryan-prezentuje-utwor-promujacy-album-high-low/&prev=search

High & Low

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Marcin Wasilewski Trio - Live

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:18
Size: 149,2 MB
Art: Front

(12:28)  1. Spark Of Life / Sudovian Dance
(10:43)  2. Message In A Bottle
( 9:14)  3. Three Reflections
(13:32)  4. Night Train To You
( 7:42)  5. Austin
(10:36)  6. Actual Proof

It is timely, albeit in a melancholy way, that one-time Tomasz Stanko protégé Marcin Wasilewski and his trio would offer a retrospective live performance that closely coincides with the passing of the legendary Polish trumpeter. The pianist, still just in his early forties, first recorded with Stanko's octet while he was a teenager and quickly went on to release his first Simple Acoustic Trio album, Komeda (Not Two, 1995), at just twenty. From the outset bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and drummer Michal Miskiewicz have been equally integral in shaping a distinctive sound that has straddled lines between minimalism, free playing and perpetual inquisitiveness. Live is the first planned release of the trio in performance though an earlier album, 20th Getxo International Jazz Festival (Hilargi Records, 1996), was apparently documented by the venue itself. Initially, it is a bit of a disappointment to learn that five of the six tunes on Live were taken from Spark of Life (ECM, 2014), given the wealth of exceptional material on the group's previous ECM albums, Trio (2005), January (2008) and Faithful (2011). 

That said, Spark of Life was a quartet album with tenor saxophonist Joakim Milder appearing on many of the tracks and so what we have here is a fresh perspective enhanced by the energy of a live performance. Take "Spark Of Life / Sudovian Dance"as a medley employing that familiar slow build up through the first half of its twelve-plus minute run. Wasilewski then takes the second half to new heights with his charged solo. Sting's "Message in a Bottle" is a longer, freer, looser interpretation giving Miskiewicz an opportunity to expand on his excellent drum solo of the previous version. The source outlier on Live is "Night Train To You," from Faithful. The Wasilewski composition stays true to its amalgam of groove and lyricism but here with the palpable dynamism of a well-oiled machine pushing its limits. "Austin"recorded in trio format originally is the only ballad on the album and in most respects, an accurate version of the beautiful original. Herbie Hancock's "Actual Proof" closes the album in an intense, spirited route that leaves the a five-thousand audience members at the Middleheim Jazz Festival ecstatic. The Marcin Wasilewski Trio of recent years has moved beyond their austere roots to a tranquility and airiness that often gives way to a show of force. Over time they have patiently and subtlety created a new identity where their low-key approach is often a stage-setter for their power trio alter ego. In this Live environment, partially fueled by an enthusiastic audience, the trio surpasses even their best studio material. ~ Karl Ackermann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-marcin-wasilewski-ecm-records-review-by-karl-ackermann.php

Personnel: Marcin Wasilewski: piano;  Slawomir Kurkiewicz: double bass;  Michal Miskiewicz: drums.

Live

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Michal Urbaniak - Serenade For The City

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1980
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 37:54
Size: 87,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:17)  1. Circular Road
(4:41)  2. Nanava
(5:02)  3. Sometimes
(4:49)  4. Serenade For The City
(4:28)  5. Samba Miko
(4:43)  6. Fall
(4:54)  7. Joy
(4:58)  8. Vanessa

Once Poland's most promising import in the jazz-rock 1970s, Michal Urbaniak's chief value in retrospect was as a fellow traveler of Jean-Luc Ponty, a fluid advocate of the electric violin, the lower-pitched Violectra, and the Lyricon (the first popular, if now largely under-utilized wind synthesizer). Like many Eastern European jazzmen, he would incorporate elements of Polish folk music into his jazz pursuits, and his other heroes range from the inevitable Miles Davis to Polish classicist Witold Lutoslawski. His electric violin was often filtered with a gauze of electronic modifying devices, and on occasion, he could come up with an attractively memorable composition like "Satin Lady." Urbaniak began playing the violin at age six, followed by studies on the soprano and then tenor saxophones. His interests in jazz developed chronologically from Dixieland to swing to bop as he grew up, and he studied at the Academy of Music in Warsaw while working in various Polish jazz bands and playing classical violin. In 1965, he formed his own band in Scandinavia with singer Urszula Dudziak (later his wife), returning to Poland in 1969 to found Constellation, which included pianist Adam Makowicz. Having won a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music upon being voted Best Soloist at the 1971 Montreux Jazz Festival, Urbaniak made the U.S. his home in 1973. He soon formed a popular jazz-rock group called Fusion, recording for Columbia and Arista in a Mahavishnu Orchestra/Ponty fashion, with Dudziak adding darting, slippery scat vocals. This group lasted until 1977, and Urbaniak's profile would never be as high again, although he performed with Larry Coryell in 1982-1983, led the new electric group Urbanator in the 1990s, and has performed and recorded in other styles ranging from bop to free jazz into the 21st century. ~ Richard S.Ginell https://www.allmusic.com/artist/michal-urbaniak-mn0000889276/biography               

