Swing, Swing, More Swing

Money for Nothing, Your Latest Trick, Romeo & Juliet… At the start of the summer holidays, Mark Knopfler came to Małopolska with some of Dire Straits’ tracks – but since there are plenty more hits in the band’s repertoire, fans of the “sultans of swing” have something to look forward to! Their wishes will be met by Polish musicians presenting the programme Symphonic Dire Straits at the Kraków Opera on 17 September. The London band reached for inspiration to jazz, folk, country and of course blues-rock. During the concert, the group’s distinctive sound is arranged by Krzysztof Herdzin, giving the familiar compositions a cinematic splendour while maintaining their freshness. Knopfler’s vocal parts are captured perfectly by Kuba Badach – a versatile singer who has worked with artists such as Kayah, Robert Janson and Dorota Miśkiewicz – while his distinctive guitar style is reproduced beautifully by the Polish virtuoso Marek Napiórkowski. They are accompanied by a symphonic orchestra and leading jazz instrumentalists Robert Kubiszyn (bass guitar), Tomasz Kałwak (piano) and Paweł Dobrowolski (percussion). (Bartosz Suchecki, ”Karnet”)