Jazz

Larry Coryell & Michal Urbaniak – A Quiet Day In Spring (1985)

2012-11-20T17:18:13Z

Larry Coryell & Michal Urbaniak – A Quiet Day In Spring (1985)


1 Rue Gregoire Du Tour 	7:34 	
2 Waltz No. 6 	4:55 	
3 Polish Reggae 	6:34 	
4 A Quiet Day In Spring 	6:43 	
5 Waltz No. 12 	9:27 	
6 Stuff's Stuff 	5:36 	
7 Miss Julie 	10:18 	

Line Up:
Larry Coryell – guitar
Michal Urbaniak – violin
Jesper Lundgaard - bass

Although originally associated with fusion and then acoustic explorations, Larry Coryell has often shown that he can play practically any style. This little-known set finds him jamming with violinist Michal Urbaniak and bassist Jesper Lundgaard in a trio. Although the music is generally straight-ahead, all seven of the selections were composed by either Coryell or Urbaniak, and the music is never all that predictable. Worth exploring. –Scott Yanow, Rovi

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Michal Urbaniak - Atma (1974)

2010-04-05T22:25:18Z

Michal Urbaniak - Atma (1974)


1. Mazurka 
2. Butterfly 
3. Largo 
4. Ilex 
5. New York Satsa 
6. Kama (Part I) 
7. Kama (Part II) 
8. Atma - Yesterday 
9. Atma - Today 
10. Atma – Tomorrow

Musicians
-Michal Urbaniak/ electric violin, vi-tar violin and soprano sax
-Urszula Dudziak/ voice, percussion
-Czeslaw Bartkowski/ drums
-Pawel Jarzebski/ electric bass
-Wojciech Karolak/ keyboards, Fender piano, Moog, Farfisa, Clavinet
-Ray Mantilla/ Congas, drums, percussion

Michal Urbaniak’s Fusion second release came about also in 1974 as this was a very prolific time for the Polish violin virtuoso. This classic of the fusion genre was also very much conceived around the elements that established Urbaniak’s group as pioneers. But this time the Eastern European folk music patterns and Urbaniak’s ethnic background have become embedded in the compositions themselves, which are centered more on concrete themes. The group continues to explore new boundaries into contemporary improvisational music by consolidation the creative mixture of Urbaniak’s high-flying electric violin and Urszula Dudziak’s wide-range voice as a non-verbal instrument. Her vocal sounds and effects are now featured as musical interludes. The interplay among the performers is enhanced by the use of synthesizers as solo instruments. In spite of the aggressiveness of the soloists, this album somehow has a smooth tone present throughout. --- musicalmissingpiece.blogspot.com

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Michal Urbaniak - Constellation In Concert (1973)

2019-08-03T14:23:16Z

Michal Urbaniak - Constellation In Concert (1973)


A1 	Bengal 	17:35
A2 	Spokój 	3:30
B1 	Lato 	8:00
B2 	Seresta 	9:40
B3 	Theme 	3:00

Drums – Czesław Bartkowski
Organ [Hammond], Organ [Farfisa] – Wojciech Karolak
Piano [Fender], Bass [Fender] – Adam Makowicz
Violin – Michał Urbaniak
Vocals, Percussion – Urszula Dudziak

This is the second album on the legendary Polish Jazz series by the Polish saxophonist / violinist / composer / bandleader Michal Urbaniak. A veteran Polish Jazz musician, Urbaniak was a member of the legendary ensembles led by Krzysztof Komeda, where he played the saxophone, but by the early 1970 he switched to the violin and plunged into Jazz-Rock Fusion, rapidly becoming one of the most inventive and creative pioneers of the genre. This album and the albums recorded in Germany and later in the USA are absolute Fusion milestones, but also stand out as completely unique in their approach to the genre. Urbaniak combined the marvelous abilities of his wife Urszula Dudziak and her extraordinary and experimental vocalese technique with his common usage of Polish Folklore motifs, creating a superb and completely unparalleled Fusion music. This live recording captures his baseless / double keyboard ensemble, which also includes organist Wojciech Karolak, pianist Adam Makowicz and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski. The music, all composed by Urbaniak, is simply out of this world, brilliant and fresh, absolutely resistant to the tides of time and fashion. In retrospect one can only regret that Fusion followed mostly the direction of flashy virtuosic display of neck-breaking guitar races rather than the direction proposed by Urbaniak's Fusion, but it's unfortunately too late now. At least we can savor this music, 40 years after it was recorded, well aged and beautifully eternal. A must! ---Adam Baruch, adambaruch.com

