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Tomasz Stańko

 
Artist: Tomasz Stanko

Influenced By:

Performed Songs By:

Peter Warren, Edward Vesala, Tomasz Szukalski

Formal Connection With:

  • Born: July 11, 1942, Rzeszów, Poland
  • Active: '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s, 2000s
  • Genres: Jazz
  • Instrument: Trumpet
  • Representative Albums: "A Farewell to Maria", "Soul of Things", "Rarum, Vol. 17: Selected Recordings

Biography

Jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko began his tenure as a major force in European free jazz in the early '60s with the formation of the quartet Jazz Darins in 1962 with Adam Makowicz. From 1963 to 1967 he played with Krzysztof Komeda in a group that revolutionized European jazz and made an impact across the Atlantic as well. Stanko also put in time with Andrzej Trzaskowski in the mid-'60s before leading his own quintet from 1968 to 1973. The Tomasz Stanko Quintet, which included Muniak and Zbigniew Seifert, garnered considerable critical acclaim, especially for their tribute to Komeda entitled Music for K. The early '70s brought collaborations with a number of avant-garde and creative jazz artists, including the Globe Unity Orchestra, Michal Urbaniak, Cecil Taylor, and Gary Peacock. From 1974 to 1978, Stanko played in a quartet with Edward Vesala, then returned to performing as a leader and soloist. The '80s brought Stanko collaborations with Chico Freeman in Freeman's group Heavy Life, as well as work with James Spaulding, Jack DeJohnette, and Rufus Reid. He was also briefly part of Cecil Taylor's big band in 1984. Shortly afterward, he formed another ensemble, Freelectronic. The '90s brought an alliance with ECM, which issued some of Stanko's most acclaimed work, including another lush, gorgeous tribute to Komeda, 1997's Litania, which was heavy with that composer's film work. The follow-up on ECM, 2000's From the Green Hill, drew from many of the same emotional and historic sources as Komeda's work, but this time the compositions were Stanko's. In 2002, Stanko's contributions to European jazz were honored when he was issued the very first European Prize, which was intended to honor outstanding European jazz musicians. During the final round of voting from 21 critics from as many countries, Stanko won ten votes, narrowly topping the runner-up, Dutch piano player Misha Mengelberg. That same year Soul of Things was released on ECM, followed by Suspended Night in 2004, also on ECM. Too Pee appeared in 2006, as did Chameleon and Lontano. ~ Stacia Proefrock, All Music Guide
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Wikipedia: Tomasz Stańko
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Tomasz Stańko

Photo by Tomek Broszkiewicz
Background information
Born July 11, 1942 (1942-07-11) (age 67)
Origin Rzeszów, Poland
Genres Jazz
Instruments Trumpet
Labels ECM (current)
Associated acts Krzysztof Komeda
Jazz Darlings
Edward Vesala
Globe Unity Orchestra
Adam Makowicz
Cecil Taylor
Bobo Stenson
Antymos Apostolis
Tony Oxley
Palle Danielsson
Zbigniew Seifert
Simple Acoustic Trio
Leszek Możdżer
Anna Maria Jopek
Voo Voo
Motion Trio
Osjan
Website www.tomaszstanko.com

Tomasz Stańko (born July 11, 1942) is a Polish trumpeter, composer and improviser. Often recording for ECM, Stańko is strongly associated with free jazz and the avant-garde.

Coming to prominence in the early 1960s alongside pianist Adam Makowicz in the Jazz Darlings, Stańko later collaborated with pianist Krzysztof Komeda, notably on Komeda's pivotal 1966 album Astigmatic[1]. In 1968, Stańko formed an acclaimed quintet that included Zbigniew Seifert on violin and alto saxophone, and in 1975 he formed the Tomasz Stańko-Adam Makowicz Unit. Stańko has since established a reputation as a leading figure not only in Polish jazz, but on the world stage as well, working with many notable musicians, including Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Reggie Workman,[2] Rufus Reid, Lester Bowie, David Murray, Manu Katche and Chico Freeman. In 1984 he was a member of Cecil Taylor's big band.[3]

Stańko lost his natural teeth in the 1990s, though over time he developed a new embouchure with the help of a skilled dentist and monotonous practice. He would spend long hours playing what he deemed to be "boring" long tones which helped to strengthen his lip, in spite of playing with the disadvantage of false teeth.[4]

Contents

Biography

I don't go out much. I don't drive a car. I don't have a hobby, like golf. Only music. I stopped drinking and I stopped doping. I stopped for financial reasons, to be independent, not for health. I am a strong guy.
—Tomasz Stańko[4]

Tomasz Stańko was born in Rzeszów, Poland on July 11, 1942.[5] His first encounters with jazz were through Voice of America radio programs and tours initiated by the U.S. State Department. Coming of age in Communist Poland, Stanko was impressed by the correlation jazz had with a message of freedom. In 1958 he saw his first jazz concert given by Dave Brubeck.[6] While attending the Cracow Music Academy he formed his first group in 1962, the Jazz Darlings, along with the pianist Adam Makowicz; the group took inspiration from the music of individuals such as Ornette Coleman, George Russell and Miles Davis and is considered by many critics to be the first group in Europe to perform in the free jazz medium.[7]

Tomasz Stańko performing in 2007.

