MODERN PENTATHLON

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.

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.

Smooth yet-complex and very competent Jazz-Rock fusion from Poland. These musicians make it all seem so easy!

1. "Pięciobój nowoczesny" (20:00) using lots of experimental sound-making from electronic and acoustic instrumentation, the band opens this song with some jungle-zoo-like giving the music a feel and palette not unlike something HERBIE HANCOCK might have been doing with the help of Patrick Gleeson. The faux-Gregorian chants taking over at 6:10 provide an odd bridge to the next motif, a very NOVA Driftwood"-like atmospheric passage. In the eleventh minute there is another motif change, this time into something sounding more like somethting from the Bitches Brew or Mwandishi sessions, though the motif gradually becomes dominated by first alto sax and then a drum solo. Unfortunately, drummer Mieczysław Górka is probably the weakest member of the quintet, so this is nothing so very exciting. The next motifi something quite crazed in a Daevid Allen/GONG way--like something straight out of the psychedelic craziness that pervades the Radio Gnome Invisible trilogy of albums, only all echo-effected vocals from wind player Marek Stryszowski. The rest of the band begins to return in the 18th minute and then finishes the song out with a hard-driving guitar- (and voice)-led jazz-rock passage. Definitely a suite of totally different song themes sewn together rather arbitrarily, but it ends up being a rather fun and enjoyable journey. (36.75/40)

2. "Funky dla Franki" (4:46) funky-lite that just doesn't go deep enough into the bottom end but the synths, keys, and electric guitar do a great job of supporting the bass. Acoustic guitar is the first soloist, with Mieczyshaw's sax coming in at the end of the third minute and then taking over the lead during the fourth. A very decent if rather lite song. (9/10)

3. "Szalony baca" (6:00) opens with jungle bird noises accompanied by some solo voce African chanting. At the 0:30 mark the band slides smoothly into a hypnotic groove in which sax, Fender Rhodes, and chorused electric guitar present a very pleasant almost Caribbean melody while the drums and bass also carry forward a solid if loose and syncopated Carib rhythm track. Sax gets the first solo followed by electric bass before the chants rejoin far in the background, eventually mirrored by the electric guitar. The recording and play here is so chill, relaxed, and smooth. A wonderful song that definitely puts on display the cross-cultural bleeding that Jazz-Rock Fusion has become such a melting pot for. (9.5/10)

4. "ABZ" (4:58) part yacht rock, part Weather Report cool, part high energy Mahavishnu Orchestra, part celebration of jazz's recent history, mixed with a lot of funky joy and fearlessness. So fun! (9/10)

5. "Grzymaszka" (2:24) opens with some serious, melancholy, though very jazzy McCoy Tyner- or CHick Corea-like piano play that becomes more dramatic and Gershwin-dominated as it goes along. Excellent adaptive lounge piano play that one might find being played by a live musician in the foyer of a very exclusive club. (4.5/5)

Total time: 38:08

A wonderful album that definitely celebrates the fusion of international sounds and styles with one very-well produced album.

A-/five stars; a masterpiece of Jazz-Rock Fusion and most excellent addition to any jazz-rock fusion-loving prog lover's music collection.