TADEUSZ WOŹNIAK - "TADEUSZ WOŹNIAK" [aka "ODCIEŃ CISZY"] (1974)

Tadeusz Woźniak is a prolific Polish songwriter and composer who spent much of his career behind the scenes, creating music for theatre, soundtracks, and songs for other artists. In five decades of career he released only five albums under his own name. 

Released in 1972, his debut album was launched by "Zegarmistrz światła", a wonderful hybrid of baroque pop, folk and jazz music. The rest of the tracklist sounded a bit old-fashioned anyway, showing only a part of Woźniak's potential. 

This second studio effort is his real masterpiece. It is way less joyful than its predecessor, frequently adopting a gothic-folk feel and expanding its structures up to the progressive rock boundaries.

"Odcień ciszy" lasts fourteen minutes and is one of the best suites I've ever heard. Not only it is probably Woźniak's most ambitious work as a composer, but it also contains a thrilling orchestral arrangement by Henryk Wojciechowski, some tense electric guitar ornaments by Tomasz Jaśkiewicz (formerly an Akwarele member), majestic drumming courtesy of Aleksander Bem, and female vocal group Alibabki to add even more atmosphere.

The remaining songs are shorter but dramatic pieces of orchestral folk, in the name of severity and without ever compromising with easy pop temptations, making this one of the most beautiful and respectable albums to came out in Poland in the early 70s.

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