Grażyna Auguścik

Grażyna Auguścik - Singer, composer, arranger, and producer Grazyna Auguscik has won the praise and admiration of music critics, jazz enthusiasts and even non-jazz audiences with a singular voice that speaks a universal language. She is one of the most intriguing contemporary vocalists on today’s world jazz scene. Her elusive style challenges traditional definitions of jazz and shows a vocalist and musician without boundaries. Her unorthodox approach to rewriting classic works pays tribute to their authors and at the same time is an adventure into uncharted territory. Her original music gives a fresh taste of uncanny flavor. She began her professional music career in Europe, and then completed her studies at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1992. Since then she has become a prolific collaborator shearing the stage with such jazz notables as Michael and Randy Brecker, Jim Hall, Toots Thielemans, John Medeski, Paul Wertico, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Robert Irving III, Michal Urbaniak, Terry Callier, Patricia Barber, John McLean, Jarek Bester, and many others. Grazyna has recorded, produced and distributed 17 albums, ten of which were under her own record label, GMA Records, and has appeared as a guest on as many projects.

http://www.grazynaauguscik.com
http://www.gmasounds.com
http://gmarecords.com

Tomek Grochot Quintet featuring Eddie Henderson

TOMEK GROCHOT QUINTET is a jazz group lead by one of the best Polish jazz drummers. His last project is a solo album “My Stories” recorded by a quintet of leading Polish jazz musicians, featuring an outstanding star EDDIE HENDERSON on trumpet. From the moment the album was released in 2010 the group has already performed with great success during some of the most important jazz festivals in Poland incl. Lotos Jazz Festival, which is said to be the best Polish jazz festival. At the moment international tours start to be organized. Tomek Grochot’s home city is Krakow. The place which is a historical and cultural capital of Poland. I’m most convinced his fantastic music - awarded a 5 star review by the most important Polish jazz magazine “Jazz Forum” - performed by outstanding artists with mastery and great passion, would ideally fit the musical tastes of the most demanding audience. Tomek Grochot is a professional jazz musician, drummer and composer, graduate of The Academy of Music in Krakow, Poland. He is a passionate, talented artist with wonderful musical imagination. He has been invited to many great musical projects of well known Polish and foreign musicians, performed with Eddie Henderson, Nigel Kennedy, Berliner Philharmoniker, to name just a few. He mastered perfectly not only a jazz drumset, but also a great variety of other percussion instruments which he perfectly mixes building new spaces in music. This was well appreciated during the period of his cooperation with an internationally regarded klezmer jazz group “Kroke”. The concerts given by his quintet featuring his own compositions – original tunes inspired by scuba diving expeditions, anxiety of a father awaiting his first son, oriental travels - evoke deep emotions and enthusiasm of the audiences. Great music worth recommending – as experience proves - not only for pure jazz fans.

EDDIE HENDERSON Jazz trumpeter extraordinaire Eddie Henderson had his first informal lesson on the trumpet at the age of 9 from Louis Armstrong. As a teenager he studied trumpet at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and performed with the San Francisco Conservatory Symphony Orchestra. In 1957, Eddie met Miles Davis for the first time. Davis, a family friend, admired the strikingly beautiful tone and musicality of Henderson's trumpet playing and encouraged him to pursue a career in music. As a family friend, Miles Davis has been a major musical influence on Eddie throughout his life. That culminated in May of 2002 with the recording of So What, a tribute to Davis that features songs associated with the legend. As Henderson puts it, "Miles is so very special to me because when I was in high school he stayed in my parents' house when he came through San Francisco. I was going to the conservatory then studying classical music. I saw him do all these songs live that I recorded on the tribute album." Eddie had the good fortune of meeting many famous musicians growing up - including getting early tips from Satchmo - because his parents were both entertainers. His mother was a dancer at the original Cotton Club and his father a member of the popular singing group Billy Williams and the Charioteers. His stepfather was a doctor to people like Miles and Coltrane and Duke Ellington, so the association with musicians continued. Eddie studied hard in school and in addition to excelling on his instrument, he excelled academically enough to go to medical school and become a doctor. Dr. Henderson practiced as a physician part-time for many years, in addition to playing gigs and learning directly from two of his other main trumpet influences - Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard. In addition to his stint with Herbie Hancock, Henderson has performed with such notables as Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, Roy Haynes, Jackie McLean, Joe Henderson, Elvin Jones, Johnny Griffin, Slide Hampton, Benny Golson, Max Roach and McCoy Tyner. In addition to his European Tours, Eddie performs in the Mingus Big Band and tours with the Eddie Henderson Quartet.

