Michał Urbaniak (1943–2025) was a Polish violinist, saxophonist, and composer who first recorded with The Jazz Rockers, a Warsaw post-bop quintet. He debuted as a bandleader with two albums in 1971/72 on Spiegelei. In 1973, he moved stateside and made numerous jazz-funk albums, many with his then-wife, singer Urszula Dudziak. Early Career Urbaniak was born […]
The Silesian Blues Band — commonly billed as SBB — are a Polish symphonic/space-rock band that debuted with a 1974 live album, followed by seven studio albums between 1975 and 1981, including the popular 1976/77 titles Pamięć, Ze słowem biegnę do ciebie, and Follow My Dream. Members: Józef Skrzek (vocals, bass, keyboards, Hammond, Mini Moog, […]
Urszula Dudziak is a Polish jazz vocalist who first recorded in the late-1960s jazz combo Urbaniak’s Orchestra with then-husband Michał Urbaniak. In 1973, the couple migrated to the U.S. and backed each other on numerous albums over the ensuing decade. Her profile peaked with the 1975–1977 Arista releases Urszula and Midnight Rain, marked by wordless vocals, […]
Zbigniew Seifert (June 6, 1946 — Feb. 15, 1979) was a 1970s Polish jazz-rock violinist who appeared on albums by Tomasz Stańko, Volker Kriegel, Jan “Ptaszyn” Wróblewski, Joachim Kühn, and Jasper van’t Hof during the first half of the decade. In 1974, he participated in the Hans Koller / Wolfgang Dauner super-project Kunstkopfindianer. Between 1976 and […]
Young Power were a Polish jazz-rock ensemble that released three albums on Power Bros and Polskie Nagrania Muza between 1986 and 1989. Members: Krzysztof Popek (flute), Krzysztof Zawadzki (percussion), Piotr Wojtasik (trumpet), Antoni Gralak (trumpet), Robert Jakubiec (trumpet), Robert Majewski (trumpet), Grzegorz Nagórski (trombone), Bronisław Duży (trombone), Aleksander Korecki (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone), Kinior (tenor […]
Zbigniew Namysłowski (born Sept. 9 1939) is a Polish saxophonist and composer who first recorded with The Jazz Rockers during the early 1960s. Numerous solo and collaborative recordings appeared over the next half-century, most notably a run of jazz-rock albums on Polskie Nagrania Muza between 1973 and 1977. Background Zbigniew Namysłowski was born Sept. 9, 1939, […]
Voo Voo are a Polish jazz-rock/folk band from Warsaw that emerged with a 1986 self-titled Pronit release, followed since by more than 35 studio albums, live discs, and soundtracks. Members: Wojciech Waglewski (guitar, vocals), Jan Pospieszalski (guitar, bass, 1986-98), Mateusz Pospieszalski (saxophone, vocals), Milo Kurtis (drums, 1986), Marek Czapelski (drums, 1986), Andrzej Nowicki (bass guitar, […]
Wlodek Gulgowski (February 13, 1944) is a Polish keyboardist and composer who first recorded with Dixieland band Warszawscy Stompersi during the mid-1960s. After relocating to Sweden, he collaborated with vocalist Maritza Horn on a 1972 Columbia (EMI) release and joined jazz-rock supergroup Pop Workshop, which issued two albums on Grammofonverket during 1973 and 1974. He […]
Marek Biliński (born May 17, 1953) is a Polish electronic musician/composer who released four albums on Wifon and Polton between 1983 and 1987. Discography: Ogród króla świtu (1983) E≠mc² (1984) Wolne Loty (1986) Ucieczka do tropiku (1987)
Tadeusz Woźniak (born March 6, 1947) is a Polish singer/songwriter who released a pair of EPs on Polskie Nagrania Muza circa 1969/70, followed by two albums on the label between 1972 and 1974. Discography: Tadeusz Woźniak (EP, 1969) Tadeusz Woźniak (EP, 1970) Tadeusz Woźniak (1972) Tadeusz Woźniak [Odcień Ciszy] (1974)
String Connection were a Polish jazz ensemble that released six albums on Poljazz and Polton between 1982 and 1986. Members: Krzesimir Dębski (violin), Krzysztof Przybyłowicz (drums), Zbigniew Wrombel (bass guitar), Zbigniew Lewandowski (drums), Andrzej Olejniczak (tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone), Krzysztof Ścierański (bass guitar), Andrzej Jagodziński (piano) Discography: Workoholic (1982) New Romantic Expectation (1983) Jazz (1984) […]
