Polish-Jazz blog provides media patronage for new album by Marcin Olak Trio !!!

Marcin Olak Trio

Marcin Olak - classical and acoustic guitar
Maciej Szczyciński - bass
Hubert Zemler - drums
Mikołaj "Miki" Wielecki - percussion (tracks 7 & 8)

Crossing Borders (Luna Music, 2012)

Marcin Olak Trio is an exciting, new jazz group from Poland. Music - mostly Marcin's own compositions - can be placed somewhere between jazz and contemporary chamber music. It's concentrated around theacoustic and classical guitar sound, widened with double-bass and prepared drum set. What's interesting: Marcin Olak Trio is one of the few jazz bands in the world (!) when classical and acoustic guitars are are the lead instruments. Electronic instruments are not used, every sound is natural, and musicians become the only source of energy on stage, and a quite efficient one. The Trio played on the most important Polish jazz festivals, like:Warsaw Summer Jazz Days (2008 - that concert was recorded by Polish TV, TVP Kultura), Guitar City (2005, 2008), Jazz na Buduku (2006, 2008), Jazz w Ruinach (2007), Jazz Juniors (2005),Warsaw Underground Jazz (2003) etc. One of the most interesting events was Warsaw Guitar Festival (2008), when Marcin's concerto for jazz trio and symphony orchestra premiere performance took place.

Marcin Olak is one the most interesting Polish jazz guitar players. He is one of the few, who can play modern jazz on classical and acoustic guitars, using specific sound and articulation possibilities of those instruments; sometimes he plays electric guitar as well. He moves between various styles: jazz, classical and contemporary pieces, fully composed and improvised music. Marcin Olak peforms solo and in various bands: from free - jazz combos, through a classical guitar ensambles, up to the symphony orchestra. His own project: Marcin Olak Trio, is especially worth mentioning. The trio has released its first CD, Zealot in 2005. In 2008 another album, Simple Joy was released.

Marcin graduated Fryderyk Chopin's Musical Academy inWarsaw (PL) on classical guitar. He took part in numerous master classes with both classical guitarists (like David Russel or Jorge Cardoso) and jazz performers (like Ralph Towner or Scott Henderson).

Marcin Olak played on some cool guitar and jazz festivals: Warsaw Summer Jazz Days (2008), Warszawska Jesień (2007, 2009), Jazz na Buduku (2006, 2008), Jazz w Ruinach (2007), Guitar City (2005, 2008), Jazz Juniors (2005), Warsaw Underground Jazz (2003) and some more. Warsaw Guitar Festival in 2008 seems especially worth mentioning, as Marcin's own concerto for jazz guitar trio and orchestra was performed there for the first time. Marcin played in the most important concert halls in Poland, National Philharmony Hall inWarsaw and Polish Radio Witold Lutosławski Concert Studio among them. He made numerous recordings for polish radio and TV. He doesn't avoid jazz clubs anyway...

Marcin's improvising art has been appreciated by polish guitarists. As he is one of the very few improvising classical guitar players, Marcin's been asked to write workshops on jazz improvising and harmony in all - polish magazine: Top Guitar.

Tracklist: 1. Crossing Borders – episode 1, 2. Hej, od Krakowa jadę (Blue Deconstruction), 3. Ach, mój Jasieńko (Quasi ad libitum), 4. Na jabłoni jabłko wisi (Work Song), 5. Just One More Day, 6. Blue Study, 7. Waterfall, 8. Olive Tree, 9. Responsorium, 10. Katwar, 11. Infundybuła chronosynklastyczna, 12. Crossing borders – episode 2.