Płyta zespołu Michała Urbaniaka „Constellation in Concert” została zarejestrowana podczas koncertu w Filharmonii Narodowej w Warszawie w maju 1973 roku i wydana tego samego roku z numerem 36 w serii Polish Jazz. To drugi i ostatni album Urbaniaka w tej serii.

„Constellation In Concert”. Jest to płyta wyjątkowa, zarówno od strony zaprezentowanych kompozycji, składu instrumentalistów (m.in. dwóch wybitnych polskich keyboardzistów: Adama Makowicza i Wojciecha Karolaka) oraz brzmienia. „Constellation: In Concert” to jedna z tych płyt, o których powiedzieć można, iż wyprzedzały swój czas. Stąd bierze się jej dzisiejsza aktualność.

To, co najbardziej wyróżnia Constellation, to duet jego głównych solistów – śpiewu i skrzypiec. Dudziak i Urbaniak – trudno o lepiej dobraną parę, skrzypce Michała i głos Uli pod względem skali i ruchliwości nie mają sobie równych poza sobą nawzajem. Świetnie brzmią razem unisono, a jeszcze lepiej w dialogach. Ta płyta to kulminacja niezwykle kreatywnego okresu w historii tego zespołu i jego członków. ---polskienagrania.com.pl

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Michal Urbaniak - Ecstasy (1978)

2010-03-25T15:05:38Z

Michal Urbaniak - Ecstasy (1978)


1. Body rub 
2. Free 
3. Ecstasy 
4. Just a funky feeling 
5. Wants ta make you feel good 
6. A day in the park 
7. French kiss 
8. Creation

Personnel:
Michał Urbaniak - violin, lyricon, tenor saxophone, strings, Oberheim
Anthony Jackson - bass guitar (6, 8)
Pee Wee Ford - bass guitar
Bernard Pretty Purdie - drums
Gary Mure - drums (8)
Ralph MacDonald - percussion (1, 2, 3, 5)
Othello Molineaux - steel drum (8)
Crusher Bennett - percussion (6, 7)
Arthur Jenkins - percussion (7)
Kenny Kirkland - Fender piano, acoustic piano, Yamaha baby grand, minimoog, polymoog
Zbigniew Namysłowski - alto sax
James Crab Robinson - guitar (3)
Urszula Dudziak - vocals (2, 6, 7, 8)
James Crab Robinson - vocals (3, 5)
Keith Keyboy Rose - vocals (3, 5)
Henry Jackson - vocals (3, 5)
Calvin Brown - vocals (4, 5)
Keith Keyboy Rose - background vocal (6)
Byars-Boger - background vocal (4, 5)

This album released in 1978 on the Florida based label Marlin Records marks a strong departure by Urbaniak from the fusion genre and an incursion into R&B funk mixed with disco elements. The first striking factor of this departure is the absence of Urszula Dudziak’s daring vocal effects; the second is the immersion into songs with lyrics sang by R&B type singers. Although Urbaniak ventured this way in his “Funk Factory” release, this time the vocal compositions are much better. The album maintains its R&B funk flavor from the beginning until track # 6 "A Day In The Park", which features Dudziak as the main vocalist in a sort of Flora Purim style song, then track # 7 “French Kiss” is an instrumental with the alto sax as the main performer, which resembles Gato Barbieri and track # 8 "Creation" (sampled below) is a slow instrumental, which could classify as the Urbaniak we were used to listen to. In spite the fact that this is not the fusion Urbaniak we expected, this is a very enjoyable album. Henry Stone Music has re-released this album, which is greatly appreciated but you should be cautioned that the packaging and the way this LP has been re-mastered is awful. The jewel case insert, the tray liner and the CD label are just printed on a home or office printer using Neato type CD labels and stickers. The CD is a CDR most likely burned on a computer with probably the wrong sample rate. This is really unacceptable for a company that wants to be in the record industry especially when even independent musicians can have their copies made at a reputable CD manufacturing facility such as Disc Makers, Ameridisc or any other. Even more surprising is the fact that the physical CD is not even available on Amazon or places like CD Baby but just on the Henry Stone Music webpage. Nonetheless, once you cross over such hurdles it is a pleasure to listen to this album once again. --- musicalmissingpiece.blogspot.com

