Rafal Mazur

Duo with Mikolaj Trzaska

2011-03-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

I am really busy with my philosophical work, but I cannot stop my artistic activity, that's my life. So, yesterday I played duo with Mikolaj Trzaska in new place in Krakow called Bomba. You can read review of Jazz Alchemist. And now definitely I will lost in books. See You next month.

Busy

2011-03-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

I am busy with my philosophical study, I am writing big essay about "Spontaneous expression" in Chinese artistic practise. Next few month I will play only in Krakow and not so many concerts. Next weekend - 12 of March with Mikolaj Trzaska in club Bomba in Krakow.

Unison Lines again

2011-01-23T02:27:00.000-08:00

You can find first review of Unison Lines - Mazur/Neuringer CD. At Polish Jazz Blog. Enjoy!!

Insubordinations Microfestival

2011-01-11T02:36:00.000-08:00

Next Saturday I am going to Switzerland where I will play in Microfestival organized by Insubordinations Netlabel. I'll play three concerts: with Insub Meta Orchestra, with Paed Conca and with Luc Muller. I am really happy and proud of it! Everybody who can come should do it. Full program You can find HERE.

New Trio

2010-12-09T03:19:00.000-08:00

It was amazing meeting, beautiful concert with really kind people. Tim Daisy and Mikola Trzaska. I played with Mikolaj few times before but it was first time with Tim. Just want to say one thing: it is really easy play with good musicians - music is coming and You don't have to think about it. Amazing experience. Tomorrow we'll play on jazz festival in Sanok. I hope we will continue in future.

Mockunas/Strid/Mazur Trio

2010-11-21T08:48:00.000-08:00

It is new band. Raymond Strid - amazing Swedish drummer, Liudas Mockunas - great sax player from Lithuania and me. We met week ago in Centre of Contemporary Art "Solvay" in Krakow, made recording and played concert. Now we have around 4 hours of music and think about CD.

Ad Libitum Festival

2010-11-21T04:55:00.000-08:00

This year Ad Libitum was combine with SIC! festival of dance. I played with amazing musicians and dancers: Anna Zielińska, Benno Voorham, Andrew de Lotbiniere Harwood, Zdzisław Piernik, Daniel Lepkoff and Mikolaj Trzaska. It was great time. Thank You Ilona Trybula and Krzysztof Knittel.

Unison Lines

2010-11-21T04:48:00.000-08:00

Finally CD is ready and You can buy it in Not Two e-shop. We met with Keir 11 years ago and still we play together. Thank You Keir, it is still amazing experience. Art work is made by Blacke, of course.

"Improwizje" - review

2010-09-26T04:38:00.000-07:00

Here You can find nice review of Mazur&Neuringer album "Improwizje" on "Free Jazz Blog". I like this duo really much. And really soon we will publish in Not Two Records our album "Unison Lines"

Howohucka Jesień Gitarowa

2010-09-22T05:23:00.000-07:00

New project, new music! I played in trio with great Brazilian guitarist Alieksey Vianna and my friend Wiesław Jamioł. It was opening concert of Guitar Festival "Nowohucka Jesień Gitarowa" in my city - Nowa Huta. Amazing experience!! We played music of Ralph Towner, Egberto Gismonti and other brasilian stuff. Was really great!!Most of my past fascinations are came back :-)

Beograd - beginning of artistic season

2010-09-10T03:17:00.000-07:00

Improart

2010-08-31T06:49:00.000-07:00

I started new project "Polish Improart"- presentation of polish art of improvisation abroad - . First event - concert of Trzaska/Mazur duo for beginning of artistic season in Beograd, Serbia. Organized by Centre Polonius Pegaz.

2010-07-21T03:51:00.000-07:00

Mazur/Neuringer online album

2010-06-30T02:18:00.000-07:00

"Improwizje" it is small album released by Insibordinations netlabel.

You can listen it HERE.

New band

2010-06-30T02:14:00.000-07:00

In fact I just revitalized PROCESS, my old electro-acoustic band, with small but important changes. Now it is Rafal Mazur Electro-Acoustic Quartet (in future could be quintet, sextet etc.).

