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Komeda

Komeda is most commonly associated with Krzysztof Komeda-Trzciński, a Polish jazz pianist and composer who was a major figure in Polish jazz and European film music. Born in 1931 in Poznań, he emerged as a leading writer and performer, blending jazz with European modernist ideas. He led the Krzysztof Komeda Quintet and his work helped shape a distinctly European approach to rhythm, harmony, and mood in jazz. His album Astigmatic is widely regarded as a landmark in European jazz, noted for its melodic invention and harmonic exploration.

In addition to his jazz performances and recordings, Komeda was a prolific film composer. He created scores

Komeda died in 1969, leaving a lasting legacy in both jazz and film music. His innovative blending

for
a
number
of
Polish
films
and
collaborated
with
international
directors,
notably
Roman
Polanski.
His
work
on
Knife
in
the
Water
(1962)
contributed
to
the
film’s
tense,
atmospheric
mood,
while
his
score
for
Rosemary’s
Baby
(1968)
remains
closely
associated
with
the
film’s
suspenseful
and
unsettling
tone.
Komeda’s
film
music
is
characterized
by
inventive
use
of
percussion,
expanded
orchestration,
and
a
modern
sensibility
that
bridged
jazz
and
cinematic
storytelling.
of
modal
jazz,
melodic
sophistication,
and
cinematic
sensibility
influenced
generations
of
composers
and
musicians
in
Poland
and
beyond,
and
his
recordings
continue
to
be
revisited
by
critics
and
fans
of
European
jazz.