Personnel:  Michal Urbaniak : electric violin, lyricon;  Urszula Dudziak : vocals;  Kenny Kirkland : keyboards;  Barry Eastwood : keyboards;  Doc Powell : guitar;  Marcus Miller : bass guitar;  Yogi Horton : drums;  Rick Galloway : percussion

Serenade For The City

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Beata Przybytek Quintet - You Don't Know What Love Is

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2001
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:14
Size: 105,9 MB
Art: Front

(3:38)  1. Is You Is, or Is You Ain't
(7:10)  2. I Thought About You
(3:43)  3. Someday My Prince Will Come
(7:11)  4. My Funny Valentine
(8:36)  5. Angels Eyes
(3:32)  6. Sugar
(4:47)  7. I Fall In Love Too Easily
(3:00)  8. Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
(4:34)  9. You Don't Know What Love Is

This is the debut album by Polish Jazz vocalist Beata Przybytek, recorded with her quintet, which comprises of saxophonist / flautist Marcin Zupanski, pianist Dorota Zaziablo, bassist Robert Szewczuga and drummer Ryszard Balcer. Violinist Krzysztof Maciejowski guests on one track. The album presents nine classic Jazz vocal standards, sung in their original English version. There are no arrangement credits on the album's liner notes. The album was recorded while Przybytek was a student at the Academy of Music in Katowice where she studied Jazz vocals and her group comprises of her fellow students from the same school as well as students from the Academy of Music in Krakow.The result is certainly well above the expectations one might have from a group of very young and inexperienced musicians. Both the vocals and the instrumental backing are quite excellent and most importantly have a unique sound and afresh approach to these standards, which have been tried countless times before. The arrangements include enough space for the instrumentalists to be able to show their skills, which they do repeatedly. Przybytek unveils her warm and expressive voice, which she playfully stretches between seductive meows and heartbreaking howls, all in good taste and with obvious talent. She does not use often the husky tone, which she utilizes on her later recordings, but her enormous potential is quite evident here. She also is one the very few Polish vocalists that can get away with singing in English without sounding utterly ridiculous, which works in her favor. Her intonation tends to be on the Gospel / Blues side, which suits her well. Overall, although not very innovative or groundbreaking, this is a very solid offering, which as a debut can be definitely regarded as an outstanding effort. Vocal Jazz fans will find this quite delightful, combining youthful enthusiasm and innocence with talent and dedication. Well done! By Adam Baruch

Personnel:  Beata Przybytek - vocals;  Marcin Zupanski - saxophone & flute;  Dorota Zaziablo - piano;  Robert Szewczuga - bass;  Ryszard Balcer - drums

You Don't Know What Love Is

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Michal Urbaniak Jazz Trio - My One And Only Love

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 72:29
Size: 165.9 MB
Styles: Fusion
Year: 1981/1996
Art: Front

[10:17] 1. My One And Only Love
[ 9:22] 2. Bells
[10:17] 3. Folky Mazurka
[ 8:47] 4. Apology
[ 7:35] 5. More Michal Moore
[ 9:25] 6. Manha De Carnival
[ 8:34] 7. Summertime
[ 8:10] 8. Just A Little Waltz

Once Poland's most promising import in the jazz-rock 1970s, Michal Urbaniak's chief value in retrospect was as a fellow traveler of Jean-Luc Ponty, a fluid advocate of the electric violin, the lower-pitched Violectra, and the Lyricon (the first popular, if now largely under-utilized wind synthesizer). Like many Eastern European jazzmen, he would incorporate elements of Polish folk music into his jazz pursuits, and his other heroes range from the inevitable Miles Davis to Polish classicist Witold Lutoslawski. His electric violin was often filtered with a gauze of electronic modifying devices, and on occasion, he could come up with an attractively memorable composition like "Satin Lady."

My One And Only Love mc
My One And Only Love zippy

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Krzysztof Urbanski - Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps

Styles: Classical
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 36:06
Size: 84,6 MB
Art: Front

(3:40)  1. Le Sacre du Printemps: L'Adoration de la terre: Introduction
(3:23)  2. Le Sacre du Printemps: L'Adoration de la terre: Les augures printaniers - Danses des adolescentes
(1:17)  3. Le Sacre du Printemps: L'Adoration de la terre: Jeu du rapt
(3:52)  4. Le Sacre du Printemps: L'Adoration de la terre: Rondes printanieres
(1:43)  5. Le Sacre du Printemps: L'Adoration de la terre: Jeux des cites rivales
(0:40)  6. Le Sacre du Printemps: L'Adoration de la terre: Cortege du Sage
(0:19)  7. Le Sacre du Printemps: L'Adoration de la terre: Le Sage
(1:12)  8. Le Sacre du Printemps: L'Adoration de la terre: Danse de la terre
(4:36)  9. Le Sacre du Printemps: Le Sacrifice: Introduction
(3:46) 10. Le Sacre du Printemps: Le Sacrifice: Cercles mysterieux des adolescentes
(1:32) 11. Le Sacre du Printemps: Le Sacrifice: Glorification de l'elue
(0:43) 12. Le Sacre du Printemps: Le Sacrifice: Evocation des ancetres
(3:58) 13. Le Sacre du Printemps: Le Sacrifice: Action rituelle des ancetres
(5:17) 14. Le Sacre du Printemps: Le Sacrifice: Danse sacrale (L'elue)

