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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZMAKOWICZ, Adam(b Matyszkowicz, 18 Aug. '40, Hnojnik, Czechoslovakia) Pianist and composer; a superbly intelligent, musical and swinging musician who deserves to be much better known. Studied classical piano, discovered jazz c'60, originally inspired by Art Tatum. He has equal fluency in both hands, but his technique never outruns his taste and judgement; above all his playing has wit. Recorded in Warsaw incl. album Unit '73 on Muza, on which he played both acoustic and electric piano and electric bass, with Czeslaw Bartkowski on drums, and solo Vista Jan. '77 on Helicon; then solo Winter Flowers in Feb. (all originals) made in Prague for Supraphon (reissued c'93 on Gowi Records). By then he had been 'discovered' by John Hammond, and solo Adam '77 was on Columbia. A live duo c'79 on Stash with George Mraz on bass was made at Bechet's NYC, and trio A Handful Of Stars '81 with Mraz and Jack DeJohnette on Chiaroscuro; solo From My Window '80 was on Choice. The Name Is Makowicz (Ma-Ko-Vitch) '83 on Sheffield Lab used Phil Woods's trio plus Gene Estes on added percussion. Trio Interface '86 on Gazell was made in Sweden with Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen. Moonray '86 was essentially a trio, with harp and vibes added on some tracks; Gershwin tribute Naughty Baby '87 was a trio with Charlie Haden and Al Foster, Dave Holland on second bass added on half the tracks, both on Novus during that label's dabbling-in-jazz period. Swiss Encounter '88 on East-West was a quartet co-led by Australian multi-instrumentalist James Morrisson (see his entry) with Foster and Buster Williams. Solo Plays Irving Berlin '91 on VWC was followed by solo At Maybeck '92 in Concord's recital series (ten Cole Porter tunes), then The Music Of Jerome Kern '92 and My Favorite Things: The Music Of Richard Rodgers '94, both with Mraz and drummer Alan Dawson, and in between a duo Adam Makowicz/George Mraz '93. (The excellent bassist Mraz has released a trio CD My Foolish Heart '95 on Milestone, with Richie Beirach on piano, Billy Hart on drums.) On the Rodgers disc most of the tunes are from the Rodgers and Hart period, but 'Surrey With The Fringe On Top' is sheer fun, while the title track owes nothing to John Coltrane; similarly, 'My Funny Valentine' avoids invoking Miles or Chet, while 'Lover' begins in a slowish 3/4 time, and a third of the way through becomes a furious 4/4. Makowicz is one of those pianists who always sounds like he's having a ball: imagine Art Tatum's technique with Earl Hines's joie de vivre. Solo A Tribute To Art Tatum on VWC should have been less tribute and more Makowicz. |