http://polish-jazz.blogspot.com/2010/12/tomek-grochot-quintet-feat-eddie.html

Eddie Henderson - tp, flgh
Rob Denty - as, ts
Dominik Wania - p
Krzysztof Pabian - db
Tomek Grochot - dr

Eastern Blok

Eastern Blok The Los Angeles Times calls Eastern Blok’s music “relentlessly innovative work.” Downbeat Magazine claims that “the ensemble playing is often breakneck and consistently challenging.” Acoustic Guitar Magazine raves that Eastern Blok plays with “blazing virtuosity and sheer beauty.” EASTERN BLOK’s “extraordinary pan-cultural ensemble effortlessly blends classical and jazz music with the rich folkloric traditions of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Serbia. The resulting music is as alluring as it is complex. Exotic Middle Eastern motifs merge gracefully with the evocative sounds of Eastern European klezmer music. Beautifully conceived folk passages are followed by perfectly executed Mahavishnu-inspired pyrotechnics. The passion and urgency at which this group plays is heard in every note…” (Minor 7th Magazine). EASTERN BLOK features classical guitar virtuoso GORAN IVANOVIC, joined by DOUG ROSENBERG on woodwinds, MATTHEW ULERY on upright bass, and MICHAEL CASKEY on percussion. The band was originally dubbed Goran Ivanovic Group by founding members Ivanovic and Rosenberg. They teamed up with Ulery and Caskey in 2004. After successfully packing venues throughout the country and honing their musical direction, the band released their self-titled debut album in 2005. "The Goran Ivanovic Group" record met with critical acclaim, combining traditional folk music from the Balkans along with Latin, flamenco and klezmer elements, European classical influences and American jazz. The track “Blacksmith’s Dance” was selected out of thousands of submissions as one of three finalists in the 2005 John Lennon Songwriting Competition.

http://www.easternblok.net

Agnieszka Iwanska

Agnieszka Iwanska is an accomplished and gifted jazz vocalist, composer and lyricist. Her sultry and sensitive singing style stands out as a fresh and exciting voice in contemporary jazz. As a vocalist, Agnieszka has been hailed as the “voice of promise” by noted jazz critic Howard Reich from the Chicago Tribune. Brad Walseth of WNUA-FM praised her style and performance by nothing that “Like Basia, Iwanska is a Polish singer who has taken on the Brazilian sound pioneered by Astrud Gilberto. She sings her well-written songs showing considerable ability, and charms the crowd with her fresh and honest approach.” Agnieszka is a graduate of the Jazz Studies program at the University of Music in Katowice, Poland’s only accredited jazz program. After arriving in the US, she formed her own band; a quintet featuring some of Chicago’s talented jazz musicians. She received a Polonus 2008 Award as an Artist of the Year. Working with keyboardist/composer Paul Scherer, Agnieszka completed her first full-length CD of original material. It's titled “All That I Am”. CD features songs in English and Polish, all written and arranged by Iwanska and Scherer. “All That I Am” got excellent reviews from jazz critics. It was on the playlist of 110 radio stations nationwide (including the biggest global platform Smoothjazz.com). It also was number 38 on the Top 50 National Indie Chart. Agnieszka was the first Polish born vocalist to sing the National Anthems at the Wrigley Field in Chicago. This year Agnieszka was one of the headliners during prestigious Jazz Festivals in Naperville and Milwaukee. She’s currently working on a new project which she’ll present during the All Souls’ Jazz Festival.

