Polish Jazz - Freedom at Last
From catacombs to the free society
- the Story of Polish Jazz
Chapter 5: Polish Jazz in 1980's
Milestones:
Miles Davis live in Poland
Young Power and Krzysztof Popek
Slawomir Kulpowicz
Andrzej Jagodzinski
Leszek Kulakowski
Vitold Rek
Tomasz Szukalski
Janusz Muniak
Voytek Konikiewicz
In early August 1980, the wave of strikes led to the founding of
the independent trade union "Solidarity" (Polish Solidarnosc)
by electrician Lech Walesa. The growing strength of the opposition
led the government of Wojciech Jaruzelski to declare martial law
in December 1981. Audio
Clip: General Jaruzelski declares Marshal LawAfter crushing the opposition and throughout next
two years of martial law, Jaruzelski's government was somehow
ambivalent and undefined in its vision for Poland. Initially very
confrontational to Ronald Regan's administration and its allies;
during the later years of the decade it was more open to ideas of
democratic changes. With the reforms of Mikhail Gorbachev in the
Soviet Union, increasing pressure from combined forces of the Pope
(Wojtyla) and the President (Regan) , and continuing unrest (Solidarnosc),
the Communists were forced to negotiate with their opponents. The
1988 Round Table Talks led to Solidarity's participation in the
first after World War II free elections of 1989, which transformed
into its candidates" striking victory (Solidarnosc won 99%
of seats in Senate), what sparked off a succession of peaceful transitions
from Communist rule in Central and Eastern Europe.
In fall of 1983 one of the important concerts in history of Polish Jazz
took place at the Congress Hall in Warsaw; the arena better known
for welcoming delegates for Congress of Polish Communist Party then..
Miles Davis band: Miles Davis
(tp, Oberheim OBX-2, Yamaha GS-2), Robert Irving (Korg Polysix),
Bill Evans (ts, ss, fl), Darryl Jones (el-b), Al Foster (dr), John
Scofield (el-g) and Mino Cinelu (perc). It was a magical evening
with one of the best performance in Miles Davis career and perhaps
the greatest single jazz event to take place in Poland. The concert
which started with Miles ignoring the fans and playing facing the
courtain and back to the public, concluded with maestro Davis loosing
his "coolness" and rewarding the fans with unprecedented
three encores. To quote Miles himself: "I took the band
to Europe for a fee dates in the fall of 1983. This tour was something
special because the people were so happy to see me, and they really
got into the music. I remember one date in particular in Warsaw,
Poland. When I got through playing my concert, people stood and
cheered, and chanted that they hoped that I live a hundred years.
Man, that was something!"
With
the beginning of the new decade, the focus of Polish Jazz began
to shift. A new generations of musicians were ready to claim their
place on the Jazz map. In the early 80s, "the Young Power"
movement - with composer and flutist Krzysztof
Popek at the helmet - began questioning existing dogma. Born
on January 27, 1957 in Rybnik, Popek' official debut was at Jazz
Juniors Festival in 1982 and during Jazz on Odra in 1985 (on both
occasions he won individual prizes). Since then he has been a major
figure on Polish jazz scene starting with his leadership of the
“Young Power” movement that revolutionized Polish Jazz
in 1980’s. Popek is a master of soprano and alto flutes; he
is also an acomplished composer, an arranger and an inspiring leader
of his many cross-national formations. He's fluent in diverse Jazz
styles and languages: from free, harmolodic concepts of Ornette
Coleman to contemporary hard bop. He remains a driving force of
Polish Jazz l today, being at the same time actively recording and
performing artist as well as a head of independent jazz record label
Power Bros.
During the 1980's along with musicians organized around Young Powr,
electric groups like pianist Janusz Grzywacz’s Laboratorium,
violinist Krzesimir Debski’s String Connection, and various
Jarek Smietana's formations, have been slowly taking over with concertgoers
and record buyers. The popular "newcomers" presented themselves
as an alternative to existing status-quo on the Polish Jazz field.
But despite being verbally critical and musically adventurous, the
Young Power movement soon ran out of gas and blended into the existing
Jazz spectrum. The same happened to members of Laboratorium, String
Connection and Smietana' bands who merged into Jazz establishment.
Some of the most talented names that established themselves on the Jazz map
in Poland of this era also included: pianists Slawomir Kulpowicz, Andrzej Jagodzinski,
and Leszek Kulakowski; extraordinary talented bass player Vitold Rek, and horn
players: Henryk Miskiewicz, Tomasz Szukalski, Janusz Muniak, Zbigniew Jaremko.
Slawomir Kulpowicz was a member of
probably the most important band of Polish Jazz of 1980s - the Quartet. Created
by four equally talented musicians, it was the typical "band without a leader."
