KOMEDA QUINTET ASTIGMATIC MEGA-RARE ORIG '67 POLISH POLSKI NAGRANIA MUZA MONO LP

$

135

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·       KOMEDA QUINTET - ASTIGMATIC - ORIGINAL POLISH PRESSING -ULTRA-RARE ORIGINAL 1967 POLISH JAZZ POLSKIE NAGRANIA MUZA MONO LP XL-0298

·       ORIGINAL POLISH PRESSING

·       ORIGINAL TURQUOISE (AQUA-BLUE) JAZZ POLSKI NAGRANIA MUZA LABEL WITH BLACK PRINT

·       THIS IS THE ORIGINAL, AUTHENTIC, FIRST POLISH PRESSING; THIS IS NOT A REISSUE, AN IMPORT, OR A COUNTERFEIT PRESSING.

·       ORIGINAL, THIN CARDBOARD COVER (EUROPEAN STYLE)

·       CLEAN, WEAR-FREE LABELS

·       MACHINE-STAMPED MATRIX NUMBER IN TRAIL-OFF VINYL (DEAD WAX) OF THE RECORD

·       THICK, HEAVY VINYL PRESSING

·       MONO version of this album has NEVER been available on legitimate Compact Disc or in any other digital format.

(?PLEASE SEE THE IMAGE OF THE COVER, LABEL OR BOTH, SHOWN BELOW)

(Note: this is a REAL image of the ACTUAL item you are bidding on. This is NOT a "recycled" image from our previous auction. What you see is what you'll get.  GUARANTEED!)

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Ladies and Gentlemen: we have a high privilege of presenting to you what surely must be one of top-20 Greatest Jazz recordings of all time, and - if you ask this seller - the single greatest Modern Jazz recording ever made anywhere in Europe. In terms of historical and artistic influence on European Jazz, the figure of Krzysztof Komeda's can only, repeat: ONLY be compared with Django Reinhardt's and absolutely, positively, no one else. The Man was the Mount Everest of Polish Jazz and the Mount Rushmore of European Jazz.

Krzysztof Komeda lived fast, burned brightly like a true comet, and died tragically very young without ever getting a chance to fully realize his enormous artistic potential and ideas, and what we have here is indisputably the pinnacle of his artistic and creative genius.  To the American audiences, Komeda is mostly known for his 'Lullaby' theme from Roman Polansky's 'Rosemary's Baby', a haunting, hypnotic, movie theme (as lovingly sung by one Miss Mia Farrow/Sinatra/Allen), a melody which, once it gets to your head, never, ever departs and tends to stay within you forever.  But 'Rosemary's Baby' is just a tiny tip of the iceberg of Komeda's brilliant oeuvre -- and a highly unrepresentative tip at that.

Astigmatic is the rest of Komeda -- the intimidating and overpowering ice boulder that floats beneath the cold ocean surface. It is first and foremost the work of five Avant-Garde Jazz musicians (three Polish, one German and one Swedish) whose musical rapport and communication is nothing short of telepathic. All three Polish gentlemen were absolute and undisputed Jazz leaders and pioneers in Poland at the time: Krzysztof Komeda (piano),  Zbigniew Namys?owski (alto sax) and Tomasz Stanko (trumpet).  They are capably assisted by Guenter Lenz (bass) and Rune Carlsson (misspelled here as "Carlson", possibly for contractual reasons) on drums. This is five brothers with fifty fingers, five scrotums and as many instruments, one heart and one head.  All in all, five European Siamese twins conjoined at the cortex. The musical competence and technical proficiency on display here is off the charts and into the ionosphere. If you ask yours truly, these superb artists are in every manner imaginable comparable to their American counterparts and peers: Horace Silver,  John Coltrane and Lee Morgan.

