Laura Cubi Villena & Adam Wendt Acoustic Set – Por La Noche (2015)

Laura Cubi Villena & Adam Wendt Acoustic Set

Laura Cubi Villena - vocals
Adam Wendt - saxophone
Cezary Paciorek - accordion
Jarosław Stokowski - bass
Amber String Quartet

Por La Noche



SOLITON 757

By Adam Baruch

This is an album by Spanish vocalist/lyricist Laura Cubi Villena, recorded with the Polish ensemble led by saxophonist Adam Wendt, which also includes accordionist Cezary Paciorek (Paweł Zagańczyk also plays accordion on one track), bassist Jarosław Stokowski and the Amber String Quartet. The album presents twelve original tracks all composed by Wendt with lyrics by Villena. Villena and Wendt collaborated already on the last album by Adam Wendt Acoustic Set ("Acoustic Travel") which apparently worked well for both of them, leading to this full album recorded together.

The music is only marginally Jazz oriented and offers a dominant Spanish/Latin flavor, using elements of Tango and other World Music motifs. The music is beautifully arranged and the instrumental performances are all excellent, as expected from these veteran pros. The accordion parts are especially beautiful, as are the heartfelt saxophone solos. Villena has a deep and sensuous voice, with a rasping coloring, and her delivery is ideal for the melodic contents and sounds authentic and striking.

Overall this is a fine Jazz-World Fusion/Smooth Jazz offering, which does not compromise any musical qualities and offers first class entertaining. For lovers of Latin music and the Tango, this is quite a feast. This music, with the help of a good bottle of wine, is able to teleport the listener back in time to the streets of Buenos Aires, where the Tango used to be a way of life.

Grzech Piotrowski – Six Seasons (2016)

Grzech Piotrowski

Grzech Piotrowski - saxophone
Marcin Wasilewski - piano
Jarosław Stokowski - bass
Robert Luty - drums
Mariusz Patyra - violin
Mateusz Smoczyński - violin
Aleksandra Jarosińska - viola
Krzysztof Lenczowski - cello



Six Seasons

ALCHEMIK

By Adam Baruch

This is the seventh album by Polish Jazz saxophonist/composer Grzech Piotrowski (a.k.a. Grzegorz Piotrowski), recorded in a quartet setting with pianist Marcin Wasilewski, bassist Jarosław Stokowski and drummer Robert Luty, and with a superb string quartet, which includes violinists Mariusz Patyra and Mateusz Smoczyński, violist Aleksandra Jarosińska and cellist Krzysztof Lenczowski. The album presents six original compositions, all by Piotrowski, named after the usual four seasons with two additional seasons added ("pre-spring" and "pre-winter"), which together constitute a suite-like structure.

The music is an ambitious Jazz-Classical Fusion project, beautifully melodic and gently flowing from one part of the suite to another, full of melancholy and tranquility. In some respects it often sounds like a soundtrack of an imaginary movie, inspiring colorful visions in the mind of the listener. It is all about precision, delicate relationships between the harmonies and elegant melodic vistas, with no much space left for spontaneity.

The performances by all the participants are perfectly suited to this specific musical environment, with Jazzy improvisation being relatively limited, due to the strict arrangements, but nevertheless quite impressive. This album is not intended to present individual virtuosity as much as it is about coordinated effort, perfectly matched and working towards a common goal.

Some critics will probably say that this music is way too sweet and organized and borders on Smooth Jazz or even pastiche. Admittedly, such music as presented herein, quite often ventures into these territories, but in this specific case it does not happen at all. Yes, the music is pleasant and easy on the ear, but at the same time it is full of original melodic themes, superb orchestration and arrangements, topped with flawless execution. There is an obvious effort and talent invested here by Piotrowski, and the resulting music can be seen as a tribute to Romanticism and Classical Music tradition, wonderfully intertwined with contemporary tools of the trade, used in Jazz and Pop.

Personally I had a wonderful time listening to this music, which despite its pleasurable appearance, offers many inspiring moments, superb instrumental solos and fifty minutes of calmness and tranquility, which in our world happen way to infrequently. The album comes in a hand-made packaging, which adds another highly personal dimension to the entire project. Definitely not for everybody, but hopefully many listeners will find this gorgeous music deeply moving and penetrating their souls.

