Krzysztof Komeda Quintet

A previously unpublished recording of the Krzysztof Komeda Quintet's performances at the first jazz festival in Prague in 1964. An important, significant stop in the jazz career of the legendary pianist and composer appears on disc more than half a century after its recording. And it continues to delight.

Krzysztof Komeda was received extremely enthusiastically in Prague. His original Quintet, by the way, played at an incredibly high level, electrifying the audience gathered in Prague's Lucerna. The energy of the Ostaszewski-Bartkowski rhythm section and the unusual consonances of Stanko and Urbaniak give the music a unique character. Just like the unique, memorable melodic material and the bravura improvisations derived from it. It's no wonder that Czechs lingered in genuine awe after listening to the frenetic version of "Roman Two," the enchanting lyricism of "Sophia's Tune" or the extended version of "Svantetic," which lasted almost twenty minutes.

The recordings of Krzysztof Komeda's Quintet from the first Prague International Jazz Festival have been remastered by Andrzej Poniatowski from original tapes from the archives of Českého rozhlas. The booklet features unique photos by Marek Karewicz taken during these performances alongside a short text. A vinyl version is also in preparation.