He was born in 1987 in Czechowice-Dziedzice. His musical career started with piano and cello lessons. He then became fascinated with jazz and vocal music. It made him take up the studies at the Jazz Department of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice, from which he graduated with honours.
As an artist, he uses not only words, but also scat, freely improvising and boldly referring to the tradition of crooning. Myrczek is currently a lecturer at the Jazz Institute of the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice and the Stanisław Wyspiański Academy of Theatre Arts in Kraków. He collaborates with the Camerata Silesia Ensemble of Singers of the city of Katowice. Jan ‘Ptaszyn’ Wróblewski, a famous Polish jazzman, said of Myrczek:
Special features: musical, professional, ingenious and if this wasn’t enough – Myrczek!
So far, he has released two albums: We’ll Be Together Again (2010) and Love Revisited (together with Paweł Tomaszewski, 2014). The first was recorded back when Myrczek was studying at the Katowice Academy of Music (together with Wojciech Myrczek Quintet: Marcin Kaletka – tenor saxophone, Michał Wierba – piano, Michał Kapczuk – double bass, Sebastian Kuchczyński – drums). The latter was recorded in the Balik Farm studio in Switzerland. The recording session was a part of the prize for his successful participation in the Montreux Festival. The album was released by avant-garde label For Tune to expand its catalogue and introduce a new ‘ruby’ series of releases, comprising music that is friendly to a wider audience.
Since 2014, Myrczek and Tomaszewski have been working intensively, which resulted in, among others, over two hundred concerts together. Their performances have been appreciated by many reviewers who praise Myrczek’s vocal talents and Tomaszewski’s musical courage, as well as the ability of both artists to change roles – from accompanist to leader and vice versa. The duo promoted their album, among others, in Australia, where in 2017 they performed in five cities, including at the Brisbane Vocal Jazz Festival and Devonport Jazz Festival and in the famous Sydney club The Basement. Their joint experiences and stage activities gave them new inspiration, which resulted in further works: the Myrczek & Tomaszewski 2.1 project (together with Tomek Machański), based on Herbie Hancock’s music, and M&T Band: Zaucha, dedicated to Andrzej Zaucha and performing new arrangements of his hit songs.
The artist has presented his music in prestigious concert halls such as the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Zabrze Philharmonic, Świętokrzyska Philharmonic, Sinfonia Baltica Philharmonic in Słupsk, Finnish Institute in Paris, BMC Opus Jazz Club in Budapest, Bird’s Basement in Sydney, Hudson Studios in New York, Roma Theatre in Warsaw and on the stages of the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa in Bielsko-Biała, Kolory Polski Festival of the Łódź Philharmonic, Jazz Nad Odrą, Festival of Jazz Pianists in Kalisz, Sofia Jazz Peak Festival in Bulgaria, Celje International Jazz Festival in Slovenia, The Hague Jazz, Brisbane Jazz Festival and many others.
He has collaborated with such great artists as Jan ‘Ptaszyn’ Wróblewski, Tomasz Stańko, Henryk Miśkiewicz, Arek Skolik, Anna Serafińska, Lora Szafran, Stanisław Fijałkowski, Zespół Śpiewaków Miasta Katowice Camerata Silesia, and many other stars of Polish music scene.
Wojciech Myrczek has won many awards in Poland and abroad. Winning the Shure Montreux Jazz Voice Competition in Switzerland in 2013 was undoubtedly the most important event in his career so far. In 2007, he won the first prize at the International Jazz Vocalist Meetings Competition in Zamość, in 2010 he was named the Greatest Individuality of the Lotos Jazz Festival Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa Competition, in 2011 he won the Grand Prix of the international Jazz Voices Competition in Lithuania. For three consecutive years he had been voted the Vocalist of the Year in the Jazz Top surveys conducted by Jazz Forum monthly.
Discography:
We'll Be Together Again – with Wojciech Myrczek Quintet (Polskie Radio Katowice, 2010)
Love Revisited – Myrczek & Tomaszewski (For Tune, 2014)
Management and booking:
Małgorzata Krysińska
booking@starlightproductions.pl
+48 694 923 172
Translated and updated by Marcin Gozdanek, July 2019.
