22.12.2014 on Radio Dwójka – in his program Jazz Piano Forte – Tomasz Szachowski presented Chopin Revisited:
?..Chopinian release by the pianist Rafał Rokicki (…) recorded with his wonderful rhythm section: Michał Kapczuk on double bass and Paweł Dobrowolski on drums – it is certainly one of the best Polish rhythm sections (…). The Chopinian record – important since in the recent period there seemed to be less interest in the Chopin’s compositions, even some musicians believed that this chapter had been closed (…) and for some time the Chopin was forgotten – and this seemed true for the whole Polish jazz movement – however it was not. Therefore, with even greater pleasure I am going to introduce three jazz interpretations (by Rokicki), so different from what we are used to hear by Leszek Możdzer, Andrzej Jagodziński or Adam Makowicz. I would say that this personal part, this author’s commentary is here highlighted more than before… Keep Reading →
“There has been numerous projects that interpret the Chopin’s heritage in various styles and different instumentations. Therefore, it was very courageous of Rafał Rokicki to record another album of Chopin arrangements. Still it has to be admitted that he was victorious while confronted with his predecessors. His trio presents an interesting aesthetic concept, in which the spirit of Chopin is preserved and which is very interesting to listen to. Rafał Rokicki turns out to be a pianist of great sensitivity and excellent technique, playing very expressively.
Jazz/Classical Music
Rafał Rokicki Trio ?Chopin Revisited”, Ellyah Music, CD, 2014
“Twenty years ago there was released an album by Andrzej Jagodziński Trio “Chopin” that begun a series of records by polish jazzmen interpreting our great composer in their own way. The pianist Rafał Rokicki belongs to most romantic virtuosos of this instrument. He is accompanied by a subtle play of the rhythm section: the bassist Michał Kapczuk and the drummer Paweł Dobrowolski. Rokicki with subtlety paints musical landscapes with the themes of nocturnes, mazurkas, etudes and preludes by Chopin. On each one he expands in his dynamic improvisations playing once gentle once expressive chords. This album will interest both jazz and classical music lovers, but most it will raise interest of all the fans of romantic instrumental music.”
Marek Dusza
http://www.rp.pl/artykul/1155745.html?p=2
In the occasional Chopin’s Year we were flooded by very different projects realised with the preparatory title ?a different Chopin?. There emerged caricatural interpretations of etudes, mazurkas, nocturnes, but also some fine records and jazz concerts. From the exemplary “classic” Andrzej Jagodziński Trio to the freely charming interpretations of Leszek Możdżer. Now the ? jazz chopinists ? are joined by Rafal Rokicki ? a great pianist (but also my ?protege?, because the first laureate of our project Era Jazzu/ Music Garden). Keep Reading →
Jazzy Chopin, or jazz of Chopin? The title that didn’t come easy.
Everybody probably has their own way of playing Chopin, which is for me a fantastic observation because Chopin himself was a genious and when it is transformed through a sensitivity of a good musician it turns to be a musical adventure.
Today I wanted to put one of more interesting releases into a certain genre or some musical context. Chopin Revisited is something more than a translation of the genius’s compositions to jazz music. Keep Reading →
Jerzy Sosnowski about “Chopin Revisted” 🙂
“I have just received a CD “Chopin Revisited” (Kasia Rokicka, Rafał Rokicki – Thank You!). I am listening and my first impression, that I had after hearing one track on YouTube, is confirmed – it is to me one of the most interesting jazz interpretations of Chopin’s music, Keep Reading →
The newly released Jazz Press Magazine is already available… and there… inside on the page 12 one can find some news about Chopin Revisited. 🙂
The magazine is available for download free of charge at http://www.jazzpress.pl as well as on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JazzPRESSpl
Check it out!
Great thanks to Grzegorz Kamola for his amazing pictures of Rafal’s Trio on the Chopin Na Krakowskim Przedmieściu Festival in Warsaw, 6th Sept 2014.
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