Theatre and Ensemble 56

2010-05-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

Last week I spent near Warszawa with Piotr Bikont's "The Badow Theatre Society" where I prepared music for spectacle "1410" based on original middleages chronicle of Jan Dlugosz. The premiere will be at 24 of May in Warszawa.
Immediately after that I played concert with Ensemble 56 at "PiecArt Acoustic Jazz Club" in Krakow. Really friendly place and concert was amazing!!

New web site!

2010-04-18T02:18:00.000-07:00

New web of Rafal Mazur.

Ensemble 56 & Piotr Baron

2010-04-18T02:14:00.000-07:00

One piece from concert of Ensemble 56 with Piotr Baron. Concert will be released as Cd by Multi Kulti Project. The titlle: "2nd Meeting: Bonus".

Workshop of collective spontaneous improvisation

2010-04-08T02:13:00.000-07:00

Lecture and workshop in Lublin. In workshop I will present technics of preparation to collective activity, technics came from martial art which I treat as a one of paradigm of activity in group. And the technics of preparing for cooperation ("negative cooperation" in prakseology) in martial arts are most useful in my opinion (since 5 years I practise TaiJi Quan Chen). If You are interested in what we (as an artists-improvisers) can learn from masters of martial art, let You come to Lublin in Poland. Here You can read about it (only in polish): http://warsztatykultury.pl/?p=351

Why Thomastik?

2010-02-21T13:33:00.000-08:00

Lot of people asked me: why Thomastik-Infeld? There are not so popular strings for bass guitar. I can say only: there are the best strings for acoustic bass guitar which I've ever used. Clear?

56 again

2010-02-21T13:27:00.000-08:00

Today me and Mietek Górka (drummer of Ensemble 56) had a meeting with Wawrzyniec, owner of label Multi Kulti Project. It seems that in October Ensemble 56 will have second CD, live recording with special guest - amazing polish sax player Piotr Baron. As usual music is recorded by Rafal Drewniany DTS Mobile Studio.

Unison Lines

2010-02-14T08:08:00.000-08:00

"Unison Lines" - CD of Mazur/Neuringer Duo coming soon!!! In Not Two Records!

2010-02-03T00:10:00.000-08:00

Today, video with part of my solo concert at Munster Guitar Festival is "Daily Video" on All About Jazz .
Here You can watch it. Enjoy!!

Trzaska/Mazur Duo

2009-12-10T06:55:00.000-08:00

I had a big pleasure play concert with excellent polish sax player, Mikolaj Trzaska. I hope we can do it more.

Solo performance - "Sonor Forms" premier

2009-12-10T06:50:00.000-08:00

Here You can find part of my solo performance in Munster. Thank You for Erhard Hirt for invitation. It was premier of my solo CD - "Sonor Forms" released in Transidiomatics series by DTS Records.

Ensemble 56 - Krakow Jazz Fall

2009-12-10T06:45:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of December Ensemble 56 played amazing concert on "Krakow Jazz Fall" Festival in Alchemia. It was 1,5 hour of energetic music. Before it we played concert in Poznan, at "Dragon" club, and in Warszawa in "Moving Closer" Festival organized by my friend Darek Makaruk.

Laboratory of Intuition V

2009-12-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

Last guest of :Laboratory of Intuition" year 2009 was amazing viola player - Charlotte Hug. We played concert in quartet with Mazrena Lis on piano and Tomek Choloniewski on drumms. It was great music, Rafal Drewniany from DTS Studio recorded everything and I hope You can listen it in future.

With Keir

2009-12-10T06:36:00.000-08:00

In November I met with my friend, Keir Neuringer and we played few concerts - two in Krakow, one in Ljubljana nad one in Budapest. It was really amazing time. First concert was in trio with our friend Tomek Choloniewski, he played ion drumms, in Eszewerie - small club in Krakow. next two concerts was in duo - in Milestone in Krakow and in Gromka Club in Ljubljana (it was in Defonija series organized by Miha Zadnikar - photo). Last concert was in Budapest in Artus theater after premier of new performance amazing hungarian dancer Eszter Gal. We played with 5 hungarian improvisers - event was organized by Attila Dóra. Now we (me and Keir) waiting for our premier CD which will be released next year by Not Two Records. And in April we will play and record in our new project, trio with excellent drummer Raymond Strid.

