Rama 111 – Rama 111 (Swinging Tricity Vol.2) (2012)

Jan Rejnowicz - leader, organs, piano
Przemysław Dyakowski - tenor & sopran saxophones
Maciej Flont - sax tenor
Eugeniusz Kadyszewski - guitars
Piotr Nadolski - trumpet
Andrzej Nowak - piano
Tadeusz Petrow - sax, flute
Bogusław Skawina - trumpet
Aleksander Śliwa - bass
Andrzej Śliwa - drums

SOLITON 101

By Adam Baruch

This is the second installment in the excellent archival series documenting Polish Jazz created in the country's Tricity on the Baltic Sea, one of the important centers where Polish Jazz thrives and over the years produced numerous first-rate musicians and superb bands. The series presents material, which in most cases never previously appeared in any form and therefore is of immense historic importance.

This chapter presents the Rama 111 ensemble, which is now almost completing five decades of musical activity, having toured extensively worldwide. The group was founded in 1966 and exists to this very day, but unfortunately never managed to record even one album under their name (they did record with the Polish Jazz vocalist Marianna Wroblewska), which sadly was the fate of many Polish Jazz artists during the Socialist regime. However they did record for the Tricity Polish Radio station in Gdansk, where all of the material included on this album comes from.

Rama 111 changed musical directions over the years and in retrospect covered a wide range of styles, from modern mainstream, via Jazz-Rock-Fusion, Swing and even Dixieland. The recordings included on this album originate mostly in the early to mid-1970s, and present primarily their Jazz-Rock side, although the Jazzy side is much more dominant than the Rock elements. It was founded by keyboardist Jan Rejnowicz and over the years featured the following musicians present on this album: saxophonists Przemyslaw Dyakowski, Maciej Flont and Tadeusz Petrow, trumpeters Piotr Nadolski and Boguslaw Skawina, pianist Andrzej Nowak, bassists Eugeniusz Kadyszewski, Roman Skurzynski and Aleksander Sliwa and drummer Andrzej Sliwa.

The group performed both their original compositions, mostly by Rejnowicz, which were truly excellent, as well as their arrangements of Jazz standards, also mostly by Rejnowicz, which were unique and elaborate. The radio recordings have excellent sonic quality and the overall level of performances is superb.

This is another great piece of Polish Jazz history, which should definitely be told and preserved as part of the country's Cultural Heritage. Kudos to Marcin Jacobson for creating this series and keeping it going!

Flamingo – Flamingo (Swinging Tricity Vol.4) (2013)

Jerzy Derfel - piano
Andrzej Dorawa - trombone
Piotr Nadolski - trumpet
Janusz Nalaskowski - drums
Henryk Pietrewicz - bass
Ryszard Podgorski - trumpet
Eugeniusz Pudelewicz - clarinet
Edward Rykaczewski - trombone
Jan Tomaszewski - trombone
Lucjan Wozniak - banjo

SOLITON 250

By Adam Baruch

This is the fourth installment in the excellent archival series documenting Polish Jazz created in the country's Tricity on the Baltic Sea, one of the important centers where Polish Jazz thrives and over the years produced numerous first-rate musicians and superb bands. The series presents material, which in most cases never previously appeared in any form and therefore is of immense historic importance.

This chapter presents the Flamingo ensemble, a Traditional Jazz outfit, which was very popular locally as well as in the rest of the country and even participated in the prestigious annual Jazz Jamboree Festival in Warsaw. The group was founded in the late 1950's, following the great Polish Jazz rebirth after the two historic Sopot (one of the Tricity cities) festivals in 1956 and 1957, which were a turning point in Polish Jazz history. The ensemble existed for about a dozen years until the late 1960s, and unfortunately never managed to record even one album, which sadly was the fate of many Polish Jazz artists during the Socialist regime. However they did record for the Tricity Polish Radio station in Gdansk, where most of the material included on this album comes from, except for five tracks that come from the 1961 Jazz Jamboree Festival, which were previously released by the state owned record label Polskie Nagrania (Muza).

Flamingo was one of quite a few Polish Jazz ensembles playing Traditional Jazz, i.e. Ragtime, Dixieland and New Orleans, as part of the Traditional Jazz Revival, which swept Europe in the 1950s and 1960s. It was founded by pianist Jerzy Derfel, bassist Henryk Pietrewicz and banjoist Lucjan Wozniak. They were soon joined by drummer Janusz Nalaskowski and clarinetist Eugeniusz Pudelewicz. Other group members present on this album were trumpeters Piotr Nadolski and Ryszard Podgorski, and trombonists Andrzej Dorawa, Edward Rykaczewski and Jan Tomaszewski. After the group folded, several members joined other groups; like Rama 111, which appears on an earlier release of this series, and even Niemen's group Akwarele.

The group performed mostly Traditional Jazz standards, with their youthful energy and zest overcoming the lack of experience. The overall level of performances was nothing short of excellent, which gained them quite a following and respect at the time. They performed in several European countries and participated in many jazz festivals. Since their split they managed to get briefly reunited a few times celebrating their past. Most of the Flamingo members live now outside of Poland.

This is another great piece of Polish Jazz history, which should definitely be told and preserved as part of the country's Cultural Heritage. Kudos to Marcin Jacobson for creating this series and keeping it going!

