Jazztopad Festival New York 2023

Held from June 23-30, the 2023 US edition of the Jazztopad Festival proudly features a series of commissions from the acclaimed Lutosławski Quartet in collaboration with jazz piano luminaries Craig Taborn and Uri Caine, EMMY-winning composer Don Davis and sought-after bassist and composer Michael Bates. Iraqi-American trumpeter and composer Amir ElSaffar will also perform on…Continue Reading Jazztopad Festival New York 2023

Kosciuszko Fdn x Blues Alley Jazz Club in D.C.

Poland has long and rich jazz traditions. Jazz has been a very popular and cultivated genre since the end of the Second World War. Under communism, jazz was tied to the movement for freedom and democracy. Nowadays, Poland is a home to many rising stars on the jazz scene, widely acknowledged and appreciated both at home and abroad. The Kosciuszko Foundation has partnered with…Continue Reading Kosciuszko Fdn x Blues Alley Jazz Club in D.C.

2nd ArteFonie Music Festival

The Association of Young Artists of the Wejherowo Region and the Vocal Group Art’n’Voices are hosting the second edition of the ArteFonie Music Festival, which will take place from September 8-11, 2022 in Wejherowo, Poland. ArteFonie is an exceptional musical stop on the map of northern Poland. The fusion and showcasing of various musical visions…Continue Reading 2nd ArteFonie Music Festival

JARCZYK BROADCASTS

Jan Jarczyk (1947-2014)—a prominent Polish jazz pianist and trombonist, composer, arranger and educator—is being remembered this week by RadioJAZZ.FM in a series of broadcasts dedicated to the “Masters of Polish Jazz.” Sponsored by the EuroJAZZ Foundation for Promoting Jazz Music, these programs are part of the cycle of 100 radio shows curated by Rafał Garszczyński…Continue Reading JARCZYK BROADCASTS

Jazztopad ‘Great Improvisation’ Series Livestream Continues

The Jazztopad Festival, in partnership with Polish Cultural Institute New York, continues The Great Improvisation series online live-streamed from the National Forum of Music (NFM) in Wrocław, Poland. The series presents various faces of jazz—from bold avant-garde and daring improvisation through to the mainstream. The ideal acoustics of the NFM halls provide a perfect environment…Continue Reading Jazztopad ‘Great Improvisation’ Series Livestream Continues

UPDATED: Jazztopad ‘Great Improvisation’ series Livestreams in February

Please note: the performers originally slated for February 19 (Maniucha & Ksawery) are unable to perform due to Covid-19 quarantine—they will return to the Jazztopad lineup in May/June. Instead, the dynamic Janusz Prusinowski Kompania will be performing in the February 19 at 11:00 a.m. PST slot! See updated information below. The Jazztopad Festival, in partnership…Continue Reading UPDATED: Jazztopad ‘Great Improvisation’ series Livestreams in February

Jazztopad ‘Great Improvisation’ series Livestream

The Jazztopad Festival, in partnership with Polish Cultural Institute New York, presents The Great Improvisation series online live streamed from the National Forum of Music (NFM) in Wrocław, Poland. The series presents various faces of jazz—from bold avant-garde and daring improvisation through to the mainstream. The ideal acoustics of the NFM halls provide a perfect…Continue Reading Jazztopad ‘Great Improvisation’ series Livestream

Darek Oles Trio in L.A., July 12 & 14

Darek 'Oles' Oleszkiewicz and Kuba Stankiewicz

There will be two special concerts in Los Angeles this weekend featuring the Darek Oles Trio: bassist Darek “Oles” Oleszkiewicz, pianist Kuba Stankiewicz, drummer Tina Raymond. Previously featured at the Paderewski Festival in Paso Robles, the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust and on prestigious recordings for Warner Music Poland, the trio will also be…Continue Reading Darek Oles Trio in L.A., July 12 & 14

Two Great Artists, Two Ages, Two Musical Sensitivities

On May 10, the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic – European Art Centre in Białystok presented “Two Great Artists, Two Ages, Two Musical Sensitivities”—a Pawlik/Moniuszko Polish Jazz Concert. Pianist and arranger Włodek Pawlik is the only Pole to win a Grammy for jazz. His newest CD is the first in the world to feature works by…Continue Reading Two Great Artists, Two Ages, Two Musical Sensitivities

Free Jazz Exploration

According to a new article in Biweekly.pl, anthologies of Grupa w Składzie and Andrzej Bieżan released in early 2014 along with the upcoming Tie Break box set offer a good review of avant-garde jazz in Poland. Written by Rafał Księżyk and entitled “The Institutionists,” the article explores both the history and the mythology of the development of…Continue Reading Free Jazz Exploration