Janusz Prusinowski Trio is a group of musicians who follow in traditions of village masters they have learned from: Jan Lewandowski, Kazimierz Meto, Józef Zaraś, Piotr and Jan Gaca, Tadeusz Kubiak and many others – but they are also an avant-garde band with their own characteristic sound and language of improvisation. They combine music with dance and the archaic with the modern.
The Trio’s unique style is the result of their attempt to find new ways of interpreting the most important elements of village music from central Poland. It brings together mazurkas – sung, played, danced to, improvised live – and modern man. What new quality can be given to archaic and seemingly simple melodies and rhythms without resorting to trendy sample mixing? It turns out that traditional music of Polish villages can be a reference point for a variety of genres: reminiscent of Chopin in its melodic pattern and the use of rubato, sharing a love of improvisation with blues and jazz, evocative of contemporary music in its tone, and possessing the expressiveness of rock music.
At present the band members include:
Janusz Prusinowski – fiddle, voice, dulcimer, Polish accordion
Piotr Piszczatowski – baraban drum, frame drum
Michał Żak – wooden flutes, shawm, clarinet
Piotr Zgorzelski – folk bass, dancing
guest – Szczepan Pospieszalski – trumpet
Since 2008 the band has played many concerts, both at high-profile events (such as the Open’er Festival World Stage) and in more intimate concert venues – always to the great delight of the public. By 2012 Trio performed in most of European countries, Asia, Canada, the USA (including Carnegie Hall and Chicago Symphony Center) – and of course Poland. The band prepared a special programme of performances „The village roots of Frédéric Chopin’s music” with pianist Janusz Olejniczak. In 2012 Trio begun a unique project “Kujawy” with three masters of Polish music: Tadeusz Kubiak, Tomasz Stańko, Janusz Olejniczak, and a group of singers led by Ewa Grochowska. The group also performed with jazz musicians – Michał Urbaniak and Artur Dutkiewicz – and with Azerbaijan mugam singer Alim Qasimov. Apart of concerts, Trio’s music can be heard at the parties of village and urban Dance Clubs or theatrical performances at the Polish National Theatre and the Polish Radio Theatre. They also run musical and dance workshops. In 2008 the band released “Mazurkas”, an album which received rave reviews. This was followed in 2010 by their second album “Serce” (“Heart”) that has been awarded The Album of the Year 2010 in annual Polish Radio folk and traditional music albums competition.
The Trio is regarded as one of leading Polish folk bands and as the only one rooting its musical language in the unique style of traditional improvisation. In October 2012 Janusz Prusinowski Trio, the Womex Nominee, performed at the prestigious world music fair – WOMEX 2012 in Thessaloniki.
The Trio would like to share its precious musical discoveries through concerts and workshops.
Concerts:
Each concert is separately designed, to fit specific time, location, circumstances and… the band’s state of mind. Among virtually limitless configurations a couple of particular themes can be chosen:
The Wild World of Mazurkas
Traditional Music from Central Poland
Fantasias on Polish Themes – Chopin’s masterpieces played by Janusz Olejniczak on grand piano and Polish folk dances by the Trio
“Kujawy” Concert
Workshops:
The Trio learned to play, sing and dance from so many village musicians, dancers and singers, men and woman… These lessons were priceless. Musicians think that now it’s their turn to pass on this ancient language of expressing feelings and experiencing bonds with other people.
They offer a few types of workshops on different levels to everyone who wish to learn how to play, sing or dance:
● Music and Songs from Central Poland – instrumental and vocal workshops
Vocal and fiddle workshops – Janusz Prusinowski
Frame drum and folk bass workshops – Piotr Piszczatowski & Piotr Zgorzelski
Wooden flute, clarinet and other wooden windpipes workshops – Michał Żak
● Dances from the Polish Lowlands
Polish traditional dances, once so common, were almost totally forgotten. Even basic steps fell into oblivion. Body usage and dancers expression changed – and the relation between dancers is now much poorer. But the possibilities are innumerable. While learning even simple dance steps we can discover not only the energy and joy of dancing, but also the possibility of improvisation with use of gradually taught ornaments. To enjoy dancing fully, the dancers must have an excellent sense of direction and contact with other dancing couples. The main point is to dance not only in pairs, but also to experience the group.
The ”Dances from Polish Lowlands” Workshops consist of four modules:
Processional dances – chodzony, siemieniec, przytrampywanie;
Circle whirling dances – kujawiak, oberek, wiwat – with variants and improvisation;
Dances ”with figures” & game dances – kozak, dyna, kontro, krzyżok, polka.
Source: Janusz Prusinowski Trio
Photo © Y.Psathas/Womex