Tarkus magazine no. 8 (January 1999)
Vistula is the biggest Polish river and a symbol of this country,so it means that we will take a closer look at present situationin Polish progressive rock. And the conditions are not promisingfor development this kind of music. Progressive rock almostdisappeared from mass-media. When in 70-ies, 80-ies there were afew whole-country radio broadcasts dedicated to prog music, nowit is only one and it comes ones a week and very late at night. Iasked Mr. Stoch - the chairman of independent Polish record label"Ars Mundi" to estimate the actual situation and hereis what he said: "There are generally unfavorablecircumstances for progressive rock, mainly because of commercialuniformity. It means that everywhere in mass-media people canfind only simply, often fooling music but what guarantees verygood sell. There is no time on the air for people with individualtaste, looking for something special. There are of courselisteners and musicians interested in ambitious music but theydisappear in a gray mass of no value. When a few years ago thesale of Polish art-rock records were promising, now it is on avery low level and it doesn't seem it will be better". It isdifficult to disagree with this opinion but this situation is, Ithink, common to other European countries, however it came toPoland just a few years ago. Let's take a look now at someleading groups of Polish progressive rock.
Abraxas
Szymon Brzeziński - guitars
Marcin Mak - drums
Adam Lassa - vocals
Marcin Błaszczyk - keyboards, flute
Rafał Ratajczak - bass
The neo-prog band founded in 1987 but, as many others formations,got bigger success a few years later after changing their crew.They released two albums. First self-titled in '96 (Ars Mundi)presents music inspired by Marillion but in their own emotionalstyle. Mysterious atmosphere comes into dynamic music. Overallvery good. The second one ('98, Metal Mind) is different. Theband "stretched the limits" and added metal and gothicinfluences. By some prog fans this album is called realmasterpiece.
In '98 Abraxas appeared at: Progressive Rock Music Festival inZielona Góra (Poland) - where got 3 awards; Proglive '98 inCorbigny (France) or at Dutch Progressive Rock Stage, Bussum (TheNetherlands).
Albion
Anna Batko - vocal
Jerzy Antczak - guitar
Krzysztof Malec - keybs
Grzegorz Olszowski - bass
Paweń Konieczny - drums
Formation inspired with Pink Floyd, Genesis and British neo-proggroups of 80-ies.
Founded in 1992 in Cracow playing neo-prog music at firstinstrumental until '93 when Anna Batko having calm vocal jointthe band. They released cassette "Survival Games" withmelodic, nostalgic compositions. In '1995 released first,self-titled record containing music mostly from "SurvivalGames" but with improved sound quality and vocals inEnglish. Especially worth of pointing out is long track called"Golgotha". In '96 Albion played at I Prog RockFestival in Warsaw.
Collage
Robert Amirian - vocals, acoustic guitar
Mirek Gil - guitars
Wojtek Szadkowski - drums
Piotr Mintay Witkowski - bass
Krzysztof Palczewski - keyboards
Probably the most famous among all Polish art-rock performers(founded in 1985). Their music was inspired mainly by Marillionand Genesis. They released five albums - the first one, having alot of charm Baśnie [Fairy Tales] in 1991 withlyrics in Polish. This album was received with big enthusiasm ofprog rock fans all over the world. They gave some concerts inEurope. After this first success Collage couldn't stabilize thecrew until 1992. They released the second album - tribute of JohnLennon ("Nine Songs of John Lennon"). This, the mostoriginal album was a difficult trial of transcription Lennon'smusic to symphonic art-rock. But the greatest success came in1994 when the group played live at International Sopot Festivalin Poland and recorded new album for Dutch S.I. Music -"Moonshine". The album contains long tracks, welldeveloped with poetical lyrics together with shorter ones verymelodic. There is no weak point on it. The same year theyreleased "Changes" with unpublished recordings fromyears 1985-92. Next and the last album so far "Safe"('96) carries music similar to "Moonshine". Collagealso used to appear at concerts. In '94 and '95 played liveduring Fish' Polish tournees and in 1996 was a star at IProgressive Rock Festival in Warsaw.
