Michał Wierba started learning to play the piano at the age of seventeen. Two years later he got in to The Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music, in Katowice. Soon after in 2000, he had the opportunity to play as a supporting act to Wayne Shorter before his performance at The Lotos Jazz Festival “Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa”, in Bielsko-Biała, Poland. Later on, he and his band were enthusiasticaly received at many festivals, which resulted in a long list of grand prix and distinctions.
Wierba stands out from the rest of the young Polish musicians for a couple of reasons. While in Poland for last four, five years we have been observing a free jazz improvisation boom, Wierba –as well as his fellow musicians– has chosen to play mainstream jazz. Although in his performances there is room for a wild free, a hard-bop imprint is clearly heard. The other strong characteristic of his music is a kind of reference to the tradition of Polish classical music, resulting in the melancholic ambient of his melodies.
It is also remarkable that Wierba has been researching the possibilities of a quintet, as he has collaborated with three by now and his newest project The Michał Wierba Doppelganger Project is also formed by five artists. He alsocollaborates with the intriguing vocalist Wojciech Mryczek. They perform asthe Wierba / Myrczek Duo. Wierba also appreciate scolllaborating with Piotr Baron.
As a frontman, Wierba has released five albums. Some members in his latest quintet are familiar with world music, that may result in a new musical direction for Michał Wierba.
Active projects
- Wierba / Myrczek Duo: with vocalist Wojciech Mryczek
- Wierba & Schmidt Quintet: Michał Wierba: piano, keyboard intruments, Piotr Schmidt: trumpet, Piotr Baron: tenor and soprano saxophones, bass clarinet, Michał Kapczuk: double bass, bass guitar, Sebastian Kuchczyński: drums.
- The Wierba & Schmidt Quintet:
- The Michał Wierba Doppelganger Project: Michał Wierba: piano, Patrycja Zarychta: vocal, Arek Skolik: drums, Kuba Dworak: double bass, Łukasz Kurzydło: percussion,
Awards and Distinctions
2010: 2nd prize, Wierba & Schmidt Quintet, Jazz Hoeilaart, Belgium
2010: 1st prize, and audience award Wierba & Schmidt Quintet, XXXIV International Jazz Festival of Getxo, Spain.
2010: 2nd individual award, Michał Wierba, Novum Jazz Festival, Łomża, Poland.
2009: Grand Prix, Michał Wierba Trio, Feliks Nowowiejski Academy of Music at Student Jazz Festival, Bydgoszcz, Poland.
2009: Grand Prix, Wierba & Schmidt Quintet, 13. Ogólnopolski Przegląd Młodych Zespołów Jazzowych i Bluesowych ( The XIII National Young Talents Overview) at Sax Club, Gdynia, Poland.
2009: Grand Prix, Michał Wierba Trio, 22. Jazz Standrads Festival, Siedlce, Poland.
2009: Grand Prix, Michał Wierba Trio at Jazzda contest, Świdnik, Poland.
2008: Grand Prix, Wierba & Schmidt Quintet, Krokus Jazz Festival, Jelenia Góra, Poland.
2008: Grand Prix for Wierba & Schmidt Quintet, and individual honorable manetion for Michał Wierba, at Tarnów Jazz Contest, Poland.
2008: 3rd individual prize, Michał Wierba, at Jazz Nad Odrą Festival, Wrocław, Poland.
2008: Grand Prix, Michał Wierba, Lotos Jazz Festival “Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa”, Bielsko-Biała, Poland.
2006: 1st prize , Wierba & Schmidt Quintet a.k.a The Fellows Quintet, at 30. International Contest of Young Jazz Bands, Kraków,Cracow, Poland.
2003: 3rd individual prize, Young Musicians Contest “Summertime” Konkurs Młodych Muzyków Cracow, Poland.
Contact
tel. + 48 508 496 920
jazz@michalwierba.pl
http://michalwierba.pl/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wylCxu0Ltvo
Created by: Anna Początek (Jazzarium.pl): text; Terry Deal: revision; Jazzarium.pl, Warszawa 2014.