Meadow Quartet - The Erstwhile Heroes (2013)

Meadow Quartet

Marcin Malinowski - clarinet, bass clarinet
Michał Piwowarczyk - viola
Piotr Skowroński - accordion
Jarosław Stokowski - double bass
Tomas Dobrovolskis - percussion, brass globe, glass

The Erstwhile Heroes

MPT009

By Borys Kossakowski

"The Erstwhile Heroes" to ogromny krok do przodu w twórczości kwartetu z łąki. Zespół do nagrania płyty zaprosił gościa - Tomasa Dobrovolskisa - litewskiego perkusjonalistę, którego szeroka publiczność mogła już oglądać chociażby na festiwalu "Wilno w Gdańsku". I to był strzał w dziesiątkę. Dobrovolskis okazał się turbiną, która pozwoliła wejść Meadow Quartet na wyższe obroty. To jego partie perkusyjne (w dużej mierze improwizowane) dają muzyce przestrzeń i pierwiastek nieprzewidywalności.

Zespół nadal bazuje na tradycyjnej klezmerskiej muzyce żydowskiej, ale ich brzmienie nabrało głębi (m.in. za sprawą Ryszarda Szmita realizującego płytę w Olsztynie). Gdański kwartet poszerzył paletę brzmieniową o abstrakcyjne efekty dźwiękowe, które utworowi "Miscellaneous Muddle Thoughts" nadały dzikiego charakteru (niestety tylko jemu jednemu). Aż prosi się o więcej takich eksperymentów!

Marcin Malinowski tą płytą dołączył do grona utalentowanych trójmiejskich klarnecistów (Michał Górczyński czy Mikołaj Trzaska). Docenił go już Jarosław Bester, zapraszając do udziału w sesji nagraniowej do płyty Bester Quartet "The Golden Land". Nie zdziwiłbym się, gdybyśmy zobaczyli go kiedyś w składzie klarnetowego kwartetu Ircha Mikołaja Trzaski. Pod względem kompozycji Meadow Quartet blisko do pierwszych płyt Cracow Klezmer Band.

Malinowski ma talent do pisania utworów wpadających w ucho od pierwszego usłyszenia. Zespół chętnie sięga też po język improwizacji, dzięki któremu żydowskie tematy nagle stają się tajemnicze i przejmujące. Wszyscy muzycy mają tu dużo do powiedzenia, ale improwizują z rozwagą, nie zalewając słuchacza niekończącymi się solówkami. Rozwaga jest tu cnotą, ale czasem sprawia, że Malinowski i spółka grają zbyt zachowawczo. A przecież formacja fantastycznie brzmi, gdy rzuca lejce i daje się ponieść fantazji. Z drugiej strony "The Erstwhile Heroes" to płyta bardzo intymna, uważny słuchacz wychwyci nawet oddechy muzyków w cichszych partiach. Meadow Quartet po raz pierwszy zaprezentował materiał na festiwalu Tzadik w Poznaniu. Kto wie, być może śladami Bester Quartet trafi do wytwórni Johna Zorna?

Meadow Quartet - David & Goliath (2016)

Meadow Quartet

Marcin Malinowski - clarinet, bass clarinet
Michał Piwowarczyk - viola
Piotr Skowroński - accordion
Jarosław Stokowski - double bass
Klaus Kugel - drums

David & Goliath


MPT006

By Borys Kossakowski

Słuchając studyjnych płyt Meadow Quartet zawsze miałem wrażenie, że zespół gra zbyt grzecznie i zachowawczo. Koncertowy "David & Goliath" to propozycja wychodząca daleko poza akademickie ramy "czystego dźwięku". Brzmienie formacji jest głębsze, intensywniejsze, ciekawsze. Spora w tym zasługa niemieckiego perkusisty Klausa Kugela, który dał kwartetowi z nie tylko energię pochodzącą z instrumentów perkusyjnych, ale i mądrość starego "frytowca". A do tego wszystko sam nagrał.

Marcin Malinowski i spółka mieli już okazję współpracować z innym świetnym perkusjonalistą – Tomasem Dobrovolskisem z Wilna. Niestety Dobrovolskis zginął tragicznie, pobity rok temu podczas nocnego spaceru z psem. Płyta "David & Goliath" to hołd dla Tomasa – kto wie, być może właśnie on miał ją nagrać z Meadow Quartet.

