Lichtanski’s Outstanding Polish Jazz Affair With Shillong And Assam, Northeast

  

First but not the last music affair of Wojciech Lichtanski’s band with Northeast who won strong applause from music lovers of Shillong where ICCR’s International Jazz Festival first took off before getting into the nerve of Assam.

This 4 Member Jazz Group was sent by Poland to enrich its culture with India at the 6^th edition International Jazz festival, at Delhi, 2016. Already ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) has conducted five times the International Jazz Festival in Delhi, India but on the sixth occasion the Northeast region is elated to welcome this Polish jazz group.

Lichtanski Sound Lab was founded by Wojciech Lichtanski the band’s saxophonist who is an alumni and student of the Academy of Music in Katowice and Krakow. But a man of his own who at very young age has become an inspiration to the world jazz music community. The soft,  lean and simpleton outlook of Lichtanski can be deceptive as he is a genius who has won prestigious title “Jazz Angel” at the 15^th Lotos Jazz Festival Bielska Zadymka Jazzowa. Revered as the most innovative jazz artist of Poland who has many jury awards to his credit for his original composition, Lichtanski’s “Live” album is one of it that is quite popular also.

The latest innovative and elevating jazz music creation titled as Lichtanski Sound Lab, gives you an insight of Polish, American, Salvia and Scandinavian mix flavor that sends a soothing and vibrant vibes in the air. This title track album delivers new creations like ‘In Progress’, ‘Wczoraj Rano,’ ‘Day Dream,’ ‘Peace of Mind’, ‘Second Best’ and ‘Cristin Came.’ The music of this title track album is contributed by Lichtanski’s team comprised of Michal Szkil, Michal Kapczuk and Szymon.

Jazz though an adopted music but it is a pivotal part of Polish culture as it has intense contribution for artistic independence out of communal clutch. In Poland’s march for artistic independence during 20th century, jazz was in the avant-garde process but it could potentiality link to all genres of art. It was the revered team of ‘The Founding Fathers of Polish Jazz’ which comprised of Jerzy Dudus Matuszkiewicz (leader, saxophones, and clarinet), Krzysztof Komeda (piano) and Andrzej Trzaskowski (piano) who dominated the scenario for independent art revolution.

But history is history, at present Polish jazz creation is considered to be the best in the world. Some of the best signature jazz musicians of contemporary time are Tomasz Stańko, John Coltrane and Wlodzimierz Pawlik out of bundle of world’s finest Polish jazz artists. The electric, acoustic and virtuoso piano music of Polish jazz with touch of electrifying, fiery and firm chording flavor gives an edge to contemporary style that has become strong source of inspiration to present music genre.

Hope someday they would reinvent jazz music with Northeast music flavor but then cultural relation has to be intense and with frequent visit they can absorb it into their Polish jazz creation.

  
Co Editor - Anima Borah
Illustration - Randip