The ensemble consisted of Kulpowicz on piano, Tomasz Szukalski
(saxophones), Pawel Jarzebski (bass) and Janusz Stefanski (drums). Although the
promise of the Quartet, which formally existed for only two years (1978-1980),
has never fully materialized, the band won a permanent place in the history of
Polish Jazz. It was probably the most ambitious and original attempt by any
Polish Jazz musicians, except Zbigniew Seifert, to re-interpreted the music of
late John Coltrane and McCoy Tyner. Kulpowicz was a graduated of the Academy of
Music in Katowice (1974), the home of some of Poland's most recognized
contemporary composers, including Gorecki. However, it was not pianists like
himself, but John Coltrane who was his greatest inspiration, and to to whom he
devoted his master's thesis entitled the "Art of John Coltrane." In 1976,
Kulpowicz joined the Zbigniew Namyslowski quartet with whom he toured
extensively. Later on Kulpowicz worked as a leader of his own group
inFormation which fluctuated from duo, to trio, to quartet (with Tomasz Stanko),
to sextet, and finally devoting himself to solo work. But it was a 1978
appearance at the "Jazz Yatra Festival" in India which had a profound and life
altering effect on Kulpowicz. Since then, he has visited India several times on
a musical and spiritual quest. He has paired with Indian sitar master Shujaat
Khan and with Turkish master musician Burhan Ocal. This turn Eastward and Inward
created an urge to express his spiritual yearnings through his work. His desire
lead him to meet musical master Alice Coltrane and culminated in a spiritual
jazz album "Samarpan Songs" and in his "St. John Passion". From the
mid 80s computer technology captured Kulpowicz's imagination. He successfully
used the new medium in his works for film scores, stage productions,
commercials, and television programs. Slawomir Kulpowicz passed away on February
2008.
Active since 1980s on Polish Jazz scene, pianist Andrzej
Jagodzinski, is credited to be the first to to launch a "Chopin
stream" in Polish Jazz in the next decade - 1990s. In his take
on Chopin masterpieces, Jagodzinski went "beyond all experimentation
done in Jazz or pseudo-Jazz with Chopin's music. It is a high-level,
splendid piece of work and, I would even say, a masterpiece of Jazz
improvisation in the classic-modern style" (Jazz Forum)
Leszek Kulakowski
is another pianist fascinated with Chopin in 1990s, but
his musical inspirations have been even more diverse. Graduate of Gdansk Music
Academy, to this day he is fascinated by Jazz, theatre, classical music
and compositions. Polish folklore, especially from Koszuby region in northern
Poland is another important stimulation for Kulakowski, as well as music of
Krzysztof Komeda.
Vitold Rek is a graduate of the Music Academy in Cracow and the winner
of the individual prize at the Jazz Nad Odra festival in 1975. After apprenticeship
in Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski quartet of early 1970s, he became a co-leader (with
Adzik Sendecki) of Jazz-rock group Sun Ship. Since mid 70s he developed into
an important player on initially Polish, and later on after moving to Germany,
European Jazz scene. His playing unites Jazz influences with classical
and East European folk elements, especially music of his native region Rzeszow,
in south-eastern Poland, with a focus on live performance and composition. A
master of double bass, Rek is one of the most cultivated players of this instrument
in Europe with "sound clean, big and voluminous as no other" (G. Hottmann).
During his career Rek has collaborated with many important European artists,
including Tomasz Stanko, Ptaszyn Wroblewski, Charlie Mariano, Albert Mangelsdorff,
and Karl Berger among many other musical partners. John Tchicai calls Rek his
" preferred double bassist" with "a telepathic connection when we play".
1980s were already a second (or sometimes third) decade of horn players Henryk
Miskiewicz, Tomasz Szukalski, Janusz Muniak and Zbigniew Jaremko
careers. All accomplished, and fluently diverse in Jazz music languages,
those players represented new quality in Polish Jazz. Talented artists,
and improvisers all off them shared one thread - musical mastership
and professionalism. They were able to communicate with their band
mates in different music languages and conventions, lead their own
bands, provide valuable support for leaders of different bands and
keep Jazz fans from Rura Jazz club in Wroclaw to New York's Village
Vanguard on their toes all the time.
Tomasz Szukalski is one of the most important but probably most under appreciated
Jazz musician in the history of Polish Jazz. He is multi-talented artist who"s
who has contributed to the numbers of most important milestones of Polish and
European Jazz, including albums by leaders like Zbigniew Namyslowski, Jan Ptaszyn
Wroblewski and Tomasz Stanko. His charisma on those recordings is always very
distinct and always present, in many cases he almost "steals" the record from
the leader (just listen to Szukalski on Edward Vesala"s "Satu")
Szukalski is a graduate of Warsaw Music College PWSM, where clarinet was his
main instrument. Performing musician since his high school days, he self-taught
himself to play tenor and soprano saxophones. After early collaborations with
pop group Partita, Big Band Stodola and bands of the leaders like Janusz
Muniak, and Tomasz Ochalski; in 1972 he joined Zbigniew Namyslowski group with
whom he extensively toured and recorded legendary albums "Winobranie" and "Kujaviak
Goes Funky". He quickly established himself on Jazz scene in Poland and collaborated
with Wlodzimierz Nahorny, Tomasz Stanko (Balladyna, TWET, Almost Green, Live
at Remont) , and Jan Ptaszyn Wroblewski (Sprzedawcy Glonow).