There is absolutely NO way to conflate this album with anything made in America. It is 100% indigenously European and 500% indigenously Polish (although, truth be told, you won't find any trace of Polish folk music here; if you are expecting something like Dvorak's Slavonic Dance No. 2 in E-minor,  or Chopin's Mazurkas, you've come to a decidedly wrong place). The moment the stylus hits the grooves, you will know that you are not in Kansas anymore and that Toto got blown apart by the Polish twister. Although there are some vague similarities with, say, Kenny Drew's 'Undercurrent' and passing moments of eerie semblance to some of Joe Henderson's solo parts found in Pete LaRoca's Basra, or mid-period Steve Lacy, this is all there is: any similarity between 'Astigmatic' and any American Post-Bop recording is utterly superficial and purely coincidental. The session is about as different from  anything made on the other side of the ocean as Django Reinhardt is different from Albert Ayler.  We are talking galactic order of magnitude of difference here. Milky Way Vs. Andromeda.

One very important feature of the recording is the bold, fearless, heroic, practically Promethean artistic vision that never hesitates to boldly charge forward where no European Jazz foot had dared charge before, and which constantly pushes forth, and forth, and forth and never looks back until it collapses in dramatic climax and dionysian catharsis .  Unlike most of East- and South-European Jazz, which tends to be a bit on a conservative side and to stick to the Jazz mainstream's lame conventions, this baby's got teeth! And what seriously sharp teeth they are! 

To make things even more baffling, this incredible artistic accomplishment was realized under horrendously oppressive post-Stalinist regime of  one W?adys?aw Gomu?ka, the longest-reigning communist dictator of Poland. How the f*ck did the senile, stifling  Stalinist bureaucracy let this one slip by with impunity will forever remain a monumental mystery to this seller, but one must assume that the combination of bureaucratic stupidity, incompetence, ignorance and indifference did play a very prominent role.  Think John Coltrane trying to record his 'A Love Supreme' in Kim Jong-Un's North Korea or Albert Ayler working on 'Spiritual Unity' in Ayatollah Khomeini's Iran - and both actually getting away with it - and you get the idea. And so, 'Astigmatic' remains not only a towering granite monolith of European Jazz, not only a highly focused (pun totally intended) artistic triumph on every level, and not only a Tour de Force of European sensibility, artistic integrity and vision, it is - perhaps even more so - an ethical and philosophical statement of disobedience, revolt and typically Slavic refusal to follow that gave both Hitler and Stalin migraines from hell. As this seller has done earlier, in his review of the Zbigniew Namys?owski  album (albeit in a somewhat different context),  I feel I must enthusiastically reiterate my utmost and undying respect and my deepest bow to the Polish people for their fierce intelligence, intuitive prowess, sense of personal honor and stubborn, determined, sinewy resilience.  Even when the Poles willfully elect to follow the foreign policy which is indescribably, completely and tragically [self-censored], they consistently manage to remain the finest, the brightest and the most lovable of all Europeans. And yes, this includes this seller's ethnic group. How's that for effing brilliant?

I don't know - and never really cared to find out - how many Poles it takes to screw in the light bulb (myself,  I am still struggling with halogen sticks),  but you can take it from this seller, and you can take it to the bank with his blank endorsement: it only takes three (3) Poles to make The Greatest European Jazz Album of all time.  Only three.  That's it.

Za twoje zdrowie, Polska!

***

Astigmatic has become a bellwether for European jazz, with critics pointing to how this album marked a shift away from the dominant American approach with the emergence of a specific European aesthetic. In terms of structure (ad hoc song forms that had a lot to do with Komeda s film writing), its improvisational and rhythmic approach, Astigmatic represents a fresh approach and a different way of hearing and playing jazz.