Agnieszka Iwanska - vocal
Chris Graham - vibes
Scott Angst - saxophone
Kurt Schweitz - bass
Tyrone Blair - drums

Please visit Agnieszka Iwanska's web pages:

Agnieszka Iwańska ReverbNation
Agnieszka Iwańska Youtube

Pabian, Tellis-Nayak, Mulvenna TRIO

Krzysztof Pabian - bass
Vijay Tellis-Nayak - piano
Tim Mulvenna - drums

Pabian, Tellis-Nayak, Mulvenna TRIO brings a sensitive, acoustic jazz group that subtly merge lyricism, challenging rhythms and all-American improvisational techniques. Bassist Krzysztof Pabian who hails from Poland as classically trained bassist and who performed with a huge variety of new music ensembles and drummer Tim Mulvenna with his extensive catalog of over 100 recordings for labels such as Blue Note and Delmark, create powerful instrumental textures ornamented by harmonic and rhythmic brilliance of pianist Vijay Tellis-Nayak who's work has been acknowledged by the New York Times in their Emerging Artists’ Series. All three already veterans on Chicago and world jazz scene combine multi-cultural influences with incomparable mastery and sophistication.

WŁODEK WANDER & DIXIE KINGS

Włodek Wander, sax, sopran., leader
Michał Kieńko, puzon
Jarek Łukomski, perkusja
Wlodek Zuterek, vocal, piano
Andrzej Gozdek, banjo.
Zbyszek Bernolak, bass

Lemon Blues

Mroczka Jacek- vocal, harmonica
Wronski Linda - bass
Hooper Bill - drums
Kulakowski Stanislaw-guitar
Krolak Krzysztof- piano

Megitza Quartet

World music for the new millennium….
Kurt Weil meets Edith Piaf, meets Stephane Grappelli, meets Erik Satie, meets the Megitza Quartet…." - Jim Tullio, Grammy Award Winning Composer and Producer An embrace of a tango, strength of a highlander, heart of a bossa nova, soul of a carnival, and a spirit of Roma, fused together. The show is an enchanting journey, that captures the audience with soulful sounds to energetic up-tempo compositions. The desire of a group of musicians from different cultures and backgrounds such as Poland, Roma, Greece, Italy, Ireland, and United States, to unite and combine different styles of music, resulted in forming Megitza Quartet. Their debut album "Boleritza"(2008) features a Gypsy violin virtuoso Roby Lakatos, also known as "the devil's fiddler." Megitza Quartet was formed by a vocalist / bassist Malgorzata Babiarz. Influences of the Polish Highlander tradition of the village, from which she originally hails, can be heard in her compositions as well as in her style of singing. Andreas Kapsalis, an acoustic guitar prodigy, adds elements of flamenco, while the accordionist Marek Lichota evokes the pathos of klezmer with fluidly melodic runs, all backed by an innovative drummer Jamie Gallagher. "There is nothing as terrifying as witnessing the reincarnation of old prophet's soul in a voice of a young artist." -Osvaldo Golijov, Grammy Award Winning Composer

Malgorzata Babiarz - vocal, acoustic bass
Andreas Kapsalis – guitar
Marek Lichota - bayan
Jamie Gallagher - drums and percussion

www.megitzaquartet.com

Marcin Januszkiewicz Quintet & Frieda Lee

FRIEDA LEE STEVENSON

Born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Frieda Lee Stevenson (Professionally known as Ms. Lee) has lived a life dedicated to music. The late, legendary jazz and blues singer, Joe Williams, recognized her superior talents and booked her to substitute for him at a sold-out Chicago engagement. They had performed together at the Kennedy center in Washington, D.C. for the President’s Honor to the Arts gala until Mr. Williams’ untimely death in March, 1999. For over 20 years, Frieda has been the lead vocalist for the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, formerly known as the Jazz Members’ Big Band; their repertoire is dedicated to promoting the musical genius of Basie, Ellington, Strayhorn, and other legendary instrumentalists, singers, arrangers and composers. The band and Ms. Lee have just completed their twenty-second year performing at the Kennedy Center for the National Endowment of the Arts Awards and are concluding, at the end of December 2010, a seven month stint at Andy’s Jazz Club.

