Krzysztof Kobyliński
Polish composer, pianist, author of several music albums based on jazz, ethno, neoclassical and electronic music. Creator and director of ethnojazz festival Palmjazz in Gliwice, Poland and the Jazovia Centre in Gliwice, Poland. Many great musicians took part in his projects or played his music, like: AMC, Brecker Randy, Ambrose Akinmusire, Ralph Alessi Quartet, Antymos Apostolis, Bojan Z, Joey Calderazzo, Noam David, Tom Dayan, Jekaterina Drzewiecka, Stanisław Drzewiecki, Fima Ephron, Bill Evans, Paolo Fresu, Richard Galiano, Renaud Garcia-Fons, Dima Gorelik, Trilok Gurtu, Gary Husband, Bireli Lagrene, Roby Lakatos, Orlando LeFleming, Kalevi Luihivuori, Olavi Luihivuori, Robert Majewski, Adam Makowicz, Branford Marsalis, Etienne Mbappe, Motion Trio, Vladiswar Nadishana, Yasushi Nakamura, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Janusz Olejniczak, Aaron Parks, Clarence Penn, Reut Rivka Shabi, Mariana Sadovska, Savannah and The Stringz, Arek Skolik, Darek Stasiak, Mike Stern, Jarosław Śmietana, Daby Toure, Miroslav Vitous, Mark Whitfield, Marina Zakharova.
➽Szymon Klima
A clarinetist that spent most of his life playing classical music, only to abandon it later and try his hand at improvisation. He started learning to play the clarinet at the age of eight. At the age of ten he was invited by the American jazzman − Brad Terry − to play at the 2nd International Clarinet Festival at Piwnica pod Baranami in Cracow. Then he performed with leading Polish jazz musicians − Zbigniew Wodecki and Joachim Mencel. As a soloist he performed with, among others, Sinfonietta Cracovia, Capella Cracovia, Capella Bydgostiensis, Polish Chamber Ensemble, and Bydgoszcz Academy Orchestra. He has also performed with Philipp Cuper, David Campbell and Krzysztof Klima. Together with Dominik Wania he released the album ‘Fantastico’ in 2020.
➽Dominik Wania
Polish composer, pianist. Wania’s music is a bridge between pure freedom of improvisation, derived from jazz music, and pianism permeated with European classical music. Dominik Wania has begun to gain recognition by playing alongside Tomasz Stańko. He received an invitation from the legendary jazzman immediately after graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. His album “Ravel” recorded with Max Mucha (bass) and Dawid Fortuna (drums) was showered with awards, including two Fryderyk statuettes (in the Jazz Album of the Year and Jazz Debut of the Year categories) and the TVP Kultura “Gwarancje Kultury” award. Apart from performing and recording in numerous jazz constellations, he also devotes himself to teaching at the Music Academy in Krakow and Katowice, as well as recording film music in cooperation with Zbigniew Preisner.
➽David Kollar Duo
At the base of this is a drone that attunes you to something quite fundamental… a sound that seems to somehow give your psyche permission to relax and think past the worries and concerns that surround you. From there you can build up your listening and comprehension… by this I mean you can enjoy and interpret what you hear in and beyond that. You can immerse yourself in Kollar’s layers of sound and accept the challenge to really engage with this music. As I have written many times on this blog, listening to music that seems ambient does not mean that you don’t engage with it… and here is a case in point. Indeed by listening to it with your other senses covered gives you a rich and synesthetic experience as you picture the visions that it conjures up in your mind.This, then, is music which has been composed in our strange times to be appreciated in such. It further explores the idea of isolation that Kollar has done in his previous lockdown work, but I found that it actually helped to increase my psychological boundaries and explore new areas with and in my mind as the sounds of Kollar’s compositions passed through it.
➽Jakub Mizeracki Trio
Jakub Mizeracki is a guitarist and a graduate of the Academy of Music in Katowice. A member of the band SKICKI-SKIUK, with which he won the Grand Prix in the competition for jazz individuality at the 52nd Jazz on the Odra Festival. He also received such awards as: individual prize in the 14th International Krokus Jazz Festival in Jelenia Góra, 2nd place in the individual category of the Grupa Azoty Tarnow Jazz Contest, Third place in the International Jarek Śmietana Jazz Guitar Competition. He developed his skills under the supervision of many great teachers, such as jak Karol Ferfecki, David Dorůžka, Artur Lesicki, Marek Napiórkowski, Rafał Sarnecki and Rory Stuart. He has performed with Leszek Możdżer, Adam Kowalewski and Karen Edwards and many others. Therefore, the musical performance of the Jakub Mizeracki Trio will offer the listener an intense experience thanks to its originality and energy, which will be further enhanced by the combination of a bass guitar performed by Alan Wykpisz and the drums behind Max Olszewski.