The centenary of Igor Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps was widely celebrated in 2013, and since then recordings have increased dramatically, suggesting that this groundbreaking ballet has lost none of its power to intrigue and enthrall. Alpha's 2017 recording of a concert by Krzysztof Urbanski and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester offers a vivid performance that is astonishing for its fine details and wonderful sonorities, which make it a recording that serious Stravinsky fans should experience. In terms of tempos, dynamics, and pacing, Urbanski's interpretation is mainstream and fairly predictable, though his attention to the myriad instrumental combinations, subtle inner parts, and colorful effects makes this performance stand out. Listeners who know Le Sacre du printemps well may anticipate every rhythm and accent, but they will be surprised to hear something new in virtually every measure. Urbanski is alert to the varieties of tones and timbres at his disposal, and the orchestra plays at many levels, at times creating the impression of a tapestry with layers of sound that are almost translucent. This is a performance for connoisseurs of the orchestration who seek a fresh approach, and Urbanski's focused reading of the score makes it extraordinary. Included with the CD is a Blu-ray disc of the performance, filmed at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg on February 17, 2017. Highly recommended.~ Blair Sanderson https://www.allmusic.com/album/stravinsky-le-sacre-du-printemps-mw0003143691

Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps

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Krzysztof Urbanski - Urbanski

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:29
Size: 127.0 MB
Styles: Classical, Symphony Orchestra
Year: 2010
Art: Front

[ 7:23] 1. Szarmancki Lawirant
[10:12] 2. Giant Steps
[ 6:23] 3. Touch Her Soft Lips And Part
[10:59] 4. Your History
[ 7:11] 5. You Must Dance To My Music
[ 4:00] 6. When Frank Dances Funk
[ 9:17] 7. B.H. Blues

Krzysztof Urbański is music director of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, main conductor and artistic leader of the Trondheim Symfoniorkester as well as the first guest conductor of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra. During the 2015 / 2016 season he was the first guest conductor of NDR Sinfoniorchester – the symphonic orchestra of North German Radio. He looks more like a teen idol than a grizzled maestro and his interpretations are suffused with a youthful freshness and frankness – Tagesspiegel wrote in January 2013 about a performance of Lutosławski – His left hand’s gesture targeting the orchestra is obvious: ‘Ladies and Gentleman – let’s rock!’ Musicians eagerly picked up the gauntlet: rarely do they play with such a spontaneity, precision and virtuosity as they did performing the breakneck Lutosławski concert – it was a storm which left no space for signs of musical lassitude or sluggishness.

In 2007 he graduated from the Conducting Faculty of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw under Professor Antoni Wit. He honed his skills in masterclasses with Kurt Masur. He has only taken part in two conducting contests - he placed second and received an award for Most Outstanding Artistic Personality at the 4th Witold Lutosławski International Review of Young Conductors in Białystok, Poland, and won the International Conducting Contest in Prague in 2007 (part of Prague Spring Festival / Pražské Jaro Festival).

Urbanski mc
Urbanski zippy

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Aga Zaryan - Remembering Nina & Abbey

Styles: Vocal
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:45
Size: 141,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:45)  1. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
(4:25)  2. Wild Is The Wind
(4:40)  3. My Baby Just Cares For
(4:23)  4. When Love Was You And Me
(4:31)  5. Long As You're Living
(3:40)  6. I Want A Little Sugar In My Bo
(5:20)  7. Lilac Wine
(5:05)  8. I Got Thunder (And It Rings)
(3:17)  9. Bird Alone
(4:43) 10. Avec Les Temps
(8:25) 11. Strange Fruit
(5:34) 12. Who Knows Where The Time Goes
(1:52) 13. Beautiful Land

The latest album by Agnieszka Czulak (known as Aga Zaryan ) entitled Remembering Nina & Abbey is a direct reference to the work of Nina Simone and Abbey Lincoln , black female singers who have been distinguished in history as women struggling to abolish racial discrimination. Until now, Zaryan only performed single songs from the repertoire of these personalities (eg Suzanne Niny Simone or Throw it Away Abbey Lincoln). This time, however, the album is completely covered by the covers of the two mentioned jazz music.  http://allaboutmusic.pl/aga-zaryan-remembering-nina-abbey-2013-recenzja-szymona-jaremy/

Remembering Nina & Abbey

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Jacek Kochan, John Abercrombie, Pat LaBarbera, Jim Vivian - Standard Transmission

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:43
Size: 125.3 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[8:54] 1. Nardis
[6:03] 2. Gonz's Mood
[6:53] 3. Lullaby
[9:37] 4. I Love You
[7:51] 5. You Don't Know What Love Is
[7:48] 6. I Wished On The Moon
[7:33] 7. Blue Forest

Jacek Kochan, composer, arranger, producer and drummer begun his adventure with music in seventies. In early 80-ties he moved to New York. There he have played and recorded with jazz, funk and r&b bands and studied among the others.with Jaco Pastorius, Mike Clark, Robbie Gonzales.

