Leszek Mozdzer was the originator and producer of the album from beginning to the end; he not only directed the recordings himself but he also is the author of several compositions. It is an offer for the listener who is be looking for sounds familiar to the aesthetics of improvised music, acoustic sound, and who values classical music.
Przemek Dyakowski / Leszek Mozdzer
Melisa
Label: Outside Music, Poland
Catalogue No: CDOM003-2
Format: CD
Condition: GENUINE, BRAND NEW, FACTORY SEALED
Leszek Mozdzer was the originator and producer of the album from beginning to the end; he not only directed the recordings himself but he also is the author of several compositions. It is an offer for the listener who is be looking for sounds familiar to the aesthetics of improvised music, acoustic sound, and who values classical music. The material on the album is very diverse, both compositions and songs are carefully arranged but very swinging, with the rhythm section caring out complicated rhythmic divisions. A few moody, nostalgic melodies, stylishly colored jazz ballads, few delicate electronics touches... and a special bonus - the final track with Leszek Mozdzer debuting as a ...singer (!!!)
Tracks:
1. Melisa
2. The Legend of The Baltic Sea
3. Romance del Sol
4. The Sailor
5. Pi Di
6. Work Aside
7. Larry OK
8. A Little Part of Me
9. Larry, The rebel of Love
Performed by:
Przemek Dyakowski - saxophones
Leszek Mozdzer - acoustic piano, vocal (track 9 only)
Slawek Jaskulke - piano
Dominik Bukowski - vibes
Irek Wojtczak - flute
Janusz Mackiewicz - bassi
Tomek Sowinski - drums
Recorded:
2007, Poland
About:
Przemek Dyakowski started playing the saxophone in the late fifties in Zygmunt Konieczny's band in the famous “Piwnica pod Baranami” in Cracow. He has made his debut as a jazzman at Jazz All Souls' Day in Cracow's Philharmonic in 1961. After moving to the Pomerania coast he was engaged with the Student's Club “Zak” in Gdansk, in Wlodziemierz Nahorny's band among others. In the late 60-ies he was co-author of the Rama 111 band which he still continues to play in. In the 70-ies Rama 111 was the Radio Gdansk band for 10 years, having its own programme and accomplishing hundreds of hours of archival recordings with jazz and light entertaiming music. He participated in Jazz Jamboree, “Jazz in the National Philharmonic”concerts, various festivals and Scandinavian clubs. He accompanied such jazz and pop stars as Cab Calloway, Shirley Jones, Steve Allen, Bobby Short etc. While the Gdynia Summer Jazz Days he accompanied the English jazz vocalist Elaine Delmar. For the past seventeen years he has been hosting the autour's jazz programme in Radio Plus and for the past seventeen years he has been running the Gdynia Sax Club in Musical Club “Ucho” /from 2003/. For the past four years he plays in “Swing Old Stars” created by the legendary Jerzy “Duduś” Matuszkiewicz/as with Wojciech Karolak/p, Andrzej Dąbrowski/dr and Janusz Kozlowski/b. He continues the style of Lester Young on tenor saxophone. For the past few years he has been appearing in Piotr Lemanczyk's “Follow the Soul” band, Wojtek Staroniewicz's “African&Visual Project” as well as in alternative music bands like Jacek Staniszewski's “Chlupot Mózgu”, reggae “Dreadless” and Larry Ok.Ugwu's “Biafro” and “Ikenga Drummers”. He is a leader of swing oriented “Take it Easy” band also recorded and published by Outside Music “Melisa” album. This project recorded with a great musicians such as: Leszek Mozdzer/composer,arranger and piano, Dominik Bukowski/vib, Slawek Jaskulke/p, Janusz Mackiewicz/b, Tomek Sowinski/dr has achieved Golden Record status.
****
Leszek Mozdzer (pronounced Mozhdzher) is one of the greatest keyboard talents on the Polish music scene today. Born in 1971, he has been playing the piano since he was five. He graduated from the Stanislaw Moniuszko Conservatory in Gdansk in 1996, having developed his interest in jazz at the age of 18 at high school. He started his jazz career by joining the band of clarinet player Emil Kowalski, but he considers that his true development began with the Milosc Band in 1991. A year later, he received an individual citation from the Jazz Junior ‘92 International Competition in Krakow, followed immediately by many other prizes, including the Krzysztof Komeda Prize 1992 from the Polish Culture Foundation, the First Prize of the International Jazz Improvisation Competition in Katowice in 1994, the Mateusz Swiecicki Prize from Polish Radio 3, the Mayor of Gdansk’s medal for outstanding artistic achievements, and the Fryderyk Prize for Jazz Musician of 1998, as well as many citations in the magazine Jazz Forum, including being nominated six times as Best Pianist between 1993 and 1998.
During the six years in which Mozdzer led Milosc, it became the most popular jazz group in Poland. He recorded six albums with the group, including two with the American trumpeter, Lester Bowie. At the same time, he was a star attraction of the Zbigniew Namyslowski Quartet. Mozdzer has performed with many outstanding Polish jazz musicians, including Tomasz Stanko (Farewell to Mary), Janusz Muniak (One and Four), Michael Urbaniak ( Live in Holy City), and Piotr Wojtasik (Lonely Town, Quest). He has also collaborated with such international stars as Arthur Blythe, Buster Williams, Billy Harper, Joe Lovano and Archie Shepp. Mozdzer has recorded 30 CDs, including four under his own name, the best known of which is Chopin Impressions.
Leszek Mozdzer has given concerts in Italy, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, USA, Hungary and France. At the prestigious Piano Festival in Chartres, his jazz interpretations of Chopin’s pieces received a standing ovation.
Since 1992 he has been a regular collaborator with Zbigniew Preisner, taking part in the recording of many of the composer’s film scores. 10 Easy Pieces for Piano, a suite of piano improvisations, was specially written by Preisner for Mozdzer.
(Mozdzer bio courtesy of EMI Classics)
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