➽Lorenzo de Finti Quartet
Lorenzo De Finti Quartet has been active since 2016, and released two albums, “We Live Here” and “Love Unknown”, both produced by the Norwegian label Losen Records.
The Quartet has been touring Europe for two years (Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Lithuania, Poland, France, England, Sweden, Estonia, Turkey and Denmark) before Covid stopped their tour short.
A new video will be released soon, and the new album will be ready by Fall 2021.
“It is soulful chamber jazz of high class – and even played with some inspiration from the “Nordic Tone” we know from ECM’s records with Jarrett or Garbarek.” ( Jazz Special magazine, Denmark)
“As this mysterious title implies, interestingly enough, Lorenzo De Finti approaches the theme in some non-obvious ways with his Quartet's second outing. As impressive as its sophisticated predecessor We Live Here (Losen, 2016) was, the compositions (again a joint endeavor with bassist Stefano Dall'Ora) and the group's chemistry are advanced a step further in Love Unknown. It's a gripping listen touching on a variety of shades appropriate to the theme: romantic, intense, sorrowful, sometimes challenging, and even mostly content in the end.” (Geno Thackara, All About Jazz).
Lorenzo De Finti – piano
Stefano Dall’Ora – double bass
Marco Castiglioni – drums
Alberto Mandarini – trumpet
Paul Van Kemenade
Altoist Paul Van Kemenade (1957) is known for his collaborations with diverse musical disciplines and cultures. He played with all kind of musicians like renaissance singers, African- Brazilian- and Moroccan musicians, with string quartets, flamenco guitarists and more. Performed with a.o. Ray Anderson, David Murray, Han Benanink, Markus Stockhausen; he is the initiator of the festival Stranger than Paranoia (since 1993). He received a lifetime achievement award (Boy Edgar Prijs) in 1999, a Royal decoration in 2007 and in June 2020 the Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Prijs Noord-Brabant.
Duo Paul van Kemenade - Stevko Busch
They play in a duo since 1995 and you can listen to one of the most experienced living Dutch saxophonists with his strength of musical conviction and wide dynamic range – in dialogue with a German and Amsterdam-based pianist who developed his individualistic style after working with improviser Misha Mengelberg. There are influences from both South African and ancient Russian melody in this music, which breathes a quiet and soulful atmosphere of contemplation, often coloured with blue elements. Here are songlike pieces without large gestures, strong in their simplicity, but also dynamic rhythms and brilliantly intense improvisation.
Duo Paul van Kemenade - Budha Building
This is the first collaboration between altoist Paul van Kemenade and multi-instrumentalist Budha Building. He is the brainchild of talented artist Hans Timmermans (1968) – a visionary who has spent the last 25 years creating edgy and diverse music with a truly unique feel. Budha Building is all about creating music that feels engaging and multi-dimensional. He worked for international companies such as Discovery Channel, VH1, FIFA, HBO and National Geographic.
Izabella Effenberg & Norbert Emminger
Multi-instrumental Duo with Glass Duo, Array Mbira, Steeldrum, Marimba, Vibraphone, Bass Clarinet und Baritone saxophone. The compositions come from Izabella and Norbert and are small miniatures that create moods and sounds which form the basis for various improvisations and always create a very intimate atmosphere.
The music draws on jazz, classical and contemporary music but goes beyond that and transcends genre boundaries. Improvisation and arranged passages flow into each other and always allow the creative exchange between these 2 extraordinary music personalities.
Izabella Effenberg is one of very few female Jazz vibraphonists in Europe and the first from Poland. At the moment she plays some very rare instruments such as the glass harp, array mbira, steeldrum, sundrum, waterphone and more, but she is always finding new instruments to add to her list and extend the interesting effects of her music. Izabella also plays a glass harp (angelic organ, singing glasses) made by Glass Instrument Maker G2. This very interesting instrument made of specially handmade, tuned wine glasses is played by running the fingers around the rims of the glasses. She has played with different well known musicians such as Tony Lakatos, Leszek Zadlo, Nippy Noya, Jan Lundgren, Nicole Johänntgen, Magnus Öström, Steffen Schorn, Efrat Alony, Norbert Nagel, Lars Danielsson, Nils Landgren, Marc Mondesir, Katja Riemann, Vladislav Sendecki, Andrzej Olejniczak, to name a few.
