His festival appearances include Montreux Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz / Den Haag, Willisau Jazz Festival, Berlin Jazz Festival, ISB Double Bass Convention USA, Mexico Jazz Festival, Banlieus Bleues Festival in Paris and Jazz Jamboree in Warsaw among others.
In 2008 Vitold Rek was honoured twice: with Polish Platinum Prize for Tomasz Stanko's 5 CD album "1970–1975–1984–1986–1988" and with German Jazzplattenkritik Prize for Emil Mangelsdorff's CD "Blues Forever". A highlight in Vitold's career was his recital given in June 2011 at the invitation of the President of Germany, Christian Wulff, in Schloss Bellevue in Berlin, in honour of the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski.
Concerts have also taken him to Mozambique, Cuba and Mexico. He has performed in the Purcell Room in London and in the Olympia (Paris). In October 2013 Vitold Rek performed the premiere of Ellington/Mingus Suite (comp. Pavel Klimashevsky) for double bass, flute (soloist Jadwiga Kotnowska) and chamber orchestra (Capella Bydgostiensis) at Classic & Jazz Festival in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
Among his key music partners are Charlie Mariano, Tomasz Stanko, John Tchicai, Albert Mangelsdorff, Karl Berger, Emil Mangelsdorff, Günter Baby Sommer, Dom Um Romao, Peter Giger, Gerd Dudek, Ralf Hübner, Christof Lauer, Heinz Sauer, Bob Degen, Makaya Ntshoko, Michael Wollny and Shlomo Carlebach. Vitold also collaborates with the Frankfurt Radio HR Jazz Ensemble.
Beside that he works closely with notable German writers, combining the spoken word with his own solo music. He performs with the esteemed author Dieter Schenk whose writings focus on Nazi war crimes. Other partners include the poets Johann P. Tammen, Volker Braun, Oskar Ansull, Sarah Kirsch and Kito Lorenc.
Vitold teaches jazz double bass and coaches ensembles at the Hochschule für Musik, Mainz, Germany.
Discography:
Giancarlo Nicolai - La sorvegliane del tempo - Altrisuoni AS227, Schweiz 2008
HR-Bigband - unauffällige festansage (jazzwerkstatt 042, Deutschland 2008)
Emil Mangelsdorff Quartett - Blues Forever (Bellaphon L + R BEL714427, 2007)
Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik 2008
Tomasz Stańko - 1970-1975-1984-1986-1988 (Metal Mind, Polen 2008)
Vitold Rek & EastWestWind - Zuhause (2007 Taso)
Charlie Mariano & Vitold Rek feat. Peter Reiter - Kathedrale vol. 1 (2005 Taso TMP 611)
Charlie Mariano & Vitold Rek - opus absolutum (2003 Taso TMP 509)
Johann P. Tammen & Vitold Rek - Die Erde, sing das Brot (2003 Taso TMP 401)
Die polnische Folk Explosion (2002 Taso TMP 507)
John Tchicai, Vitold Rek, Karl Berger - 2 x 2 (2001 Taso TMP 505)
Vitold Rek - Bassfiddle alla polacca (1999 Taso TMP 503)
East West Wind - Live at the St. Ingbert Jazz Festival 1997 (1998 Taso TMP 501)
Fritz Hartschuh Quartett - Das Erik Satie Projekt (1998, Konnex KCD 5086)
Vitold Rek with Elvira Plenar - "Elvira Plenar (1994, Bellaphon CDLR 45089)
Vittold Rek with Peter Giger – Jazzz (1993, B+W 029)
John Tchicai & Vitold Rek - "Art Of The Duo" Vol.1 (1993, Enja 8008-2)
John Tchicai -"Satisfaction" (1992, Enja 7033-2)
Family of Percussion & Friends - Mozambique Meets Europe (1993, B+W031)
Family of Percussion & Friends - Family Jewels (1992, Jazz Network 66.667)
Stan Soyka - "Acoustic" (1991, Zic-Zac Pl.)
Olga Szwajgier - Condemned To Life (1987, Muza)
Vitold Rek (solo) - The Spark (1986, Poljazz)
Basspace - Basspace 555555 (1985, Muza)
Basspace – Basspace (1984, Poljazz)
with Tomasz Stanko
"Freelectronic: The Montreux Performance" (1987, ITM 0023)
"Peyotl" (1986, Poljazz Pl.)
"Freelectronic" (1986, Poljazz Pl.)
"Lady Go" (1984, Muza Pl.)
Contact:
Taso Music Production
Luise-Schroeder-Weg 26
D-61267 Neu-Anspach
Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 60 81 - 96 59 10
Fax: +49 (0) 60 81 - 96 59 11
e-mail: tm@taso-music.com