The mid-1970s were a gloomy time in Polish history, even by that long-accursed nation’s standards. Government-mandated price increases on essential goods led to a series of violent protests, which were quelled in typically brutal fashion. To paraphrase a certain Shogun Assassin quote made famous on GZA’s Liquid Swords, it was a bad time for Warsaw.
But it was also a wonderful time to be a Polish funk musician, thanks to the benevolence of the state-owned Polskie Nagrania Muza record label. As we’re previously noted, Poland has long been a surprising hotbed of soul-inflected jazz, perhaps due to the nation’s larger-than-normal diaspora during the Cold War. And to the joy of music aficionados the world over, the Gierek regime seemed far more interested in oppressing the proletariat than micromanaging the Polskie Nagrania Muza catalogue. So plenty of “decadent” Western-style gems slipped through the system, including Arp Life’s semi-legendary Jumbo Jet LP. The best cut is above; a longer, pre-release version can be experienced here.
Completists should also set aside an hour or so to learn about the entire history of Polish jazz, a tale that begins on the swinging Warsaw scene some 80-plus years ago. If you’re pressed for time, though, this quickie synopsis should give you more than enough to prove your bona fides.
Jordan // Feb 3, 2010 at 12:30 pm
There was a great This American Life piece about jazz in Czechoslovakia and how much the Nazi and Soviet attitudes towards jazz mirrored each other. Freedom, in all its forms, is anathema to authoritarianism.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=770
Brendan I. Koerner // Feb 3, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Many thanks for the TAL life–will listen tonight.
What struck me most ’bout the Polish example was that the record label was government owned and operated. I can only imagine that the label’s political handlers had bigger to fish to fry elsewhere, and so let the producers and artists do what they wanted. Lucky us–I really do love this song.
hubcap // Feb 3, 2010 at 4:12 pm
If you like this sort of thing then you’ll probably find that the “Funkytown, Budapest” compilation is the kind of thing that you would like.
http://www.discogs.com/Various-Funkytown-Budapest/release/2026940
I’m not promising wall-to-wall greatness, but there are definitely some worthy highlights.
Brendan I. Koerner // Feb 3, 2010 at 4:24 pm
@hubcap: Excellent, thanks for the tip. Will check it out.
Though in my heart, there will always be only one true Funkytown: Chisinau