FUSION

First Michal Urbaniak album, which was available in US as well. Excellent fusion of its time, recorded in Germany with team of skilled Polish musicians.

Urbaniak plays sax, but his main instrument is for sure violin. Music there is on the level of jazz fusion leaders from mid 70-s. Compositions are very vital, bright, melting Eastern European emotive melodies with light funk. Michal's violin sound often similar to Jean Luc Ponty's , and all music is in a vein of Weather Report or RTF.

Fresh, enough original if a bit lightweight, jazz fusion record from golden genre era. Very recommended for vintage jazz fusion fans.

The prolific artist from Poland gets Columbia Records to re-release this studio LP from the previous year. It is a collection of songs that was recorded in June of 1973, in Europe, three months before Michał and wife Urszula Dudziak moved to New York City where they were to establish permanent residency. It was released in Europe in 1973, with the same song order and recording versions, under the title "Michał Urbaniak Constellation Super Constellation." In order to give proprietorship and title to this new version CBS had Michał record one additional song in the US using American musicians. This was the song "Fusion," which would become the title of the "new" album as well as one of the side-monikers Columbia would use for the Jazz-Rock Fusion project they had in mind for Michał over the next couple of years. (Unfortunately, the label would only continue their contract with Michał for three albums: this one, 1974's Atma, and 1975's Fusion III, three albums that are usually considered his peak contributions to the Jazz-Rock Fusion lexicon.)

A1. "Good Times, Bad Times" (5:13) potent hard-driving bass, drums, and keys (organ, clavinet, and Fender Rhodes) support the smooth violin play of Mr. Urbaniak as well as the treated Northettes style vocalese of Ula Dudziak. Ula is most aggressive when she's off on her own, but she is "reigned in" for most of the song by running the same melody lines alongside her husband's violin or the right hand of Wojciech Karolak's organ. Strong, demanding composition. Great performance from drummer Czesław Bartkowski. (9/10)

A2. "Bahamian Harvest" (7:14) opens with a long Billy Cobham-like syncopated drum line over/within which Urszula performs some GILLI SMYTH like pixie/faerie mischief. Multiple bass lines, coming from organ and Fender, help the two keyboardists drive the song forward so that Michał can get the most out of his electric violin and violectra (a Barcus Berry-electrified baritone violin). The second half of this song--the violin-dominated half--is the part of the song presents to the world the Jean-Luc Ponty "cruising" sound that would become the signature Jean-Luc Ponty sound even before Jean-Luc Ponty ever heard or conceived of it. (13.25/15)

A3. "Impromptu" (3:25) percussion instruments and loose Fender Rhodes support Michał's slow and pensive violin play (on two violins in two different tracks). Organ and other heavily-treated electronic keyboard sounds provide a kind of bubbling effect to go with the Fender and percussion sounds. (8.75/10)

A4. "Seresta" (6:06) an upbeat, cheery tune of electro-funk that presents Ula and Michał's instruments in an early version of what would become the Third pre-Fourth Wave Smooth Jazz that Brian Auger had already been pioneering and that Jean-Luc Ponty, Larry Young, and others would soon become fully entrenched in. Very cool, innovative percussion sounds being used here by both Czesław and Urszula. The big lead instruments are not only Michał and Ula but Wojciech Karolak's organ. Very new and fresh overall sound palette. (9.125/10)

B1. "Fusion" (2:55) chorused electric guitar arpeggi and congas open this one before bass, organ, clavinet and Fender Rhodes join in with Ula's vocal scat lines performing the lead melody along side her husband's electric violin and a Moog-y synth. (I'd love to know exactly who the "American musicians" Columbia employed to create this song with the Urbaniaks.) Sounds very much like some of those early GONG songs only with much richer and fuller sound engineering. (9/10)

B2. "Deep Mountain" (6:34) organ chord, introductory drum rolls, long-held bass and flanging violin notes behind which Ula's pretty voice soars like a smooth-flying raptor--all this lasting almost a minute and a half before Czesław and the keyboardists launch into the medium-paced funky track that they're going to play beneath Michał's wah- wah/flange-effected electric violin. Ula's duplication of the synth (or heavily-treated violin)'s main melody line is remarkable--and so charming. CBS most definitely must have had an idea of what they wanted from Urszula cuz she never ever gets as wild and crazy as she used to on the band's earlier albums; her singing lines are very smooth and supportive, often mixed well into the background (though mixed very clearly)--angelic like the three voices of Hatfield And The North's Northettes--rarely used as a lead instrument and never mixed out in the front. (I feel bad for her!) Adam Makowicz gets the next solo after Michał with his "dirty" Fender Rhodes. Very smooth, engaging, and well- performed. While I love the Northettes-like vocalizations asked of Urszula, I can't help but feel sorry for her being so much more reigned in than usual. (9/10)