Lizard
Damian Bydliński - vocal
Andrzej Jacza - keyboards
Mirosław Worek - guitars
Janusz Tanistra - bass guitar
Mariusz Szulakowski - drums & percussion
Formation from Bielsko-Biala founded in 1990 but they noticedtheir success in 1995 when Piotr Kosiński - famous Polish radiopresenter - introduced them to Ars Mundi record label. Two yearslater Lizard released great album "W Galerii Czasu" (Inthe Gallery of Time) by many said to be the best release of theyear. The music can be in ref. to softer parts of early KingCrimson and UK. Except the album the musicians showed theirexcellent performance at first Progfest in Warsaw '96 andsupporting Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Porcupine Tree duringtheir concerts in Poland.
Quidam
Emilia Derkowska - vocal, chorus, cello, guitar
Zbyszek Florek - keyboards
Rafal Jermakow - drums & percussion
Maciek Meller - guitars
Radek Scholl - bass guitar
Jacek Zasada - flutes, keyboards, sax
The band founded in 1991 as Deep River. Changed the name forQuidam (in Latin - someone) in 1995. They started with music thatwas a mix of hard rock and soul but very soon (after EwaSmarzyńska - flute - joint the band) it started changing to moresophisticated rock represented by groups such as: Camel, PinkFloyd, early King Crimson, Genesis etc. In 1996 the band releasedfirst album "Quidam" (Ars Mundi). As session musiciansthere were three members of Collage (Szadkowski, Gil,Palczewski). Beautiful nostalgic, pastel compositions withdelicate vocal of Emilia makes the music trespassing the bordersof neo-prog far behind. This album got great reviews in domesticand international rock magazines and high positions oninternational artrock billboards (5-th on French "BigBang"). In 1997 Quidam gave first concert abroad ("Dayof Dreams" festival); during Camel's concerts in PolandDerkowska and Smarzynska were invited by Andy Latimer to takepart in a "Harbour of Tears" suite. The formation gavea few more concerts at festivals being a star performerProglive'97 in Corbigny, "Awards Night" in Rotherham(both in UK), being invited by Classic Rock Society (and RickWakeman). In 1998 Quidam recorded second album "SnyAniolow" (Rock Serwis) with one change in the squad (JacekZasada replaced Ewa Smarzynska). Unfortunately, music on thisalbum is a little less interesting than the debut one, moretowards commercial poppy style. International distribution ofthis album was led by Musea. During Progressive Rock MusicFestival in Zielona Góra (Poland) got (like Abraxas) awards in 3categories.
RSC
Wiktor Kucaj - hammond organ, synths
Zbigniew Działa - vocal, lyrics
Michał Kochmański - drums
Krzysztof Dziuba - bass
Tom Kiersnowski - harmonica
Waldemar Rzeszut - guitar
Andrzej Balawender - violin, piano, Fender piano
Started in 1981 in Rzeszow playing rock inspired by Americangroups: Styx and especially Kansas.
Debut album "Flyrock" appeared in 1983 containing afew-minutes songs from which some were really good.
In '83 they released cassette "RSC" in same vein as"Flyrock". After that RSC disappeared from the rockscene when the leader Wisniowski left the group. It wasreactivated several years later releasing albums "MaratonRockowy" ('95) and "Czas Wodnika" ('96) but bothdidn't get big interest of rock fans. But the album released nextyear "Parakletos" presents excellent music from thebeginning till the end. Great guitar, keyboards together withtrumpet, tenor sax and vocal makes the developed compositionsbeautiful, flowing more in jazzier and bluessier directions.
What else? Mr. Gil (Collage guitarist Mirek Gil) released album"Alone" (Ars Mundi '98). Two other Collage musicianstook part in recording and the album is close to Collage melodicstyle. There are also other prog formations like Artrosis,playing gothic progressive, Mordor - prog metal, Nemezis(cooperate with Anna Batko of Albion) Annalist - more rock ratherthan prog.
From the latest news Colin Bass recorded in Poland his new album"An outcast of the islands" with Andy Latimer, DaveSteward and musicians of Quidam and Abraxas. So, the musiciansare active but in what direction they will go and what willhappen to Polish progressive rock, future will show. As always.
References:
Encyclopedia of Polish Rock - L.Gnoiński, J. Skaradziński, 1997
PlanetCaladan - Polish art-rock www page