Biblijne spotkanie Dawida i Goliata to historia znana na całym świecie. W pewnym sensie Goliatem można by nazwać samego Klausa Kugela – bo to gigant niemieckiego free-jazzu, który grał m.in. z Tomaszem Stańką, Williamem Parkerem czy Bobo Stensonem. Dawidem mógłby być młody kwartet Marcina Malinowskiego. Na szczęście spotkanie muzyków odbyło się w Nadbałtyckim Centrum Kultury, a nie na polu walki. Celem zaś była kreacja, a nie zniszczenie.

Meadow Quartet podejmują wątek muzyczny porzucony przez Cracow Klezmer Band wraz ze zmianą nazwy na Bester Quartet. Tam, gdzie Jarosław Bester skręcił w stronę kameralistyki, Malinowski postanowił pójść w stronę jazzu i ludowej obrzędowości. Używają podobnego języka muzycznego (klarnet, skrzypce, akordeon, kontrabas, perkusja), ich kompozycje podobnie wywołują ciarki, ale energia powołałaby do życia samego Golema. Meadow Quartet z Kugelem brzmi mocarnie, momentami wręcz rockowo. Zespół zyskał też duchową głębię i mądrość starszego muzyka, który pokazuje młodym "Dawidom", którędy prowadzi droga do artystycznej dojrzałości.

Największe wrażenie Meadow Quartet robi, gdy zwalnia tempo, a klarnet grający z akordeonem zamienia się w walec, który miażdży wszystko na swojej drodze. Nie ma tu taniej klezmerki i chwytającej za serce kiczowatej romantyczności. To mądra, męska muzyka o dojrzewaniu, pokonywaniu własnej słabości i hartowaniu żelaza. Surowa i piękna opowieść.

Źródło: Trójmiasto.pl

Adam Wendt Acoustic Set – Acoustic Travel (2014)

Adam Wendt Acoustic Set

Adam Wendt - tenor & soprano saxophones
Paweł Zagańczyk - accordion, bandoneon
Jarosław Stokowski - double bass
Tomasz Wendt - tenor saxophone
Grzegorz Nagórski - euphonium
Laura Cubi Villena - vocal

Acoustic Travel

SOLITON 367

By Adam Baruch

This is the sixth album as a leader by veteran Polish Jazz saxophonist/composer Adam Wendt, recorded in an acoustic setting with his trio which features accordionist Paweł Zagańczyk and bassist Jarosław Stokowski. Three guest musicians are heard on a few tracks: vocalist Laura Cubi Villena, saxophonist Tomasz Wendt and euphonium player Grzegorz Nagórski. The album presents twelve tracks, ten of which are originals by Wendt (two of which are repeated in vocal and instrumental versions) and two come from the Jazz-World repertoire, composed one each by Richard Galliano and Astor Piazzolla. Villena wrote the lyrics for the three songs she performs on the album.

The music is a Jazz-World Fusion/Smooth Jazz effort, presenting a set of nice melodic compositions by the leader, all of which have a South American feel about them, mostly associated with the Tango. Wendt has a beautiful saxophone tone but his improvisations are limited within the melodic "safe" zone. It's great to hear the accordion, which is such beautiful and yet so neglected instrument in the Jazz idiom. The bass plays clean and precise backing notes and keeps the trio well together.

Overall this is a pleasant album, which offers no innovation or exploration whatsoever, staying well within the mainstream formula at all times but on the other hand it is very well executed and is very accessible for listeners who are well outside of the strict Jazz milieu.

Meadow Quartet - The Erstwhile Heroes (2013) ***

Meadow Quartet (band)

Marcin Malinowski - klarnet, klarnet basowy
Michał Piwowarczyk - altówka
Piotr Skowroński - akordeon
Jarosław Stokowski - kontrabas

Special guest:

Tomas Dobrovolskis - perkusjonalia, the brass globe, the glass

The Erstwhile Heroes (2013)

After the release of their debut album "Unexpected" (which was reviewed by Maciej Nowotny on our blog: link) the band has been described as one of the most promising on the contemporary neo-klezmer scene.

(...) Meadow Quartet proves that Jewish culture is not a fossil, but a source of inspiration. Although it reaches for literary allusions to the history of the Jewish people (‘Das Schloss – A tribute to F. Kafka’ or ‘Goldene Medina’ – America as the ‘Golden Land’ in the imagination of nineteenth-century Eastern European Jews), what we have here is the atmosphere, the game of colour rather than drawing from the source directly. (...)

