Sławek Pezda
Born in Kolbuszowa, Poland, Slawek Pezda received his Master’s Degree from the Krakow Academy of Music in the Jazz and Modern Music Department. After 10 years of playing the alto saxophone, Pezda decided to make the switch to tenor, drawing inspiration from such saxophonists as Mats Gustafsson, Evan Parker, John Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders, and Albert Ayler. In concert, Pezda has earned a reputation for his long, intense, often cacophonous solos and has become a crowd-favorite.
Pezda, a member of both Mike Parker’s ‘Trio Theory’ and ‘Unified Theory’ projects, can also be heard playing with PeGaPoFo, Pezda/Gaweda Duo, Silberman New Sextet, and his own trio ‘The Flash!’. He is the winner of the 2014 Art of Improvisation Competition, the 12th Baszta Jazz Festival Competition, 2010 Azoty Tarnow International Jazz Competition (with Pezda/Gaweda duo and as a soloist), 2011 Jazz Juniors International Jazz Competition (with PeGaPoFo), and the 38th ‘Key To Career’ Competition (with PeGaPoFo).
Mateusz Gawęda – born in 1990 pianist, composer
Graduate of the Krakow Academy of Music, where he studied jazz piano under Dr. Joachim Mencel. Co-founder of the groups Pezda/Gawęda Duo, Mateusz Gawęda Trio, PeGaPoFo and Cracow Jazz Collective, whose repertoire primarily consists of his own original compositions.
Worked and performed with numerous renowned Polish and foreign jazz musicians. He recorded with ECM’s artist like Maciej Obara and Ralph Alessi.
Mike Parker
A native of New York, Mike began his professional career at the age of 17 playing funk and rock gigs in New York City clubs. Now at the age of 28, he has toured all over Europe and America with both jazz and rock groups, won several international contests and awards, studied with and played with some of the greatest musicians alive, and recorded 3 albums of his own compositions. Mike attended Skidmore College where he studied Evolutionary Psychology and Music and spent a semester abroad studying Jazz Bass at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. After graduating with highest honors, he traveled extensively around Europe before settling in Krakow, Poland. Since then, Mike has had many fruitful collaborations there including recording his second album of original material (‘Embrace the Wild’). When not playing in jazz clubs in Krakow, he can be found touring around Europe with his ‘Trio Theory’ project or the New York-based rock/funk ‘Nat Osborn Band’.
