Jazz?
- Thread starter Yax
- Start date
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Mosh, I think I can safely say that I have heard an album that you would like a lot. I had hoped I could find a certain song from it on YouTube, so I wanted to present the album with that to you but alas.
I got the CD from my wife, she brought it along from Poland. This is it:
Jarek Śmietana - The Good Life (2009)
1. Humpty Dumpty 6'14
2. Piece for Ornette 4'01
3. Blues Connotation 5'54
4. Lonely Woman 5'51
5. The Invisible 3'31
6. The Blessing 6'05
7. The Good Life 5'52
8. Round Trip/ Broad Way Blues 9'03
9. Lonely Man/ Open Letter To Ornette 8'03
10. Turnaround 6'27
Jarek Śmietana - electric guitar and mandoline
Hamiet Bluiett - baritone saxophone ( 2,4,7,9)
Yaron Stavi - acoustic bass
Adam Czerwiński - drums and cymbals
All songs written by Ornette Coleman except "Piece for Ornette" by Keith Jarrett and "Lonely Man" by Hamiet Bluiett.
So first of all: Coleman!
Second: the performances of these songs are very good. Piece for Ornette (written by Keith Jarrett) is so awesome, you really have to hear this version. You must know that I hardly know Coleman (so I can't compare) but the versions of these songs, and especially the ones with Hamiet Bluiett are irresistibly cool. What a sound. I didn't know this guy but I will track down more albums with Bluiett.
I also think Śmietana's guitar style and sound could really be appealing to you. He is active since the seventies and made quite some records, but unfortunately a tumor has been found in his brain and I heard he can't play (at the moment; I am not sure what the prospect is).
I found this page but it only has samples: http://www.7digital.com/artist/jarek-smietana/release/the-good-life
If I'll find a better alternative, I'll certainly get back here!
I got the CD from my wife, she brought it along from Poland. This is it:
Jarek Śmietana - The Good Life (2009)
1. Humpty Dumpty 6'14
2. Piece for Ornette 4'01
3. Blues Connotation 5'54
4. Lonely Woman 5'51
5. The Invisible 3'31
6. The Blessing 6'05
7. The Good Life 5'52
8. Round Trip/ Broad Way Blues 9'03
9. Lonely Man/ Open Letter To Ornette 8'03
10. Turnaround 6'27
Jarek Śmietana - electric guitar and mandoline
Hamiet Bluiett - baritone saxophone ( 2,4,7,9)
Yaron Stavi - acoustic bass
Adam Czerwiński - drums and cymbals
All songs written by Ornette Coleman except "Piece for Ornette" by Keith Jarrett and "Lonely Man" by Hamiet Bluiett.
So first of all: Coleman!
Second: the performances of these songs are very good. Piece for Ornette (written by Keith Jarrett) is so awesome, you really have to hear this version. You must know that I hardly know Coleman (so I can't compare) but the versions of these songs, and especially the ones with Hamiet Bluiett are irresistibly cool. What a sound. I didn't know this guy but I will track down more albums with Bluiett.
I also think Śmietana's guitar style and sound could really be appealing to you. He is active since the seventies and made quite some records, but unfortunately a tumor has been found in his brain and I heard he can't play (at the moment; I am not sure what the prospect is).
I found this page but it only has samples: http://www.7digital.com/artist/jarek-smietana/release/the-good-life
If I'll find a better alternative, I'll certainly get back here!
Just listened to a new Jazz album by none other than System of a Down's Serj Tankian(!) No idea that he was into that sort of music.
It's more fusiony and doesn't have a lot of straight up Jazz parts, it borders more on world music. There's some funk, ethio-jazz, even electronic influences. An enjoyable listen, lots of variety, excellent trumpet playing and some good work on the drums too.Very low key release; Serj probably didn't know how to promote it. I'm not even sure how I found out about it, wasn't even able to find out much info on the background. I just know that it was released very recently.
