Originally from Warsaw, Poland, Borys Janczarski has strong ties to France, where he studied before furthering his training with trumpeter Piotr Wojtasik.
We previously praised his albums with Stephen McCraven and Rasul Siddik; today, the musician returns with a remarkable record titled Love Is, distributed by Polish Radio Polskie Radio and dedicated to his wife, Agnieszka.
The album comprises rearranged jazz standards under the guidance of multi-instrumentalist Jacek Namyslowski, alongside original compositions such as the titular Love Is, penned by Joanna Gajda, which revisits the folklore of American Big Bands. American singer and trumpeter Larry Browne, now based in Paris, joins as a special guest, bringing his stage experience and joy of singing to the group.
A true collaboration of musical talents, the album features singer Mary Rumi, whose smooth rendition of Don’t Be Afraid, Little Flock evokes the vocal jazz style of Diana Krall. Notable tracks also include Kolabirynth by Jacek Namyslowski, which presents a very orchestral arrangement, and Sump’m Blue by Larry Browne—a dazzling brass celebration where instruments intertwine, embrace, and dissolve within an endless rhythmic sarabande.
The sound of this recording emphasizes that the essence lies in the reinterpretation of standards presented here, such as George Gershwin’s It Ain’t Necessarily So, on which everyone seems to play percussion (with stunning piano and saxophone solos embellished by the trumpet), Burt Bacharach’s Close To You, where Mary Rumi captures the laid-back, innocent swing (featuring a beautiful flute solo), Horace Silver’s Strollin’, enriched by Larry Browne’s vocal flair reminiscent of the Manhattan Transfer, and Joseph Kosma’s Autumn Leaves, featuring a heartbreaking saxophone solo and tempered by Joanna Gajda‘s melodic piano flourishes—this reinterpretation showcases mastered technical difficulties, animated by an unusual and fascinating tempo.
Without A Song takes inspiration from Joe Henderson with exceptional orchestration, including a scat section and memorable drum breaks, while Strollin’ features a vocal part by Larry Browne based on a trumpet solo by Blue Mitchell. This album demonstrates that the legacy of mainstream jazz and the very substance of jazz standards are eternal, always on the verge of rebirth or transformation somewhere in the world, to our utmost delight.
Line Up:
Borys Janczarski: saxophones, flute, percussion
Joanna Gajda: piano
Michał Jaros: double bass
Patryk Dobosz: drums
Jacek Namysłowski: trombone, saxophones, flute, percussion, and arrangements
Guests:
Larry Browne: vocals & trumpet
Robert Majewski: trumpet, bugle
Mary Rumi: vocals
Love is was released by the label Polskie Radio SA, Novemner 28, 2025.
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