In 1963 Stanko joined the Krzysztof Komeda quintet, where he learned much of what he now knows of harmony, musical structure and asymmetry. During his career with Komeda, which concluded in 1967, Stanko did five tours with the pianist and recorded eleven albums with him. In 1968 Stanko formed a quintet that met critical acclaim—one that included Zbigniew Seifert on violin and alto saxophone.[8] In 1970 he joined the Globe Unity Orchestra, and in 1971 he did collaborations with Krysztof Penderecki and Don Cherry. Not long after he formed a quartet that included himself and the drummer Edward Vesala. His performances with Vesala are often considered to me some of his most important work.[7] In 1975 he formed the Tomasz Stańko-Adam Makowicz Unit.[8]

During the 1980s he traveled to India and recorded solo work in the Taj Mahal, and also worked with Vesala in groups led by Chico Freeman and Howard Johnson. In the mid-1980s he began doing extensive work with Cecil Taylor, performing in his big bands and also led various groups of his own, including COCX (with Vitold Rek). Then, before returning to ECM Records, Stanko also worked in a trio that included himself, Arild Andersen and Jon Christensen.[7] In 1993 Stanko formed a new quartet composed of the then 16 year-old drummer Michal Miskiewicz, along with Miskiewicz's two friends pianist Marcin Wasilewski and bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz.[9]. That same year he also formed an international quartet that included Bobo Stenson, Tony Oxley and Anders Jormin.[7]; in 1994 the quartet released their first ECM recording titled Matka Joanna. In 1997 Stanko formed a group which performed the songs of pianist Krzysztof Komeda, touring London, Copenhagen, Stockholm and appearing at jazz festivals like those in Nancy and Berlin. The idea for the project came from the president of ECM Records, Manfred Eicher.[4] Stańko is currently represented by Addeo Music International (AMI).

Criticism

Derk Richardson has written for the San Francisco Chronicle that, "Tomasz Stanko is not the first jazz musician to negotiate a rapprochement between gorgeous melodies and free improvisation. But he is one of the most eloquent proponents of extemporaneous lyricism working today."[10] Author Brian Morton has compared Stanko's lyricism to that of Miles Davis, calling it a "direct but individual offshoot."[11]

Selected discography

As leader

As collaborator

Soundtracks

DVD

Gallery

Notes

  1. ^ Cook, Bernard A. (2001). Europe Since 1945: An Encyclopedia, Vol. II K-Z. p. 1020. 
  2. ^ Heffley, Mike (2005). Northern Sun, Southern Moon: Europe's Reinvention of Jazz. p. 176. 
  3. ^ Yanow, Scott (2000). Trumpet Kings: The Players who Shaped the Sound of Jazz Trumpet. p. 351. 
  4. ^ a b c Zwerin, Mike (1997-10-13). "The Soul of Polish Jazz and the Free Market". International Herald Tribune. http://www.iht.com/articles/1997/10/03/stanko.t.php. 
  5. ^ Yanow, Scott (2003). Jazz on Record: The First Sixty Years. p. 251. 
  6. ^ Chinen, Nate (2006). Trumpeting Freedom, in Spirit, Thought and Jazz. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/25/arts/music/25stan.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss. 
  7. ^ a b c d "Tomasz Stańko biography". http://www.tomaszstanko.com/Tomasz_Stanko_The_Jazz_Trumpeter_and_Composer.html. 
  8. ^ a b Carr, Ian; Digby Fairweather; Brian Priestley. The Rough Guide to Jazz. p. 499. 
  9. ^ Himes, Geoffrey (2005-03-11). "MARCIN WASILEWSKI SLAWOMIR KURKIEWICZ MICHAL MISKIEWICZ "Trio" ECM". http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/03/25/AR2005032506211_pf.html. 
  10. ^ Richardson, Derk (2006). "Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko creates intense, rigorously intelligent acoustic jazz". http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2006/10/05/derk.DTL&hw=jazz&sn=008&sc=628. 
  11. ^ Morton, Brian (2005). Miles Davis. p. 151. 

References

External links


 
 
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