Marcin Januszkiewicz piano
Alejo Poveda-perc
Perry Wilson-drums
Jerry DiMuzio-ts
Larry Gray-bass
Frieda Lee - vocal

Antykwariat Jazz Quintet

Antykwariat Jazz Group was revitalized in 1979, winning a Jazz Juniors Festival. The group was active in the 80s under the auspices of PSJ Krakow. Comprised of victors of Polish and international music festivals, Antykwariat performed throughout Poland and many European countries. Initially it functioned as a septet (with a brass section). Reunited in Chicago as Antykwariat Quintet in 2006, the group centered in Chicago performs original compositions and jazz standards. A lifetime of musical experience and passion that is displayed in artistic emotion allows the group to perform in many jazz varieties and actualize a spectrum of stylistic thoughts.


Mieczyslaw Wolny – flute
Slawomir Bielawiec- piano
Jan Zienko- guitar
Andrzej Grzelak - bass
Przemyslaw Pahl- drums

Gerard Lebik / Marc Riordan - Duo

Music created by duo based on experimetal and free improvisation. Musical interaction between drummer Marc Riordan and tenor saxophonist Gerard Lebik finds its source in a relaxed, dynamic and unpredictable improvisation.

Gerard Lebik (1980) Wroclaw-Poland , is a person who creates sound and music either by improvisation, musical notation or through direct manipulation of sonic material using electronic and electroacoustic media. Expands the area of music through using various techniques: tenor saxophone, contralto clarinet, zopan wave generators, electronics, air compressors, analog video feedback, objects and computer software. In 2006 graduated Wroclaw Academy of Music. Began from classic music by jazz and free improvisation to experimental music and composition.
Cooperation: Rob Mazurek, Keith Rowe, Eryck Abecassis, Kazuhisa Uchihashi, Sebastian Meissner, Hernani Faustino, Gabriel Ferrnandini, Mikrokolektyw, Pawel Janicki, Damas Quartet.

http://gerardlebik.com

Musician and composer Marc Riordan (b. 1982) performs and records in a wide variety of musical contexts throughout Chicago and the rest of the world. He is the drummer for Chicago's notorious underground prog/punk band, Wishgift, and has toured as a sideman throughout the states and Europe, with Chicago-based bands such as HighLife, Health & Beauty, Fast Citizens, Josh Berman's Oldea, In Tall Buildings, and Breakway. Marc's work as a leader finds him crossing over to the piano, in the Marc Riordan Quartet, whose debut album Binoculars is forthcoming. He is also the pianist in the improvising trio Tres Hongos, with trumpeter Jacob Wick and drummer Frank Rosaly. He is currently employed as a music instructor in the Chicago area, and is looking ahead to a busy touring schedule in 2012.

http://www.marcriordan.com/p/reviews.html

Barabasz Jazz Quartet

Nathan Kawaller-bass
Juan Pastor- drums
Marquis Hill - trumpet
Maciej Matthew Barabasz- guitar

barabaszguitar.com

Jam Quartet

Michal Kienko - piano
Jarek Lukomski - drums
Jacek Rokita - bass
Tomek Ciastko - guitar

Miyo Mardosz Band

Hassan Kahn -bass
Audley Reid - saxophone
Peter Shannon -drums
Roger Harris -piano
Miyo Mardosz -guitar's

Peter G. Shannon Born and raised in Chicago - has been plying drums most of his life. His parents bought his first set of drums when he was 13yrs old. Pete, as he is called by his friends played at the Blue Chicago blues club for over 8 years. He has played on a cruise ship and has sat with some of the best musicians in Chicago. He has unquestionably high standards in the world of drumming with his well thought out and challenging drum style. Pete's style is laid back - yet intense. His professional attitude and sense of humor makes him an asset to any band. Peter's personality is as great as his drumming.

