Forgotten Treasure: Michal Urbaniak “Ecstasy” (1978)

I came across Polish jazz artist Michal Urbaniak about a week ago, after having listened to an old Madlib track titled “What a Day.” It sampled Urbaniak’s “A Day in the Park” off his classic 1978 album “Ecstasy” released on Marlin Records.

The composition of the track was sublime, the vocals ethereal. A true blissful moment, which made me want to dig into Urbaniak’s work. Tracks such as “Free” and “Funky Feeling” are more funk-oriented, with excellent violin pieces which really fuse effortlessly the world of classical music and funk together. Tracks like “Creation” provide a more mellow atmosphere which begins to grow progressively and explode into a euphoric yet uneasy jazz jam. The dance/disco grooves on “Want’s Ta Make You Feel Good” are incredibly catchy and makes me want to dance all night to it. It’s an underrated classic and one I recommend every jazz/funk/disco fan to listen to.

and Madlib’s beautiful rendition

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Album Credits

Alto Saxophone – Zbigniew Namysłowski
Arranged By – Michal Urbaniak*
Bass Guitar – Anthony Jackson, Pee Wee Ford
Conductor – Michal Urbaniak*
Design – Bob Heimall*
Drums – Bernard Pretty Purdie*, Gary Mure
Engineer – Richard Alderson
Engineer [Assistant] – Eddie Heath*
Guitar – James Crab Robinson*
Lyricon – Michal Urbaniak*
Mastered By – George Marino
Percussion – Crusher Bennett*, Arthur Jenkins, Ralph Macdonald
Photography – Ryszard Horowitz
Piano [Acoustic] – Kenny Kirkland
Piano [Baby Grand] – Kenny Kirkland
Piano [Fender] – Kenny Kirkland
Piano [Minimoog] – Kenny Kirkland
Piano [Polymoog] – Kenny Kirkland
Piano [Yamaha] – Kenny Kirkland
Producer – Aki Aleong, Michal Urbaniak*
Steel Drums – Othello
Strings – Michal Urbaniak*
Synthesizer [Oberheim] – Michal Urbaniak*
Tenor Saxophone – Michal Urbaniak*
Violin – Michal Urbaniak*
Vocals – Calvin Brown, Henry Jackson, James Crab Robinson*, Keith Keyboy Rose, Urszula Dudziak
Vocals [Background] – Keith Keyboy Rose, Rickie Byars-Boger*

Notes

Recorded at Rosebud Studios, New York, June 78.
Mastered at Sterling Sound.