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Michal Urbaniak - Fusion III (1975)

2010-03-24T21:36:19Z

Michal Urbaniak - Fusion III (1975)


1 Chinatown (part I) 
2 Kuyaviak goes funky 
3 Roksana 
4 Crazy kid 
5 Prehistoric bird 
6 Bloody kishka 
7 Cameo 
8 Stretch 
9 Metroliner 
10 Chinatown (part II) 

Musicians:
Michał Urbaniak - electric violin, violin synthesizer
Urszula Dudziak - voice, percussion, electronic percussion
Wlodek Gulgowski - electric piano, Moog, and electric organ
Anthony Jackson - bass guitar
Gerald Brown - drums
Steve Gadd - drums
Larry Coryell - guitar
John Abercrombie - guitar
Joe Caro - guitar
Bernard Kafka – voice

This is the 3rd and last album released in the US on the Columbia label by Polish violinist / composer Michal Urbaniak. In retrospect it is also one of the best Fusion albums ever recorded on this planet. Urbaniak, a veteran of the Polish Jazz scene, first came to prominence as the member of the legendary groups led by the Godfather of Polish Jazz, pianist / composer Krzysztof Komeda. While with Komeda, Urbaniak played the saxophone and switched to violin only after founding his own group in the late 1960s, when he also changed his musical direction from Modern / Free Jazz to Fusion, inspired by the groundbreaking innovations created at the time by Miles Davis.

In his group he included his wife, the extraordinary singer Urszula Dudziak and together they quickly developed a completely unique type of Fusion, which was light-years ahead of anything else happening in that genre at the time anywhere in the world. Mixing Jazz, Rock, Folklore and Avant-Garde vocals, they established a completely new approach to composition and multilayered complexity, as documented on the two albums the group recorded as part of the legendary "Polish Jazz" series of albums, which was simply brillant.

Frustrated by the state of affairs in his country, which suffered under a Socialist Regime and harsh economic conditions, Urbaniak, like most of his colleagues, constantly looked for an opportunity to leave Poland and establish a career behind the Iron Curtain. He managed initially to record a couple of albums in West Germany, but the real break came when Columbia offered him a recording deal. He and his wife left Poland and settled in the USA, as did several other Polish Jazz musicians at the time, like his ex group member pianist / composer Adam Makowicz for example. The three albums Urbaniak recorded for Columbia (and several more for other US labels, especially the dazzling "Funk Factory" album recorded shortly after this one and also reissued on Wounded Bird) were outstanding and simply much better than anything the local scene could muster, but unfortunately Urbaniak's US career never really took off, same as the careers of all other Polish Jazz musicians who tried to make it there, in spite of their immense talents. The reason was simply the narrow-mindedness of the US Jazz community (listeners and critics alike), which considered Jazz to be exclusively an American Art Form and failed to recognize anything originating outside of the US as artistically valid and meaningful, even if it hit them in the face.

