At the turn of November and December, Grzegorz Karnas Formula will give a series of concerts in China, Malaysia and Indonesia. Polish vocalist will allso conduct workshops for Asian students in all three countries. The tour is a part of the Jazz Po Polsku project, promoting independent Polish music abroad.
Grzegorz Karnas Formula is far removed from the classical jazz paradigm, The group likes drawing on the trance-like nature of ostinatos and the abstraction of modal playing, developed on the basis of simple melodic themes. Karnas has worked with Poland’s jazz legends as well as top-line artists of Europe’s jazz scene.
The tour will last from November 23 until December 12. It will kick off at Chengdu’s West Village, one of the biggest city’s cultural hub. Then, the band will perform at Nanjing University of Arts and prestigous JZ club in Shanghai. Early December will see Polish musicians setting out to Malaysian’s bigest jazz festival, 14th Penang Island Jazz Festival. The group will also perform in Kuala Lumpur (No Black Tie) and Taiping (Manison V). Next, it is the Grzegorz Karnas Formula who will present their music in clubs and music academies in Indonesia: Bandung, Bali, Jakarta ang Yogyakarta.
The Asian tour promotes the latest Grzegorz Karnas CD/DVD called “Power Kiss”. The album was recorded as part of 2016 tour around China and released in August, 2017 by Hevhetia. The band perform in following line up: Grzegorz Karnas vocal, Radek Nowicki saxophone (in China), Alan Wykpisz double bass, Grzegorz Masłowski drums. The pianist, Sri Hunaraga will join the band during the tour in Malaysia. In Indonesia the band will perform in trio.
Karnas will also conduct music workshops and lecture at universities in all three countries: The workshop is for everyone who is interested in discovering what the „backstage” of interaction in making music is all about. It is open for anyone who wants to use their voice in a manner that doesn’t stay in the way of expressing whatever they want to express. It is open to non musicians or amateurs who are interested in the nature of their own voice. It is open to working singers who would rather try to establish how they really sound in order to make sure if they can use that sound in music. It is open to instrumentalists who are interested in the nature of creativity and the obstacles on the way to it – says Grzegorz.
Grzegorz Karnas Formula tour in Asia is a part of the Jazz Po Polsku, a project presenting a wide spectrum of Polish jazz and improvised music abroad. It also helps in establishing cultural cooperation and integrates artists from many countries. Since 2014 the Jazz Po Polsku has already organized over 100 events in Asia: China, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam.
The tour is organized in collaboration with the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Polish Institute in Beijing, Embassy of Poland in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, Consulate of Poland in Chengdu, Plateaux Foundation and local partners: Chinese Jazz Association (CJA), the Capricorn Connection and Warta Jazz.
Grzegorz Karnas is a singer born in Upper Silesia, Poland, to a family devoid of academic musical traditions. He has worked with Poland’s jazz legends as well as with top-line artists of Europe’s jazz scene. In 2006 he was awarded Grands Prix at jazz competitions in Poland, Belgium and France. His being noticed by the juries, journalists and the audiences got his band touring in Europe, North Africa and Asia including appearances at major jazz events. Since 2008 Karnas has been the spiritus movens of Intercultural Gathering for Creativity, Expression and Music “Voicingers” – an event contributing to both promotion of jazz musicians as well as to music education. His album under the title “KARNAS” was produced in 2011 by a Slovak label Hevhetia and his live performances from Budapest became succesful releases under a Hungarian label BMC Records as AUDIO BEADS (2012) and VANGA (2014) making Karnas a distinctive element of European jazz scene. A live album called POWER KISS (2017), released by Hevhetia, was recorded during Karnas Formula Chinese Tour in 2016.
Music producer, jazz promotor, traveller, linguist and pedagogue with a Ph.D. received at the Academy of Music in Katowice.
