Tomasz Stanko, 11 July 1942 – 29 Jul 2018, was a Polish composer and trumpeter. Stanko, who recorded for ECM Records often, was heavily associated with avant-garde and free jazz. Stanko, who rose to prominence with pianist Adam Makowicz of the Jazz Darings in the 1960s, collaborated with Krzysztof Komeda for the album Astigmatic, which was recorded in 1965. Stanko was part of a renowned quintet, which included Zbigniew Sifert (violin and alto saxophone), and he founded the Tomasz Stanko/Adam Makowicz Unit in 1975. Stanko was a prominent figure in Polish jazz and on the international stage, where he worked with many famous musicians such as Jack DeJohnette (Dave Holland), Rufus Reid, Lester Bowie (Lester Bowie), Manu Katche, Chico Freeman, Manu Katche, Manu Katche, and Chico Freeman. He was part of Cecil Taylor’s big-band in 1984. Tomasz Stanko was a Polish citizen who was born in Rzeszow on July 11, 1942. His first exposure to jazz was through Voice of America radio programs, and U.S. State Department tours. Stanko grew up in Communist Poland and was struck by the connection jazz had to a message about freedom. He saw Dave Brubeck give his first jazz concert in 1958. The group, which included Adam Makowicz as pianist, was inspired by the music of Miles Davis, George Russell, and Ornette Coleman. Many critics considered them to be the first European group to perform free jazz. Stanko was a member of the Krzysztof Kmeda quintet in 1963. There he learned a lot about harmony, musical structure, and asymmetry. Stanko recorded 11 albums and did five tours with Komeda during his time with the quintet. Stanko formed a quintet in 1968 that received critical acclaim. It included Zbigniew Sifert, who played alto saxophone and Zbigniew Selecki on violin. He joined the Globe Unity Orchestra in 1970 and collaborated with Don Cherry and Krysztof Pederecki in 1971. He formed a quartet with Tomasz Zzukalski and Edward Vesala, a Finnish drummer. Many consider his performances with Vesala to be his greatest work. He formed the Tomasz-Adam Makowicz Unit in 1975. Stanko performing in Krakow 2007, 2007. He began performing with Cecil Taylor in big bands, and later led his own groups, such as COCX, which he also performed in with Vitold Rek, Apostolis Anthimos, and other musicians. Stanko worked with Jon Christensen, Arild Andersen, and himself before he returned to ECM Records. Stanko, then 16, formed a quartet that included Miskiewicz’s friends, Marcin Wasilewski, the pianist, and Slawomir Kurkiewicz, the bassist. He also founded an international quartet with Tony Oxley, Bobo Stenson and Anders Jormin that year. The quartet’s first ECM album, Matka Joanna, was released in 1994. Stanko created a group that performed Krzysztof Kmeda’s songs in 1997. They toured London, Copenhagen and Stockholm, and also appeared at jazz festivals such as those in Nancy and Berlin. Manfred Eicher, president of ECM, was the one who came up with the idea. Stanko lost all his natural teeth in 1990, but he was able to develop a new look with the help of a trained dentist and monotonous practices. Stanko would play long hours with what he considered “boring” long tones, which helped strengthen his lips. Stanko was killed in Warsaw on 29 July 2018.
