Krzysztof Komeda

Krzysztof Komeda (Krzysztof Komeda-Trzciński, born Krzysztof Trzciński), jazz composer, pianist and medical doctor. Born 27th April 1931 in Poznań, died 23rd April 1969 in Warsaw.

Mon, 04/27/1931 - 12:00 - Wed, 04/23/1969 - 12:00

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Krzysztof Komeda, photo: Marek Karewicz / Forum

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Komeda started to learn the piano at the age of seven and took part in his first jam session at the age of nineteen, during a stay in Krakow. While a student at the Medical Academy in Poznań he first played with Jerzy Grzewiński's Dixieland Band and then, in 1952-1954, with the Melomani. Upon graduation in 1955 he joined a Poznań laryngological clinic and, in order to hide his passion for jazz from his colleagues, he started to use the name Komeda. In 1956 he set up the Komeda Sextet, a combo which included Komeda, Jerzy Milian, Stanisław Pludra, Józef Stolarz, Jan Wróblewski and Jan Zylber, and whose debut took place at the opening of the Poznań division of the Polish Television. The Sextet's first major success at the 1st Jazz Festival in Sopot in 1956 was followed by a silver medal at the 6th International Youth Festival in Moscow in 1957. That year marked also the start of Komeda's lifetime co-operation with Roman Polański.

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Krzysztof Komeda, photo: Marek Karewicz

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In 1958 Komeda moved to Krakow and joined Jazz Believers. Later that year he performed at the 1st Jazz Jamboree Festival, an annual event he would not miss until 1967. He also set up his own Trio, its make-up frequently changing and including Jan Byrczek, Roman Dyląg, Adam Skorupka, Tadeusz Federowski, Adam Jędrzejowski, Andrzej "Fats" Zieliński, Jan Zylber and Rune Carlsson. At the same time Komeda headed a Quintet (himself, Czesław Bartkowski, Tomasz Stańko, Maciej Suzin or Janusz Kozłowski and Michał Urbaniak) and a Quartet (himself, Carlsson, Stańko and Dyląg). In 1961 he was involved in the cabaret Tingel-Tangel as a pianist and composer.
In 1962 the Krakow Jazz club honoured Komeda with its Złoty Helikon award, while readers of the "Jazz" magazine voted him Jazzman of the Year.
Komeda played concerts in Poland and abroad, in Switzerland, East and West Germany, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia. His first trip to Scandinavia in 1960 resulted in a series of annual tours. He did a number of recordings for radio and different labels. In 1965 he took part in the prestigious project of the German jazz promoter and critic, Joachim Berendt. In January 1968 Komeda went to the United States to work on the scores for Rosemary's Baby and The Riot. While in Los Angeles, he had a serious accident in December that year, and was transported to Poland on 18th April 1969. He was buried at the Powązkowski Cemetery in Warsaw.

Major films with music by Komeda:

Two Men and a Wardrobe, dir. Roman Polański (1958)
When Angels Fall, dir. Roman Polański (1959)
Innocent Sorcerers, dir. Andrzej Wajda (1960)
See You Tomorrow, dir. Janusz Morgenstern (1960)
The Glass Mountain, dir. Paweł Komorowski (1960)
A Drive, dir. Janusz Nasfeter (1960)
The Chain, dir. Roman Polański (1961)
The Fat and the Lean, dir. Roman Polański (1961)
Nad wielką wodą, dir. Andrzej Kondratiuk (1961)
Kon-Tiki, dir. Andrzej Kondratiuk (1961)
Knife in the Water, dir. Roman Polański (1961)
The Verdict, dir. Jerzy Passendorfer (1961)
Opening Tomorrow, dir. Janusz Morgenstern (1962)
My Old Man, dir. Janusz Nasfeter (1962)
Walter P-38, dir. Edward Etler (1962)
Piegowaty dzień, dir. Jerzy Passendorfer (1962)
Mammals, dir. Roman Polański (1962)
What About Us, dir. Henning Carlsen (1963)
Niezawodny sposób, dir. Andrzej Kondratiuk (1963)
Obywatel Janosik, dir. Andrzej Kondratiuk (1963)
Here Is My Home, dir. Julian Dziedzina (1963)
Teenager, dir. Leonard Buczkowski (1963)
Almost New Outfit, dir. Włodzimierz Haupe (1963)
The Criminal and the Lady, dir. Janusz Nasfeter (1963)
The Cats, dir. Henning Carlsen (1964)
The Law and the Fist, dir. Jerzy Hoffman and Edward Skórzewski (1964)
Penguin, dir. Jerzy Stefan Stawiński (1964)
Interrupted Flight, dir. Leonard Buczkowski (1964)
La riviere de diamants ou Amsterdam, dir. Roman Polański (1964)
Monolog trębacza, dir. Andrzej Kondratiuk (1965)
Unloved, dir. Janusz Nasfeter (1965)
Markiza de Pompadour, dir. Józef Hen (1965)
The Fearless Vampire Killers, dir. Roman Polański (1966)
Hands Up, dir. Jerzy Skolimowski (1967)
Barrier, dir. Jerzy Skolimowski (1966)
Cul-De-Sac, dir. Roman Polański (1966)
Klub prof. Tutki, dir. Andrzej Kondratiuk (1966)
Christmas Eve, dir. Helena Amiradżibi and Jerzy Stefan Stawiński (1966)
Kolorowe kłamstwo, dir. Andrzej Kondratiuk (1966)
Hunger, dir. Henning Carlsen (1966)
People Meet, dir. Henning Carlsen (1967)
Dance of the Vampires, dir. Roman Polański (1967)
Le départ, dir. Jerzy Skolimowski (1967)
Rosemary's Baby, dir. Roman Polański (1968)
The Riot, dir. Buzz Kulik (1968)

Selected discography:

Astigmatic (Muza)
Etiudy Baletowe (Muza)
Festiwal Jazzowy Sopot 1956 (Muza)
Jazz Greetings from the East (Fontana)
Jazz Jamboree 1960 (Muza)
Jazz Jamboree 1961 (Muza)
Jazz Jamboree 1964 (Muza)
K. K., recordings from 1960 and 1965 (Poljazz)
Le départ (Philips)
Mein süsse europäische Heimat (Electrola/Columbia)
Muzyka K. K., recordings from 1962-67 (Poljazz)
The Complete Recordings of K. K., Vol. 8 (Polonia Records)

Author: Małgorzata Kosińska, Polish Music Information Center, Polish Composers' Union, June 2008.