"In this program: a summing up of the third meeting of Rebelia Club as well as discussion about literature and the phenomenal concert by Rafał Rokicki" www.rebeliakultury.pl
Embassy of Jazz
On the 15th of September Rafał Rokicki will perform a piano recital in one of the venues in Olsztyn. The event is organised by the "Jazz Warmia Mazury Foundation"
as a part of the project "The Embassy of Jazz".
"One of the fest's primary venues is a cavernous club named Piwnica Pod Baranami. It is a celebrated cellar dating back centuries; as a jazz room it has been operational since 1956.
It reminded me of my beloved Village Vanguard. (Though the Vanguard is 20 years older!) In this Krakow haunt I heard two artists who have stayed with me: Rafal Rokicki,
a pianist who transformed short kernels of thought into thunderous declamations, in lock step with his trio mates " www.cracjazz.com
We would like to invite you to the upcoming concerts in May 2012. We will play in Piec Art in Cracow, Absurd 228 and Jazz Bistro in Warsaw. More information
about the events can be found in the "Concerts" section.
OurStage - November 2011
This November once again Rafał's arrangement of "Softly As In The Morning Sunrise" won the first place in Jazz category at www.ourstage.com.
Three compositions of Rafał Rokicki: "Softly as in the morning sunrise", "Undecided" and "Going Further"
have been highly appreciated, remaining at the top spots of the lists for quite some time.
"The first winner of the plebiscite called Era Music Garden was a pianist Rafał Rokicki and it was him solo piano who performed
during the first part of the concert in Palladium in Warsaw on the 19th of March.
To choose Rokicki to open the cycle turned out to be most adequate. He graduated from the renowned jazz school Berklee and managed
to record an album in the US. Rokicki is a gifted artist, with carefully crafted technique and ideas. He seems to prefer Romantic
aesthetics. He performed his set in deep concentration, gently choosing nicely sounding chords and skillfully grading moods that
easily moved from piano to forte. The program consisting of three pieces, though definitely exhibiting jazz references, left an
impression of being highly prepared and less spontaneous. If the Rokicki's performance was to be his debut, it was definitely successful."
More in Jazz Forum 4/5 2011 (jpg-640 KB)
"Rafał Rokicki, the hope of Polish jazz piano, performed at Omar Sosa's side in Warsaw's Palladium, thanks to the Zrób Głośniej
plebiscite."
Video - Rafał Rokicki at the Era of Jazz Music Festival
On the 19th of March 2011 Rafał Rokicki performed piano solo at the Era of Jazz Music Festival opening the concert for Omar Sosa.
As it was written by
www.radioaktywne.pl
"The concert was opened by a young Polish pianist Rafał Rokicki. Very focused, precise and touching he was trying
to enchant the audience with his gentle performance."
During the concert Rafał performed the following compositions:
"WINTER'S NIGHT" - Rafał Rokicki
"REMEMBERING VERONICA" - K. Elling & L. Hobgood
"SEARCHING FOR PEACE" - Rafał Rokicki
"LITTLE STORY FOR K." - Rafał Rokicki
Rafał Rokicki at the Era of Jazz Music Festival in Palladium
Rafał Rokicki is going to be a guest at the upcoming concert of the Era of Jazz Music Festival. The pianist is a first
laureate of the Era Music Garden project and will perform at the concert of Omar Sosa on the
19th of March in Palladium in Warsaw. www.muzyka.re.pl (pdf-549KB) www.jazzforum.com (pdf-325KB)
"The most beautiful jazz phrases emerge when there is no obvious chase after notes, when the technical
eloquence of a pianist is equally important as his creative sensitivity. The music of Rafał Rokicki
is one shapely creation in which there is no crazy harmonic passages, but because of that it forms
the sound which should be associated with the grace and elegance of jazz. It is not a cocktail
jazz and fast keyboard arpeggios so often offered by young pianists, who
unconsciously play with phrases by Corea, Jarrett or Rubalcaba. Rafał has a good technique and
a great potential of musical, jazzy associations. He has fun with music! And this is the
shortest way to artistic fulfillment." - arguments his choice Dionizy Piątkowski. www.eramusicgarden.pl (pdf-325KB) www.muzyka.onet.pl (pdf-440KB) www.jazzgazeta.blox.pl (pdf-205KB) www.eramusicgarden.pl (pdf-194KB)
On the 26th of November in Jazz Club Pod Filarami in Gorzów Wielkopolski there took place
the 36th edition of a competition "The Key To Career". The winner of the prestigious award was
Rafał Rokicki Trio. www.muzyka.re.pl (pdf-577KB)
"Rafał Rokicki Trio (Rafał Rokicki - p, Zak Croxall - bg, Thomas Harman -dr.) is a band
of Berklee College of Music graduates. In 2008 the musicians recorded an album "G.H.R.".