It's more fusiony and doesn't have a lot of straight up Jazz parts, it borders more on world music. There's some funk, ethio-jazz, even electronic influences. An enjoyable listen, lots of variety, excellent trumpet playing and some good work on the drums too.Very low key release; Serj probably didn't know how to promote it. I'm not even sure how I found out about it, wasn't even able to find out much info on the background. I just know that it was released very recently.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Interesting sidestep!
Back to Jarek Śmietana.
I have an album from 1994, called Flowers in Mind. It's a trio album, with Idris Muhammad on drums. The music is quite standard jazz, not too exciting. About half of it is own compositions, the other half songs by Parker, DeJohnette, Scofield, Sam Rivers and Coleman. The playing is quite calm and not too adventurous.
The other is from 2008, called Revolution.
This is quite a special album. Again it features an American, now it is Steve Logan on bass and vocals. Logan migrated from the States to Cracow, Poland. Quite a good singer, and songwriter, and bass player! The music has variation with a few relaxed bass interludes. No show off playing, but good grooves. The songs are not purely jazz, sometimes there's a funky, rockabilly kind of vibe. Not sure how to describe it. Also in the line-up, organ player Karolak, one of the pioneers from the Polish jazz scene. What else is special? Logan died somewhere near the end of the recording sessions. There is a song on it called "You were my music brother" a tribute to Logan with Śmietana on vocals! Quite touching, and Logan is playing bass on the song! The Polish accent is thick but the song has a good vibe with appropriate lyrics. The album opens with the Beatles classic but for the rest it's mostly originals.
There is variation and a good, positive vibe, definitely more entertaining than Flowers in Mind imo.
Good on its own.
But if I had to choose of the three albums I like most, I'd go for the earlier discussed The Good Life, because of the more adventurous playing. Also the guitar sound, it sounds produced in a neat way, I love his tone here. Maybe it's different equipment, or perhaps he uses other effects. It's more striking.
Next on my wishlist:
Zbigniew Seifert was a violinist, who unfortunately died young. He didn't made many albums but his violin playing was impressive. Coltrane on violin would be a good description. By the way, Seifert started on saxophone!
Review:
http://smietanafanblog.blox.pl/2011/10/Jaroslaw-Smietana-Band-A-Tribute-To-Zbigniew.html
Jarosław Śmietana Band - A Tribute To Zbigniew Seifert (2009)
Zbigniew Seifert, born in 1946, lived only 33 years, but nonetheless he earned himself a reputation of the best polish jazz violinist ever (contended only by Michał Urbaniak). In this short span of time he had fruitous collaboration with Tomasz Stańko and also managed to play with Joachim Kuhn, Charlie Mariano and Oregon group, which was quite exceptional back in the 70s when communist government virtually locked up Polish artist from the Western world. His brilliant career was interrupted by cancer which he was fighting for a long time. Just 3 months before his death he recorded his farewell album titled Passion accompanied by Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, Eddie Gomes, Richie Beirach and Nana Vasconselos.
Guitarist Jarek Śmietana is no less prominent person in Polish Jazz and he worked together with Seifert on another of his legendary recording called Kilimanjaro. Thirty years after the departure of his friend he decided to venture on this specific project which turns out to be as successful as it is ambitious. The Jarek Śmietana Band consists of excellent pianist Piotr Wyleżoł, legendary bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and Janusz Grzywacz (keyboard), Adam Czerwiński (drums) and Sławek Berny (percussion). But apart from these top musicians we encounter on this recording ten foreign and Polish jazz violinists:
1. Kilimanjaro (with J. Goodman)
2. Where Are You Fron (with M. Smoczyński)
3. Passion (with. D. Lockwood)
4. Quo Vadis (with K. Dębski)
5. City Of Spring (with Ch. Howes)
6. Way To Oasis (with M. Felman)
7. Taniec Garbusa (with M. Strzelczyk)
8. Untitled Song (with A. Bałdych)
All compositions are Seifert's but newly arranged by Śmietana. Addition of a different violinist to each song makes the rehearsal of this album similar to the riding on the rollercoaster but the one you really like to be on, in short it is simply pure joy. Great recording for the lovers of jazz violin!
