Soundedit Festival
This year will see the eighth edition of the event whose organisers describe it as the only international festival of music producers and sound designers in the world. On the roster, there’s training in sound reinforcement systems, meetings and workshops with noted sound producers, all alongside concerts from Polish pop stars Monika Brodka and Kamp!. The globally-influential Brian Eno will come to give a talk and present the new 3D sound installation he has created for his album The Ship. Soundedit will be held from 27th to 30th October in a number of places around the city of Łódź.
Cross-Culture Festival
This prominent world music festival has hosted performances by artists from over 60 different countries during its 11-year-long history. This time around, the line-up includes: Tęgie Chłopy, a folk band that evokes the atmosphere of Polish country dance parties from the 1950s and 1960s; Tim Eriksen, an American multi-instrumentalist fascinated by the Sacred Harp tradition; and the great Lebanese singer Ghada Shbeir. The concerts will take place from 24th September to 1st October in a huge tent temporarily set up on the north side of Warsaw’s Palace of Culture and Science.
Rawa Blues Festival
Dubbed ‘the biggest indoor blues festival in the world’ it is one of the most characteristic events in the city of Katowice. It has been held there since the 1980s and has featured performances by such great artists as Koko Taylor and Junior Wells. Its director, Ireneusz Dudek (aka Shakin’ Dudi), is a musician himself, well-known for his 80s rock-and-roll hit Au Sza La La La. This year’s edition will take place at the Spodek Arena and the NOSPR concert hall from 30th September to 1st October and will include concerts by Albert Lee, Keb’ Mo’ as well as the legendary Polish blues band Dżem.
Up to Date Festival
An event that blends eclectic electronica with ambitious hip-hop. Its organisers put a lot of effort both in selecting the appropriate music and choosing atmospheric locations to give the sound room to breathe. This year, the venues of the Białystok -based festival will include the historic Branicki Palace and the garages of the Municipal Stadium. Among the artists scheduled to appear are the Polish rapper Ten Typ Mes by a live band and the French electronica artist Umwelt. The seventh edition of Up to Date Festival takes place on 23rd and 24th September.
Muzyczna Jesień
The name of this annual event showcasing promising pop, rock, blues, reggae, jazz and folk bands means ‘Musical Autumn’. Held at the Centre for Culture and Recreation in the town of Grodków, it is the longest-running music festival in Poland. Since it began in 1970, it has given thousands of aspiring artists a chance to demonstrate their talents and has seen the debuts of such current stars as Lady Pank and Kamil Bednarek. In fact, the artists compete in a contest with prizes awarded. This year’s line-up hasn’t been determined yet but will take place from 25th to 27th November.
Jazzowa Jesień
This name translates, as you might already suspect, into Jazz Autumn. In the past, it was graced by the likes of Chick Corea and John Scofield, whereas this year the line-up includes the American composer and pianist Craig Taborn as well as the Argentinian bandoneon virtuoso Dino Saluzzi who’ll perform alongside a band made up of his relatives and friends. Also, the renowned Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stańko, who doubles as the festival’s artistic director, is scheduled to perform. As usual, the festival will be organised in the town of Bielsko-Biała. It will run from 15th to 20th November.
Sacrum Profanum
Eight days (from 1st to 8th October) of the very best contemporary and experimental music. Taking place at various venues in Kraków, the 2016 edition will include a homage concert dedicated to Pierre Boulez, who passed away this year in January, and performances of such works as Witold Szalonek’s Improvisations Sonoristiques and Kasper T. Toeplitz’s Agitation & Stagnation. Sacrum Profanum will also feature concerts of John Zorn’s music and appearances by Mike Patton, known for his work in Faith No More, and Emily Hall on her electromagnetic harp.