A historic photo of the group - Combo 7 from Torun, Poland (1957.)

For Maciej Kossowski it was the beginning of his new career as a jazz musician.

Encouraged by the pianist Adam Mroczynski to play the music Maciej rented the available trumpet from the University of Torun where he studied Polish Philology and learned the instrument in three months joining Combo 7 as one of the musicians.

In the photo above musicians swapped instruments. Maciej is playing drums, Adam Mroczynski bass, Jerzy Jaworski the drummer is playing piano, Bogdan Szopa the bass player is posing with trombone. Only Stefan Grimm is playing his true instrument: Clarinet.

 

Photo of Maciej Kossowski playing trumpet with the "Dixieland Septet" in concert held in "Panstwowa Opera i Filharmonia Baltycka" in Gdansk, Poland on 11,18,1962. On trombone: Jan Tomaszewski, on clarinet Lucjan Czaplicki, on banjo Franciszek Musiatowicz, on drums Dariusz Molik, on bass Marek Strobel on piano Andrzej Glowinski.

 

Photo of Maciej Kossowski playing trumpet with Jerzy Skrzypczyk drummer of "Czerwone-Gitary," at the beginning of their careers in Gdansk long before they joined the famous groups.

Photo of Maciek Kossowski and jazz band "Flamingo" from Gdansk, Poland.(1960)

Concert in Baltic Philharmonic Hall

Bass - Marek Strobel

Trombone - Jan Tomaszewski

Clarinet - Lucjan Czaplicki

Trumpet - Maciej Kossowski

Drums - Dariusz Molik

Unknown musicians on piano & banjo

Photos from the concerts of Tralabomba Jazz Band in Panstwowa Opera i Filharmonia Baltycka, Gdansk Poland 1962.

Andrzej Dorawa - band leader, trombone player

Maciej Kossowski - trumpet

Edward Rykaczewski - clarinet

Raymond Fortuna - piano

Marek Strobel - bass

Darek Molik - drums

On the Airport in Aten's Greece (1963) with musicians from the "Tralabomba Jazz Band."

Maciej Kossowski and Warszawscy Stompersi (1964)

In 1964 after success of his first record with the group Czerwono-

Czarni, Maciej Kossowski while still touring with Czerwono-Czarni

until October of 1967, encouraged Jozef Krzeczek

to write for him new material for the traditional Dixie record with Polish

lyrics.

Until then nobody among the Polish famous singers ever embarked on

such project.

All Polish jazz singers sang American songs in English, believing that

song sung in Polish even with the accompaniment of jazz musicians

could not be considered as jazz.

To put the idea in motion Maciej approached Wlodzimierz Kruszynski

the band leader of the Warszawscy Stompersi and after selecting

material the project was finalized in the recording studio of Polskie

Nagrania in Warsaw.

The four song vinyl record was titled: Warszawscy Stompersi, spiew:

Maciej Kossowski, and cataloged as the N 0339, on the Pronit

Label.

Here's the list of the titles:

Side A

1. "To przez ciebie," (It Is Your Fault); in better translation

Because Of You

2. "Za co mnie kochasz" (What Do You Love Me For)

Side B:

1. "Augustyna, (Augustine)

2. "Nie mow o zazdrosci," (Don't Be Jealous) in better

translation (Don't Talk About A Jealousy)

 

In 1996, Polish Record Co. Named Polskie Nagrania,

reissued Maciej's most popular recordings on CD's on

Muza Label, cataloged as PNCD 343 under the title:

Nie Mowie Zegnaj.

The album was the compilation of previously released 22

songs on vinyl records with four songs mentioned above.

The album is graced with Kossowski's effortless singing bringing

to light his multiple talents as a vocalist, music composer, trumpet

player, orchestral arranger and producer.

I focused here on the four songs recorded by Maciej

Kossowski with Warszawscy Stompersi only, because they're the

songs that offer smooth fusion of Polish language and American

Traditional Jazz.

They are delightful, unique and also equal to anything recorded in this genre in the whole world.

Written by: Mack Haparanda, staff writer for Songrunners Music

Dixieland Jazz in Poland (1964)

The power of American music culture is quite impressive for it penetrates all corners of the globe thanks to the artists such as Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and many others.

Still, when Maciej Kossowski recorded four tunes with "Warsaw Stompers" in 1964 he did it in a fairly isolated country behind the "Iron Curtain" in Poland.

Sure there were Dixie bands in Warsaw and Gdansk and other cities playing in a student clubs tunes like: "Rampart Street Parade." However, this hot music clearly American was not played on the principle Radio waves.

Maciej Kossowski changed that by recording home grown songs in polish written by Jozef Krzeczek and Wlodzimierz Patuszynski with the best Dixie band in Poland the "Warsaw Stompers" (Warszawscy Stompersi.)

Immediately few songs from the record received radio play and gained the hit status, getting on the Polish Top 10 list. Even today in a 21 century the songs have a freshness and are pleasant to listen to. The musicianship is of highest quality and Maciej's singing is on a par with the best of that kind.

Contributor: Frank Nehring Organization: Frank Nehring Promotions

 

 

Maciej with his band:"Turnabout" before the show in Holmdel New Jersey at the Garden State Art Center.

From left to right: Earle Warren - sax, Andre Ratay - organ, Igor - bass, Maciej Kossowski - lead vocals, guitar and trumpet, Barry Greenspan - drums, Jimmy Welsh - trombone.

Maciej Kossowski in Atlantic City with the best American polka band doing Standards. Far to the right Jimmy Sturr - leader of the band a multiple Grammy's winner.

Maciej Kossowski with his band at the "Lorelei."

From left to right:

Maciej Kossowski - Vocals, trumpet and guitar
Bill Marimondo - Alto Sax and clarinet
Vlad West - Hammond organ, bass
Scott Bradley - drums

 

Maciek Kossowski at the Lorelei with visiting musicians from Poland. From left to right:
Ryszard Podgorski - trumpet
Lady fan
Maciej Kossowski
Bogdan Kendelewicz - guitar (Tajfuny)
Jerzy Tumidajski - drums (Tajfuny.)

 

Wlodzimierz Gulgowski - keyboard, Maciej Kossowski - guitar

Bill Tesar - drums, Bill's friend - bass, at the "Lorelei" in Manhattan.

 

SONGRUNNERS MUSIC 2008