Spisek Sześciu were a Polish jazz-rock sextet that issued the album Complot of Six on Polskie Nagrania Muza in 1975. Members: Adam Bielawski (drums), Andrzej Pluszcz (guitar), Bogusław Razik (piano), Włodzimierz Wiński (saxophone), Leszek Paszko (trombone), Zbigniew Czwojda (trumpet) Discography: Complot of Six (1975)
Siekiera was a Polish post-punk/coldwave band from Puławy, formed in 1983 and active for five years. In 1986, they released a standalone single and the album Nowa Aleksandria on Tonpress. Their 1984 demos and live tracks appear on archival discs courtesy of W Moich Oczach. Members: Tomasz Adamski (guitar, vocals), Tomasz Budzyński (vocals, 1983-84), Jerzy […]
Skaldowie are a Polish rock band, active since 1965 in numerous iterations. Between 1967 and 1989, the band released fourteen studio albums, mostly on Pronit and Polskie Nagrania Muza. Members: Jacek Zieliński (vocals, trumpet, violin), Andrzej Zieliński (vocals, keyboards, 1965-81, 1993-present), Feliks Naglicki (bass, guitar, 1965-67), Jerzy Fasiński (drums, 1965-67), Janusz Kaczmarski (guitar, 1965-67), Zygmunt […]
Republika was a Polish post-punk/coldwave band that released two albums and three singles between 1983 and 1986 on Pronit/Tonpress. Members: Grzegorz Ciechowski (vocals, keyboards, flute), Sławomir Ciesielski (drums, vocals), Zbigniew Krzywański (guitar, vocals), Paweł Kuczyński (bass, 1980-90) Background Republika formed in 1981 in Toruń when singer-keyboardist Grzegorz Ciechowski, drummer Sławomir Ciesielski, bassist Paweł Kuczyński, and […]
Porter Band were a Polish New Wave/blues-rock combo that was initially active between 1979 and 1982, releasing the album Helicopters on Pronit and a live recording on Wifon. Members: John Porter (guitar, vocals), Aleksander Mrożek (guitar, 1979-82), Kazimierz Cwynar (bass, 1979-82), Leszek Chalimoniuk [aka Les Chalimon] (drums, 1979), Wojciech Morawski (drums, 1980-82) Discography: “Freeze Everybody” […]
Perfect are a Polish hard-rock band that debuted with a 1981 EP on Tonpress, followed by a pair of 1982 albums on that label and Polskie Nagrania Muza. A 1983 live album on Savitor preceded a 10-year gap in recording. Subsequent decades witnessed more prolific live and studio output from the band. Members: Wojciech Morawski […]
Orkiestra Ósmego Dnia was a Polish classical/folk project headed by flutist Jan A. P. Kaczmarek. The project yielded three albums on Savitor between 1982 and 1985. Members: Jan A. P. Kaczmarek (leader, strings, flute), Grzegorz Banaszak (guitar), Maciej Talaga (guitar, 1984-89), Ewa Iżykowska, Agnieszka Dondajewska, Robert Nakoneczny, Olga Szwajger, Krzesimir Dębski, Krzysztof Ścierański (bass guitar) […]
Obywatel G.C. (Aug. 29, 1957 — Dec. 22, 2001) was the performing alias of Polish coldwave musician Grzegorz Ciechowski, who emerged as the frontman of Republika. He made his solo debut in 1986 on Tonpress, followed by the 1988 album Tak! Tak! Background Grzegorz Ciechowski was born on August 29, 1957, in Tczew, Poland. He […]
Urszula Kasprzak (born Feb. 7, 1960) is a Polish pop/rock singer who first emerged as a backing vocalist for Budka Suflera, serving in the band from 1979 to 1982. She released two solo albums in the New Wave/synthpop vein circa 1983/84 on Savitor and Polton, followed by two late-’80s titles on Arston and Polskie Nagrania […]
Klaus Mitffoch were a Polish New Wave/art-punk band that released three singles and a self-titled album on Tonpress between 1983 and 1985. Under the modified nameplate Klaus mit Foch, the band issued the sophomoric Mordoplan on Polskie Nagrania Muza in 1988. Members: Kazimierz Sycz (drums, 1979-81), Lech Janerka (bass, vocals, 1979-84), Krzysztof Pociecha (guitar, 1979-84), […]