By the mid 80's, Jacek moved to Montreal, where he further expanded his musical lexicon to include writing for choirs and orchestra (Tudor Singers, Repercussion) as well as playing and recording ethnic music (latin , african , balkan). There he worked with Michel Donato, Karen Young, Andrew Leroux, Yannick Rieu, Oliver Jones, Jean-Pierrre Zanella, Michel Cusson, Katleen Dyson, Helmut Lipsky, Lazaro Saucedo, Geoff Lapp, Johnny Scott and many others, perfoming at the clubs and jazz festivals.

In 1990, after moving to Toronto, he started to work as a leader and sideman in countless live and recording projects with artists like John Abercrombie, Jerry Bergonzi, Pat Labarbera, Kenny Wheeler, Don Thompson, Mike Murley, Neil Swainson, Reggie Schwager, Lorne Lofsky, Bernie Senensky, John MacLeod, Dave Restivo and Brian Dickinson.

In 1995 he returned to Europe where he continues to compose, play, tour and record music with artists like Dave Liebman, Gary Thomas, Joey Calderazzo, Palle Mikkelborg, Eddie Henderson, Dave Tronzo, Briggan Krauss, Cuong Vu, Eric Vloeimans, Lars Danielsson, Eddie Schuller, Skerik, Tomas Stanko, Zbigniew Namyslowski, Adam Pieronczyk, Piotr Wojtasik, Assif Tsahar, Tomasz Szukalski, Maciej Sikala and Piotr Baron

Standard Transmission mc
Standard Transmission zippy

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Denny Christianson, Jan Jarczyk - Goin' Places

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:13
Size: 153.9 MB
Styles: Trumpet jazz, Piano jazz
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[7:01] 1. Sugar Toes
[7:59] 2. There Is Always Time
[7:32] 3. Goin' Places
[7:47] 4. Isn't She
[2:24] 5. His Piano Piece
[2:59] 6. Her Piano Piece
[8:06] 7. Spatial Effects
[6:26] 8. Music For
[7:17] 9. Arlequin
[9:37] 10. To And Fro

About Denny Christianson: Trumpet, flugelhorn, bandleader. Canadian trumpeter and bandleader, part of their current crop of hard bop, swing and big band players gaining some attention in America. His big band made two recordings featuring guest star Pepper Adams in late '80s. ~ Ron Wynn

About Jan Jarczyk: Pianist and composer Jan Jarczyk was born in Cracow, Poland in 1947. Naturalized American and Canadian, while retaining his Polish nationality. Jan Jarczyk was recognized as an eminent pedagogue to generations of jazzmen in North America. Jan Jarczyk first received classical training at the Music Academy in Cracow. Performing concerti as a soloist, he also obtained a master in composition . Pioneer of the jazz scene, he became a prominent figure and performed in festivals such as Jazz nad Odrą, Jazz Jamboree in Warsaw and Summer Jazz Festival in Krakow. He relocated to North America in 1977, first moving to Boston, where he was invited to join the faculty at the Berklee College of Music, becoming the first non-american to teach harmony and composition. After meeting his wife from Montreal, he settled in 1985 and became associate professor in the jazz area of the Schulich School of Music of McGill University up until the end of his life (august 3rd 2014).

Goin' Places mc
Goin' Places zippy

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Krzysztof Popek - Fresh Air Project

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:28
Size: 92.7 MB
Styles: Contemporary jazz
Year: 2016
Art: Front

[6:40] 1. Nicole's Soul
[6:27] 2. Assunta
[8:41] 3. Fresh Air
[4:59] 4. So It Seems
[7:19] 5. Letters And Leaves
[5:16] 6. Yes Or No
[1:03] 7. Outro

Krzysztof Popek: alto flute; Piotr Wojtasik: trumpet, flugelhorn; Nicolas Simion: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; George Cables: piano; Cameron Brown: bass; Victor Lewis: drums.

Time has stamped Krzysztof Popek as a potent force on the Polish jazz scene. The flautist could have found a comfort zone in his native land given the accolades he accumulated there. Instead, he gathered a varied supporting cast of international musicians over the years,and built a strong edifice to his musical explorations. He stamps his credentials all over again on this recording. Popek explores through the senses of several composers including himself. His "Letters and Leaves" gets a luminous head from George Cables before the melody dances in. Popek flows in with languid lines, turning in a captivating conversation with the pianist. The edge comes from Piotr Wojtasik, the trumpet cutting in; the dynamic fleshing the whole with just the right intensity.

"Nicole's Soul" has a translucent beauty ushered in by the ebb and flow of the flute. Wojtasik, who has long been part of Popek's journey, is convoluting and flinty as he feeds into the permutations without fragmenting the mood. And when it comes to the ensemble, the playing is silky and emotive, the finesse shining. The bop driven "So It Seems" not only offers contrast but also shows the ability of the band to find its comfort zone in different settings. The heated swell of Nicolas Simion's tenor, the pulsing lines of Cameron Brown's bass, the rhythmic snap of Victor Lewis's drums propulse the groove are the glove to the inventive hand of the front line.

