Yes4Jazz – Trzaskowski Lives! Premiera 10.09.2021 (SJRecords057)
Yes4Jazz consists of 5 excellent musicians from around Zielona Góra: sax players: Seweryn Graniasty and Robert Chyła, bass guitarist Bartłomiej Pietsch, pianinst Wojciech Pruszyński and drummer Waldemar Franczyk.
The band origins from formed in 2005 Hard Work Enseble quartet. In 2009 the line-up took its final form influencing the band sound and repertoire-wise. In the early days the sound and "the way" of playing could be classified as traditional Bebop and Hardbop, and jazz standards were the base of the repertoire. Currently Yes4Jazz performances consist of almost entirely original compositions.
Prior to 2017 the band didn't have any phonographic ambitions, the main focus were live performances, most of times in Zielona Góra's club Piekarnia Cichej Kobiety where the artists took part in many other musical projects. With the compositional effort from the band's pianist, Wojtek Pruszyński, in 2018 the debut album entitled Hard Work was released.
The idea to create a record entirely dedicated to A. Trzaskowski's compositions became next artistic goal and challenge for the leader and the band. Robert Chyła shared his thoughts about it's creation and repertoire selection: The idea came to life in October of 2020 in Zielona Góra during Crossing Jazz Festival. Wojciech Karolak who had listened to the programme ensured us that the material is excellent and we have go for it.
The task was difficult - recalled W. Pruszyński, because it wasn't about copying Trzaskowski's unique style, but about the spirit of his music. Of course I've listened to his compositions, studied them and took ispiration from what and how he played on the piano (...).
Yes4Jazz - Trzaskowski Rework will be released on the 10th of September 2021 (SJRecords 057)
YES4JAZZ
Robert Chyła – clarinet, tenor sax
Seweryn Graniasty – soprano sax, alto sax
Wojciech Pruszyński – piano
Bartłomiej Pietsch – bass guitar
Waldemar Franczyk – drums
Produced: Robert Chyła
Coover picture (Painting) / Cover design: Ireneusz Pruszyński
Inside photos: Anna Chyła, Jerzy Malicki, Marek Karewicz - Jazz Forum files
Inside Book – text: Andrzej Winiszewski
Project Disagne: Robert Chyła and Quest Media Team
Studio: RecPublica, Lubrza
Mixed and Mastered by Patryk Żukowski
Sound Engineer: Patryk Żukowski
Recorded in 27-28 of March 2021 in RecPublica, Lubrza
Yes4Jazz – Trzaskowski Lives!
This album was inspired by Andrzej Trzaskowski's compositions up until the 60's. The repertoire was carefully selected and planned. Their status and meaning in Trzaskowski's compostition portfolio is extraordinary, even worth considering - as Adam Sławiński wrote - a kind of compositional tractate.
Synopsis are true demonstration of excellent compositional techniques, Chmiel and Forest excerpt from much alive during that timeframe in polish jazz, polish folk music. Post Scriptum is a beautiful piece of harmonically sophisticated jazz ballad. Everything goes perfectly in line with the concept of the leader - Robert Chyła, saxophonist born in Nowa Sól.
I've been watching the evolution of the band lead by him, Yes4Jazz, from the very beginning, starting from 2005. His own ensemble gave him, after all the years of experience, long awaited possibility of bringing to life his own musical idea. With the compositional effort from the band's pianist, Wojtek Pruszyński, in 2018 the debut album entitled Hard Work was released. However the idea to create a record entirely dedicated to A. Trzaskowski's compositions became next artistic goal and challenge for the leader and the band. When asked about the creative process and repertoire selection R. Chyła said: The idea came to life in October of 2020 in Zielona Góra during Crossing Jazz Festival. Wojciech Karolak who had listened to the programme ensured us that the material is excellent and we have go for it. The final decision was made - we record it! The recording sessions became a huge challenge also for our pianist, Wojtek Pruszyński, who wasn't hiding his concerns.
The task was difficult - recalled W. Pruszyński, because it wasn't about copying Trzaskowski's unique style, but about the spirit of his music. Of course I've listened to his compositions, studied them and took ispiration from what and how he played on the piano but it was never about imitating Trzaskowski for any of us.
R. Chyła talked in similar fashion about working on the album as an attempt to find own and unique interpretation of one of the most influential pianists in polish jazz history: I really didn't want to make "my own" copies of existing compositions by Trzaskowski. I've been searching for the way, the method. It came to my mind that a bass guitar could be interesting and inspiring addition. My plan wasn't for Bartek Pietsch's parts to imitate upright bass. I wanted to use the capabilites of the player and the instrument to full extent in a creative way. When that new inspiration came it was our job to carefully form it to compliment the overall sound.
Another addition was second sax player, Seweryn Graniasty, born in Głogów, with great sonic capabilites with his instrument and very modern style of playing. Graniasty brought a huge breath of fresh air even to already shaped style of Yes4Jazz. This entire artistic project also gained in rhythmic section thanks to very solid, dynamic and fine in details playing of the drummer - Waldemar Franczyk. Everything combined astonishes and gives us hope for (at last) succesful and effective rennaisance of Andrzej Trzaskowski's music in the newest history of jazz in Poland.
It's a perfect moment for Yes4Jazz's new relase, and the circumstances are perfect. It perhaps becomes an effort to revive the art of Trzaskowski before the 90th anniversary of his birth in 2023. Will it have the expected promotional impact? Will it start the rennaisance of Trzaskowski's music? Yes4Jazz did everything they could. The album shines with excellent arrangement and solo parts, understaning of Trzaskowski's art and his compositional skills but also strong individual musical abilites credited to todays generation of polish jazz musicians.
The rest is on you - jazz fans, the crowd, young musicians who may accept the challenge and consider Trzaskowski among their favourite and much appreciated composers.
Andrzej Winiszewski
