Jurek Jagoda Trio - Liberated (2011)

Jurek Jagoda Trio

Jurek Jagoda - piano, keys
Marek Ałaszewski Jr - bass
Paweł Gębicki – drums

Liberated (2011)

Text: Maciej Nowotny

Second after debut "Songs Without Words" released in 2010 "Liberated" is what could be best described as modern smooth jazz. This connotation I do not use as invective. On contrary! I believe that such a music is necessary to draw popular listeners to more ambitious forms of jazz. This role music of JJT may play perfectly as do other artists of this kind in Poland like Leszek Możdżer (in last 10 years) or Anna Maria Jopek to name most famous respectively in instrumental and vocal (smooth) jazz. To balance real value of this disc one must take into account two factors. First, great and astonishing Jurek Jagoda compositional talent when writing catchy melodies is concerned. One after another we are witnessing beautiful melodies fiesta that can only be envied by most artists not only in Poland but abroad also. In this talent Jagoda can be compared to such masters as Esbjorn Svensson or Tord Gustavsen. Second, unlike Svensson or Gustavsen Jagoda is here not an innovator (merging classical jazz trio language as developed by Bill Evans with modern rock influenced pulse) but one who follows and without enough "firepower". By "firepower" I mean as much technical skills of musicians as interplay between them. I admit that there is significant progress here from their first recording but simultaneously there is still long way to go if comparing this trio to best such groups in the world. And finally one may also ask simple question: why to chase EST level and style (for example) if it cannot be surpassed anyway? 

Tracklist: 1.Liberated; 2.Reflections; 3.Five Steps Higher; 4.Good To Me; 5.Changing Places; 6.Traveling Miles; 7.Swobodna; 8.Gravitation Lost 

Check the artist web page to get access to some tunes from this album:

https://www.jurekjagoda.com/liberated.html

Jurek Jagoda Trio -Songs Without Words (2010)

I was very skeptical about this album but only up to the point when I put CD in my Marantz CD player and started to listen to the music itself. Certainly it is not avant-garde or ground-breaking but it is nonetheless unpretentious, communicative and charming. The trio consists of the pianist Jurek Jagoda, Marek Ałaszewski on bass and Paweł Gębicki on drums. I found that it is their second album but I treat it as debut because up to this point nobody I know heard anything about them. This record was attached to March copy of JazzForum magazine so they immadietely got recognized by jazz audience in Poland.

Exactly as title of the album suggests this music is constructed around tunes. It reminds me somehow debut disc of Manu Katche Neighbourgood where melodies also played main role. I must admit that Jurek Jagoda compositional talent is exceptional and all his melodies are colourful and captivating. It is interesting where his road now shall lead him. I would expect from him and his collaborators to focus more on interplay between musicians, on rhythm and improvisation. All in all we welcome with this disc new interesting pianist on Polish jazz scene whose developments I will observe with interest. 

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