Kuba Stankiewicz - Inspired by Ludomir Różycki (2023)

One of Poland’s most compelling jazz pianists, Kuba Stankiewicz has shared the stage with, among others, Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Artie Shaw, and Art Farmer. For many years he has explored the impact of pre-WWII film music on jazz, which has resulted in splendid releases of music by Victor Young, Bronisław Kaper, Henryk Wars, as well as their teacher Roman Statkowski. Stankiewicz’s variations on themes from Różycki’s works are the next stage of his journey in search for the sources of jazz.

Pianist and composer Ludomir Różycki, arguably one of the greatest representatives of the ‘Young Poland’ movement in music, was the author of fine operas (notably Boleslaus the Bold, Eros and Psyche, Casanova). Though in Polish opera history he remained in the shadow of Stanisław Moniuszko, in many other fields he was considered best. He is remembered as the pioneer of the Polish national ballet, and he composed music for Poland’s first sound film with sound, The Morality of Mrs Dulska. Różycki was also head of the Polish Composers’ Association. On INSPIRED BY LUDOMIR RÓŻYCKI his legacy is informed, for the first time ever, by the genius of jazz.