SONOR FORMS

2009-11-11T06:59:00.000-08:00

The premier of my first solo CD will take a place on my solo performance at the "Pro Gitarre" Festival In Munster - 13 of November 2009. "Sonor Forms" is released by DTS Records found by Rafal Drewniany in "Transidiomatic"series. Soon You can get it on my concerts or by internet shop of the label.

Transidiomatics 1 - DTS Records

2009-11-03T04:34:00.000-08:00

Rafal Drewniany, owner of DTS Mobile Studio found a label DTS Records. In that label I am curator of TRANSIDIOMATICS series - dedicate free improvised music from Central Europe. Graphic design of series is made by Piotr Jakubowicz. Next week should come first CD':

Ullen/Dóra/Mazur Trio - "Behind and Beyond" , recorded in February at Centre of Contemporary Art in Krakow. I will write soon how You can get it. If You are living near Munster in Germany for sure You can buy it at 13 of November - I will play there solo performance at "Pro Gitarre" Festival.

Laboratory of Intuition IV

2009-10-10T23:02:00.001-07:00

IV edition of "Laboratory of Intuition" - October 2009 in Krakow: Frederic Blondy, Rafal Drewniany and me. We spent really nice time and played good concert. Frederic is an amazing piano player and it was pleasure play with him.

Mazur & Neuringer in Not Two

2009-10-06T05:32:00.000-07:00

Now I know that our music ( me and Keir) will be released by Not Two Records. Here You can read something about that label.

September

2009-10-03T00:50:00.000-07:00

After two month of boring holidays, September was really interesting. Among others things I played really good concert with Ensemble 56 at "Podgorska Jesien" festival. Our special quest was excellent polish jazz musician - Piotr Baron . Part of the concert You can see here.
And at the end of September I played two concerts with my new trio with Lisa Ullen and Attila Dóra. We played at Avant Art fest in Wroclaw and "Krakow Autumn Jazz Festival". It was amazing time and amazing music.
You can visit our myspace profile.
Really soon we will release our first CD: "Behind and Beyond".

Laboratory of Intuition III

2009-07-09T21:25:00.000-07:00

The 3rd edition of "Laboratory of Intuition" - series of concerts of free improvised music in Krakow. Special quest is Zsolt Sores. He plays today evening in Centre of Contemporary Arts "Solvay" on electronics with Paulina Owczarek, Tomek Choloniewski and me.

Mazur & Neuringer recordings

2009-07-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

After few days and two concerts in Krakow me and Keir have a few hours good music recorded by Rafal Drewniany - DTS mobile studio. Session from "Solvay" is amazing in my opinion. Now we are looking for label. Let me know if You have a label and interested in it.

Ensemble 56 in Ljubljana Jazz Festival

2009-07-05T05:05:00.000-07:00

2nd of July I played with Ensemble 56 at 50 edition of Jazz Festival Ljubljana in Slovenia. It was really nice event with a lot of amazing musicians (Louis Moholo-Moholo, Regie Workman, Ken Vandenmark, Satoko Fuji...) and we played good concert ( as I remember). We represented Not Two label, in the series of concerts dedicated to most important independent jazz labels in Europe - Not Two, Jazzland and Clean Feed. Here is an excerpt of first review:"... Cankarjev dom Club first hosted the Ensemble 56 trio, which imbued its take on contemporary free jazz with a rich assortment of influences from eastern religions to various metal styles...The music – mostly owing to saxophonist Attile Dóre’s prolonged and dexterously articulated tones – had a dense texture, at times bearing a resemblance to Brötzmann’s sound... - Andraž Jež". Full review and photos You can find here.
Thanks for Marek Winiarski from Not Two Records that he decided to invite Ensemble 56 as an representation of his amazing label!!!!
Anyway, Ljubljana is nice city, not so big, really hot, full of good wines and amazing food. You should visit the place, next July for example.

