Extra Ball - Go Ahead

Track:
The Cracow Jazz Festival
A Starlet for Eve
A Tightrope Performance
Naima

Go Ahead
I Love You Anna
Current Affairs
Airport
Sepia

Jarek Smietana - leader, electric and acoustic guitars
Adam Kawonczyk - trumpet and flugerhorn
Wojciech Graborz - Fender piano, piano, trombone
Antoni Debski - bass
Marian Bronikowski - drums, percussion
Janusz Muniak (guest) - tenor and soprano saxophones, flute

This is already the second long-playing record of the Cracow group ''Extra Ball'', released in the series Polish Jazz. So the group must be well-known by now to the jazz lovers in this country. Another proof of their popularity is both the success their previous recordings hove had (their last LP “Birthday” was sold out in numbers uncommon in Poland) and the unusual interest which the concerts of ''Extra Ball'' have been arousing at home and also abroad.

''Extra Ball'' was formed in 1974. It was founded and is still led by the major Polish jazz guitarist, Jaroslaw Smietana. It is his artistic conceptions and energy that animates the group, made up of representatives of the generation of 1970’s who now prevail in the world of Polish jazz.

The music of “Extra Ball” has been presenting in its recordings so for reflects the typical fascinations of these last years and also a jazz maturing. So the first LP (“Birthday” SX 1414) which included the sum of their youthful achievements was eclectic – although already marked by the artistic personality of the performers. The two later records released on Poljazz label indicate that J. Smietana and his co-players interests have been shining towards the main, post-Coltrane stream of jazz. Their resignation from effectual jazz-rock rhythms went together with a relish for instrumental sound, with on increased freedom of improvisation, briefly with the characteristics which form the backbone of contemporary jazz.

The disc I am now recommending to the music-lovers presents the ''Extra Ball'' after over five years of their common artistic journey. They set out on it under the leadership of J. Smietana. Apart from him they are: Adam Kawonczyk, a full of imagination composer and at the some time a discreet, sparing in virtuoso effects trumpeter; Marian Bronikowski, the precise and musical percussionist; Wojciech Groborz, the pianist, concentrated, suggesting to his colleagues interesting harmonies with taste and frugality; Antoni Dabski, the bassist, propelling the rhythmical group while accompanying watchfully the melodists. There has been also put on this record the sound of saxophones of Janusz Muniak, now probably the greatest Polish jazzman who in 1 979 has often co-operated with ''Extra Ball''. To be noted is in this respect the almost ideal fusion of the guest soloist with the group. Most of the numbers recorded on this disc are compositions by J. Smietana and A. Kawonczyk. From ''The Cracow Jazz Festival” through the ''sharp'' title number ''Go Ahead”, the relaxed and singing theme of “I Love You Anna”, to the “Airport”, rich in its dense and rhythmical texture - the “Extra Ball’s” repertory demonstrates both the authors’ inventiveness and the fine feeling for collective music making. Even tine solo miniatures of J. Smietana (Coltrane's ''Naima'') and of A. Kowonczyk (''Sepia'') do not alter the impression that we are listening to a group of musicians who are in every respect equal, understand each other perfectly and shore the same feeling. And these precisely are the features of real jazz.

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