I have mentioned some of this stuff before, but it deserves a thread of its own.
One of the first times Poland really got picked up by my radar-like ears was when I went to the record shop I spent most Saturday afternoons in and picked up a handful of European jazz records. They were compilations from various different countries, including Yugoslavia, the USSR, Czechoslovakia and, of course, Poland. It's a close one between Yugoslavia and Poland as to which one was the best, but seeing as I'm here, I had better say the Polish one wins!
It features Jerzy Milian, Andrzej Kurylewicz, Jazz Carriers, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Wojciech Karolak and Novi Singers. There is some variation in style, from the widescreen soundtrack compositions of Jerzy Milian and the eclectic vocal work of Novi Singers, to the gritty small-band sound of Andrzej Kurylewicz (or is that Jazz Carriers.. I don't know, I'm listening to Zbigniew Namysłowski at the moment so I can't check right now). Not a duff track on the album.
Not featured on the album, but widely praised in the sleeve notes is Krzystof Komeda. I don't know why they didn't include him, as they mention how his "Astigmatic" from 1965 is such an important landmark in European jazz.
Comparing it to the other records I bought at the same time, the Czech stuff had more of a fusion or prog-rock feel - somehow a little more Germanic if that means anything. From the USSR, some of it was okay, although the highly praised Lithuanian stuff didn't really do it for me. From Yugoslavia, there was some good stuff. But notice how none of these countries really exist any more. I did buy some British jazz as well. Joe Harriot is brilliant, but Django Reinhardt, the Belgian Gypsy with missing fingers will always be at the very top as far as European jazz goes.
Anyway, I've just spent the last hour or so listening to a load of stuff by these artists and more on the internet. If anyone has anything they'd like to add about Polish jazz, its history, artists that are worth checking out, and how to find some of this stuff, please contribute.
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