www.ensemble56.eu

Duo and trio

2009-06-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

Next week I'll play two concerts with excellent sax player from NY - Keir Neuringer. We know each other since 10 years and we created improvised music scene in Krakow when we found "Improvisers Ensemble" www.improvisersensemble.com
Now Keir come to Krakow and we will play 25.06 in "Eszewerie" and 26.06 in Centre of Contemporary Art "Solvay" in Krakow. Second concert will be with Tomek Choloniewski on percussions.
I am waiting for this meeting and playing!!
You can listen our music here:
www.myspace.com/mazurneuringerduo

Recording session

2009-06-12T02:38:00.000-07:00

This week I had a two days recording session with Ray Dickaty, sax player from Liverpool in UK, co-founder of "rock'n'roll free jazz ensemble" Solar Fire Trio (here You can listen the band: www.myspace.com/solarfiretrio ).
Now, we have 160 minutes of music!! Of course, recorded by Rafal Drewniany, founder of DTS Studio - mobile recording studio. Among others, he cooperate with Not Two Records.
http://dtsstudio.pl/
http://www.nottwo.com/

Budapest - alternative

2009-06-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

It was amazing time, I was in Budapest in Alternative Cross Hearing Festival with my band PROCESS. Excellent music, wonderful people and impresive art ( among others Ben Patterson). And amazing hungarian wines and food!!!

You have to visit next edition, it is not so far, just in Centre of Europe :-)

Hungary - Relative (Cross)Hearing Fest

2009-05-26T08:20:00.000-07:00

30.05.2009 I will play with PROCESS and Attila Dóra on Relative (Cross)Hearing Festival organized in Budapest (capitol of Hungary) by Zsolt Sores (photo) - one of the main person of community of improvised and experimental musicians in Hungary.

Zsolt will be next guest of LabInt in July!

Laboratory of Intuition

2009-05-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I finished second edition of "Laboratory of Intuition". It is program dedicated for development of improvised art scene in Poland, particulary in Krakow. I created it with Centre of Contemporary Art in Krakow and we've got a financial support from Ministry Of Culture and National Heritage. The idea is to invite well-known improvisers to Krakow and combine bands with local musicians.

The 1st edition was in April and guest was great swedish drummer Raymond Strid.

The last, 2nd edition was in May and guest was French turntable's player Franck Vigroux.

More info about project You can find on website:

www.labint.pl

Released - PROCESS 1 and PROCESS 2

2009-05-26T07:03:00.000-07:00

PROCESS 1 released by Abdicate Cell netlabel.

PROCESS 2 released by Audio Tong netlabel.

"The music is fiercely beautiful. I am completely energized by it! The events on Untitled 1 take you into a realm of huge spacial clarity, with the vibratory energies releasing, & entraining symbiotic energies in your spatio-physical-auditory awareness..."
Read here full review of Ladonna Smith.

Released - Apeiron "Night in Krakow"

2009-05-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

"Night in Krakow" of Apeiron duo released by "Insubordinations" netlabel.

"Piano and contrabass collaborate in a fantastic music here, during one take of half an hour. There are flowing patterns, little cascades of sounds delivered with a wonderful, minute sense for the details. The secret of keeping this process so alive might lie in the pauses which are employed in what might be called a breath-like rhythm, but organically irregular. In a late stage the music gets slower and more exquisitely sparse - before finally there seems to be a deliberate turn to a pulsating, freejazzy texture, like a closing fanfare - still with sensitivity intact. Sensuous and fresh music."
INTUITIVE MUSIC REVIEWS by Carl Bergstroem-Nielsen

Released - Risser & Mazur "Elan Vital"

2009-05-26T03:16:00.002-07:00

"Elan Vital" - the first album of Risser & Mazur Duo released by "Insubordinations" netlabel.

"Pianist Eve Risser and acoustic bass guitarist Rafel Mazur play a 22 minute piece titled Elan Vital on their same titled EP from Insubordinations. This experimental net label is always reliable for fascinating avant-garde improvisations and Elan Vital is no exception..."

