V-Records, 2015
The album recorded by two renowned guitarists is a tribute to melodies from movies by the great Polish directors such as Roman Polański and Andrzej Wajda. The phenomenal themes from unforgettable motion pictures have never before sounded more luscious and vivid.
Marek Napiórkowski and Artur Lesicki, both leading jazz guitarist in Poland, have been friends since childhood. Yet, this is the very first time they recorded an album in a duo, an ideal formula to present their virtuoso and bring out the beauty of music composed by Krzysztof Komeda, Wojciech Kilar, Andrzej Kurylewicz, Andrzej Korzyński and Jerzy „Duduś” Matuszkiewicz. The timless compositions from the Polish masters of film music is complemented by the duo’s original music which aligns perfectly with the album’s title – Celuloid.
Although the album is a reference to the times when the best Polish films were shot in black and white, it bursts in colors. Most parts have been recorded live, using acoustic and classical guitars crafted by the best guitar makers of the world. You can also hear intriguing sound of twelve-string guitar, mini Martin, charango and electric guitars.
The album has been nominated for the Polish music industry awards FRYDERYK in the Jazz Album of the Year 2015 category.
★ MAREK NAPIÓRKOWSKI is a leading Polish jazz guitarist and composer. For many years, he has proven himself as an all-around artist with unique musical language of his own. Difficult to put labels on: with each musical journey, he takes us into even more intriguing worlds, bound together with his signature sound.
Ever since the beginning of his career, his name has been featured in the top musician rankings. Since 2012, the readers of Jazz Forum magazine have consistently selected him as the Jazz Guitarist Of The Year.
Napiórkowski has been acclaimed by both the industry and critics becoming a thirteen time nominee of the prestigious Music Award FRYDERYK in Jazz Musician of The Year and Jazz Album of The Year categories.
His name has been credited on more than 150 albums with various artists. On his six solo albums played, amongst others, Gregoire Maret, Mino Cinelu, Anna Maria Jopek, Clarence Penn, Leszek Możdżer, Adam Pierończyk, Henryk Miśkiewicz.
He has also cooperated with many great names of jazz music such as Pat Metheny, Richard Bona, Mino Cinelu, Marcus Miller, Angelique Kidjo, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, John Taylor, Dhafer Youssef, Adam Holzman, Sugar Blue, Anna Maria Jopek, Tomasz Stańko, Leszek Możdżer, Hadrien Feraud, Dorota Miśkiewicz, Urszula Dudziak, Klaus Doldinger (Passport). During his sixteen-year-long co-operation with Anna Maria Jopek, Napiórkowski participated in her most prominent projects as the closest musical partner.
He toured Japan, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Indonesia, China, Russia and most countries of Europe.
★ ARTUR LESICKI – in his career he worked with the leading jazz musicians such as Tomasz Szukalski, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Wojciech Karolak, Peter Herbolzheimer, Adam Holzman. As a session musician he worked with Polish pop stars such as Urszula Dudziak, Ewa Bem, Krystyna Prońko, Krzysztof Kiljański, Mieczysław Szcześniak.
As a solo guitarist as well as a member of bands and orchestras, he appeared at countless TV shows and music festivals. He also wrote music for theathe plays. As a leader of his own project, Artur Lesicki Acoustic Harmony, he recorded two critically acclaimed albums – An Unbelievable Silence and Stone & Ashes. He is also an author of few valued educational multimedia books.
Release year: 2015
Publisher: V-Records
Catalogue No.: 18095579
Marek Napiórkowski – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mini Martin, charango
Artur Lesicki – acoustic guitar