Abigail Miner/The LanternDouble bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and drummer Michal Miskiewicz of the Marcin Wasilewski Trio plays a jazz set Monday at the Wexner Center.The jazz trio features pianist, Marcin Wasilewski, double bassist Slawomir Kurkiewicz and drummer Michal Miskiewicz. Jazz trios are traditionally named after the pianist as they are seen as the leader, of the group, and Wasilewski is the trio’s primary composer.
The Marcin Wasilewski Trio plays modern jazz with influences from the past including Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett and John Coletrane, Wasilewski said.
“I’ve been influenced by the best music and by life as well, just living in soul, body and mind,” Wasilewski said. “Music is a kind of universal language and once you’ve learned that language you find your voice, find yourself.”
The trio got its start in 1990 when Wasilewski and Kurkiewicz began playing jazz together at their high school in Poland. Miskiewicx joined the group in 1993 and they have been a stable act ever since.
“This is our second time in Columbus,” Wasilewski said during the set. “We performed here two years ago with Tomasz Stanko.” Stanko, famous Polish trumpeter and composer, is a friend and mentor to the trio and they have toured widely together under his name. Exposure with Stanko has brought the trio international recognition.
The only light in the pitch black room glowed on the trio as they wooed the audience with songs from their new CD, “January,” as well as songs by other composers.
A crowd favorite, “The Cat,” composed by Wasilewski, began calmly and then stepped up the funk as Miskiewicz began playing the drums with his hands and Wasilewski slapped the inside of the piano with his hands. The trio paid tribute to Stanko by playing one of his compositions, “Balladyna,” which easily won the audience over.
They played several songs not on their album including “Song for Swirek,” a song that was written for a good friend of the trio who passed away. The trio covered “Cinema Paradiso,” Ennio Morricone’s title theme for Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1988 film “Cinema Paradiso.” The song is a celebration of film and exemplifies the sit-back-and-listen mood that the trio carries.
The performance flowed together beautifully; one song led into the other as if they were meant to be played only in that order. Kurkiewicz’s bass playing fit in perfectly with Miskiewicz’s smooth drumming and Wasilewski’s lyrical piano. The audience gave a standing ovation at the end and again after the encore.
The performance was more of an hour-and-a-half free-flowing story told by the three musicians.
“Music creates pictures through notes,” Wasilewski said. “It can be angry, it can be beautiful, crazy, and it can be love … it can be everything.”
After heading back to Poland, the trio will continue their shows, but will not be in the studio.
“I have to think about the next CD,” Wasilewski said. “I need time to live.”
Kimberly Snodgrass can be reached at [email protected].
