ZAMEK Culture Centre

"Renaissance Gesualdo" is another programme inspired by music of the 16th century, prepared by a Gadt/Chojniacki/Gradziuk trio. The previous album Renaissance, released in 2017, brought the band many concerts, critical and audience favour, and Anna Gadt the special recognition of being nominated for a Fryderyk Award in the Artist of the Year category.

"Renaissance Gesualdo" is a programme inspired by and directly referring to the works of Carlo Gesualdo da Venosa, an Italian composer of the Renaissance, an eccentric and controversial figure, whose works were referred to, among others, by Monteverdi and Johann Sebastian Bach. A tale spun by Gadt, Chojniacki and Gradziuk is freely inspired by da Venosa's compositions. Above all, however, it is a well-thought-out and consistently conducted narrative, intended to introduce the listener to the world of free renaissance. The concept behind the music played by the trio is to translate the renaissance past into the language of contemporary improvised music and jazz.

It becomes a challenge for improvising musicians to reread strongly defined renaissance compositions and look at them through the prism of contemporary harmony and total freedom of expression. Gesualdo's music performed by the trio is full of contrasts; it intimidates with its delicacy, whispers and consonances, only to shatter the subtlety with a harsh, piercing sound. This music is moving, soulful, at times frightening and intimidating, funny, tender, sensual and for many probably iconoclastic, repulsive and controversial. Binding the diversity together is a philosophy of music based on three pillars: courage / sincerity / spontaneity.

Zbigniew Chojnacki - accordion / electronics; Krzysztof Gradziuk - percussion and various instruments; Anna Gadt - voice

Anna Gadt - improvising jazz vocalist, pianist and composer. She has seven original albums to her credit. She gave concerts in, among others, France, Germany, Switzerland, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia. Grand Prix winner of Jazz Struggle – an international competition of singing musicians. In 2018, she was nominated for a Fryderyk Award in the Artist of the Year category. Participant of the Polish Stage at the European Jazz Conference. In addition to her own quartet, she is the originator of the Renaissance trio. She has collaborated with Markus Stockhausen (Jazz Juniors festival), Liberty Ellman (Jazz Jamboree), Paweł Mykietyn ("Czarodziejska Góra" (Magic Mountain) opera, "Wyliczanka na trzech głos i dziewięć instrumentów" (Counting out for three voices and nine instruments)), among others. In addition to singing in its traditional sense, she seeks unobvious sounds and performance techniques. She gets her inspiration from art, literature and life. She is fascinated by a human being and its creative capabilities.

Zbigniew Chojnacki – accordionist, improviser. He perceives music and sounds freely and conventionally, dialogue and meeting other people being the most important. Any manner of sound production is a facilitator in making contact with people. He draws inspiration from elements most often not directly related to music, as he says, "an old washing machine, a blade of grass, the whirr of a bus engine or even an ordinary chair in the middle of the stage can be inspiring". Despite his young age, he has already cooperated with many outstanding musicians, including John Derek Bishop (TORTUSA), Ramon Prats, Yuhan Su, Joelle Leandre, David Kollar, Adam Pierończyk, Krzysztof Knittel.

Krzysztof Gradziuk – drummer and jazz educator. Graduate of the Jazz Institute at the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music in Katowice. Grant holder of the Hohschule für Musik und Theater in Lipsk. Member of the RGG trio. Regular collaborator of top Polish jazz musicians, including Tomasz Stańko, he has given concerts with Andy Sheppard, Trevor Watts and Evan Parker, among others. An aesthete of percussive sound, colourist and melodicist. The artistic truth he speaks is fuelled by his innate scepticism and reluctance to compromise.

Before purchasing a ticket, please read the regulations valid at CC ZAMEK!

JazZamek – initiated in September 2016 at CC ZAMEK, a series of concerts presenting jazz in its various forms. Every few weeks, through JazZamek, we want to bring the audience closer to the latest achievements of both Polish and foreign musicians, who freely and with excellent results cross the boundaries between jazz, classical, ethnic or contemporary music. JazZamek's carefully selected programme will feature the most creative artists, both those already established in the music industry and promising newcomers, including winners of the most important competitions for jazz musicians.

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