Hassan Khan has been active on the national music scene for over 20 years. He has worked with many notable and legendary performing artists such as Grover Washington, Jr., Eddie Kendricks, the Staples Singers, Otis Clay, Buddy Guy, Huey Lewis, Phil Guy, Junior Wells, Eddie Clearwater, the Five Stairsteps, Baby Huey and the Babysitters, and the legendary Buddy Miles, to name a few. He was married for some years to the internationally known singer, Chaka Khan, during which time he was instrumental in developing her into the dynamic vocalist that she is today.

Pianist Roger L. Harris is a native of Chicago, IL. His musical talents were evident at an early age. His father, Leo Harris, is the cellist that founded the South Side Family Chamber Orchestra and encouraged Roger to embrace his gift. Roger is currently the Conductor Emeritus of that orchestra. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Roosevelt University in Chicago, Roger taught band, orchestra, choir, general music, and commercial music in various Illinois and Indiana school districts.          www.audleyreid.com/aboutaudley.html
www.miyomardosz.com

Tad-TeeMac-Janik ( Tadeusz Janik )

Composer, arranger, producer, keyboardist, band leader Collaborated on stage and in the studio with some of Chicago`s best jazz/blues artists including Frank D`Rone, Geraldine de Haas , Josie Falbo, Mr.Blotto, Dave Dirge to name just a few Well known for his admirable musical versatility Currently putting finishing touches on his long awated Album to be released in a matter of weeks His appearance at the fest will feature collaboration with a local blues harp legend Buzz Krantz aka The Blues Santa. The set will include some scorching original boogie woogies as well a couple of blues/jazz standards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh0aZlG0iTc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ5wuB4NB-E

Arek Religa

Arek Religa - musician, composer, guitarist. Winner of many prestigious awards, including: Semi-finalist in "Yamaha 6 String Theory Guitar Competition" 2012. Third place in the "Guitar Player's Guitar Superstar 2011. "Hollywood Music Awards" 2008 winner in the "New Age" category. His album, "In memory of the Greatests" was nominated for the "Los Angeles Music Awards" 2008 for best instrumental album of the year. These are just a few of the many achievements Religa has won.

Arek Religa – guitars
Gabriel Chorabik – drums
Leszek Fil – bass, sax, midi


www.arekreliga.com
http://www.youtube.com/arekreliga
www.facebook.com/arekreliga

Matt Ulery

Matt Ulery is a Chicago based bassist and composer. A graduate of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and DePaul University, Ulery has penned more than 200 compositions during the course of his still-young career. He leads his own septet, Loom, as well as being a contributing member of the Balkan-inspired group Eastern Blok, which features Serbian guitar master Goran Ivanovic.  He has also been the bassist and collaborator with Polish-born singer Grazyna Auguscik for eight years involving multiple musical projects.  He has performed and recorded with a lengthy list of notable collaborators, including Fareed Haque, Howard Levy, Patricia Barber, Ron Perrillo, Jeff Parker, In Tall Buildings, and many others.  With his recent double CD release of "By a Little Light" on Dave Douglas's Greenleaf Music label, Ulery continues to receive critical acclaim with new projects to date and beyond.   “Greenleaf is proud to be able to release Matt’s most ambitious music to date. I am most impressed by the pure emotion captured on this recording. By A Little Light is a pure outpouring of feeling. Beyond that richness there is the audacity and strength involved in organizing such a large and cohesive group.” —Dave Douglas “an increasingly intriguing figure in new-music Chicago, his work… …impossible-to-categorize and viscerally communicative.” —Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune “Points with conviction to a new generation of Chicago jazz innovators.” —Neil Tesser, Chicago Reader