On this album Urbaniak is accompanied by top US Fusion players like guitarist John Abercrombie, bassist Anthony Jackson and drummer Steve Gadd, as well as Polish compatriot Keyboardist Wlodek Gulgowski. Guitarist Larry Coryell guests on one track, guitarist Joe Caro guests on another and Polish vocalist Bernard Kafka guests on yet another track. Drummer Gerald Brown replaces Gadd on two tracks. Dudziak's vocals are simply out of this world and alone are worth listening to this album repeatedly. Urbaniak wrote almost all the dazzling music except for three tracks: a Dudziak improvisation, a superb composition by Polish saxophonist Zbigniew Namyslowski, which fits this album's mood like a glove and one tune by Gulgowski. As already said, this is timeless, heavenly, unparalleled music, which I've been listening to in the last almost 40 years without any trace of getting tired by it any time soon. This is an absolutely essential Fusion music, and anybody who has not heard this music does not know the true meaning of Fusion. God bless Wounded Bird for finally releasing this divine album on CD! --- Adam Baruch, polish-jazz.blogspot.com

Ten album był dla nas w Polsce nie mniej ważny niż dla Michała Urbaniaka w Ameryce. Był rok 1975 i dotarła wiadomość, że Columbia wydała jego pierwsze nagranie z amerykańskimi muzykami, właśnie "Fusion III".

Wcześniej był "Fusion", czyli reedycja europejskiej płyty wytwórni CBS "Super Constellation", następnie "Atma", obie nagrane z naszymi jazzmanami. Od razu sugerowano mu utworzenie amerykańskiej grupy. "Tu masz najlepszych muzyków na świecie" - usłyszał w Columbii. "Tak, ale oni nie grali ze mną pięć lat" - odpowiedział Michał Urbaniak. "Fusion III" to była już nowa jakość. Na basie wymiatał Anthony Jackson od Buddy’ego Richa, na gitarach elektrycznych kapitalne solówki grali: John Abercrombie ("Chinatown", "Metroliner") i Larry Coryell ("Bloody Kishka"). Na syntezatorze Mooga brylował Włodek Gulgowski, porywające wokalizy śpiewała Urszula Dudzak. Dodatkowym atutem były łatwo wpadające w ucho kompozycje: rewelacyjne otwarcie "Chinatown" i kapitalna wersja "Kuyaviak Goes Funky" Namysłowskiego. Klasyk godny kolekcjonera i miłośnika elektrycznego jazzu. --- Marek Dusza, audio.com.pl

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Michal Urbaniak - Urbanator (1994)

2009-10-19T15:39:51Z

Michal Urbaniak - Urbanator (1994)


1. Chameleon (5:23)
2. Hopscotch (5:05)
3. Cats (4:58)
4. Hot Jazz Biscuits (4:40)
5. Watermelon Man (6:22)
6. First Flight (4:16)
7. Here I Go Again (4:32)
8. Sack O'woe (6:54)
9. For My Mother (4:52)
10. Square Park Sunday (4:25)

Michal Urbaniak - violins, saxophones
Lenny White - drums, percussion
Al MacDowell - basses
Jon Dryden – keyboards

If I had have blinked for a moment I likely would've missed this album completely. From the generic cover to the false looking logo in the upper left hand corner of the CD,it didn't seem the least of interest to me. That was until I was presented with the personnel involved. The violinist Michael Urbaniak has been someone I've known about only for a short time. But this came out in 1994 and I remember that era quite well. With the final releases of Miles Davis,not to mention the works of MC Solaar and Guru's Jazzmatazz series it was apparent that the present stage of electric jazz in particular would lay in hip-hop. Thus begun the sub genre of jazz-hop or hip-bop,which actually may have something to do with this record label. This is a very all encompassing all start cast with musicians than still active and making vital music. And they all shared in an important musical vision: to unite the obviously similarly motivated genres of hip-hop and jazz without robbing one or the other of it's important flavors. And speaking for myself it was very well done here anyway.

