Sylwester Ostrowski - Jammin’ with KC (2020)

“Jamming with KC” is a postcard from Kansas City. This very special album is a result of a fearless expedition to the birthplace of Charlie “Bird” Parker, one of the greatest, if not the greatest and most influential musician in the history of jazz, a trip to the city where he was born 100 years ago, where he grew up and where he was buried. The Polish-American encounter was part of the celebration of the Charlie Parker Centennial. The expedition had a lucky timing as it was undertaken in February 2020, just before the pandemic outbreak. Long was the trip from Warsaw to Kansas City, and long is the list of the headliners: Sylwester Ostrowski & Jazz Forum Talents feat. special guests Bobby Watson, Logan Richardson, Keyon Harrold, Eric Allen. The transatlantic adventure represents three different generations of jazz musicians. The honorable special guest is the Kansas City legend Bobby Watson – alto saxophonist of world fame, a former musical director of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, composer, and leader of his own brilliant projects. American drummer Eric Allen, now residing in Poland, should also be included among the seasoned veterans – he had worked with the Wallace Roney Quintet, Illinois Jacquet, and Lionel Hampton, among others. The middle generation includes the initiator – Polish tenor saxophonist Sylwester Ostrowski, as well as America’s new alto star Logan Richardson. Also hailing from Kansas City is the sought-after bassist Dominique Sanders who should be listed among the young warriors, as he is a contemporary of the new faces from Poland who jumped on the bandwagon: pianist Kasia Pietrzko, saxophonist Marek Kądziela, guitarist Jakub Mizeracki, violinist Tomasz Chyła, and harmonica whiz Kacper Smoliński. They were selected at last year’s Jazz Forum Showcase powered by Szczecin Jazz, hence the name of the constellation: Jazz Forum Talents.