Top Polish Jazz Pianist Back in New Zealand

Top Polish Jazz Pianist Back in New Zealand with a Solo Project

Following a successful performance at the Wellington Jazz Festival and a tour around Australia last June with his Trio, one of the most renowned Polish jazz pianists is back in New Zealand. Artur Dutkiewicz will present contemporary jazz from his solo album Mazurkas. On Waiheke Island (5 April) he will perform a special recital on the grand Bechstein brought to New Zealand in 1904 by Ignacy Paderewski, Polish-born “King of the Piano”. In Hamilton (7 April) we will see a great musical and cultural collaboration with the Polish guitarist Maciek Hrybowicz and his Uruguayan, New Zealand and Maori Banda de la Casa. In Auckland Dutkiewicz will play an intimate concert on 8 April, while in Tauranga (10 April) he will perform at the evening of classic jazz alongside the exhibition of contemporary Polish theatre posters. The tour has been proudly brought by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in New Zealand.

Pieces on Mazurkas refer to the European improvised music roots stemming from the tradition of classical and modern trends. In this program classical music, Polish folk music and trance jazz improvisation are combined as one original whole. This is a pioneering project in contemporary solo piano music.

Mazurka - or in Polish mazurek - is a Polish folk dance which originated in the plains of Mazovia, a historical region in mid Poland, around Warsaw. Only several Polish classical composers have written mazurkas, with the best known being Fryderyk Chopin for solo piano, Karol Szymanowski and Henryk Wieniawski for violin and piano. Artur Dutkiewicz is one of a very few today’s world composers of jazz mazurkas – said Agnieszka Kacperska, Polish Consul who is to open Dutkiewicz’s recital at the Whittaker’s Music Museum on Waiheke Island tomorrow.

Dutkiewicz was a finalist of the Thelonious Monk Competition in Washington, USA and the first Polish musician who played solo recital at MIDEM in Cannes. Artur performs more than most other Polish jazz musicians, both as a soloist and with his Trio. One of the Trio’s records - “Hendrix Piano” - is the first ever jazz album presenting Jimmy Hendrix’s music on piano jazz trio. In the last few years he has performed at many of the greatest festivals and events in more than 50 countries around the world. He creates music that is expressive, moody and absorbing, combining Slavic lyricism, contemporary improvisation with elements of folk music.

He recorded 5 albums as a leader and many more with other artists. Dutkiewicz has collaberated with Polish and international jazz musicians such as Tomasz Szukalski, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Darek Oles, Urszula Dudziak, Tadeusz Nalepa, Jorgos Skolias, as well as Carlos Johnson, Deborah Brown, Michelle Hendrics, Alaine Brunet, Pierre Michelot, Hiram Bulock and many others.

Artur Dutkiewicz Solo Piano „Mazurka Africa”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aUn7_Awuu8

Artur Dutkiewicz Solo Piano „Mazurka Improvisation”

www.youtu.be/LUM0hUQLnu0

Artur Dutkiewicz Solo Piano „Mazurka Oberka”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GD9Nothe1s

Artur Dutkiewicz Solo Piano "Giridhari"

tp://www.youtu.be/XOKjCyTHPRI

TOUR DETAILS:

5 April, 7pm - Whittaker's Music Museum, Waiheke Island - free entry

http://www.musicalmuseum.org/assets/Artists/Artur-Dutkiewicz_Waiheke_FINAL.jpg

7 April, 7.30pm - Founders Theatre, Hamilton

tickets: http://premier.ticketek.co.nz/shows/show.aspx?sh=ARTURDUT16

More info: http://www.founderstheatre.co.nz/events/229/artur-dutkiewicz

8 April, 7.30pm – Lewis Eady, 75 Great South Rd, Auckland – free entry

info: http://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2016/artur-dutkiewicz-the-ambassador-of-polish-jazz/auckland/browns-bay

10 April 5pm - Tauranga Art Gallery

tickets: $20/$15 Call 07 578 7933 for bookings

http://www.artgallery.org.nz/events/artur-dutkiewicz-solo-piano-theatre-poster-display

ENDS

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