Projects

Gombrowicz | Solo | Marcin Olak Trio | Marcin Olak Quartet | Spontaneous Chamber Music

Solo/Music From Non-Existent Movies

This is a unique situation. The musician has at his disposal only his instrument, his sensitivity, ingenuity, his skills. There is no band to hide behind, you cannot have a bad day. This is the moment of truth.

Marcin Olak basically started with such a formula: a classical guitarist by profession, he played many solo concerts. However, the classical guitarist plays songs already composed, and Marcin was not interested in this kind of performances in the long run. Already as a student, he preferred pieces in which he could improvise: be it cadences in classical sonatas, or aleatoric parts or open forms in contemporary pieces. As a composer, Marcin combines chamber music and jazz in his works, and in improvisations he weaves elements that remain outside of idioms.

It was only a matter of time. Marcin just came back to the roots, he plays solo recitals again. But this time everything is improvised.

“Music from non-existent Movies” is a series of themes, concepts and assumptions, developed in improvised transformations. If they were music for a picture, it would probably be something in black and white, with little or no dialogues. The action would develop slowly, but consistently drag the viewer into the created world, until the boundaries between fiction and reality are blurred …

“Music from non-existent Movies” is available on Bandcamp.

Marcin Olak Trio

Cool, acoustic trio. The music – mostly Marcin’s own compositions – can be placed somewhere between jazz and contemporary chamber music. It focuses on the sound of an acoustic and classical guitar, complemented by double-bass and prepared drums. It’s worth pointing out that the Marcin Olak Trio is one of the few jazz bands in the world (!) with classical and acoustic guitars as the lead instruments. Electronic instruments are not used. Every sound is natural and the musicians become the only source of energy on stage.

Marcin Olak Trio are:

Marcin Olak – guitars,
Maciej Szczyciński – bass,
Krzysztof Szmańda – drums.

The Trio played at some of the most important Polish jazz festivals, including FRE3 JAZZ DAYS, Warsaw Summer Jazz Days, Jazz Juniors and many more.

Marcin Olak Quartet/Bessarabian Journey

“Bessarabian Journey” is a suite, based on traditional Jewish music from Bessarabia. Marcin Olak Quartet mixes ethnic, trans energy with jazz and intuitive music. The sound is pretty strong, intensive – but not aggressive. Sometimes musicians let the listener relax a bit – they play softly, quietly, using acoustic sounds… only to hit again in a moment.

We decided not to play those tunes in a traditional way. Instead, we asked ourselves a question: what could’ve happened if that tradition had lived, if that music still kept growing and developing itself? “Bessarabian Journey” is one of the possible answers.

Marcin Olak Quartet are:

Patryk Zakrocki – viola,
Maciek Szczyciński – bass,
Krzysztof Szmańda – drums
Marcin Olak – guitars.