Zbigniew Namysłowski

Zbigniew Namysłowski was one of the absolutely central figures in the history of Polish jazz and at the same time a musician recognized beyond Poland. He was born on 9 September 1939 in Warsaw and developed from the beginning as a versatile instrumentalist, composer, and arranger. Although he became most famous as an alto saxophonist, he also played flute, trombone, cello, and piano. His safest confirmed stage debut dates to 1955, when he performed as a jazz pianist with the group Five Brothers. By the following year he was already appearing as a trombonist, and over time he focused primarily on alto saxophone. That multi-instrumental background mattered because it shaped the way he thought about arranging...