Tomasz Stanko, photo: www.domicil-dortmund.de
As part of the cultural programme Klopsztanga 2012 promoting Polish culture across Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia, three leading Polish Jazz musicians Tomasz Stańko, Marcin Wasilewski and Igor Boxx present three very different styles of contemporary Polish jazz
Since decades, jazz trumpeter and composer Tomasz Stańko has been considered one of Europe's most original jazz musician. In Dortmund he performs on April 26th, with Scandinavian musicians Jakob Bro on guitar, Anders Christensen on bass, Alexi Tuomarila piano and Olavi Louhivuori on drums. With new compositions from their new album - Dark Eyes (ECM), they bring new life to the ever-melancholic tone of a Slavic soul. The set includes interpretations of Krzysztof Komeda's compositions, with whom Stańko worked back in the 60ties such as Rosemary's Baby. The leading theme of the album are the Dark Eyes of Martha Hirsch from Oscar Kokoschka's painting's and inspirations from New York.
Marcin Wasilewski Trio, photo: www.klopstanga.de
Currently considered Poland's Top-Jazztrio, on the May 4th, Marcin Wasilewski Trio: Marcin Wasilewski, Sławomir Kurkiewicz and Michał Miśkiewicz perform at the same venue in Dortmund. Playing together since 1994 as Simple Acoustic Trio, they gained experience and fame alongside Tomasz Stańko. With the melodic beauty, light jazz sounds and refined rhythms of their music, they regularly make the top-30 of the German Jazz charts. Inaccurately classified as no-impressionism, their sound is inspired by artists such as Bill Evans, Paul Bley and Krzysztof Komeda. At the Domicil Club they are playing songs from their new album Faithful (ECM) including Marcin Wasilewski's own compositions, and interpretations of Hermeto Pascoala, Hanns Eisler, Paul Bley and Ornette Coleman.
Both Tomasz Stańko's and Marcin Wasilewski's Trio concerts will be recorded by WDR 3 radio for the series Jazzmeeting WDR.
The Late Special at the Domicil Club in Dortmund on May 18th features Igor Boxx. The alternative musician and composer works in dub and electronic. Joining the traditional sounds of original Polish jazz of the ‘60s and ‘70s with novel electronic beats as part of the DJ-duo Skalpel, their unique sound was picked up in 2004 by the well-known Ninja Tunes label in London. Now pursuing his solo career, he brought out the album Breslau. It is a musical fantasy based on the siege of Festung Breslau by the Red Army in 1945. The resulting sound is like a time machine that zips audiences through the vinyl era, live jazz, blues, big band and swing, the furtive pursuit of samizdat recordings in the time of the iron curtain, a hit of hip-hop and a sudden blast into the eerie, futuristic sirens and tempos of contemporary club music – with a twist of Tarantino. “It’s exciting that computers, which initially were meant to be calculating machines, transformed into musical instruments.” he says.
Tomasz Stańko - Poland's leading jazz musician. His strengths include his distinct tone, the mood of his music and a certain Slavic melancholy, which has developed into a characteristic sound. He has recorded around forty albums and composed music for several dozen films and the theatre. His music has its roots in the classic cool jazz of the 1950s and 1960s. His own quartet (and later quintet) developed into one of the most important bands in the history of Polish jazz. Stańko has performed across Europe, the United States and Asia, performing with excellent musicians such as Cecil Taylor, John Surman, Gary Peacock, Arild Andersen, Daniel Humair, Dave Holland, Don Cherry, Dino Saluzzi, Albert Mangelsdorff, Eddie Gomez, Jan Garbarek, Jack De Johnette, Palle Daniellson, Krzysztof Komeda, Adam Makowicz, Janusz Muniak, Zbigniew Seifert, Michał Urbaniak and Tomasz Szukalski. He has won numerous Polish and international music awards, and was the first winner of the European Jazz Award in 2003.
Marcin Wasilewski Trio - The trio, led by Marcin Wasilewski on piano, features bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and drummer Michal Miskiewicz. The trio was founded in the mid-'90s and initially operated under the name of the Simple Acoustic Trio. A few years later, they formed a regular quartet after Tomasz Stańko joined the group. In 2005 they released their first album for ECM - Trio. Later, the band took on the name of its leader and recorded their first album as the Marcin Wasilewski Trio in 2008. In 2012, the trio released a new album - Faithful.
Igor Pudło a.k.a Igor Boxx - alternative musician and composer uniquely combining jazz and electronica. He started off as part of the DJ duo Skalpel. The band travelled the world with their Ninja Tunes line-up, playing alongside other major international acts. Today Igor Pudło has been reborn as Igor Boxx, founder of the Breslau project. Breslau is heavily rooted in the historic-political legacy of what is today the Polish city of Wrocław, formerly Breslau – until it was renationalised at the end of World War II. Boxx reverts back to his earliest memories and impressions of the city in order to create a very ambient sound that brings together dance, punk, jazz and rock, interspersed with various snippets of original film dialogues and other curiosities.
April 26th, Domicil Club, Dortmund - Tomasz Stanko
May 4th, Domicil Club, Dortmund - Marcin Wasilewski Trio
May 18th, Domicil Club, Dortmund - Igor Boxx
Editor: Marta Jazowska
Sources: Klopsztanga, Domicil Dortmund, Biweekly.pl