This kind of Jazz is "breathing"
Marcin Wasilewski belongs to the best of contemporary European Jazz. There exists a very lively and highly inspirated jazz-scene in Poland since a couple of years. The style of music Marcin Wasilewski performs with his trio, is a very special kind of impressionistic, esthetic Jazz, full of well-done harmonizations. The pieces of music "breath", as one could say. Virtuosity lets the music go, instead of opressing it. Espesially remarkable are, as so often, the compositions of Wasilewski himself like "The First Touch", "The Cat", the title piece of music "January" and "The Young and Cinema". Here Marcin Wasilewski is the most himself. Very good is also "Vignette" from Gary Peacock. The reason the CD ist rated with (only) four stars are the pieces "Diamond and Pearls" from Prince and "King Korn" from Carla Bley. There are compositions which are far more better. The result is: A good purchase for people who love audiophile, harmonic and intelligent kind of Jazz.

extremely listenable, flowing and rythmic
Heard a selection from January on NPR jazz one night...impressed enough to
buy the album on Amazon...and then i was much more impressed. I like
Mehldau, Jarret, and others, but this album is so sublime and beautiful
that i rate it above my other piano jazz favorites. Piano, bass and
drums are intertwined so skillfully. Watch for more of their albums, and
get this album.

STRONGER AND MUCH FULLER THAN HIS DEBUT ALBUM
One of the best jazz recordings for 2008 from one of the most serious piano players in the world today .His debut album was an excellent effort but JANUARY is much more directed to an holographic and fuller sonic texture tied with melody and harmony and less to the experimental and impessionistic side like TRIO .EXCELLENT AND STRONG .

Tomasz Stanko's Other Half Steps Out And Delivers
Marcin Wasilewski is or was (I'm not sure if they play together anymore) the pianist for the Tomasz Stanko Quartet. This particular trio helped produce such masterpieces as "Soul Of Things" and "Suspended Night" with Stanko. I don't think any other pianist would have given Stanko that dark, moody sound. Wasilewski has really found his niche in this introspective, dark, reflective type of jazz music.

The production of the recording is just amazing and yet very typical for ECM. I expect nothing but pure perfection from them. I wouldn't tolerate any less in terms of engineering.

The music on this record is much more focused than their last one, which was simply titled "Trio." That record had many great moments, but I think the sound here is more cohesive and organic. The song selection is also much better.

Some highlights for me were "Vignette," "Diamonds And Pearls," "The Cat," and the title track, but in all honesty they are really good. The only one that I didn't particularly like was "King Korn" it was more of a free-form piece and I just thought it kind of ruined the flow of the album, but that is just a little gripe.

The interplay between Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz, and Michal Miskiewicz is really astounding. They have really formed a tight bond over the last couple of years of playing with Stanko. I think he made them so much stronger.

I recommend "January' to anyone who's a fan of Bill Evans and to anyone interested in hearing a jazz piano trio with a lot of class.