Back to Jarek Śmietana.
I have an album from 1994, called Flowers in Mind. It's a trio album, with Idris Muhammad on drums. The music is quite standard jazz, not too exciting. About half of it is own compositions, the other half songs by Parker, DeJohnette, Scofield, Sam Rivers and Coleman. The playing is quite calm and not too adventurous.
The other is from 2008, called Revolution.
This is quite a special album. Again it features an American, now it is Steve Logan on bass and vocals. Logan migrated from the States to Cracow, Poland. Quite a good singer, and songwriter, and bass player! The music has variation with a few relaxed bass interludes. No show off playing, but good grooves. The songs are not purely jazz, sometimes there's a funky, rockabilly kind of vibe. Not sure how to describe it. Also in the line-up, organ player Karolak, one of the pioneers from the Polish jazz scene. What else is special? Logan died somewhere near the end of the recording sessions. There is a song on it called "You were my music brother" a tribute to Logan with Śmietana on vocals! Quite touching, and Logan is playing bass on the song! The Polish accent is thick but the song has a good vibe with appropriate lyrics. The album opens with the Beatles classic but for the rest it's mostly originals.
There is variation and a good, positive vibe, definitely more entertaining than Flowers in Mind imo.
Good on its own.
But if I had to choose of the three albums I like most, I'd go for the earlier discussed The Good Life, because of the more adventurous playing. Also the guitar sound, it sounds produced in a neat way, I love his tone here. Maybe it's different equipment, or perhaps he uses other effects. It's more striking.
Next on my wishlist:
Zbigniew Seifert was a violinist, who unfortunately died young. He didn't made many albums but his violin playing was impressive. Coltrane on violin would be a good description. By the way, Seifert started on saxophone!
Review:
http://smietanafanblog.blox.pl/2011/10/Jaroslaw-Smietana-Band-A-Tribute-To-Zbigniew.html
Jarosław Śmietana Band - A Tribute To Zbigniew Seifert (2009)
Zbigniew Seifert, born in 1946, lived only 33 years, but nonetheless he earned himself a reputation of the best polish jazz violinist ever (contended only by Michał Urbaniak). In this short span of time he had fruitous collaboration with Tomasz Stańko and also managed to play with Joachim Kuhn, Charlie Mariano and Oregon group, which was quite exceptional back in the 70s when communist government virtually locked up Polish artist from the Western world. His brilliant career was interrupted by cancer which he was fighting for a long time. Just 3 months before his death he recorded his farewell album titled Passion accompanied by Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, Eddie Gomes, Richie Beirach and Nana Vasconselos.
Guitarist Jarek Śmietana is no less prominent person in Polish Jazz and he worked together with Seifert on another of his legendary recording called Kilimanjaro. Thirty years after the departure of his friend he decided to venture on this specific project which turns out to be as successful as it is ambitious. The Jarek Śmietana Band consists of excellent pianist Piotr Wyleżoł, legendary bassist Zbigniew Wegehaupt and Janusz Grzywacz (keyboard), Adam Czerwiński (drums) and Sławek Berny (percussion). But apart from these top musicians we encounter on this recording ten foreign and Polish jazz violinists:
1. Kilimanjaro (with J. Goodman)
2. Where Are You Fron (with M. Smoczyński)
3. Passion (with. D. Lockwood)
4. Quo Vadis (with K. Dębski)
5. City Of Spring (with Ch. Howes)
6. Way To Oasis (with M. Felman)
7. Taniec Garbusa (with M. Strzelczyk)
8. Untitled Song (with A. Bałdych)
All compositions are Seifert's but newly arranged by Śmietana. Addition of a different violinist to each song makes the rehearsal of this album similar to the riding on the rollercoaster but the one you really like to be on, in short it is simply pure joy. Great recording for the lovers of jazz violin!
