Tomasz Stańko. Photo: Marek Dusza
The legendary Polish jazz trumpeter headlines Gdańsk festival, showing he's still got what it takes to take the stage with the biggest names in jazz today
Tomasz Stańko has been a star on the international jazz scene since in the mid 1960s. His talent and innovation have kept him at the forefront of the international jazz stage more than five decades later. He celebrates his 70th birthday in 2012 and to prove he hasn't slowed down a bit, he's among the main acts at the Solidarity of Arts festival in Gdańsk – the largest open-air jazz show in Poland.
In spite of the fact that Stańko has been making music for around fifty years, his style is ever evolving. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with some of the biggest names in jazz. These include Krzysztof Komeda, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Reggie Workman, Rufus Reid, Lester Bowie and Anna Maria Jopek. His style is best associated with the "free jazz" and the "avant-garde", placing him among "the most eloquent proponents of extemporaneous lyricism working today", as critic Derk Richardson wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2006.
His performance style and magnetic personality has earned him the nickname "the devil”. In the book Desperado, Rafał Księżyk interviewed the musician, who spoke about his life in New York more than three decades ago. "It was a beautiful time. Hashish and wine. You can say, 'Baudelaire'. This was the 'devil' period, which I do no regret, because I was aware that I had chosen 'life on the edge'."
At the Solidarity of Arts Festival, a major event dedicated to the idea of social and artistic freedom in the legendary city of Gdańsk, the works of composer Krzysztof Komeda takes centre stage as part of the Stańko+ programme. The programme includes performances by jazz and pop stars from the Polish and US music scenes: New York Quartet, as well as Brazilian guitarist Nelson Veras and percussionist Marilyn Mazur (of Polish and African-American descent). The highlight of the programme will be American trumpeter and music-producer Quincy Jones. This will be Jones's first time performing in Poland.
An arrangement of "Sleep safe and warm", arguably Komeda's most famous piece, has been prepared exclusively for this concert by Adam Sztaba. Tomasz Stańko and other musicians will perform "Song for Solidarity" – which was specially written for this year's event – and at least on composition from Stańko's newest album "Wisława", dedicated to the legendary poet to be released by ECM in early 2013.
Musicians taking part in the Stańko+ programme include Quincy Jones (US), Stanisław Sojka (Poland), Die Norddeutscher Rundfunk Bigband (Germany), Richard Bona (Cameroon) and Mandekan Cubano, among others.
Stańko+ will be held at 8:30 pm on the 11th of August, 2012, admission is free. The Solidarity of Arts Festival takes place in Gdańsk between the 8th of August - 2nd of September.
For more information about the Solidarity of Arts festival, see:
www.solidarityofarts.pl.