Michal Urbaniak - Fusion (1974)

Violinist Michal Urbaniak's first release to be made available in the U.S. (and reissued on CD in 1998) is very much in the mainstream fusion genre of the period. Urbaniak doubles on soprano and is joined by his wife Urszula Dudziak (whose electrified vocalizing gives the band much of its unique personality), keyboardist Adam Makowicz (shortly before he switched exclusively to acoustic piano), second keyboardist Wojciech Karolak, and drummer Czeslaw Bartkowski. The seven originals are all fairly colorful if eccentric, sometimes recalling Weather Report or Jean-Luc Ponty. Urbaniak's group, which did not last too long, should be of great interest to vintage fusion collectors. © Scott Yanow