Mikrokolektyw
Five experimental and improvisational musicians have been playing a showcase called “Exploratory Music From Poland” in five European capitals and were in London on the 5th of October
“Exploratory Music From Poland” is a music series showcasing some of Poland’s best improvisational and experimental music. It features Mikrokolektyw, DJ Lenar, Tomek Choloniewski, Konrad Gęca and Rafał Mazur. The musicians play in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, London and Berlin.
Artur Majewski and Jakub Suchar put together this avant-jazz duo in 2004, seeking to create an improve collective whose aim is to push themselves forward in creating music. Majewski and Suchar focus on making acoustic music, but enrich it with minimoog synthesised sounds, electronic percussion and samplers. However, the two really keep the heart of their music the trumpet and percussion. Mikrokolektyw’s first album, entitled “Revisit”, was released in 2010 by the legendary Chicago-based label Delmark who, for the first time ever, signed a European artist.
DJ Lenar is on the Warsaw-based independent label LadoABC and is renowned for his ability to play around with sounds. He does not limit himself to typical musical sounds and has been known to use many different things to create music. DJ Lenar creates mainly with two vinyl decks, a loop station and a computer. He has played improvised concerts with John Tilbury, Axel Dorner, Andrzej Bauer and man others and, additionally, plays in several musical projects, including ParisTetris, Horny Trees, Pink Freud and others.
Choloniewski finished the Academy of Music in Kraków with distinction and has played with many chamber groups and orchestras. He has both taken part in and, later, been a consultant to the International Contemporary Music Workshops in Kraków and Stuttgart and, in 2003, lectured at the Seoul National University. Choloniewski has, additionally, performed with many artists – both Polish and foreign – such as, Phil Minton, Frederic Blondy, Le Quan Ninh or Tomasz Stańko.
Gęca creates electronic music and video art based on materials he has collected for nearly ten years. He uses mainly an analogue and digital recorder, an FM radio, a laptop and various effects to create both a musical and visual performance. Gęca’s latest project, “Based On a True Story”, is a collection of scenes and sound from everyday life, put together in an ironic, blurred collage that makes up his interpretation of reality.
Mazur specializes in solo and group musical improvisation, and is active on the Polish and European improve scene. Mazur incorporates his studies of Chinese philosophy and his practice of TaiJi Quan Chen into his musical work with the intention of keeping his brain spontaneous and inspired.
The “Exploratory Music From Poland” tour is being documented by a camera crew and the film that results is meant to not only document the trip, but also the process of creating experimental and improvised music.
Concert programme:
2nd of October: Paris, Montreil – Les Instants Chavires, 18:30
3rd of October: Amsterdam – OT301, 19:30
4th of October: Brussels – Le Café Central, 20:00
5th of October: London, Dalston – Café Oto, 20:30
7th of October: Berlin, Charlottenberg – Die Friedenskirche, 19:00
The second round of the “Exploratory Music From Poland” tour will take place in November in Tokyo and Marek Chołoniewski, Anna Zaradny, Robert Piotrowicz, Zenial and Tomek Krakowiak will play.
Date: 5th of October, 20:30
Venue: Café Oto, Dalston, London
Organised by: AudioTong, Adam Mickiewicz Institute
This project is cofinansed by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.