Anawa was a Polish folk/pop/jazz band, active across four decades. They backed lyricist-composer Marek Grechuta on two albums and made a 1973 self-titled album on Polskie Nagrania Muza. Members: Marek Grechuta (vocals, 1966-72, 1976-1989, 1994-2003), Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz (piano, 1966-73, 1976-80), Tadeusz Dziedzic (guitar, 1967-?), Zbigniew Wodecki (trumpet, cello, 1967-72), Anna Wójtowicz (cello, 1967-73), Zbigniew […]
Maanam was a Polish rock band from Warszawa, formed in 1975 as a folk duo. As a reconfigured new wave quintet, Maanam released a 1980 album on Wifon, followed by twelve further albums on Pronit, Polton, and other labels over the next quarter-century. Members: Marek Jackowski (guitar), Milo Kurtis (guitar, 1975-77), Kora [Olga Jackowska] (vocals, […]
Laboratorium was a Polish jazz-rock band behind six studio albums and three live discs through 1986 on assorted labels, including the acclaimed 1976–79 albums Modern Pentathlon and Quasimodo. Members: Janusz Grzywacz (piano), Marek Stryszowski (vocals, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, bass clarinet), Paweł Ścierański (guitar, acoustic guitar), Maciej Górski (bass guitar), Mieczysław Górka (drums), Wacław Łoziński […]
Krzysztof Sadowski (born Dec. 15, 1936) is a Polish keyboardist, composer, and bandleader who emerged in the early 1960s as a big-band/post-bop ensemble player. During the 1970s, he headlined five albums in solo and combo configurations on Pronit, Poljazz, and Polskie Nagrania Muza, some featuring his flutist/vocalist wife Liliana Urbańska. Discography: Krzysztof Sadowski and his […]
Krzak were a Polish blues-rock band from Katowice, formed in 1972. The band released three shortplayers between 1979 and 1981 on Tonpress, followed by a debut live album on Pronit. Two studio albums and a second live release, also issued by the two labels, appeared during 1982 and 1983. Members: Jan Błędowski (violin, 1972-81, 2001-present), […]
Krystyna Prońko is a Polish jazz-pop/soul singer who released seven albums between 1975 and 1989 on Pronit and Wifon. Background Krystyna Prońko was born January 14, 1947, in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland. Her father encouraged her to play piano at home with her brothers, saxophonist Piotr and bassist Wojciech. She completed a first-level music school and […]
Kombi are a Polish pop/rock band from Gdańsk that has been active through numerous iterations since 1969. Between 1980 and 1985, a New Wave/synthpop configuration of the band released four albums on Pronit, Wifon, and Polskie Nagrania Muza. Members: Sławomir Łosowski (keyboards, programming, vocals, 1969-94, 2004-present), Andrzej Kyś (percussion, 1969-71), Lech Badełek (guitar, 1969-70), Jacek […]
Janusz Muniak (Jan. 3 1941 — Jan. 31, 2016) was a Polish saxophonist, composer, and arranger who was active on the European jazz scene for half a century, first recording with the Andrzej Trzaskowski Quintet in 1965. In 1978, he debuted as a bandleader with the Polskie Nagrania Muza release Question Mark, recorded with his […]
Jan “Ptaszyn” Wróblewski (born March 27, 1936) is a Polish saxophonist, composer, arranger, and bandleader from Kalisz, active since the late 1950s. Between 1972 and 1984, he headlined eight albums in solo and combo configurations, peaking in popularity with the 1976 Anex release Skleroptak. Background Jan “Ptaszyn” Wróblewski was born March 27, 1936, in Kalisz, […]
Heavy Metal Sextet were a Polish post-bop/jazz-rock ensemble that released two albums in 1984 on Poljazz. Members: Waldemar Szymański (trumpet, violin), Tadeusz Jakubowski (alto saxophone), Janusz Kowalski (tenor saxophone), Jarosław Małys (piano), Mariusz Bogdanowicz (double bass), Henryk Stanoszek (drums, 1982), Jacek Sobek (drums, 1982), Mirosław Sitkowski (drums, 1983-present) Discography: Heavy Metal Sextet – HMS (1984) […]
