An international jury, consisting of Florian Arbenz, Nelson Veras, Maikel Vistel, Jorge Vistel, and Adam Pierończyk (chair), has awarded the Grand Prix Jazz Juniors 2023 to the Ukrainian- Luxembourgian duo Kravchenko Clees. The 2nd prize goes to Polish band Know Material, and the 3rd – to Mateusz Kaszuba Trio.
The six bands that have qualified for the finals of this year’s Jazz Juniors Competition performed during the night auditions on 12th October at Kraków’s Cricoteka. They were assessed not only by the international jury, but also by our International Partners Council.
The jury has awarded the following prizes:
The Grand Prix of the 47th Jazz Juniors (PLN 10,000) goes to Kravchenko Clees duo, consisting of Ukrainian singer Kateryna Kravchenko and Luxembourgian vibraphonist Arthur Clees, who have both studied at Dresden’s Hochschule für Musik.
The 2nd prize (PLN 5,000) has been awarded to Polish band Know Material, with the following line-up: Maciej Prokopowicz – trombone, Kajetan Skoneczny – vibraphone, Filip Botor – bass, and Kacper Kałuża – drums.
The 3rd prize (PLN 3,000) has been given to Mateusz Kaszuba Trio, consisting of Mateusz Kaszuba – piano, Michał Rutkowski – bass, and Artur Małecki – drums.
The Janusz Muniak Award, presented at our festival already for many years and funded by Trzech Kumpli Brevery (PLN 5,000) goes to Portuguese saxophonist Álvaro Correia Pinto.
‘The great and generous support we received from the Adam Mickiewicz Institute has made it possible to host at our Festival, as in previous years, a group of foreign partners representing prestigious festivals, concert venues, and record labels,’ says Jazz Juniors director Tomasz Handzlik. ‘We have been developing this partnership network for eight years now since the main idea of Jazz Juniors Competition is to promote young Polish musicians at home and abroad. Having attended the finals and listened to all the finalists, these partners then present special awards in the form of concert and festival invitations.’
This year’s International Partners Council consists of Abel Petneki (Budapest Music Center, Hungary), Branislav Dejanovic (Nisville Jazz Festival, Serbia), Enrico Moccia (Fara Music Festival, Italy), Marius Giura (Garana Jazz Festival, Romania), Joseph Paice (Pizza Express, UK), Jakub Drożdż (Jazz po polsku, Asia), Martyna van Nieuwland (Music Meeting Festival, The Netherlands), Vilém Spilka (Jazz Fest Brno, Czechia), and Michał Hajduk (NOSPR, Poland).
Our partners have extended concert and festival invitations to the following performers:
Hilarious Disasters have been invited by Branislav Dejanovic (Nisville Jazz Festival, Serbia), Abel Petneki (BMC, Hungary), and Michał Hajduk (NOSPR, Poland) to play concerts at their respective festivals and venues.
Mateusz Kaszuba Trio received invitations from Enrico Moccia (to Fara Music Festival, Italy), and Jakub Drożdż of ‘Jazz po polsku’ (to Warsaw Life Sessions).
Know Material have been honoured with invitations from Joseph Paice (Pizza Express Jazz Club, UK) and Jakub Drożdż (to ‘Jazz po polsku around the world’).
The Jazz Juniors 2023 Grand Prix winners, Kravchenko Clees, have been invited by Martyna van Nieuwland to play at Music Meeting in the Netherlands.
Now that the Competition results have been announced, tonight (13th October), on the second day of Jazz Juniors 2023, our Festival’s concert programme will open with a performance by Ziemia quartet, winners of last year’s Jazz Juniors Grand Prix. The second guest this night will be Florian Arbenz Group, which includes Jazz Juniors Competition jury members: Swiss drummer Florian Arbenz and musicians whom he invited to play in Kraków – Brazilian guitar virtuoso Nelson Veras as well as Cuban-born Vistel brothers: the trumpeter Jorge and the saxophonist Maikel.
Event organisers:
Film and Jazz Music Foundation
The Zbigniew Seifert Foundation
Co-organisers:
CRICOTEKA Centre for the Documentation of the Art of Tadeusz Kantor
The National Centre for Culture Poland
The project has been co-financed from the funds of the Municipality of Cracow.
The event’s partner is the National Film Archive – Audiovisual Institute (FINA).
Co-financed from the funds of ORLEN Foundation.
PATRONS AND PARTNERS:
The Adam Mickiewicz Institute / Culture.pl
STOART
Tauron Polska Energia S.A.
Most the Most Foundation
Trzech Kumpli Brewery
MOTORING PARTNER: Porsche
Photos by Michał Łepecki