In 1977, Szukalski joined probably the most important band in Polish
Jazz of 1980s - the Quartet. In 1984 along with Czeslaw Bartkowski
(drums) and Wojtek Karolak (keyboards), Szukalski co-leader another
"band without a leader" - Time Killers. The group recorded
only one self-titled album but it marked the history of Polish Jazz.
Jazz Forum"s critics survey in 1990s found "Time Killers"
to be the Best Polish Jazz Record of 1980"s, and in many critics
opinion probably the best example of exciting adaptation of Weather
Report's language into Polish Jazz idiom. Audio
Clip: Karolak / Szukalski Bartkowski - Time Killers
During the rest of the 80s, 1990s and to the present time Szukalski
has remained active and productive on Polish Jazz scene. He is continuing
many fruitful collaborations with old musical friends (Stanko, Namyslowski)
as well as with many new ones: Janusz Szprot, Krzysztof Sadowski,
Jozef Skrzek, Staszek Sojka, Artur Dutkiewicz, Andrzej Cudzich,
Piotr Wojtasik, Jarek Smietana, Wojciech Majewski, and Grzegorz
Karnas.
Artists of free Jazz played an important role in the process of
development of Jazz in Poland of 1980s. The avant-garde stream of
Polish Jazz was represented by heavenly talented Andrzej Przybielski
(trumpet), Helmut Nadolski (contrabass), Michal Zduniak (percussion),Wladyslaw
Jagiello (percussion) Wojciech Konikiewicz (composer, keyboard player),
Andrzej Biezan (piano), Jan Fryderyk Dobrowolski (piano), Marianna
Wroblewska (vocals), Czeslaw Gladkowski (bass), Krzysztof Zgraja
(flute), Wlodzimierz Kiniorski (saxophones), and Aleksander Korecki
(saxophones). The significant bands included Free Cooperation,
Sesja 80 and
Tie Break.
Since 1980s, Wojciech (Voytek)
Konikiewicz (born 1956 in Wroclaw) is one of the most
fascinating personalities on Polish Jazz scene. He is also a rare
example of a person whose educational background includes studies in
classical music, piano, composition , technology, electro-acoustics,
and philosophy. In 80-ties he took part in a free-punk-funk jazz
rebel, founding legendary groups like 'Sesja 80 Acoustic Action',
'Free Cooperation', and 'Green Revolution'. All those bands, and
especially 'Green Revolution', broke the limits of jazz idiom, and
preceded world wave of acid & hip hop jazz and Bill Laswells
experiments in 90s; mixing freely ethno, free jazz, funk, hip hop,
dub and even...punk rock. An extensive drum machine programming,
interactive use of a huge MIDI controlled synthesizer & module
system, ecstatic solos of keyboards, electronically transformed
trumpet and saxophone, profound vocals, trance of ethnic drums,
onomatopoeic rap of an avant-garde poetry (Miron Bialoszewski), as
well as deep and creative mixing by Wojtek Przybylski and
Konikiewicz, made the sound of 'Green Revolution' unique and fresh.
Unfortunately, finding no support or even a tolerance, and facing
numerous problems, the group was suspended in early 90-ties. After
the dismissal of 'Green Revolution', Konikiewicz became
involved in Poland's independent rock movement, that flourished
during Solidarity time, touring and recording with numerous
legendary reggae, punk & indie rock groups (Izrael, Tilt,
Deuter, T.Love, Klaus Mitffoch, Obywatel GC); performing at famous
rock (Jarocin), reggae (Solidarity Against Apartheid, Robrege
Festival) and jazz festivals.
Since 1985, Konikiewicz has been a successful composer, scoring
for feature, documentary, experimental and TV films, as well as for
theatre, ballet and mime theatre. He is also a performing artist who
acts upon both as a soloist ( piano, electronic instruments, laptop,
pipe organ, harpsichord), and as a member of many groups, playing
contemporary, experimental, electro, jazz, reggae & dub, indie rock
or improvised music. He takes part in some multicultural projects,
cooperating with musicians of diverse ethnic and cultural
backgrounds. As a composer Konikiewicz scored music from works
for symphony & chamber orchestra, choir, string quartet, reed trio,
saxophone and piano, saxophone and organ, harp and organ etc. to
progressive, free & nu jazz, experimental, electronic /dark ambient,
EBM, noise, industrial, trance,dub & reggae, ethno and sacral
pieces.
Today, Konikiewicz is one of the most creative and multidimensional
artistic personalities of Polish electro, jazz, experimental, indie
rock, reggae & dub music, as well an accomplished and very distinctive
independent jazz critic.
