5 July AMERICAN IN WARSAW / RHAPSODY IN BLUE 1924
The concert by the outstanding young big band of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw, conducted by Piotr Kostrzewa, will have two protagonists: Henryk Wars and George Gershwin. Henryk Wars, who made a career in Hollywood after World War II, became famous before the war as the composer of some of Poland’s most popular hits, such as. Odrobinę szczęścia w miłości, Na pierwszy znak or Umówiłem się z nią na dziewiątą. These will be sung by Wojciech Myrczek in the first part of the evening. Wars’ work would not have been possible without the songs and compositions of George Gershwin, inlaid with elements of jazz music, which was becoming increasingly popular at the time. In the second part, Marcin Masecki will perform a set of his own improvisations on Gershwin’s themes, as well as the first, original version of Blue Rhapsody composed for Paul Whiteman’s jazz band and performed for the first time 100 years ago, on 24 February 1924 at Manhattan’s Aeolian Hall during a concert with the telling title Experiment in Modern Music.
Performers:
Wojciech Myrczek – vocal
Marcin Masecki – piano
Chopin University Big Band
Piotr Kostrzewa – band leader, artistic direction
