Krzysztof Komeda | Artist
Krzysztof Trzciński aka Krzysztof Komeda was a Polish film music composer and jazz pianist born 1931 in Poznań, Poland. Starting out in jazz, Komeda went on to be known for his work in film scores, most famously, the scores for Roman Polanski’s films The Fearless Vampire Killers and Rosemary’s Baby. Komeda took music lessons from early childhood and became a member of the Poznań conservatorium at the age of eight with ambitions to become a musician, but WWII thwarted his plans. After high school he entered the Medical Academy in Poznań to study medicine. He finished his six-year studies and obtained a medical doctor diploma in 1956, specialising as an otolaryngology physician. Whilst still practicing medicine, Komeda became immersed in the jazz scene centred in Kraków, and eventually worked with the first postwar Polish jazz band, called Melomani. Fascinated with modern jazz, Komeda formed his own Sextet and started using the stage name 'Komeda' for the first time to conceal his interest in jazz from co-workers at the medical clinic. Jazz was beginning its struggle for respectability with the communist authorities in the era of 'the thaw' and with Polish society jazz was regarded as subversive music of night clubs. The Komeda Sextet became the first Polish jazz group playing modern jazz, and its pioneering performances opened the way for jazz in Poland. He played jazz that related to European traditions and which was the synthesis of the two of the most popular American groups at that time: the Modern Jazz Quartet and the Gerry Mulligan Quartet. Komeda's first album was the excellent Ballet études: The Music of Komeda, released in 1963. This was followed by Astigmatic (1965) which is often considered one of the most important European jazz albums. There soon followed performances at many of Europe's most prestigious jazz venues, and the attention of film directors, looking to adapt Komeda's stylish new European jazz to accompany the new art-films coming from Eastern and Western Europe. It was the relationship with the enfant terrible of Polish and Hollywood films, Roman Polanski, which created many of Komeda's most memorable works. Komeda stayed in Los Angeles in 1968 where he composed film music for Roman Polanski's Rosemary's Baby, which contained one of his most recognizable compositions, "Rosemary's Lullaby" sung by the actress Mia Farrow. In December of the same year, and still in LA, Komeda had a tragic accident which led to severe brain damage. He was pushed off an escarpment by writer Marek Hłasko during a drinking party, whilst in the company of Roman Polanski. Medical treatment in the US was unsuccessful and after being transported home to Poland in a coma and in a terminal state, he died in April 1969, aged 37. As a jazz musician, Krzysztof Komeda exerted a crucial influence on creating an original style, often described as the Polish school of jazz, which subsequently influenced the Polish jazz scene's development after his death. Standout albums include Ballet études: The Music of Komeda (1963), Astigmatic (1966), Cul-de-sac (1966), My Sweet European Homeland (1967), The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967) and Rosemary's Baby (1968), plus the archival releases Knife in the Water (2014) and Live in Praha 1964 (2022).
Artist Website: wikipedia/Krzysztof_Komeda
Featured Albums: Krzysztof Komeda
Related Artists: Christopher Komeda, Melomani, Komeda Quintet, Roman Polanski
