[Dixielandjazz] Jazz in Poland 1956

[Marek Boym]

Hello Andy,
The Sopot Festival recordings were issued shortly after the festival
took place, but were sold out in no time.  This, by the way, was true
for all jazz records there; one day, a friend phoned to tell me jazz
records were available at a certain store.  I got on my bicyckle right
away and went there, but only one was left - a 78 by Jerzy
Matuszkiewicz (mentioned in the programme).  In 2003, I god a CD with
the contents of that record, and it still sounds great!
Now they've all been reissued on CD, but, unfortunately, as played,
i.e. - traditional and modern mixed on the same record, something
that's prevented my buying them.
As to jazz under communism - there were years when almost every Soviet
Republic had its State Jazz Orchestra; jazz was banned only later.
But it was banned when the communists officially came into power.
Jan "Ptaszyn" Wroblewski himself was very much a part of the Poznan
modern jazz scene.  In 1958, he was selected to play with the
international youth big band organized for that year's Newport Jazz
Festival.  I do not know whether he still plays modern (probably
does), but he's been a star of the Old Jazz Meeting "Gold Washboard."
In 2003, while waiting to go to the airport and return home after the
Old Jazz Meeting, I heard him with the Vistula River Brass Band in a
Warsw park.  I also heard him as part of "Ultraditional Duo" at the
second Old Jazz Festival in Poznan last October.
I find the story of the obstacles on the part of the British Foreign
Office strange - Acker Bilk visited Poland earlier, and did not
encounter any problems (I spoke to him in 1992, and he had very fond
memories from that tour).  I heard Bilk in Wroclaw; it was probably
the greatest experience of my life (and I have seen plenty military
action) - the first really professional sounding band in person!
Cheers


On 21/11/2010, andy.ling at quantel.com <andy.ling at quantel.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Maybe of more interest to Marek, but I'm sure others
> will enjoy it. A program on BBC radio 4 about the first British
> jazz band to go to Poland in 1956
>
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vxzvk
>
> The Dave Burman Jazz Group had been assembled in just a few weeks - it
> would never play together again. But for a few days the Cold War blew hot
> as they thumped out Tiger Rag, Bucket's Got a Hole in It, Sugar and other
> standards to crowds of thousands all over the country.
>
> Enjoy
>
> Andy Ling
> --
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> Holdings Limited is registered in England & Wales.  Registration No:
> 4004913 Contact details for all Quantel Offices and Companies can be found
> on our website www.quantel.com or by writing to the holding company.
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