With Herbie Hancock,Lenny White,The Brecker Brothers,Tom Browne,Marcus Miller and Bernard Wright all contributing the musical energy on every end is incredible. Two Hancock compositions are presented. The first starts everything out with a rhythmic hip-hop funk take on "Chameleon". Muckhead provides raps to this and many of the songs here. And they are the most intelligent and musically descriptive raps this side of Us3. If only all rap/hip-hop could extend from this method. "Hopstotch" loses none of the high octane hip-hop/funk energy and the same goes for the closer "Square Park Sunday". "Cats" is a flat out funky affair led by the Breckers,who help keep the groove going on and on. On "Hot Jazz Biscuits" there's more of a swinging jazz rhythm to the affair as Tom Browne delivers a somewhat Miles-like tone on trumpet. The finest composition here is "First Flight" with "Jamaica boys" Brown,Miller and 'Nard adding to a wonderfully harmonized melody with a complex groove. "Here I Go Again" is in a very similar vein with Muckhead rapping along with Dziko's expressive and throaty vocals. The Cannonball Adderley composition "Sake O Woe" brings Kenny Garrett into the fold with Browne again a substitute Miles as it were. Here more obviously so.

The gentler "For My Mother" and a slower,funkier hip-hop era take on "Watermelon Man" round out this powerfully grooving set. Over the years I've often raised an eyebrow at hip-hop,very much the child of funk,having this tendency to try to defeat it's parent genre. After all,conflict with family exists in art as it does in life. In musical terms this album is an excellent example of family cooperation at work. Funk and hip-hop coexist very well here. And whose the mediator involved? It's jazz. The genre of jazz is something every one of the participants in this project have in common. And it's what unites the hip-hoppers and the somewhat older school funk musicians together. I could go on quoting this forever. But it does so often seems that the very nature of jazz is a musical argument with the INTENTION to work something out. And I cannot help but noticing how,all too often a musical genre that is very polarized and controversial in the public eye is often presented in a far less intimidating manner via jazz. It may not be commercially popular to present music in that fashion. But it's very creatively satisfying. And that's what happens with this album. ---Andre S. Grindle, amazon.com

Kilka lat przed ukazaniem się Urbanatora została wydana płyta Milesa Davisa Doo Bop (1992). Stała się ona dla Michała Urbaniaka potwierdzeniem wyboru nowego kierunku jego drogi muzycznej – łączenia jazzu i hip hopu. Album Urbanator wyznacza punkt zwrotny w karierze Urbaniaka – odejścia od fusion, przełamania pewnych granic rynku i wypłynięcia na nowe wody. Płyta powstawała kilka lat. Wpłynęły na to głównie poszukiwania muzyczne Urbaniaka i, można powiedzieć, współlidera – Lenny’ego White’a, ale także problemy ze znalezieniem wytwórni, która chciałby wydać ten materiał. Ich czteroletnie starania nie przyniosły rezultatów i dopiero zainteresowanie i zaangażowanie w realizację tego projektu Yusufa Ganhdiego, jednego ze współzałożycieli Silva Screen Records, doprowadziło do utworzenia specjalnej firmy Hip Bop Records przy tej wytwórni. Firma ta miała wydać serię płyt, z których pierwszą był Urbanator.

Do pracy nad płytą Urbaniak zgromadził doborowy skład. W nagraniu wzięły udział największe postaci amerykańskiej sceny jazzowej. Wystarczy wymienić Herbiego Hancocka, Kenny’ego Garretta, Michaela Breckera i Randy'ego Breckera. To tylko niektórzy, gdyż muzyków jest tylu, że każdy utwór na płycie jest wykonywany w innym składzie. Na płycie jazz dominuje nad hip hopem, kompozycje mają strukturę jazzową i są wykonywane jazzowo. Hiphopowy groove gra tu drugie skrzypce i jest podkładem improwizacji m.in. braci Breckerów, Toma Browne’a i Urbaniaka. Uwagę skupiają także aranżacje, piękne harmonie i przejrzyste faktury Urbaniaka, wyrafinowane pomysły Lenny’ego White’a, Bernarda Wrighta, Ala MacDowella i Jona Brydena.

