Jazz

Extra Ball - Go Ahead (1979)

2010-03-08T22:28:44Z

Extra Ball - Go Ahead (1979)


1. Krakowski Festiwal Jazzowy (Jaroslaw Smietana)
2. Gwiazdka Dla Ewy(Adam Kawonczyk)
3. Taniec Na Linie (Jaroslaw Smietana)
4. Naima (John Coltrane)
5. Go Ahead (Jaroslaw Smietana)
6. Kocham Cie Anno (Jaroslaw Smietana)
7. Sprawy Biezace (Adam Kawonczyk)
8. Airport (Jaroslaw Smietana)
9. Sepia (Adam Kawonczyk)

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

Go Ahead is the third studio album from Extra Ball, released in 1979 by Polskie Nagrania in the Polish Jazz series as Vol. 59. Traditionally, there was a major line-up change since the previous album (Marlboro Country, 1978). But this time the style didn't change that much. Go Ahead continues the exploration of the mainstream jazz territory.

The album starts where Marlboro Country ends - with a new (quite close to original) version of Krakowski Festiwal Jazzowy, the track which was also closing the previous album. Go Ahead contains some lyrical parts like Gwiazdka dla Ewy, Kocham Cię Anno, some dynamic like the title track, Taniec na Linie or Airport, there's even a cover of John Coltrane's Naima.

Overall, this album is not as disciplined as its predecessor. There aren't as many regular, memorable melodies but ther's more space for improvisations. It's more free and that's what makes it interesting. --- Pablo_P, progarchives.com

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Extra Ball – Akumula-Torres (1983)

2012-10-29T17:44:16Z

Extra Ball – Akumula-Torres (1983)


1. Akumulatorres (J. Śmietana) 
2. Dobre Mzimu (J. Śmietana) 
3. Rozmyślania nad jeziorem Czad (J. Śmietana) 
4. Kilka ciepłych słów (J. Śmietana)

Personnel:
Jarosław Śmietana - guitar, piano 
Jose Torres - percussion 
Jacek Pelc - drums
Antoni Dębski – bass guitar 
Adam Kawończyk - trumpet
guets: 
Henryk Miśkiewicz – alto saxophone 
Jerzy Bartz - conga

Aquarium Club, Warsaw, 9-11.12.1983

Jarek Smietana is one of the premiere jazz musicians in Poland. For many years, jazz guitarist No.1 in jazz critics' and listeners' pools (magazines: Jazz Forum, Jazz, Gitara i Bass, Muzyk). Winner of "Fryderyk '98" award for "Songs And Other Ballads". Honoured with President of Cracow Prize for eminent achievements on culture. One of the top guitar players in Europe. Since 1975 till 1981, he was the leader of the legendary Polish jazz group "Extra Ball". Since 1982 till today he was the leader of the following groups: "Sounds", Big Band "Symphonic Sound Orchestra", "Polish Jazz Stars Band" (with most of the top jazz musicans from Poland). He was also a co-leader of very famous "Namys owski-smietana Quartet". Jarek smietana has been playing all around the world (major festivals, concert tours, workshops) including USA and India. During his musical career he has been playing and recording together with such great artists: Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Henderson, Joe Zawinul, Gary Bartz, Carter Jefferson, Vince Mednoza, John Abercrombie, Hamiet Bluiett, Idris Muhammad, Ronnie Burrage, Harvie Swartz, Mike Stern, Jack Wilkins, Zbigniew Seifert, Cameron Brown, Andy McKee, Greg Brandy, David Gilmore, Dave Friedman. Smietana is a very talented composer and teacher, too. He wrote about 200 jazz songs and has been leading many workshops and clinics. His dicography includes 23 recordsa as a leader and plenty of records as a sideman with other artists. In last years smietana together with world known jazz giants created a lot of very interesting "special jazz projects". --Polish Jazz Net

All the notes fall naturally into place. Never garrulous or merely exhibicionistic, it is a jazz concert of the highest calibre. Each phrase is swinging and is full of drive and feeling. In brief, that is how you can describe the music of Jarek smietana, one of the most outstanding Polish jazz musicans. He has created his own music style and indyvidual sound, always personal yet constantly communicative. His first priority is the highest possible artistic level. --Leszek Kotarski, Jazz Forum

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Extra Ball – Aquarium Live No.3 (1978)

2012-10-31T17:50:00Z

Extra Ball – Aquarium Live No.3 (1978)


1. Dobry rok (J.Śmietana, Wł.Sendecki), 7:35
2. Atlantis (McCoy Tyner), 14:20
3. Słoneczny poranek (J.Śmietana, Wł. Sendecki), 6:30
4. Stella by Starlight (Rogers-Heart), 15:25 