--Stuart Nicholson, Leeds College of Music

***

Komeda's music reflects not the growing of jazz in our country in the '60-s, but echoes the big influences: Bill Evans' refinement, Eric Dolphy's free and even John Coltrane's abandon. The title piece 'Astigmatic', except for the beginning, presents little of ensemble interaction. Rather, we hear exciting dialogues by trumpet and piano or trumpet and bass. Komeda's piano dictates the levels of tension: it emerges, grows inciting, fades away and emerges again. Namyslowski's alto takes up backed by bass and drums. Lenz's solo opens the way for the drummer and then piano reappears. After a sudden take-off by the whole ensemble the piece burns out in barely audible bass flageolets. 'Kattorna' a disquieting music from the Danish movie by Carlssen (the title means Kittens), changes on this disc into real tour de force by Stanko, that reminds us of Mexican deguello from the siege of Alamo time. Komeda's exceptional illustrative talent made him the much valued composer of music to many movies and among them some by R. Polanski. 'Svantetic', dedicated to Swedish poet Svante Forster, creates initially an impression of a dirge, but its main diatonic motif in d-minor (a Polish boy scouts song) is merely the nucleus of truly dramatic jazz development in which we hear much of Namyslowski's alto and also beautiful meditations by bass and piano. It seems to be the best piece by Komeda. However, structurally it has double ending: after the first, the drum solo leads to the reappearance of the initial theme that spans the whole, but the last sentence - not without the protest of others - belongs to the trumpet.

--Andrzej Schmidt, Polish Jazz

***

Recorded by a quintet led by Polish pianist / composer Krzysztof Komeda, the legendary Godfather of Polish Jazz, this is definitely the most important piece of music recorded in Eastern Europe, which changed the face of Culture far beyond what most people realize. Universally accepted as a model and artistic / aesthetic climax by generations of Jazz musicians in Komeda´s native Poland and far beyond the country borders, this modern Jazz recording influenced innumerable minds and prompted endless artistic processes. The album includes just three pieces of music: the title track; "Kattorna", which was a theme in the soundtrack of a movie by the Danish director Henning Carlsen; and "Svantetic", a tune dedicated to the Swedish poet Svante Forster, Komeda´s friend. The quintet included trumpeter Tomasz Stanko, saxophonist Zbigniew Namyslowski, German bassist Gunter Lenz and Swedish drummer Rune Carlsson. Playing in every possible grouping, from solo to a full quintet, these brilliant and inspired musicians manage to achieve a whole, which is so much more than a sum of its parts. The result goes way beyond soloing, improvising, interplaying and exchanging ideas; it is a sort of group creation, which builds upon the basic structures, which are the mesmerizing Komeda´s melodies and soaring infinitely towards a musical heaven. There is everything here: melody, harmony, freedom and structure, rhythm and space, all simultaneously represented without conflicting and fighting for supremacy. Such harmonious music-making is indeed very rare and therefore priceless. One might wonder how this wonderful music happened in Poland of all places. Well the reasons for this are numerous and complex, but of course genius knows no geographical limitations and catalyzed by the fertile intellectual background of the 1960s Poland, struggling with Socialist regime and longing for Freedom, Jazz became an escape route, which in this case found its true vocation. Of course the fact that Stanko and Namyslowski were (and thank God still are) exceptionally gifted musicians helped to materialize the potential of Komeda´s music. One might as well look into Komeda´s fascination (and adoration) of the music and life of John Coltrane, who served as a beacon and a model in the composer´s path to inner enlightenment. And yet Komeda did not succumb to Coltrane´s (or indeed the entire American Free Jazz movement) ideas blindly and unconditionally, as did many of his peers. He decided to incorporate the struggle for Freedom, which was a central scheme in Coltrane´s philosophy (both musical and personal) with his deep European cultural roots and heritage, building his very personal bridge between Cultures. This is why his music works so well, regardless if it´s a concert played in a Jazz club or a movie soundtrack. It is simply transcending stylistic or circumstantial limitations, as any higher level of Art is able to do. The fact that this music was created almost fifty years ago is a sad reminder of how little progress (if any) we managed to achieve since. In face of this fact we should cherish the great achievements of our Culture and keep them close to our hearts. This is definitely one of those great achievements, so let´s treat it accordingly. Absolutely essential!

--Adam Baruch, The Soundtrack of my Life

Track list

A  Astigmatic 22:50

B1         Kattorna    7:20

B2         Svantetic   15:50

Alto Saxophone – Zbigniew Namys?owski

Artwork – Ros?aw Szaybo*

Bass – Gunter Lenz*

Composed By – K. Komeda*

Drums – Rune Carlson*

Engineer [Mixing] – Halina Jastrz?bska

Engineer– W. Pi?towski*

Liner  – Adam S?awi?ski

Photography By – M. Karewicz*

Piano – Krzysztof Komeda

Trumpet – Tomasz Stanko*

Recorded in Warsaw, December 1965.