Leonid Shinkarenko Band
Leonid Shinkarenko is for decades one of the most prolific jazz musicians of the country and probably there is no other bass player in this Baltic state better known than him.The history of his current band Shinkarenko Jazz 4N goes back many years, back to the times when Shinkarenko was part of the “Lithuanian Jazz Trio”. Another member of that trio is also part of the new band: Saxophonist and keyboarder Vytautas Labutis, a legendary Lithuanian jazz musician as well. Also drummer Linas Būda has a long career and history with different bands and projects. The fourth and last member of Shinkarenko Jazz 4N comes from another, a younger generation. Jan Maksimovič is one of the hottest and most promising voices on the saxophone in Lithuanian Jazz.Groovy, electro-acoustic music is what these four guys have in their repertoire and to offer. Well composed songs who might start only with a funky bass line, developing into an energetic wall of sound, coming from the two saxophones and the powerful drumming. Catchy are the melodies of the self-penned songs, but despite all the catchiness there is room for hot soloing and improvisational ideas and excurses. Touching are the ballads where the four musicians can show their other side. This band has it all - musical mastery, energy, heart and soul, and fun. Be prepared for Jazz from Lithuania and Shinkarenko Jazz 4N.
➽Jacques Kuba Seguin
After writing a symphony for symphonic orchestra, as well as sextet pieces for MiGRATIONS, a project for which he was awarded a Félix and a Juno (Canadian Grammy), Jacques Kuba Séguin is now entering a new phase of creation. This project echoes the strange year 2020. Kuba explores the spaces we inhabit, those we hide as well as those we have rediscovered. Music is a source of hope and a place of escape for the soul. This series of compositions is sure to captivate the audience... and, yes, there were some great stories in 2020 too!He will be accompanied by bassist: Rémi-Jean Leblanc, drummer: Alain Bourgeois and pianist: Jonathan Cayer. The trumpet player has composed a series of short pieces, like little musical news from everyday life.
➽Chanda Rule & Sweet Emma Band
One of the most promising “hidden gems” from Chicago’s southside, Chanda Rule is the newest discovery among female jazz vocalists. Rooted in gospel music, Chanda carries the soul in her heart and touches audiences with the clarity and beauty of her jazz phrasings. Her well-received debut-album ”Sapphire Dreams” (PAO 11340) made Dexter Gordon’s favorite pianist Kirk Lightsey state “Chanda is the most amazing, elegant, fascinating, all in all greatest singer I saw in the last 30 or 40 years, and I’ve seen them all.”
Her follow-up is a rare blend of American work songs with stunning fixations of vocal beauty on disc! Her African-American roots are perfectly blended with European Jazz virtuosos like the renowned trombonist and jazz impresario Paul Zauner, Mario Rom, the new trumpet shooting star with his astounding solos on the rarely heard fluegelhorn, as well as Jan Korinek, the celebrated Hammond magician from Prague. Together they embark on a musical journey with Gospel and Work Songs in extra-ordinary styles and arrangements yet unheard. Modern, yet rooted in Jazz, Chanda melts the lush melodies and rhythmic influences of New Orleans with her own refreshing style. She shares the traditional values of a Jazz lineage with her impressive individual versions of standards while her partners accompany her in playing improvised and varied New Orleans jazz, mixing the music of well-known Jazz standards with traditional songs from the New Orleans streets.
Alina Bzhezhinska
Alina Bzhezhinska is one of the most exciting and dynamic harpists based in the UK. Her imaginative programmes have established her reputation as a harpist of exceptional accomplishment. She has had the honour of playing at European Parliament, at the Queen’s 80th-birthday celebrations at Balmoral Castle and at the King of Thailand’s birthday celebrations in Bangkok.Alina studied at the F. Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland (Masters in Arts), and The University of Arizona, USA (Masters in Music Performance). She has performed with many major European orchestras including the Young World Symphony Orchestra, the National Opera in Warsaw and the Scottish Opera.
Continuing her career in London, Bzhezhinska has become one of the most innovative international jazz harpists. She has collaborated and recorded with leading jazz musicians: such as Django Bates, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and Shabaka Hutchings. Alina’s London appearances include Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Royal Albert Hall, Ronnie Scott's as well as LIVE performances on BBC Radio 3 and World Wide FM. Her duo with award-winning jazz vocalist Niki King performed as a support act for Gregory Porter.
She also performed at the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Glasgow Jazz Festival and the World Harp Congress in Sydney, Australia.
Alina Bzhezhinska Quartet appeared at the London Jazz Festival 2017 in a triple bill performance along with Coltrane’ s specialist Denys Baptist and the legendary saxophonist Pharoah Sanders. This project was nominated for JazzFM Award for best Live experience of the year. Bzhezhinska has recorded a solo album called “Harp Recital” and appeared at recordings of American harp ensemble Harp Fusion and Wisniewski / Stevenson jazz group “New Focus”. Her jazz quartet album INSPIRATION was released to a high critical acclaim by Ubuntu Music in June 2018 . Alina is a harp tutor at Goldsmiths University, London.