Personnel:
Jarosław Śmietana - gitara
Władysław Sendecki - fortepian 
Andrzej Olejniczak - saksofon tenorowy, saksofon sopranowy
Jan Cichy - gitara basowa
Marek Stach – perkusja

Nagrano 1-4.11.1978 r. w Klubie Jazzowym PSJ "Akwarium" w Warszawie
wydano jako trzecią z serii "Aquarium Live" w klubie płytowym PSJ "Poljazz"

Polish Jazz-Rock Fusion band Extra Ball was the best and most dominant ensemble on the local scene in the late 1970s. Founded by the best young Polish Jazz musicians at the time, members of the second generation of the country's splendid tradition, they displayed an amazing level of individual talents both as players and composers. Led by guitarist Jaroslaw Smietana, the initial incarnation of the band also included saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak, keyboardist Wladyslaw Sendecki, bassist Jan Cichy and drummer Benedykt Radecki. These live performances are the last recording by the original lineup, except for drummer Marek Stach, who replaced Radecki. Recorded live at the Warsaw Aquarium Jazz club, this is an amazing performance with a band at their highest peak, but torn internally as to the musical direction, which led to their demise soon after, with Sendecki and Olejniczak forming Sun Ship. The inclusion of two Jazz standards clearly points out the tendency of some band members to return to the more traditional Jazz forms rather that continue the Fusion path. Smietana's superb guitar licks will amaze every Fusion fan, who was never exposed to his performances and Sendecki's keyboard wizardry is simply astounding. This is an excellent album, which all Fusion lovers on this planet should be proud to have in their collections. An absolute must! --- rateyourmusic.com

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Extra Ball – Birthday (1976)

2010-03-08T22:56:21Z

Extra Ball – Birthday (1976)


01. Narodziny
02. Taniec Maryny
03. Bez Powrotu
04. Podroz w gory
05. Siodemka
06. Szczesliwy Nieszczesliwiec
07. Blues for Everybody
08. Hengel, Almelo, Deventer

Jarosław Smietana - guitar, leader
Władyslaw Sandecki - el. piano, piano, synthetizer
Andrzej Olejniczak - tenor-saxophone, soprano-saxophone
Jan Cichy - bass
Benedykt Radecki – percussion

Musicians:
Jarosław Smietana - guitar, leader
Władyslaw Sandecki - el. piano, piano, synthetizer
Andrzej Olejniczak - tenor-saxophone, soprano-saxophone
Jan Cichy - bass
Benedykt Radecki – percussion

Before releasing their debut album, Extra Ball gained some popularity among polish jazz fans. Leaded by guitarist Jarosław Śmietana, band starded off at the Jazz on the Oder-River festival in 1974, winning the second, and a year later, the first prize. Thus Extra Ball wasn't unknown at the time, unfortunately they are rather forgotten these days.

Birthday was released in 1976 in the Polish Jazz series as Vol. 48. It contains instrumental jazz rock, which can be compared to Return to Forever or Weather Report . There are also some polish folk inclusions in tracks Narodziny / Birthday and Taniec Maryny / Maryna's Dance and blues (Blues For Everybody). Music is rather dynamic, which proves virtuosity of the musicians (the only lyrical track is Szczęśliwy Nieszczęśliwiec / The Lucky Unlucky Man). Album lasts about 40 minutes but you wouldn't notice when it finishes.

Very good jazz rock, highly recommended particularly for the fans of Weather Report and Return To Forever. --- Pablo_P, progarchives.com

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Extra Ball – Extra Ball (1978)

2012-11-04T17:06:36Z

Extra Ball – Extra Ball (1978)


1. Marlboro Country (J. Smietana) [8:23]
2. Pierwsza Wersja (J. Smietana) [4:44]
3. Wesola Piesn Dla Keesa (J. Smietana) [6:19]
4. Nocne Impresje (J. Smietana) [5:51]
5. Piesn Dla Elvina Jonesa (Z. Wegehaupt) [6:39]
6. Krakowski Festiwal Jazzowy (J. Smietana) [6:30]

Personnel:
Jaroslaw Smietana - guitar
Jerzy Glowczewski - alto sax 
Zbigniew Wegehaupt - double bass
Marian Bronikowski - drums
Jerzy Jarosik - tenor sax, fluet
Eugeniusz Okoniewski - tenor sax

Klub Plytowy PSJ "Bialy Kruk Czarnego Krazka"
Nagrano w marcu i sierpniu 1978 r. w PR Katowice

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Extra Ball – Krakowski Festiwal Jazzowy (Cracow Jazz Festiwal) [1978]

2009-10-20T15:38:41Z

Extra Ball – Krakowski Festiwal Jazzowy (Cracow Jazz Festiwal) [1978]


1.	Marlboro Country
2.	Pierwsza Wersja
3.	Wesola Piesn Dla Keesa
4.	Nocne Impresje
5.	Piesn Dla Elvina Jonesa
6.	Krakowski Festiwal Jazzowy

