The concert at the Chopin Theatre will feature a jazz-poetry amalgam from the album "Love Songs of Early Post-Communism and Late Capitalism" by Robert Świstelnicki. This project combines the instrumental mastery of outstanding jazz musicians, the compositions and poetry of the leader, and the talent of the most prominent Polish jazz vocalists (for the concert at the Chopin Theatre it will be Grażyna Auguścik). "Love Songs...", deeply rooted in the tradition of organic, richly textured, and "spacious" Northern European jazz, explore the typical nostalgia of Slavic music, shying away from, neither, the roughness free jazz and blues nor straightforward songiness.

Świstelnicki's lyrics, symbolically and philosophically charged, stand out for their neo-romantic sensitivity and tragicomic directness. Sung by the legend of the jazz song form, the pieces weave their unique jazz-poetic dream of love in the context of spiritual, cultural, and political changes of recent decades in Poland (and worldwide).

The album was chosen as the album of the year 2023 by the editor-in-chief of "Polish Jazz", Maciej Nowotny, who called it "one of the biggest sensations in Polish jazz in recent years." Critic Prof. Maciej Lewenstein called the album the Polish poetic-jazz album of all time, journalist Tomasz Janas from Polskie Radio called the album "visionary," and Marcin Płudowski from Laboratorium Fuzji Muzycznych described the album as "an important reference point."

The Artists

Grażyna Auguścik is, according to critics, one of the most interesting vocalists on the global jazz scene. Her discography includes nearly 20 original albums and dozens of features. Auguścik, a graduate of the legendary Berklee School of Music, has had the opportunity to collaborate with jazz giants such as Jim Hall, Michael Brecker, Toots Thielemans, John Medeski, Michał Urbaniak, Patricia Barber, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and dozens of others. Her work has been frequently awarded both domestically and internationally (including the Gloria Artis medal). She has been many times selected as the best Polish jazz vocalist by Jazz Forum. The Chicago-based vocalist is active in concerts worldwide, and each of her projects is a significant artistic event. The extraordinary lyricism of her singing stems from the sensitivity of Slavic folk music, the emotions of Latin American music, and the depth of experience of American jazz.

Robert Świstelnicki is the spiritus movens behind the project- the composer and arranger of almost all the songs, as well as the author of all the lyrics; he is also a multi-instrumentalist. Świstelnicki is furthermore a poet and philosopher. He currently resides in Chicago and has been associated with the Departments of Philosophy, Politics, and German studies at the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Goethe in Frankfurt am Main. In 2022, he debuted on the Polish jazz scene with the album "Piosenki", which combined poetic recitation with a classic jazz quintet. He is also the author of songs and lyrics for others. He has had the opportunity to collaborate with, among others, Marek Feldman, Jorgos Skolias, Arek Skolik, Wojtek Myrczek, Jon Irabagon, and Natalia Kordiak.

Lenard Simpson is one of the most interesting young saxophonists from Chicago. He participates in various projects and collaborates, among others, with Kurt Elling, Billy Childs, Christian Dillingham Quartet. He also leads his own quartet. He was a Thelonious Monk Institute Fellow nominated by Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.

Ethan Philion, a frequent collaborator of Grażyna Auguścik, is one of the most spectacular and versatile double bassists from Chicago. He leads his own orchestra and a quartet. He participates in numerous projects- his collaborators include Mark Feldman, Greg Ward, Russ Johnson, Thaddeus Tukes.

Isaiah Keith is talented multi-instrumentalist: vibraphonist, percussionist and Hammond organist. He collaborates with numerous projects and leads his own SUKO Jazz Collective, bringing together young and talented jazz musicians with visual artists.

Kenny Reichert is an extremely lyrical and versatile guitarist. He leads several of his own projects, working with Russ Johnson, Clark Sommer, Geoff Bradfield, Jon Irabagon among others. He also collaborates with vocalists: Ana Everling and Alyssa Allgood.