Progarchives, the progressive rock ultimate discography

MODERN PENTATHLON

Laboratorium

Jazz Rock/Fusion


From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

Laboratorium Modern Pentathlon album cover
3.75 | 32 ratings | 3 reviews | 25% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
prog rock music collection

Write a review

Buy LABORATORIUM Music
from Progarchives.com partners
Studio Album, released in 1976

Songs / Tracks Listing

1. Pięciobój nowoczesny (20:00)
2. Funky dla Franki (4:46)
3. Szalony baca (6:00)
4. ABZ (4:58)
5. Grzymaszka (2:24)


Total time: 38:08

Line-up / Musicians

- Janusz Grzywacz / piano, Fender Rhodes, Roland 2000 synthesiser
- Marek Stryszowski / vocal, alto sax, bass clarinet
- Paweł Ścierański / guitars
- Krzysztof Ścierański / bass guitar
- Mieczysław Górka / drums

Releases information

Recorded in Polskie Nagrania, Warsaw, July 1976.
LP: Muza/Polskie Nagrania SX1418
CD: Anex (PN949 4250079729517), Polskie Radio S.A. (PRCD542 5901448115422), Polskie Nagrania (3723313 4250137233130) - all in 2005, also included in "Anthology 1971 - 1988" boxset.

Thanks to tuzvihar for the addition
and to snobb for the last updates
Edit this entry

Buy LABORATORIUM Modern Pentathlon Music



LABORATORIUM Modern Pentathlon ratings distribution


3.75
(32 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music(25%)
25%
Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection(53%)
53%
Good, but non-essential (16%)
16%
Collectors/fans only (6%)
6%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

LABORATORIUM Modern Pentathlon reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by snobb
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
4 stars One of Polish jazz fusion cornerstone, this album was released in 1976 only. Laboratorium was formed in Krakow, intellectual capital of Poland, in 1970, and even had some recordings, made in 1972 (they were released as fan-club release, and re-released later on CD). If neibourhood Czechoslovakia dominated on Eastern European jazz-rock market in early 70-s, Poland with its excellent jazz traditions seriously came on this market a bit later.

Modern Pentathlon is really modern fusion (in sense of mid 70-s) album, keyboards -led and heavily influenced by Chick Corea/RTF. Very relaxed, even funky in moments, but with European traditions (and even Eastern European melodic influences) this album's music is excellent example of high quality Polish fusion of that time. If such musicians, as Michal Urbaniak, who lived and played for years in W.Europe and USA, bring Western fusion traditions on Polish land, Laboratorium grew up on domestic land, and their sound is more "Polish".

Most interesting on this album is its opener - twenty-minutes long composition "Pięciobój nowoczesny". Being of complex structure and some rhythm changes, it is excellent example of progressive jazz fusion. Others songs are good as well, but doesn't add much to album's music.

Good jazz fusion album, one of the most representative from Polish fusion of that time.

My rating is 3,5, rounded to 4.

Review by apps79
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars Janusz Grzywacz was the mastermind behind Polish Jazz-Rockers Laboratorium, a band from Krakow formed in 1970 with an original line-up of Mieczyslaw Gorka on drums, Marek Stryszowski on vocals/sax/clarinet, Waclaw Lozinski on flutes and Edmund Maciwoda on bass.Their name appeared for the first time on the 1973 jazz album ''"Klub Plytowy" with two tracks.The following years the band received awards and achieved several important collaborations despite the line-up changes.In 1976 Grzywacz, Gorka and Srryzowski were joined by brothers Krzysztof and Pawel Scieranski on bass and guitars respectively and recorded their debut ''Modern pentathlon'' for Polskie Nagrania Muza, of course at the studios of Polskie Nagrania in Warsaw.

The album is dominated by the 20-min. title track, a really innovative composition somewhat split between improvisation and tightly structured musicianship with the band presenting a unique and attractive sound, where Psychedelic Rock meets Fusion meets Space Jazz and containing all the right elements of a good jazz-oriented composition: Obscure trippy vocals, fast piano paces, hypnotic saxes, spacey atmospheres, district guitars and fiery interplays.This is actually the main reason to buy the album.The second side of the LP is definitely weaker, containg well-performed material but being close to commercial Jazz/Fusion music.Lots of funky vibes on the keyboard, electric piano and bass parts, even some Soul-influenced saxes are present, the guitar work is more prominant but always in a safely-presented style.Some nice and proffesional interplays though are more than decent and holds the listener's interest till the very end.

The 20-min. sidelong opus alone belongs among the finest Jazz/Fusion compositions you can listen to, however the rather accesible approach of the flipside prevents ''Modern pentathlon'' of being a trully essential release.Still it comes recommended for fans of experimental and intricate Jazz-Rock.

Latest members reviews

4 stars Laboratorium is a polish jazz band formed in 1970 in Krakow. Modern Pentathlon is their official debut LP, released in 1976 by Polskie Nagrania in the Polish Jazz series as Vol. 49. This album is quite an original experience because the band uses an instrument rarely used by jazz-rock bands. T ... (read more)

Report this review (#197504) | Posted by Pablo_P | Tuesday, January 6, 2009 | Review Permanlink

Post a review of LABORATORIUM "Modern Pentathlon"

You must be a forum member to post a review, please register here if you are not.

MEMBERS LOGIN ZONE

As a registered member (register here if not), you can post rating/reviews (& edit later), comments reviews and submit new albums.

You are not logged, please complete authentication before continuing (use forum credentials).

Forum user
Forum password

Copyright Prog Archives, All rights reserved. | Legal Notice | Privacy Policy | Advertise | RSS + syndications

Other sites in the MAC network: JazzMusicArchives.com — jazz music reviews and archives | MetalMusicArchives.com — metal music reviews and archives

Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.