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| Focus on MPS Violin (Part 2) - Michal Urbaniak This April we have got an other focus on MPS violin players. Polish violinist, saxophonist and composer Michal Urbaniak played a major role in the development of jazz fusion in the 1970s and 80s. While working in Scandinavia in the 1960's he met his future wife, Polish singer Urszula Dudziak and formed the foundation of what would later become the group that would stamp its imprint on the jazz world, Michal Urbaniak's Fusion. Urbaniak moved to New York in 1973. His popularity on the NY scene garnered him a contract with Columbia records and concerts at the Village Vanguard and Carnegie Hall. Blending music from his Polish and European roots with the funk and fusion of the Big Apple impelled American and international jazz musicians to experiment with mixing various ethnic musical forms with jazz Michal Urbaniak - We'll Remember Komeda This album is a remembrance of Polish composer/pianist Krysztof Komeda's music performed by fellow musicians who knew and loved him. Komeda's album Astigmatic (1965) was considered a turning point in European jazz; critic Stuart Nicholson stated it "marked a shift away from the dominant American approach with the emergence of a specific European aesthetic." Yet Komeda is best known for his work in film. He wrote over 70 film scores, including the music for fellow Pole Roman Polanski's classic films Knife in the Water, Cul de Sac, and Rosemary's Baby. Five of the players here are jazz legends in their home country of Poland; Michal Urbaniak as well as internationally renowned trumpeter Tomasz Stanko and bassist Roman Dylag worked with Komeda; Urszula Dudziak was the voice in Urbaniak's famed groups, and Zbigniew Seifert was one of the acknowledged giants of the violin. Michal Urbaniak's Fusion - Smiles Ahead Michal Urbaniak's Fusion raised the violinist/saxophonist up into the pantheon of electric crossover groups in the 70's and 80's. The band is comprised of top-flight New York-based musicians, all masters in funk, fusion and jazz. The title piece consists of three sections – a swinging adventure with Urbaniak's exploratory violin moves into From Smiles to Smiles, as an unaccompanied Ursula Druziak sings making extensive use of electronic affects. More Smiles Forever brings the band back in on a bright romp with a percussive Brazilian feel. Michal Urbaniak's Fusion - Heritage With singer Urszua Dudziak at his side, this pared-down quintet version of Michal Urbaniak's Fusion also launched keyboardist Kenny Kirkland's meteoric career that continued with Wynton Marsalis' breakthrough first band and Kirkland's long association with Branford Marsalis and Sting. A traditional folk feel dominates the title track as a series of melodic motifs merge into an expressive violin solo. Release Date: April 22nd, 2016 (2 month exclusively on iTunes. Subsequently available on all common download services.) MPS Records New Digital Releases Digital Mastered for iTunes Distribution: Edel:Kultur/ Kontor New Media - Mastered for iTunes - 24-bit-Transfer from original master tapes - produced by Dirk Sommer write your comments about the article :: © 2016 Jazz News :: home page |