Urszula Dudziak is a versatile jazz vocalist who has worked with such jazz greats as Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller, Bobby McFerrin, Krzysztof Komeda and Michał Urbaniak. She was the soloist of the Gile Evans Orchestra. She has cut some 50 records. “My life and my road to success are strewn with lucky moments. You could say I was born lucky. I’ve been fortunate to meet wonderful, talented and ambitious people,” Urszula Dudziak tells “Polish Market”. Music critics say she sings as if she were constantly smiling. These days the artist has gained new popularity thanks to “Papaya Dance”, a 1970s song which has won a cult status on the web, especially in Asia and Latin America. It’s a huge dance hit in South Korea, though Urszula Dudziak appears baffled by the song’s sudden popularity.
Grzegorz Turnau is a composer, pianist and chanson artist, who carries on the tradition of the legendary Piwnica Pod Baranami literary cabaret, where he appeared in the 1980s having won the Student Song Festival in Kraków in 1984. He has a number of records to his credit featuring songs by Jeremi Przybora, Jerzy Wasowski and Marek Grechuta. This critically acclaimed artist is very popular on the concert circuit.
“My plan was to become a versatile musician by developing in all directions”, jazz artist Leszek Możdżer says. This celebrated pianist has performed with the brightest Polish stars, including Anna Maria Jopek, Tomasz Stańko, Tymon Tymański, Marcin Pospieszalski and others. Since 2005 Możdżer has worked together with Swedish double bass player and cellist Lars Danielsson and Israeli percussion virtuoso Zohar Fresco. Together they have made several recordings, which won quite a bit of acclaim. For several years now Możdżer has been involved in joint projects with the famous Polish film music composers Zbigniew Preisner and Jan A.P. Kaczmarek. The artist has also written such works as “Psalms of David” for choir and jazz quartet. Together with cellist Adam Klocek he has performed Bach sonatas.
“For me music without emotions does not exist”, pianist Piotr Anderszewski said in one of his interviews ahead of his Polish appearances this year. Along with another famous Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman, Piotr Anderszewski ranks among the world’s best. Since 1990 the artist has mainly lived in Paris, but with Hungarian and French, as well as Polish roots, he regards himself as a citizen of the world. He has an exclusive contract with Virgin Classics. Some critics call him a genius. Anderszewski started to learn playing the piano at the age of six. He then studied at the Music Academy in Warsaw as well as conservatoires in Lyon and Strasbourg, as well as UCLA in Los Angeles.
Polish pop artist Margo is another performer at Polish Day. “Polish audiences want Margo to represent us abroad, singing in Polish. That’s why we have invited her”, Maciej Pawlicki, Commissioner General of the Polish Section Expo 2008 Saragossa says. Margo is the stage name of Małgorzata Gadzińska, who draws her inspirations from soul, rhythm and blues and mainstream pop to create her own brand of dance music.