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·                               CONDITION:

·                               THE RECORD:

(IMPORTANT NOTE: unless otherwise noted, ALL records are graded visually, and NOT play-graded!; we  grade records under the strong, diffuse room light or discrete sunlight)

(a)          WE GRADE THE VINYL AS STRONG VG++. A few light abrasions  ARE VISIBLE, but they appear fairly  insignificant relative to the overall condition of the vinyl, and are only moderately visually distracting. For most part, the vinyl looks impeccable, without any MAJOR visual flaws or imperfections. Much of the original luster is intact, and the vinyl shines and sparkles almost like new. (the record plays beautifully and in full dynamic range and no distortion and with only slight surface noise)

(b)          The record comes in a poly-lined inner sleeve

(c)           The record is pressed on a beautiful, thick, inflexible vinyl, which was usually used for the first or very early pressings. Usually, the sound on such thick vinyl pressings is full-bodied, vivid, and even dramatic. Do not expect to obtain such a majestic analog sound from a digital recording!

(d)          Of course, this is a full-bodied ANALOG recording, and not an inferior, digital recording!!!

·                               THE COVER

THE COVER IS ABOUT VERY GOOD-   (VG-).

The following flaws or imperfections are noted on the cover:

-        Cover has some light ring wear (nothing significant); On the scale from 1 to 10 (1 being the least, and  10 being the most severe), we assess the severity of ring wear as 4

-        Back cover has circular tarnish (grayish, dust-covered sections, which closely follow the contour of the record),  probably caused by friction or by rubbing against other covers during the storage. The tarnish is similar in appearance to a common ring wear, but, UNLIKE ring wear, these grayish areas may be possible to clean up with a minor effort and with a right cleansing solution.

-        Cover shows some light yellowing on back side, apparently from aging (nothing significant)

-        Cover has visible wrinkles along the seams

-        Cover has some visible fraying/tattering on all three seams

-        Cover has a partially split bottom seam (between 2 and 4 inches  / 5 to 10 centimeters)

-        Cover has three corners slightly worn / dinged / bent.

NO OTHER VISIBLE FLAWS OR IMPERFECTIONS ON THE  COVER

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POSTAGE & SHIPPING:

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FINE (BUT IMPORTANT!) PRINT

(1) The year indicated in the title bar is the year of the original release,  NOT necessarily the year of the actual pressing; for the actual generation of the pressing, please see our item description (top section, text in red letters). (2) Please do NOT bid based on the title bar, subtitle bar or item specifics box alone; instead, please read the entire description and grading before bidding; (3) Absolutely NO order cancellations after the auction closes. ever, under any circumstances. We can ONLY cancel bids before the item closes. (4) We are unable to cancel bids in the final 12 hours of the auction; if you need to do so, please contact eBay for help (5) We are unable to provide matrix-, stamper- or other pressing  information in the final 24 hours of the auction. If you require this information, please contact us well before the final day of the auction. (6) Yes, we DO combine shipments. Please click on "Shipping and Payment" tab on top of the auction page for additional details. (7)  All Paypal payments must be made from confirmed Paypal shipping addresses. NO third party shipping addresses will be honored (8) Absolutely NO partial refunds: if you are unhappy with the merchandise you received, please return it for a full refund, postage included (9). Civilized people can disagree without accusing each other of being indecent or dishonest; if you need proof of this seller's personal integrity, please check our eBay feedback, which speaks for itself  (10) All disagreements and miscommunications can be - and will only be - solved in a civil and mutually respectful manner;  please avoid puerile, offensive, abrasive or menacing language (attempted humor is fine and usually appreciated, although overused-to-death sarcasms can be really, really tedious. (11) This seller will accommodate all reasonable requests and is generally a flexible and agreeable person (12) Our love & appreciation for your trust, loyalty and business, always and forever; Thank You & Good Night!

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