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Leader, Composer, Arranger , Violinist, Saxplayer & Multiinstrumentalist Miles Davis, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones, Larry Coryell, Kenny Garret, Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, Eumir Deodato,Stephane Grappelli,Oliver Nelson, Lenny White, Larry Young, John Hendricks, Joe Williams, Elvin Jones,Buster Williams, Joe Henderson, Johny Griffin, Ted Curson, Astor Piazzolla, Freddy Hubbard, Tom Browne, Steve Gadd, Anthony Jackson, Victor Bailey, Omar Hakim, Bernard Wright, Marcus Miller and many others.
"As a boy prodigy violinist, I played many recitals and concerts with philharmonic orchestras. I took part in competitions for adults and was awarded a scholarship to study in Moscow with the famous David Ojstrach. At the same time I fell in love with American Jazz along with it's culture and a passion for this other musical life began to emerge. One might say that after I began to play Jazz I felt as though a second musical identity came to being. Dr. Jekyll was the straight A student in music school practicing intensely everyday until the afternoon. After which Mr. Hyde would appear experimenting with the new sound of Jazz at local clubs and bars. I dreamed of a time in my life when these two musical identities of mine could be combined somehow.
However, much time passed before my dream could become a reality. I made a promise to my mother that I would not take that scholarship for violin in Moscow. I put the violin aside altogether and began traveling the world as a young saxophonist. I left Poland for good knowing that playing with promising young musicians who played real American Jazz there is more to learn than anywhere in Europe, at least at that time. So I finally came to live in the New York I dreamed of for years and the victory was sweet. |