Various Artists – Przyjaciele Graja Hajduna (2011)

Wanda Staroniewicz - vocals
Wlodzimierz Nahorny - piano
Piotr Nadolski - trumpet
Marcin Wadolowski - guitar
Wojciech Staroniewicz - saxophone
Janusz Mackiewicz - bass
Dominik Bukowski - vibraphone
Darek Herbasz - saxophone
Adam Golicki - percussion
Kuba Hajdun - piano

ALLEGRO 023

By Adam Baruch

This album presents the live recording of a memorial concert dedicated to the Polish pianist / composer Janusz Hajdun, who died a year before this concert took place. Hajdun composed music to more than a hundred films, including the short animated film "Tango", which was the first and so far only Polish film to win the Oscar in 1983, as well as many popular songs. His music was characterized by a distinctive swing and a Jazz spirit, and therefore it is only natural that the Polish Jazz musicians taking part in this concert would pay this loving tribute to the beautiful music composed by Hajdun, hoping to preserve it for posterity.

The album presents thirteen compositions by Hajdun (in two cases co-compositions), all of which were beautifully arranged by the participating musicians and three of which include vocals sung by Wanda Staroniewicz. The instrumentalist are: legendary pianist Wlodzimierz Nahorny, trumpeter Piotr Nadolski, guitarist Marcin Wadolowski, saxophonist Wojciech Staroniewicz, bassist Janusz Mackiewicz, vibraphonist Dominik Bukowski, saxophonist Dariusz Herbasz, percussionist Adam Golicki and pianist Kuba Hajdun (the composer's son).

The music is truly beautiful, full of the typical Polish lyricism, somewhat melancholic and even gloomy, but always absorbing and aesthetically perfect. There is more than a coincidental similarity to Krzysztof Komeda's cinematic work, which indisputably inspired Hajdun, as it did all Polish composers. Hearing all this music collected here makes a great impact as a sum total and emphasizes his incredible value as a composer and contributor to the development of Polish Culture.

The performances are inspired and overall perfect, full of superb solos and excellent team work, kept in relative low-key, as appropriate for a memorial concert. Ranging from solo piano performances to a full-blown Jazz ensemble, things are definitely happening here, which should leave no listener cold. The fact that people pay tribute to their departed colleagues and mentors is heartwarming and commendable and when it is done with such love, dedication and talent, it becomes an unforgettable event.

This is Polish Jazz at its best, and as such it deserves to be listened to with attention and open-mindedness. Taking care of the past and the heritage is every bit as important as taking care of the future, let's not forget it.

Swingujące Trójmiasto (Series) - Rama 111 (Soliton, 2012)

Rama 111 (band)

Jan Rejnowicz - leader, organs, piano
Przemysław Dyakowski - tenor & sopran saxophones
Maciej Flont - sax tenor
Eugeniusz Kadyszewski - guitars
Piotr Nadolski - trumpet
Andrzej Nowak - piano
Tadeusz Petrow - sax, flute
Bogusław Skawina - trumpet
Aleksander Śliwa - bass
Andrzej Śliwa - drums

This is second release in Swingujące Trójmiasto (Swinging Tricity) series which is pressed by Soliton recording company. The idea of the series is bringing to our audience recordings made in Tri City (Gdyna, Gadńsk, Sopot) which yet either never wento to album (as this one) or were pending for reprint due to its unavailabilty. More about it you can read in review of first CD 'Baszta' (2011). As much as on aforementioned release this disc contains magnificent music evidencing how high wal level of jazz scene in 60ties in Poland. When one studies line-up it comes then as no surprise that some of musicians from this obscure band, created in 1966, which never recorded single album under its own name (apart from one with Marjanna Wróblewska titled 'Bylebym się zakochała'), are still present and significant voices in our music. It certainly applies to saxophonist Przemek Dyakowski but also to trumpeter Piotr Nadolski. All in all, this disc contains diversified music bringing to our memory what is best in tradition of mainstream jazz in Poland. 

Track listing: 1. Nasza podróż; 2. Jestem kochanką wiatru; 3. Impressions; 4. Na wszystkich dworcach świata; 5. Zegarmistrz światła; 6. Bogurodzica; 7. Romanca Cherubina; 8. A vista; 9. Alienacja; 10. Kładka na Motławie; 11. Oberczyna; 12. After You've Gone; 13. Do łezki łezka; 14. Meaple Leaf Rag; 15. Neptunalia; 16. Rozgrzewka

By Maciej Nowotny
http://kochamjazz.blox.pl

Leszek Dranicki - Listy Jazzujace (Soliton, 2010)

Leszek Dranicki - vocal, guitar

Edward "Wojtek" Kolczyński - keyboard
Piotr Nadolski - harmonica

Piotr Lemanczyk - double bass
Adam Czerwiński - drums

Listy Jazzujące (Soliton, 2010)

Were it not for names of Piotr Lemańczyk and Adam Czerwiński, both musicians which I value a lot, I would never reach for this album. What can I say about it? Being bluesy, nonchalant, naive: this music has charm of some recording by talented but amateur vocalist. 

More music by Leszek Dranicki: http://www.myspace.com/leszekdranicki

or some solo effort by Leszek Dranicki:

Author: Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl/html