Gazeta Wyborcza, 21st June, 2012 – Tomasz Handzlik

The music may not be as such unexpected as the title suggests. The same features could be found in the Radical Jewish Culture series from Tzadik Records. However, the way musicians combine improvisation with chamber music, not losing at the same time any natural expression of Jewish themes, is on one hand the most interesting and on the other, the most unexpected.

Uważam Rze, 26th February 2012

(...) Meadow Quartet, though firmly anchors their works in the Jewish canons, gives them the jazz edge ultimately, so that there are times to move away from the subject, as well as spinning the thread through each of the instruments individually. They are able to do that in an excellent manner, because the quartet are great musicians. ‘Unexpected’ is an magnificent debut, confirming that as regards klezmer music not everything has been said (...)

t-mobile-music.pl, 14th March 2012 – Dominika Węcławek

Marcin Malinowski, the band leader, is consistently expanding the scope of his artistic pursuits. To illustrate this it is enough to mention the album Osvaldo Golijov: The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind recorded with a string quartet. What is more, he also took part in the recording of the new album of Bester Quartet, which has been recently released by Tzadik Records.

Meadow Quartet – the winners of 16th Festival of Polish Radio Nowa Tradycja 2013 invited an excellent Lithuanian percussionist – Tomas Dobrovolskis to cooperate. This musician directs the music to a completely new areas. He is an inventor and designer of the new percussion instrument The Brass Globe, which allows to combine different techniques of playing drums (such as the djembe, tabla, darabuka) to one percussion instrument. In Europe he does a growing career.

On the album The Erstwhile Heroes there are nine compositions of the band leader – Marcin Malinowski. These compositions performed in almost traditional klezmer orchestration, allow the listener to extract the timeless beauty composed to measure the early twenty-first century.

Source: Multikulti

Meadow Quartet - Unexpected (2012)

Meadow Quartet

Marcin Malinowski: clarinet, bass clarinet
Michał Piwowarczyk: viola
Piotr Skowroński: accordion
Jarosław Stokowski: bass

Unexpected (2012)

It has always puzzled me that God relishes so much in paradoxes. There are plenty of them all around us. They only require keen eye. And age eventually bring one. Good example of such a phenomenon may be in Polish-Jewish relationships. When before II World War Jews in Poland were counted in millions there was very little sympathy for them in this country. But now more than half century later when almost all of them vanished from here this hatred and rejection become somehow replaced by universal love and great longing. Maybe I am too cynical but both these feelings seem evenly suspicious to me.

I am perhaps therefore not best person to describe recent wave of fascination in klezmer music by Polish artists. There are so many such projects that it is pointless to list them here as they would take all space required for review of this album. And it shouldn't happen since music on "Unexpected" deserves attention. It is very well played as usual in case of Polish artists who benefit from high-level education in specialized musical schools. The collective called themselves Meadow Quartet and consists of Marcin Malinowski playing on clarinet, Michał Piwowarczyk on viola, Piotr Skowroński on accordion and Jarosław Stokowski on bass.

As you might notice this type of instrumental set-up is very characteristic for bands playing Jewish-inspired music and so is style of this music. I found this field so well plough that it does not appeal to me very much. But I cannot deny it is charming. I can imagine it might sound marvellously in some "shtetl" lost in "endless Polish steppe". But the problem is no such shtetls exist any more and there is no steppe in Poland either. There is very difficult, sometimes tragic, sometimes incredibly inspiring history of Polish-Jewish relationships that calls for a voice which will be able to transcend the past. I personallly find such voice in works like provided for example by Ircha Clarinet Quartet led by Mikołaj Trzaska or in projects by Raphael Rogiński. Or like on this disc, in some rare moments however, where true emotions prevail as exemplified by "L'Automne" on this generally not so bad record.

Track list:
1. Das Schloss [05:19]
A tribute to F. Kafka
2. Goldene Medina [07:09]
3. Nature's Tool [04:05]
4. Le Printemps [04:18]
5. L'automne [05:15]
6. Immersion [08:17]
7. Form No. 1 [05:33]
8. Extinct [05:18]

By Maciej Nowotny

http://kochamjazz.blox.pl