Urbaniak przearanżował perełki jazzowe. Płytę rozpoczyna funkowy „Chameleon” Hancocka oraz zawiera drugi jego utwór – „Watermelon Man” z pozmienianymi harmoniami i rytmem przygotowanym przez White’a. Na płycie jest też polski utwór – „Cats” Krzysztofa Komedy zagrany w rytmie tanecznym, z Michaelem i Randym Brecker, Lennym White’em i Bernardem Wrightem w składzie. Płyta zawiera także kompozycję „Sack I’ Woe” Julliana Adderley’a z niesamowitą partią solową Kenny’ego Garreta. Do „świeżych” utworów należą „Hot Jazz Biscuits” Lenny’ego White’a z luźnym jazzowym feelingiem zasamplowany pod rappera. Razem z „First Flight” trafia on w samą istotę hip bopu, zaś „Here I Go Again” oraz aranżacja „Chameleon” i „Hot Jazz Biscuits” mogą śmiało mierzyć się z twórczością grup Us3. Na uwagę zasługuje również zaaranżowany przebieg płyty, w której następują momenty uspokojenie, jak w „First Flight” Bernarda Wrighta, a nawet totalnego wyciszenia, w balladzie Uraniaka „For My Mother”. Płytę kończy „Square Park Sunday”, kojarzący się z końcem tygodniowego rytmu Manhattanu. Płyta Urbanator jest właśnie muzyką pulsującą rytmem wielkiego współczesnego miasta. Jakże jest ten rytm różny od klimatu kolebki jazzu – Nowego Orleanu z przełomu XIX i XX wieku, który oddaje chociażby utwór „Przechadzka z Panem Joplinem” ze Suity Nowoorleańskiej Tadeusza Ehrhardta. Nowe wody, na które wpłynął Urbaniak z tą płytą przyniosły m.in. następne części Urbanatora (II, III). Połączenie jazzu i hip hopu w jego muzyce trwa do dziś, czego przykładem jest Miles of Blue (2009). ---Piotr Królikowski, radiojazz.fm

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Michal Urbaniak - Urbaniak (1977)

2010-04-27T10:57:53Z

Michal Urbaniak - Urbaniak (1977)


1. Tie breaker 
2. Strike 
3. Mountaineers 
4. Weird creatures 
5. Jasmine lady 
6. Always ready 
7. Stray sheep

Musicians:
Michał Urbaniak -  violin,
Urszula Dudziak – voice, percussion
Zbigniew Namysłowski – alto saxophone
Kenny Kirkland - Fender Piano, Poly-moog, Mini-moog
Tony Bunn – bass
Lurenda Featherstone – drums

Tie Breaker is dedicated to Wojtek Fibak.

Michal Urbaniak states “This is a very special album recorded spontaneously on a surprised reunion with my dearest friend, my first big influence, fantastic musician, leader, composer and arranger Zbigniew Namyslowski.” That explains a lot about this release from 1977 on Inner City Records. Urbaniak’s fusion sound had turned funkier after his “Funk Factory” release in 1976 but somehow this album explores further into a type of jazz that seems truly influenced by Namyslowski’s playing and writing style. Namyslowski’s and Urbaniak’s compositions were probably written for this release and they display a sort of harmonic melody formed by Urbaniak’s violin and/or lyricon, Dudziak’s wordless vocals and Namyslowski’s alto sax. The funk factor is still present but there is an implied simplicity perhaps achieved by the spontaneity of the surprise reunion recording. Personnel are: Michal Urbaniak on violin and lyricon, Zbigniew Namyslowski on sax and flute, Urszula Dudziak on voice and percussion, the late Kenny Kirkland, whose contribution to this album is amazing, Tony Brown on bass and Lurenda Featherstone on drums. This album was a great recording to begin with and the re-issued CD by Inner City Records makes the quality of the music even better and more enjoyable. We hope they also re-release Zbigniew Namyslowski from around the same time. They already released Urszula Dudziak's album "Future Talk" from the same era. --- musicalmissingpiece.blogspot.com

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Michal Urbaniak Group – Inactin (1975)

2010-04-09T18:52:02Z

Michal Urbaniak Group – Inactin (1975)


