Vitold Rek

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Vitold Rek (2009)

Vitold Rek (* 18th October 1955 in Rzeszów , Poland as Witold E. Szczurek ) is a resident in Germany of Polish double bassist and composer of the Creative Jazz . He began his career under his maiden name Witold Szczurek - u. a. as a longtime sideman of Tomasz Stańko . His predilection for virtuoso archery is characteristic . In recent years he has increasingly turned to the diverse roots of European music.

Live and act

Vitold Rek studied classical double bass at the Kraków Music Academy and has played with important Polish jazz players such as Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski , Jan Jarczyk , Sławomir Kulpowicz , Zbigniew Namysłowski , Vladyslav Sendecki , Tomasz Stańko and Kazimierz Jonkisz since 1975 . He has lived and worked in the Rhine-Main area since the late 1980s. Live performances and recordings with Karl Berger , Albert Mangelsdorff , Emil Mangelsdorff , John Tchicai , Peter Giger , Charlie Mariano , Gerd Dudek , Heinz Sauer , Jasper van't Hof , Ralf Hübner , Bob Degen , Christof Lauer and Makaya Ntshoko prove that the bass player plays an active role in the European jazz scene.

Important festival appearances are the Jazz Jamboree in Warsaw (1978-88), Montreux Jazz Festival (1987), the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague (1990), Jazz in Willisau (1991), the JazzFest Berlin (1992), the Leipziger Jazz Days (2004), the ISB Double Bass Convention Indianapolis, USA (2001) and the Banlieues Bleues near Paris (2006).

His style on the double bass reflects both his jazzy background and his classical training. For several years he has been turning more and more to (Eastern) European folklore. In his album Polish Jazz Explosion , a traditional folklore band meets well-known European free jazz musicians. The music of his youngest formation, the East West Wind , with accordionist Jarosław Bester from the Cracow Klezmer Band and percussionist Ramesh Shotham , continues among others. a. with the traditional music of his homeland, the klezmer .

Vitold Rek also works with German authors by improvising for their readings. With Oskar Ansull and Theo Jörgensmann he developed a Johannes Bobrowski program. He has also recorded a CD with the poet Johann P. Tammen.

He teaches jazz double bass and directs ensembles at the University of Music in Mainz, previously also in Frankfurt am Main.

Prizes and awards

For the CD recording with the Emil Mangelsdorff Quartet Blues Forever (Bellaphon CDLR 714427), Rek received the German Record Critics' Prize 1-2008. In autumn 2008 Tomasz Stańko's 5 CD album "1970–1975–1984–1986–1988" ( Metal Mind Productions ) was awarded the platinum record in Poland (Rek was involved in three of the CD recordings (Music 81, Lady Go and Switzerland-Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival)) with. He is awarded the Hessian Jazz Prize 2013.

Discographic notes

  • Flyin 'Lady - Jan Pt. Wroblewski Quartet (Muza Pl.); 1978
  • COCX - Tomasz Stańko (Pronit Pl.); 1983
  • Freelectronic: The Montreux Performance - Tomasz Stańko (ITM 0023); 1987
  • Art of The Duo Vol.1 - John Tchicai, Vitold Rek (Enja 8008-2); 1993
  • Jazzz - with Peter Giger and Gerd Dudek (B + W 029 GB); 1993
  • Elvira Plenar-Vitold Rek - with Elvira Plenar (Bellaphon CDLR 45089); 1994
  • Mondspinner - with Christof Lauer & Ralf Hübner (Free Flow Music 0796); 1996
  • The Erik Satie Project - Fritz Hartschuh Quartet (Konnex KCD 5086); 1998
  • Bassifiddle alla polacca - Vitold Rek Solo - double bass, vocals (TMP 503); 1997 & 1998
  • John Tchicai, Vitold Rek, Karl Berger - 2 × 2 (TMP 505); 1991, 1992 & 2000;
  • The Polish Folk Explosion - Kapela Resoviana feat. Albert Mangelsdorff, Charlie Mariano, John Tchicai, Vitold Rek, Gilbert Matthews , Ryszard Bajor, Lukasz Plis, Sebastian Karpiel-Bulecka, Marek Maja Labunowicz, Edward Markocki, Kasia Pikor (TMP 507); 2001
  • Charlie Mariano & Vitold Rek feat. Peter Reiter - Cathedral vol. 1 (TMP CD 611); 2005
  • Home - East West Wind featuring Jaroslaw Bester & Ramesh Shotham (TMP CD 515); 2007

Web links

Single receipts

  1. ↑ According to Elliott Simon from All About Jazz , Vitold Rek is one of the most important Polish musicians.
  2. ↑ His CD “Polish Jazz Explosion” counts Cezary Lerski from PolishJazz.Com to the ten most important Polish jazz productions.
  3. ↑ Hessian Jazz Prize 2013 for Vitold Rek
personal data
SURNAME Rek, Vitold
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Szczurek, Witold E.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Polish jazz musician
DATE OF BIRTH October 18, 1955
PLACE OF BIRTH Rzeszów , Poland