KRZYSZTOF KOMEDA
Zofia Komeda presents: Music from the Original Motion Pictures

Label: PowerBros
Catalogue No: PB207
Format: 8-CD's box-set

Comprehensive selection of the most important soundtracks composed by Krzysztof Komeda. Released in exclusive box-set with 8 CDs in one specially designed cardboard box. Each CD in in its own jewel case with complete artwork. Produced by Komeda's wife - Zofia Komeda.

CD 1 (PB 00175)
Knife in the Water and other soundtracks to Roman Polanski's Movies (enhanced)

Tracks:

1-8 Knife in the water (Noz w wodzie)
01. I 1:06
02. II 2:22
03. III 2:33
04. IV 2:10
05. V 2:37
06. VI 2:39
07. VII 1:09
08. VIII 1:23
09. Two man and the wardrobe (Dwaj ludzie z szafa) 14:56
10. When the Angels Fall (Gdy spadaja anioly) 13:50

All compositions by Krzysztof Komeda

CD 2 (PB 00183)
Rosemary's Baby / Fearless Vampire Killers - soundtracks to Roman Polanski's Movies

Tracks:

Rosemary's Baby

01. Main Title
02. The Coven
03. Lullaby - Part I
04. Moment Musical
05. The Coven
06. Moment Musical
07. Lullaby - Part II
08. Dream
09. Christmas
10. Expectancy - Part I
11. The Coven
12. Lullaby
13. The Coven
14. Main Title
15. Panic
16. Rosemary's Party
17. Expectancy - Part II
18. Through the Closet
19. What Have You Done to Its Eyes
20. Happy News
21. Main Title

Fearless Vampire Killers

22. Main Title
23. Sarah in Bath
24. Snowman
25. Koukol Laughs
26. Alfred Behind Sledge
27. Sarah Asks for a Bath - Love Tune
28. Krotock on Sledge
29. Vampire Corners
30. Shagal Leaving
31. To the Cellar
32. Skiing
33. Portraits
34. Alfred Hears Singing
35. Vampires to Crypt
36. Both Over Rooftops
37. Sarah's Song
38. Alfred over Rooftops
39. Alfred in the Crypt
40. Herbert's Song
41. Main Title

All compositions by Krzysztof Komeda

CD 3 (PB 00189)
Kattorna and other soundtracks from Henning Carlsen movies

Tracks:

1 -3. Mennesker mødes og sød musik opstår i hjertet

4 -10. Sult

11 -15. Kattorna

All compositions by Krzysztof Komeda

CD 4 (PB 00197)
Wyrok - Soundtrack from Jerzy Passedorfer movie

Tracks:

1. Typish Jazz
2. Light motif
3. Intro - sax
4. Kocia muzyka (Cats' music)
5. Dancing
6. Serenada
7. Swing
8. Light motif - piano
9. Kocia muzyka (Cats' music)
10. Flute - part 1
11. Flute - part 2
12. Light motif - piano
13. Typish Jazz
14. Light motif - piano
15. Typish Jazz
16. Intro - piano
17. Flute - part 3
18. Light motif - sax
19. Light motif - piano

All compositions by Krzysztof Komeda

CD 5 (PB 00199)
Bariera / Niekochana - Soundtracks from Jerzy Skolimowski & Janusz Nasfeter movies

Tracks:

1-17. Bariera 31:03
18-21. Niekochana 8:03

All compositions by Krzysztof Komeda

CD 6 (PB 00201)
Jutro Premiera, Kraksa, Okolice Peronow - Soundtracks from Janusz Morgenstern & Edward Etler movies

Tracks:

1-6. Jutro premiera 13:45
7-12. Kraksa 14:00
13-17. Ololice peronów 13:58

All compositions by Krzysztof Komeda

CD 7 (PB 00203)
Prawo i piesc / Rondo / Sztandar / Pingwin - Soundtracks from Jerzy Hoffman - Edward Skorzewski, Miroslaw Kijowicz and Jerzy Stawinski movies

Tracks:

1-6. Prawo i piesc 9:31
7. Sztandar 7:35
8. Rondo 9:28
9-18. Pingwin 14:27

All compositions by Krzysztof Komeda

CD 8 (PB 00205)
Przerwany lot / Smarkula - Soundtracks from Leonard Buczkowski movies

1-28. Smarkula 32:09
29-39. Przerwany lot 21:42

All compositions by Krzysztof Komeda

About:

The most important artist of 1960s and in the whole history of Polish Jazz was Krzysztof Komeda (Krzysztof Trzcinski). He was born on April 27, 1931 in Poznan, started playing piano at the age of seven, but the war ruined any chances for him of becoming a concert pianist. He grew up in Czestochowa, and Ostrów Wielkopolski where he graduated from the Male Gymnasium, and participated in the Music and Poetry Club. He studied medicine at Poznan and choose to be a laryngologist. He picked his childhood alias 'Komeda' for his artistic alter-ago - in 1950's Poland it was not possible for reputable M.D. to play 'the decadent music of the West' - jazz. He was one of the founders of legendary band Melomani; his professional jazz pianist career started at the 1st Sopot Jazz Festival in 1956 with Janusz Grzewinski Dixieland band and his own Sextet. He continued his jazz career in Poland and Scandinavia for the next 12 years with his own bands (Combo, Trio, Quartet, Quintet, Sextet), which dominated modern Polish Jazz scene. He also collaborated with verity of musicians including Witold Kujawski, Janusz Matuszkiewicz, Jerzy Milian, Jan 'Ptaszyn' Wroblewski, Tomasz Stanko, Zbigniew Namyslowski, Michal Urbaniak, Wojciech Karolak, Roman Dylag, Andrzej Trzaskowski and others. He worked for the theatre (Ballet Etudes, Breakfast at Tiffany's), regularly performed at Jazz Jamboree festivals, and composed music for noted German musicologist Joachim Berendt 's project 'Jazz and Poetry - Maine Susse Europaische Haimat' with poems by most important Polish poets of the 20the century including Nobel price winners Czeslaw Milosz, and Wislawa Szymborska.

Komeda's role in Polish Jazz cannot be explained in merely a few sentences. Words like: genius, composer, visionary, collaborator and leader cannot fully describe him. How could this talented but not by any means virtuoso pianist with a medical degree make such a great impact on Polish Jazz? How could all of the musicians who played with him emphasize what an overwhelming impact his music and his personality made on them? Komeda's long time collaborator Tomasz Stanko commented: 'Komeda was a very quit man. At rehearsals he told us nothing, nothing. He would give us a score and we would play and the silence was very strong and intense. He wouldn't say if we were right or wrong in our approach. He'd just smile. He was such a strong force, the music was so original and he always gave me plenty of space for self-expression and interpretation...He showed me how simplicity is vital, how to play the essential. He showed different approaches, using different harmonies, asymmetry. many details. I was very lucky that I started out with him... '

The music of Komeda escapes simple classification and description. He never formally studied composition, harmony, arrangement nor orchestration. His unique sound has to a lesser extent to do with conventional Jazz style timing, but rather with Slavic lyricism, 19th century Polish romantic music tradition, and a variable treatment of time during the course of his compositions. He is widely credited as being one of the founding fathers of uniquely European style in Jazz composition. Critic Adam Slawinski wrote: 'By sheer force of his personality Komeda justified his need to control the emotional territory hitherto reserved for symphonies. He expanded the range of expression in jazz by adding a dramatized lyricism - it's force reaching the intensity of ecstatic and mysterious experience. The new jazz aesthetic demanded the new form. Komeda introduced a directional form of arch, developed from an exposition through culmination to a final resolution'.

During his life, Komeda released only one album 'Astigmatic (Polskie Nagrania - Muza),' which Penguin Guide to Jazz called 'Simply - Essential!'  The new release with more influence on Polish Jazz has yet to be recorded. Another field where Komeda excelled and achieved world class status was his work for motion pictures; he wrote music to over 40 films, including such Polish cinematic classics as Andrzej Wajda’s “Innocent Sorcerers.” He also collaborated with other Polish directors: J. Passendorfer, J. Skolimowski, J. Morgenstern, J. Hoffman, L. Buczkowski, J. Nasfeter, and renowned Danish film director Henning Carlsen. Especially important was his very fruitful collaboration with director Roman Polanski, that included soundtracks to: 'Two Men and a Wardrobe', 'Cul-de-Sac' 'Knife in the Water', 'Fearless Vampire Killers' and 'Rosemary's Baby'.

In December 1968, in Los Angeles when working on 'Rosemary's Baby', Komeda had a tragic accident which led to his death due to an internal brain damage. There are various accounts of what happened: car accident in the autumn of 1968, being pushed off an escarpment by writer Marek Hlasko during a drinking party, felling down during the hike and suffering head injuries. After having been transported to Poland he died on April 23, 1969 in Warsaw without regaining consciousness. His funeral at the Powazki cemetery in Warsaw was attended by many of his friends, associates, artists and hordes of the fans.

Decades have passed after Komeda's tragically early death at the age of 38, but despite passing of time his music is still alive, inspiring new artists and conquering new hordes of listeners. Countless Polish Jazz musicians have been exploring the legacy of Komeda and his songbook, with Tomasz Stanko being the most famous 'torch carrier'. There is even a pop-fusion band in Sweden called 'Komeda' that taken his name from Polish Jazz pianist and composer. Komeda's compositions are present in contemporary repertoire of numerous Jazz bands worldwide. One the them, USA-based Komeda Project Jazz quintet, was principally brought to life from a desire to perform and be able to hear Krzysztof Komeda's live music again.