Popek is a craftsmen hewing both to the mainstream yet never shying from improvising with a vibrant sense of adventure. He has a fine band to go with these sensibilities. And he has an enjoyable record to go with it. ~Jerry D'Souza

Fresh Air mc
Fresh Air zippy

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Beata Przybytek - Today Girls Don't Cry

Size: 129,8 MB
Time: 56:10
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. You Can Come To Me (4:15)
02. Priceless Cure (4:09)
03. Z Rozpaczy Blues (4:54)
04. Nie Wiadomo (4:14)
05. Delicate Flower (2:58)
06. The Shadow Age (4:12)
07. A Lady Wants To Forget (4:49)
08. Dotyku Motyl (3:54)
09. Heavy Rain (4:23)
10. I Had A Chat (4:17)
11. Out Of Control (4:55)
12. Rozwazna Czy Romantyczna (4:46)
13. Today Girls Don't Cry (4:17)

Beata Przybytek is an outstanding vocalist, pianist and composer. She is widely acknowledged as one of the most intriguing Polish voices. She graduated from the Jazz Department at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice where she is currently a member of the faculty.
Beata won first place at The 29th International Meeting of Jazz Vocalists in Zamosc. During her long and fruitful career, she has released the following albums: ”You Don’t Know What Love Is” (2003), ”The Island” (2004), ”Wonderland” (2006) which is distributed in Poland and Japan, and the latest ”I’m Gonna Rock You” (2012).
The artist joined forces with such prominent members of Polish jazz stage as Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski, Janusz Muniak, Jaroslaw Smietana, Piotr Wojtasik, Bernard Maseli, Wojciech Karolak, and Jazz Band Ball Orchestra.
She took active part in the Kalinowe Serce Charity’s project – „Singing Jazz” featuring Marianna Wróblewska and Maciej Zakoscielny.
As far as Beata’s performances are concerned, she played a crucial role during numerous domestic and international jazz festivals: Jazz Jamboree, Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa, Summer Jazz Festival at Piwnica pod Baranami, International Glogów Jazz Meetings, Pomorska Jesien Jazzowa, Easy Jazz Festival, Jazz Sessions in Gliwice, Jazz Forum Jazz Festival, Jazz w Lesie in Sulenczyn, Baszta Jazz Festival, Podlasie Jazz Festival, Swidnickie Noce Jazzowe, Jazz na Kanapie in Olesnica, Zakopianska Wiosna Jazzowa, Legnica Jazz Days, Jazz En Nord Jazz Festival - France, Sibiu Jazz Festival , Ploiesti Hot Jazz Summit – Romania, International Jazz Piestany – Slovakia etc. Beata is internationally recognized and fervently applauded by audiences in Poland as well as in Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, France, Romania, and Slovakia.

“Sensation. In my humble opinion, Poland has not had a jazz vocalist singing so distinctly and expressively since Urszula Dudziak. Morover, the style and timbre of voice Beata presents being so characteristic for black vocalists, distinguish her from other Polish jazz singers.”
Andrzej Chojnacki, „Od Przybytek glowa nie boli...”, „Jazz Forum”

“Someone said the more Przybytek the better. It is not enough- you can really fall in love with Beata Przybytek’s voice.(…)Warm,sometimes a little hoarse,once naturally clear, white, some other time giving the impression of stylish-black. However, never mannered! This is her voice in short. But even this seems to be not enough…because Beata Przybytek should not be read about, she must be heard. Extraordinary voice must touch us and go deep inside.(…)Beata Przybytek is a mature and fulfilled artist.”
Tomasz Jakub Handzlik, „Gazeta Wyborcza”

Today Girls Don't Cry

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Michal Urbaniak - Fusion III

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1975
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:54
Size: 114,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:29)  1. Chinatown (Part I)
(6:15)  2. Kuyaviak Goes Funky
(5:48)  3. Roksana
(2:41)  4. Crazy Kid
(5:21)  5. Prehistoric Bird
(4:22)  6. Bloody Kishka
(4:44)  7. Cameo
(6:22)  8. Stretch
(4:46)  9. Metroliner
(4:00) 10. Chinatown (Part II)

With song structures similar to Mahavishnu Orchestra and electric-era Return to Forever, Michal Urbaniak's Fusion III appealed to the same fusion-buying clientele. What most distinguishes this music from that of its contemporaries was the unique vocalizing of Urbaniak's wife, Ursula Dudziak. She could sound at times like a Polish Flora Purim, at other times like a synthesized presence from another world. On this recording, Urbaniak's playing is fresh and engaging, and his compositions occasionally sound like Frank Zappa's instrumental work from this same era. John Abercrombie and Larry Coryell turn in blistering guitar passages, and bassist Anthony Jackson and drummer Steve Gadd provide a funkified rhythmic foundation. ~ Jim Newson https://www.allmusic.com/album/fusion-iii-mw0000917962

Personnel: Michal Urbaniak (violin); Urszula Dudziak (vocals, synthesizer, percussion, electronic percussion); John Abercrombie (guitar); Wlodek Gulgowski (electric piano, electric organ, Moog synthesizer); Anthony Jackson (bass guitar); Steve Gadd (drums).              

