Jerzy Małek

Jerzy Małek trumpet

Jerzy Małek

Trumpeter, composer, producer and university academic teacher on Music Academy of Gdańsk, born in Elblag in 1978. Jerzy Malek started learning the trumpet at the age of 13, after joining a local brass band. He started thorough musical education at the Music school in Elbląg and continued as a student the Faculty of Jazz and Contemporary Music at the Academy of Music in Katowice, which he finished with distinction.

He won many prices as a soloist, bandleader and composer including: Jazz and Blues Musical Contest in Gdynia 1998, International Jazz Contest Katowice 2000, “Key to the career” during Pomorian Jazz Autumn 1999, Grand Prix on Jazz Juniors 1999 as a leader and best soloist. Jerzy also took part in the prestigious competition Jazz Strugle Szczecin 2004 along with musicians from the USA and Europe, where he won the 3rd place. The head of jury was at that time legendary Billy Harper.

As a professional musician Jerzy has made a name for himself as a trumpeter playing with Polish jazz icons like: Michał Urbaniak, Wojciech Karolak, Zbigniew Namysłowski, Janusz Muniak, Tomasz Szukalski, Zbigniew Wegehaupt, Jan Ptaszyn Wróblewski, Staszek Soyka, Janusz Skowron, Marcin Wasilewski, Krzysztof Herdzin, Eryk Kulm, Jarek Śmietana, Cezary Konrad, Michał Tokaj, Hanna Banaszak, Henryk Miśkiewicz, Adam Pierończyk, Maciej Sikała, Michał Miśkiewicz, Leszek Kułakowski, Marcin Masecki, Michał Barański and many others.

He also performed with great international artists like: Maria Schneider, Gary Bartz, Billy Harper, Ed Cherry, Al Mcdowell, Femi Temowo, Steve Logan, Dan Tepfer, Eric Allen, Ziw Rawitz, Lucas Pino, Troy Miller, Mircea Tiberian, Andy Middleton and many others.

For almost 20 years Jerzy has been creating his own artistic projects. He made several albums with his original music, which were appreciated by fans and critics:

“By Fife” 2000 JAZZ FORUM RECORDS,  “Gift” 2002NOT TWO,  “Spirit of the time” 2005JM RECORDS.  First three albums were re-edited and released by KAYAX as one album called “Selected Acoustic Recordings “2000-2005”. Next albums are: “Bop Beat” 2006 KAYAX,  “Air”  2011 UNIVERSAL MUSIC,  “Stalgia”  2015KAYAX, and   “Forevelle”  2017 KAYAX

Jerzy wrote music to theatre and movies including:  “Hurricane” 1928,  “Full was here” 1915 during “Silent Movies Festival” in Warsaw. He also wrote music to Arek Batosiak’s “Comebacks” movie based on Ingmar Bergman’s “Marriage live scenes”. His artistic work was appreciated during nominations to “Fryderyk Awards” in two categories: Best Composer/Arranger and Best Jazz Musician of 2012. “Fryderyk” is Polish Phonographic Academy Award considered as most prestigious in music busines.

Jerzy began to be seen as one of the best Polish jazz trumpeters and composers and compared to such big names like Tomasz Stańko and Piotr Wojtasik. Today, bound for new musical directions, Jerzy Małek widens the harmonic and melodic context by adding rhythmic elements inspired by contemporary multiculture sounds to his music.