Tomasz Ludwik Stańko was a Polish trumpeter and composer associated with free jazz and the avant-garde.
Krzysztof Trzciński, known professionally as Krzysztof Komeda, was a Polish film music composer and jazz pianist. Perhaps best known for his work in film scores, Komeda wrote the scores for Roman Polanski’s films Knife in the Water (1962), Cul-de-sac (1966), The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967), and Rosemary’s Baby (1968). Komeda's album Astigmatic (1965) is often considered one of the most important European jazz albums. British critic Stuart Nicholson describes the album as "marking a shift away from the dominant American approach with the emergence of a specific European aesthetic."
Bobo Stenson is a Swedish jazz pianist. The Bobo Stenson Trio, formed in collaboration with Anders Jormin (bass) and Jon Fält (drums), has been in existence for over five decades.
The Fat and the Lean is a short silent, comic film written and directed by Roman Polanski in 1961. Polanski shot this short film just after graduating from The National Film School in Łódź in 1959; it was made in France and was Polanski's last film before the international breakthrough of his 1962 debut feature, Knife in the Water. The Fat and the Lean features the music of Krzysztof Komeda, who composed the scores for all but one of the director's films between Two Men and a Wardrobe (1958) and Rosemary's Baby (1968).
Polish jazz has a history that spans periods of both acceptance and political repression.
Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 American psychological horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on Ira Levin's 1967 novel. The film stars Mia Farrow as a newlywed living in Manhattan who becomes pregnant, but soon begins to suspect that her neighbors are members of a Satanic cult who are grooming her in order to use her baby for their rituals. The film's supporting cast includes John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy, Patsy Kelly, Angela Dorian, and Charles Grodin in his feature film debut.
Bernt Åke Rosengren was a Swedish jazz tenor saxophonist. His recordings earned him five Gyllene Skivan awards in Sweden over more than forty years.
Solid Gold 68 is the thirty-fifth studio album by American guitarist Chet Atkins, released on RCA Victor LSP-4061. It is the first in a series of three albums providing Chet with the opportunity to interpret some of the pop hits of the year. It reached No. 18 on the Country Album charts.
John and Mary is a 1969 American romantic drama film directed by Peter Yates, and starring Dustin Hoffman and Mia Farrow in the title roles. It was the film debut of Tyne Daly. The screenplay was adapted by John Mortimer from the 1966 Mervyn Jones novel.
Mia and Roman is a 1968 23-minute documentary film which was shot during the making of Rosemary's Baby. The title refers to Mia Farrow and Roman Polanski.
Vitold Rek is a double bassist, composer and music educator. He studied classical double bass at the Academy of Music in Kraków when Krzysztof Penderecki was rector there. His playing "unites jazz influences with classical and East European folk elements", with a focus on live performance and composition.
Litania – Music of Krzysztof Komeda is an album by the Tomasz Stańko Septet recorded in February 1997 and released on ECM later that year, featuring compositions by Krzysztof Komeda. The septet features saxophonists Bernt Rosengren and Joakim Milder and rhythm section Terje Rypdal, Bobo Stenson, Palle Danielsson and Jon Christensen.
From the Green Hill is an album by Polish jazz trumpeter and composer Tomasz Stańko recorded in August 1998 and released on ECM later that year. The sextet features reed player John Surman, bandoneonist Dino Saluzzi, violinist Michelle Makarski, and rhythm section Anders Jormin and Jon Christensen.
Lontano is an album by the Tomasz Stańko Quartet, recorded in November 2005 and released on ECM the following year. The quartet features rhythm section Marcin Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz and Michal Miskiewicz.
California Soul is an album by the Gerald Wilson Orchestra recorded in 1968 and released on the Pacific Jazz label.
Astigmatic is a studio album by Polish jazz pianist and composer Krzysztof Komeda. It is often considered to be Komeda's masterpiece as well as one of the greatest albums of both Polish and European jazz.
Finian's Rainbow is an album by bandleader Stan Kenton recorded in 1968 for Capitol Records.
Janusz Józef Muniak was a Polish jazz musician, saxophonist, flutist, arranger, and composer. He was one of the pioneers of free jazz in Europe, although later in life tended towards the mainstream.
Litania is the Latin term for litany, the plural is litaniae.
Maciej Obara is a Polish jazz musician, composer and bandleader.
