MICHAL WIERBA (bio – click here)
This year , he will play in a trio composed of Szymon Piotrowski – drums, and Marlene Rosenberg – bass
SZYMON PIOTROWSKI
Szymon Aleksander Piotrowski graduated from AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków (Poland), where he also started PhD studies and leaded author classes in music production. He participated in postgraduate studies in Music Production and Recording at the University of Stavanger (Norway). He has also studied at the Kraków School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and participated in many sound courses. Several times he was a participant of International Summer Jazz Academy in Kraków and leaded studio classes in Kraków School of Jazz and Contemporary Music.
In years 2004-2011 he worked as a live sound engineer in different clubs in Kraków as well as touring with several bands. Since 2007, Szymon has been running his own project studio, Psychosound and as an offshoot of it, he organizes the Psychofest, which features artists that have worked with him.
Szymon a drummer and is also an active composer and recording engineer. He had performed live and in the studio with over 40 artists from Poland, UK, Norway and Canada. He toured with QuadroSusanna (PL), Annalie Wilson (UK), Stina Kielstad (NOR) in Poland, UK and Norway. He performed with folk artists Hambawenah (PL), Transfusion (PL), QuadroSusanna (PL), DJs such as Mr Krime (Red Bull Academy), Herbaciarz and Funklore and other artists i.e. Annalie Wilson (UK), Stina Kjelstad (NOR), MagBalay (PL), Michał Wierba (PL).
During his stay in Canada Szymon performed with Laura Dickens, Will Maclellan and Year of Glad and composed original music for Canadian visual artist Jeremy Collins.
Szymon worked as a recording engineer with musicians from all around the world i.e. Stavanger Symphony Orchestra (NOR), Esbjörn Svensson Trio (SWE), Eva Bjerga (NOR), Minor Normal (CA), Stein Inge Breakhus (NOR), Paulo Fresu (IT), Pedja Muzijevic (USA), Claire Chase (USA), F.O.U.R.S. Collective (PL), Sonder (NOR), and many others. In 2014 Szymon received a Gold Award in The Audio Engineering Society’s Student Recording Competition in Berlin.
Szymon is working on his own music material t.est, in cooperation with Norwegian musicians such as Stein Inge Breakhus, Simen Halvorsen, Andreas Barsnes Onarheim, Julie Hasfjordand and others. Since 2-14 he is working with MagBalay and Michał Wierba on their debut album including various music genres such as jazz, folk, hip hop and elecronica. This fall he is going to release albums where he performed as a drummer with Annalie Wilson, MLDV, MagBalay and SFORZA/Jasionowska.
MARLENE ROSENBERG
She has emerged as one of the most talented and multi-faceted bass players on the scene today. She has played professionally throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America and Japan, performing with innumerable jazz luminaries, such as Kenny Barron, Frank Foster, Stan Getz, Albert “Tootie” Health, Joe Henderson, Marian McPartland, Cedar Walton, Wallace Roney, David “Fathead” Newman, Monty Alexander, Kevin Mahogony, Frank Morgan Frank Wess, Joe Williams and Nancy Wilson, to name a few. Her stylistic range encompasses everything from traditional Big Band to intimate experimental ensembles.
Rosenberg was featured on the recording of the Ed Thigpen Quartet entitled “Easy Flight.” Thigpen believes, “What makes Marlene special is her strength and depth of understanding of music. In a world of clones, she has managed to emerge as her own person with her own sound and feel… her time feel is steady and swings like mad.”
marlene
Rosenberg, who grew up in Illinois, began clarinet studies at the age of ten and took up the electric bass in high school, playing in the jazz band. She began acoustic bass in college at the University of Illinois, where she received the Smith Memorial Women’s Scholarship in 1977, and the University of Illinois Bass-Violas Scholarship two years in a row. Well versed in both the classical and jazz aspects of her instrument, she performed with the University’s main symphony orchestra as well as the prestigious U of Jazz Band, the top of six bands in University of Illinois, and a Masters of Music in Jazz Pedagogy from North western University in June of 1999.
In 1985, Rosenberg received a National Endowment of The Arts Jazz fellowship grant, which she used for intensive private study with Ron Carter, Hal Galper, Milk Richmond and Jim Mcneeley. She also counts among her teachers Warren Benfield (Chicago Symphony), Jeff Bradetich (Northwestern University), Ed Krolick and John Gravey (University Of Illinois), and Karl Fruh (Roosevelt University).She also studied for a 9 month period with Rob Kassinger from the Chicago Symphony (2010) Also, as mentors, Rosenberg counts Rufus Reid and Ray Brown, John Clayton and Buster Williams.
In Addition to her versatility as a bassist, Rosenberg has developed a keen interest and capability in the performance of ethnic music. She has performed and recorded with the Balkan Rhythm Band, which focuses on traditional music from Yugoslavia, Serbia and Greece. Her enthusiasm for the drumming and dance of West Africa has promoted study with master drummers from Ghana as well as participation in an African drumming group in Chicago.
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Rosenberg has worked with numerous modern dance troupes, improvising on both bass and percussion. All this experience have added an extra dimension to Rosenberg’s Jazz work giving it a rare depth and range.
Committed to imparting her knowledge to others, Rosenberg currently teaches privately in the Chicago area. She has given special workshops in high schools throughout the Chicago area and has been a clinician at the Saskatchewan School of the Arts in Canada. She has been involved with the Ravinia Jazz Mentors program in the Chicago public high schools. Rosenberg has given workshops on creating melodic bass lines at the International Society of Bassists conference. She was Adjunct Professor at Northern Illinois for 13 years University (1994-2007),teaching Bass Studio and Jazz History (1 Semester). Rosenberg was a full time professor at Western Illinois University, in Macomb, IL for 3 years from 2007-2010 (Teaching Bass, World Music, Popular Music & Jazz Combos) and currently is music faculty teaching jazz combos at Northwestern University (2009-current),in Evanston, Illinois. She also is on the Music Faculty at Roosevelt University, in Chicago. She has been working with students at the Gallery 37 Program in Chicago, Sponsored by the Thelonius Monk Institute in Washington D.C.
Rosenberg has recorded radio and television commercials for McDonald’s and Ameritech, among others.
Rosenberg made her debut as a leader and composer on her compact disc “Waimea” (Bassline). Her latest CD “Pieces Of…” (Bassline) presents her as arranger as well as composer. PIECES OF… features pianist Cedar Walton and saxophonist Javon Jackson. Currently, (2011) she is a recipient of an Illinois Arts Council Grant which will help to complete her 3rd self-Produced CD.