LEZEK MOZDZER SOLO

Immerse yourself in the extraordinary world of sounds of Leszek Możdżer — a jazz master whose concerts delight with virtuosity, emotions and a unique atmosphere. It is a musical journey that moves the imagination and remains in the memory for a long time

Leszek Możdżer — an outstanding pianist and composer, brought about a mental and stylistic revolution in Polish jazz, which no other jazzman had before.

He clothed difficult jazz phrases, complicated improvisations, melodic standards and subtlety of composition into the framework of a specific jazz, which — without exerting itself on effervescence towards listeners, commercialism and hit — became a vibrant expression of “Leszek Możdżer's jazz”. Jazz imagination, an interesting idea of improvisation, the subtlety of Chopin etudes and mazurkas, “comedic” inspirations - create in his music a new color for jazz piano chamber music.

It is one of the most interesting phenomena of Polish jazz in recent decades. Initially associated with the “yassa” formation Love. Then he appeared in many jazz configurations: from the bands of Emil Kowalski, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Tomasz Stańko, Buddy de Franco, David Friesen, Archie Shepp, Michał Urbaniak, Adam Pierończyk, Arthur Blyth. The pianist's extensive discography includes more than a hundred albums realized as his own projects or in collaboration with outstanding artists. He has recorded and toured with David Gilmour, Nana Vasconcelos, Marcus Miller, John Scofield, Tan Dun, Pat Metheny. Huge popularity and recognition brought the pianist concerts, recordings and cooperation with composer Zbigniew Preisner. Joint projects, such as “Requiem for my Friend” and “10 Easy Pieces for Solo Piano”, turned out to be outstanding artistic events.

The album “Impressions On Chopin” (recorded in 1999) has already entered a kind of canon of recordings inspired by the work of the brilliant Polish composer. Leszek Możdżer also collaborates with Jan A.P. Kaczmarek (recordings for the Oscar-winning soundtrack for the film “Dreamer” and the album “Kaczmarek by Możdżer”) as well as composes music for film and theater himself. The pianist finds himself most fully in solo projects and his own trio with Lars Danielsson and Zohar Fresco (the album “The Time” recorded in 2005 reached the status of Diamond Disc, “Between Us And The Light” (2006), “Live” (2007), “Poland” (2013) achieved the status of Double Platinum Disc). In 2017, he recorded an album with Holland Baroque entitled “Earth Particles”. In 2021, Just Ignor It was released with Lars Danielsson, Zohar Fresco and Holland Baroque. He is also the artistic director of the Enter Enea Festival.

For the music for the film by Maciej Pieprzyca entitled: “Ikar. The Legend of Mietka Kosza”, Leszek Możdżer received the award in the Best Music category at the 44th Feature Film Festival in Gdynia, the Eagles Film Award 2020, the award for the best Polish Soundtrack of the Year 2019 awarded by 50 music and film experts within the framework of the Film Music Festival in Krakow, the 9th Grand Prix Komeda Film Festival and the Fryderyk Award in the Album category Illustrative Music of the Year. The sound track was also awarded with the following awards: MoCarty RMF Classic, Olśnienia Onetu, Empik Bestseller nomination and the Special Award of the 34th Tarnów Film Award.

Leszek Możdżer thus reveals himself as the creator of a new style in jazz music, where sound and atmosphere are built by impression and mood and unique author's performance style. Perhaps that is why the pianist is accepted as an eloquent creator of jazz for the younger generation: a sophisticated artistic proposal, composed of musical fascinations and discoveries of Leszek Możdżer - the most popular jazz musician in Poland today.

© Dionizy Piątkowski author of the Polish Encyclopedia of Jazz