Fusion III

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Michal Urbaniak - Manhattan Man

Styles: Violin Jazz
Year: 1992
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:12
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:47)  1. Manhattan Man
(5:48)  2. Street Talk
(6:25)  3. Paris Groove
(5:06)  4. Don't Wait
(4:36)  5. City Lights
(5:38)  6. Torn Apart
(5:56)  7. Beauty & Hope
(4:00)  8. You Only Love Once
(4:31)  9. Zephyrus
(5:20) 10. Manhattan Man (Reprise)

One never knows what to expect from violinist Michal Urbaniak, who has recorded bop, free jazz, funk and junk throughout his career with equal enthusiasm. Unfortunately, funk and junk are the main course on this CD, particularly during its first half. An odd collection, the set features plenty of electronic percussion and aimless grooves along with a few worthwhile moments. Urbaniak is overdubbed on strings, keyboards and saxophones but buries most of his guests under the mechanical percussion, including harmonica great Toots Thielemans on "Manhattan Man" and an otherwise acoustic trio featuring pianist Herbie Hancock on "Paris Groove." An odd record. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/manhattan-man-mw0000075203

Personnel: Michael Urbaniak (violin); Bervine Harris (vocals); Peter Burman, Toots Thielemans (harmonica); Herbie Hancock (piano); Bobby Baldwin (keyboards); Gregg Jones (bass); Lenny White (drums); Darren Quinland (drum programming)

Manhattan Man

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Michal Urbaniak, Horace Parlan Trio - Take Good Care Of My Heart

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:22
Size: 124.5 MB
Styles: Fusion
Year: 1986
Art: Front

[6:02] 1. Sweet Lee
[6:04] 2. Blues For Pinky
[6:21] 3. Power Of Love
[6:12] 4. Take Good Care Of My Heart
[4:21] 5. Mean And Mine
[5:10] 6. The Time Will Reveal
[4:09] 7. Back Where We Belong
[5:56] 8. Romance
[5:15] 9. Spiritual
[4:46] 10. Let's Do It Again

Violinist Michal Urbaniak teams up with pianist Horace Parlan's Trio (which also includes bassist Jesper Lundgaard and drummer Aage Tanggaard) on this mostly straight-ahead outing. Rather than interpret standards this time, Urbaniak and his group perform six of his better originals and three obscurities. The tunes are often tricky, but the results are generally swinging and feature the violinist in prime form. ~Scott Yanow

Take Good Care Of My Heart

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Anna Danes - Find Your Wings

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 46:45
Size: 108,0 MB
Art: Front

(4:30)  1. When You Were My King
(4:42)  2. I Will Wait for You
(4:25)  3. It's Crazy
(4:18)  4. I Want to Be Around / Cry Me a River
(3:12)  5. Find Your Wings
(4:07)  6. That's All
(3:45)  7. Long Distance
(3:29)  8. In the Wee Small Hours
(3:52)  9. See You in L.A.
(5:03) 10. Mr. OMG
(3:21) 11. The Voice
(1:55) 12. I Love You

On her 2014 debut, San Diego's Anna Danes came across as what she admittedly was: A woman who only came to singing in her 40s, who had limited training, only a rudimentary grasp of technique and theory -in short, a beginner. The voice was unpolished, the delivery often hesitant, the choice in material suspect for someone aspiring to be a serious jazz musician. Danes proves herself an adept student of the art, though, on "Find Your Wings," her follow-up album. An exquisite duet with British actor Richard Shelton of "That's All," the smoldering romantic standard, is unlike anything heard on her first release. Her singing voice exhibits a bottom half barely evident previously, her pacing is nearly languid, and she's learned how to caress space as well as notes, to dance atop the band instead of marching alongside it. She shows herself, in fact, a jazz singer. While "That's All" alone would be worth obtaining the album to possess, the other 11 songs here are a nice mix of jazz standards and newly written originals. If Danes is still finding her feet as composer, her sometimes uneven originals are still an improvement over some of the pop covers on her first release.

Her interpretations of the Great American Songbook range from standards like "In the Wee Small Hours" (an obvious and lovely homage to the 1970s Tony Bennett -Bill Evans sessions) and "Cry Me a River" (which swings like Anita O'Day in her prime) to lesser known gems like Sammy Cahn's "It's Crazy" (featuring more wonderful interplay between Danes and pianist Rich Ruttenberg). Of the half-dozen originals that Danes wrote or co-wrote, "The Voice" is the strongest of the bunch, with the most memorable melodic theme every bit as good as the songs written by more established songwriters Michel Legrand and Janiva Magness. The backdrop provided by the jazz trio of Rich Ruttenberg (piano), Trey Henry (bass) and John Ferraro (drums) frames every song in its best possible light. It is a serious jazz combo -and one Danes shows she is capable of fronting without fear of exposing herself as the weak link.

For the sake of jazz fans, one hopes that this is merely another step in Danes' growth as singer -that she spends the coming decades continuing to learn, and putting that knowledge to work in the recording studio. One also hopes the borderline cheesy and definitely embarrassing marketing of Danes' attractiveness on the first two albums with the slinky dresses and hither come yon flirtation on the covers -goes by the wayside. Market her voice, her growing artistry, her increasing command of the jazz idiom.  Anything less is an insult to her work. ~ Jim Trageser https://www.allaboutjazz.com/find-your-wings-anna-danes-self-produced-review-by-jim-trageser.php

Personnel: Anna Danes: vocal;  Rich Ruttenberg: piano; Trey Henry: bass;  John Ferraro: drums.