1 Inactin
2 Alu
3 Ekim
4 Silence
5 Fall
6 Groovy Desert
7 Lato

Personnel:
Michal Urbaniak – violin, soprano saxophone
Urszula Dudziak - Voice, Percussion, Effects
Adam Makowicz - Piano [Fender], Clavinet [Hohner]
Roman Dylag - bass
Czeslaw Bartkowski  - Drums, Cymbal
Branislav Kovacev - Congas

If one were looking for a single most important contribution of Polish jazz musicians into world jazz heritage that would perhaps be the rediscovery of a violin in jazz. Works by Zbigniew Seifert paved the way for other Polish jazz violinists to be eventually recognized worldwide. Among them Michał Urbaniak plays the pivotal role as one of the most famous due to his collaboration with Miles Davis in 80ties on "Tutu" and "Music from Siesta" albums.

Urbaniak's career prior to collaboration with Miles remains as one of the most interesting adventures in Polish jazz history. He was among those who very early realized that jazz is taking great twist toward fusion incorporating in its idiom influences from rock, funk, rhythm'n'blues and folk music from all over the world. Michał plunged into this stream where he found his own place and uniqueness of his language eventually drew the attention of Davis. While rehearsing this album recorded in 1973 one can only admire the quality of this music which did not grow old even a bit.

But this album is memorable not only due to Urbaniak's violin but also due to breathtaking performance by his then wife Urszula Dudziak. Undisputable Polish jazz singer number one at that era she was as powerful and original voice as Urbaniak's. On this album her voice plays role of the one more instrument, there are no songs, no words are spoken, but Dudziak's vocalizes are just beyond the praise. As much as are performances of other musicians taking part in this session, all cream the creme of Polish jazz: pianist Adam Makowicz, double-bassist Roman Dylag, drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski and Serbian congas player Branislav Kovacev. What more can I say save that this is the Polish jazz at its best and simply the kind of album that is nothing less than a pure must! ---Maciej Nowotny, polish-jazz.blogspot.com

Po polskiej reedycji słynnego albumu "Fusion III” Urbaniak wydał w swojej wytwórni UBX winylową i kompaktową wersję płyty "Inactin*" nagranej w Niemczech Zachodnich w 1971 r., a wydanej dopiero w 1975 r. Był to drugi po "Paratyphus B” album nagrany na Zachodzie.

Po wygraniu konkursu festiwalu Montreux ’71 nasz skrzypek miał wysoką pozycję nie tylko w Polsce, ale także za granicą. Jego Michal Urbaniak Constellation uważana była za czołową europejską formację jazz-rockową.

Album "Inactin*" został nagrany przez kwintet Michała Urbaniaka w Stuttgarcie z gościnnym udziałem Branislava Kovaceva na kongach. Lider grał na skrzypcach i violektrze, jak nazywał swoje skrzypce elektryczne, oraz na saksofonie sopranowym. Urszula Dudziak modyfikowała partie wokalne za pomocą DYnacorda i Echocorda, Adam Makowicz grał na fortepianie Fender Rhodes i klawinecie Hohnera. Na kontrabasie i gitarze basowej grał Roman Dyląg, a na perkusji Czesław Bartkowski.

Tytułowy temat ma przebojowy charakter i wciąga od pierwszych taktów. Ballada "Alu” przypomina kołysankę Komedy z "Dziecka Rosemary”, świetne solo gra tu Dyląg. Natomiast "Fall" to psychodeliczna improwizacja, która może się kojarzyć z narkotycznymi wizjami lub je wywoływać. Urbaniak był niewątpliwie zainspirowany albumem "Bitches Brew” i koncertowymi nagraniami Milesa Davisa. "Inactin*" nic nie stracił na wartości. ---Marek Dusza, audio.com.pl

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Michal Urbaniak – Miles of Blue (2009)

2010-08-29T20:37:24Z

Michal Urbaniak – Miles of Blue (2009)

CD1
01 All Blues
02 Romance
03 I Just Love You
04 Manhattan Man
05 Nirvana
06 Facts Of Life
07 Serenada
08 Paris Groove
09 Fall
10 Urban Express
11 Manhattan Man