GRZEGORZ KARNAS FORMULA LIVE IN ASIA 2017
23.11 CHINA, Chengdu, tba
24.11 CHINA, Chengdu, West Village workshop 20:00
25.11 CHINA, Chengdu, West Village 20:00
26.11 CHINA, Chengdu, Yanjiyou workshop, 19:00
27.11 CHINA, Nanjing, University of Arts, workshop 19:00
28.11 CHINA, Nanjing, University of Arts, 19:00
29.11 CHINA, Shanghai, Yanjiyou workshop 19:00
30.11 CHINA, Shanghai, JZ Club 21:30
01.12 MALAYSIA, Taiping, Mansion V 19:30
02.12 MALAYSIA, Penang, Penang Island Jazz Festival
03.12 MALAYSIA, Penang, Penang Island Jazz Festival workshop
04.12 MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur, Embassy of Poland in Kuala Lumpur, 19:00
05.12 MALAYSIA, Kuala Lumpur, No Black Tie 21:30
06.12 INDONESIA, Jakarta, Institute of Musik Daya, music workshop 19:00
07.12 INDONESIA, Jakarta, tba
08.12 INDONESIA, Bandung, TP Jazz, 20:00
09.12 INDONESIA, Yogyakarta, Rumah Tembi, 20:00
10.12 INDONESIA, Bali, Rumah Sanur, 20:00
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Radek Nowicki – one of the most important tenor and soprano saxophonists of the young generation. He is a graduate of the Faculty of Jazz in the Music College in Warsaw and Academy of Music in Katowice. He is also a laureate of International Jazz Soloist Competition of Monte Carlo. As a sideman, Nowicki has worked with many outstanding figures of the Polish jazz and light music scene, including Kazimierz Jonkisz, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Janusz Skowron, Grażyna Auguścik, Tomasz Stańko, Michał Tokaj, Grzegorz Karnas, Aga Zaryan. Independently of other artistic work, he runs his own quartet as the leader. The album “Pathfinder”, recorded by Nowicki/Święs/Frankiewicz TRIO was nominated for a significant Polish music award, Fryderyk, in 2012. Both as a leader and a session musician he performed at a number of prestigious Polish and international festivals. Well travelled with music.
Sri “Aga” Hanuraga – Indonesian pianist who moved to Amsterdam from Jakarta to broaden his musical horizons. Since his father is a classical guitar player, Aga naturally showed more interest to the guitar during his early childhood and took lessons from his father. He moved to Amsterdam to study Jazz piano at the Conservatory of Amsterdam. In April 2006 he won the soloist prize at the East of Eastern Jazz Festival in Nijmegen. In January 2009 he won the second prize in the YPF Jazz Piano Competition (with jury such as Jacky Terrason, John Taylor, Antonio Farao, Enrico Pieranunzi and Bobo Stenson). In 2012 Sri awarded the 3rd prize at the Hoeilaart Jazz Competition with the Philip Czarnecki Quintet. With the NY Quartet Sri has performed in Korea at the 2012 Jarasum. Since his stay in Europe he has been performing in Paris, Nice, Cannes, Monaco, Belgium, Hungary, Germany, Poland , South Korea, North Korea and Romania. Hanuraga has got awarded The Best Jazz Instrumental Artist at AMI Awards 19 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Alan Wykpisz – double bass. Member of High Definition Quartet nominated to the Polish Academy Award Fryderyk 2014 as the Best Jazz Debut Album. Winner of many jazz contests: Jazz Hoeilaart 2011, Bass 2012 Copenhagen, Krokus Jazz 2011, International Azoty Jazz Contest 2013, 2014 or Jazz nad Odrą 2015. Three times awarded by Minister of Culture scolarship. Worked with such musicians such as Randy Brecker or Dave Liebman. A funny guy!
Grzegorz Masłowski, a Polish drummer, graduated from the Katowice Academy of Music and Kraków Academy of Music. Active member of the Kraków Jazz Scene. Has recieved a great deal of individual prizes. A member of numerous bands taking part in national and international conests. He has worked with the cream of Polish jazz musicians.