Apart from that, Rafał Rokicki is a laureate of the VIth International Krzysztof Komeda Composers Competition in Słupsk
held during Komeda Jazz Festival. During the competition the Trio performed 6 compositions:
Quiet Fire by Dave Holland and five originals by Rokicki and Croxall. They have enchanted the audience
with a Chopin's lyricism, scandinavian minimalism and a beautiful elegant sound." www.jazzforum.com (pdf-143KB)
Rokicki-Croxall-Hartman in Tygmont
As it was written in Jazz Forum Magazine: "Rokicki-Croxall-Hartman Trio performed in Tygmont in Warsaw twice: on 22nd and 23rd of November (2010).
During the first set of the second evening they played ballads and fantasies, nearly in romantic style. In the second
one they were joined by a vocalist Kasia Rokicka. Rafał Rokicki has a subtle style of playing, great sensitivity and the ability
to create mood. He composes his own material and for several years he has performed with various musicians, among others he
has played in Tygmont several times. It seems that at the Polish jazz scene there emerged another jazz
pianist of a great potential.". www.jazzforum.com.pl (pdf-355KB)
Krokus Jazz Festival 2010.
In November 2010 in Jelenia Góra there took place the IXth Krokus Jazz Festival - Powiew Młodego Jazzu Young Jazz Breeze).
Rafał Rokicki Trio featured Rafał Rokicki - piano, Zak Croxall - bass, Thomas Hartman - drums.
The concert was warmly received by the audience, Thomas Hartman was awarded an Individual Prize and a Dziennik Nakręcaczy wrote about the concert:
"But in fact, the jazz I love (not being able to call it different than "black" or "black & white")
was played by Rafał Rokicki Trio, Kuba Płużek Zgwintet (that's right, that's the name) and Jana Bezek Trio.
Classical ensemble - piano, double bass (or bass), drums and the atmosphere!" www.dienniknakrecaczy.wordpress.com.pl
(pdf-246KB)
The Cultural Year Inauguration in Grajewo.
"The Cultural Year in Grajewo was inaugurated on Saturday (16 October 2010) in the club "Hades".
During a concert of Rokicki/Pulcyn Duo one could admire an exhibition of paintings by Przemysław Karwowski."
"On the 28th of January 2010 in Tygmont Jazz Club there was held a ceremony of awards' presentation
of the Heradesign competition.
The splendor to the event was added by a concert of a great jazzman Rafał Rokicki and his band." www.W-A.pl (pdf-80KB)
Jazz Juniors 2009.
On the 3rd of December 2009 in Cracow there begun the XXXIIIrd International Competition of Young Jazz
Ensembles - Jazz Juniors 2009. It is one of the oldest jazz festivals in Poland. To the group of finalists
belonged the Rafał Rokicki Trio.
Krokus Jazz Festiwal 2009
For three days from the 13th till the 15th of November 2009 in Jelenia Góra there was held the
VIIIth International Krokus Jazz Festival titled "Powiew Młodego Jazzu" (Young Jazz Breeze). During the finals of the competition
14 young jazz ensembles presented their music.
In the program there was "a couple: a pianist Rafał Rokicki and a vocalist Kasia Rokicka.