CD2
01 All Blues feat. Mika, Nato
02 Just A Funky Feeling feat. Calvin
03 All Blues feat. Mika, O.S.T.R.
04 Ilumination feat. Ronnie, Herbie
05 Mission feat. 4Kham
06 The Human Orchestra
07 All Blues (Remix By Makaruk)
08 All Blues feat. Mika

Michał Urbaniak - violin
Al MacDowell - bass guitar
Lenny White - drums
Jon Dryden - keyboards
Tom Browne - trumpet
Mika Urbaniak - vocal, rap

50 years has passed since the release of Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue". This most famous, most acclaimed and the best-selling jazz album in the history of jazz is also Michal urbaniak's favorite album of all time. this is the album he would take with him on a deserted island if he could only take one.

Miles Davis heard Michal Urbaniak for the first time on the NBC "Tonight Show", hosted by Johnny Carson. Carson said of Urbaniak"s music "from the time of the Stones this is the freshest and most interesting sound I've ever heard. When Davis saw Urbaniak on the "Tonight Show" he said " Give me this polish fucking fiddler, he's got that sound." Soon after, the artist's met and they recorded a song in 1985 on the album "Tutu" After Miles Davis's death, michal Urbaniak planned to release Miles Davis songs in his own arrangements, but he saw that everyone was doing the same thing and backed out from the competition. He kept the sketches until today and some of these were put on the artist's latest album "Miles of Blue" which had it's premiere on October 5th 2009. The album was created with adoration for Miles and respect to all the musicians that played with Miles Davis and Michal Urbaniak.

"For most of my artistic career I knew how to pick great new young talent. Most of them were young musicians who later in their careers played with Miles, Weather Report and Joe Zawinul. It wasn't important to me to have famous names on my albums, rather amazing musicans. but after some time, these artists became famous." During the upcoming tour Michal Urbaniak will play on his "tallking violin" which he has commented on. "Playing on my violin, I sing with a special microphone, near my lips. It changes the sound, kind of filter. While playing, I sing and get that "jazz feeling" effect, which I really love, and that makes me think of my playing on the saxophone and reminds of me of my favorite jazz singers." –cdbaby.com

"Miles of Blue", czyli płyta nagrana przez Michała Urbaniaka w swoistym hołdzie dla jego mistrza artystycznego i mentalnego Milesa Davisa, to tak naprawdę nie jest płyta do końca jazzowa. Zresztą muzyka Urbaniaka już od dawna lawiruje na krawędzi różnych gatunków. Mamy tu więc i trochę popu, i trochę funku, i trochę smooth jazzu. A na drugim krążku dwupłytowego albumu króluje hip-hop.

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Michal Urbaniak – Serenade For The City (1980)

2012-11-13T17:21:16Z

Michal Urbaniak – Serenade For The City (1980)


A1 Circular Road     	4:17 	
A2 Nanava 	4:40 	
A3 Sometimes 	5:00 	
A4 Serenade For The City	4:45 	
B1 Samba Miko 	4:28 	
B2 Fall 	4:42 	
B3 Joy 	4:52 	
B4 Vanessa 	5:01 	

Personnel:
Michal Urbaniak – Violin, Lyricon
Kenny Kirkland - Electric Piano, Synthesizer [Polymoog]
Barry Eastmond - Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes]
Doc Powell  - Guitar
Marcus Miller – Bass
Rick Galloway – Percussion
Buddy Williams, Yogi Horton – Drums
Urszula Dudziak – vocals (A1, A4)

For those who loved Urbaniak’s fusion this production is actually closer to the so-called “Smooth Jazz” than anything he had done, perhaps as an inevitable influence or perhaps as an effort to jump in the wagon of that genre’s radio exposure. If taken at face value this is a very enjoyable smooth sounding Urbaniak. Traces of his fusion days remain but overall the combined driving force of his electrified violin and his wife’s, Urszula Dudziak, vocal effects has diluted itself as she only appears on a couple of tracks with uneventful results.--- musicalmissingpiece.blogspot.com

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