Find Your Wings

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Marcin Wasilewski - Spark of Life

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:50
Size: 169,2 MB
Art: Front

(7:07)  1. Austin
(6:28)  2. Sudovian Dance
(6:34)  3. Spark of Life
(4:37)  4. Do rycerzy, do szlachty, do mieszczan
(7:36)  5. Message in a Bottle
(6:55)  6. Sleep Safe and Warm
(8:33)  7. Three Reflections
(6:44)  8. Still
(6:06)  9. Actual Proof
(8:05) 10. Largo
(5:01) 11. Spark of Life

What do you do when you've released three albums as a trio (more, if you include albums released in Poland, prior to coming to the label) for a producer who traditionally seems to like shaking things up after that magic number? For Polish pianist Marcin Wasilewski and his longstanding trio first coming together in their teens, they've been together more than two decades, and first recorded for ECM with trumpeter Tomasz Stanko for a triptych of evolutionary albums that began with 2002's Soul of Things and concluded with the far maturer Lontano (2006) there have been two moves in 2014: first, show up as Norwegian guitarist Jacob Young's band (along with saxophonist Trygve Seim) on Forever Young, and now, follow that appearance with another set under the trio's own name, but with guest saxophonist Joakim Milder in tow. Spark of Life is another stellar collection from a trio predicated on the value of longevity and leveraging the opportunities this now late-thirty-something trio has been afforded to build a language all its own. The Swedish-born Milder is no stranger to either the Polish scene or to ECM, though it's been 17 years since he last made an appearance on the label on one of Tomasz Stanko's most lauded sessions since the trumpeter's fruitful return to the label in 1994, 1997's Litania: Music of Krzystof Komeda. Here, in a smaller, more intimate context, the saxophonist helps make Spark of Life an album that, while rich with the profound lyricism that has imbued Wasilewksi's trio since it first emerged in Poland as the Simple Acoustic Trio, with its own tribute to the great film and jazz composer, Komeda (GOWI, 1995), simmers at a higher temperature...even, at times, approaching (if not exactly reaching) a full boil.

Not that Spark of Life doesn't possess the same elegance, the same rarefied, song-like melodism of previous albums including 2008's January and 2011's Faithful, nor does it fail to capitalize on the innate strength of the trio, which performs six out of Spark of Life's eleven tracks on its own. Wasilewski's "Austin," is as soft and lyrical as the trio has ever been, an inviting opener that creates a strong sense of continuity with what's come before. And if "Austin" seems redolent of the American music town for which it might be named, despite it actually being a dedication to fellow pianist Austin Peralta, Wasilewski's "Sudovian Dance" which follows and introduces Milder to the mix turns to a more appropriately Baltic sense of folkloric melody, even as bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and drummer Michal Miskiewicz begin to turn the heat up during the saxophonist's solo, hinting at more muscular interaction to come. Still, Wasilewski's title track presenting in two variations, first with Milder, but closing the album with a trio-only take demonstrates that Milder does more than simply light a fire. A rubato tone poem where Miskiewicz's textural support is particularly noteworthy, Milder engages in a piece where interpretation and tone are everything. The saxophonist demonstrates similar developmental patience on his own irregularly metered "Still," while on a by now de rigueuer look at a Komeda piece, in this case, "Sleep Safe and Warm," the saxophonist demonstrates his attention to detail on a track that simmers with a slow-burning pedal point before breaking the tension into its familiar changes, with Kurkiewicz and Miskiewicz treading a very fine swinging line between the implicit and the explicit.

While Wasilewski contributes five of the album's compositions, the trio makes clear that its musical touchstones range far and wide on a series of covers that range from a luxurious look at "Do Rycerzy, do Szlachty, do Mieszcan," from the Polish rock group Hey, that features Milder at his sparest and most refined, to a trio reading of Jazz Police's "Message in a Bottle. Heavily deconstructed and reconstructed, Kurkiewicz delivers his most potent solo of the set, while Wasilewksi demonstrates just how many rounded surfaces he can find in the relatively square corners of such a simple construct having, in the past, found similar freedom in the music of Björk and Prince. And while he's long been a personal reference for Wasilewski, Spark of Life is the first time the pianist has taken the leap to actually perform a song by Herbie Hancock. In this case, the bright and bubbly "Actual Proof" performed often by Hancock but first heard on the Headhunters' Thrust (Columbia, 1974) and here turned into a more liberated and open-ended version that comes as close to incendiary heat as this trio gets, also providing Miskiewicz a rare moment in the spotlight.

