Marcin Wasilewski Trio

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

The Marcin Wasilewski Trio is a Polish piano trio built around the pianist Marcin Wasilewski, with bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and drummer Michal Miskiewicz. The three play together on the German label ECM, which is known for its clear, spacious sound. Their album Trio was recorded in March 2004 and released in April 2005. Among others January (2008), Faithful (2011), Spark of Life (2014), Arctic Riff (2020) and En attendant (2021) followed.

Music and breakthrough

On Trio there is a distinctive mix of original compositions and work by others. The trio plays Björk's Hyperballad, a piece by the Polish composer Karol Szymanowski, Wayne Shorter's Plaza Real and Green Sky by the Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. In this way the three show that pop music, classical music and jazz are not separate worlds for them. Short, freely improvised pieces, such as the Trio Conversation at the beginning and end, are also part of the album.

Influence

The American reviewer Thom Jurek called the debut record full of colour, space, drama and beauty. He wrote that the three may not be flashy soloists, but play together so naturally that it sounds astonishing. That is also what makes this group special in Polish jazz: the piano trio works as a single instrument, in which no voice drowns out another.

Listening

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  January · Marcin Wasilewski Trio, 2008

Discography

Studio albums

• 2005Trio
• 2008January
• 2011Faithful
• 2014Spark of Life
• 2020Arctic Riff
• 2021En attendant