B3. "Bengal" (13:51) Shakti-Shankar-like plaintive violin opens this one as frenetic Fender Rhodes, African-like percussion, organ, and drumming elements play wildly around in the background, beneath the increasingly effected- disrupted violin sounds. After more than two minutes the music smooths out from beneath with drums, bass, and percussion settling into fairly straightforward jazz play (while the "distant" Fender and Wulitzer organ continue their frenzied play). Ula is given free reign aand front billing for the fifth minute--and she does not disappoint with her Flora Purim-like scatting of a wide variety of African jungle noises. Drummer Czesław Bartkowski really shines throughout this entire song with his constantly creative rhythms and fills. Michal, of course, takes a few of the solo segments though there is a very interesting/entertaining passage in the tenth minute when two keyboardists (two channels of Adam Makozicz?) seem to both take on the frenzied, frantic lizard/instect style of their vocalist and violinist leader (all the while with Czesław Bartkowski absolutely killing it beneath them). While this song stands out for many people for many reasons, I find it less cohesive and less enjoyable than the previous three songs. It's too loose and spacey like something from Bitches Brew (an album I've never particularly enjoyed). Impressive performances and ideas brought to life, to be sure, but just not as enjoyable to listen, groove, or dance to as some of Michał's other stuff. (26.5/30)

Total time: 45:14

I happen to agree with many reviewers that Side Two of this album is superior to the music and songs of Side One. Another aspect of this album that renders it so essential as a representative of peak Jazz-Rock Fusion is the advanced sound recording and engineering techniques: it's so clear and clean, mixed with such excellent definition, despite the use of many effects on almost all of the individual mics and instruments.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of genre-defining Jazz-Rock Fusion music. Though this is not my favorite Michal Urbaniak album, the band is definitely back on track after the disturbingly substandard Inactin.

4.5 stars. Michal Urbaniak is the greatest violinist that I have ever heard. I know that's a subjective statement, but this is a man who was a child prodigy. He also switched to the sax at some point, and became an international award winner with that instrument as well. So talented. And I am so grateful he was drawn to Jazz. Those Jazz Fusion albums he released in the seventies are just incredible.

It's interesting that Michal is from Poland, and he had this strong desire to move to America, and he loved American jazz. His dreams would come true in 1974, moving to the USA and even being signed to Colombia Records, which was huge for him. It was so rare that Colombia would sign European acts, but you should hear Michal and his band! Colombia decided to re-issue Urbaniak's second studio album from the year before('73) called "Super Constellation". He had released four studio albums from Poland, but that was the one they felt was his best.

They also decided that to declare ownership, sort to speak, they added a track called "Fusion" and called the album "Fusion". So this is the American release of "Super Constellation", and that "Fusion" track was performed by unnamed American Jazz musicians. I'm not sure why all the secrecy as to who played on that song. I feel that maybe it was some of the musicians who would be involved in Urbaniak's next studio album from 1975 called "Fusion III". His band was still in Poland, so "Fusion III" was starting over in America with a new band.

I'm not sure why Urbaniak isn't more known. Or why his albums aren't mentioned way more when talking about Jazz Fusion. The one surprising thing to me is that there is no bass on "Super Constellation", especially when he had a bass player on the other recordings he had released before and after that one. So that "Fusion" track does stand out as we get some upfront bass on that one which is nice, but also guitar which isn't on the main album. I wish that they had at least shown the instruments in play on the "Fusion" track.

So not counting that extra track, the music here is led by violin, drums, female wordless vocals and dual keyboards. And they all sound so awesome! The drummer is my favourite musician on here. Just a beast. The drums were recorded perfectly and this guy can't stop. So incredibly talented. I know Steve Gadd would be the drummer on "Fusion III" and he's great, but he's also a step down from Czeslaw Bartkowski in my opinion. Of course the violin playing is off the charts, but Urszula's wordless vocals simply make this album special. She is such a talent. Then the two keyboardists adding their talents. At one point both are playing electric piano which is so cool.

Every track but one makes me gush. That would be the 3 1/2 minute "Impromptu" which is good, but too laid back for my tastes, almost ballad-like. The rest is gravy. I'm looking forward to re-acquainting myself with "Fusion III" soon, with Americian musicians like John Abercrombie, Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson and also Larry Coryell. It will be interesting to compare it to Urbaniak's Polish band and sound. Curious. "Fusion" is a must for jazz Fusion fans out there.