ECM has, in its 45-year history, created a number of particular emphases amongst its massive breadth of musical offerings, and one of them has been to take that most conventional of jazz ensembles, the piano trio, and push it into different directions that respect the tradition of American greats like Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock and, looking further back, Lennie Tristano, while encouraging it to incorporate music of other genres and cultures as, at the same time, it strives to assert a clear sense of modernity. Of the young piano trios it has encouraged over the years, the Marcin Wasilewski Trio may well be its longest-standing, and for good reason. Clearly, Wasilewski, Kurkiewicz and Miskiewicz are capable of working in other contexts Wasilewski and Kurkiewicz, for example, working together on drummer Manu Katche's first two ECM dates, 2006's Neighbourhood and the 2007 followup, Playground but it's equally clear that it's in the context of this trio that these three young Poles find the most freedom to explore as they please. With the addition of Milder on roughly half of this 74-minute program, the Marcin Wasilewski Trio has managed to retain its core strengths while adding something new to avoid any pitfalls of predictability. If the at once sublet yet intense Spark of Life is any evidence (along with Forever Young), it's a sure thing that this simpatico trio still has plenty up its collective sleeve to ensure no risk of that ever happening.~John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/marcin-wasilewski-trio-w-joakim-milder-spark-of-life-by-john-kelman.php
 

Personnel: Joakim Milder: saxophone (2-4, 6, 8); Marcin Wasilewski: piano; Slawomir Kurkiewicz: double bass; Michal Miskiewicz: drums.

Spark of Life

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Agnieszka Hekiert - Night And Day Swing

Styles: Jazz, Vocal
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:09
Size: 110,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:55)  1. Green Eyes
(4:42)  2. Smile
(3:20)  3. Night and Day
(5:06)  4. They Can't Take That Away From Me
(6:14)  5. Our Love is Here to Stay
(4:16)  6. Route
(6:04)  7. Tea in the Sahara
(2:36)  8. A Tisket a Tasket
(8:52)  9. What a Wonderful World

The jazz singer, Agnieszka Hekiert, has been working with the extraordinary jazz artist Bobby McFerrin since 2009. Her other stage partners include Krzysztof Herdzin, considered by Jazz Forum to be one of the three best jazz pianists in Poland, and the Polish jazz legend Leszek Zadlo. She is currently the most in-demand vocal coach in Poland because she gives the final polish to the voices of young artists in TV shows like X-Factor (2011 TVN), Poland's Got Talent (2010/2011 TVN), My Camp Rock II (2009 Disney Channel) and Star Academy (2008Polsat). 

Agnieszka is there fore able to combine two of her passions: performing on stage as bandleader during jazz concerts and imparting her knowledge and experience as vocal coach to young talents. She still gets to work with the best: WeBe3, Rhiannon, Roger Treece and above all Bobby McFerrin, with whom she sang numerous concerts (Vocabularies Project).

Agnieszka has a degree from the jazz and pop department of the music academy in Kattowitz. Her career began in Poland, where she won many prizes at divers festivals. She then worked with well-known stars of the Polish music scene like Krzysztof cieraski, Wiesaw Pieregorólka, Natalia Kukulska, Maryla Rodowicz, Ryszard Rynkowski and Marek Baata.With the years, her field of activity extended beyond the Polish border. Agnieszka started to perform in both Germany and Austria. This resulted in an ongoing collaboration with the saxophonist Leszek Zadlo, the Bulgarian pianist Konstantin Kostov and the percussionist Nevian Lenkov.The fruits of this collaboration, which can be found on the 2009 album "European Impressions", are an incredible mixture of Slavonian melancholy and Balkan energy. The virtuosity of Leszek Zadlo is combined with the wonderful and expressive voice of Agnieszka with ease and energetic improvisation.

Agnieszka also writes music and lyrics, creates arrangements, directs a Circle singing choir (like Bobby McFerrin) and holds vocal workshops all around Europe. The Süddeutsche Zeitung about Agnieszka: "Unbelievable vocal artistic and phrasing"... and the Tölzer Kurier: "Her music is a pleasure for the ears"; "The finest jazz, that one can just not get enough of"  http://www.hekiert.com/bio-1.html

Night And Day Swing

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Karolina - Songs Of Hope

Size: 101,3 MB
Time: 40:04
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. The White Cliffs Of Dover (5:18)
02. I Will Wait For You I'll Walk Alone (2:59)
03. Poor Butterfly (3:42)
04. I'll Never Smile Again (2:51)
05. Morning Star (4:08)
06. We'll Be Together Again (4:30)
07. If You Go Away (5:29)
08. I'll Be Seeing You (3:05)
09. Waiting For The Train To Come In (2:20)
10. Rozszumialy Sie Wierzby Placzace (2:33)
11. We'll Meet Again (3:03)

What I love most about Karolina Naziemiec's voice... is her phrasing and warmth she brings to the lyric. Her approach to everything is very pure and soulful, I just can't get enough of this wonderful singer. --Carmen Bradford

Theme: Longing and loss of loved ones in commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the end of WWII in Europe, primarily honoring Polish, American, and British couples forced to separate during the war.

Songs: A jazz CD recording of 9 - 12 songs primarily in English, but also Polish and French. Several of the songs on the CD will come from a repertoire known as the Great American Songbook, originally written and performed during the 1940's, but are not particularly common today. The songs reflect on life rather than war, on people's natural desire to enjoy days of peace, togetherness, and a bright future by bringing back the feelings of relief and hope which filled people's hearts across the world as the brutal fighting came to an end. I would like to dedicate my CD, in particular, to those few heroes still alive and the memories of those who never returned from the war, but paved the road for future generations to build a better world.
Perhaps it could also serve as a reminder of the pain and suffering that war causes for so many and the importance of striving to achieve and maintain justice through peaceful means.

Songs Of Hope

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