Jarosław Śmietana - g
Władysław Sendecki - kbds
Andrzej Olejniczak - ts, ss
Jan Cichy - bg
Benedykt Radecki - dr, perc

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Extra Ball – Mosquito (1981)

2011-03-29T08:37:33Z

Extra Ball – Mosquito (1981)


A1   	Mosquito 		
A2   	Miles 		     play
A3   	Bąbelki 		
A4   	El Cerritto 		
B1   	Krąg Wspomnień 		
B2   	Czasem W Zimie 		
B3   	Duża Żaba

Double Bass - Antoni Dębski
Drums - Czesław Mały Bartkowski
Drums, Percussion, Marimba - Jacek Pelc
Guitar [Acoustic & Electric], Composer, Arranger - Jarosław Śmietana
Percussion - Jan Budziaszek
Piano - Wojciech Groborz
Piano [Acoustic] - Robert Obcowski
Saxophone [Tenor] - Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski
Trumpet - Adam Kawończyk

Extra Ball was born in January 1974 in a club Pod Jaszczurami in Cracow. The first line-up consisted of Jarosław Śmietana - guitar, leader, Władysław Sendecki - electric piano, Jan Cichy - bass guitar and Benedykt Radecki - drums. Jarosław Śmietana explained the origin of band's name: "When we begun playing in Pod Jaszczurami there were automatic billiards pools launched there. They were very popular and the bonus for good play was an extra ball". Extra Ball's true debut took place during the festival Jazz nad Odrą in the same year where the band gained the second prize. In 1975 the band played on further contests and toured the USSR in Autumn that year. Next year Extra Ball recorded their first album, titled Birthday. The band had one more musician in its line-up then - a saxophonist Andrzej Olejniczak who joined the same year.

The album contains eight compositions of Śmietana and Sendecki. Extra Ball play here a technically high level melodic Jazz rock. In the second and fourth track they use East-European Folk dance themes a la Bartok with tricky twisted rhythm work. Coming from the main stream jazz field they switch sometimes from binary to ternary rhythms in the middle of a song. The leader and guitarist Jarosław Śmietana plays a "un-fusion" like fluid jazz guitar, often double lead with a synth or e-piano line. Blues for everybody is the only classic jazz track.

In December 1976 the percussionist Benedykt Radecki left the band and was replaced by Marek Stach. In the following year Extra Ball visited Holland and gave a series of concerts in Warsaw jazz club Akwarium. Material recorded during this performances was later issued on the LP Aquarium Live 3. A few months later, in December, the band disbanded.

In January 1978 Jarosław Śmietana resurrected the band but remained the only member from the original line-up. The new Extra Ball abandoned jazzrock and steered definitely towards mainstream jazz so it's of no interest to prog fans (unless they're jazz fans also). This incarnation of the band released four further albums. ---Tuzvihar, progarchives.com

Kwintet jazzowy utworzony w Krakowie w 1974 przez znanego gitarzystę Jarosława Śmietanę. Zespół złożony ze studentów wydziału Jazzu i Muzyki Rozrywkowej Akademii Muzycznej w Katowicach, grał wtedy w składzie: Andrzej Pawlik, Piotr Prońko, Benedykt Radecki, Władysław Sendecki.

Publicznie zadebiutowali na festiwalu Jazz nad Odrą’74 we Wrocławiu zdobywając zespołowo II nagrodę, a lider został wyróżniony I nagrodę indywidualną. Rok później, już jako kwartet (bez saksofonisty Piotra Prońko) zdobyli na wrocławskim festiwalu gros nagród (zespołowych oraz indywidualnych dla J.Śmietany i W.Sendeckiego, J.Cichego i B.Radeckiego). W 1976 ponownie rozszerzyli swój skład, wzbogacając brzmienie o saksofon tenorowy, na którym grał Andrzej Olejniczak. W tym czasie zarejestrował kilka płyt i dokonał nagrań archiwalnych dla Polskiego Radia. Wystąpił również z recitalem w TV w ramach cyklu „Panorama jazzu polskiego”. W 1983 zespół wyjechał do USA, gdzie wziął udział w festiwalu jazzowym w Reno i grał przez trzy miesiące w klubach studenckich i jazzowych. Jak na ówczesne warunki polskie, był to największy sukces polskiego zespołu jazzowego w USA.

Po powrocie do kraju zespół przygotował jeszcze huczne obchody swojej 10-letniej działalności i... niespodziewanie przestał istnieć. Współpracujący w Extra Ball muzycy zajęli się własnymi projektami tworząc autorskie zespoły lub poddając się solowej karierze (np. Adam Kawończyk, Wojciech Groborz, Antoni Dębski, Zbigniew Wegehaupt, Jacek Pelc , Stanisław Sojka i Andrzej Zaucha).

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