Full review of "Elan Vital" You can find in Free Albums Galore

Released - Ensemble 56 "1st Meeting - Towards Sky Flight of Dragon"

2009-05-26T02:58:00.001-07:00

"...Spontaneous, improvised music is an art in its own. Dora, Gorka and Mazur have transcended the ordinary to find an intuitive weave and give their music a presence of depth and dimension(...)Spontaneous invention and a dynamic approach sing the sounds of Ensemble 56. The call is irresistible."

Read the whole review from All About Jazz here.

"...I can't say that I've heard of any of the members of this fine Polish/Hungarian trio before this disc, but I was quite pleased to hear this disc(...) The trio does a swell job and knowing when to come in and turn solos into duos or trios."
Here is a whole review from NY Down Town Music Gallery.

"...These guys are as free as it gets, but full of soul and free improv leanings, and the trio's musicianship is just outstanding(...)All three of them are a real pleasure to hear, with an unbelievable scope of technique, yet using this always in function of the musical project at hand, coherent and focused."
Here is a full review from Free Jazz Blog.

"1st Meeting: Towards Sky Flight of Dragon" - the first album of Ensemble 56 is now available in the music stores and for online purchase through the website of the Polish label "Not Two Records":www.nottwo.com

Who am I?

2009-05-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

Rafal Mazur (Kraków 1971) plays acoustic bass guitar custom built to his own specifications by guitar maker Jerzy Wysocki. He has developed an advanced and individual approach to his instrument—and to improvisation in general—in which sonority, extended technique and gesture combine effortlessly in performance. Mazur’s uncompromising musical standards are matched by the sophistication of his wit and demeanor on- and offstage.
He has taken an important role in Kraków to support young artists and improvised music;he is a founder of "ImproArt" - studio of improvisation in Krakow. He has performed jazz and improvised music in clubs and festivals across Poland and in much of Europe (and recently in China). At present focuses on working with Ensemble 56. He is an organizer of "Laboratory of Intuition"- series of presentation of spontaneous art in Kraków.He also studying philosophy at the Jagiellonian University and practice Tai Ji.

A l'heure actuelle Rafal Mazur joue d'une guitare basse acoustique ue spécialement conçue pour lui par le luthier Jerzy Wysocki. Il a développé une approche propre et poussée de son instrument - et de l'improvisation d'une manière générale - où technique étendue et geste se combine sans effort lors de la performance. La position sans compromis de Mazur s'associe à son esprit sophistiqué sur, et hors, de la scène.
Il joue un rôle important dans la scène de Cracovie, soutenant les jeunes musiciens et les arts improvisés. Il s'est produit dans de nombreux clubs et festivals Polonais, Européen, et récement en Chine. Il est le fondateur d'“ImproArt”, une association informelle de musiciens promouvant et pratiquant la musique improvisée. Rafal Mazur se concentre sur sa collaboration avec de Keir Neuringer et l'Ensemble 56 , un ensemble de jazz contemporain hongro-polonais. Il organise les “Laboratory of Intuition”, événements annuelles multidisciplinaires. Il étudie également la philosophie à l'université Jagielonian et pratique le tai-chi.

Der 1971 in Krakau geborene Bassgitarrist Rafal Mazur hat einen ganz eigenen, modernen Zugang zu seinem Instrument gefunden. Außergewöhnliche Techniken, Wohlklang und gestenreiche Darbietungen vereinen sich bei dem Polen mühelos in einer nicht alltäglichen Performance. Dabei vereinen sich in seinen Improvisationen Esprit, Witz und Raffinesse mit kompromisslosem Musikverständnis zu einem bunten Potpourri klanglicher Leidenschaft. Die zeigt sich auch bei der Förderung junger Improvisationskünstler aus Krakau. Seine Auftritte haben ihn bereits durch ganz Polen und große Teile Europas geführt sowie jüngst nach China. Zurzeit konzentriert sich der Bassist auf die Arbeit mit dem Ensemble 56.