George Duke died today. 
(written by Duke)
(Vocals and keyboards by Duke. On an unrelated note, the guitar solo is Zappa's best IMO)
George Duke was one of my favorite keyboard players. His singing and playing is what hooked me when listening to Zappa for the first time (Inca Roads). His work with Jean Luc Ponty is awesome.
Edit: He also cowrote this (Which was rare for other members of Zappa's band to contribute compositions):
George Duke was one of my favorite keyboard players. His singing and playing is what hooked me when listening to Zappa for the first time (Inca Roads). His work with Jean Luc Ponty is awesome.
Edit: He also cowrote this (Which was rare for other members of Zappa's band to contribute compositions):
Last edited:
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Jarosław Śmietana died yesterday...
http://www.londonjazznews.com/2013/09/rip-jarosaw-jarek-smietana-1951-2013.html
Some sad but not unexpected news from Poland tonight. As reported by RMF24, one of the major figures in Polish jazz, guitarist/bandleader Jarosław (Jarek) Śmietana, died today at the age of 62. He had had surgery on a brain tumour in January. The operation left him with hemiparesis. There have been benefit concerts, including one in Milwaukee just a week before he died.
Krakow-born, he was a fine melodic player and completely engaging performer, who could hold audiences, particularly of Polish-speakers when telling stories, in the palm of his hand. He was a very popular figure in an art from which in Poland has represented a refuge in dark times since the Kruschev thaw of the early 1960s. He received a major honour from the City of Krakow in 1998. I remember the visit he made to the Jazz Cafe Posk to help the club celebrate its second anniversary - reviewed here.
Śmietana worked with Art Farmer, Joe Zawinul, made a lovely guitar duo record with John Abercrombie, led the band Extraball, and in recent years toured extensively with Nigel Kennedy, His discography is HERE. In sadness.
http://www.londonjazznews.com/2013/09/rip-jarosaw-jarek-smietana-1951-2013.html
Some sad but not unexpected news from Poland tonight. As reported by RMF24, one of the major figures in Polish jazz, guitarist/bandleader Jarosław (Jarek) Śmietana, died today at the age of 62. He had had surgery on a brain tumour in January. The operation left him with hemiparesis. There have been benefit concerts, including one in Milwaukee just a week before he died.
Krakow-born, he was a fine melodic player and completely engaging performer, who could hold audiences, particularly of Polish-speakers when telling stories, in the palm of his hand. He was a very popular figure in an art from which in Poland has represented a refuge in dark times since the Kruschev thaw of the early 1960s. He received a major honour from the City of Krakow in 1998. I remember the visit he made to the Jazz Cafe Posk to help the club celebrate its second anniversary - reviewed here.
Śmietana worked with Art Farmer, Joe Zawinul, made a lovely guitar duo record with John Abercrombie, led the band Extraball, and in recent years toured extensively with Nigel Kennedy, His discography is HERE. In sadness.
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Lots of 2013 Jazz here in the 2013 Jazz Critics Poll:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/bestmusic2013/2013/12/16/251761858/the-2013-npr-music-jazz-critics-poll
http://www.npr.org/blogs/bestmusic2013/2013/12/16/251761858/the-2013-npr-music-jazz-critics-poll
Forostar
Ancient Mariner
Saxofonist/componist Yusuf Lateef (93) has died. Lateef was known for his innovative mix of jazz with oriental music and world music. He played with Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and many others. Besides tenor sax he also played oboe and bassoon, both rare in jazz, and also used a number of world music instruments, notably the bamboo flute, shanai, shofar, Xun, arghul, sarewa, and koto. Later he became a university teacher in music.
I haven't heard many albums of his but this little song is one of my favourites:
Lateef's sound has been claimed to have been a major influence on John Coltrane, whose later period free jazz recordings contain similarly 'Eastern' traits.
I haven't heard many albums of his but this little song is one of my favourites: