interview with Tomasz Dabrowski. Chapter 02

Here's the second chapter of the interview with young polish trumpet player Tomasz Dabrowski.

(What is differences between musical scene in Denmark and Poland you can observe?)

Denmark has good balance. There's a strong mainstream circle as well as free. In Poland only now we're it starts to level. I don't know about classical music, but as far as jazz is concerned, mainstream jazz was dominating. What is called avant-guarde by many people was for present for a long time but always stood aside. But now it's coming to the light, I'm under impression that we're witnessing a big change, started around the last two years. So much more is happening, new musicians, projects, more concerts, festivals. Also on the international level, we're not scheduled anymore, there are no borders, you can play with whoever you want.

(You're about the to play concert with Pheeroan AkLaff...) 

a photo from that event can be seen above

I know! I can't wait (laughter)

I'm myself very curious about it because I don't know what we're going to play, but I'm very happy about who I'm going to play wiht.

The story behing this is concert is very simple, Pardon To Tu's manager told me some time ago there's something special about to happen, but would give no details yet. He's the one who invited me to participate, I'll only get to mett Pheeroan tomorrow. We'll se what will happen.

(Is there someone you'd particularly want to play with?)

I'm thinking more and more about a steady unit. It's not that I've played and recorded with everyone I'd want to. It's not about that. I've recorded recently a couple of cds that should be released soon. Those sessions were carefully planned, I wrote the material, it was all fixed.

But it's very different when you can play with your buddies. And I miss that. Having a working band, being able to really work together. So it would not be just about one cd, one tour. But about steady project, where you really want to play with the others, and it's a real work, you're trying to achive something mover, when the band takes it's own shape, its unique sound.

TOM trio for me is such a band right now and I want to continue it. We played recently in Kopenahgen during the winter jazz festiva and I'm still living off the energy that concert gave me.

There's also this band, it's ours, not mine, there's no leader, it's called HUNGER PANGS. It's Marek Kadziela on guitar, Kasper Tom Christiansen on drums and I'm playing horns and micoKorg. Our cd „Meet Meat” will be released soon. Working in a band when every musician lives in a different place is not the easiest thing to do. But we manage our expectations and play just a couple of concerts a year. Marek lives in Poland for 1,5 year now, he's very active. Kasper leads his own projects in Denmark and Germany, I'm pretty busy as well with the new projects and cd releases coming soon. Still, Hunger Pangs is one of the best bands I'm playing with, there's no other gorup like it in the country, maybe just a couple in the whole Europe.

TOM Trio

(You referred to the recording sessions you organised in New York, what have this experience taught you?)

I learned responsibility in playing. No matter the situation, you sit in, you play, you take complete and absolute responsibility for it. Each rehearsal you're there 100%.

I had luck to meet people well versed not only in jaz tradition but the classical, european tradition as well. Full professional in till the most minimal details. I was the leader, the musicians knew what I wanted to achieve, they know how to deliver it, mantainig their own individuality.

It was a very positive kick, a sign I should go further the path I've chosen. I've heard many compliments, from Kris (Davies), from Tyshaun (Sorey), about my playing, about the compositions. It was all very uplifting.

It's not that, here, in Poland, I'm criticized. But our idea of education, from the very beginning, is such that people are more eager to reprimand you rather than tell you're good at something.

(the debut „Tom Trio” cd is generally well received though..)

It's true. All the reviews I know are very positive. Good things are said about the individual expression, group interplay as well as the compositions itself. The biggest interest in the album is present here, in Poland, which pleases me very much, I was afraid that becasue it was release by a foreign label it would go by unnoticed by the polish audience. ILK Records is definitely not a mojr label with the distribution that brings the music to any grocery supermarket. Now it's available via Multikulti, in Emik network, main web stores Merlin and Serpent but as well via my own site, with authograph [:)].

ILK is a special label that works in a very cool way, it's a collective of circa 20 musicians, not just anybody can release a cd there. But if they all accept it, the music must be really ok.

(next and the last chapter in a week)