Geniusz Tomasz

TOMASZ STANKO July 11th 1942-July 29th 2018.  The Jazz world will never be the same.  I certainly enjoy the music he put out.  Tomasz played with the late great Krzysztof Komeda.  If that name does not ring a bell, Krzysztof is the man who did the music for Rosemary's Baby and other Roman Polanski films of the middle to late 60's.

Tomasz trumpet got my attention when I was handed a CD of music that was a year in review for ECM music and it just so happen that the CD in the below picture was featured on it.  The music is pretty cool and the arrangements of Komeda's music are quite unique and are fresh to the ears of any  cinemaphile or soundtrack buff. He made a second album of inspired Komeda music called Dark Eyes. Stanko's music was quoted by Ben Ratliff saying, Soothing melodic shapes interrupted by flutters and harder intervallic stabs. It had a message of Freedom as Tomasz said. It had a message of Freedom as Tomasz said.

So this post is a two-fold.  While we remember the great trumpet player Tomasz, we also mention the album Litania.  It's one of many that are Tomasz best work.  For me, it's a wonderful tribute album to Krzysztof Komeda.  He has a great crew of assembling musicians on this album too.  All with great talent like Tomasz. Sadly this album is out of print and it really should not.  ECM takes care of their classics and this is one of them.  Tomasz and Krzysztof are reunited and this album proves that their passion for music and working together can make great and interesting music.