Matt Ulery - double bass and compositions
Rob Clearfield - piano and accordion 
Jon Deitemyer - drums
Geof Bradfield - bass clarinet
Marquis Hill - trumpet


www.mattulery.com
www.greenleafmusic.com/byalittlelight

Jarosław Śmietana

Jarosław Śmietana - one of the premiere jazz musicians in Poland. For many years, jazz guitarist No.1 in jazz critics' and listeners' pools (magazines: Jazz Forum, Jazz, Gitara i Bass, Muzyk). Winner of "Fryderyk '98" award for "Songs And Other Ballads". Honoured with President of Cracow Prize for eminent achievements on culture. One of the top guitar players in Europe. Since 1975 till 1981, he was the leader of the legendary Polish jazz group "Extra Ball". Since 1982 till today he was the leader of the following groups: "Sounds", Big Band "Symphonic Sound Orchestra", "Polish Jazz Stars Band" (with most of the top jazz musicans from Poland). He was also a co-leader of very famous "Namysłowski-Śmietana Quartet". Jarek Śmietana has been playing all around the world (major festivals, concert tours, workshops) including USA and India. During his musical career he has been playing and recording together with such great artists: Art Farmer, Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Henderson, Joe Zawinul, Gary Bartz, Carter Jefferson, Vince Mednoza, John Abercrombie, Hamiet Bluiett, Idris Muhammad, Ronnie Burrage, Harvie Swartz, Mike Stern, Jack Wilkins, Zbigniew Seifert, Cameron Brown, Andy McKee, Greg Brandy, David Gilmore, Dave Friedman. Śmietana is a very talented composer and teacher, too. He wrote about 200 jazz songs and has been leading many workshops and clinics. His dicography includes 23 recordsa as a leader and plenty of records as a sideman with other artists. In last years Śmietana together with world known jazz giants created a lot of very interesting "special jazz projects".

www.jareksmietana.pl

Adam Czerwiński

Adam Czerwiński - Adam has been playing drums for more than 25 years. Currently an active freelance performer and educator. Adam has well over 60 CD's to his credit, including recent collaborations with guitarist Jarek Śmietana. He also recorded four CDs as a leader of his own group. Over the years, he has travelled to more than 30 countries and had the pleasure of playing and/or recording with great musicians like: Art Farmer, Garry Bartz, John Abercrombie, Bennie Maupin, Larry Goldings, John Purcelle, James Newton, Larry Koonse, Bennie Wallace, Harvie S, Nigel Kennedy and many others.

www.adamczerwinski.com

Bill Neal

Bill Neal is a musician, vocalist, saxophonist, guitarist and composer. He has been performing on stage since the age of five. As a child, he performed at the Royal English Opera and Covent Garden Opera. He has also ventured in film during an episode with Sophia Loren and Richard Burton. His love of sailing and the most eccentric has entered him into the Guinness Book of Records for crossing the English Channel in a bathtub. When he decided to devote himself to music fully, he created the group The Right Honorable Gentlemen and went on tour in Germany. Another endeavor is Bill the Rhythm Machine, where musicians of such caliber as Robert Plant and Mick Jagger and even the English princess: Diana and Anna were invited. He had the opportunity to record at the famous Abbey Road studios. In 1997, Bill first came to Poland, where he fell in love a year later and married Eve and built a house in Poland. He has returned to Australia, but regularly flies to Europe several times a year. In the UK, he is leading the team of General Confusion, which performed at London's Savoy. Recently he has been recording and performing with Jarek Smietana. Soon in Chicago... All Souls' Day on November 12 at the Chopin Theatre ... all are welcome, come witness jazz magic .... I highly recommend it!

www.billyneal.net