Halina Frąckowiak is a Polish jazz-rock/folk singer who released five albums between 1974 and 1987 on Polskie Nagrania Muza and Wifon. She teamed with space-rockers SBB for her 1977 second album, Geira. Background Halina Frąckowiak was born on April 10, 1947, in Poznań, Poland. Her parents sang at family gatherings while she sang at school […]
Extra Ball was a Polish jazz-rock band that released five studio albums and a live disc between 1976 and 1982 on Polskie Nagrania Muza and Poljazz. Members: Jarosław Śmietana (guitar), Piotr Prońko (baritone saxophone, 1974-75), Władysław Sendecki (electric piano, 1974-77), Jan Cichy (bass, 1974-77), Benedykt Radecki (drums, 1974-76), Andrzej Olejniczak (saxophone, 1976-77), Marek Stach (drums, […]
Exodus was a Polish symphonic/art-rock band that released six singles and the 1980–82 albums The Most Beautiful Day and Supernova. Members: Andrzej Puczyński (guitar), Wojciech Puczyński (bass), Władysław Komendarek (keyboards), Paweł Birula (vocals, guitar), Zbigniew Fyk (drums), Marek Wójcicki (guitar), Kazimierz Barlasz (vocals), Jacek Olejnik (keyboards), Bogdan Łoś (guitar), Joanna Rosińska (vocals) Background Exodus formed […]
Dżamble was a Polish jazz-rock/psych band, active for fifteen years through multiple lineups. They released the 1971 album Wołanie o słońce nad światem on Polskie Nagrania Muza and three 1978/79 singles on Tonpress. Members: Wiesław Wilczkiewicz (guitar, 1966-72), Tadeusz Gogosz (bass, 1966-67), Jan Budziaszek (percussion, 1966-67), Edward Anioł (saxophone, 1966-67), Czesław Styczeń (trombone, 1966-67), Jan […]
Niemen Aerolit (N.Æ.) was a Polish jazz-rock/electronic project headed by Czesław Niemen. The project yielded two albums circa 1974/75 on Polskie Nagrania Muza, followed by a double-LP-plus-EP for the label in 1978. Members: Czesław Niemen (vocals, alto saxophone, Moog synthesizer, Mellotron), Jacek Gazda (bass), Jan Błędowski (violin), Maciej Radziejewski (guitar), Sławomir Piwowar (guitar), Andrzej Nowak […]
Budka Suflera was a Polish symphonic/hard-rock band that made eight albums between 1975 and 1987 on Polton, Pronit, and Polskie Nagrania Muza. Members: Krzysztof Cugowski (vocals, 1969-78, 1984-2014), Romuald Lipko (guitar, bass, keyboards, 1970-2014), Andrzej Ziółkowski (guitar, bass, 1969-82), Zbigniew Zieliński (drums, 1969-74), Tomasz Zeliszewski (drums, 1974-2014), Jan Borysewicz (guitar, 1976-82), Romuald Czystaw (vocals, 1976-82), […]
Bemibem were a Polish soul-pop band that released the album Bemowe Frazy in 1974 on Polskie Nagrania Muza. Members: Ewa Bem (vocals), Paweł Dąbrowski (bass), Mariusz Mroczkowski (piano), Aleksander Bem (drums, vocals), Tomasz Jaśkiewicz (guitar, 1973-75), Wojciech Waglewski (guitar, 1975-76) Discography: Bemowe Frazy (1974)
Aya RL was a Polish coldwave band that behind the 1984 Tonpress single “Oczy, Które…,” followed by a 1985 self-titled album and a 1989 second homonymous LP. Members: Igor Czerniawski (keyboards, drums, vocals), Paweł Kukiz (vocals, 1983-90), Jarek Lach (guitar, 1983-86, 1990-98), Robert Milewski (keyboards, 1983), Adam Romanowski (guitar, 1989-90) Background Aya RL formed in […]
Arp-Life were a Polish jazz-funk studio ensemble that released the album Jumbo Life in 1976 on Polskie Nagrania Muza, followed by the cassette-only Z Bezpieczną Szybkością in 1978 on Wifon. Members: Ryszard Szumlicz (drums), Mateusz Święcicki (keyboards, synthesizer, conductor), Maciej Śniegocki, Jan Jarczyk (keyboards, synthesizer), Sławomir Kulpowicz (keyboards, synthesizer), Paweł Perliński (keyboards, synthesizer), Janusz Pliwko […]
Alex Band were a Polish jazz-funk big band that released six albums on assorted labels between 1979 and 1985. Members: Aleksander Maliszewski (leader, conductor), Wiesław Wilczkiewicz (acoustic guitar, electric guitar), Piotr Piekielny (alto saxophone, clarinet), Jacek Nowak (bass guitar), Krzysztof Szachnowski (clavinet, electric piano, keyboards), Andrzej Tylec (drums), Marek Walarowski (piano, electric piano), Paweł Serafiński […]
