Zbigniew Namysłowski

Born on September 9, 1939, in Warsaw, Poland, Zbigniew Namysłowski is a jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer. At the age of six, he began studying the piano but switched to the cello when he was 12. He also studied the alto and soprano saxophone, flute, and trombone. Zbigniew Namysłowski attended the Warsaw High School of Music and studied music theory at the before he began his musical career as a trombonist in a trad jazz band. He then focused his attention on the alto saxophone and formed his first quartet in 1963 and toured Europe and Asia amongst other countries. He came to prominence in 1964 when he introduced audiences in the UK and Europe to the vibrant jazz scene in the (now former) Soviet bloc countries. His playing, which was hugely influenced by bebop, was reminiscent of icons like Jackie McLean, but his music also contained elements of improv and Polish folk music. His catalog consists of acclaimed albums such as Lola (1964), Zbigniew Namysłowski Quartet (1966), Astigmatic (1966), Winobranie (1973), and Jasmin Lady (1978). In the 1980s, he slightly moved away from his avant-garde bebop roots and added rock and fusion elements to his sound. Other albums in his catalog include Air Condition (1981), Open (1987), Without Talk (1991) Dances (1997), Go! (2003), Assymetry (2006), and Nice & Easy (2009). Over the course of his career, he has also collaborated with other artists including the Komeda Quintet, the Polish Jazz Summit, Jazz Rockers, Jazz & Rock Machine, and many others.

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