Subtlety, discrete impressionism, gentle harmonies and elegance of sound has made their performance something
extraordinary and unforgettable." www.jazzforum.com.pl (pdf-347KB)
XVth Komeda Jazz Festival 2009
At the VIth Krzysztof Komeda Composers Competition in Słupsk, which ended with a gala on the
13th of November 2009, there were 27 musicians submitting their work (37 compositions all together)
to one of the categories: Open and Jazz Theme Category. Rafał Rokicki was awarded the IInd Prize in the Jazz Theme Category for his composition "Winter's Night".
www.komedajazz.com (pdf-275KB)
"The music of the recent laureates: Aleksandra Tomaszewska, David Rudnicki, Michał Ciesielski and
Rafał Rokicki clearly signifies that jazz is heading towards assimilation of the modern trends in music." www.jazzforum.com.pl (pdf-359KB) www.jazzforum.com.pl (pdf-333KB)
"Ci Na Których Liczymy 2009" Festival
Every Fall in Tygmont Jazz Club in Warsaw Jazz Forum Magazine organizes a Jazz Festival for young musicians
called "Ci Na Których Liczymy" ("Those Who We Count On").
As is was written in Jazz Forum after the concert: on the 24th of September 2009 "there was a concert of a
jazz couple: a pianist Rafał Rokicki and a vocalist Kasia Rokicka, who after several years
of studies came back to Poland from Berklee College of Music in Boston. They have brought two original
albums: Rafał's G.H.R. and Kasia's Violet River and it were the beautiful, romantic compositions from the
albums that we heard during their performance. The couple was supported by Wojciech Pulcyn on double bass." jazz forum 11/09 (jpg-1239KB)
Rafał Rokicki was awarded IIIrd Place and the Audience Prize at the IInd International Jazz
Competition: Novum Jazz Festival that took place in Łomża on the 15-17 of May 2009.
There were 14 jazz musicians from Poland and other countries taking part in the competition. www.jazz.radionadzieja.pl (pdf-288KB)
OurStage - February 2009
In February 2009 the composition "Softly As in the Morning Sunrise" from the album G.H.R. has won the first
place in the Jazz category at OurStage.com.. www.ourstage.com/winners/2009/2 (pdf-2344KB)
G.H.R. - Rafał Rokicki Trio
On the 6th of November 2008 there was a Rafał Rokicki's "G.H.R." CD release concert that took place in David Friend
Recital Hall in Boston. Rafał Rokicki Trio (Rafał Rokicki - piano, Zak Croxall - bass and Thomas Hartman - drums)
performed several originals by Rokicki as well as the leader's modern arrangements of popular jazz standards.
Boston Recital Hall Concert
On the 12th of December 2007 in 1W Recital Hall at Berklee College of Music Rafał Rokicki Trio performed for
the first time together. The trio featured Rafał Rokicki on piano, Zak Croxall on bass and Thomas Harman on drums.
Rafał Rokicki was awarded the audience prize in the annual edition of the International Jazz Improvizacija Competition in Vilnius.
His "Winter's Night" was considered as the best original composition.
Rafał Rokicki is going to be a guest at the upcoming concert of the Era of Jazz Music Festival. The pianist is a first
laureate of the Era Music Garden project and will perform at the concert of Omar Sosa on the
19th of March in Palladium in Warsaw.
As it was written in Jazz Forum Magazine: "Rokicki-Croxall-Hartman Trio performed in Tygmont in Warsaw twice: on 22nd and 23rd of November (2010).
In November 2010 in Jelenia Góra there took place the IXth Krokus Jazz Festival - Powiew Młodego Jazzu Young Jazz Breeze).
Rafał Rokicki Trio featured Rafał Rokicki - piano, Zak Croxall - bass, Thomas Hartman - drums.
The concert was warmly received by the audience, Thomas Hartman was awarded an Individual Prize and a Dziennik Nakręcaczy wrote about the concert:
"But in fact, the jazz I love (not being able to call it different than "black" or "black & white")
was played by Rafał Rokicki Trio, Kuba Płużek Zgwintet (that's right, that's the name) and Jana Bezek Trio.
Classical ensemble - piano, double bass (or bass), drums and the atmosphere!"
At the VIth Krzysztof Komeda Composers Competition in Słupsk, which ended with a gala on the
13th of November 2009, there were 27 musicians submitting their work (37 compositions all together)
to one of the categories: Open and Jazz Theme Category.
